What was first presented in Greensburg as charettes near the close of 2007 has gone through steering committee review and took its next step with public review Wednesday.

Ratio Architects returned to the city to present the findings of reimagining the downtown.

Kevin Senninger, Ratio Architects urban planning graduate, noted the streetscape enhancements and facade improvements imagined in the drawings compliment the Hyatt Palma study and build upon the Downtown Action Agenda set out in 2004.

There are a few issues which could be solved by reimagining the downtown square. The charette process from late November and early December of 2007 found there are negative perceptions of parking situations and wayfinding. There are also cleanliness issues and questions of who is responsible to coordinate landscape maintenance and other downtown necessities.

The streetscape, which is made up of pedestrian safety and other utilitarian considerations, leaves some things to be desired, with some crossings spanning an excess of 150 feet.

The main goal to be met is to establish downtown as a destination rather than a pass-through.

“This gives us a solid base to work from,” Senninger said.

In imagining a rebirth of the downtown, Ratio used historic photographs to establish the historical periods in which various buildings appeared.

A successful downtown, Senninger said, properly references historical significance while creating unified sidewalk lines and building shapes.

In Greensburg’s downtown, the buildings have suffered moisture infiltration. Second floors are also unused with some boarded-up windows. The goal in cases where upkeep has taken away the traditional appearance of the building is not to completely restore them to original condition but to create an honest reference to their past, Senninger said.

Alleys and mid-block crossings also need attention. Clutter and poor lighting in alleys makes them a foreboding passageway into the square.

Parking is another consideration, as some existing areas are not clearly delineated from the sidewalk, allowing bumpers to obscure the walkway.

Some of these ideas relate to making the space more inviting to visitors. The idea is not to cater to outsiders so much as it is to make navigating the square second-nature, not a navigational challenge.

Rain gardens are another idea introduced by Ratio. These landscaped areas can reduce the burden on storm sewers and also provide a convenient area for the piling of plowed snow.

Many of those in attendance had also participated in the charette process. Others had served on the steering committee. This meant there were few faces of surprise at the public review.