NAYNESBORO DOWNTOWN  MASTER PLAN  DERCK  EDSON ASSOCIATES  IANDSCAPH ARLHITICIS CIVIL FAGINEERS LANDI PIANNERS 335OUTH BROADSTREET: LITITZ. PA17543 MWEDNRGKAMPANONCON 7176262054 HAX7 7176260954 AUGUST 22,2008    WAYNESBORO DOWNTOWN MASTER PLAN  Table of Contents Introduction II. Process.  I.  m. Observation and Analysis.. IV. Strategies and Action Items.  13 16  V. Appendices  Plan preparedby:  DERCK  EDSON ASSOCIATES  IANDSCAPE ARCITICTS CIVILI ING SFERS IANDANSERS 33 SOUTH BROAD: STREET-LITITZ. PA 17543 WAMDIACHAMOIDIONEO. 717.636.2051 FAX717.26.0954 with: LD HARPERASSOCLATES ARLINGTON, VA  D    WAYNESBORO DOWNTOWN MASTER PLAN  INTRODUCTION  "What al beautiful place tol build ai town." This is the phrase that begins the mythical tale of the beginning of Waynesboro. Now, 211 years since its founding, the myth is still appliçable. However, the difference in 2008 is that the focus of the construction and redevelopment in Waynesboro now originates in a solid Main Street Vision, a ugotingrgamileomony, and a rich cultural and environmentalhistory. Beyond beinga beautiful place, Waynesboro is built on industrial fortitude, architectural diversity, and aj passionate  SLIP  MeT  community.  paraphrased, from the MAIN: STREET WAYNESBORO VISIONSTATEMENT  Toachieve the vision for the future of Waynesboro, the community must:  Capitalize on Waynesboro's location along thel ennsylvania-Maryland border and its proximity to the growing residentialneeds of the Washington, D.C. region; and Take advantage of regional heritage tourism and outdoor recreation assets. Today's market realities will enable downtown  ECUPSE REQULAR PATTERN. DIGE EDL,  Waynesboro to:  Serve as the commercial and civic center fora a growing residential market. This shall bea accomplished by enhancing existing assets, and developing newi assets that will define Waynesboro as a regional quality- of-life hub for south-central Pennsylvania. Build upon the strengths of this quality-of- life hub in order to enhance the central business district's image as a hospitality    WAYNESBORO DOWNTOWN MASTER PLAN  venue for the region'sn many heritage tourism and outdoor recreation tourists. This downtown plan will address each of the bold elements of the vision plan noted above. These elements havel been explored further and are now expanded into overarchings strategies for the plan: 1. Enhance the existing commercial core 2. Meett the residentialneeds of the Borough, County, and region 3. Create al hospitality venue 4. Celebrate regional outdoor recreational opportunities 5. Enhance heritage tourism  district  PROCESS  When creating a master plan for a community, we follow an inclusive process that insists that we always remain rooted in that community. The process begins with a kick-off meeting with key stakeholders within the community. Minutes of that meeting in Waynesboro are attached as an appendix to this report. These initial thoughts help to guide the development of the plan as we move In addition to the kick-off meeting, we must become familiar with the community and its sense of place. This occurred when we had coffee in town, ate pizza at Franks, enjoyed the organic fruit cup at thel Hoover House, checked out the tobacco at Christie's, browsed for rare used books, indulged in chocolate from the Candy Shop, and grabbed a soda at the newsstand. We became familiar with the parks and open spaces, the reidemtalnetglbonods, and the churches. We looked at the traffic patterns, the alleys, the  through the rest of the process.  8    WAYNESBORO DOWNTOWN MASTER PLAN  parking lots, and the sidewalks. We tested the benches, examined the lights, and watched the people. We immersed ourselves in your community. During the preliminary planning phases of this project, we visited the community several times, in summer. heat, fall color, and  winter cold.  OBSERVATION ANDANALYSIS At this point, we moved from observation to analysis. Our analysis builds on: what we leamed when reviewing maps, reading past plans, studying history books, and taking photos, as well as what we heard when listening to lifelong residents, new homeowners, business proprietors, and when we were in the fabrico of  the community.  Preliminary Physical Observations  . Main Street:  a. Some building facades and display windows are out of date and uninviting b. Physically appears that ample parking is available :. Minimal outdoor seatingexists for eateries along Main Street d. Pedestrian connections between public parking lots and Main Street are lacking definition and not inviting (perceived unsafe) e. Despite interesting buildings and architectural character, but many  vacancies    WAYNESBORO DOWNTOWN MASTER PLAN  f. Retail mix does not provide for many day-to-dayneeds or services for local residents - these needs are instead being met in strip retail centers and other locations outside Noreal gateway or sense of arrival, nothing to tell people that there is something to see/do or pull people to the center square or other main street vendors h. Existing signage directs people around the downtown 'core' instead ofj just driving into it No uniform signage in the core downtown, leading to disjointed appearance and incongruent visual Nobicycle racks, bicycle signage, or bicycle accommodations in town a. Very auto-oriented environment with pedestrian accommodations on the fringe b. The center of town but not the center ofa activity Lacks definition and a 'sense of arrival' d. Not branded asa andmarkdestination Does not appear to be a gathering Interesting architecture on square is not matched by existing streetscape  the borough  identity  II. Center Square:  space character  III. Parking:  a. Lacks definition and is uninviting    WAYNESBORO DOWNTOWN MASTER PLAN  b. No definition of edges and entrances/exits, no separation from Existing signage system is deficient to direct traffic to public parking areas, especially in alleys behind Main Street and tol help define public parking areas versus private parking lots- very difficult to tell which lots are for public use d. Upgrade lighting as needed to improve sense of safety in evening and at night  alleys  IV. Parks & Open Space:  a. Improve pedestrian and bicycle connections as needed from adjacent residential areas to school property, and Main Street core b. Adjacent vacant property could be used for additional park space if needed (if it is not developed into residential property) Need a well-defined connection to Main Street  V. Downtown Strengths  a. Architectural diversity both in downtown commercial buildings and surrounding residential areas, including many Victorian-era design b. High quality open spaces surround the community and provide various recreational facilities and opportunities for residents and visitors (including access to the Appalachian Trail) Geographically, Waynesboro is close toj population centers in southern  elements  APPALACHIAN TRAIL MAIME GEGRGIA    WAYNESBORO DOWNTOWN MASTER PLAN  Pennsylvania and northern Maryland, and Interstate 81 and' US Route 15 fora access  Preliminary Market Analysis Bedroom Community  Based on the commuting times to and from workplaces, noted in the comprehensive plan, Waynesboro has characteristics of al bedroom community, meaning people travelaway from Bedroom communities are known tol be fairly quiet in the evenings because people have already done their driving and are: now home. Shorter commute times increase the likelihood of getting those in this demographic to shop and dine in the evening. In other words, the longer the commute times, the smaller the geographic market area for the businesses in thel bedroom community. Destination businesses are the exception to this rule and have a different trade area than the average local business. Certain destination businesses find that customers will travel several hours to reach them and often plan day-trips or weekend excursions around this type of shopping Therefore, for many businesses in Waynesboro, location is a key consideration. Waynesboro is located near two areas of competition, both related to Gettysburg: a mid-point shoppingoutlet mall on USI Route 15 and tourism shopping in downtown Gettysburg. These two areas of retail competition capture significant customers away from Waynesboro and it is unlikely that  town for employment.  or dining.  9    WAYNESBORO DOWNTOWN MASTER PLAN  Waynesboro can compete head-to-head in these This scenario is not unique to Waynesboro. In most small towns, "consumer needs" are not met ini the core of a small town business community. The exception to this situation is the bedroom community where there are desirable amenities, a good location, and most importantly, desirable Thatsaid, in Waynesboro, there is a window of opportunity that could capitalize on natural and cultural amenities. Businesses would need to reach into the immediate surroundings to create a complete package of offerings but Waynesboro is ina great location to do just that. Together with the sumoundingiownshpo, Waynesboro could create a "living destination" for a specific segment. Defining the specific segment will drive the retail  areas.  housingstock  mix for the future.  Living Destination Segment Options Active adult communities have golf courses, lakes, hiking trails, activity centers, active religious elements, libraries, public transportation ora at least shuttle service, access to good medical care (doctors and hospitals are important), and universal design (accessible design for different abilities) inl housing. In some cases, downtown and close-in neighborhoods can be packaged as one of these active communities for those that New families are usually looking for areas with schools, playgrounds and sport fields, youth cultural activities, townhouses andl homes. They want a place for families to grow and children to  want diversity and no gates.  grow up.  BB    WAYNESBORO DOWNTOWN MASTER PLAN  Waynesboro has room to continue to grow either of these living destination segments - active adults ori new. families within the borough limits. Makinga a conscious decision to pursue one or the other willl benefit Waynesboro. Why? Because those who "move in" often come in groups. These groups tend tol be clearly defined by both age and economics. Age and economics can then translate into the type of housing that is desired. This is where downtown and the immediate close- inneighborhoods of Waynesboro have ai real opportunity to capture some of this market.  An example, young professionals are looking for creative downtown apartments or condominlum living with convenlence and something to doi in the evening or on weekends. Young familles are often the ones who purchase fixer- upper houses In the historic nelghborhoods. New townhomes and sububan-slyle neignboroods offer familles a place to grow. Price points determine the economic diversity of this group.  Overarching Needs  Bedroom communities have ai number of things in common no matter which group arrives. Residents are looking for convenience. They alreadyspend enough time in the car. Retail does great in the early moring, especially restaurants and coffee shops fora a quickbreakfast or coffee and bagel to go. Itshould not surprise us that retail operations suffer during the midday hours when the target customer is at work or at school. Openingearly or staying open late is the key. Retail operations that do well in the evening include service providers: cleaners, drug stores, grocery stores, restaurants (especially if they offer carry out or pre-made meals). Cleaners that have drive thru or easy drop off points, also do well after 5 p.m. as folks arrive Weekends offer more options for more traditional shopping to this group.  home.    WAYNESBORO DOWNTOWN MASTER PLAN  Main Street. Analysis Retail Space  Strive for first floor, small space retail and service offerings. Most existing spaces will be 20-25 feet wide and 100 feet deep. This width is acceptable, but shallower: retail space is also desirable. Look for convenience first. Rethink old stereotypes. Fori instance, banks used to require the 100% corner and were great drivers of customer traffic. With the advent of ATMs, the traditional bank is now almost the white elephant and no longer serves as a driver of customers. Now you see Walgreens and other major drug chains taking the 100% comer. They provide convenience in ai number of areas of customer  need.  Clustering  Ift there isa a sufficient office or professional market, the downtown can be a lunch location. However, creating a lunch-time destination will require three to five lunch places. Just as you see McDonald's, Wendy's, and fast food spots clustered in a strip development, Waynesboro also needs to create that density to present a dining location that will be recognizable by the consumer. Clustering is the keyt to another niche - gifts. Small downtowns are often viewed as the place where you get that special gift - a unique piece ofj jewelry, an artistic item, ora wedding gift. These types of shops need a grouping of stores to create a gift With the location of the Gettysburg outlet mall and other clothing options (most notably catalogues and on-line shopping), it is unlikely  cluster.  DO    WAYNESBORO DOWNTOWN MASTER PLAN  that Waynesboro will return as a place to purchase clothing. The exception to this is the high-end, exceptional service destination clothing store for either women's or men's wear. These types of stores tend tol be one-of-a-kind and are still found Other elements that tend to fill downtown buildings are things like dance and karate studios. They do little for retail and the vibrancy of the downtown and are often there because the space is the right size and rents are cheap. Unless the goal is to create an active youth block with a wealth of these options and a vibrant coffee shop or wine bar in the center ofi it for parents to wait and mingle, these businesses often serve as occupied  in downtown locations.  vacancies.  Retail Hours of Operation  Retuming to the concept of living destination segments, knowing who your desired customer is will dictate what you offeri in your downtown and when. Consider the active adult segment. Theyare available and active during day-time hours. They often eat lunch out and link their shopping trips to their lunchtime excursions. Consider that grandmothers are the largest purchasers of high- end children's gifts and apparel. Offering an appealing lunch spot next to the baby shop can be a smart way to pair businesses. Looking to the other side of the cash register, a number of downtowns have seen a growth in shops that are owned by retirees. Be careful. These shops are often run as a hobby, have irregular hours, or are closed down for periods of time when the owner wants to travel or take a break. It is important to ensure that these creative retirees  I1    WAYNESBORO DOWNTOWN MASTER PLAN  operate their business in your town in the way that is truly beneficial to the retail community. Finally, being realistic about the downtown and when it will be active is critical to measuring its success. (Again considering the living destination segments, if your downtown is busy and active until? 7 p.m., is that meeting the needs of your retailers or would it be better for activity to continue until 9 p.m.?) Is it acceptable for some retailers operate under their own schedule or does everyone have tol be open at the same time? The reality of who is shopping in your downtown and when they are shopping can change our perspective of downtown Waynesboro.  12    WAYNESBORO DOWNTOWN MASTER PLAN  STRATEGIES ANDACTION ITEMS Following jour observation and analysis, we developed strategies that willl help Waynesboro achieve the desired end-result and action items that are ai means to that end. These strategies and action items are presented here. Note: In some cases, you may notice thata a particular action item relates to more than one strategy. This is desirable and allows you to concurrentyaddress multiple challenges and opportunities within the downtown. I. Enhance the existing commercial core  district  a. Sign Design Guidelines - amend current zoning guidelines to permit blade signs meeting certain criteria within the downtown b. - Parking management strategy for downtown  . Review and amend current ordinances ii. Explore opportunities to provided shared parking within the downtown business district Encourage downtown business owners to utilize the Design Guidelines developed through the Main Street Program L - Offer ai monthlynewsletter: highlighting elements of the guidelines ii. Offeri incentives for edevelopingaccording to the guidelines  d. Provide a variety of social spaces within the fabric of Main Street  13    WAYNESBORO DOWNTOWN MASTER PLAN  i. Center Square - larger gatherings ii. Pocket Parks- smaller gatherings iii. Streetsape-individual seating areas e. Encourage and recruit appropriate retail to the Main Street area Boutique retail ii. Experience shopping iii. Theme shopping Provide an invitingand cohesive Main Streetexperience i. Build upon existingsuccesses, ie. Walk Waynesboro, Festivals, etc. ii. Provide public relations and marketing materials Establish the square as the center of commerce and civic pride in town h. Create gateway signage at the west and east entrances to the Main Street  district  II. Meet the residential needs of the Borough,  County, and region thel Borough  a. Create infill housing projects within  . I Higher density development ii. 2nd and 3rd floor residential units over downtown businesses iii. Residential density adds 24- hour vibrancy to downtowns b. Provide options for housingtypes within the community : Single-familya attached ii. Townhouse iii. Live/Work Units iv. Loft Apartments  14    WAYNESBORO DOWNTOWN MASTER PLAN  V. Condos (market rate and  higher)  III. Celebrate regional outdoor recreational  opportunities  a. Add dedicated bike lane/signage on Second Street, Third Street, Potomac Street and Church Street b. Consider developing an outfitters shopping district along' Walnut Street  Hiking (draw from the proximity to the Appalachian ii. Golfing (draw! from local and regional golf destinations) iii. Skiing ( (draw from proximity to Whitetail Resort, Ski Round-top and Liberty Mountain)  Trail)  IV. Enhance heritage tourism a, Architectural history V Walking tours ii. Seasonall home tours b. Relation to Civil War and surrounding  sites  Defined cultural attraction in region ii. Capturing pass by traffic : - Industrial Heritage themes for: . Sculpture ii. Architecture  V. Create al hospitality venue  a. Target a variety of restaurateurs to develop projects in town (using existingattractions to market and promote these opportunities)  1,200-1,500 square feet options 11. 1,500-2,500 square feetoptions ii. 2,500-7,500 square feet options  18    WAYNESBORO DOWNTOWN MASTER PLAN  iv. 7,500 square feet and up options b. Cluster ovemight accommodations thatrelate to the needs of your market segment (recreational, weekend Civil War travelers, shopping, etc.) Develop an evening and weekend  attraction  APPENDICES  The following appendices are included describing particular areas of downtown where the strategies of this Master Plan were applied to help visualize Appendix. A - Walnut Street Low Impact Appendix B- Walnut Street Medium Impact Appendix C- Walnut Street Sketch Appendix D - East Gay Street Corridor A Appendix E-1 East Gay Street Corridor B Appendix F. - East Gay Street Corridor C Appendix G-1 Residential Infill Appendix H. - Memorial Park] Infill A Appendxl-Memorial Parkl Infill B Appendix]- = East Main St./Middle St. Appendix K- East Main St./East Gay St. Appendix L-1 Enhanced Streetscape Appendix M - West Main St./Middle St. Appendix N -Main Street Enhancement Appendix O- Alley Enhancements Appendix P - Town Square Low Impact Appendix Q- Town Square Medium Impact  the results:  DB    <    E N    5  gaans InuIeM  Do    A0AA 0AA0A4  jaans  -    5 -     -  a 3  jaans yomyp    5 -  paans ymyp    jaans yomyp    5 -    taans anureM    1  AAA  gaans InueM    .  t  peox Koumo      gaans InUTEM  38  3  laans yomyp    EAU        a    5 -    13  a as  aa ina    o 6  p fap  n np  ap nat  pp pas