[McKinney, TX – August 1, 2008]  One of the city’s busiest corners, Virginia Parkway and Hardin Rd., will soon boast a public space development that will redefine how neighborhood residents live, work and play; creating a gathering place where nearby neighborhoods will be able to interact, network and interrelate.

                Called The Appleseed Project, the history-making venture is a visionary endeavor which reshapes how suburban spaces are developed and used.   The project, set for construction in the first quarter of 2009 with an anticipated opening nine months after groundbreaking, encompasses a unique neighborhood center, programmed and activated in cooperation with neighborhood residents, which is specifically designed to improve the quality of life by providing patrons a true public place for mingling, interacting, connecting and relaxing. 

                 The center is a result of an aggregation of best practices of neighborhoods from around the world and The Appleseed Project has worked with local neighborhood residents and professional public place advocates to bring the world-class neighborhood center to fruition, all while also offering dining, shopping, and office availability.

                The integrated, pedestrian-friendly, vibrant, development hub containing small, local retailers, themed restaurants, and incubation-style offices with storing capability will be simple in design, yet striking in its impact.  The project’s highlight is the lively central public area that serves as the neighborhood’s town square.

                Every effort has been made to develop the property with a simple elegance, according to Brett Sheldon, president of the project and one of the project’s lead designers.  “We’ve designed the space to give the surrounding neighborhood a place to grow, connect and have an impact on their experience,” he said.

                Indeed, a significant amount of planning has gone into the development to assure that the local preferences of the community have been taken into consideration, added Sheldon. 

                The project is being developed in collaboration with the Project for Public Spaces, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping people create and sustain public spaces that build stronger communities. Founded in 1975, PPS embraces the insights of William (Holly) Whyte, a pioneer in understanding the way people use public spaces. Today, PPS has become an internationally recognized center for best-practices, information, and resources about Placemaking.

                “McKinney’s Appleseed Project is all about helping people reconnect with their surroundings, with each other, and with local merchants.  Staying close to home, driving less and living more are the cornerstones of the project,” explained Sheldon.

                Establishing such close, locally-based connections takes on even greater importance because of the ever-rising costs associated with driving, such as gasoline, tolls, parking and vehicle maintenance.

                Making those connections easier, encouraging the neighborhood to grow as a vibrant, alive community and having a positive impact on the lives of the users, the lives of their neighbors, and ultimately the life of the neighborhood are the bedrock goals of the project.

                “While the development hub will make it easier to eat together and shop together, and perhaps even work together, the real value lies in its ability, through the public space, to allow neighbors to live life together.  We envision a place where families and friends know each other, will come to spend their evenings safely, where colleagues will gather to strategize, where friends will establish new traditions, where the lifeblood of the community flows freely,” said Sheldon.

                The site has presented the project designers some out-of-the-ordinary challenges.  The south and east boundaries abut a floodplain, and the site has a natural cantilever downward from the corner.  The topography, however, has given the designers an opportunity to develop multi-level spaces with unusual sightlines and exceptional entry and egress patterns.

                Interestingly, the surrounding natural state has also played an important role in the project’s design elements.  While there will be simplicity built in, the dominant colors will be complementary to the existing foliage and flora.  High quality wood, steel and aluminum will dominate, giving patrons a feeling of being within the environment in an unobtrusive way.  Other design aspects will include movable planter boxes, ivy-covered latticework and growth grids throughout.

                The project will be fully LEED certified and will utilize natural light, sun-dappled walkways and open-air café style seating. 

                “Our hope is that people in the neighborhood see the Appleseed as an extension of their own backyard.  We’ll have safe play areas where families can relax, plenty of green space, exhibit areas for art and music, and lots of what we anticipate will be comfortable areas where people can personalize the space to their own particular needs and preferences,” added Sheldon.

                A neighborhood meeting designed to both impart information on the project and to gather additional feedback from the local area is scheduled for Tuesday, August 12, 2008 at the Wesley United Methodist Church, 2705 Virginia Parkway, just east of the target site.  The meeting will bring together residents, city officials, business owners with members of the design, architectural and concept team to exchange information, answer questions and obtain opinions on the plans.   The meeting will kick off with refreshments at 6:30 and the information-sharing at 7 p.m.  

                “Anyone and everyone who is interested in creating a better neighborhood life experience for the area should attend,” concluded Sheldon.

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