A Look Ahead
Here is a quick glimpse into projects in the works across the country . Watch for more on them in our blog ( AyresAssociates . com / blog /) and in future TRENDS issues .
Lake City , Colorado : Where the Music Takes You
Lake City , Colorado ’ s Downtown Improvement and Revitalization Team ( DIRT ) recently began collaborating with Ayres Development Services to envision feasible community redevelopment ideas and establish new economic drivers for the community .
Working in tandem with Colorado Main Street program staff , Matt Ashby and Ayres ’ Development Services team helped Lake City consider possibilities , leveraging the town ’ s existing tourism industry as well as the regional music / concert scene to develop a creative business idea .
Their idea is a combination live-performance venue and professional recording studio named “ Refuel ” that has the potential to attract new visitors – artists , performers , and audiences – to downtown Lake City .
The Refuel proposal features development of an outdoor stage for festivals during the summer season , and re-use of an existing building ( Sportsman ’ s BBQ Garage and Towing ) for indoor concerts during colder months . Offering a unique venue and appealing retro character , the performance space could conceivably attract audiences to three concerts per week during the busy season .
Ayres researched and prepared a feasibility study noting key strengths and weaknesses , conducted market analysis , and compiled a detailed financial model . Ayres also created visualization pieces , including illustrations and detailed digital modeling , to help stakeholders and the community see the project as it could be .
The package even included brand development , featuring the Refuel logo on t-shirts , pub glasses , and on the “ liner notes ” executive summary , among other collateral . Several sub-brands were also created for individual spaces on the Refuel campus .
With all these elements pulled together , Lake City has the vision and strategic plan that , if implemented , could generate consumer traffic extending beyond the traditional summer tourism market .
Ayres part of team studying bridge scour
Ayres is currently assisting the Montana Department of Transportation ( MDT ) on a statewide bridge scour evaluation program , aimed at identifying scour risk and what mitigation measures are needed to protect the long-term stability of bridge foundations . Working with subconsultants KLJ , Tetratech , and Quantum Spatial , Inc ., Ayres is part of a team performing scour evaluations and developing scour mitigation alternatives for 17 MDT bridges at 14 sites throughout Montana .
The team has completed all geomorphic field reconnaissance , bathymetric survey , and lidar mapping for the bridges . As of October 2020 , Ayres completed hydrologic analysis , 2-dimensional hydraulic modeling , and scour evaluations for most of the sites . The bridge sites in the study span the state geographically from east to west and include crossings of some of Montana ’ s biggest rivers , including the Yellowstone , Jefferson , Clark Fork , Gallatin , Beaverhead , and Bitterroot .
www . AyresAssociates . com 27