Downtown and Corridor Redevelopment

Teska Associates was hired to by the Village of Itasca to create design guidelines and a zoning ordinance update. The guidelines are intended to promote the vitality and economic health of Itasca's downtown area by providing design direction on the type, character and quality of the built environment that will distinguish Itasca from other communities. The guidelines also implement the general policies and recommendations of the 'Village of Itasca Downtown Strategic Action Plan', prepared in 2003, by Teska Associates, Inc. and Business Districts, Inc. Some of the main concepts of the architectural guidelines and zoning regulations include:

-Preserve and maintain the traditional scale of downtown businesses

-Promote pedestrian oriented access

-Encourage shared parking lots and parking in the rear of buildings

-Limit building heights to maintain pedestrian scale

-Encourage continuation of existing streetscape improvements

-Promote monument signs while limiting use of free standing signs