Hoping to revitalize the area, Lehi is planning a new look for its historic downtown.

The city has selected a planning and architectural consultant to design a new look for downtown Lehi north to approximately Interstate 15, south to 200 South, east to 800 East and west to 500 West. Public hearings on the issue will be held sometime in 2006.

Now that a designer has been selected, the city will begin negotiations on how much the design will cost, said Councilman Mark Johnson. If the city cannot get an acceptable price, it will go to another firm, he said.

Johnson has spent the better part of a year working on a downtown redesign concept with the Lehi Planning Department. His proposal includes easing congestion on Lehi Main Street by building a thoroughfare along 300 North from 800 East, cutting across the northeast Lehi High School campus west to Willowcreek Middle School (1200 West).

The planned redesign will also provide architectural consistency in the commercial areas and add needed parking to make the businesses more accessible, he said.

"If this is done right then we've got a marketable product," Johnson said. "If we don't do this for downtown then it's just not going to happen."

Plans are in the preliminary stages and could eventually include an amphitheater, commuter rail hub and a walkable business park district.

The design is based on a similar plan from San Luis Obispo, Calif., he said, noting the plans are in the preliminary stages.

"I would also like to emphasize what it is not," Johnson said.

The plan is not a historic overlay proposal, would not identify property for future eminent domain, and would not be used as a proposal for funding sources, he said.

Both Mayor-elect Howard Johnson and Mayor Ken Greenwood praised the plan in a recent meeting.

Johnson said he felt something similar to a revitalization plan should have been done 30 years ago.

This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page D1.