COVINGTON, Ky. - The City of Covington is working with The Center for Great Neighborhoods and residents of Heletown, Austinburg, Wallace Woods, and Levassor Park to update the zoning code and bring new energy to E. 20th Street corridor.
This Sunday, July 15 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. there will be a "pop-up block" set up beginning at 20th and Greenup. The pop-up block is a temporary way to show the community what changes on a particular block might look and feel like. You will be able to try out an outdoor café with seating, give your thoughts on exterior sign designs, move cardboard street benches and tree planters to show us what design you'd like, share your thoughts about the future with sidewalk chalk, and more! There will also be free popsicles and tours of the chapel at the old St. Elizabeth North Hospital (now the Pavilion at Kenton) and baked goods provided by La Rosa de Guadalupe bakery.
Ideas shared at the 20th Street Pop-Up Block will help the City, The Center for Great Neighborhoods, and the "Eastern 4" neighborhoods (Helentown, Austinburg, Wallace Woods, and Levassor Park) look at possibly creating a form district style of zoning along the corridor to encourage more investment and the creation of neighborhood oriented businesses in the vacant buildings there. The City is also looking at this as a pilot for a citywide zoning code update.
The Eastern 4 Neighborhoods have come together to create a vision for their neighborhoods' future. With the input of over 100 residents that were surveyed about their ideas and concerns they came up with this key statement:
Everyone is welcome here - we are a friendly and tight-knit community. Our neighborhoods, both separately and together, have a strong sense of community. Our collaboration bolsters community pride and brings new energy to our neighborhoods.
From the surveys the E4 has identified Four Big Opportunities:
- How can the old St. Elizabeth (now the pavilion at Kenton) be more of an Asset?
- How can we bring more small businesses back to 20th Street and make the area more walkable?
- How can we slow car traffic on Greenup and Scott?
- How can we ensure that the provision of social services is a regional issue?
This event is a great way for the City and The Center for Great Neighborhoods to gather input about what the neighborhoods want to see along the 20th Street corridor, and will impact two upcoming projects. First, the City is partnering with PDS to look at the possibility of returning Scott and Greenup Streets to a two way traffic flow in order to promote calmer neighborhood streets, encourage investment by residents in their homes. Second, the City and the Center for Great Neighborhoods have been working with the Eastern 4 neighborhoods to look at possibly creating a form district style of zoning along the corridor to encourage more investment and the creation of neighborhood oriented businesses in vacant buildings there.
For the pop-up block guide and map,
HERE.
For the pop-up-block flyer,
HERE.
# # #