Historic Millwork District Master Plan in the City of Dubuque is a model for future communities in Iowa
About the Historic Millwork District Master Plan
Dubuque’s Millwork District—once the United State’s largest Millwork District—now covers 19 acres and contains over 1 million square feet of vacant warehouse space.
The Historic Millwork District Master Plan (“The Plan”) charts a course for the Millwork District to reestablish itself as a regional engine of growth. Upon completion, the District will contain over 1,000 new residents and 1,000 new employees.
Individual properties and the public realm will function as an urban ecosystem, and the District will be a unit with high economic value and low environmental impact. The District will stay within its rainfall budget, approach carbon balance, create sustainable jobs and housing, and reinforce the importance of connectivity and diversity within the city.
To learn more about the City of Dubuque and the Historic Millwork District Master Plan, click on A Vision of Sustainable Development.
Five Layers of Infrastructure
The Plan provides a comprehensive approach for integrating sustainable practices throughout the implementation process. It organizes the strategies according to five infrastructure systems, or layers, to provide a framework for understanding and implementing a healthy and sustainable plan:
- Blue Infrastructure addresses water use and treatment approaches that contribute to better water quality.
- Orange Infrastructure includes efficient electrical, heating, and cooling systems that minimize the District’s carbon footprint.
- Gray Infrastructure includes buildings, parking, streets, and other redevelopment that is essential to establishing a viable mixed-use neighborhood.
- Green Infrastructure includes vegetation, parks, and open space that contribute to a healthy ecosystem, better air and water quality, and improved public life.
- Red Infrastructure includes arts and cultural spaces, amenities, and expressions that reinforce the identity of an area.
The Historic Millwork District Master Plan is a model for future communities in Iowa where historic preservation and sustainability can be combined on a grand scale to promote a higher quality of life.
Posted December 2009