Janesville, Wisconsin's downtown riverfront and adjoining neighborhoods are severely affected by brownfields and their health impacts. This project advanced strategic thinking and community engagement toward realizing the potential for the 240 acre Rock Renaissance Area and six high priority redevelopment sites. The Rock Renaissance Area Redevelopment and Implementation Strategy is known as ARISE. This project won a 2015 Merit Award for Analysis and Planning from the Wisconsin Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects. The planning effort interpreted existing site environmental information, incorporated community planning efforts for the downtown, and assessed current market opportunities to maximize green and healthy design, facilitate future private development, improve river access, and spur job creation. The resulting draft plan will be a vision and implementation strategy for the Rock Renaissance Area, including improved connectivity, cohesive land use patterns, enhanced public space, and redevelopment recommendations and implementation strategies for the six key redevelopment sites. Funding has been granted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency through a Brownfields Area-Wide Planning Program.

• published: 04 Jun 2015
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