Greensburg, KS Sustainable Comprehensive Master Plan

In May of 2007, a devastating EF-5 tornado destroyed more than 90 percent of the town of Greensburg, Kansas. At the State’s request, BNIM became an early contributor to the town’s initial recovery efforts, working with community members and town officials as well as local, state and federal organizations like the Federal Emergency Management Agency. BNIM also contributed to shaping the vision of the nonprofit Greensburg GreenTown, which was formed to help the city’s residents rebuild Greensburg as a model green community. In late 2007 and 2008, the firm prepared the first phase of a highly lauded comprehensive master plan to rebuild the city, which provides a framework for the rebuilding of Greensburg based around the principles of economic, social and environmental sustainability.

Integrating a high level of collaboration with the entire community, including City officials, City staff, Steering Committee members, and other stakeholders, the Greensburg Master Plan addressed the City’s most pressing development needs including: Design goals and principles for rebuilding; A conceptual design scheme for downtown Greensburg: zoning refinements, infrastructure analysis and a future land use map; preliminary housing policy recommendations; streetscape design guidelines for signature streets (Main Street, Hwy 54); preliminary energy-efficiency and policy recommendations; a strategy for building a highly walkable community; a conceptual parks and open-space layout; and preliminary cost information for the suggested strategies.