On August 6, 2019, the CRA issued RFP 20-001, Branding, Marketing and Master Planning.  A firm or team of firms was to be selected to create a new branding platform, a Marketing and Public Relations Plan and a Vision and Master Plan for US Hwy 19 and the downtown area.  The submission deadline was October 4, 2019. 

Three teams responded to the RFP:

Arnett Muldrow & Associates, Community Design Solutions, Mahan Rykiel, Place+Main Advisors

 Kimley-Horn, B2Communications, 505Designs

 Media Garage Group, Urban Arts

Interviews were held October 15th and the team of Arnett/Muldrow, Community Design Solutions, Mahan Rykel and Place+Main Advisors was selected as the top firm. 

Phase one of the agreement was to conduct a Market Analysis and for the creation of the new branding platform, and a Marketing and Public Relations Master Plan.  This agreement was executed on December 4th.  

This phase began with data collection.  An online survey was started immediately following the holidays to gather local data.  This survey would eventually collect nearly 700 responses from local residents.  The consultants also conducted focus groups with local stakeholder organizations, business owners, residents and City Council.  The final presentation of the market results as well as the final brand workshop and reveal was delayed with the onset of the COVID 19 travel restrictions.   Ultimately, the market analysis was presented remotely on April 28th along with a virtual branding workshop the same week.  The final brand reveal occurred remotely on June 30.  The CRA Board approved the brand platform and directed the consultant to finish out the deliverables.  The final deliverables were received on July 17th.  

Phase 2 and 3 of the process is the creation of a Vision and Master Plan for US Highway 19 and downtown. 

PART I: KICKOFF AND VISIONING

The visioning process will lay the foundation for the master planning process.
 
A: Background Review

The consultants will review all relevant background material including downtown plans, redevelopment strategies, market research, and Phase 1 material, including:  

• Review results of Phase 1 – Brand Development and Market Analysis.  The master plan phase should represent a seamless continuation of the larger visioning process that begins with Phase 1.  In particular, that process will provide a foundation for this plan, including:

o Vision and goals established in Phase 1

o Online survey

o Comprehensive market analysis

o Business development strategies and opportunities for new investment in Downtown/Hwy 19

• Review relevant reports and data including, but not limited to:

o 2020 Strategic Action Plan

o City of New Port Richey 2030 Comprehensive Plan

o 2017 Parking Utilization Study

o 2018 Downtown Parking Implementation Study

o 2019 Community Redevelopment Plan

• Maps including Downtown and Highway 19 Corridor, City and surrounding area, existing and future land use maps, etc.  

• Zoning, historic district design guidelines and other regulatory codes. 

 B:  Project Coordination 

Prior to the initial visit, the consultant will coordinate with the City for the project kickoff, including: 

• Host internal Team meeting to develop a recommended schedule, and compile questions for the staff.

• Develop draft schedule for the project for staff steering committee review.

• Determine project study boundaries for both Downtown and the Highway 19 corridor.  In particular, identify up to two to three areas along the Highway 19 corridor that may serve as “prototypical” areas where we may focus our design efforts. 
• Coordinate with the staff for GIS/mapping information to use throughout the process. Determine preferred mapping formats for urban design deliverables.  Collect base information to format base maps for project study areas for use during Visioning Workshop/Kickoff.
 
C:  Visioning Workshop/ Kickoff 

This will be the consultants' reconnaissance visit and initial “listening” phase of the plan.  During this three-day work session, they will facilitate a series of meetings and input sessions including:
 
• Steering Committee Kickoff

• Initial Stakeholder Interviews: Leadership meetings with key individuals to include the City, CRA board, business and property owners, as well as any other stakeholder partners. Some stakeholders will have also been included in Phase 1, however, the focus of these meetings will be downtown and corridor master plan specific.  It will be particularly important to meet with property owners who are considering or would be interested in making improvements to or developing their properties.

• Public Meeting: Open meeting to describe the planning process and facilitated discussion to garner citizens’ vision of downtown, and the Highway 19 corridor.

• Physical Assessment:  Utilize formatted base maps to examine physical opportunities and challenges within the study areas, including:

o Existing conditions of built environment, infrastructure, and streetscape. 

o Key development/redevelopment opportunity sites.

o Linkages (and barriers) among assets.

o Key parks, open spaces and attractions

o Important views, vistas and sightlines to landmark buildings and/or landscapes.

o Gateways, activity nodes, and public spaces.

o Connectivity between downtown and adjacent historic district

o Potential obstacles for development.

o Key façade opportunities

• Assessment Framework: Summarization of findings in a “framework” diagram that will document the physical assessment of US Highway 19 as well as the downtown and surrounding areas.
 
D:  Background and Vision Summary

The consultants will summarize all visioning input and identify emerging themes and ideas. The summary will be prepared in presentation format and will include: 

• Physical assessment framework diagram. 

• Emerging themes from community and stakeholder input.

PART 2:  PLANNING

The downtown and corridor master plan will build upon the input received during the visioning described above.  Additionally, the following scope assumes that the Downtown and Highway 19 corridor master plan efforts will occur concurrently.  This maximizes efficiency in the process including a significant savings in fee and expenses. 
 
A.  Urban Design Charrette

The consultants will conduct a 3.5 day physical design charrette for Downtown New Port Richey and the Highway 19 Corridor, including:

• The charrette will begin by reviewing with Steering Committee findings to date and emerging ideas, including development opportunities identified in the market study (Phase 1), urban design vision themes, etc.

• During the first half day of charrette, the consultants will conduct additional site visits to key areas of downtown and adjacent areas to garner input and discuss observations related to opportunity sites, land use, pedestrian and bicycle access, safety and comfort, barriers (both visual and physical) to downtown and adjacent areas.  Note that this much of this will have been begun during the kickoff visit.

• Also during the first half day of the charrette, the consultant will continue to gather community input by engaging key downtown property owners and stakeholders with urban design discussions.  These will be design specific, as most stakeholder meetings will have been completed during the kickoff.

• During the charrette, develop initial recommendations based on input and analysis to date.  

• Conduct steering committee meeting and public meeting at end of design charrette to debrief on charrette findings and emerging urban designs.  

B.  Draft Illustrative Urban Design Plan 

The consultants will refine recommendations from the charrette and create a draft urban design plan for the downtown and the Highway 19 corridor (emphasis on the two to three focus areas) building off of the physical assessment, Phase 1 market analysis, and charrette. A colored-rendered illustrative plan will be developed and used to suggest key physical projects, identify catalyst development areas, and present infill scenarios for downtown and the corridor. The graphics will suggest public sector physical improvements that would enhance the public realm and would facilitate private sector investment in buildings and sites. Specifically, the plan will illustrate recommendations for the following:

• Streetscape enhancements including options for materials, crosswalks, fixtures, signs, public landscape and other “placemaking” elements.

• Recommendations for pedestrian enhancements.

• Known private sector investments that are desired or planned (based on discussions with key property owners).

• Broad strategies for how urban design can interface with the transportation network.

• Parking and traffic improvements geared toward creating a more walkable “park once” downtown, as well as more walkable areas within the Highway 19 corridor.

• Additional private sector investments to be considered based on market opportunity identified in market research and stakeholder information. 

• Emerging phasing priorities identified as short, medium, and long-term alternatives and a potential “catalyst” project.
 
C.  Supplemental Graphics 

In addition to the Illustrative Urban Design Plan, the consultants will prepare seven to ten supplemental graphics that will include perspective sketches, cross sections and detail plans to help illustrate the vision and recommendations. Additionally, assemble precedent images from within the community and from other similar communities that can be used to help convey the design intent. The total number of urban design graphics will depend on the complexity of the view.  Supplemental graphics would also include four to six before and after architectural photo renderings of key development sites or catalyst projects in downtown.  Some of these tools will be developed during the draft stages, while others will begin as framework diagrams, to be refined and finalized after draft plan input.
 
D.  Draft Design Guidelines 

• Review the existing voluntary design guidelines and suggest recommendations for their improvement. This may include recommending that the guidelines be adopted (“as-is”) for inclusion in the ordinance and/or refining the guidelines to enhance the content and provide more clarity. 

• Prepare up to ten additional graphics and/or diagrams to include within the existing guideline document.  
 
E.  Draft Plan Presentation 

Upon completion of the draft plan, the consultants will prepare for and present its recommendations for input. Specific tasks include: 

• Presentation Preparation: Prior to meetings in New Port Richey, prepare presentation that includes draft urban design content. 

• Steering Committee Meeting: During meeting with Steering Committee, share recommendations to get input and direction on draft plan.

• Town Hall Meeting: During the same day, share the vision and recommendations in an open meeting to garner feedback from the general public and stakeholders. 
 

F.  Draft Report, Comment Period, and Revision 

Prepare draft narrative and assemble with graphics to create a highly visual draft downtown and corridor master plan report.  Provide draft report to the City and Steering committee for review over a two to three week period.  The draft report will include:

• Plan narrative that describes process, analysis and recommendations (physical and economic development).

• Illustrative Plan that highlights development, redevelopment, streetscape, public realm and pedestrian enhancements, open space, catalyst projects, and parking.

• Supporting diagrams that clearly highlight overall concepts such as key linkages, open space network, special districts, etc.

• Supporting graphics including perspective sketches showing before and after views, photo simulations for key façade and streetscape opportunities and cross sections (as detailed in Task C above). 
• Phasing plan illustrating potential timing of enhancements, emphasizing initial and short-term projects.

• Diagrams and documentation to refinements to the design guideline document.
 

G. Final Downtown and Corridor Master Plan 

Following the comment period, synthesize all input, and finalize the graphics and narrative included in the draft, outlined above, and prepare the final downtown and corridor master plan. 
 
H. Implementation Strategy 

• Strategy Board:  Prepare a strategic action plan for the downtown and corridor master plan that identifies recommendations, goals, tasks, time frames, responsible parties, funding mechanisms, and priorities for the master plan.

o Tasks organized by Urban Design, Transportation, Economic Development, etc.

o Include “demonstration” or short-term projects, “next steps” or mid-range, and “completion” or long-term tasks to be completed over a 20-year horizon.

• Costs: Develop master plan level estimates of potential costs for key projects, responsible parties, and potential funding resources.

Compensation

The scope above can be completed for a not-to-exceed cost of $92,060, inclusive of travel expenses.  This represents a fee of $80,575 and estimated expense budget of $11,485.

Schedule

The consultant anticipates the process to take approximately six to nine months to complete, depending on scheduling of visits at the local level

Part 1: Kickoff & Visioning           4 - 6 Weeks

A: Background Review

B: Project Coordination

C: Visioning Workshop/Kickoff 

D: Background and Vision Summary

Part II Planning                           20 - 30 Weeks

A: Urban Design Charrette

B: Draft Illustrative Urban Design Plan

C: Supplemental Graphics

D: Draft Design Guidelines

E: Draft Plan Presentation

F: Draft Report, Comment Period, Revision

G: Final Downtown and Corridor Master Plan

H: Implementation Strategy .