A fresh greenway, new housing: Columbia invites bids for River Drive development
Columbia is asking developers to bring a long-vacant stretch of land off River Drive back to life, and to do it in a way that stitches together nearby North Main neighborhoods with the city’s expanding Vista Greenway.
The city put out a request for qualifications earlier this month, inviting development teams to pitch plans for roughly 19 acres of land between the Elmwood Park and Earlewood neighborhoods, spanning from Park Street to North Main Street. The city’s request spells out a desire to see more housing, with room for novel ideas for how to incorporate a new leg of the Vista Greenway the city plans to build alongside the land.
Houses that previously occupied the land were razed in the 1970s for a planned extension of Interstate 277 that was never built, leaving a mostly vacant stretch that now includes the North Main Community Garden and land that is used as informal athletic practice space.
During public input sessions last May about the next phase of the Vista Greenway, residents floated ideas for part of the vacant land ranging from apartments, townhouses and condos to event green space, a farmers market or an outdoor amphitheater.
Now, the city is moving forward with developing plans for the site that fit both the neighborhood goals and the city’s desire for more dense development in and around downtown.
What the city is telling possible developers
Columbia wants a “catalytic” project that supports the Vista Greenway and fits next to historic neighborhoods, with a priority on housing.
The development push runs alongside the city’s ongoing plans to extend the Vista Greenway north. The trail currently runs from the Vista through Finlay Park and ends near Elmwood Avenue. The next segment is planned to reach North Main Street, with a goal of connecting the trail all the way to the BullStreet District’s Page Ellington Park.
Key points from the city’s request to possible developers include:
- Residential is the priority: The city’s materials say a market analysis points most strongly to housing, with an emphasis on multi-family projects, though the site is large enough for a range of housing options.
- Scaling up versus scaled down: The city envisions lower-intensity, 1–2 story townhomes on the Park Street end, and medium-and higher-intensity development closer to River Drive and between River Drive and North Main Street.
- Mixed-use is part of the plan: While the city notes the commercial market is limited, it calls for small-scale retail that serves nearby neighborhoods and greenway users, which planning officials say could help make the area more active and walkable.
- Design it with the greenway: Developers are being asked to show how they would connect the future Vista Greenway, and add “amenities” for the trail’s users.
- Keeping the Noma Community Garden. A city-maintained community garden sits on part of the land now. The city and community members want to retain it, though they are open to relocating it on-site if it remains accessible and sunny.
What residents have said they want there
Landscape architecture firm Toole Design laid out three possible configurations for development of the land based on what residents said their top priorities were during the May public input sessions.
One idea brings the Vista Greenway right through the middle of the property and lines new buildings and public spaces along it.
A second option keeps a bigger mix of open space, including room for things like an event field, while still making space for new development near the busier streets.
The third option focuses on smaller pockets of green space and more frequent neighborhood connections, with the trail running more along the edge and taller development pushed closer to Main Street.
The developers that get tapped for the project will help determine which direction the city moves in.
John Wilkinson, president of the Elmwood Park Neighborhood Association, said neighbors are eager to see the property developed, and to see it happen sooner rather than later.
“Right now, it’s just a vacant, empty field that attracts some negative things from time to time,” Wilkinson said. “So I think everyone’s really excited to see it finally come to life.”
The property has two distinct parcels, about 9 acres between River Drive and North Main Street, and about 10 acres to the south, between River Drive and Park Street.
Wilkinson said the neighborhood’s understanding is that any new project would be “more neighborhood scale down towards Park Street” and then “increase in intensity” as it moves toward River Drive and North Main.
He said residents have expressed interest in housing options that let longtime neighbors stay in the area as they age.
“We’ve got a lot of neighbors who are aging and want to stay in the neighborhood,” Wilkinson said. “So we’ve heard some feedback on wanting some senior-friendly housing, and then just more community, neighborhood-focused things, little shops and restaurants, bars, that kind of stuff.”
He added there has been “less enthusiasm” for national retail, with a preference for local businesses.
The city’s request for qualifications closes April 16. The city is starting here to see what the development community brings back, and then officials will look at the zoning of the site, and how to match that to the future project. You can learn more about the project on the city of Columbia’s website.
