CRA approves Fleur-de-Lys monument site design on triangular CRA/city parcel; community raises gateway location concerns

The Community Redevelopment Agency board authorized staff on May 15 to begin site design and permitting for a Fleur-de-Lys monument and plaza on a triangular parcel at Georgia and Old Bainbridge, and to transfer the parcel to the City for development. Ashley Edwards, of the Parks and Recreation Department, introduced the project and said the monument follows community-led design work dating to a 2017 placemaking study. Jean Lalaine, of the Neighborhood Affairs Division, said Landmark Properties previously committed $50,000 for the project and staff identified a triangular CRA/city-owned parcel at Georgia and Old Bainbridge as a viable site. Lalaine and designer renderings shown to the board explained that the originally preferred corner at Macomb and Tennessee is constrained by utilities and a traffic sight triangle. "There's a fire hydrant. There's a utility box. There's a light pole. There's a traffic pole," Lalaine said, noting the cost of relocating infrastructure could run into the hundreds of thousands. He added the planned monument is 13 feet, 2 inches tall; site placement was set back to preserve sight lines. Several residents and community members told the board they preferred a landmark or sign at the Macomb/Tennessee entrance to Frenchtown. Taylor Norris Barlow said the gateway "is at Tennessee and Macomb Street" and warned the monument’s chosen site "is in position at Georgia and Macomb where...nobody's really gonna see it" from the true entrance. Cheryl Conyer Brown echoed the request for a visible sign at Macomb and Tennessee to acknowledge Frenchtown as people enter. Staff responded that the monument site at Georgia/Old Bainbridge would include a plaza with benches, lighting, bike parking and mural opportunities; staff also agreed to study a smaller entrance sign option for the Macomb/Tennessee intersection through Neighborhood First funding and coordination with property owners and traffic engineering. The board voted to accept staff’s recommendation to proceed with site design and property transfer. Commissioner comments accompanying the vote included support for exploring an additional entrance sign at Macomb and Tennessee and for community beautification to maintain the plaza. Why it matters: The monument and plaza are intended to create a visible, permanent place-mark for Frenchtown, complement nearby redevelopment, and provide a small public plaza. Community members voiced concern the selected parcel is not the neighborhood’s historical entry point and asked for additional signage at the cited intersection. Next steps: Staff will begin site design and permitting, coordinate with Community Beautification on maintenance, and evaluate a separate, smaller entrance sign option for Macomb and Tennessee.