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Cascade Village
Akron Metropolitan Housing Authority
Elizabeth Park was a neglected public housing complex in the low-income neighborhood of North Hills, and along Howard Street, a once thriving African American cultural district. Through a weeklong public design charrette, Design Collective helped residents plan a new mixed-income neighborhood, a revitalized Howard Street, and new trails and greenways to link to nearby amenities.
The master plan follows the principles New Urbanism, and includes a diversity of housing types, market-rate and affordable, and both rental and for-sale. New retail, mixed-use, a new school, ball fields, community center, daycare, and medical offices were identified along Howard Street to serve as catalysts for corridor revitalization. Now called Cascade Village, the project has won a Housing Heroes Award, a Smart Growth Award, and a Community Impact Award.