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Design team shows phased plan to make Goodwin Park cultural hub ADA‑accessible and program-ready
Summary
Jenny Smeltzer of the Neighborhood Design Center presented charrette results and a phased, nearly permit‑ready design for the Goodwin Park cultural hub, saying the team will use current DHCD grant funds for Phase 1 and seek additional funding for later work.
Jenny Smeltzer, a project manager with the Neighborhood Design Center, told the Seat Pleasant City Council on Monday that three years of community charrettes produced a clear vision for a cultural hub at the top of Goodwin Park. “We had about 330 people show up in person, and a little over 20 people respond digitally,” Smeltzer said, summarizing public input that prioritized seating, family‑oriented activities, accessible paving and brighter signage.
The presentation showed concept renderings and a plan to advance Phase 1 nearly to permit readiness. Smeltzer said the team received most but not all of a requested grant from the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), so the work will be phased: “We’re looking at Phase 1. Phase 2 can be addressed at a later time,” she said, adding that Phase 1 would carry the design up to — but stop short of — formal permits to avoid starting the construction countdown on a permit the city cannot immediately fund.
Council members focused questions on parking, ADA access and whether the dog park would be included in the grant scope. One council member asked whether vehicle access points shown on the renderings meant new public parking; Smeltzer and city staff clarified the proposed vehicular access would be limited to city/service use to support maintenance and programming, not general public parking. City staff member Miss Rota said the dog park is a separate project that would require a different funding source and therefore was not included in the current DHCD request.
Smeltzer said designers expect the permit‑ready design phase to take “8 to 18 months” depending on county review timelines and responsiveness. She told the council that the next steps are evaluation of design‑team submissions (due May 20 in the schedule she presented) and an ad hoc review committee to recommend a design team for hiring in June or July.
The presentation did not include a finalized construction cost estimate; Smeltzer said a one‑year‑old construction manager estimate exists and that the chosen design team will produce an updated cost estimate prior to construction‑level work. She offered to provide the existing estimate to the council and to supply further cost detail once the design firm completes its work.
