The public has four opportunities this week to be a part of the strategic process for Little Rock’s “Downtown Master Plan.” Sasaki Associates, the out-of-state company chosen to lead the planning, is hosting meetings at various locations this Tuesday and Wednesday.
Sasaki Associates started work on the project last fall, after winning a $745,000 contract from the Little Rock Board of Directors in June 2023. A Little Rock native, Daniel Church, is a lead planner for the project.
Community members have already been involved in planning meetings to identify the changes residents’ most prefer. Recreation, connectivity and culture are at the top of that list.
Planners are also mining inspiration from a map of Little Rock drawn up in 1913 by a notable landscape architect. While some suggestions are out of reach more than a century later, the map shows a long-held desire for additional green space in the city.
The Little Rock Board of Directors expects to hear recommendations on how to improve the city’s downtown by June. There’s only a few months left in the process, and according to a timeline Sasaki Associates drafted, the company is in the “implementation planning” phase. The only thing next is the draft plan and adoption.
So, if you’re interested in letting the planners know what you want to see in your downtown master plan, here are your chances to weigh in:
Tuesday:
Noon-1 p.m. — Children’s Hall at the Arkansas Children’s Hospital. 1000 Children’s Way
6-7 p.m. — William J. Clinton Presidential Library and Museum. 1200 Clinton Avenue
Wednesday:
Noon-1 p.m. — Downtown Little Rock Partnership Office. 512 Main Street
6-7 p.m. — Philander Smith University, Elder’s Room Kendall Health + Science Center. 900 Daisy L Bates Drive
Little Rock’s Rotary club will also hear a presentation Tuesday at noon from leaders with Sasaki Associates.
