Students propose parking, other improvements during charrette

Plans for the revitalization of La Grange came a step closer to reality last weekend as residents met with planning students to develop new ideas for an old city.

About 100 residents stopped by the La Grange Community Center Saturday to offer their two cents about local themes, such as housing, entertainment, economic development, connectivity and environment.

Thirty-five students and faculty from the University of Cincinnati's Planning School presented the ideas.

Plans to beautify the courthouse lawn and expand the city's green space were met with approval by residents and civic leaders.

Others proposals, such as a one that would efface parking spots on Main Street to make room for a pedestrian plaza and outdoor seating for local businesses, drew some concern.

Students spoke on behalf of residents who pitched the idea. They offered a few possibilities for parking on Main Street.

One was to remove parking on one side of Main and make traffic one-way on the other side. Another would create two parking lots on either end of Main, eliminating a need for parking spots in front of shops.

Some residents fear customers would stop shopping on Main if parking were not close enough to stores, but students and professors encouraged them to experiment with the proposed options before settling on the status quo.

Carla Chifos, assistant professor of sustainable development, said the city should also pay attention to preserving the rural landscape of the area, "so you don't lose the character that we value so much."

The city needs to tap into nature, she said, perhaps by developing biking and horse trails, adding that educational opportunities surrounding farming, wildlife and the watershed abound.

To draw people to the region, La Grange needs "more to do than would take to do in a day," Chifos said.

Other ideas for the city's revitalization included a trolley that would transport visitors to regional attractions, a commuter line to Louisville and increased signage to better advertise La Grange.

The students will return next month to make a formal presentation of the best ideas from Saturday's dialogue.

E-mail us about this story at: danna@oldhamera.com.