Federal Avenue
Plaza and
Streetscape
Improvements

Client
City of Mason City
Location
Mason City, IA
Completion date
September 2011

The Federal Avenue plaza and streetscape are a place for tourists and residents alike to congregate and celebrate. The plaza is designed to help Downtown Mason City remain a living heart of the community - a strong economic resource and image center that brings economic benefit and joy to all who have a stake and interest in the future of the city. 

The designed improvements to Federal Avenue create a simple, colorful, cultural and functional streetscape that embraces the community's vision for their city and captures the history and character of Mason City.  It's a space embraced by the community and is easily maintained through harsh northern Iowa winters. Completed within an accelerated time frame, the project consists of four mixed-use city blocks and a city plaza adjacent to the Frank Lloyd Wright Park Inn. A strong public involvement process strategy is the cornerstone of this project. Design work sessions, broken into large and small group meetings and individual property and business owners discussions, allowed any and all members of the community with interest to be involved in and influence concept development and preliminary design. 

Community Events
Awards
Honor Award
ASLA Iowa Chapter
2013
Great Places in America: Neighborhoods
American Planning Association
2013
Public Improvement Project
Main Street Iowa
2012
Urban Design Award
APA Iowa Chapter
2012