Thread by @mmwpro63

About that brainwave I had last week...

Apparently, I wasn't the first to imagine a revitalized Eaton Plaza.

In 2⃣0⃣0⃣4⃣, The Eaton Plaza Master Plan (EPMP) was adopted by the city of Fresno.

To this day, it sits on a shelf.

(1/?)

https://twitter.com/mmwpro63/status/1357797129943588871

The plan, which included paths surrounded by trees, a central water feature, and a pedestrian plaza for the County Library has mostly sat on a shelf for nearly 2 decades.

Based on local reporting in @FresnoBee , @FresnoAlliance ,and @Jamesinclair.

(2/?)

"On April 14, 1947, by a yes vote of 71 percent, the citizens of Fresno approved a bond issue to purchase the land between Fresno, Mariposa, N and O Streets to create a public green space."

Of course, then it became a parking lot for 50 years!

fresnoalliance.com/eaton-plaza-is…

Apparently after all of this time passed, you would expect this is the point when things get better.

Design Firm MPA Design was selected to produce the EPMP which was completed in 2004.

The first phase was completed in 2006, then comes The Recession mpadesign.com/portfolio/eato…

According to @FresnoAlliance the 2nd phase was ready to go when it was cancelled by then mayor @AshleyCVCF. Not much happened, but the area still found lots of use for community events such as Free Movie Nights and More: fresnobee.com/news/local/art…

Then in 2017, reportedly at the request of @FresnoPolice 's basketball team the park was proposed to be covered by 2 basketball courts.

If Fresno was going to seriously consider a simple request to alter the space, why even spend the money on... fresnobee.com/news/local/art…

... a consulting firm to create a Master plan like EPMP?
Ultimately, the basketball courts were never built.🤦

Fresno's 2017 Parks Plan Draft list Eaton Plaza as needing a Remaster Plan, to "...reflect a civic image, not necessarily recreational uses" fresno.gov/darm/wp-conten…

The plan also listed estimated improvements as costing $3.5 - $1.5 million. A scaled down number from the cited original 2004 $6.5 cost of the full EPMP. fresnobee.com/news/local/art…

My question is...what now? @fresnoforparks will be bringing in some much needed parks funding for the city.

Why not use some of it for Eaton Plaza? if needed, a revised master plan could improve upon the original, like a dedicated crossing to Veterans Memorial Auditorium.

Even if this does technically violate the original plan, the most recent Downtown Fresno Master Plan includes no mention of closing Mariposa Mall in front of the @FCPL .
fresnobee.com/news/local/art…

Still a updated plan is needed, regardless, if there is anything this has taught me. It's to be nervous about any implementation of other Fresno Dream plans like @BetterBlckstone .

It's a great plan, but Fresno has failed too often to bring others like it to reality.

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