9 architects show Pleasant Grove its long-term prospects

PLEASANT GROVE — Members of the American Institute of Architects painted a landscape of possibilities for Pleasant Grove in a presentation Monday, following five days of intense study of the city and its issues.

Nine architects from the AIA's Rural/Urban Design Assistance Team program have been on site since Thursday evening, interacting with city officials and residents to pinpoint the city's needs and make suggestions for long-term planning.

"It turned out very well," team leader Jerry Ernst said. "We feel good about the recommendations we made based on what we've heard from the people here. We covered a lot of area."

The team was given two primary tasks: help develop a long-term plan for the Gateway area in south Pleasant Grove and provide suggestions for the stability and preservation of the downtown area.

Members responded with a plan that calls for mixed-use development of the Gateway area, combining retail centers, multi-family dwellings and traditional neighborhoods; and a revitalized downtown that capitalizes on the existing historical flavor while providing for much-needed economic stability in the future.

"We're suggesting that the city be bold, step up to the plate, and invest in downtown," Ernst said.

Team member James Abell, an urban designer from Arizona, presented a sweeping makeover for the downtown area that would include a spacious civic facility that would house city offices, a library, and a cultural center.

"So many towns choose to move their new facilities outside of the historic downtown area," Abell said. "Don't you ever do that."

Abell said a useful civic center, combined with updated parks in the downtown area, would be the key to bringing people back to the downtown area.

Long term, the plan suggests that three- and four-story buildings be built behind the existing, historic buildings on Main Street. The new buildings would be designed primarily for residential use but could also provide office space and some retail operations.

As part of its framework plan for developing the Gateway area, the team suggested using Pleasant Grove Boulevard as a major artery to tie the Gateway and downtown areas together. It also recommended some type of revenue-sharing program to tie the areas together economically and fund downtown projects.

After a public meeting on Saturday morning, the team began to work on its report at 2 p.m. and worked until shortly after midnight.