Oct 25, 2007 West Central Tribune

Landscape architect’s vision for Becker Avenue is a place with multiple uses, lined with vegetation and color By David Little



    WILLMAR — Becker Avenue between Third Street and Sixth Street Southwest in downtown Willmar could become a “convertible street’’ designed with lampposts, vegetation and colorful pavement for use by outdoor markets, pedestrians, bikers and vehicles.

    The preliminary concept of designing Becker Avenue for multiple uses was introduced by landscape architect Adam Arvidson of Minneapolis during a Willmar Design Center meeting Wednesday morning.

    Arvidson, the Design Center’s urban planner, said a street is not often considered as a multiuse space.

    “We call it convertible because it can be converted from being a street that people drive on to a street that people have a market on,’’ he said.

    Arvidson told Design Center board members and others that a convertible street is a public space that is designed to equally accommodate many different things including vehicular and pedestrian traffic, and a market and plaza.

    The concept of converting Becker Avenue into a multiuse street is tied to a Design Center goal of establishing a downtown commons, which Arvidson said would consist of a plaza space on an existing parking lot on Trott Avenue and a market street space on Becker Avenue.

    Arvidson said Becker Avenue is well situated one block off the downtown area.

    “Typically, market spaces don’t work as well when they’re right in the core of downtown, just immediately adjacent,’’ he said.

    Although Becker Avenue and other city streets are basically designed for vehicles, portions of Becker Avenue in the downtown area have been periodically closed to vehicles for outdoor events such as the annual Celebrate Art! Celebrate Coffee! festival, Willmar Fests events, and weekly events such as outdoor concerts and Becker Market.

    “It will be all tied together,’’ said Arvidson in an interview. “We want to get going on something, and this is because Becker Market is gaining momentum and there are other events that happen on that street. We thought this would be a good thing to really put some effort into.’’

    Arvidson said he’ll continue his study and will present his ideas and gather comments from the public during a community meeting to be held at 7 p.m. Nov. 27 at Bethel Lutheran Church.

    Arvidson said a convertible street works best with special paving in different colors and patterns running from building façade to building façade.

    The street could be separated from the sidewalks by flower pots, bollards or colored pavement, and not necessarily by curbs. Trees and vegetation would be planted to handle storm water in innovative ways. Arvidson was asked if Minnesota’s changing seasons would affect the use of a convertible street.

    “Certainly it will be used less in our climate than it would be in warmer climates,’’ he said. “But there are winter carnivals and winter fairs all over the Midwest that use convertible streets. People might not be out there relaxing as much as they would in Los Angeles, but it will still be used for its many uses even throughout the winter.’’

    Arvidson said the concept could be implemented over time as desire and funding allow. He said the design should draw on the character of the city.

    “It should make people feel like they’re here in Willmar and not in Los Angeles,’’ he said.