Town Center
The Town Center is modeled after traditional Iowa town squares like Pella, Winterset, and Adel.
Town Center Site
A typical town square is 200 feet by 200 feet and provides for an attractive pedestrian experience, while also efficiently handling traffic and parking. The traditional square is modified at Prairie Trail by locating the smaller retailers facing the square and the larger retailers on the perimeter of the Town Center and along SW State Street.
The square can be used for events including festivals, and seasonal celebrations. Although some on street parking is provided,the majority of the parking will be behind the retail buildings and screened from view.
The Town Square is fronted on the north,east,and south sides by retail stores with offices or apartments above. A new town library is located on the square. Freestanding restaurants face the amphitheater and lake on the southwest corner of the Town Center. The east side of the Town Center has multi-family housing which acts as a buffer to the residential neighborhoods to the east.
Town Center (Alternative A)
The plan at the right illustrates a larger retail development program for the Town Center that will require structured parking.
Town Center Alternate Site
Located north and south of the Town Square are entrances to two-story department stores fronted by in-line retail stores on the Square with two-story parking decks behind. Additional in-line retail stores are located on both sides of the street leading northeast out of the TownSquare. Three new out parcel sites are located on the north side ofthe Town Center. The plan also includes two additional two story parking decks – one on the east side of the Town Center and the other at the northwest corner along State Street. Features of the smaller Town Center development that remain in this larger alternative include: multi-family housing on the east; free-standing restaurants around the lake on the southwest; a new City library on the Town Square; and screened surface parking.
