This fall, the City of Lynchburg will embark on an update to the Downtown/Riverfront Master Plan to address the future growth and development of downtown. This plan will build upon the previous Downtown Plans developed in 2000 (Lynchburg Downtown and Riverfront Master Plan) and in 2006 (Riverfront Implementation Plan). Downtown Lynchburg Association is a partner in this special planning project.
In addition to considering land use and development opportunities in downtown, the updated plan will include economic and market studies of downtown; transportation study of traffic patterns, parking, and multi-modal opportunities; recommendations for infrastructure improvements; wayfinding and downtown branding improvements; and strengthened connections to adjacent neighborhoods and recreation facilities.
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The process begins in August with a kick-off event and public listening sessions. Throughout the month, additional input opportunities, both in-person and online, will be provided. At the end of the month, planners will convene for a three-day design workshop that will result in preliminary designs that will be used in the overall plan. Later this fall, the draft plans will be presented for final input, with the goal of City Council adoption of the final plan by the end of the year.
The process for developing the new plan will provide multiple opportunities for public and business input throughout the project. We invite you to take part in shaping the future of your downtown.
DOWNTOWN 2040 KICK-OFF EVENT | August 9
Join us at the Academy Center of the Arts as we kick-off the planning process.
6:00PM | Open House: Review previous master plan work and chat with the consultant team
7:00PM | Melody Warnick, author of the book “This is Where You Belong: The Art and Science of Loving the Place You Live” will speak about why cities matter. Our project team will then give an overview of the Downtown 2040 master plan process.
8:00PM | Public Listening Session: Share your ideas about the future of downtown.
Click here to RSVP to the Facebook Event
About Keynote Speaker, Melody Warnick
The average restless American will move 11.7 times in their life.For Melody Warnick, it was move #6, from Austin, Texas, to Blacksburg, Virginia, that threatened to unhinge her. In the lonely aftermath of unpacking, she wondered: Aren’t we supposed to put down roots at some point? How does the place we live become the place we want to stay?
In This Is Where You Belong, Warnick dives into the research around our attachments to place and travels across the country to find out what draws Americans to where they live, and what makes them want to stay. What she learns will inspire you to embrace your own community—and perhaps discover that where you live now . . . is home.
A freelance journalist, Melody Warnick has written for Reader’s Digest, The Guardian, Atlantic CityLab, Quartz, O: The Oprah Magazine, and many more. She lives in Blacksburg, Virginia, with her family.