We recently joined studioMAIN and other community stakeholders for the launch of a demonstration project to highlight Historic West Ninth Street. “Beyond the Divide” tells the history and importance of one of Little Rock’s most significant commercial and cultural corridors.
Ninth Street was thriving before construction of Interstate 630 displaced many residents and businesses. The demonstration project shares the stories of West Ninth Street while engaging residents and encouraging all of us to re-imagine that neighborhood without the physical and symbolic separations. Through the project, studioMAIN, the City and stakeholders are building toward a “safe and connected” future.
We encourage you to visit West Ninth Street downtown soon and experience this important demonstration project. It was funded through a grant from Smart Growth America. Little Rock was one of just three cities nationwide to receive this funding. We appreciate the groups working together to re-imagine West Ninth Street and helping to remove barriers within our community.
Historic West Ninth Street is a fundamental part of our City, and we made sure to make it a priority in our Downtown Master Plan. The “Beyond the Divide” project moves us forward as we implement the Downtown Master Plan, our first-ever blueprint for how we move forward to re-energize Little Rock’s urban core.
We are making progress on other components of the Downtown Master Plan, like strengthening our Urban Use (UU) zoning ordinance to remove barriers to Downtown development. The Board of Directors made those changes in December.
The Board also has given the go-ahead for our Public Works team to implement a “road diet” on Cumberland Street between President Clinton Avenue and Third Street as funding becomes available. This will improve pedestrian and cyclist safety on an important connector between the Arkansas River Trail, Riverfront Park, and the future 30 Crossing Park with neighborhoods Downtown and south of I-630.
In addition, the Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau is working to complete B. Finley Vinson Plaza on Markham Street near the Robinson Center, and we are moving forward with acquisition of right-of-way for the Rose Creek Trail, which will enhance our interconnected network of trails leading toward Downtown.
C. The City’s share of the costs was from federal grant dollars received by our Department of Housing and Neighborhood Programs. Other HNP initiatives, such as Down Payment Assistance and construction of our new Micro Home Village support our overall, holistic goals for housing.
