Community Vision & Action Plans

Using our market-based approach, we are experts in leading the development of downtown, neighborhood, and corridor master plans in cities and towns of all sizes. Selected project examples are featured below.

Flagstaff, Arizona

Downtown Vision & Action Plan (2021): P.U.M.A. was hired by the Flagstaff Downtown Business Alliance, in partnership with the City of Flagstaff and Coconino County, to create a new downtown plan to guide public and private investments over the next decade. Despite taking place during the Covid pandemic, approximately 2,000 community members were engaged in the formation of the plan. The process resulted in an action plan organized into three categories – economic vitality, experience and urban design, and mobility.

Springfield, Missouri

Commercial Street Plan (2021): P.U.M.A. completed a plan to guide the evolution of north Springfield’s historic dining and shopping corridor over the next decade. The planning process was completed in the fall of 2020 through early 2021, in the midst of Covid-19. Despite the challenges this presented, P.U.M.A. was able to garner strong participation from “C-Street” stakeholders and the community at-large. The plan identifies 40 tactical recommendations, including 10 transformative projects.

Englewood, Colorado

Englewood Downtown Matters Plan (2020): P.U.M.A. was part of a multi-disciplinary team to create the Englewood Downtown Matters Plan, which is intended to serve as the plan of development for a proposed downtown development authority (DDA). Throughout the planning process, P.U.M.A. worked to create a collective vision for downtown and key program and project priorities to guide investment for the next 5-10 years and beyond. The planning process took place during the COVID-19 pandemic, and also included an 18-month economic recovery action plan.

Denver, Colorado

East Central and East Neighborhood Area Plans (2020): P.U.M.A. was hired by the City and County of Denver to prepare neighborhood plans for 10 established neighborhoods. The P.U.M.A. team engaged thousands of residents and oversaw the preparation of a market and housing needs assessment. The resulting plans highlighted recommendations like prevention of housing and small business displacement, improving transit and pedestrian mobility, neighborhood design guidelines for adaptive reuse and more.

Long Beach, California

Bixby Knolls Business Improvement Association Strategic Plan (2019): P.U.M.A. created a strategic plan using community outreach, market data and best practice research. The plan includes enhancing the pedestrian environment, streamlining events and marketing, and forging new key partnerships. Recommendations included finding reliable streams of revenue, like a property-based business improvement district (PBID), and using an existing 501c3 affiliate for donations, business license-based fees and soliciting contributions from the City of Long Beach.

Lincoln, Nebraska

Downtown Lincoln Master Plan (2018): P.U.M.A. partnered with Civitas to prepare a master plan for downtown Lincoln, positioning it as the Center of Opportunity. The Plan identifies priorities for physical improvements, catalyst developments, and policies to guide downtown stakeholders for the next ten-year investment cycle. P.U.M.A. and the client team engaged stakeholders throughout downtown, adjacent neighborhoods and representatives of communities of color, reaching close to 4,000 people.

Longmont, Colorado

Downtown Longmont Master Plan of Development (2017): P.U.M.A. worked with the Longmont Downtown Development Authority to create an update to the 1995 master plan, one that also aligned with the Longmont Arts & Entertainment District’s 2011 plan. The result was a collective vision for downtown and detailed tactical plan for implementation with recommendations for priorities, key projects, sequencing, organizing and financing. The plan is expected to guide investment for a decade or beyond.

Reno, Nevada

Downtown Action Plan (2017): P.U.M.A. led a community process to create a plan focused on attracting new investment, building housing, and creating jobs. It also strengthened connectivity and accessibility for all modes of transportation, especially bicycles and pedestrians, and aimed to stimulate improvements for a more welcoming and safe downtown. At the plan’s adoption, the City of Reno provided an additional services contract with P.U.M.A. to form a downtown business improvement district.

Rapid City, South Dakota

Downtown Area Master Plan (2016): P.U.M.A. worked with the City of Rapid City and Rapid City Downtown Business Improvement District (BID) to prepare a master plan and design guidelines. More than 1,600 business and community members identified values and aspirations related to downtown to inform the plan. Promoting “a vibrant, livable community,” the plan identified improvements and provided a strategic vision and investment plan to guide downtown Rapid City’s evolution over the next decade.

Evansville, Indiana

Downtown Master Plan Update (2016): P.U.M.A. led an interdisciplinary team to develop an action-oriented master plan for downtown Evansville. The process included developing an updated market assessment, engaging with the community, and drafting a planning document, “Community Handbook for City Building.” The master plan includes a road map to help mobilize the community to form a self-sustaining downtown management organization financed in part by a proposed economic improvement district.

Colorado Springs, Colorado

Downtown Master Plan (2016): In collaboration with planning partner Starboard Realty Group, P.U.M.A. prepared forecasts that considered local market dynamics, including job growth, development activity, demographics, in-migration, disposable income and other factors as well as national trends in demographics and lifestyles that are influencing cities across the country. The market assessment and development forecasts identified key market opportunities to guide future investment decisions.

Butte, Montana

West Park Street Corridor Plan (2016): P.U.M.A. worked with Community Builders to provide recommendations for enhancing the corridor’s character and economic development potential. An intensive 3-day immersion and strategic problem-solving effort with stakeholders shaped the resulting report, which provided recommendations for designing a more walkable street, improving neighborhood connections, and zoning modifications to encourage new investment while maintaining the area’s historic character.

Missoula, Montana

Brooks Street Corridor Study (2016): P.U.M.A. was part of the New Mobility West initiative to focus on connectivity, streetscape, zoning and transit-oriented development (TOD) in anticipation of bus rapid transit (BRT). We prepared a market assessment and led a three-day public charrette. Extensive outreach led to specific and actionable recommendations, including landscape and street standards, an expedited permitting process, and development financing for highly desired uses, among others.

Norfolk, Virginia

Downtown Strategic Plan (2015): P.U.M.A. worked with the Downtown Norfolk Council (DNC) to develop a plan that considered current market dynamics and community goals for downtown. Outreach efforts identified initiatives in three areas: “Always Active,” “Innovation Hub,” and “Pedestrians First.” The plan identified improvements, policies, and funding options to guide the DNC. P.U.M.A. prepared an internal document showing organizational adjustments and funding filters to optimize implementation.

Denver, Colorado

The Fax Mayfair BID Streetscape Plan (2015): P.U.M.A. assisted the Fax Partnership in successfully forming its business improvement district (BID) in 2014. A year later, Design Workshop drafted the BID’s new streetscape plan while P.U.M.A. led efforts to develop an implementation strategy to phase the build-out of planned improvements. P.U.M.A. researched funding strategies. Outreach to city council and other policy makers was key in creating a successful strategy for streetscape implementation.

Missoula, Montana

Montana Highway 200 Corridor Study (2015): P.U.M.A. was part of the New Mobility West Initiative to provide streetscape and development recommendations for a segment of Hwy 220 in anticipation of increasing use by pedestrians. We prepared a market assessment and led a three-day process to collect input from stakeholders. Specific multimodal street recommendations were submitted, including landscape standards, development financing, incentives for shared- and cross-access within blocks and more.

Lamar, Colorado

Bicycle Network Planning – Lamar Loop (2015): After providing technical assistance to the City of Lamar for 3 years for the Colorado Health Foundation’s Healthy Places Initiative, P.U.M.A. was selected to help apply for a Greater Outdoor Colorado (GoCo) grant. As a result, the city was awarded $1 million to help fund the 9-mile “Lamar Loop,” a paved bicycle/pedestrian trail.

Pa’ia, Hawaii

Town Strategic Plan (2014): P.U.M.A. was engaged to produce a strategic plan to guide the evolution of Pa’ia Town and the Pa’ia Town Association. The town’s distinctive character, sense of place and unique independent retail mix was confronting the pressures of commercial success. P.U.M.A. created a new strategy for Pa’ia to protect its authenticity while remaining competitive. The strategic plan recommended core values, specific program areas and budget, and a new organizational structure.

Cleveland, Ohio

Step Up Downtown: Vision & Tactical Plan for Downtown (2014): The Downtown Cleveland Alliance hired P.U.M.A. to develop a plan to enhance downtown development and public spaces. P.U.M.A. assessed market trends and conditions, placing them within the context of P.U.M.A.’s Global Trends Report research. Partnering with KSU’s Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative, the team identified connections that tie the city together and help inform renewal of downtown Cleveland’s special improvement district.

Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Downtown Plan 2025 (2014): P.U.M.A. assisted the City of Sioux Falls in completing a market analysis, developing the framework and action plan for an update to its downtown master plan. The market assessment, conducted in partnership with Denver-based Arland Land Use Economics, included forecasts for future development and was influenced by P.U.M.A.’s Global Trends Report. Following the market analysis, P.U.M.A. was retained to work with city staff to help format and draft plan recommendations.

Indianapolis, Indiana

Velocity Downtown Strategic Plan (2013): P.U.M.A. assisted Indianapolis Downtown Inc. in a strategic planning effort, called Velocity. The plan included a market assessment and housing study and provided the building blocks for a transformation of its downtown from a 9-to-5 employment and entertainment center to a multidimensional, 24/7 neighborhood. The action plan included economic development, public space activation, transportation options, housing and livability, arts, culture and sports.

San Diego, California

Imagine Downtown (2013): The Downtown San Diego Partnership hired P.U.M.A. to identify organizational and financing strategies to help navigate the loss of redevelopment agencies in California. P.U.M.A. created a private/public partnership that included membership, a business improvement district, homeless services, parks, mobility and transportation, and community development. Suggested financing tools included a proposal to create the nation’s first downtown-focused infrastructure bank.

Covington, Kentucky

Center City Action Plan (2012): P.U.M.A. was hired to create the Covington Center City Action Plan. Supported by the design team of MKSK and the University of Cincinnati Niehoff Studio, m+a associates and MJB retail consulting, P.U.M.A. identified development and investment opportunities involving three activity centers: strong economy, inviting public realm and strong neighborhoods. The plan included the blueprint for two potential business improvement districts and an organizational framework.

Grand Rapids, Michigan

Downtown Framework Plan (2011): The Grand Rapids Downtown Development Authority retained P.U.M.A. to create the plan. With local support, P.U.M.A. led community outreach and a market-based planning process to identify development and investment opportunities. Evaluation of existing local market conditions influenced by P.U.M.A.’s Global Trends Report offered a “reality check.” The plan recommended investment priorities, organizational structure, financing sequencing and measurable benchmarks.

Greeley, Colorado

Downtown Framework Plan (2011): The Greeley Downtown Development Authority engaged P.U.M.A. to update an existing development plan, which included an evaluation of downtown market conditions, trends and stakeholder engagement in a variety of formats. The investment strategy incorporates a physical framework for downtown that defines distinct sub-areas and opportunities, actionable strategies to advance economic development and public realm improvements, and recommendations for retooling the DDA.