City of Hopkins • Comprehensive Plan • Downtown Hopkins

Introduction

Downtown Hopkins has changed substantially since the City last updated its comprehensive plan in 1989. The most significant recent improvements include construction of the Hopkins Center for the Arts and the Hopkins 6 movie theater complex. These two developments have dramatically changed the visual appearance of the downtown core and they bring substantial numbers of visitors into the community.

Movie Theater and Restaurant Development Completed in 1997

Analysis of Downtown Hopkins

Past studies have identified the following assets and liabilities of Downtown Hopkins.

Assets

Downtown Hopkins presents a strong sense of place.
Large shares of people who are found in Downtown Hopkins are likely to be shoppers.
There is a strong base of existing establishments, such as auto dealers and other special purpose retailers, who draw people from outside the Core Trade Area.
There is a strong local employment base that draws people to the city.
There is a strong interest and commitment to the community.
The business community is service oriented.
Downtown Hopkins "cuts across" a broad range of lifestyle and income groups.
Local residents are supportive of local business establishments.
The City government is active in community development.

Liabilities

Downtown Hopkins lacks image and appeal to people outside the immediate area.
The district lacks a "critical mass" of store types and sizes.
Downtown Hopkins does not operate as a unified business district.
Shopping activity is not related and lacks focus.
The commercial area's configuration is inconsistent and does not support consumer behaviors.
Competing shopping areas are strong.
Downtown Hopkins does not adequately tap the existing base of potential customers.

Recent public and private projects in downtown Hopkins have strengthened the area's assets and improved issues that have been identified as past liabilities. The strong employment base in Hopkins has always served as means to attract people into the downtown area. The private and public theater developments bring substantial numbers of visitors into the central business district expanding the base of customers for local businesses.

Hopkins Center for the Arts

In recent years, other improvements have also served to help further unify the business district. New retail construction on the east end of Mainstreet and renovations of old buildings have allowed business expansions as well as opportunities for new retail and service businesses.

If there is a negative side to the recent developments in downtown Hopkins, it is that the success of the area has caused an increase in the need for additional parking. With events in the Hopkins Center for the Arts and Friday and Saturday evening crowds at the movie theaters, parking is in short supply. Overflow parking from these events impacts the surrounding neighborhood areas. The City is currently working on interim solutions to the periodic parking shortage and needs to formulate a plan for long-term improvements. The long-term solution may lie in the construction of an additional parking ramp.

Based on past marketing studies, current conditions, and ongoing strategic planning initiatives, the following general recommendations are offered for downtown Hopkins:

Development efforts should be targeted toward encouraging growth and expansion of commercial establishments that address two market orientations: (1) the destination specialty market, and (2) the local convenience and specialty market. The success of the Hopkins Center for the Arts is making Hopkins a true destination. Specialty commercial uses can capitalize on the draw and the success of the arts and entertainment components of downtown Hopkins.
Assess the market's perception of downtown Hopkins . Determine types of businesses needed and identify sites for appropriate new businesses.
Expand the Hopkins Leasing Guide and utilize it as an inventory tool to promote business expansion and the leasing of vacant business spaces.
Foster communication between the City, Hopkins Business and Civic Association (HBCA), and owners and managers of commercial properties.
Attract specialty retail and destination uses including arts, entertainment, recreation, antiques, hobbies and crafts, gifts and family-oriented uses.
Encourage the adoption of uniform downtown store hours and consistent management to improve customer service.
Encourage commercial development to be clustered close to the central core of the business district where it reinforces and is consistent with existing establishment types.
Offer financial incentives to retain and attract commercial businesses.
Initiate a comprehensive review of long term parking needs and formulate a plan to address those needs. Attempt alternative solutions to employee parking problems.
Build upon the area's strong sense of place, and improve the surrounding market area's awareness of the community.
Expand joint advertising and promotions for the businesses in the district. Promote Mainstreet via special events.

Downtown Hopkins is planned to continue its tight-knit pattern of commercial development along either side of Mainstreet. Commercial activity is targeted in the vicinity of (but not limited to) the four-block-long core area from 8th to 12th Avenues.

The plan envisions that the present pattern of commercial, residential, and public land uses will be continued. If St. Joseph's Church and School determines that all or part of its parking and playground between 12th and 13th Avenues is not needed, the City will consider other options for this property including parking.

The following guidelines will be used by the City in reviewing new development and redevelopment. The overall intention is to maintain the appearance and character of the historic buildings throughout the commercial area, both in the historic core and in the supportive nearby areas.

Buildings

Buildings should be kept held to a relatively small scale consistent with the historic downtown.
Building heights in the historic core should match those of adjacent structures, with two or three stories being the desired height in that area. Building heights outside the historic core may vary.
Maintain as much building line along Mainstreet as practical. Where buildings must be setback, a strongly landscaped edge should be established to maintain some visual line along the street.
A window line should be maintained in the building facades along Mainstreet.
All commercial buildings along Mainstreet should have rear entries designed to be attractive, functional, and identifiable.
All building entries, front and rear should make provision for the protection of users from the elements by overhangs, recessed doorways, and/or awnings.
New buildings along Mainstreet should attempt to imitate the window proportions and placement established in the Historic Core.
Exterior building colors along Mainstreet should be in the red-brown spectrum so as to be consistent with those of the historic core.

Parking

The City should continue to revise and refine the Downtown Parking Plan. The Parking Plan should be utilized whenever development of redevelopment occurs and its recommendations should be continuously pursued.
Parking lots should be kept small and close to the businesses served. Larger parking lots should have visual breaks of four-season landscaping treatments.
Parking areas directly abutting the rear of commercial buildings should be paved and landscaped. These spaces should be reserved for customers and not occupied by employees. Emphasis should be placed on easy and pleasant customer use in all seasons.
All parking lots should have perimeter landscaping consisting of trees and shrubs selected to withstand the harsh conditions.
All parking lots must be paved with asphalt or concrete and properly maintained, striped, and landscaped.
Wherever possible, east-west rear alleys should align with one another so that circulation parallel to Mainstreet is promoted.
The exterior design of any new parking ramps should be supportive of the appearance of the Historic Core. No parking ramp should be allowed to abut Mainstreet.
As redevelopment occurs, the City will explore the possibility of removing and relocating the parking which exists along the south side of the north frontage road of Excelsior Boulevard between 5th and 9th Avenues and replacing those parking bays with landscaping consistent with the master plan for Excelsior Boulevard.

Future Parking Needs May Require Construction of an Additional Parking Ramp

Signage

Signage should be carefully controlled. Signs on the historic buildings should be wall-mounted and places in the historic sign band, materials should be compatible with the building (i.e., wood or metal rather than plastic), and plastic panel signs should not be allowed on these buildings.

Streets

The City will work to upgrade alleys and utilities in Downtown.
Fifth Avenue will be renamed Hopkins Avenue.
The City will explore whether there are alternative locations for snow storage rather than the open space along the south edge of Excelsior Boulevard.

Identity

Downtown Hopkins will continue to be identified through entry monuments, street lighting, and street landscaping.
Continue to emphasize the link between the eastern and western portions of Mainstreet. The focus in the western area should be on the expansion of traditional downtown businesses and on improving the appearance of existing automotive repair service businesses.

Site Plan Review

All new construction along Mainstreet should be subject to site plan and architectural review by the City Planning Commission to ensure consistency with these guidelines.
Any new multiple-family housing in the Downtown will be subject to careful site plan review, especially for traffic access.