When Would Downtown Revamp Work Begin in Duluth?

The Block development work would begin in 2014 in Duluth, should city officials move forward with the downtown master plan as it is.

That was the word Thursday (Nov. 21) at City Hall, where City Council members and Downtown Development Authority members got a briefing on the multi-year, multi-phase plan that would reshape the downtown area.

Cheri Morris of Morris & Fellows Real Estate Services stressed the "walkable urbanism" theme in outlining an implementation timetable for the revamp, which would last into the next decade.

"This is not a plan for the bookshelf," Morris said. "(Low) interest rates are key right now. ... If you don't do it, one of your neighbors (cities) will."

Also at the front end of the plan is a residential component on the south end of downtown (phase 1B in attached map), and a townhome complex on Hill Street (phase 1C in map).

The Block (phase 1A in attached map) would have about 26,000 square feet of restaurant space, and about 7,500 square feet of retail. It would unify the area from Main Street to Hill Street, and all restaurants would have patios, decks or dining gardens, according to the plan.

A revenue bond would be necessary to finance some of the work on The Block. The city would be obligated for about $1.5 million for three years, Morris said.

The intent of the redevelopment is to attract people in the 30-50 age group -- people with "mixes of needs and the ability to fill it."

"Duluth has an opportunity to become THE magnet for the region," Morris said. "The cities that will flourish are those that will dominate a trade area."

The entire Duluth downtown master plan is here.

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