DESCRIPTION
VMWP contributes urban design expertise as a subconsultant to Toole Design Group supporting their on-call urban design and mobility services for the City of River Falls. River Falls, Wisconsin is a city of 16,000 and home to a campus of the University of Wisconsin. VMWP has contributed to a Small Area Plan for an institutionally-anchored subarea bordered by the north edge of downtown, the Kinnickinnic River, and Mound Park.
VMWP and Toole collaboratively envisioned this district as a gateway to downtown and used the planning process to highlight opportunities for land consolidation to create parcels suitable for market-oriented and institutional redevelopment. Enhanced mobility infrastructure, and street safety improvements were proposed. The Small Area Plan also identified opportunities for consolidation of public land, mixed-use infill development, and additional affordable housing on land controlled by the River Falls Housing Authority.
Urban Design Features
- Reconfigurations and safety improvements to street network
- Master planning to allow growth of existing institutional anchors
- Identification of opportunities for enhanced recreational access
Sustainable Design
- Enhancement of Kinnickinnic River frontage for recreational access
- Integration of current efforts to remove Junction Falls and Powell Falls dam impoundments, restoring the River Falls segment of the Kinnickinnic River as a Wisconsin Class 1 Trout Stream.
PROJECT INFORMATION
Client: Toole Design Group
Site Area: 31.6 acres
Completion: December 2024
Small and Large Area Plans
Area Plans guide growth, enhance livability, and attract investment by shaping land use, infrastructure, and public spaces. They support affordable housing, economic development and sustainability while preserving community identity. Urban design opportunities include walkable, mixed-use development, improved public spaces, complete streets, adaptive reuse, and green infrastructure. By fostering connectivity, resilience, and inclusivity, an Area Plan can create a vibrant, functional, and sustainable neighborhood that meets both current and future needs