The visioning plan includes a new riverfront park, an updated downtown plan for the City of Evansville, and the identification of catalyst sites along 50 miles of the Ohio River.
The Evansville Region has announced the selection of renowned global design firm Sasaki as the lead consultant for the Ohio Riverfront Visioning and Strategic Plan, which will reconnect Downtown Evansville to its waterfront and draw new investment to the region. Sasaki’s selection was awarded through a request for proposal process, led by the Evansville Regional Economic Partnership (E-REP), Downtown Evansville Economic Improvement District (EID), and other regional partners.
Evansville residents have expressed their desire for a stronger connection to the Ohio River for almost a century, ever since the City’s first master plan in 1928. Throughout Evansville’s history, walls, levies, and raised roadbeds built to prevent flooding have deterred development along the river. Having secured $900,000 in grant funding, the Evansville Region chose Sasaki to make that century-old vision a reality. “Reflecting the critical importance of quality of place to attract and retain talent and drive economic growth, the Evansville Region will enhance the region’s riverfront ‘Front Porch’ gathering spaces through this work with Sasaki,” says Tara Barney, CEO of EREP.
Sasaki comes to Evansville with decades of experience planning world-class parks and business districts. Its portfolio in architecture, landscape architecture, and urban planning spans the globe, but some of its most cutting-edge projects have been waterfronts in the Midwest. From the fully-built Chicago Riverwalk and Smale Riverfront Park in Cincinnati, to the Riverfront Park and Vision Plan underway in Davenport, Iowa, Sasaki has developed deep expertise in designing flood-resilient parks and plans that bring new life and investment to downtown areas.