· The area south of School Lane Road between USH 41/141 and CTH HS;

· Properties with frontage along CTH HS between Riverside Drive and School Lane Road;

· All properties along Side Road, south of School Lane Road;

· All properties along Deerfield Road;

· The Suamico River frontage between CTH HS and USH 41/141;

· The segment of the railroad corridor extending between School Lane Road and Riverside Drive; and

· Properties along both sides of Riverside Drive between CTH HS and USH 41/141.

 

· Local pubs

· Former town offices

· Town community facility/fire station

· Vickery Village (a historic shopping area created by moving historic buildings around town to this single site)

· Town park facilities

There is a great opportunity for redevelopment of this area. The parks, combined with the Suamico River Frontage, are wonderful amenities to build upon. Likewise, many of the properties in the area are at a stage where redevelopment is needed to prevent blight. Furthermore, the deteriorating infrastructure in the area is in need of upgrading, so now is the time to plan and coordinate public improvements in the area.

Recommended Uses

Based on the market research presented in Chapter 2, the following types of uses are recommended in this area:

· Restaurants

· Specialty food items (i.e. ice cream parlor, bakeries, delicatessens, soup shops, coffee shops, etc.)

· Food-for-the-home establishments, including stores specializing in bagels, breads, cakes, wines and other cooking items.

· Second floor residential and office spaces

 

To ensure the economic success of the area, it is recommended at least one (if not several) anchor uses be established at visible locations around the Historic Hamlet. These "anchor" businesses would be a destination point for residents and draw people to the area. It is critical that the "anchor" businesses include the design elements of the other buildings in the Historic Hamlet in order to visually link the "anchor" businesses to smaller, local establishments. Recommended "anchor" businesses include:

· The gasoline station on the north side of CTH B, east of the railroad tracks

· A pharmacy

· A video/DVD rental store (specializing in family rentals)

 

To a lesser extent, the post office in the area also serves as an "anchor" that draws people to the area.

Secondary uses that could also be encouraged in the area are listed below. These types of establishments cater more to potential tourists visiting the zoo or passing along the USH 41/141 corridor than local residents. These uses would support the anchor and primary uses listed above.

· A museum

· Craft, art, and gift (including toy) stores

· Live/work spaces for local artisans

· Book and music stores (specializing in family merchandise)

· Building Design and Materials- Prototypical designs should include such architectural features as:

 

 

Paint, stain and trim colors used should be in keeping with existing buildings. Color palettes established for buildings at the turn of the century are usually in the ranges of dark reds, greens, browns and blacks. Orange and yellow and light pastels can be used as accent colors. Natural wood and exposed galvanized metal should be considered for major façade and roof treatments as well.

 

Access to the existing and new commercial buildings should consider dual entrances to promote access to the river and incorporate off-street parking behind the commercial front. The following illustrations are examples of various types of architectural styles that should be considered when developing the Historic Hamlet.

Streetscape Elements- It is important that the architectural context and period of the Historic Hamlet be carried through to the street furnishings. The design of street furniture and amenities reflects the unique theme, image and identity for the area. Period style light poles and fixtures, traffic signs, and street furniture should be incorporated into the public streets and pedestrian areas. The use of colored and stamped concrete applied in areas to emulate cobble stone should be a consideration for crosswalks, pedestrian sidewalks and storefront entrances. Picket fences used to define property boundaries and accentuate walk-up features of buildings setback from the street edge should be encouraged. Entrance or "gateway" signage should be incorporated into the streetscape geometry to announce to motorists and pedestrians that they have arrived at the Historic Hamlet. Traditional signage materials of brick, wood and limestone should be considered for the gateway or entrance signage. The style and design of this sign should be used as feature or entrance signage in the Velp Corridor, Northwoods and Highway/Community Service areas as well. The illustrations below are examples of recommended streetscape elements and pavement patterning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

· Landscaping Features- Landscape materials and species should be carefully selected to accentuate the historic character of the hamlet and match with existing plantings. Recommended species include but are not limited to:

o Spruce, pine and fir trees for border definition and wind block;

o Ash, Japanese tree lilac and locust trees for streetscape applications where harsh conditions make it difficult for trees to grow properly;

o Honey suckle and lilac for screening;

o Magnolia, staghorn sumac and autumn brilliance serviceberry in applications where clusters of small ornamental trees are desired;

o Clematis and ivy should be used for creeping vine applications; and

o Small shrubbery installations should consider winterberry, hosta, mock orange and dogwood species.

There are several design features that should contribute to a unified look and feel for the Town Center and help bridge the geographical and perceived gap between the distinct commercial zones of the Town Center.

· Entrance signage or "gateways" should be visible and welcoming to residents and visitors alike. The signage should be presented as subtle variations from a common design throughout the Town Center. The shape, size and location of the entrance sign should be consistent with the different construction materials used to accentuate the particular area of the Town Center where the sign is located.

Sign materials (for both gateway and on-site business signage) in the Historic Hamlet should incorporate the brick, stone, wood and metal materials.

· Sidewalk improvement projects should consider integration of standard gray concrete with colored stamped or patterned concrete. Each commercial area of the Town Center should have a corresponding concrete pattern associated with it. For example, in the Historic Hamlet the preferred concrete pattern would be cobble stone. These concrete patterns can be introduced into sidewalks, cross walks, parking lot islands and storefront entrances. Standardization in colored pigment choices for the concrete should be considered but slight variation in the stamping patterns is expected. Texturing and finishing of the standard gray concrete surfaces should also be uniform. Broom finishes, picture framing and trowel patterns are simple ways to add interest to concrete at relatively low cost.

 

 

 

· Lighting fixtures should be selected for their application and thematic location within the Town Center. Fixtures will need to be different sizes, heights and wattages for their respective applications. Fortunately, several manufacturers produce fixtures that complement one another in certain applications.

 

The Historic Hamlet may require lower height period style lighting whereas the Velp Corridor will require higher mast, greater wattage and larger dispersion pattern lighting. The light fixtures for the Velp Corridor may not be a direct duplication of the Historic Hamlet lighting, but may have similar lines and features. One common amenity that may be the same on all light poles in the Town Center is the application of banners, hanging pots, flag pole holders and festoon power outlets for lighted Christmas decorations.

 

· River Trail and Boardwalk- A trail system should be developed to help link pedestrians to the separate and distinct theme areas within the Town Center, as well as, to provide an amenity for recreation. The trail system should use similar enhancement features that are present in each of the commercial areas to help create a unified design theme. Trailhead structures, pavement, lighting, banners, signage and furniture should be selected to reinforce continuity. For additional information about the trail system, refer to chapter 4.

· Landscaping- Plant material selection along the trail system and among the four separate theme areas in the Town Center should help to define the area as a single destination. Moreover, the landscaping will help to soften the transition between the four commercial zones. Plants selected should be considered for their heartiness, maintenance characteristics and should not hinder visibility or crate a safety concern. Species described for each of the four commercial zone should be considered for the transitional areas as well. In all areas, but particularly in the Historic Hamlet, given its proximity to the Suamico River, native species are strongly recommended. The defined boundaries of the Historic Hamlet, formed by the Suamico River, CTH HS, CTH B, and USH 41 minimize the need for residential landscape buffers.

 

Transportation Improvements

The transportation chapter of this plan provides specific information related to existing conditions and potential improvements for transportation facilities in the Town Center. The existing street cross sections in the Historic Hamlet are "rural." This means that the streets have shoulders and ditches. An "urban" cross section would have sidewalks and curb and gutter. As the need for sidewalk grows in the Historic Hamlet, the roadways should be converted to an urban section.

Of particular concern in the Historic Hamlet is the availability of ample parking. This is related to the fact that the properties in the area are comparatively small with limited setback areas.

· Shared Parking Areas - Given the limited size of individual parcels in this area, landowners are encouraged to consider shared parking arrangements. These situations are particularly effective in areas where neighboring businesses have peak parking demands at different times of the day.

· On-Street Parking - There is some on-street parking along Riverside Drive today. The potential exists to expand on-street parking opportunities in the Historic Hamlet. Suggested areas for on-street parking are highlighted on the Historic Hamlet Map presented in this chapter.

· Extending Parking for Anchor Uses - Anchor uses will be situated on larger parcels on the outer limits of the Historic Hamlet. As such, it may be advantageous to provide larger parking areas on these parcels to allow Historic Hamlet visitors to park at the anchor business and walk to nearby businesses.

· Alternatives - This plan recommends the establishment of a trail system and continued space for boat docking. These amenities will bring people to this Historic Hamlet who do not need space to park vehicles. Effective marketing of these transit modes will likely bring additional people to the area.

· Special Event Transit - If, in the future, businesses in the Historic Hamlet were to coordinate with one another to establish special shopping events, it may be advantageous for the businesses to provide a shuttle service from other areas of the Town Center into the Historic Hamlet to off-set peak parking demands.

To ensure the design criteria outlined in this section are effectively enforced, is it recommended that the Town consider contracting with an architect and landscape architect. These individuals would review development proposals and provide professional recommendations, in accordance with the plan guidelines, related to the building appearance and landscaping of sites. The cost for these services could be charged directly to the applicant as part of a professional review fee.

The Plan Commission and Town Board would have these professional recommendations as a resource when making final development decisions. This additional process will help to limit inconsistent interpretations and prevent discrepancies in enforcement.

It is recommended that the Town of Suamico use this plan as a guide for installing improvements in the Historic Hamlet. Obviously, detailed plans will need to be developed for actual installation, but the recommendations in this section address the appearance and scale of future improvements. Likewise, the recommendations presented in this chapter with respect to the appearance of development should serve as a guide for developers seeking to establish new businesses in the area. This chapter will serve as a supplement to the provisions outlined in the Town of Suamico Planned Commercial Zoning District.