The planning effort for Great Places began with a process to establish collaborations with civic leaders and community members, to guide the process of developing a vision for the place, and to create teams to assist in developing and implementing that vision. The result of each planning process is a strategic plan that serves as a guide for development, investment and programming for the quarter-mile focus area.

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Each Great Places plan highlights characteristics about the area, including an overview of the neighborhoods that are located in or near the Great Place. Maps are provided to indicate where both existing businesses and community assets are located. To convey some of the more qualitative aspects of the study area, graphics are provided that illustrate the existing urban form of the area, which includes building types and land uses and their relative scale. In addition, a photographic overview is provided to highlight some of the unique elements of the study area. Finally, the strategic plans include an overview of previous neighborhood plans that have guided recent efforts in the area as the Great Places initiative seeks to enhance and build on existing networks and strategies.