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<br />Chapter III <br />Design Elements for the Grand <br />J unction Riverfront <br /> <br />Robert M. Seams <br />Wendy Booth <br />Urban Edges <br />Denver, CO <br /> <br />Grant R. Jones <br />Jones & Jones <br />Seattle, WA <br /> <br />As part of the Riverfront Design Team, Urban Edges and <br />Jones & Jones enjoyed the outstanding river setting and the <br />enthusiastic support of the community members. The amenity <br />concept prepared by Urban Edges and Jones & Jones reflects <br />our understanding of the physical and economic opportunities <br />and constraints that the team considered during the visit. <br />In developing the amenity concept, Urban Edges and Jones <br />& Jones strove to create a concept that celebrates the natural <br />history and scenic beauty of the Grand Junction area. The <br />tremendous variations of vistas, including river, cliffs, mesas, <br />orchards and desert guided the design process. We saw the <br />river as an important element in the economic development <br />of Grand Junction. A key objective is to attract more of the <br />800,000 tourists that visit the nearby Colorado National <br />Monument annually into Grand Junction. <br />The text that follows describes the amenity concepts. An <br />illustrative plan depicts the concepts graphically. Briefly <br />described, the key elements of the concept include: a series <br />of public and semi-public amenities, a Western History and <br />Art Museum, an outdoor amphitheater, a dinosaur theme <br />park, boat chutes, and a manmade boating/swimming lake. <br />On the north bank, Riverside Drive, a proposed scenic <br />parkway ties together the various amenities. On the south <br />bank, an overlook promontory commemorates the sweeping <br />vista across the Grand Valley from the confluence of these <br />two great rivers of exploration - the Gunnison and the river <br />originally called the Grand, and now known as the Colorado. <br />A more detail~d project description follows. <br /> <br />Grand Junction's Waterfront - <br />Public Amenities Concept <br /> <br />In developing the concept, the confluence area was divided <br />into several specialized areas or districts. A proposed River- <br />side Drive parallels the north bank of the Colorado River, <br />accessing all amenities along that side. Development features <br />along the south bank can be reached by 5th Street/Highway <br /> <br />50. A pedestrian/bicycle trail system and beautified arterial <br />streets complete the linkage system. These districts and their <br />related special features include: <br /> <br />The Grand Vista Promontory (South bank of Colorado River, <br />west of Highway SO) <br /> <br />-Orchard Mesa Farmers Market <br />-Grand Vista Restaurant <br />-Garden of the West <br />-Colorado Compass Overlook <br />-Orchard Mesa Inn <br />-Highway 50 Pedestrian Crossing <br />-Hanging Gardens Promenade <br />-Grand Vista Drive <br />-Gunnison River Hike/Bike Bridge <br />-Parking <br /> <br /> <br />The Grand River Cultural Center (North bank of Colorado <br />River, east of Highway 50) <br /> <br />-Grand Junction Western Museum <br />-Museum Cafe and Souvenir Shop <br />-Grand River Outdoor Amphitheater <br />-Brontosaurus Playland <br />-Parking <br /> <br />Lake Brontosaurus State Recreation Area {North bank of <br />Colorado River, east of 5th Street} <br /> <br />-Lake Brontosaurus Swim Beach <br />-Lake Brontosaurus Camping <br />-Paw and Tail Island Fishing <br />-Lewis Nature Island <br />-Kayakanthus Boating Center <br />-Eye Island <br />-Kayakanthus Boat Chutes & Viewing Amphitheater <br />-Picnic Areas <br />-Parking <br /> <br />11 <br />