Division Corridor Strategy Final Report Division-Corridor-Strategy-Final-Report | Page 8

mented in the short-term. These iden fi ed opportuni-
es aim to transform the Corridor by implemen ng
quality development that meets community goals for
the future. These opportuni es will provide visible
physical change, not just more planning. The Strategy
aims to address visual clu er, promote walkable
places, maintain vital thoroughfare movement and
create places for businesses to thrive.
Public involvement was a fundamental component
of the Discover Division process. Stakeholder and
community input was impera ve for understanding
goals, background and the dynamics of the corridor
from a wide range of perspec ves. The public involve-
ment included gathering knowledge and issues from
local ci zens, stakeholders, business owners, property
owners, u lity providers, UT Arlington representa ves,
community leaders and City staff . Their input created
the founda on for the community’s vision, built
consensus and formed the basis for recommenda ons.
Division Street Corridor Strategy
Planning consultants Freese and Nichols and the Cata-
lyst Group were commissioned by the City of Arlington
and the North Central Texas Council of Governments
to conduct the Division Street Corridor Strategy
eff ort. The project team approached this project as a
Planning-Led Development Eff ort in which previous
eff orts were combined with proven market-driven
strategies. Previous plans have laid the groundwork
for in-depth issue iden fi ca on and detailed goals to
address the Division Street Corridor. The vision was
reaffi rmed during this process and remains valid today:
“To create an economically viable, safe and a rac-
ve corridor, building on its historical base, with a
diverse mix of stable businesses supported through
close associa ons of property and business owners
and through coopera ve eff orts with city and state
government and u lity companies.”
-Proposed IncenƟ ve-Based Redevelopment Plan for The
Division Street Corridor, 2004.
The goals for this Strategy are to build on past work
and to get dirt moving and projects off the ground.
This Strategy does not seek to rely heavily on capital
improvement projects with li le return on public
investment. Rather, the Strategy seeks to iden fy
current market-based opportuni es that can be imple-
6
Division Street Corridor Strategy
City of Arlington
Signifi cant investments have been made and na on-
ally recognized venues have been created in the
Entertainment District. Likewise, Downtown Arlington
is being revitalized with new businesses, sports venues
and public spaces. The Division Street Corridor is
caught in the middle and should take advantage of
the surrounding investments and context. Yet with
numerous plans, li le investment has been made
within the study area. The Corridor remains an auto-
dominated thoroughfare with aging buildings and very
limited iden ty. It has not capitalized on its centralized
loca on and exis ng market demands or provided the
needed link to other por ons of Arlington. While the
en re study area was analyzed, the exis ng energy
and investment near Center Street provides the
greatest opportunity for redevelopment. This Strategy
is described as building on exis ng improvements and
growing from the center of the Corridor outwards.
Proposed opportuni es will complement exis ng uses
and fi t into the desired context of Division Street.
Expansions near Center Street will help to close the
gap between Division Street and Downtown with
buildings oriented towards the street in order to make
walking distances appear shorter, and visually connect
public spaces. Future projects should promote
pedestrian scale and rela onships at street level.
Project sites should rely less on conven onal parking
standards and less on segregated uses and more on
linking entertainment, business, educa onal and
public ac vity generators.