Partnership for Action Learning – �鶹��Ƶ

Accessibility and Infrastructure in The City of Frederick

Victor Manzanilla — Wed, 01 Nov 2023 03:39:43 +0000

This report analyzes pedestrian and bus accessibility in the City of Frederick using three methods: geospatial analysis, cataloging photographs and surveys. ArcMap was used to map the locations of four vulnerable populations: the elderly, renters, minorities, and those with low vehicle ownership. This information was overlaid with a quarter-mile walkshed from Frederick County TransIT bus lines to identify neighborhoods that are both high risk and appear to have limited accessibility. After identifying neighborhoods, the team cataloged and geocoded the existing neighborhood infrastructure. Finally, a survey of City residents gathered information about their attitudes and habits about riding the bus and walking as a means of transportation. The reportâ€s findings are mixed: bus accessibility and usage is low, while the City excels in walking infrastructure and accessibility.

PALS: Neighborhood Identification, City of Frederick, Maryland

Victor Manzanilla — Wed, 01 Nov 2023 03:39:43 +0000

This report aims to address questions on changing socio-economic and physical conditions in Frederick and how those conditions could formulated into a new neighborhood identification system. This report recommends that Geographic Information Systems (GIS) mapping, online surveys and photo sharing applications are some solutions for creating such a neighborhood identification system. While these planning technologies [...]

Frederick Municipal Airport Consulting Project

Victor Manzanilla — Wed, 01 Nov 2023 03:39:43 +0000

Frederick Municipal Airport (FAA Code: FDK) is an asset to the Frederick community and a potential catalyst for business and increased tourism in the Frederick area. Due to its proximity to Washington, DC and Baltimore, MD, FDK is an ideal location for travelers who do not want to deal with the hassle of security, frequent delays and traffic at the surrounding major airports. The airport is owned by the City of Frederick and a Fixed Based Operator (FBO), Landmark Aviation, manages day-to-day operations. The City of Frederick is interested in exploring ways to increase revenue at FDK through current operations and future business possibilities, and create a reputation as the number one corporate executive airport in the Baltimore/Washington area. FDK can explore the following areas to increase the volume of flights and revenue streams: Extend the length of the runway; Build additional hangars to increase rentals; Explore other uses for airport land. To increase the volume of flights and generate increased revenue, FDK should make improvements to its current infrastructure and marketing strategy. As FDK increases its air traffic and grows through new expansion projects, it is critical to maximize revenue generation through strategic marketing and a concerted outreach effort. This marking strategy will help entice additional transient travel operations, encourage local companies to invest in air travel and maximize fuel transactions. In order to do so, local government and Landmark should coordinate to enhance the airportâ€s online presence and market directly to regional businesses in order to position FDK as the destination of choice for corporate executive travel in the area. This strategic marketing effort could include the following: Improved website content; Improved corporate outreach; Airport Fence; An extended Bus Route to connect FDK to existing public transportation and the surrounding are; Name change and consistent branding strategy to position Frederick Municipal Airport; Increased presence of FDK staff and advocates at industry conferences.

Frederick Municipal Airport: Expansion & Business Development Strategy

Victor Manzanilla — Wed, 01 Nov 2023 03:39:43 +0000

Frederick Airport (FDK) has the potential to become a self-sufficient, leading executive airport by focusing on increasing the number of customers and leveraging existing space and expertise. The runway extension will increase the number of potential customers that can land at FDK, but an improved online presence will attract customers who simply were not aware of FDK. Frederick can also capitalize on existing space, in turn capturing additional revenue, by building additional T hangars, which will simultaneously satisfy the backlog of customers waiting for hangar space to rent. Additionally, recommendations are to improve the airportâ€s value to the community by hosting aviation related events and participating in â€œagritourismâ€ with hot air balloon type services. The future of the unmanned aerial vehicle industry may also present opportunities for FDK to provide valuable services; however, it may present safety issues and Frederick should make a concerted effort to stay apprised of the best practices in order to keep air travel at FDK safe.

City of Frederick Downtown Hotel and Conference Center Demand Analysis

Victor Manzanilla — Wed, 01 Nov 2023 03:39:43 +0000

The City of Frederick is pursuing the development of a downtown hotel and conference center (DHCC). The City has tapped as its project lead the Plamondon Companies, a local developer with a wealth of relevant experience in the hospitality industry. Plamondon has proposed a 207-room hotel bearing the Marriott brand and an attached conference center of about 23,500 square feet. The City and its Department of Economic Development are pursuing necessary approvals to build on the proposed site but it also must convince key stakeholders of the projectâ€s viability. Development of the conference center portion of the DHCC will require significant public subsidy from the City, Frederick County, and the State of Maryland. The local business community, particularly existing hoteliers, will be greatly affected by the DHCC. What types of meetings and events will the DHCC host? And will the conference center attract visitors who fill not only the Marriottâ€s beds, bars, and dining tables, but induce spillover business for the other restaurants, hotels, and local attractions already established in and around Frederick? The DHCC faces competition locally and across the State from facilities similar to that proposed by Plamondon. But Frederick, the projectâ€s developer, and its eventual operator, can leverage the Cityâ€s existing strengths and position the DHCC to be an economic engine for the City. First, the City and DHCC should forge connections with key nonprofits and regional organizations as well as meeting planners, who are the gatekeepers to much of the conference center industry and are invaluable advocates for locations such as Frederick. Building these relationships and dutifully maintaining them will keep Frederick in the rotation as groups like the Maryland Economic Development Association and Maryland Municipal League schedule regular meetings across the State. Second, the pitch to these groups must be about Frederickâ€”not ballrooms or hotel suites. The lively downtown, historical sites, nearby natural beauty and other attractions can differentiate Frederick from other cities with similar conference facilities. And third, the City and DHCC should make a play for government business in the long-term. Tighter budgets in Washington and meeting and events restrictions following a string of conference scandals across a number of agencies have slowed the federal meeting business to a trickle. But Fort Detrick cannot be ignored. Its unique and essential leadership in biotechnology could bring the DHCC some business in the short-term. It is, however, much more likely to yield greater dividends in the long-term as spending once again opens up. Positioning the DHCC to capture the eventual increase in demand from the Fort and other local agencies will help ensure the long-term viability of the facility. Pursuit of the strategies outlined above will put the DHCC on solid footing to attract meeting and event business from its four core market segments. Special events, such as weddings, are a natural source of business for the Center and will likely fill much of its calendar. Local businesses led by the largest employers in the County are a key driving force behind the project and will use the DHCC and Marriott regularly for a number of purposes. The DHCC and City as a whole will have the opportunity to attract significant conference and meeting business from regional and statewide nonprofits and organizations. And while demand will be slack in the short-term, government business could be a boon for the DHCC as the federal dollars start to flow once again.

Analysis of Proposed Hotel and Conference Center in Downtown Fredrick, MD

Victor Manzanilla — Wed, 01 Nov 2023 03:39:43 +0000

The City of Frederick has joined with PALS and the University of Maryland Smith School of Business to assess a proposed hotel and conference center planned for downtown Frederick. They are particularly interested in assessing the demand for the meeting space planned, and better understanding the likely economic impacts of businesses and nonprofit organizations making use of the conference center. An analysis of the trade show and events industry was conducted to provide additional background as the City and its private partners continue to develop their plans and goals for the project. Two conference centers in similar cities were analyzed to assess likely economic impacts and best practices for marketing strategies. Finally, the regional competitive landscape for conferences and private event venues was analyzed, and opportunities for business development were identified.

Algae in Carroll Creek: Green Infrastructure and Community Greening Approaches

Victor Manzanilla — Wed, 01 Nov 2023 03:39:43 +0000

This report describes green infrastructure and community greening approaches to address excess algae in Carroll Creek in The City of Frederick. This report was written as partial fulfillment of course requirements for LARC 452: Green Infrastructure and Community Greening. Addressing excess algae in Carroll Creek is a complex problem that merits multifaceted approaches. The students in the class also recognized previous efforts that have been in part successful in documenting and reducing some of the algae in Carroll Creek. The report is organized into five sections: 1) a review of selected watershed reports; 2) a case study of the San Antonio Riverwalk; 3) approaches that address the symptoms of algae; 4) approaches that address the root course of excess nutrients; and 5) establishing a Carroll Creek watershed advocacy group.

Carroll Creek Wildlife Recreation Area

Victor Manzanilla — Wed, 01 Nov 2023 03:39:43 +0000

The Carroll Creek Wildlife Recreation Area conceptual plan is the result of a collaboration between The City of Frederick Planning Department, the Partnership for Active Learning in Sustainability, and a team of graduate students in Landscape Architecture at the University of Maryland. The design team was asked to prepare a detailed site analysis of the Carroll Creek floodplain between Highland Street and the Monocacy River and to develop a conceptual design for a shared use (bicycle and pedestrian) path that would connect existing infrastructure through upcoming development in East Frederick to the future Monocacy River Trail.

Indicators of Neighborhood Distress

Victor Manzanilla — Wed, 01 Nov 2023 03:39:43 +0000

Is there a geographic pattern of crimes in Howard County? Are these crimes clustered? Any hot spot? [...]

Hollins Market Plaza

Victor Manzanilla — Wed, 01 Nov 2023 03:39:41 +0000

The Hollins Market neighborhood was originally known as the Hollins Park Community. Today, the neighborhood is known as Hollins Roundhouse. Hollins Market (a public market) is a contributing historic property within the Hollins Market Historic District. The public market was founded in 1836 by Joseph Newman, a piano manufacturer, and his brother Elias Newman. The market was destroyed in 1838 by a severe windstorm, and rebuilt, completed in 1839. Hollins Market takes its name from a prominent Baltimorean, John Hollins, who was instrumental in securing a modern water supply system for Baltimore City in 1804. Originally the public marketâ€s structured buildings and three blocks of street vendors made the market the biggest of its kind in Baltimore City. Now the market consists only of inside stalls. According to a healthy foods assessment of Baltimore City Public Markets there is an epidemic of chronic health problems faced by inner city residents including childhood and adult obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure due to poor food choices and the limited availability of healthy foods. Findings suggest several strategies to promote healthy eating including increasing the availability, affordability, and promotion of healthy foods and/or restricting or de-marketing unhealthy foods. During a site visit at Hollins Market, it appeared that large amounts of unhealthy prepared foods, produce, and meats are being sold and the market is only 50 percent occupied at the present time. The Hollins Plaza Project will address this chronic health epidemic by offering services at the public market that will improve food choice. Hollins Market Plaza will not be a stand-alone project. It will be integrated into a major redevelopment project in the Poppleton neighborhood, just a block north of the Hollins Market neighborhood. The Poppleton communityâ€s CenterWest Project will be an immense economic driver in the entire Southwest Baltimore community. This four-phase $800 million redevelopment project will include 1,700-1,800 housing units and 100,000-200,000 square feet of commercial space. The Hollins Market Plaza will start and finish before CenterWest is completed. The anticipated residents, employees and visitors of CenterWest will also be customers of Hollins Market Plaza. The communityâ€s housing stock is elegant, Italianate-style homes built for influential Baltimoreans and small alley houses on 30-foot wide streets built for working class and poorer Baltimoreans. The neighborhood is a few blocks away from Downtown, the Inner Harbor, major hospitals such as UMD Hospital System and Bon Secours, the Stadium District, and the University of Maryland BioPark.