Homer Town Center/Town Square Plan

Project Date: 2001-2002
Project Manager: Chris Beck
Client: Kachemak Heritage Land Trust
Location: Homer

Homer is an end-of the-road town, with a spectacular perch overlooking Kachemak Bay and the majestic peaks and glaciers beyond. The town's built environment increasingly lacks the distinction of its setting, leading people to describe Homer as "the outskirts of a town you never get to."

Several years back, a grassroots effort set out to create a town square that would serve as a focal point for community identity and community life. This effort has now broadened, aiming to create a lively, pedestrian-oriented, mixed-use district, in the bypassed heart of the town's original central business district (CBD). Major CBD landowners, including Cook Inlet Region Inc. and Harbor Enterprises have become active partners in the process (although not always with the same goals as the community!).

Chris Beck had two roles in this project. His first responsibility was to work with affected parties to prepare a series of design plans to help the community better understand the issues and options associated with the proposed town square. His second responsibility was to test claims of the superiority of the town square alternative. Working with Steve Colt of Institute of Social and Economic Research (ISER), this analysis used a "Sim City"-like Excel spreadsheet program. The model allowed all interested parties to understand the assumptions behind each alternative, and to compare investments and the resulting impacts, focusing on changes in property value, property and sales tax.

Community enthusiasm for the project, which crossed normal political lines, led to the Kachemak Heritage Land Trust developing a new trail and acquiring open space in the CBD. The project is continuing forward with strong community support.

Map of Homer

Rough Draft