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Project Profile Project Type Downtown Master Plan Duluth, Minn. Client Saint Louis County Planning and Development _,____UL~~I Pre/imina!)! Concept if 5th Avemle West f?y the Depot www.LHBcorp.c0l11 Saint Louis County Union Depot Master Plan With the advent of high-speed commuter rail in Duluth, Saint Louis County commissioned a study to assess the methods of adapting the Union Depot to serve as a passenger terminal for the Northern Lights Express. At the same time, the county and city desired a master plan for the area surrounding the Depot to guide its evolution with the new transit amenity. LHB, Inc., along with Miller Dunwiddie Architects, Kimley Horn and Associates, and HDR is leading the master planning effort for the Depot area. A primary task is the coordination of the Depot as a passenger rail station with the creation of the Duluth Transit Authority's new intermodal transit facility, which is proposed for a site immediately across Fifth Avenue West from the Depot, and with other projects intended to foster a sense of connectivity between transit and Duluth destinations. For these projects, LHB served as the key facilitator in understanding transit and traffic functions, urban design, pedestrian linkages, and local connections, as well as orchestrating the pursuit of federal funding necessary to make the projects happen. As the area surrounding the Depot transforms as a result of transit opportunities, the evolving plans suggest a strong connection to Duluth's architectural heritage and its unique lake and hillside context. Concepts provide focus for a new Duluth- scaled neighborhood on the west end of downtown Duluth, and highlight the key public and private actions needed to facilitate the transformation. As plans are formulated, it is recognized that these actions are important to the vitality of downtown Duluth-with or without the Northern Lights Express.