West End Redevelopment District

ACSW was originally contacted by a native of the district that wanted to reinvest in the area by developing some family land with new commercial structures. His vision was to return the area to being the prosperous commercial hub it once was. We quickly realized that we could not generate a meaningful change in the area by developing one block, or even one street; we needed to look at the district as a whole. The donor teamed with the City and Southern Mutual Help Association to engage ACSW in creating a master plan and design code for the entire 600-acre district that addressed the desires and needs of the community. We held a week-long charrette in which we conducted over 25 stakeholder meetings.

During the charrette, we divided the district into four neighborhoods of around 150 acres each. Each neighborhood has a center that addresses neighborhood needs, such as a church, convenience store, cleaner, etc., all within a 5-minute walk of residents. We also proposed a centralized district center within a 10-minute walk from each resident and contains a public square, YMCA, daycare, clinic, neighborhood run farmer’s market, and office space. It will be the commercial hub of the district. The master plan also proposes a Cultural Arts Center to celebrate the rich arts history of the district, which includes a public square for outdoor concerts and neighborhood gatherings.