Development Planning

Understanding that the development model of separate, auto dominated uses is unsustainable and a failure of imagination, MSI Design has focused our Development Planning practice on mixed-use efforts that focus on urban design. Planning for successful mixed-use development requires an understanding of the urban design needs to serve retail, office, residential and municipal uses in the same location. While the same traditional planning techniques that first shaped our cities and towns are the basis for a good mixed-use approach, fitting these elements into the context of today’s transportation network and financial realities is an added challenge. Whether an infill project, a new urban district in an existing downtown, or creation of a new town center in a city with no civic core, MSI’s projects provide a sense of place and maintain long-term success. This success spills into other areas of the city, as seen clearly in the Arena District’s impact on downtown Columbus. This, and other Development Planning efforts such as Crocker Park and Grandview Yard, indicates the commitment of MSI Design to rely on good urban design as the guidepost of today’s mixed-use projects.