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Workshop 3: Design Alternates Survey

We’re excited to share the next step in shaping the Midtown Linear Park Community Space! The Design Team has created three distinct design strategies for the park, each based on the community feedback we’ve received to date and reflecting different ways the site could be programmed, organized, and experienced. This online survey is designed to recreate the experience of the public workshop held on August 17 for those who could not attend in person. Your feedback here will be combined with the ideas and comments gathered during the event—and weighted equally with the workshop votes—to help shape the preferred design concept for the park. We are not asking you to select a “winner.” Instead, we’d like to hear what you like about each strategy and how well different elements align with your vision for the park. The design team will use the most supported ideas from each strategy—along with your additional feedback—to create a final design that blends the strongest elements into a single, unified vision for the park.



How to Answer the Questions
Please take a moment to review all three design strategies shown above. Then, for each of the following questions, select the option that you feel represents the best approach for the Midtown Linear Park Community Space. This is a pick-and-choose process—feel free to mix and match your selections from different strategies based on what you think will work best for the site and community. You do not need to stick with a single strategy for all of your answers.

Also, please visit our ideas board to give us feedback on what type of activities and features you would like to see in the community space:

Midtown Linear Park Community Space Design | Participate Ulster 

1.  

Question 1 – Movement: When you move through the park, which pathway and circulation layout feels best to you? Think about how you’d like to walk, bike, or roll through the space.

* required
1) Strategy A: Wide Path with Dedicated Bike and Pedestrian Lanes: A roomy main path runs the length of the site, with separate lanes for biking and walking. In between, a planted zone with benches offers places to pause, rest, and enjoy the view. 2) Strategy B: Gently Curving Shared Path: A smooth, winding shared-use path invites people to stroll, bike, or roll at a relaxed pace. The path maintains the same width as what exists today. 3) Strategy C: Flexible, Open Routes: With no set path, people can move through the space however they like—walking, rolling, or exploring freely. Cyclists would use a new bike lane on Downs Street that connects directly to Broadway and the Empire State Trail.
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Question 2 – Primary Areas: Looking at the main spaces in the park, which overall arrangement works best for how you’d like to use it?

* required
1) Strategy A: Two Large Activity Zones: Each block features a big, flexible space designed for gatherings, play, and community events—plenty of room to spread out and have fun. Such as a feature playground and flexible gathering lawn 2) Strategy B: Large Gathering Space + Entry Plazas: A big, open space at the south end is perfect for performances, events, and celebrations, while welcoming entry plazas at each street connection create clear gateways into the site. 3) • Strategy C: Clusters of Activity: Lively clusters of activity are grouped down the length of the site, each offering different experiences for play, gathering, and relaxation.
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Question 3 – Secondary Areas: For the smaller and more informal areas of the park, which layout feels the most inviting and functional?

* required
1) Strategy A: Welcoming Gathering Plazas: Smaller plazas next to the main activity zones offer spots for sitting, relaxing, and informal get-togethers—complete with shade structures for comfort on sunny days. 2) Strategy B: Pockets of Activity: Smaller spaces along the path encourage play, socializing, or quiet moments, giving people a variety of ways to enjoy the space as they move through. 3) Strategy C: Dispersed Elements: Small seating areas, play spots, and art pieces are sprinkled throughout, bringing energy to every corner and inviting discovery along the way.
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Question 4 – Artistic Elements: Which approach to art and special features would make the park most engaging and enjoyable for you?

* required
1) Strategy A: Light Poles and Creative Features: Distinctive light poles and art installations bring energy to the space and help visually connect the two blocks. 2) Strategy B: Water Feature at the Entrance: A playful misting element at one of the main entries adds movement, sound, and a refreshing feel on warm days. 3) Strategy C: Decorative Screens: Colorful, art-filled panels replace the existing chain-link fences, framing the edges of the space with something playful and eye-catching. The displays could change over time to feature new local artwork.
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Question 5 – Materials: Which materials and finishes do you think best fit the feel and character of the future park?

* required
1) Strategy A: Warm and Refined: Brick, concrete, and pavers give the space a timeless, high-quality feel. 2) Strategy B: Soft, Natural, and Garden-Inspired: Wood, stone, and lush plantings create a calm, green setting that feels connected to nature. 3) • Strategy C: Playful and Colorful: Bright colors, bold patterns, and painted surface graphics give the space a vibrant, creative personality.