An overview of the Highland master planning process

It's one of the most concentrated areas of poverty in our City and has the lowest median income of any neighborhood in Spartanburg County, all of which makes Highland the ideal place for a City intent on improving the lives of its residents to do its most impactful work. On December 7, three finalist firms competing for the opportunity to craft a redevelopment master plan for Highland gave presentations to neighborhood residents gathered at the Thornton Center. The master planning process, still very much in its early stages, will ultimately lead to a holistic blueprint for Highland's future, covering everything from housing and transportation, to education and job training programs. So what is a neighborhood master plan exactly, and how will one be developed for Highland? Moreover, once that plan is developed, what options do the City, Highland, and other community stakeholders have in implementing what will surely be a mammoth undertaking to improve the lives of some of our most needy residents? Today on the podcast, we're talking with our Neighborhood Services Director, Martin Livingston and City Planner, Natalia Rosario to get the technical details and background to help us untangle this complex issue as we embark on this long term, transformational community development journey with Highland's residents.