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Home My WebLink AboutItem 5a. Cal Poly City and Regional Planning Graduate Student Studio on the Upper Monterey AreaMonterey Special Focus Area (“Uptown”) Conceptual Plan Presented by Cal Poly Master of City and Regional Planning Program May 28, 2025 Project Timeline Demographics •Majority of renter occupied units in tract 111.01 (South of Pepper St) •Potential impacts seen of temporary/airbnb housing in area •Sex/Gender differences between the census tracts Interview takeaways S.W.O.T. Strengths: Community-oriented businesses Weaknesses: Poor walking experience Opportunities: Ability to increase density and add new development Threats: Railroad overpass Goals and Objectives A vibrant corridor complementing the downtown with robust institutional, office, retail services, a diverse housing mix and an expanded hospitality sector designed to be aesthetic, welcoming, walkable, and bike friendly. 1.Complement downtown with distinct identity 2.Expand stock of workforce housing 3.Foster greater community between residents, regional community members, and tourists Corridor Overview Phase 1 Monterey St. Phase 2 Monterey St. Intersection Slide Minor IntersectionMajor Intersection Group Distribution Group 5: Government Quarter Three Main Goals: -Set a precedent for Upper Monterey Street’s feeling of cohesion as the southern gateway from downtown -Serve the transit and civic needs of residents, workers, and tourists -Integrate workforce housing and office space that supports these projected parcels. Mid-Block Corridor -Create connectivity through the future transit center and courthouse Existing ConditionProposal Design Inspiration SketchUp Model Boston City Hall Plaza, Boston, MA Before After Transit Center -Create a multi-modal hub that implements bus bays and spaces for workers to work Existing ConditionProposal Design Inspiration SketchUp Model Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center (ARTIC), Anaheim, CA Workforce Housing and Office Space -Support the middle work-force housing necessity the city faces Key Intersection Activation -Create a welcoming space for people to walk from downtown to Upper Monterey by including a pedestrian scramble Implementation Short Term (0-5 years) 1.Install Gateway Intersection o Decorative crosswalks o Branded signage o Public art 2.Install Wayfinding and Public Art o Identity markers o Intuitive navigation 3.Add Temporary Public Amenities o Movable seating o Shade elements o Bike-share station 4.Rezone and Prepare Housing Site Implementation Mid Term (5-15 years) 5.Construct Workforce Housing Project o Small units o Affordability 6.Create Mid-Block Pedestrian Corridor o Lighting o Seating o Smart planting 7.Construct New Transit Center o Shaded furniture o Food kiosks o Flexible workplaces 8.Activate Transit Plaza with Market Programming o Weekend/far mers market o Public venue Implementation Long Term (15-30 years) 9.Monitor Housing Outcomes o Assess affordability o Demography o Usage 10.Explore Multimodal Linkages o Feasibility planning o Connecting Upper Monterey to Cal Poly and downtown Group 4: Arts District An arts district that complements existing services while presenting opportunities for food, music, and public art. Focus Points •Improved lighting •Overpass structure •Pop court •Crosswalk intersection art •Mixed-Use Housing Expansion Vision Statement Improved Lighting Existing condition Pardall Tunnel in Isla Vista, CA Rainbow Tunnel in Birmingham, AL Design Inspiration Case Study •Currently dark and feels like a barrier that divides the site •Increase safety, visibility, and walkability •Let people want to walk through it and experience the interactive lighting Gateway Proposal •Currently considered unattractive and not very welcoming by the community •Under jurisdiction of Union Pacific •Gateway feature is an opportunity for complementing the art district Existing condition Pop Court Design Inspiration Mahalia Jackson Pop Court in Chicago, IL •Currently an underutilized private surface parking lot •Pop court as an informal gathering space where art and food are on full display •Become a third space outside of the home and work Existing condition Proposal Crosswalk Intersection Art Design Inspiration Passaic, NJ Pop Court, Chicago, IL •Currently a dangerous intersection due to fast car speeds •Traffic calming measure •Crosswalk art as an opportunity to connect the businesses on the four corners Existing condition Proposal Mixed-Use Housing Expansion Bizarre Antiques & Oddities, Hungry Mother, SLO Asian Market Chicago's Logan Square neighborhood, IL Liquor store to mix-use complex Be f o r e Af t e r Albert’s Florist, Seven Eleven Salon, Zen Den, Edward Jones Case StudyProposals •Keep all the current businesses, but increase density above •Follow The Mix as an example of commercial on the first floor, office on the second, and residential on the third Short-Term Implementation 1.Add lighting to the underpass 2.Add gateway feature in front of railroad overpass 3.Add wayfinding signage for essential features like parking 4.Remove barriers between adjacent parking lots 5.Remove overgrown vegetation 6.Implement street furniture in front of businesses 7.Add public art and murals Rainbow Tunnel in Birmingham, AL Mid-Term Implementation 8.Monterey/Johnson Intersection art 9.Implement pop court with temporary structures and food trucks 10.Build four-story parking garage in former Volvo lot 11.Convert parking lot to green space to complement existing businesses 12.Adaptive reuse of iFixit building Mahalia Jackson Pop Court in Chicago, IL Model of crosswalk art Long-Term Implementation 13.Retrofit additional floors onto existing commercial buildings to increase housing density 14.Create pedestrian plazas in front of mixed-use buildings 15.Combine commercial uses 16.Create medium density housing behind pop court 17.Transition pop court into community plaza 18.Zero lot line development for all properties Model of community plaza Art plaza with food, music, public art Group 3: Frank's Corner Vision Statement A vibrant commercial node of small, local businesses and diverse housing at increased density to service the local and tourist community providing a gateway to the City. Focus Points •Frank's Plaza •Faculty Housing •Intersection Improvements •Mid-block Crossing •Train Overpass Signage Frank's Mini Plaza •Convert corner parking lot of Frank's Famous Hot Dogs to public plaza •Complement proposed plazas on HASLO site •Retro, hot dog themed design to provide unique space for customers Existing Condition Design Inspiration Proposed Plaza Mission Plaza, SLO AI-Generated San Jose, CA SketchUp Model Faculty Housing •Redevelop blocks to accommodate additional density •Focus housing stock on young Cal Poly faculty and staff •Units most likely to be renter-occupied, could also be made for lease and sale •Rely on HASLO project to set precedent for design principles Proposed HASLO Project Case Study: Boone, NC Design Inspiration Monrovia, CA Hapeville, GA Intersection Improvements •California and Monterey intersection is unsafe and busy •Proposed improvements will slow traffic (bulb- outs and painted crosswalks) •Improvements will not impact emergency evacuation routes or unnecessarily narrow traffic lane Existing ConditionProposed Intersection Design Inspiration St. Helena, CAMadrid, SpainSketchUp Model Mid-block Crossing •Provide direct access from residents of HASLO to businesses across the street •Different crosswalk material to slow traffic •Opportunity to implement public art theme on crosswalks throughout site Existing Condition Proposed Crossing Design Inspiration Pittsburgh, PA Sacramento, CA SketchUp Model Train Overpass Gateway •Union Pacific railway overpass creates a barrier feeling on Monterey •Signage in front of overpass will make space more inviting •Create gateway to rest of Monterey and Downtown San Luis Obispo •Opportunity to involve local artists in design Existing ConditionProposed Gateway Design Inspiration Johnson City, TN AI-Generated Portland, OR Short-Term Implementation Short-term •Install mid-block crosswalk o Different pavement material o Pedestrian light signal •California/Monterey Intersection improvements o Install crosswalk bulb outs for added safety o Paint crosswalk to slow traffic speeds •Install gateway feature near railway overpass Long-Term Implementation Long-term •Rezone parcels from C-T to C-R for greater housing density o Allow up to 36 dwelling units per acre under C-R •Redevelop parcels to accommodate mixed-use o Propose commercial and office on ground floor, with housing above o 3-4 stories to match HASLO property Group 2: Cal Poly Gateway Vision Statement Connecting Cal Poly students, Cal Poly families and visitors at the tourist area. This gateway to Cal Poly university is walkable, bikeable and served by the bus and trolley to downtown San Luis Obispo. Focus Points •SLO Creek Trail •Veterans Memorial Plaza •Housing Improvements •Cal Poly Gateway Veterans Memorial Plaza •Veterans Memorial Park •Grocery Store •Integrates with Cal Poly Gateway Sign and intersection •Flexible use for outdoor recreation and live events Cal Poly Gateway Feature •Revitalize current Cal Poly sign •Ties together character of SLO and Cal Poly After Before Housing Improvements •Rezoning to C-R •12 -> 36 housing units per acre •Mixed use developments •Single Room Occupancy SLO Creek Trail •Paved two-way bike and pedestrian path •Connects with existing ped bridge on Andrews St. •Phased approach to connect with regional parks and Railroad Safety Trail •5 year: SLO Creek Trail •20 year: Connection with nearby trails Implementation Plan Group 1: SLO Down Vision Statement A welcoming gateway for tourists with enjoyable and safe connectivity to downtown and Cal Poly. Objectives 1.Improved Connectivity 2.Provide better access and experiences 3.Remove barriers to developments 4.Enhance this area's sense of place Visitor Experience •Motel Inn Site •Signage Transportation •Buena Vista Ave. •Creek Trail •Trolley Improvements •HWY 101 Off-Ramp Removal Encouraging Development •New Guidelines •Density Bonuses •Parking Requirements Visitor Experience •Motel Inn revitalized as visitor's center •Trolley Turnaround •Sign to greet people from Highway 101 and draw on the history of this area as hospitality center of San Luis Obispo Welcome SignMotel Inn Visitor Site Generated with AI Aerial View Transportation •Trolley service expanded to Motel Inn site •Trolley service every day of the week •Buena Vista Avenue made one-way, adds multi-use path •Trail alongside San Luis Obispo Creek •Removal of HWY 101 NB Off-Ramp Buena Vista Avenue Improvements Expanded Trolley Service Creek Trail NB 101 Ramp Removal Encouraging Development •Fire/Flood Guidelines •Zero-Lot Lines •Moving parking to the back of lots •Density bonuses for incorporating affordable units into hotels New Guidelines Parking Requirements Density Bonus Proposed Street View Creek Trail behind Hotels Corridor Overview Thank you! •Andy Chon •Will Colin-Diamond •JD DeFrieze •Bates Detwiler •Steve Esmay •Michael Garduno •Delaney Ginn •Addison Hernandez •Hans Hershberger •Jacob Hughes •Finley Hungerford •Emily McBride •Steve Musal •Lucas Owens •Olivia Sample •Natalie Schiefferly •Nick Storr •Kayla Surawski •Asher Twu •Guillermo Valdez •Chase Walter •Anthony Zaragoza Student Design Team Instructor Hemalata Dandekar, Ph.D., Professor, City and Regional Planning