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Second session for downtown planning set for Wednesday

The process of developing a strategic plan for downtown Warren will continue on Wednesday night with a second community forum set for 6 p.m. at the Slater Room of the Warren Public Library.

With input received from a first community forum held in February, “the City has created redevelopment strategies for the Downtown Warren Strategic Plan,” according to an announcement of the session on the city’s website.

Those recommendations will be the focal point of Wednesday’s session.

“This is your chance to review and discuss the recommendations to create a vibrant Downtown Warren and the action steps to make it possible,” the notice states. “Your unique perspective is vital and if you are interested in shaping the future of Downtown Warren we encourage you to attend.”

The session is open to the public.

The strategies to be discussed relate to several key issues including a vibrant and accessible riverfront, business attraction and infill development, streetscape and walkability improvements and historic preservation.

City Planner David Hildebrand said at the February session that the genesis for the plan is the fact that the city owns some property south of Pennsylvania Ave. in what was initially considered the Impact Warren area.

“My thought was, that part of downtown is not complete,” he said. “Why don’t we get a plan (as to) how that would be developed (and) what we can due to entice and improve the downtown as a whole, which entails the commercial district.”

To that end, Warren City Council as well as the city’s Planning Commission and Redevelopment Authority have contracted with CT Consultants for the development of a strategic plan.

“We want people to have input into it,” Hildebrand said. “We need the community involved.”

“It really is about your ideas and your vision for the community,” Kristin Hopkins, one of two members of the consulting firm that were on hand, said. “We are here as technical advisers… You are the ones that are going to make it happen.”

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