Site Master Planning/Feasibility Studies

Every site has potential. Achieving it requires a plan that accounts for existing conditions, stakeholder priorities, budget realities, and long-term phasing. DLZ leads site master planning and feasibility studies for parks, public facilities, justice and correctional facilities, and public safety projects, providing the structured thinking clients need to move from vision to action.

Feasibility studies and master plans both give organizations a clearer picture of what’s possible. A master plan builds consensus and creates a concept plan that serves as a framework for phased development. Both examine site constraints, utility access, soils, programming needs, and consider client budgets to determine whether a project is viable before significant resources are committed. DLZ brings design creativity and expertise to both, so clients get answers they can act on.

Featured Capabilities

Inventory & Analysis

Understanding a site starts with knowing what’s there. DLZ conducts comprehensive evaluations of existing conditions — topography, vegetation, soils, utilities, access, and surrounding context — to identify opportunities and constraints that will shape the design.

Programming

Before design begins, the right questions have to be answered. DLZ works with clients to identify user needs, desired activities, spatial requirements, and operational considerations, building a clear program that guides decision-making and keeps the final plan aligned with project goals.

Concept Development

With site analysis and programming in hand, DLZ develops conceptual plans and supporting imagery that explore circulation, land use, amenities, and key relationships between elements. Concepts are evaluated and refined until a clear design direction emerges, one that responds to site conditions, stakeholder input, and project objectives

Public Outreach

Community input shapes better outcomes. DLZ facilitates public outreach processes that inform stakeholders about the project, gather meaningful input on needs and priorities, and build the consensus that keeps projects moving forward.

Budget Development

Good plans have to be buildable at realistic costs. DLZ develops planning-level cost estimates using recently bid work and current industry data, giving clients a grounded understanding of what improvements will actually require in today’s market.

Phasing Recommendations

Few projects are built all at once. DLZ evaluates proposed improvements for logical phasing that accounts for constructability, budget constraints, and timing, so clients can move forward incrementally without losing sight of the long-term vision.

Related Work

Monroe County Sheriff’s Office and Jail and Justice Center Master Plan

Bloomington

, Indiana

Youth Sports Complex Master Plan

Portage

, Indiana

Toll Road Feasibility Study

Elkhart

, Indiana

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