HomeMy Public PortalAboutTOL PR 2010-07-19 Downtown Improvements
Town of Leesburg
News Release
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Scott E. Parker, AICP
Assistant to the Town Manager
703‐771‐2771
Town to Host Fourth Stakeholder Meeting for Downtown
Improvement Project
King Street to be focus of additional input effort on July 28, 2010
Leesburg, VA (July 19, 2010) – As a result of Town Council input on the Downtown Improvement
project at their meeting on July 13, 2010, a fourth stakeholder event has been announced. The
lower level of Ida Lee Recreation Center in Leesburg will host the event on Wednesday, July 28,
2010, from 7:00 pm until 9:00 pm. All interested businesses owners, property owners and residents
are once again invited to come and be part of the project.
The focus and the format of this meeting will be slightly different than the previous three
stakeholder events. The primary topic of the meeting will be King Street and what interested
stakeholders think about the proposals that have been brought forth. Some of the options for the
King Street portion of the Downtown Improvement Project include:
• Removal of street parking, the widening of the sidewalk and addition of
street trees on the west side only.
• Removal of street parking and widening of both east and west sides equally.
• Retention of street parking and addition of street amenities only (with no
street trees).
The format of this meeting will differ from the previous meetings in that it will be slightly more
formalized. After a brief presentation by staff and the Town’s consultant, AECOM, interested parties
will be given three to five minutes to give their opinions on the project, and staff will record the
responses to provide to Town Council. Speakers are being asked to sign up in advance by contacting
the Project Manager, Scott Parker at sparker@leesburgva.gov. Speakers can sign up at the meeting,
as well.
Though the focus of this meeting will be King Street, which has been the subject of the most
discussion as it relates to all of the proposed downtown projects, interested parties may speak
(more)
Downtown Stakeholder Meeting
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about any of the projects. Complete information on all of the projects related to the Downtown
Improvement Project can be found on the Town’s website at
http://www.leesburgva.gov/index.aspx?page=982.
The first stakeholder meeting, held on March 17, 2010, at the Lightfoot Restaurant, was a full‐day
series of meetings that started with a survey of all participants regarding their likes and dislikes of
the downtown, as well as where they see the projects going. With that information, AECOM
developed preliminary project designs which were unveiled for the first time at the second
stakeholder meeting on May 13, 2010.
Using the additional input received at the second meeting on the emerging projects, the third
stakeholders meeting was held June 16, 2010. While some disagreements still remain on the
disposition of King Street, stakeholder consensus is high on a majority of the proposals.
Ida Lee recreation Center is located at 60 Ida Lee Drive, Leesburg, VA 20176. Information about the
Town’s Downtown Improvement Project can be obtained by contacting the Project Manager, Scott
E. Parker, AICP, Assistant to the Town Manager at 703.771.2771, or sparker@leesburgva.gov.
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