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Town Center Plan
January 2007
Appendix 4
focus on professional offices and residential, rather than retail, although the existing retail use
(Ben’s Bargain Barn) should be improved and celebrated. There is a dearth of
small-office
space
available for resident-serving professionals such as architects, interior designers, dentists,
veterinarians, lawyers, graphic designers, artists, and others who might prefer to locate in an older
house and to take advantage of the “small town” environment of the Morrisville Town Center.
•
Relocation of Vintage Buildings: to increase massing, several of the vintage houses and buildings
might be relocated closer to the center.
•
Conservation of Natural Areas: rural and wetland areas should be conserved so that the town
center is placed in context. This might require the implementation of a conservation easement
or density transfer policy. The waterways in this area may need restoration, but could be better
integrated.
Financing & Programmatic Approaches
There are a number of financing and programmatic approaches that can be pursued to implement the plan.
The overall financing approach, and the role of the public sector, varies significantly based on the type,
location, and economic viability of the projects proposed in the plan. In general, it is not recommended
that a small local government like Morrisville play the role of a real estate developer. Rather, local
government can help create an environment that leverages and supports
private
sector investment.
Such an environment can be created through any combination of public infrastructure and urban
design improvements, land assemblage, outreach marketing, and programmatic incentives such as tax
abatements and grants. Several sample approaches are detailed below for specific projects identified in
the plan, while a full range of possible public interventions is found in the appendix.
Community or Cultural Facility
A cultural facility was recommended in the concept design as an anchor use for the town center that helps
fill a need in the community and can also generate traffic for retail and other support uses. The community
(including participants in the Design Workshop) also identified cultural facilities, whether amphitheaters
or other venues to house performing arts activities or international cultural / ethnic exhibitions, as an
important element of the town center, since they would help Morrisville develop a sense of community
and place. There are various approaches for financing civic or cultural facilities that do not require 100%
direct local government funding.
Cultural facilities are easier to finance if there are anchor tenants, such as symphony or ballet companies,
theatres, or other uses identified. Therefore, it is critical to examine the market potentials or conduct an
assessment of the need for such facilities. A Needs Assessment would help identify anchor uses and
determine the development program and financial requirements for the facility. Once that has been
completed, then an appropriate financing program can be developed.
One of the most appropriate approaches for financing the development of cultural facilities is often
to initiate a capital fundraising campaign, in partnership with the non-profit anchor or sponsor. If, for
example, there is an anchor with regional fundraising potential (such as the children’s theater concept),