Residents view Highway 7 redevelopment plans

More than 40 people attended an open house last Thursday to view and offer opinions on plans for redevelopment and zoning changes along the State Highway 7 corridor through Hutchinson.

“Many of you live in the corridor and know it better than we do, so we’re interested in what you have to say,” said Rebecca Bowers, the city’s planning and zoning director, told those in attendance.

Ideas for the plans for mainly came from an open house conducted earlier this year. Many people attending that session said they want the area to retain its attractive, small-town feel. They also wanted redevelopment to focus on connections to the nearby Crow River and Luce Line Trail. And they wanted the area’s historical significance preserved. Planners said they saw the highway’s two busiest intersections — state highway 7 and 15, and 7 and Bluff Street — as a gateway to Hutchinson’s downtown.

Two plans for the intersections were proposed.

— One plan featured a mixed-use area consisting of office, retail, a restaurant, housing and public parking.

— Another plan includes many of the items listed in the first plan but, as well as a gas station and senior housing.

The plans are only visions, said Carolyn Krall, an architect from Landform, a Minneapolis consulting firm that developed the drawings.

For the full story, see the Nov. 6 Leader.

(Doug Hanneman is editor of the Hutchinson Leader. He may be reached at hanneman@hutchinsonleader.com)