Skip to main content

Community considers three plaza designs

Lead Summary
By
Lori Sorenson

A group of nearly 40 community members gathered Monday night for a second round of discussion about what a downtown plaza in Luverne might look like.
They looked at three architect drawings of possible plaza scenarios, each with different combinations of green spaces, water features, outdoor seating, stage areas, shade trees, and more.
Community members at the meeting rolled up their sleeves in small groups to discuss which concepts they liked the most and what they’d do to change or adapt them to Luverne.
Some suggestions were specific — such as adequate handicap parking and access. Others were more general — such as disperse shade trees more evenly and incorporate aspects of drawing No. 2 into concept No. 1.
The drawings were based on input from the Feb. 11 meeting and reading online survey results from community members.
“These designs are not set in stone,” said Dr. Virajita Singh from the University of Minnesota College of Design.
“It’s something to show you so we can understand where your preferences lie as part of the process of finalizing a design.”
Singh is working with Anne Dybsetter from the University of Minnesota (Southwest Regional Sustainable Development Partnership and the Center for Sustainable Building Research) to develop a conceptual design for an outdoor public plaza in Luverne.
They’re supervising a grant-funded landscape architecture graduate student (Haily Schmitz) who presented the drawings Monday night.
Concept No. 1 was the most popular among people at Grand Prairie Events Monday night. It’s inspired by the form of the Rock River at the city park. It provides a shallow sloped depression with water jets that act as an ecologically themed play area for children.
Surrounding this feature are outcroppings of Sioux quartzite and prairie grasses to evoke the native landscape of the area.
Other key features include open gathering spaces, green spaces away from the street, a performance stage, garden seating near the road, market and vending areas with rentable kiosks, covered pavilion space and concession area and varied seating options with tables.
Concept No. 2 included entrances from all sides lined by trees and green space. It features a stepped water feature that functions as a visual feature as well as a play area.
It’s key features include a pollinator garden, garden benches along street sides, open green spaces, vending areas with portable kiosks, active game spaces and courts, a performance stage and varied seating including tables.
Concept No. 3 is designed around circular areas that encourage conversation and community activity. The two interior green spaces would be used for open picnic space and a turf area with a large digital screen in front would be open for seating during movie viewings, etc.
The water feature in this concept would be a series of ground level jets laid out in three expanding circles on one of the patios.
This concept features many of the same amenities in the first two but arranged different ways.
Monday night’s community participants voted on their favorite concepts and submitted suggestions for variations and additions.
Monday’s meeting was the second in a series of informal gatherings that seek citizen input and ideas.
The next one will be in May when the women return with a final design for community feedback.
The public survey is open for input through April 1 by linking to a survey at z.umn.edu/LuvPlaza.
The three concept designs will also be online for community feedback.
Luverne Initiatives for Tomorrow (L.I.F.T.), Luverne Area Chamber, along with other community organizations and businesses are partnering to host the community discussions and plaza development process.

You must log in to continue reading. Log in or subscribe today.