Consultants present Innovation Walk plan; public engagement and survey underway

Perkins and Will consultant Sarah McCauley updated the Community Redevelopment Agency on the Innovation Walk master plan, describing a primary route that runs roughly from Centennial Park to the Edison and Ford Winter Estates and a study area with a 0.5–0.75‑mile "area of influence" for nearby connections. McCauley said the blue‑line route in the presentation is about 0.8 of a mile, with additional branch routes and planned boardwalk connections to the river.

McCauley said the project is in conceptual planning and will move into schematic design after public engagement later this year. "It is the innovation walk," she said, adding that Phase 1A (a blue‑light installation) is already underway and that public input will guide the phased action plan. She told commissioners the team has collected about 235 survey responses to date and will keep the survey open through the next day's public town hall to gather more feedback.

Why it matters: the walk is being positioned as both a downtown placemaking spine and an economic‑development catalyst, with an explicit goal of embedding local history and culture into route experiences. Commissioners asked about connectivity and length; McCauley confirmed the design will prioritize shade, resilient waterfront design, native plantings and year‑round amenities. Staff said committee briefings and a public town hall will be used to refine the route and to define Phase 1B projects for schematic design later this fall.