MxM team members led a multi-disciplinary team to provide design and planning services to improve downtown Auburn’s historic Main Street. Diving deeply into the community’s cultural and natural history, then exploring the inefficiencies of the current land use patterns, our team diagnosed key issues that the renewed and strengthened streetscape could address.

Following extensive public outreach, the team worked with stakeholders and the city to develop a concept plan that positions Main Street as a critical regional corridor for jobs and housing growth. The design draws upon the layered social and natural history of the corridor to not only address corridor function, but provide a multi-pronged, value creating strategy to revitalize the historic Main Street into a walkable, vibrant, and healthy downtown community. The concept plan incorporates native planting areas, bioretention planters, “boulder” seating and artwork elements along the corridor. Auburn’s railroad heritage is also celebrated along the corridor through embedded, reclaimed rails in the planter areas, terminating in seating platforms along each block.

Project completed by Brice Maryman while at MIG