Greening America's Capitals - Jefferson City

BNIM worked with the U.S. EPA to develop an environmentally and economically sustainable plan for the Millbottom area of Jefferson City, Missouri, a gateway to the state capitol building, for EPA’s Greening America’s Capitals program. BNIM and the project team developed the City’s vision for the area through a three-day workshop that engaged a range of state and local stakeholders, including the mayor and city council, business and property owners, state and local government employees, and members of the public.

The plan for the city proposes the cleanup and restoration of Wears Creek, connects services and amenities to the riverfront via trails, adds parks and gathering spaces, identifies adjacent sites for adaptive reuse of existing buildings, and proposes street and parking improvements. Together, these improvements will not only bolster the environmental performance of the creek and adjacent areas, but will also restore the waterway as a centerpiece of Jefferson City’s community life and economic growth.

The revitalization of the Millbottom area could be a model for many American cities that are struggling with similar issues of rainwater management, natural resource restoration, encouragement of walking and bicycling, perceived safety, and opportunities for small businesses. Jefferson City’s vision connects all of these issues in a way that will simultaneously restore Wears Creek, reinvent the area, and use the floodplain to protect environmental resources.

The project team prepared a plan document that provides Jefferson City with both a comprehensive vision for the Millbottom area and a set of incremental steps to achieve that vision. This plan lays out a path to unlock the potential of an underused area and transform it into a thriving and beautiful gateway to Jefferson City.