Downtown Redevelopment Plan

2026-11-03

Project Management – The Consultant will take the lead in managing their time , staff , resources , budget , and related activities to ensure that the project objectives are met . The Consultant will be in close communication with assigned City staff throughout the life of the project . City staff will provide general oversight of the Consultant and will help to facilitate interactions with City staff , board / committee members , the general public , and project stakeholders . • Public & Stakeholder Participation – The Consultant shall be responsible for developing and implementing a comprehensive public and stakeholder participation strategy that is best suited to meet project objectives . Special arrangements will need to be included to facilitate multilingual outreach for our Spanish - speaking residents and stakeholders . The Consultant should facilitate conversation amongst all stakeholders in order to build consensus and clarity around preferred strategy and associated action steps necessary to strengthen Downtown Liberal . The City will assist in establishing a project steering committee , which should be incorporated into the proposed engagement process . The project engagement strategy should be geared towards successful plan implementation , and not just Plan creation . • Market Analysis , Existing Conditions , & Data Analysis – The Consultant will work to understand the market conditions , context , trends , and related information applicable to the Downtown area in relation to the larger community . This information and data will be used to inform the study and to ground the study in objectivity . • Vision & Goal Setting – The Consultant will work with the City and project stakeholders to develop a broadly supported and achievable vision and related goals for Downtown Liberal . The vision and goals shall build upon the “ Launch Liberal 2035 ” Comprehensive Plan goals and related action items . • Plan Focus Areas – While other focus areas may be identified during the planning process , the City desires for the Master Plan to focus on the following interrelated topics areas : o Placemaking ( including Urban Design , Activity , & Public Art ): The City desires to integrate placemaking efforts as part of the larger Downtown planning effort . It is anticipated that placemaking ( in its many forms ) will blend seamlessly with all elements of the project scope , including the other focus areas listed below . o Business & Economic Development : In recent years , the City has seen some success in the redevelopment of Downtown through implementation of new policies to activate public events , façade improvement grants awarded , and rebuilding infrastructure ( street , sidewalk , and curb replacements ) in pockets of the Downtown area . The City is interested in exploring the market dynamics affecting current and future downtown business and development , and in working to maximize the effectiveness of its economic development incentive programs being offered . The City is also interested in exploring new policy concepts which can help reduce the number of inactive storefronts in Downtown Liberal . o Parking & Mobility : Lack of safe and convenient parking has been cited as a deterrent to visitors and potential developers alike . Kansas Avenue is a four - lane main arterial road through the city with an at - grade railroad crossing located at the Southern boundary of the Downtown area . The City is interested in exploring traffic data studies in the plan which show the impact of possible parking and transportation configurations on vehicle traffic in the Downtown area . Safe , ADA accessible pedestrian access and alternative modes of transportation should also be explored in conjunction with parking and street configuration options . o Streetscape / Infrastructure : A very important part of the Downtown Master Plan will be to develop a visually appealing style for Downtown Liberal which features unique spaces that build community pride . The Plan must include a proposed aesthetic design scheme for unique and long - lasting streetscape components including hardscape elements , light fixtures , seating , litter receptacles , bike racks , public art , and landscape plantings which create a cohesive and distinct space . Another component of this is to enhance crosswalks , pedestrian refuge islands , and sidewalks to improve downtown ’ s walkability as well as visual appeal . New paving , seating , and pedestrian scale lighting will improve the sense of safety and facilitate use . • Plan Development – The Consultant shall document the planning process and outcomes within a final report . The final report will include an executive summary ( or similarly concise overview ) in addition to all other relevant information necessary to effectively convey relative project information . • Action Plan / Detailed Implementation Strategy – The Consultant will develop a practical action plan for long - and short - term implementation strategies to achieve study goals and project objectives . The Consultant will be innovative and proactive in their approach to implementation , in order to ensure the highest chance for success . • Presentations & Communications – The Consultant will present the final plan and implementation strategy to the Planning & Zoning Board , Seward County Economic Development Board , the Liberal City Commission , and other applicable committees as requested . Additionally , the Consultant will work with staff to communicate with project stakeholders throughout the process , and to present intermediate deliverables and related information to help keep the community informed .

Kansas

2026-04-08