From Surface Parking to Mixed-Use Community Gateway Site Reuse Design for the 301 Main Street in Atchison, Kansas Project Summary Community: Atchison, Kansas Technical Assistance: Site Reuse Plan Former Use: Filling station, Auto Repair Future Use: Community Gateway Atchison, a city of 12,000 people, is located in Atchison County, Kansas. The project site, 301 Main Street, sits on a prominent corner of Downtown Atchison, however it has been used as a parking lot for neighboring businesses since the city acquired the property in the mid-1950s. In alignment with the Downtown/Riverfront Design Guidelines and Comprehensive Plan and its goal of seeing the development of underutilized downtown parking lots, the city intends to redevelop the property for a mixed-use, multi-story building that fits into the context of the site while not adversely impacting neighboring properties. The Community's Challenge The city has been seeking to maximize community and downtown revitalization potential that will match local interests and market demands, while working with local stakeholder interests. EPA's Land Revitalization Technical Assistance In 2022, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Land Revitalization Program provided contractor technical assistance to develop a site reuse plan as a tool to pursue resources for infrastructure improvements and to attract private developer investment. This plan process included stakeholder engagement and brownfields reuse visioning as well as the development of a revitalization plan. At the onset of the planning effort, it was envisioned that the site be developed for mixed use. Typically, mixed-use is envisioned as vertical development in an urban environment, with commercial storefronts on the ground floor and residential on the upper levels. However, a dense urban development would not align with the market demand for the site. Further, there is a wealth of space in this area that would also not merit a dense and more costly-to-construct form of urban development. Therefore, the initial suggestion for achieving mixed-use on the site is to pursue a horizontal approach to mixing uses that would involve separate buildings, in close proximity or even connected, for different use types, allowing for multiple investors and a greatly reduced cost of construction required to meet building code requirements. After incorporating stakeholder input, the reuse vision for 301 Main Street will bring new life to the site by adding up to 9,000 square feet of commercial space and 10 new residential units. It also includes site and infrastructure improvements necessary to support the new development alongside the existing uses in the neighborhood. Upon arriving at the site, an asphalt art mural and gateway signage create a "point of arrival" as visitors enter Downtown Atchison. These elements will also support calming vehicular traffic and improving pedestrian connectivity. The proposed vision will take full advantage of the commercial, aesthetic, and community benefits that the site has to offer while augmenting the existing economy. The plan maximizes the commercial frontage facing 4th Street and Main Street while creating residential amenities for upper-level tenants that feature the favorable view of the Amelia Earhart Bridge. Renderings of the Site For more information, contact David Doyle, EPA Region 7 Brownfields Program, at dovle.david@epa.qov. SEPA United States Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization Environmental Protection Agency 560-F-23-327 ------- |