Exchange Report cont....
II. Main Street Revitalization
The issues facing main street revitalization in the Town of Highlands range
from very explicit physical planning concerns, such as visual appearance and
pedestrian and vehicular circulation patterns, to concerns for safety and the
expansion and attraction of commercial businesses within the business districts.
Vision has acknowledged the critical importance of approaching main street
revitalization from a coordinated and comprehensive point of view. This is a
sound approach because there are many overlaps between revitalization issues. A
broader approach will also help to build a community consensus and make the most
efficient use of limited resources.
The section is organized into two categories - General and Physical Planning
and Design.
General [Top]
Observations
The key to any revitalization effort is a balanced and comprehensive
approach. Design considerations are obviously very important, but alone will not
revitalize an area. They must be complemented by promotional efforts and
economic strategies. Promotion entails marketing the unique qualities of the
downtown to tourists, shoppers and potential new businesses through advertising,
special events and other programs. It is also important to boost the existing
economic base through a recruitment effort aimed at attracting a diverse range
of retail and commercial businesses. This will help to make the downtown area
more competitive with other shopping areas.
Currently, there are several empty storefronts in the community. Efforts to
fill these spaces could focus on recruitment, but could also look at supporting
local entrepreneurship. The need for lodging also indicates a potential for bed
and breakfast development. Existing businesses are in need of new strategies to
draw customers and capitalize on any of the public improvements recommended in
this report.
Recommendations
 | Approach Orange County Tourism, the Orange County Chamber of Commerce and
the Small Business Development Center to host workshops on small business
development. Workshop topics could focus on developing a business plan,
pursuing financing for entrepreneurial efforts and marketing. Existing
businesses could also benefit from these workshops. |
Physical Planning and Design [Top]
The preservation of historic main street architecture and detailing should be
an integral part of the action plan for main street revitalization. Observations
and recommendations concerning this topic can be found in the section on
Heritage Identity earlier in this report.
Observations
The downtown is the physical expression of a particular community's heritage.
It is the design character of a community that gives it its unique qualities and
identity. This character is determined in part by the physical components of the
environment that are referred to as design elements. The major design elements
of the downtown include the roads and parking, the pedestrian patterns, the
streetscape furnishings, signage, plant materials, utilities and buildings. The
community has previously identified many positive recommendations for physical
improvement within the Town and the Village, particularly in the downtown area
of Highland Falls. While several of these recommendations have been implemented
in some fashion, many have not.
Vehicular Approach
A visitor's perception of Highland Falls is formed as he or she approaches by
car. If that experience is clear and logical, the perception will more likely be
positive. The movement of 3.5 million visitors annually into West Point seems to
work efficiently. The problem is one of enticing those visitors to also
patronize the businesses of Highland Falls. There are also an additional one
million visitors to Bear Mountain State Park that could be attracted to the
town.
There have been some changes introduced in the vehicular patterns into and
through town in an attempt to facilitate circulation and parking in the downtown
area. For example, signage at the approach to Memorial Park and at Ladycliff
Park has helped to define the Main Street area of the Village of Highland Falls.
Parking and Pedestrian Circulation
Parking is widely perceived to be a problem on Main Street. Most people
express a shortage of parking as a major contributor to the lack of business. It
appears, however, that the location of on-street parking spaces directly
adjacent to a shopper's destination is the specific concern. Because merchants
are often resistant to give up any of this parking, it is often not available
for use by customers. Rather, employees and residents occupy many of the spaces.
An informal visual analysis of the parking situation indicates a large number
of vacant parking spaces, even during peak times of the day. The 1989 Master
Plan Update identified in excess of 300 parking spaces in the Main Street area.
Some of these are located in the area behind the town hall, some directly on
Main Street and many in the central lot adjacent to the West Point Visitor
Center and Sacred Heart Church. This lot in particular is seldom filled, yet is
conveniently located to the entire length of the business district.
The easy flow of pedestrians into and around the community is a key element
in the development of a successful, cohesive main street plan. People must be
able to move easily and safely from one place to another. Attractive,
comfortable and well-maintained sidewalks should link one area to another in a
clear and logical manner. Sidewalks that use brick or unit pavers create visual
interest and distinguish different functional areas such as entrances to
buildings and sitting or plaza areas.
The Streetscape
Street furniture such as benches, trash containers and lighting standards
enhance the visual character of an area. The introduction of plants and
highlighting of green areas and natural features will improve the overall visual
quality of the Main Street business district by "softening" the hard
edges of concrete and asphalt and adding some visual interest. There are a few
examples of beautification projects such as the use of container plants by
individual merchants or the planting areas installed and maintained by the
Garden Club.
Several streets have empty lots and some commercial and residential buildings
are dilapidated or in poor repair. This creates a tired appearance and a sense
that the community does not care.
Efforts to improve the visual appeal of the community are undermined if a
good standard of street cleanliness and a program of routine maintenance do not
accompany them. Currently, plantings undertaken by the Garden Club have suffered
through subsequent lack of watering and care. Trash and discarded larger objects
create a negative impression of the community for residents and visitors.
Recommendations
Vehicular Approach
| Improve the scenic appearance of the drive from Bear Mountain Bridge to
the Town. Consider plantings to soften the existing development along 9W and
erect attractive signs with a consistent appearance at strategic locations
to delineate turns or destinations. These efforts will help to make a good
first impression on travelers and allow both tourists and new residents to
navigate more easily. |
| Identify the business district or "hub" of Fort Montgomery in
order to inform visitors of available services and attractions. Signage,
together with landscaping, additional public parking adjacent to the post
office and the expansion of sidewalks will contribute to a stronger
identification of a hamlet center for the Fort Montgomery area. |
| The well-designed and landscaped sign along 9W that identifies the Village
of Highland Falls at Route 218 creates a nice first impression. This would
be enhanced if the sign were more visible, consistent with the appearance of
other signs and included a list of services and attractions to inform
potential customers and first-time visitors. |
| Put up a sign on West Point Highway south of Ladycliff Park (perhaps
before crossing the bridge, but sooner than the existing sign) that
identifies both the shopping attractions and parking. Again, this sign
should be consistent in design and appearance with others in the town. |
Parking and Pedestrian Circulation
| Reconfigure the central municipal parking lot for perpendicular parking.
This will accommodate two-way traffic and allow entry from either end rather
than the current one-way flow. A large information kiosk should be located
at the north end of this lot at the location of the existing information
sign. This kiosk could provide information and direction for users of the
lot and pedestrians coming from the West Point Visitors Center. |
| Expand sidewalks into the existing roadbed and incorporate streetscape
amenities to provide an attractive atmosphere for tourists and others to
shop downtown. This could be achieved by eliminating a few parking spaces at
strategic places on one or both sides of the street. |
| To gain additional sidewalk width, consider making Main Street one-way
heading south. This would still allow parking on both sides of the street. |
| The West Point Superintendent indicated a willingness to have traffic
exiting the Thayer Gate directed down Main Street rather than allowing it to
bypass downtown via the West Point Highway. This would direct more West
Point traffic through downtown, exposing travelers to shops they might not
otherwise see. The Village and West Point could coordinate traffic flow
changes needed to accommodate large events at the USMA. |
| Because of the perceived shortage of on-street parking, locate some of the
spaces currently reserved for police and public official vehicles
off-street. Spaces in the existing lot behind the town hall or the lot
proposed behind the village hall could be designated for these vehicles. If
the Village is unable to obtain the vacant lots behind the buildings near
the village hall for a reasonable price, they may wish to consider
condemning them and paying the owners the appraised market value for their
property. Not only would this create parking for public employees and/or
business owners off Main Street, it would also provide the police with a
more secure and discreet entrance into the police station, particularly when
taking someone in handcuffs into the station. |
| The Village should work with West Point to facilitate more effective
pedestrian flow. Visibility is a major issue in this regard. The large
spruce trees fronting the parking lot of the West Point Visitors' Center
significantly screen out the view of Main Street. Replacing them with large
canopy trees would open up this view and also enhance the picture from Main
Street back toward the Visitor Center. Replacing the existing chain link
fence with a more decorative metal fence and adding ornamental shrubs would
enhance these efforts, drawing visitors into the Main Street area while
complementing the West Point facility at the same time. West Point is
currently making plans to upgrade this area and would be receptive to input
from the Village. Since this is a critical link between West Point and the
Village, immediate coordination by the two entities should take place.
Because of the timeliness of this project, it represents an opportunity for
the Village to take a significant, tangible step towards achieving its
revitalization goals. |
| Use brick or unit pavers to clearly define road crossover points such as
the one between the West Point Visitors' Center and the Main Street area in
order to encourage a centralized pedestrian flow. This would be a visual
improvement as well as a safety feature. Again, local officials should
contact West Point to coordinate with their plans to redesign the entrance
to the Visitor Center. |
| Study sidewalk patterns to ensure that necessary connections are provided
for pedestrians. Community members pointed out that there are some gaps or
flaws in the existing walkway system, particularly for senior citizens who
walk from their homes to downtown or the Grand Union. Also continue with
plans to expand sidewalks into some of the outlying neighborhoods, such as
around Brooks Lake Park, in order to provide safe connections to Town
recreation facilities. |
The Streetscape
| Determine a style of street furniture that is compatible with the
architecture and general theme identified for the Town. Simple black metal
furnishings of an early 1900s style would be appropriate. |
| The beautification initiative started by the local gardening association
with the provision of floral boxes and baskets should be expanded and
extended down the entire length of Main Street and supported more by local
businesses. Flags hung during the summer and other landscaping features
would provide Highland Falls with an attractive and inviting look,
encouraging people to shop in town. |
| Current sidewalk widths along most sections of Main Street prevent the
addition of street trees. Until sidewalks can be widened, the community
should consider using hanging baskets and container plants throughout the
downtown to provide flower and foliage color and texture. These might have
flowers in the warm months and greenery for the winter. It is important to
remember, however, that these measures would require more maintenance than
permanent plantings. |
| Extend the role of the Town and Village highway departments to include
maintenance of plantings, including those done by voluntary groups. At the
same time, consider the long-term maintenance of future beautification
projects. The county's Summer Youth Employment and Training Program may be
able to provide staffing for such maintenance during the summer months when
the need is greatest and when regular highway crews are busy with road
maintenance. |
| If the Town and Village do not already have regulations about littering
and trash pickup, they should be adopted. In addition, give the community a
clear contact point so that the dumping of trash can be reported. The
highway departments should also adopt a quality of service standard to
remove trash within a set time period and this should be advertised. |
| Highland Falls Brook meanders down the hill along Mountain Avenue and
under Main Street, surfacing again in the center of town before going back
under West Point Highway and proceeding to Buttermilk Falls. Showcase the
brook and other natural features as much as possible because they are very
significant in defining the unique character and charm of the Town. Where
feasible, bring the sidewalk up to the brook along Mountain Avenue. The
green space that begins with Memorial Park could be extended across Mountain
Avenue and along the west side of West Point Highway, highlighting the brook
and screening the parking and "back side" of the buildings lining
Main Street. This would present a much more pleasing entrance to the
Village's shopping district. |
| Remove the trash and paint the existing metal railings on the bridge on
Main Street and West Point Highway with black paint. This is a simple,
low-cost action that will create a more distinguished look, help highlight
the brook and improve the appearance at the entrance to the business
district. |
| As part of the site plan approval for the vacant lot between the Post
Office and Highland Falls Brook, the Village should negotiate public access
to the brook through an easement or right-of-way agreement that would allow
for a public walkway. |
| Consider under grounding overhead wires. This would dramatically improve
the visual quality of the Main Street area, which in turn can have
significant implications for attracting new businesses and customers to the
area. Contact Orange and Rockland Counties about placing wires underground
and follow up with written requests, supplemented by letters of support from
businesses, the community and West Point. Although it may not be an
immediate project, this sort of dialog may make such an undertaking possible
in the future as Orange and Rockland Counties upgrade and replace lines. |
| An alternative approach to placing the utilities underground might be to
relocate some of the lines behind the buildings lining Main Street and thus
reducing some of the visual clutter. This may require exploring the purchase
of utility easements. |
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