Blueprint Downtown hosts 3 walking tours

The Blueprint Downtown project team is hosting a series of three public walking tours to explore topics like business vitality, parking and sustainability. Each tour focuses on different themes that have emerged from previous public meetings and includes a discussion on what is working, what is not, and potential future improvements. The hour-long walking tour will end with 30 minutes of conversation and warming up at a coffee shop.

• Tour One: Business Vitality, Housing, and Public Safety
  Saturday, Jan. 5, 1 to 2:30 p.m. Meet in the Senate Building lobby, 175 S. Franklin St.
  This tour focuses on the central business district and will consider the community’s priorities regarding year-round economic vitality. Is this possible? Is housing one key?

• Tour Two: Vehicles, Parking, and the Pedestrian Experience
  Saturday, Jan. 12, 1 to 2:30 p.m. Meet at Heritage Coffee, corner Front & Seward St.
  This tour will walk the primary working core and portions of the Willoughby/Shoreline district. Street “reality” will identify and promote conversation about the trade-off between parking and auto use versus pedestrian safety and neighborhood attractiveness.

• Tour Three: Cultural Identity, Sustainability, and the Environment
  Saturday, Jan. 19, 1 to 2:30 p.m. Meet at the Juneau Arts & Culture Center, 350 Whittier St
  What should be the central identity of Downtown Juneau, how do we capture that quality, and how do we appeal to both residents and seasonal visitors? This tour includes the Arts District, Sea Walk portions, and the “Flats” neighborhood.

Interested members of the public are encouraged to sign up in advance for one or more tours at https://blueprintdowntown.org/walking-tours/ or by calling the Community Development Department at 586-0715. ADA accommodations are available upon request with at least 72 hours’ notice.

Blueprint Downtown is a planning effort of CBJ’s Community Development Department to set a community vision for the future of Downtown Juneau. The project’s general focus is on the area from the Rock Dump to Norway Point (Juneau Yacht Club). The planning process, which incorporates past efforts and existing plans, is expected to take up to two years and result in a 20-year blueprint for Downtown.

For more information, visit the project website at www.blueprintdowntown.org or call 586-0715.