Architect outlines $13 million Broadway District streetscape, emphasizes utility upgrades and branding

The City of Muskogee heard a detailed update July 27 on the Broadway District streetscape and branding work, presented by Luke Schmidt of the Kimley Horn design team. Schmidt said the effort pairs engineering and landscape architecture to complete subsurface utility upgrades and streetscape improvements together, minimizing future disruption and accelerating outcomes for downtown businesses.

"This is a marriage of both engineering and landscape architecture improvements," Schmidt said in his presentation, adding that the team had counted parking spaces, completed an ADA sidewalk assessment and identified alleys and parking lots that will need rehabilitation. He reported that the project website has seen about 200 unique visitors and the surveys gathered 75 responses and 10 map comments to date.

Schmidt outlined a delivery strategy that moves the project through initiation, implementation planning, preliminary design and final design, with the city slated to enter preliminary design this fall. He said the team is also advancing a branding effort intended to tie the Broadway District into the city’s parent brand and to produce cross-section and character images needed for budgeting and construction planning.

City staff said the design work will include a focus on drainage and utilities; Schmidt noted combined storm and sanitary sewers in parts of downtown and said the team would look for opportunities to separate systems where feasible. The presentation concluded with a schedule expectation of four to six months of preliminary engineering and branding work before producing a prioritized implementation budget.

Next steps: the presentation materials and a project snapshot will be posted to the city project website, and staff said they would continue community engagement tools (Q&A survey and a geo-survey) while moving into preliminary engineering.