Located in the heart of downtown Auburn, the 1-7 State Street site is the location of the former Kalet’s department store. The building was demolished in 2015 creating a void in the streetscape. Through the Auburn Sparks Brownfield Opportunity Area study, a market conditions analysis was completed recommending the City develop the site as a public green or outdoor urban plaza space that allows room for arts, cultural and performance events.

Colliers Engineering & Design was hired by the City of Auburn to design the project, incorporating input from the community gathered through a series of public engagement activities. With the use of a visual preference survey and an interactive brainstorm and mapping activity, CED was able to solicit input from the community and create a series of concept plans that satisfied both the wants and needs of the public. These concept plans were presented to the public, giving the community the opportunity to vote on which concept they liked best and which amenities the design should incorporate.

Through the public engagement process, the City learned that the existing environmental conditions of the site were also an important concern of the community. As a result, our environmental specialists were contracted to conduct Phase I and Phase II Environmental Site Assessments to determine if there was contamination on the site and if any remedial activities were necessary.