Historical Character

• The homestead of steamship captain William Moore at the mouth of the Skagway River turned into a tent town in July 1897 when the first gold stampeders arrived en route to the Klondike River gold fields in Canada.
• Within a year Skagway's population was between 8,000 and 10,000; grid pattern of streets laid out and surveyed, including Broadway Street, by Frank Reid after he won surveying equipment in a poker game
• Klondike Gold rush was short lived, lasting only a couple of years; during the following one and one-half decades many side-street buildings are torn down or moved to Broadway to be closer to the White Pass and Yukon Railroad station at 2nd Avenue and Broadway; today Broadway resembles closely what existed in 1910

Planning and Historical Protection Efforts

• Idea for Skagway gold rush national park first proposed in 1933 by Elmer A. Rasmuson, president of the National Bank of Alaska and Skagway resident; proposal later championed by Mayor Cyril A. Coyne (two terms, 1954-1956 and 1957-1959)
• Historian Charles Snell inspects Skagway in 1961 for report to National Park Service studying Skagway as a national historic site; Snell states the surviving structures there "are the finest examples of the mining frontier town, 1897-1910, in Alaska."
• Heaviest concentration of historic buildings Snell found still standing in Skagway were on Broadway between 1st and 6th Avenues
• City adopts Skagway Historic Zoning Ordinance in 1972 protecting downtown historic area; first historic commission formed in 1973; commission charged with reviewing all building plans or changes  within historic district
• Skagway's Historic District on Broadway Street included within boundaries of the  Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park finally authorized by Congress in 1976
• Other than historic Golden North Hotel, all buildings on Broadway have zero setbacks and similar scale of two to three stories
• 1999 Comprehensive Plan involved residents, downtown business owners, tour operators and National Park Service; addresses traffic and parking issues in  historic district by establishing Skagway Municipal and Regional Transit bus program
• 2020 Comprehensive Plan, adopted in February 2009, addresses pedestrian issues on Broadway Street and initiates The Gateway Project, which will enhance pedestrian safety and access to and from Alaska state ferry terminal;  plan calls for improved sidewalks along the east side of Broadway Street to downtown; plan also addresses concerns that new waterfront development respects Skagway's historic character

Center of Commerce, Activities, Attractions

• Many of Broadway's historic buildings now used as museums, jewelry stores, art galleries and general merchandise stores
• Historic Eagles Hall theater (6th Avenue and Broadway) puts on nightly performances during summer season about Skagway's famous con artist and swindler, Jefferson Randolph  "Soapy" Smith II who died  July 8, 1898 during a gunfight near Juneau Company wharf in Skagway
• Skagway's Centential Park (1st Avenue and Broadway) has a statue a person during the Gold Rush, monuments, orientation signs, native plants, benches
• Arctic Brotherhood Hall (2nd Avenue and Broadway) possibly the most photographed building in Alaska; more than 8,800 driftwood sticks nailed to exterior front
• National Park Service Visitor Center located at former White Pass and Yukon Railroad Depot (2nd Avenue and Broadway); gold rush exhibits and railroad photos

Lively Pedestrian Experience

• Buildings have zero setbacks so storefronts contribute to the avenue's lively and rhythmic pedestrian experience
• A plethora of activities is concentrated along the avenue: shopping, dining, tours, exhibits, educational programs, entertainment, and special events
• $20 million River Rail electric trolley line expanded service to President Clinton Avenue in 2005; trolley carried 200,000 passengers during its first year (2004-05)
• 15,000-square foot farmer's market occurs Tuesday and Saturday mornings at River Market, which overlooks Riverfront Park
• The avenue and adjoining Riverfront Park are the primary venue for annual Riverfest; the family-oriented festival is the single-largest event in Arkansas (more than 250,000 attendees in 2008); goes back to 1977

Sustained Planning Effort

• Implementation of 1982 plan recommendations for East Markham Street entertainment district include building amphitheater at the 33-acre Julius Breckling Riverfront Park in 1987; park immediately adjoins President Clinton Avenue
• Community-wide Future Little Rock planning process in 1991 builds upon 1982 plan for an East Markham Street entertainment district; additional recommendations include electric trolley and walking trail to connect area with central business district
• East Markham Streetscape Master Plan implemented in 1995, including brick sidewalks and new street trees
• Voters approve $1.5 million bond issue in 1994 for improvements to Riverfront Park including new walkways connecting to President Clinton Avenue and Main Street
• City Board of Directors approve a Design Overlay District for the River Market area in 1996; creates a framework and rules for area's future growth and development
• Other development along street during 1990s includes relocation of  Museum of Science History to the Terminal Building and the Central Arkansas Main Library moves near East Markham and Cumberland streets

Successful Revitalization

• $165 million William J. Clinton Presidential Center and Park; includes presidential library, archives building, renovated train depot that serves as a school, and nearly 30 acres of parkland; library building is certified LEED Platinum with solar panels, green roof, bike racks and floors made from recycled rubber tires
• Since streets was renamed (2001), city has attracted $1.5 billion in economic development; $1 million in sidewalk and streetscape improvements also made  
• The Design Overlay District, approved in 1996 and updated in 2003, regulates buildings, signs, street furnishings and landscaping to ensure new development complements existing buildings while maintaining a festive and pedestrian orientation
• River Market District Review Committee requires public hearing for proposed variances to street front buildings; allows citizen input on new development
• The nonprofit Downtown Partnership is advocate for additional downtown growth, especially along riverfront and President Clinton Avenue
• First Security Building (521 President Clinton Avenue) is first new building downtown to contain mixed uses; includes bank, hotel, offices and condominiums

Contextual Design and Adaptive Reuse

• Clinton library designed by New York City architect James Polshek, who worked for the renown modernist architect I.M. Pei; inspired by President Clinton's vision of the library being a "bridge to the future," library building reflects contextual approach, echoing elements of  the Interstate 30 overpass that adjoins Clinton grounds
• Several warehouses renovated for new uses, including two abandoned warehouses at 405 President Clinton Avenue now used by Arkansas Studies Institute
• Terminal Warehouse Building adaptation for Museum Center completed in 1998
• East Markham Street National Register Historic District for Market Row buildings is comprised of four buildings designed by prolific architect Charles L. Thompson during late 19th and early 20th centuries

Historic Heritage

• An integral part of the 3,000-acre Bath Historic District added in 1973  to National Register of Historic Places
• Italianate U.S. Custom House and Post Office, made from stone and completed in 1858 (25 Front St.); on National Register; designed by Ammi Burnham, first supervising architect of U.S. Treasury Department; used as office today
• Both humble and grand examples of local architecture: Davenport Memorial Building (1929), designed by Boston architect Charels G. Loring to serve as city hall; Romanesque Revival style Patten Free Library (1889) by George E. Harding; Italianate style buildings on Bank Block (1859) and Church Block (1863)
• Elements of shipbuilding past: carefully framed view of Bath Iron Works crane; gift, antique, furniture stores, cabinetry shops; annual Bath Heritage Days
• Streetscape additions — lampposts (with buried cabling), benches, street clock, and store awnings — reflect 19th century style
• Restoration efforts include refurbished building facades and reconstruction of 19th century gazebo (torn down in 1950s) on library grounds

Heart of Downtown

• Mix of commercial and government uses attract residents and tourists. City hall is visual and literal anchor of downtown. Patten Free Library features preserved Dahlov Ipcar mural in children's wing. Street has grocery, drug store and service providers (doctors, hairdressers and real estate agents); also novelty, specialty and antique shops draw tourists. Dining options range from an upscale bistro to a Wi-Fi coffee shop
• Eminently walkable with wide, brick sidewalks and shade trees; landscaped parking lots
• City hall is start and end point for two publicly operated and subsidized trolley loops; Bath smallest community in Maine with bus service
• Site of several annual events, such as New Year's Day ringing of Paul Revere bell, cast in 1802, in the belfry at City Hall
• Block-long Library Park, site of Patten Free Library, backs to Front Street; benches, trees, grassy slopes, and pond provide respite; rebuilt gazebo houses musical concerts, cultural offerings; site of Bath Garden Club's annual plant sale
• Seasonal decorations — flower baskets, holiday wreaths, banners, and flags — adorn Front Street's historically accurate street lights

Commitment to Planning, Preservation, Sustainability

• Defeat of 1960 urban renewal proposal to replace historic downtown with pedestrian mall results in loss of several department stores: Sears, Newberry's, W.T. Grant's, Senter's; city's 19th-century architecture kept largely intact but value not clear; businesses struggle
• Founding of Sagadahoc Preservation, Inc., nonprofit volunteer group, in 1971 jumpstarts preservation efforts; aids in historic district designation
• City produces comprehensive plans in 1959, 1983 and 1997; latter portrays Bath as walkable, year-round destination. City Council adopted 2009 comprehensive plan in September after four years of work by citizen committee and city planners
• Action Plan for the Bath Waterfront and Downtown, adopted in 1999, ensures Front Street is part of Bath's Historic Overlay District affecting existing and new buildings
• City uses federal Community Development Block Grants to fund facade restorations
• Ordinance (2000) removes off-street parking requirements, encourages mixed uses
• Ordinance prohibits neon, roof, interior-lit signs that detract from downtown character
• Resolution on energy conservation and climate protection encourages businesses and property owners to reduce energy consumption; study underway to determine ways to reduce energy use by historic-style street lights
• To reduce heat island and decrease carbon output, Bath's arborist routinely plants new and replaces diseased and damaged trees along Front Street

Protected Historic District 

• The Main Street Historic District, adopted by the City Council in 1989, protects all of the historic buildings on the street, which represent approximately 80 percent of the buildings (more than 40 properties) along the three blocks
• Historic, 19th and early 20th Century buildings fronting Main Street are well preserved and represent façades from various styles including Commercial, Italianate, Beaux Arts, Moderne and Art Deco.
• The First National Bank Building, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is an Art Deco building that was the tallest building in Ann Arbor at the time of its construction.

Commitment to Planning and Compatible Development

• In 1824, town founders Elisha Rumsey and John Allen purchased 640 acres of land and register the town plat; central business district develops along Main Street and around courthouse square
• City approves Downtown Development Authority, a tax increment finance district, in 1982 to fund streetscape and infrastructure improvements including parking structures; reauthorized in 2003, Authority now develops and supports transportation alternatives and sustainability initiatives
• City now updating 1988 Downtown Plan to emphasize Smart Growth initiatives, increased downtown density, and greater use of transportation alternatives
• Two- to four-story buildings are oriented to the street with zero setbacks, architectural details and transparent first floors; similar height of first floors creates a sense of visual continuity

Smart Growth Emphasis

• Ann Arbor leads state in providing both affordable and market-rate downtown housing, including upper-story residential loft conversions along street 
• Mixed uses along designated blocks: retail, restaurants, office and upper-story residential
• Most parking located on streets adjoining South Main Street so as to not detract from pedestrian experience
• Enterprising restaurateurs have taken sidewalk dining a step further by installing front window panels that can be raised like garage doors during warm weather for more sheltered dining experience
• Ann Arbor's transit hub located one block east of Main Street; access to University of Michigan campus provided by free bus service for students and go!pass holders
• Ann Arbor Downtown Plan, adopted by the city Planning Commission in June 2009,  calls for continuing vehicle parking exemptions, adding bicycle parking requirements, and  increasing density in the core area through zoning bonuses that encourage inclusion of pedestrian amenities, residential units in upper stories, affordable housing, LEED certified buildings, and potentially, transfer of development rights

Vibrant Activity

• Dominated by one-of-a-kind businesses. For example, on one side of one block are a small T-shirt shop, Greek restaurant, art gallery, low- and high-priced gift shops, coffee shop, karate instruction studio, custom tailor, European-style bistro, and stir-fry restaurant
• Strong support for local businesses from consumers and Think Local First, a group that encourages locally-owned businesses committed to making Ann Arbor a healthier and more vibrant place to live
• Downtown Development Authority promotes downtown business activity and economic revitalization with over 100 projects and $60 million invested in downtown for mixed-use developments, walkability, and parking developments
• Main Street Association organizes more than a dozen events on street each year
• Streetscape improvements in 1980s included widened sidewalks, intersection bump outs, trees and pedestrian crossings

Complete Street

• Three traffic lanes: two for automobiles, one for bicyclists
• Twelve- to 14-foot wide sidewalks; brick pedestrian crosswalks at end of each block and four midblock crossings;  8-foot bumpouts calm traffic and improve pedestrian safety; city ordinance restricts driveway access to street
• Larry C. Harding parking deck (2003) set back from street to accommodate retail buildings; parking facility has one of the few driveways to access Front Street
• No parking requirements for businesses; private parking lots prohibited in most cases to reduce area downtown set aside for parking; public transit stops
• Regional trail system extends through downtown and connects to Front Street

Public and Natural Space

• Front Street accessible to Boardman River ; between buildings and at intersections are views of the river and Lake Michigan's West Arm of Grand Traverse Bay
• Jay Smith Walkway pocket park on Front Street; includes plants and trees, benches, and a fountain where children play; provides place to sit, relax, people watch
• Front Street easily accessible to nearby historic residential neighborhoods, Boardman River, Clinch Park and Zoo, Sunset Park, Legion Park, F and M Park, Lake Michigan waterfront

Historic Preservation and Smart Growth

• Historic Districts Commission must approve building permits for development in historic districts, including changes to existing buildings
• Historical renovation has taken place by private donations and public funding generated through tax increment financing; during past 30 years more than $8.5 million worth of restoration taken place
• City Opera House (1891), a beautiful restored Victorian building located at 112 ½ East  Front Street, added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972; the oldest of three such Victorian opera houses in Michigan
• Zoning allows an extra story for downtown buildings that designate at least 20 percent of space for residential uses; encourages mixed uses and that buildings be built to human scale (no more than six stories tall with residential use bonus)
• Regional non-motorized trail system runs through downtown and a bike lane is provided on the side of two streets in the downtown area

Ongoing Planning Commitment

• Perry Hannah founded Traverse City and plats Front Street in 1852; until 1864, Traverse City only accessible by water
• First brick paving in 1905; street widened in 1945
• Tax increment financing plan adopted in 1997; helps fund capital and infrastructure improvements along Front Street and elsewhere in city
• Downtown Development Authority leads redevelopment efforts downtown and is funded through property tax levy; partners with Downtown Traverse City Association

Community Living Room

• Location for historic, week-long National Cherry Festival each July (begun 1926); attracts half-million people; contributes more than $26 million to economy each year
• Downtown Traverse City Association organizes monthly major event on Front Street
• Other special events on Front Street include bi-annual Art Walk,  Traverse City Culinary Tour and the Traverse City Film Festival

Turn-of-the-Century Character

• In 1871, the busy Pennsylvania Railroad made Collingswood a stop on the popular Atlantic City run; area grew quickly and by early 20th century Haddon Avenue was Collingswood's commercial center
• Collingswood Commercial Historic District listed as a state historic area and is on the National Register of Historic Places (1990); District contains 79 buildings from the late 19th and early 20th centuries given their significance and well-preserved condition; buildings located on eight of Haddon Avenue's 10 blocks designated as an APA Great Street and along one block of Collings Avenue (just off Haddon Avenue)
• Local historic district also designated along Haddon Avenue, adding further protection for historic properties on street from being altered or compromised
• Adaptive reuse along the avenue includes a modern office building occupying an old school house and a seafood distributor using a restored historic gas station

Years-Long Revitalization Efforts

• Haddon Avenue begins to rebound in 1990s after decades of blight and disinvestment; leading the way is revitalization of Collingswood; first project involves public-private joint venture purchase of existing Sutton Towers high-rise residential building; city eventually turns $3 million profit on building's sale
• Two capital improvement and infrastructure repair programs lead to streetscape improvements along avenue including a Millennium Clock, Memorial Walk, lamp post flower baskets, pole banners, street trees, street furniture
• Haddon Avenue Business Improvement District organized to promote commerce along avenue and further enhance avenue's commercial area; district entity managed by Collingswood Partners Inc.

New Jersey Transit-Oriented Development Model

• In 2007 Collingswood becomes first community in New Jersey selected for transit-oriented development at a Port Authority Transit Corporation (PATCO) commuter train stop on Haddon Avenue; of 13 municipalities with park-and-ride stations along commuter train line, Collingswood was most actively pursued opportunity
• First stage of the transit village proposal for Collingswood involves city-owned site named the LumberYard, a mixed-use development on Haddon Avenue with 120 residential condominiums, 21 shops, an underground parking garage, and a fully equipped outdoor stage; completed 2009; near PATCO commuter train station
• Second stage of transit-oriented development underway on Atlantic Avenue, one block next to Haddon Avenue; involves approximately 9 acres previously used for surface parking; new development will include high-density, mixed-use residential buildings, parking structures, civic plaza, streetscape improvements
• Bus service also available along Haddon Avenue

Community Events

• Borough holds more than 40 arts- and entertainment-related events a year along street; view events as one of the main engines for stimulating the local economy; the annual arts and crafts May Fair, introduced in 1979, features more than 100 artists and four stages of live music
• Other major events besides May Fair include August Craft Show, September Gala, October Book Fair; Haddon Avenue closed to traffic for these events
• Bustling farmer's market operates Saturday mornings; recently named best small market in the nation by American Farmer's Market Association

Pedestrian Orientation

• Amenities include wide sidewalks, extensive tree canopy, and trolley bus;  attractive benches, coordinated trashcans, and landscaping differentiate each block, creating a series of  "outdoor rooms" along the street
• Mixed-use developments along Main Street (examples include Wachovia Place, which consists of 157,000 square feet of office space, 15,500 square feet of retail space and 22 apartments and the 338,000-square-foot office, retail and residential RiverPlace, which includes one building that fronts the street at 550 South Main) are within walking distance of everyday amenities including an urban Publix grocery store

Spectacular Vista

• Falls Park, located at Main Street and Camperdown Way, provides sight-seeing opportunities and quiet retreat from Main Street bustle
• The pedestrian Liberty Bridge, located in Falls Park, curves around the 60-foot Reedy River waterfall, affording scenic views of both river and falls
• Public gardens on the banks of Reedy and brick ruins of the Camperdown Mill built around 1876

Economic Vibrancy

• One-fourth of downtown Greenville's 1,750 residential units are located on Main Street, which has increased demand for commercial activities in the area; also contributing to downtown economic growth is the relocated baseball stadium, Fluor Field, which has brought one million consumers to the street since 2006
• Sixty-four restaurants and cafes along Main Street provide downtown Greenville  with the greatest concentration of dining options in upstate South Carolina
• Downtown Greenville averages more than 320 special event days a year including festivals, parades, and weekly music series during spring, summer and early fall

Historic Nature

• The original plat dates back to the 1700s when Lemuel J. Alston created a grid of 52 lots on a north to south axis and named only two streets: Main Street, known as "the street," and McBee Avenue, called "the avenue"
• Nineteen buildings, mostly on the southern end of Main Street, including five individually listed buildings, are on the National Register of Historic Buildings and have been preserved or adapted for reuse; building styles include Victorian, Neoclassical, Beaux Arts, Romanesque Revival (Stradley and Barr Dry Goods Store) and Art Deco (First National Bank)
• Early 20th century skyscraper styles from Chicago architecture also used; the Poinsett Hotel (1925) was one of the first skyscrapers to be built in Greenville and has since been restored as a luxury hotel (2000)

Long-Term Planning Commitment

• In 1978, the city implemented a comprehensive plan that added trees, angled parking, landscaping, and wider sidewalks; Main Street narrowed from four to two lanes to accommodate changes
• Relocated the Greenville minor league baseball stadium to Fluor Field in 2006 from the Greenville Municipal Stadium, which was located about 6 miles outside the downtown; the new baseball stadium, home of the Greenville Drive, attracts an average of 5,000 attendees per game and is designed without parking to encourage people to utilize strategically placed parking garages, walk, or use the Main Street trolley
• About one-fourth of downtown's 16,000 downtown garage and surface parking spaces are strategically located one block east and one block west of Main Street in order to not detract from the street's pedestrian character, with the remaining spaces located further out of the pedestrian realm
• City now replicating success of Main Street to nearby areas; guiding the revitalization is the Sasaki Downtown Master Plan adopted in 2008

Colonial Williamsburg's 'Great Street'

• Virginia's colonial Capitol, at the eastern end of Duke of Gloucester, is where the colony's legislators unanimously voted in 1776 to direct their delegates in Philadelphia to introduce a resolution declaring the 13 colonies' independence  
• The Street has been visited by both early and late historical figures, including former presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Ronald Reagan, and Bill Clinton
• John D. Rockefeller, Jr., initiated reconstruction, provided funding, and acquired the first properties in 1926. Rockefeller's leadership and generosity led to restoration or reconstruction of more than 80 buildings

Careful Planning Shapes Outcome

• Francis Nicholson, Governor of Virginia from 1698 to 1705, was instrumental in moving capital from Jamestown to Williamsburg; he developed formal town plan with Baroque features, including Duke of Gloucester as the axial main street
• The 1699 Acts of Assembly established the first formal town plan and building regulations
• The first of six Williamsburg comprehensive plans adopted in 1953, emphasized preservation with street improvements and a "no parking zone" designated for all of Duke of Gloucester Street. The 1953 plan proposed a parking lot to serve Merchants Square; the Prince George Parking Garage was built at the recommended location in 2004
• Duke of Gloucester Street closed to vehicular traffic in 1969 in Colonial Williamsburg Historic Area and in 1974 at Merchants Square
• Williamsburg's third comprehensive plan (1981) contained an Urban Design plan that provided a framework for maintaining the character of the Historic Area
• Comprehensive plans adopted in 1989 and 1998 emphasized preservation of historic and architectural resources through a special Colonial Williamsburg Historic Area District, rather than an overlay district, to prevent extraneous zoning restrictions of an underlying zone from interfering with historically accurate development
• The most recent comprehensive plan (2006) concentrates on preserving the character of the Center City: changes to the zoning ordinance were proposed to the north and south of Merchants Square to encourage residential development so Duke of Gloucester would continue to be at the center of a vibrant mixed-use community

Historic Reconstruction

• Archaeological evidence and historical records going back as far as 300 years are used to reconstruct buildings as accurately as possible
• The only uses allowed on Duke of Gloucester Street are restored and reconstructed buildings and accessory structures dating before 1800 and based on documented evidence; buildings and alterations are subject to approval by the Board of Zoning Appeals and Architectural Review Board
• Virginia's original Capitol building was reconstructed and refurnished as the building  existed between 1705 and 1747; 18th century records were used for restoration
• Merchants Square commercial area was created at western end; provided a new area for businesses to relocate from the historic area

Walkability and Mixed Uses

• The street closed to motorized traffic beginning in 1969
• Parking for Merchants Square commercial area is located primarily in interior blocks; shops and restaurants occupy the ground level with offices above
• Duke of Gloucester Street is the center of Williamsburg's colonial-era community; originally the street had a variety of uses — residences, offices, shops, religious and government buildings. Today it is dedicated to residential use and historical exhibitions, shops and an active church

Early Development Shapes North Main Street

• Wheeling dates to 1769 when settled by Ebenezer Zane; well located, Wheeling is connected to other cities by the National Road (originally the Cumberland Trail) and, in 1852, the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
• Street is location for residences and commercial enterprises that serve the owners and workers of Wheeling's essential businesses and  manufacturing operations including iron foundries, boat and steam engine shops, glass factories, water works
• Manufacturing companies gone, but original North Main Street buildings that remain were used as stores, taverns, liveries, and blacksmith shops during 19th and early 20th centuries; some of the buildings now used for multi-family housing

Historic Architecture

• Most historically significant buildings are within the North Wheeling Historic District, added to the National Register of Historic Places in December 1988; historic district extends along North Main Street between Main Street Terrace to the north and the Interstate 70 entrance and exit ramps to the south
• Street-front buildings represent a mixture of Victorian styles -- Italianate, Greek Revival, Romanesque, Queen Anne, and Second Empire; some of the Italianate-styled buildings have elaborate window and door hoods; original doors and windows,   including hardware and art glass, still exist on several houses
• Renaissance Revival-styled house at 827 North Main Street built in 1858 for Wheeling grocer and banker Henry K. List; kept in the family  until the 1940s and separately added to the National Register of Historic Places in October 1978
• Construction materials include stone, metal, wood, and terra cotta with cornices of metal; these materials came from the brick, lumber, glass, and tile produced by the Wheeling manufacturers that were in operation during the mid- and late-19th century

Planning and Community Preservation Efforts

• Wheeling's first zoning ordinance for North Main adopted in 1946; the most recent update, in 2001, established the North Wheeling Special District designed to protect the street's existing historic character while allowing for limited commercial and mixed uses
• The nonprofit Victorian Wheeling Landmarks Foundation owns 11 houses on North Main; these buildings are either being rented, used for office space or restored by the organization
• Victorian Old Town Association is a group of local homeowners that advocate for streetscape improvements and organize events and activities for North Main Street and downtown Wheeling

Density and Walkability

• New townhouse, single-family and apartment construction respects period architecture while also maintaining housing density
• North Main Street is a hub of activity for the North Wheeling neibhorhood, centrally located to several small corner markets, restaurants, taverns, parks, and schools all within a half mile; a library and a movie theater are within three quarters of a mile
• North Wheeling Special District, which includes North Main Street, allows for both commercial and residential uses
• Wheeling Heritage Trail runs parallel to the Ohio River and behind the buildings on North Main Street; trail is accessible at the intersections of Main Street and 1st, 5th, and 8th Streets and connects residents in area to the activity-filled Wheeling Heritage Port

Character of Olmsted-Designed Parks Extended to Boulevard

• Early history of area characterized by lack of planning; four subdivisions, each with a different vision, were platted between 1888 and 1894
• Influenced by the City Beautiful movement, foresighted city parks commission condemned land to expand “Newbury Street” from 66 feet to 150 feet in width; Newberry  renamed a boulevard in November 1897, second street in city to be so designated (first such designation was Highland Boulevard in 1895)
• Although not designed by Frederick Law Olmsted Sr., who was commissioned by the city to plan Lake and Riverside Parks, Newberry Boulevard follows his English garden suburb philosophy and design principles that residential areas have ample lots so homes can serve as a restful retreat separated from more densely developed sections of cities
• Plan for East Newberry Boulevard included 54-foot wide grassy median separating two 28-foot-wide lanes for east- and west-bound traffic; bridle path extended down the median's center; 20-foot-wide sidewalks, eventually reduced to six feet width, were built along each right-of-way
• Landscaping was designed to complement the two Olmsted parks and transform the boulevard into linear park; uniform planting every 25 feet of large deciduous shade trees (some which are now 60 feet tall) is critical element to boulevard's park-like character
• Following release of plan, developer of initial subdivision re-platted lots to front on East Newberry Boulevard instead of north-south streets; sole exception to this design is on boulevard's south side between North Oakland and North Cramer streets
• A formal entrance to Lake Park at East Newberry Boulevard was planted in 1896

Natural Beauty Accentuated

• Residents' understanding and appreciation of boulevard's unique role result in beautifully landscaped and carefully maintained properties more than 100 years later
• Large maples and elms form canopy that covers the entire 12 blocks; shade on both median and sidewalks as trees were planted curbside and along outer edge of median
• Olmsted-designed Lake and Riverside parks at respective east and west ends of boulevard serve as counterpoints to urban life; parks designed for contemplation, enjoyment and interaction of people from all socio-economic classes
• Boulevard reforestation program replaces diseased or damaged American elm trees to maintain tree canopy; plan adheres to spirit and intent of original landscape design

Architectural Diversity

• East Newberry Boulevard home to 101 residential structures, most of which are larger and more embellished than those on adjacent streets. Residences form veritable catalog of styles popular among Milwaukee's middle and upper classes including Prairie School, Arts and Crafts, Bungalow, Mediterranean, Colonial Revival, Tudor Revival
• Developers and architects followed tenets of Frederick Law Olmsted, building large homes on ample lots with garden setbacks
• Work of many of city's leading architects -- including Alexander C. Eschweiler and the team of George Bowman Ferry and Alfred Charles Clas – grace boulevard; designs relied on high-quality exterior cladding materials, such as brick, stucco and limestone, which help shape boulevard's character
• Size and design of residential structures vary based on location; homes in Prospect Hill subdivision were set on expansive lots — three per block — and required to meet deed restrictions pertaining to such things as alcohol sales and livestock boarding; construction costs had to exceed $5,000 or 10 times the average annual wage $500 in 1893 (compared to $50,000 average income for today, minimum would be about $500,000)
• A state historic district, East Newberry Boulevard added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1994 because of its architecturally significant houses

Houses Used State-of-the-Art Building Methods

• Hollow terra cotta blocks, employed in commercial and industrial structures to protect from fire, were used in several homes despite higher cost
• Use of poured concrete for housing construction, a progressive technique in early 1900s, was tested along East Newberry Boulevard
• Albert F. Gallun house, an Elizabethan manor house built in 1914, represents fusion of most advanced construction techniques for the time. Fourteen-inch-thick stone exterior walls are backed by 4-inch hollow terra cotta tiles on the interior. Floors are poured concrete and roof made of slate; emerged from disastrous 1970s fire with structural integrity unscathed