Tiffin Page 1


	Tiffin's 175 year-old Fort Ball Neighborhood has, within its 110 acres, all of the valued components of a traditional community as extolled by New Urbanism. It is in fact a people-oriented community, located along the Miami River, that contains a diverse mix of housing, employment, education (Tiffin University and St. Mary's School) and cultural (Seneca County Glass Museum) opportunities within a short walk from downtown Tiffin. In the mid-1990's, the worn out street corridor infrastructure, neglected riverfront space, and abandoned railroad buildings presented a negative image that compromised the neighborhood's quality of life and economic development potential. Local leaders engaged E. G. & G., Inc. to prepare a master plan. The master plan, developed with neighborhood input, provided for phased implementation of capital improvements as the first priority. The major design objective was to recreate a quality environment conducive to reinvestment in the neighborhood's many residential, business and cultural assets. The primary purpose was to breathe life and economic viability back into Fort Ball by enhancing the basic fabric and inherent qualitites that make it a special place.

Upon adoption of the master plan by the City, E. G. & G., Inc. provided further services (design, engineering and construction administration) to enable implementation of the priority capital improvement projects: 1) streetscape improvements for the two defining neighborhood traffic corridors (Sandusky Street and Frost Parkway), and 2) riverfront park and promenade.

The master plan and the initial two phases of capital improvements have helped the entire community to experience the revitalization of Fort Ball. It is proudly talked about and recognized as a special place. Tiffin University and St. Mary's School have both seen increased enrollments, and the growing desirability of the neighborhood is reflected by the increase in primary home ownership.


E. G. & G. Inc.
Landscape Architecture · Planning · Engineering 388 S. Main Street, Suite 301, Akron, Ohio 44311	Page 1 Page 2 Page 3