MSU

1
SOUTH HAVEN VISION/IMAGE MAKING
MSU
SMALL TOWN DESIGN INITIATIVE
2
WHAT ARE YOU PROUD ABOUT IN YOUR COMMUNITY?

PHYSICAL

• RIVERFRONT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
• RIVERVIEW LANDSCAPING
• RIVERFRONT ACCESSIBLE
• WELL-MAINTAINED LAWNS, FLOWERS, PLOWING, TRASH
• LIGHTHOUSE
• BEACHES NOT BUILT UP
• RIVERFRONT VIEWS

• ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES WITH GREAT HISTORIC
  STORIES TO TELL
• INCREDIBLE, CLEAN BEACHES
• BEACHES WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE
• KIDS PARK
• AMPLE PARKING
• FARM MARKETS

MSU
SMALL TOWN DESIGN INITIATIVE
3
WHAT ARE YOU PROUD ABOUT IN YOUR COMMUNITY?

PHYSICAL

• LOGO SUNSETS DRAW PEOPLE TO BEACHES
• STREETSCAPE COMPLETED IN 1983
• THE BEST HARBOR IN THE STATE
• FLOWER PLANTINGS ON ISLANDS
• WONDERFUL RURAL AREA
• ORCHARDS 3 MILES FROM THE COUNTRY
• BIKE TRAIL

• VINEYARD AND LAKESHORE ARE A GOOD ADDITION TO
  DOWNTOWN
• WARREN SENIOR CENTER
• DRAWBRIDGE
• REPAINTING OF SOME DOWNTOWN BUILDINGS HAS BEEN A
  GREAT IMPROVEMENT
• MUSEUM
• CULTURAL INSTITUTES
• LIBRARY

MSU
SMALL TOWN DESIGN INITIATIVE
4
WHAT ARE YOU PROUD ABOUT IN YOUR COMMUNITY?

NON-PHYSICAL

• FRIENDLY TOWN OF RESIDENTS TO HELP FELLOW
  RESIDENTS AND TOURISTS
• A TOURIST TOWN BUT A REAL TOWN TOO
• DIFFERENT FESTIVALS
• SENSE OF SAFETY
• TOWN FEELS FRIENDLY AND INVITING
• BETTER SERVICE IN DOWNTOWN OWNERSHIP AND
  INVOLVEMENT

• AMAZING INCREASE IN LOCAL BUSINESS
• 18,000-20,000 MAS TRANSIENT TRIPS TO SOUTH HAVEN
• SCHOOLS 5-10 YEARS OUT
• PEOPLE CAN STAY OUT LATE AT NIGHT
• SENIORS HAVE PRIDE IN SOUTH HAVEN
• LOW CRIME RATE

MSU
SMALL TOWN DESIGN INITIATIVE
5
WHAT ARE YOU SORRY ABOUT IN YOUR COMMUNITY?

PHYSICAL

• DUE TO LACK OF SIGNS, PEOPLE FEEL WAL-MART IS
  ONLY THING WE HAVE TO OFFER
• BOHN BUILDING NEEDS TO DISAPPEAR
• NOT ENOUGH RESTAURANTS
• NO SIGNS FOR DOWNTOWN
• LACK OF VISION FOR DOWNTOWN

• NEED ETHNIC/ VEGETARIAN RESTAURANTS
• BANK BUILDING BLOCKS VIEW TO OTHER END OF PHOENIX
  STREET
• MOVIE THEATRE, MUSIC CAMP MAGNETS IN DOWNTOWN
  AREA
• SHOPS CLOSED IN EVENINGS
• BODY PIERCING SHOPS

MSU
SMALL TOWN DESIGN INITIATIVE
6
WHAT ARE YOU SORRY ABOUT IN YOUR COMMUNITY?

PHYSICAL

• DONT USE OUR OUTDOORS ENOUGH (SIDEWALK CAFES,
  STREET DANCES, ETC)
• SOUTH SIDE OF BLUE STAR UNTAPPED
• LACK OF STRENGTH IN INDUSTRIAL PARK
• NO VALUE GIVEN TO DEVELOPMENT (LOSS OF VIEWS OF
  LAKE)
• TATTOO PARLORS

• LACK OF BENCHES ON CORNERS
• VISUAL CLUTTER
• KIDS GATHER TOO MUCH AT BANK AND GAZEBO
• OVER DEVELOPMENT OF CERTAIN AREAS
• FEAST AND FAMINE AT YORKS-AREA SHABBY
• OLD ALUMINUM PLANT (CITY HAS PURCHASED)

MSU
SMALL TOWN DESIGN INITIATIVE
7
WHAT ARE YOU SORRY ABOUT IN YOUR COMMUNITY?

NON-PHYSICAL

• WAL-MART TAKES AWAY FROM DOWNTOWN MERCHANTS
• LACK OF ETHNIC CELEBRATIONS
• LOSS OF HISTORY
• NO UNITY OF VISION FOR OUT TOWN
• WHAT DOES SOUTH HAVEN WANT TO BE WHEN IT GROWS
  UP?
• LACK OF ACTIVITIES FOR YOUTH

• SCHOOLS
• LACK OF PUBLICITY ON OTHER SIDE OF THE STATE
• LACK OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN MERCHANTS
• NEED CULTURE AND ACTIVITIES TO FLOURISH
• VIEWED AS A SEASONAL COMMUNITY
• NEED PUBLICITY

MSU
SMALL TOWN DESIGN INITIATIVE
8
IF YOU WERE TO FLY OVER SOUTH HAVEN INA HOT AIR
BALLOON 5-10 YEARS FROM NOW, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE
TO SEE?

PHYSICAL

• ICE SKATING/ROLLER RINK AND YOUTH CENTER
• COMMUNITY AUDITORIUM
• RETAIN GREEN SPACE
• PARKING LOT AT BOHN SITE
• FULLY RESTORED DOWNTOWN-FAÇADE RENOVATIONS
• SIDEWALK CAFES
• BEACHES NOT OVERDEVELOPED, RELAXING
• REDO ROAD AREA IN FRONT OF SKATE PARK
• PLANT FLOWERS AT EXITS

• CONNECTION OF ADJACENT AREAS TO DOWNTOWN
• DECENT PUBLIC RESTROOMS
• BEACH REMAINS UNCLUTTERED
• RIVERFRONT-EMPHASIZE WHAT WE HAVE
• MORE TALLSHIPS, SAILBOATS
• HYDROFOIL TO CHICAGO
• MORE CONNECTING DEVELOPMENT BETWEEN NEIGHBORING
  COMMUNITIES

MSU
SMALL TOWN DESIGN INITIATIVE
9
IF YOU WERE TO FLY OVER SOUTH HAVEN INA HOT AIR
BALLOON 5-10 YEARS FROM NOW, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE
TO SEE?

PHYSICAL

• LARGER INDUSTRIAL PARK
• MORE LANDSCAPING
• COMPLETED LMC CAMPUS
• FARMERS MARKET THAT IS MORE CONNECTED TO TOWN
• PARKING GARAGES-COVERED
• NEW HEATED SIDEWALKS IN TOWN
• UTILITY LINES UNDERGROUND
• NEW SCHOOL
• MORE BIKE RACKS
• PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY

• SHUTTLE TROLLEY BUSES
• BIKE TRAILS AND BIKE LANES
• DEVELOP AND LANDSCAPE HURON STREET PARKING LOT
• MORE ACCESS BETWEEN STREETS AND PARKING LOTS

MSU
SMALL TOWN DESIGN INITIATIVE
10
IF YOU WERE TO FLY OVER SOUTH HAVEN INA HOT AIR
BALLOON 5-10 YEARS FROM NOW, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE
TO SEE?

NON-PHYSICAL

• PEOPLE WALKING, VISITING, SITTING ON BENCHES,
  ACTIVITY DOWNTOWN
• MORE PEOPLE LIVING IN UPPER LEVELS OF DOWNTOWN
  BUILDINGS
• OUTDOOR CONCERTS AND PICNICS
• CONCERTS IN STREETS, KIDS IN WATER
• SEASONAL DECORATING

• MORE COORDINATION OF EFFORTS
• MORE LINKAGES TO GET THE WORD OUT ABOUT
  EVERYTHING
• MORE DIVERSITY

MSU
SMALL TOWN DESIGN INITIATIVE