Junction Gateway Concept Design

In Spring 2023, the Lucas County Land Bank approached the Toledo Design Collective (TDC) to produce a collection of Conceptual Designs for the reuse of a vacant site in the Junction Community.

The site, located at the northwest corner of Collingwood Boulevard and Nebraska Avenue, is a collection of five parcels with a total land area of 0.35 acres.

The site is in a strategic location along Collingwood Boulevard (a main neighborhood thoroughfare), and is a quarter mile from the Junction’s southeast edge shared with Interstate 75. The site is also within the Junction 6-Block Area, identified in the 2017 Junction Master Plan as having “significant vacant land” and “multiple opportunities as testing grounds for development.” This 6-Block Area was also the subject of an Action Plan created in 2020 with TDC and the Junction East Side Housing Collaborative. Over 40% of all parcels within the 6-Block Area are vacant.

The goal of the design process was threefold:

1. To create a neighborhood gateway that is reflective of the Junction Community’s identity and can be seen by both pedestrians and drivers.

2. To create a low-maintenance, comfortable and passive environment for pedestrians to walk through.

3. To create a comfortable experience for TARTA riders using the existing bus stop on Nebraska Avenue.