2008 Accomplishments
CSX Overpass Improvements:
The CSX railroad bridge, part of the DNP’s Mural-Gateway
Project, is finally completed! The first phase of the bridge
beautification project was completed in late 2005 and portrays a
114-foot long and 11½-foot high mural that transformed the
graffiti-scarred railroad bridge into a dazzling and welcoming
kaleidoscope of color. The bridge mural has two sides and uses
35 bright colors to convey Newark’s vitality. Whereas bright
colors and large designs define the bridge mural, the abutments
are intended to provide a “snapshot” of Newark today. The two
concrete abutment canvasses pay homage to large events that
Newark hosts, such as “Community Day,” “Taste of Newark” and the
“Halloween Parade and Trick or Treat Main Street.” The abutment
designs also give an aesthetic nod to the day-to-day activities
that give Main Street its unique character and texture, such as
shopping, eating and socializing. Landscaping improvements were
also installed, and are being maintained through agreement with
the Porter Automotive Group. The City of Newark Electric
Department installed and energized new lights on the bridge to
complete the project.
The
Downtown Newark Partnership would like to take this opportunity
to thank mural designer and artist Terry Foreman, bridge
preparation specialists Marinis Brothers, Inc., bridge painter
and artist Chris Kanienberg, City crews and our generous donors
without whom, this project would not have been possible.
Delaware
Avenue Mural Project
As the CSX
Mural project neared completion,
the Design Committee turned its attention to another
anti-graffiti beautification project for downtown Newark,
targeting the concrete abutments along the S-turn on Delaware
Avenue, between Farmer Lane and Tyre Avenue. DelDOT approval
was required for this project since the abutment is actually a
State facility. After several renditions of potential mural
designs and addressing DelDOT concerns that the mural be
designed so as not to confuse motorists in believing that the
concrete barrier was actually a “soft” barrier (landscaping,
etc. rather than hard concrete), the State finally agreed to
allow the DNP to install and maintain a mural in a stone-wall
motif at the location. The stone-wall look, which was also
reviewed by the City of Newark’s Traffic Committee, actually
highlights the fact that the S-turn barrier is a “hard” surface
and vastly improves the aesthetics of the area which is within
site of the new Transit Hub facility and the
soon-to-be-constructed Pomeroy Walking and Biking Trail. In
addition to mural conceptual approvals, the Committee spent a
considerable amount of time raising monies to support the
project. The vast majority of those funds were raised through
silent auctions, the sale of DNP and 250th
Anniversary merchandise and the AZD/DNP 5 K Walk/Run.
Artist
Christian Kanienberg, owner of Wish Painting and Sculpture,
designed the mural through its various renditions and painted
the stone-wall motif mural during a two week in mid-August,
2008. The result is a welcomed aesthetic and anti-graffiti
improvement to a previously neglected area of downtown.
Before:
After:
Design Guidelines
Downtown Newark’s Design
Committee, as part of the City’s development review process,
evaluates development proposals in the downtown area, on a
voluntary basis, using the DNP’s Design Guidelines for
Downtown Newark. The Guidelines were originally
adopted in 1997, and overhauled in 2007, and served as a guide
for development in the downtown area. The Committee meets with
the developer and reviews the conceptual design for the
potential project, and then reports to the results of their
reviews to the City of Newark Planning Commission. Since the
last Annual Report, the committee has reviewed and commented on
plans for 102 East Main Street, 137 East Main Street, 173-175
East Main Street, 209 East Main Street, 119 Elkton Road, and
mostly recently 257 East Main Street. The Planning Commission
and City Council have both expressed gratitude to the committee
for the Guidelines and their development reviews in the
effort to keep downtown development in character with the rest
of the town. Developed in response to the construction of the
large Galleria building and several other developments in the
early to mid 1990s, the Guidelines provide guidance on
types of architecture and design elements that fit best with
Downtown Newark and the Committee’s goal of historic
preservation and pedestrian scale infill construction.
Comprehensive Streetscape Program - Phase 2
Phase One of
the Comprehensive Streetscape Plan was completed in the Summer
of 2006, including repaving of Main Street as well as some other
improvements. Phase Two encompassed pedestrian safety and
aesthetic improvements, such as textured crosswalk placement,
including bump outs and additional pedestrian scale lighting
where possible and tree pit improvements. The work is intended
to improve the look and walk-ability of the town as well as the
safety of the streets, including traffic calming effects of
these additions.
Phase Two of the Comprehensive Streetscape program
was completed in the summer of 2008. At the DNP’s urging to
minimize the negative impact that road construction often has on
existing businesses, the City took the stance that the
construction must be kept to a specific timeframe and schedule –
specifically traffic-disrupting construction was limited to
between the hours of 10 PM and 10 AM each day, Sunday through
Thursday, scheduled also so as not to interrupt any downtown
special events, and be finally that it be completed before the
students’ return for Fall semester. Although the project
started later than hoped, the contractor, Grassbusters
Landscaping did a tremendous job of focusing on downtown’s need
for expedited construction and worked ahead of schedule so that
all traffic disrupting work was completed by the second week in
August, 2008. With minor concerns about tree pit design and
damage to some trees during construction, which are currently
being replaced, the City is pleased, overall, with the
streetscape results. The crosswalks on Main Street are far
better delineated, and much more usable due to the
pedestrian-scale lighting, and the bump-outs in particular. The
increased pedestrian traffic, and the increased visibility of
pedestrian traffic, have traffic calming effects that serve to
make Main Street safer and friendlier to visitors and residents
alike.
The committee will now look to other streetscape
improvements to complement first two phases such as benches and
bike racks, improved signage, etc.
Landscaping Tips
As a way
to beautify the downtown area in a relatively inexpensive
manner, Design Committee Member and Certified Landscape
Architect Lori Athey developed a document entitled Tips for
Low Maintenance Plantings, which provides information about
appropriate plant selection, surface preparation and easy
maintenance. Additionally, Ms. Athey offered free consultation
for downtown businesses, an offer that was taken up by Dr.
Singh’s 209 East Main Street building. This type of service and
attention to detail helps keep Downtown Newark looking great all
year round!
Architectural Assistance
The Design Committee works with businesses on Main Street to aid
in exterior reconstruction and façade improvements. The program
provides a 1:1 matching grant of up to $2500 to property and
business to make improvements to their buildings in the downtown
area. To begin the process, the business owner and the Design
Committee work together to determine appropriate improvements
for the building. The Design Committee then works with the
approved business to create conceptual drawings and obtain
estimates; the construction can then proceed. After the project
is completed, the DNP awards a one-to-one matching grant up to
$2500 to pay for the completed improvements.
Although these funds were not utilized in this capacity
this year, the Committee is pleased to offer the assistance and
will continue to promote the opportunity to business and
property owners.
CSX Chapel
Street Site
On November 10, 2007, the Design Committee was able to conduct a
clean up of the CSX overpass that crosses over Chapel Street.
Many volunteers, including members of the Design Committee,
Mayor Funk and Councilman Stu Markham, and City crews worked
diligently to remove trash, railroad debris, weeds and
overgrowth from the site, and remove graffiti from the bridge
and the abutment walls. The City’s Parks and Recreation
Department was then able to develop and implement a landscaping
plan for the area, with the plantings being done in the late
spring, 2008. The landscaping is being maintained by Kevin
Heitzenroder’s landscaping firm as a volunteer community service
project. The result is a much-improved gateway to downtown
Newark.
Due to
concerns about lead-based paint on the structure, a bridge mural
is not planned at this location. However, the Committee is
currently working with a student-run community service group of
the University of Delaware called “Helping Hens” to create and
install a mural on the cemetery wall immediately adjacent to the
site. The wall has often fallen victim to graffiti vandalism,
and the Design Committee is hopeful that a mural at this
location will further deter vandalism in the area.
