The Better Blackstone Design Challenge (BBDC) is a planning project funded through Caltrans Strategic Partnership grant and SB-1 funds directed by Fresno COG aimed at significantly improving long-term transit ridership by increasing investment in sustainable transportation projects and developing critical tools for implementing transit objectives and policies for complete streets, multi-modal systems, and protection of regional facility capacities. BBDC multi-disciplinary teams includes 3 local architectural firms, UDD, a local landscape architecture firm and university students, coordinated by Fresno Metro Ministry working closely with Fresno Council of Governments (Fresno COG), City of Fresno, and Caltrans. The goal of the project is to produce alternative feasible TOD design scenarios, gap financing related economic, real estate, and Urban Footprint multi-variate analyses, translated into useful web-based tools and on-going technical assistance for property owners, developers, and funders for significantly increasing TOD funding and development. The Design Challenge tested different design scenarios for individual proper es and/or clusters of different properties along Blackstone Ave, from Shaw/Blackstone activity center all the way to Olive/Blackstone, and demonstrates different development possibilities to create vibrant urban environment that fosters mixes of residential and commercial uses on the corridor.

Reference: Keith Bergthold; Executive Director, Fresno Metro Ministry; keith@fresnometmin.org Tel: 559.485.1416