On June 22, Plan NH announced the Merit Awards of Excellence winners for 2022, including two projects from Lebanon: “Visions Green Street” and the “Lebanon Downtown Tunnel Project”. The Merit Award winners “represent outstanding projects that incorporate good planning, design, and/or development and have had a positive impact on their respective communities.”
“Visions Green Street” was developed by Visions for Creative Housing Solutions, based in Enfield, NH, whose mission is to provide residential options, services and support designed to meet the needs of adults with developmental disabilities and similar disabling conditions. The renovation of the Green Street property to create much needed housing for developmentally challenged adults hit at the heart of the organization’s mission. Among the comments from the jury: “This project gets a ‘10’ for social and inclusivity. There is a huge need for this type of housing in our communities.”
The “Lebanon Downtown Tunnel Project” is one of the significant outcomes of the 2016 Downtown Vision Plan and Tunnel Assessment report, which identified the rehabilitation of the former railroad tunnel as a key priority for improving pedestrian and bicyclist mobility and access in and around downtown. The project also restored and revitalized the pedestrian plaza above the tunnel and the adjacent parking lot. The resulting tunnel and plaza improvements contribute toward a more vibrant and safer downtown and will support the quality of life and economic vitality in the City for generations.
Plan NH’s mission is foster excellence in planning, design, and development of New Hampshire’s built environment by sharing information and inspiration for how community design and the built environment can contribute positively to where we live, work, and play. For more information on the Lebanon projects and other Merit Award winners, visit PlanNH.org.