180° Urban Design Selected by City of Colorado Springs in Form-Based Code Initiative

KANSAS CITY, MO--(Marketwire - July 21, 2009) - While many communities talk about fighting suburban sprawl, the City of Colorado Springs and the Downtown Partnership decided to do something about it. The two stakeholders selected 180° Urban Design, an urban design and architecture firm in Kansas City, Mo., to help write and implement a downtown plan and form-based code.

180° Urban Design, an architecture firm with expertise in city planning, was selected by the group to help refine a master plan for the next generation. The goal of the plan and code is to expedite development that enhances the walkable characteristics of downtown and set clear, concise rules that all parties can understand.

Kevin Klinkenberg, principal of 180° Urban Design, says their company was hired by the City of Colorado Springs to conduct "peer review" and assist with finishing the plan. "The City and the Downtown Partnership drafted the document themselves with their own staff and we helped them finalize and refine it. It was a way for them to save money and still be aggressive in tighter times," Klinkenberg said. "So many communities today feel hamstrung by lean budgets, but this effort shows that progressive planning need not be a victim of a slow economy."

The new plan will establish rules for classifications of buildings and revitalization in Downtown Colorado Springs, a city of nearly 400,000 people, with a focus on urban and community development. (Read http://newurbanismblog.com/) Compared to the city's previous process, the new code will be more efficient from how projects are approved and reviewed.

180° Urban Design is recognized for designing successful and sustainable mixed-use projects, whether in greenfield or redevelopment locations. The company's work focuses exclusively on projects of this type, including master planning, building design and writing form-based zoning codes and design guidelines.

Contact Information: Contact: Valerie Jennings Valerie@jenningspr.net 913.220.7694