Greater downtown plan available for public review

Several areas of Grand Junction are set to receive long-awaited renovations, with the goal to make the city more inviting.

Tuesday, officials revealed the newest draft plans and are opening them up for public review.

The greater downtown is just one of several areas where the city is proposing overlay projects, using incentives for property owners to develop, or redevelop their land.

Planning a future in Grand Junction has taking years of research and now officials are ready to move forward with a new development proposal.

"Accompanying the plan is a proposed overlay zone district that looks at the unique characteristics and how we would like new development to happen, the type of development we would like to see, and what that looks like," Kathy Portner, with Economic Development and Sustainability, explained.

This project has similarities to others recently adopted, like the one for North Avenue.

"We are involved with the overlay project steering committee,” Poppy Woody, President of the North Avenue Owners Association. “We are working with them on some safety issues, as well as just what we can do to make this whole area better."

The North Avenue Owners Association has grown to about thirty members striving to represent every business along the corridor.

"They’re all business owners that are involved with North Avenue and want to see it grow and get better," Woody said.

That’s the same goal the city has as it continues to move forward with its development plans.    

"This lays the ground work for future change," Portner said.