Keith Weaver of EDSA, the firm hired to create a new comprehensive plan for downtown and surrounding neighborhoods, laid out the process for the New Mobile Plan at the "Breakfast with the Mayor" event at the Mobile Museum of Art.
The purpose of The Plan is to provide a comprehensive and detailed growth analysis that establishes a sustainable long-range plan for development, in order to make Mobile the premier city along the Central Gulf Coast to live, work and play. Although there are numerous development proposals, plans and studies which currently exist or are underway within the Downtown area, what the City of Mobile lacks is an up to date, publicly responsive comprehensive development plan that addresses growth for this defined area from a broad planning perspective.

The overall Plan will focus on the following areas: Zone 1, The Downtown Core & Waterfront Area (Mobile Waterfront, Downtown Alliance District, DeTonti Square District, Lower Dauphin District, Church Street East District) as well as The Midtown West Corridors (Oakleigh Garden District, Leinkauf District and Old Dauphin Way District) Zone 2, Midtown North Neighborhood and Corridors (Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue, St. Stephens Road and Beauregard Street area), Zone 3, The Midtown South Neighborhoods & Corridors (Michigan Avenue, Virginia Street, Broad Street and Washington Avenue Neighborhood).

The planning process will be guided by an advisory committee coupled with input from citizens, community groups, business leaders, civic and religious communities and government agencies. Public meetings will be held throughout the process to ensure community support and participation.

This article was added on Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008