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A rendering, taken from the proposed conceptual master plan, of the potential downtown Saratoga Springs.

Courtesy City of Saratoga Springs

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A rendering of possible amenities for a proposed downtown Saratoga Springs.

Courtesy City of Saratoga Springs

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Saratoga Springs is moving forward with recently approved plans to create a newly developed downtown area in the city.

The project incorporates retail, dining, walkable spaces, areas for year-round events and housing, among other amenities.

It would be developed on 200 acres between Pioneer Crossing and Mountain View Corridor, including eight urban blocks and a proposed Main Street running parallel to Pioneer Crossing functioning as a local road for pedestrians and community activities such as vendors, retail and outdoor dining, according the master plan document.

The City Council approved the downtown plan during its meeting April 16. Shortly thereafter, Saratoga Springs leaders an updated conceptual master plan they say is a collaborative effort between the city and a property owner to create a vision framework and explore potential concepts for a future downtown.

“The goal is to create an award-winning downtown,” Economic Development Director Doug Meldrum told the Daily Herald. “We know there’s several things that are included in a successful downtown, so we wanted to create a plan that would include those things so that we have a downtown that’s vibrant and that will last more than just, you know, the first so many years before it starts to die off.”

Creating a thriving downtown that breeds exciting experiences isn’t the only catalyst for the ambitious goal, Saratoga Springs also is exploding with growth. The city is home to nearly 60,000 residents and is anticipated to eclipse 100,000 residents in the next decade.

The city planning team worked with consultants and attended several public engagement events before presenting residents with a look at the current existing conditions and inquiring what they would like to see in their potential downtown.

Community members envisioned an attractive, walkable space with plazas, open areas where individuals can enjoy performing arts, parades, outdoor dining, markets and connections to other recreational opportunities in the city, according to the master plan. Feedback from residents helped planners in designing the concept layout.

They also drew inspiration from Mountain View Village in Riverton, the Lenexa City Center in Kansas, as well as The Pearl and Riverwalk in San Antonio, Texas.

Meldrum says the plan was put together as a guideline for building developers to give them an idea of what city leaders and community members envisioned.

“We put a guideline in place that we wanted to see as maybe a gathering place for the community. But in order to make a gathering place work, you’ve got to have businesses and entities that are open at 6 o’clock,” Meldrum explained.

What’s in it for the community?

The conceptual plan calls for five “place types” following criteria and guidelines laid out by the planning committee that would comprise the downtown, all which are subject to change:

• Urban center: A walkable space incorporating a vibrant and concentrated mix of residential, retail and employment uses.
• Neighborhood commercial: A place for living, working and shopping serving as a center for small community or neighborhood services, including retail and offices.
• Business park: A mix of low- to medium-density office buildings, including diverse employment opportunities, in close proximity to housing and designed to be walkable and easily accessible by the freeway and public transit.
• Town neighborhoods: Close proximity to neighborhoods serving commercial shops and offices along key corridors or at key intersections.
• Regional retail: Large- and small-scale retail buildings located at major intersections of highways and arterials and along key transit corridors in the region. Housing is not included in this place type; however, neighborhoods may be located adjacent to regional retail.

Some comments on social media expressed concerns about how a downtown would impact traffic in Saratoga Springs. The city and its engineers are studying the transportation network. While the city has spent millions on existing and ongoing transportation improvements to accommodate the rapid growth within the community, there are opportunities for even further traffic adjustments that would create viable choices to residents and visitors to access the downtown, the master plan explains.

Meldrum says the entire project will take an anticipated 20-50 years before it’s completely built out, which would most likely happen in phases. However, he’s not ruling out developers jumping on board within the next year.

“When you think of a downtown, even if its downtown Mayberry, it’s a place of affection. It’s a place that you’re attracted to and that you want to bring your kids and your families to and it’ll have activities all day long and into the evening. That’s what we want to create,” he said.

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