2003 MnAPA Outstanding Award for a Plan
Although the City of Hutchinson's downtown maintained much of its original character, signs of its age and decreasing economic viability were beginning to show, prompted the City to hire a consulting team, led by HKGi, to develop a master plan to guide future efforts to revitalize downtown Hutchinson. The study included an extensive assessment of downtown’s current conditions; a market analysis; land use, traffic, and parking recommendations; streetscape and building design guidelines; and an implementation strategy to guide the City through plan implementation.
The Master Plan attempts to build upon Hutchinson's existing strengths. For example, the city's residents have a strong history of supporting the performing arts and would like their downtown to include such opportunities. The Master Plan seizes on this objective by proposing an initiative to reuse a downtown school auditorium