ArchPlan was contacted to assist in a planning charrette for an area along a major local artery at the seam of Baltimore County and Baltimore City.  Issues to be addressed included four retail sites, some with vacancies, and their relationship to each other and the surrounding high value neighborhoods.  Members from the community enlisted the help of the local chapter of the American Institute of Architects and organized a workshop to develop planning concepts, analyze issues and assets, and address proposed drugstore developments.

Klaus Philipsen of ArchPlan was hired as a workshop facilitator and to create a workshop report. Mr. Philipsen prepared a site analysis and presentation that covered urban design principles and the characteristics of the study area.  The workshop participants broke into small groups and were asked to discuss issues and assets of the area.  The groups were encouraged to develop concept plans for the area.  Proposed concepts typically included improved pedestrian access and circulation, more neighborhood oriented businesses, traffic and safety issues along the arterial and design standards for retail that would make a strip center more main street like.  ArchPlan distilled the workshop concepts into a proposed masterplan and assisted in the presentation to community and business stakeholders with the objective of obtaining a consensus plan.