Re-envisioning the Mill Plaza
The New Hampshire Chapter of the American Institutes for Architects is working to create a “New Hampshire Model Community.”
In early April, the Town of Durham was selected with the redevelopment of the downtown Mill Plaza Shopping Center as the designated project. The existing site consists of nine acres with two detached one- story strip retail buildings. The town Library is located in a portion of one of the buildings. The site is immediately adjacent to the commercial portion of downtown Durham, the University of New Hampshire, and core of the downtown residential district. The site is served by public transportation. A Committee has been structured that included representatives from the town, university, present tenants, local residents, and the present property owner who is supportive of the redevelopment initiatives.
The first public consensus building meeting took place at the Durham Town office on June 6th at 4:30 p.m. A partnership Work Plan was developed and approved. In the weeks ahead design parameters will be established and three design teams will be organized. Over the summer three conceptual designs will be prepared and presented at public forums over late summer and the fall. A final design and report will be completed in December of 2007. Early in 2008 a developer (if not the owner) will be secured and the project will continue to be refined as it makes its way through the approval processes later that year.
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