Grimske Thesis by Dominic Grimske

The Downtown

Connection

Undergraduate Landscape Architecture Comprehensive Project

The Downtown Connection: Designing a downtown for Elkhart Indiana

LA 404 Comprehensive Project Dominic Grimske

In fulfillment of completion of Bachelors Degree in Landscape Architecture, Spring 2015

Advisor: Professor Meg Calkins Professors: Martha Hunt & John Motloch

Ball State University College of Architecture & Planning Department of Landscape Architecture Muncie, Indiana

Executive Summary

This comprehensive project examines the development of connections between a failing downtown and a newly developed riverwalk in the heart of Elkhart, Indiana. The economic recession, urban sprawl, and loss of cultural identity has greatly reduced the pedestrian flow in the downtown area. The heart of Elkhart is used to transport vehicles as quickly as possible. This strategy deprives the downtown area because the vehicular right of way consumes the pedestrian right of way. Overall, the downtown of Elkhart has been forgotten due to vehicular circulation. This comprehensive project explores the connection from the newly developed riverwalk to the deprived Main Street in downtown Elkhart. This downtown development is intended to attract people to the downtown area and increase the economic status, quality of life, and cultural identity. The newly developed riverwalk interacts with Main Street to increase the connectivity throughout the city of Elkhart. The riverwalk connection and downtown area thrive in this design and the design process can guide other small town design frameworks.

Executive Summary

Table Of Contents

Executive Summary ........................................... 4 Table of Contents............................................... 6 Introduction ...................................................... 8 Project Statement ....................................... 10 Goals & Objectives ...................................... 10 Design Significance ..................................... 12 Site Location............................................... 14 Site Issues ................................................. 16 Background Knowledge .................................... 18 Streetscape Design...................................... 19 Riverfront Connection .................................. 24 Cultural Identity .......................................... 27 Case Studies ............................................... 30 Greensburg Main Street ....................... 32 Battery Park ....................................... 34 Bell Street Park .................................. 36 Design Process ................................................. 38 Site Selection ............................................. 39 Goals & Objectives ...................................... 40 Program ..................................................... 41 Site Inventory............................................. 42 Site Analysis ............................................... 48 Connective Concept ..................................... 50 Character Sketches ..................................... 52 District Plan ................................................ 56 A&E District ................................................ 58 Business District ......................................... 66 Riverwalk District ........................................ 74 Garden District ........................................... 78 Conclusion ........................................................ 86 Appendices ....................................................... 88 Appendix I: Runoff Calculations .................... 89 Appendix II: Planting Palette ........................ 92 Appendix III: Design Schedule ...................... 94 References........................................................ 96

Table of Contents

Introduction

â&#x20AC;&#x153;One Day history will tell a story of a city that invested in its future, a city that moved forward with an identity for its community.â&#x20AC;? Thomas Balsley, Design Strategies for Urban Parks

This quote hints at the loss of community identity in the modern era, and Thomas Balsley believes change is essential for downtown environments. This comprehensive project reintroduces Elkhart to its cultural identity, through streetscape design and a riverwalk connection that aims to reduce the 80% business failure rate on Main Street. The proposed solutions shed light upon the key areas in which the downtown can improve to obtain their cultural identity. As Thomas Balsley discussed, our identity is what makes us different from each other. The proposed downtown master plan includes adding recreation, education, historic materials, expansion of pedestrian right-of-way by 50%, reduction of vehicular right-of-way by 25%, adding over 179,000 sq. ft. of urban rain gardens, and 500 street trees in the arts and entertainment district, business district, riverwalk district, and the garden district to revive the cultural identity of Elkhart. The final proposal revives the cultural identity, and increases economic value, and quality of life for the City of Elkhart.

Introduction

Goal I: Revitalize cultural identity in Elkhart.

Project Statement

Objective: Provide connection of cultural trail through business district Objective: Provide educational spaces throughout the trail Objective: Utilize cultural significant materials Goal II: Create a vibrant streetscape that promotes the dow ntow n. Objective: Provide optimal pedestrian space along Main Street Objective: Reduce vehicular R.O.W. Objective: increase plantings along Main Street Goal III: Connect riverw alk to M ain Street and enhance pedestrian circulation throughout downtown

The intent of this project is to revitalize the cultural identity in the Objective: Provide multiple entrances to the riverwalk from Main Street downtown realm of Elkhart, Indiana, Objective: Create green pedestrian roads to the entrances of riverwalk by implementing modern Objective: Fully develop west bank of the Elkhart River streetscapes, riverwalk access, and a transitional park space. This Goal IV: Unite the riverw alk w ith existing park spaces development is intended to attract Objective: Provide park space along the riverwalk people to the downtown area and Objective: Connect Wellfield Botanical Garden to park system increase the economic status, quality Objective: Utilize existing pedestrian routes though park system of life, and the cultural identity. The newly developed riverwalk coexists Goal V: P romote local economy, especially that of the dow ntow n. with Main Street to increase circulation throughout the city of Objective: create ample space along Main Street for community activities Elkhart. The following goals were Objective: repurpose abandoned buildings to enhance visual quality established to help the design of Main Objective: Utilize signage to promote the downtown experience Street and the riverwalk connections:

Elkhart Jazz Festival The annual Jazz Festival brings in people from all over the United States. However this festival is the only time downtown is utilized by locals.

Introduction

Design Significance

The urban sprawl of Elkhart, Indiana, has resulted in a poverty-stricken downtown area that has lost its cultural identity. Nearly, eighty percent of the new businesses in Elkhart fail each year. (Wagner 2013) This project intends to create a pedestrian connection that revitalizes Elkhartâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cultural identity and enhance the economic opportunities for local businesses. The new connections from the riverwalk to Main Street allows Elkhart residents to experience the history of Elkhart while walking both Main Street and the riverwalk creating a more attractive downtown, resulting in the increase of economic opportunities. This design strives to reduce the failure of new businesses to under fifty percent, by introducing a vibrant authentic downtown experience, by expanding the

pedestrian right-of-way by fifty percent, reducing the vehicular right-of-way by twenty-five percent, adding over 179,000 sq. ft. of urban rain gardens, and 500 street trees in the arts and entertainment district, business district, riverwalk district, and the garden district Overall, this project could become a major influence for connecting local riverwalks to downtown environments across the nation.

Lerner Theatre The newly renovated theatre creates a strong attraction

Central Park The only green space in downtown Elkhart.

Design Impact Proposed district impact after design.

Civic Plaza Located in the heart of downtown this plaza is transformed into a bandstand for the annual Elkhart Jazz Festival.

Ruthmere Mansion Tucked away in the historic neighborhood located on the north side of downtown, lays the Ruthmere Mansion one of Elkhartâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s last original home.

Introduction

Site Location

perpendicular to the St. Joseph River, creating a unique opportunity to unite the highly developed riverwalk and surrounding commercial areas. Sections along the street have undeveloped space that could lead to promising connections to the riverwalk. The primary portion of the design focuses on the streetscape of Main Street. The secondary portion of the design addresses the transition

from Main Street to the entrance of the riverwalk. The tertiary portion focuses on connecting Main Street to other sections of the riverwalk, creating an increase in downtown circulation. This results in an increase of local economy and quality of life in the City of Elkhart.

Located in the north central region of Indiana, the City of Elkhart has evolved around industrial business, railways, and music. The current population at just over 50,000 people has recently seen a drastic drop in employment. The amount of abandoned homes, failing businesses, and decaying infrastructure has rocked this community to their core. The focus of this research project addresses Main Street and the connection it has with the riverwalk. The design runs roughly the length of South Main Street, 1-mile in length, and along the existing riverwalk. The site located in the heart of downtown Elkhart is roughly 100 acres and has been chosen because of the proximity to the Elkhart riverwalk. The current South Main Street runs parallel to the Elkhart River and 14

Elkhart Located in North Central Indiana.

Site Location The St. Joseph River intersect the Elkhart River in the heart of downtown.

Site Border The site contains the Arts & Entertainment District, Business District, Riverwalk District, and Garden District within a 1.5 mile stretch along Main Street.

Scale 1â&#x20AC;?=400â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Introduction

excessive parking. The infrastructure is in disrepair, and little is done to fix it. The downtown needs new facades, repaired sidewalks along with a better

Site Issues

parking system.

Lack of Connection Abandoned Buildings

Elkhart has a luscious park system

Loss of Cultural Identity

different. They have no connection to

that runs throughout the city, but it

culture or the different districts.

has no connection to the districts or

Overall, the downtown has no chance

the newly developed riverwalk. The

Downtown Elkhart was once a beautiful industrial city that produced

of change if the cultural identity is not three connections that need to be made to the downtown are the park reborn.

music, art, and life. Over the years

Elkhart continued to lose their cultural

system, riverwalk trails, and the

identity, until it practically vanished. The downtown is split between four districts, arts and entertainment, business, riverwalk, and garden. These districts could not be more

Failing Facades 16

Failing Infrastructure C

districts themselves. Intertwining these extensive systems that promote

The common view in downtown

local business, the downtown, and

Elkhart is decaying buildings and

quality of life within Elkhart.

Riverwalk Entrance

Riverwalk

Park

public.

The park system is the

Districts

strongest attraction in the

The districts are not only

downtown area, because it

Client/Users

culturally irrelevant, but they all

creates an oasis from the

have completely different

commercialized Main Street.

themes that have no transition

However, this park system has

from district to district. The arts

never been utilized to its fullest

and entertainment district has

potential because there are no

Car Dominant

the most potential because of

connections to the downtown.

the historic buildings and

People would never know the

possible connections to the

street parking leaving just a few feet

riverwalk and park system. On

for pedestrians and local store fronts.

the opposite end of the

Building edge to building edge the

spectrum the business district

public R.O.W. is seventy five feet, the

Riverwalk

has no life because it is an

vehicular R.O.W. takes up sixty eight

The recently constructed

ocean of concrete. 80% of the

feet of that. The biggest site issue lies

businesses that go into the

within the vehicular R.O.W. The

downtown fail within the first

downtown suffers because there are

three years.

little to no pedestrian spaces

parks existed if they didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t physically walk through green space.

riverwalk has been lackluster at best, the trail system has only been developed one side of the

available.

river due to political views. It has been publicly scrutinized because very little access connects the riverwalk to the

Lack of Pedestrian Space C

The excessive amount of lanes

downtown. Overall, the

transporting cars through the

riverwalk has outstanding

downtown completely kills the pedes-

potential, but fails miserably

trians comfort zone. Main Street

due to little exposure to the

varies from 4 to 6 lanes including on Introduction

Background Knowledge

Introduction C

Small cities Main Streets throughout the US have been abandoned in the modern era. As people spread away from the downtown realm and into the suburban area these streets become economically depressed and desolate. These conditions make for an unwanted environment, which leads to failing businesses, crime, and the loss of cultural identity. Looking into the future, landscape design can bring these Main Streets back to their thriving selves. The question becomes how to plan and design these vital streetscapes to revive the cultural identity and increase economic value? This literature review attempts to address the problem with small city Main Streets by reviewing literature on streetscape design, local riverfront access, and cultural identity in order to revitalize the downtown realm.

Streetscape Design The streetscape involves visual quality, accessibility, function of the street, value of storefronts, and pedestrian flow. These key factors make up a desirable streetscape that can increase the economic value. The following information describes the

design information for successful streetscapes, along with the design process on countless case studies. The literature has displayed multiple key features which are open spaces, circulation, plantings, and lighting that constructs a vision for future street design. Open Spaces In the early 2010â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Christian Uffelen ,Ilse Helbrecht, and Kheir Kodmany theorized plazas around the world. Street plazas are outlined by building and street edges. These plazas play a key role in streetscape design. They are permanent structures that allow people to stay on the street, but feel set back from all the commotion. (Uffelen 2013, Helbrecht 2011, Kodmany 2013) If these plazas are poorly designed they can become vacant spaces but if they are successful many people can utilize the space for a wide variety of reasons like, eating lunch, destination spot, or seating. Designers orient the plazas away from the sun to provide a cooler environment during the day. (Uffelen 2013) This also prevents winter winds from deterring people from using the plaza during colder months. There are thousands of examples of plazas around the world, one thing they all have in

Plaza Space This large plaza, located in San Antonio, Texas, combines seating and shade to accomidate the pedestrian.

common is seatabililty. Public plazas in Seattle, Washington, create opportunities for pedestrians to sit and stay in the downtown realm longer. (Gehl Architects 2014) This prompts other pedestrians to linger around these spaces increasing the time and money they spend in the area. These spaces can drastically alter the economic value in the area. Throughout the 2000â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s StudioINSITE and Peter Bosselmann recorded and implemented courtyards around the United States. The Background Knowledge

presence of courtyards have been around for centuries. These spaces are defined by building edges just like plazas, but courtyards are drastically smaller and more secluded from the street. This results in a more intimate space. Courtyards can be public or privately owned, either way they are both important along a street. Just like the plaza the courtyards are utilized by passing by pedestrians looking for a place to sit and enjoy the environment. (StudioINSITE 2011, Bosselmann 1999) Although they are similar to plazas they completely seclude the pedestrian from the street, creating a completely new environment. These spaces vary in size, but usually have some type of

water feature to sooth people. (Ozkose 2007) Cedar Street Courtyard, located in Austin Texas, utilizes the space by combining the cities nightlife and musical performances. (Cedar Street Courtyard 2012) The intimate space combined with access to the street creates a very popular area for pedestrians. This makes for a unique experience along the street, drawing people into the space. Mike Zahler, author of

Rekindling Main Street, focuses on spaces that create opportunities for failing Main Streets. One of the spaces was Green Pockets, which are very similar to courtyards, but they do not have to be outlined by buildings. Many green pockets can be very relaxing and a great place for pedestrians to rest. (Zahler 2007) Designers utilize green pockets to help break up the

Cedar Street Courtyard

Bristol University

This large courtyard, located in Austin, Texas, transforms into a concert hall after the coffee shop closes.

This green space is bordered by building edges to create a hard edge around the park.

Paley Park This pocket park creates an oasis from the street in the heart of New York City.

monotony of building facades. The main uses for these pockets are for pedestrians looking for a place to sit and escape the street. Pedestrians that leave the street don’t spend any money in the local businesses, but if these pockets are developed many pedestrians stay longer and can be more inclined to spend money increasing the local economy. Green pockets can be anywhere from the to fifty feet wide by however much space is left over. (Zahler 2007) A project in the Netherlands, Het Groene Dak, is a perfect example of a green pocket. The project not only utilizes the space for pedestrian use, it filters the streets runoff through the plant material located in the space. (Beatley 2009) Lisa Speckhardt, a featured writer in Landscape Architecture Magazine, recently wrote about a new

type of public space being built in street parking spaces. Parklets are a newly developed strategy for keeping people on the street. They temporary structures are built in parking spots along the road. They offer seating and a buffer between cars and pedestrians. They can be quickly built and removed whenever necessary. (Speckhart 2012 a) They are built in a 9’x18’ parking spot. The parklets can be made from numerous materials, it just depends on the installer. “The value of something like a parklet is in places where there exists a mundane everyday social life that has not been validated by the presence of inviting

spaces.” (Speckhart 2012 a) These temporary spaces create an inviting accommodation that keep people on the street and willing to come back. Seattle has devoted time and energy into parklets. They have a mix of temporary and permanent structures. They have parklets with plants to buffer pedestrians from vehicles, and parklets that have café seating to accommodate pedestrians. (Seattle DOT 2014) Circulation Eric Dumbaugh, author of Safe Streets, Livable Streets, displayed pedestrian circulation issues within

Parklets This parklet creates a buffer from the street by adding plan material and seating.

Background Knowledge

downtown areas. Pedestrian circulation is critical in reviving economic values along Main Streets. Allowing pedestrians to move freely along sidewalks makes people more comfortable along streets. (Dumbaugh 2005) In 2003 Janett Attarian, author of Streetscape Guidelines for the city of Chicago, 10â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Sidewalk Widths

restaurant space, and tree grates. The Pike Pine streetscape, located in Seattle, project utilized ten-foot wide sidewalks with space for tree grates and pop up shops along the street. (GGN 2013) This project utilized the space they had by making driving lanes smaller while giving more room to the pedestrian. The added space allowed for a newly developed bike lane, which increased the amount of access to the project site. These new bike lanes created an added element to the project. The four to five foot bike lanes produce a better circulation system for the downtown area of Seattle. The new circulation system can increase the economic value of the area.

In 2006 John Edwards, author of The Main Street Parking Initiative, keyed in on the importance of vehicular circulation. Vehicular lanes are very important because they draw in more site visitors from further determined the average street distances. These vehicles need sidewalk is between six to fifteen feet, enough space to make the driver feel but the most comfortable for a comfortable, but not enough space to pedestrian is closer to ten feet. make the driver speed through the (Attarian 2003) This space allows area. Shrinking the drive lanes from enough room for movement along the the average twelve feet to eleven, or sidewalk, but doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t make the ten feet makes a driver more aware of pedestrian feel overwhelmed. This their surroundings while slowing the sidewalk can be paired with other vehicle down. (Edwards 2006) When features such as seating, outdoor 22

traffic is slower pedestrians feel safer. There are multiple ways to shrink the street. The first, shrinking the traffic lane, which has been discussed above. The second, creating pockets of parking on the street. This technique creates sections that move in towards the sidewalk designated for parking. These lanes are usually nine feet wide, and eighteen feet long. The parking lane turns back into sidewalk or a planted buffer. These bump outs create a widening and narrowing effect on the passing by cars. Battery Park, located in New York, creates this affect along the street to slow traffic down. (Rogers Marvel Architects 2005) This project focused on creating a calming effect on traffic to make the space feel more comfortable. Plantings The firm BNIM, an architectural studio, won an ASLA award for designing the streetscape in Greensburg, Kansas. BNIM discovered plantings along the streets have three common areas, which are medians, buffers, and tree grates. All three areas create a soothing feeling for both pedestrians and vehicles. Each planting feature has a different dimension, but each feature has to be at least four feet by four feet in order for a tree to grow properly. (BNIM

Greensburg Streetscape The city of Greensburg, Kansas had to completely redesign their streetscape after an F-5 tornado destroyed their town.

successful because they used the plantings to reduce the road and focus on the pedestrian experience. The town saw an increase in business and they choose low maintenance plantings in the buffers to create less work for the town. (BNIM 2014) Lighting

In 1996 Kate Painter, author of The Influence of Street Lighting Improvements on Crime, Fear, and Pedestrian Street Use, after Dark, studied the effects of street lighting on three separate streets. Street lighting is a crucial component for streetscapes. The lighting aspect not only makes people feel more secure

2014) Smaller plants can usually grow in three feet of space. These plantings can greatly reduce the street width. The city of Greensburg, Kansas planned to narrow their streets by placing plant buffers between the sidewalks and the street. These plantings not only created a more attractive downtown, but they also united the community and created a space where people wanted to visit. Overall, the project was extremely

during the darker hours, but it allows businesses to stay open later while still bringing people into their business. (Painter 1996) A study was done that showed the difference when streetlight is on versus off. Kate Painter, director of the study, monitored multiple streets while streetlights where on and off. Painter discovered crime reduced drastically when street lights where on, and people where out later on the streets because they felt safe. Streetlights are designed to keep the street well lit. The average Main Street lights are placed every fifty feet and stand thirteen feet tall. (PPS 2014) This can change on the amount of traffic in the

Syracuse Lighting This award winning design utilized multiple sources of light to create a secure area at night. Background Knowledge

area. Streetlights can be designed to include the character of the area to develop a stronger theme. A design project in Syracuse, New York, created a streetscape for both day and night activities. The designer, Daniel Jost, created a pedestrian street that utilized day and night. The lighting design used multiple sources of light such as light posts, in ground lighting, and reflective surfaces to increase the lights effectiveness. (Jost 2013) The added lighting increased the nightlife, which increased the local economy. The more time pedestrians spend on site the more money they are willing to spend.

Riverfront Connection A downtown that can utilize a waterfront has a tremendous opportunity to increase economic values. The downtown area can transform their environment while creating a new pedestrian circulation system to the city. There are multiple factors that create successful connections to Main Street. The following literature has displayed these factors in great detail. The factors include access to the riverfront, circulation to and from the riverfront, transitions to Main Street, 24

and community involvement. These main factors can create a unique opportunity for any city that has waterfront property.

an effect on the pedestrian. A waterfront in Wilmington, California used lighting to protect and draw pedestrians into the space. (Speckhart 2012 b) They utilized pedestrian lighting every fifty feet to Access provide adequate light for security. In 1998 David Wallace, author This project developed a new entrance to an existing park along the of Riverfront Reborn, discussed the numerous benefits directly related to waterfront. These new entrances waterfront access. Access to and from provided access from multiple locations along the waterfront. By a waterfront becomes extremely adding new entrances more crucial in the design process. It becomes even more crucial when the pedestrians felt inclined to utilize the new access points to the water. waterfront has already been Another project located in White developed and it just needs to be connected to Main Street. The access Plains, New York utilized parking along the entrance. (Spano 2004) to the waterfront comes down to the This allowed people to drive right up entrance. The pedestrian must feel to the entrance and unload their bikes like they have passed through a gateway entering onto the waterfront. or supplies instead of carrying them down the long road. Parking along the (Wallace 1998) Everything from the entrance is fine as long as the parking material of the seating, lighting, and pavement must be designed to create lot doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t overwhelm the entrance. If it does the entrance loses its value and seems insignificant. Circulation

River Front Access

David Wallace also mentioned several aspects relating with pedestrian circulation. Pedestrian circulation to and from the waterfront is extremely important. The transition creates a unique opportunity to draw pedestrians into the space from

around the downtown area. Adequate space must be given to the pedestrian in order for the circulation system to be successful. If this circulation system is for the pedestrian it must be at least six feet wide. (Wallace 1998) There is max width because it depends on the area where the project goes in, but Wallace thinks pedestrian paths that are less than 15 feet become more intimate and create a more significant experience for the visitor. Bell Street, located in Seattle, Washington, utilized ten foot sidewalks along a street leading to the waterfront. They used curbless sidewalks in order to make the space more pedestrian friendly. The street has the opportunity to become solely

for the pedestrian. (SvR 2014) This type of design could be useful in this research project. By creating an option between a traditional street and a pedestrian street the space can be completely transformed within minutes. The street can be blocked off by bollards creating a barrier between the waterfront and the rest of the vehicular system, making the entire road for the pedestrian. SvR, a design firm in Seattle, Washington, focuses on creating two separate zones along the street. Vehicular circulation along the street to and from the waterfront is important, but it can be blocked when necessary. (SvR 2014) However, it is an opportunity to create overflow

Bell Street Corridor This corridor connects the waterfront to the downtown environment in Seattle, Washington.

Bell Street Bell Street utilized curbless R.O.W. in order to create a more pedestrian friendly street.

parking closer to the waterfront. (Balsley 2010) Balsley discussed several projects that utilized vehicular circulation around urban parks leading to public waterfronts. The projects Balsley discussed utilized pockets of parking along the parks edge. These projects allow people to park just outside of the park that takes them to the Main Street or waterfront. The spaces can be turned into pop up stands on certain days during the week. Some of the cities that they are in have weekly farmer markets that close down the streets for the pedestrian. This allows the parking spaces to be utilized as storefronts for vendors. Park Transition Greg Cranz, author of Defining the Sustainable Park: A Fifth Model for Urban Parks, focused on the key Background Knowledge

over an existing underground parking garage. This project utilized lighting to increase pedestrian comfort levels. Smaller light posts were installed every twenty-five feet in order to illuminate the entire park at any hour of the night. The newly developed park increase property value and the local economy. Local restaurants and coffee shops saw an increase in business since the project was constructed. This can be very helpful with this research project because the decreasing property value and local business needs something to revive their levels. This type of connection could be just the right idea. Community Involvement Post Office Square This abandoned corner lot was transformed into a city park to engage the pedestrian in Boston, Massachusetts.

elements in park transitions. Many modern projects with access to waterfront property connect the waterfront to the downtown area with an urban park. These urban parks can break the monotony of building facades in a downtown area. It also gives the added benefit of connecting the waterfront to the downtown through green space, which increases retail value. (Cranz 2004) In many cases designers took the opportunity 26

to connect the two areas with whatever open space existed. (LAM Staff 2014) A project in Boston south of the Charles River utilized a portion of the street that had been neglected for years. The design team decided to simply create a basic lawn with outlaying trees. This park became an instant success because people now had access to green space and safe passage through some of the city. (LAM Staff 2014) The park was built

Katarina Katsma, author of What We Want From Cities, provided a clear cut survey to identify the needs of the community. Community involvement is a driving factor in Community Involvement Creating environments for the citizens by the citizens.

developing waterfronts. Without the communities support waterfront projects may never be developed. A survey done on 1,000 people showed forty seven percent of people want some type of waterfront connection and nearly all of the participants wanted some type of involvement in the design process. (Katsma 2014) In 1997 Jeff brown related the same ideas with a Detroit riverfront project. When designers in Detroit involved the community they gathered brilliant ideas for themes of the riverfront and several more ideas on possible connecting points. (Brown 1997) Involving the community can build anticipation for a project and create a buzz for the future area. This helps keep people excited about an area being developed, and when it is finally built pedestrians come from miles around to enjoy the newly built spaces. The community involvement can take form in multiple ways such as surveys, workshops, meetings, and charrettes. All of these ideas activate the community and create trust between the designers and citizens. This can be utilized in this study because many citizens are reluctant to see such expansive projects in their small cities. (Sanoff 2005) In the end design teams have to be able to reach the community and develop a sense

of trust to make their projects a include the history of the area, native success, without trust the project may materials, and management of the never get built. site once the designing is complete. These factors can revitalize a town by bringing back the cultural identity that used to make the town unique. Cultural Identity Every town and every city in the world has a different identity. This identity can come from the cultural history of the area. A city that embraces their cultural identity can create a very unique experience for site visitors. Users can experience the area through multiple facets such as building facades, signage, and historic landmarks. These facets can draw pedestrians in and entertain them with culture. However, many towns have lost site of their cultural identities and need designers to help bring it back. The following literature has displayed multiple ways to revive the cultural identity. The factors Cultural Trails

History The history of a site is extremely important to reviving a cultural identity. However, it may be more important to know more about the surrounding areas history than just the site. History can shed light upon certain aspects of the townâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s identity that has been neglected over the years. (Calcatinge 2012) Alexandru Calcatinge discusses the value of these landscapes, and how they must be revived in order for the past to live. The cultural identity is much too important to let go, it provides clear views into the past. Cultural identity can be brought back in many ways. A cultural project close to Savannah, Georgia, keyed in on a large property to help save the declining cultural aspect. The designers decided to create and educational aspect to the design. This would enlightened site visitors and provide opportunities for teaching Background Knowledge

moments with surrounding schools. (Ryals 2010) The overall project was a success because it not only saved the cultural identity it explained it to site visitors while boosting the local economy. This project can show other towns how to protect their identity while creating learning opportunities for site visitors. Materials Materials are a key to reviving cultural identity. These materials include pavement, signage, and building facades. These materials must be designed down to the human scale in order for the pedestrian to visualize the culture. (Childs 2010) Mark Childs explains how these districts must be vibrant in order to revive the cultural identity. The biggest step he took while designing small town was building facades. The facades must be updated to look as they did when the town was booming. The next was street amenities, these amenities allow people to visualize the area with respects to cultural identity. Many of the amenities Childs designed were elements from the past with a modern flair. Childs would take a light post and model it after something from the time era of the town and put 28

a modern spin on it. This would bring light to the past while giving it new life. The newly designed, and currently under construction, Chicago Riverwalk utilized materials from the iconic cities past. (Sasaki 2014) Sasaki Associates designed the riverwalk almost like a timeline of Chicagoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s past. They started with the marshy lands of Chicago before development to the highly developed

town it is now. This city might be much larger than other cities around the US, but the design process stays the same. The only thing that changes is the history of the area. Once the history has been established the project can start taking shape. Management

Any city that has a rich cultural identity has a strategic management

Proper Maintenance Maintenance is key to keep a cultural landscape thriving.

plan. That plan designates when materials are cleaned and updated, when plantings are installed, and what kinds of activities are scheduled for the area. (Cannady 2013) Many people think that cultural landscapes take place on large scale areas, but Shelley Cannady thinks otherwise. Cannady believes that every space even the small ones must be planned to incorporate the cultural identity. Cannady does this by rekindling the facades of the buildings. This provides a more vibrant streetscape. The next step is cleaning and redoing the pavement designs. This cleans up the streetscape and creates a clean look. Next, is developing a plan that keeps the city on schedule for clean ups and facelifts. A small design firm tried to update the downtown realm of Elkhart, Indiana, but they failed because they didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have a strategic plan to maintain their design. (Cripe Design 2013) Cripe Design planned a new Main Street and waterfront for the small town, but when they pitched their idea the city did not select their design. They fell short on rekindling the cultural identity of the town. This can be used to further the research on the town and develop a better plan to improve the cultural identity.

Conclusion

comprehensive project. Overall, the literature left no gaps in developing This literature review focused on the downtown master plan in Elkhart, three main topics, which are Indiana. streetscape design, riverfront connections to Main Street, and cultural identity. These three topics can drastically alter the economic value of the local area, while improving the overall aesthetic. The streetscape design focuses on the pedestrian and vehicular realm. Each realm has different elements such as lighting, spacing, and open spaces. These elements can make or break how the public experiences the street. The riverfront connections can break up the monotony of the streetscape with added greenery. The urban park seems to be the best route to develop a transition from Main Street to the waterfront. This transition can lead to improved economic values. Bringing back towns cultural identity can drastically improve the overall experience within the town, this can be done by reviewing the townâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s history to develop a plan to revive the identity. Reviving the past and designing for the future seems to be the best way to completely revive the cultural identity. In conclusion, the literature review displayed several ways that drove the design process for this Background Knowledge

Case Studies

The case studies selected helped guide the design process for the master plan of Downtown Elkhart. The following components continued to be repeated in each case study.

Space

Creating valuable space for pedestrians to interact with storefronts and each other are key to a successful streetscape. Spaces must Circulation be created along the street, but can A crucial factor in streetscape design be drastically different in size and form. The following case studies is circulation and how it functions on the street. These case studies focused helped form the sizes and shapes of successful spaces along a street on the pedestrian rather than the corridor. vehicle. Many times streets are designed for vehicles and pedestrians Connection are left with the extra space available, Connections along a street must be but in order to create a complete visible from the pedestrians viewpoint street both need to mesh together. and a moving vehicle. Therefore The most important elements that signage is very important in these case studies brought to light streetscape design. All of the case were the dimensions of comfortable studies have created a unique set of streets and sidewalks. The best signage that relate to the theme of sidewalk was around ten feet and the the street. Transition spaces must be best street was around eleven feet. developed within these connections, 30

in order to enlighten the pedestrian of the changes to their surroundings. Plantings Plantings along a street create buffers that allow pedestrians to feel more comfortable with vehicles along corridors. Every successful street has a unique planting palette specific to that region. These plantings can drastically differ depending on the type of street a designer wants to develop. These case studies use a wide variety of planting beds such as rain gardens, bio-swales, basins, tree pits, and regular street planters. Everything from trees to native grasses can be used in these beds depending on the conditions.

Greensburg Main Street Greensburg, Kansas, USA

Lighting Many times lighting is overlooked because in is such a simple design element. However, these case studies wanted to develop a unique set of lighting components to attract pedestrians while creating safe Battery Park and secure environments. Each New York, New York, USA case study designed an original lighting palette that included everything from large street lights to small lighting strips in the seating and pavements. Seating The final component to streetscape design that each case study incorporated was fabricated street furniture that was solely designed for their specific site.

Bell Street Park Seattle, Washington, USA

Background Knowledge

Greensburg Main Street Greensburg, Kansas, USA

Pedestrian Space The diagrams above display the vegetation solution, stormwater system, and the hardscape.

Pedestrian Space Greensburg Streetscape The city of Greensburg, Kansas had to completely redesign their streetscape after an F-5 tornado destroyed their town. 32

The new an improved streetscape utilizes urban rain gardens in the pedestrian space to help reduce runoff.

After an EF-5 tornado destroyed Greensburg, Kansas the community came together to develop a tight community core, where the existing downtown resided. BNIM, focused on the sustainable features while creating a strong pedestrian friendly Main Street. The design includes an extensive amount of reclaimed material from the wreckage after the tornado such as, seating made from wood and pavers from historic buildings. The street lighting is powered by 100% renewable energy, and rain gardens help infiltrate 32,000 gallons of water an hour. The design team also managed to work in a system of parking bays into the street design without disrupting the pedestrian flow. The award winning project helped guide the design process for downtown Elkhart, Indiana. Implementing urban rain gardens help infiltrate irritating runoff, while adding pleasant ascetics along Main Street. Extensive seating similar to the raised planters within Greensburg guided the design within the arts and entertainment district. Overall, the Greensburg design helped the Elkhart streetscape excel in the pedestrian realm.

Illustrative Master Plan

Background Knowledge

Battery Park New York, New York, USA

Pedestrian Street An enclosed dog park in the heart of the project creates a place for owners to enjoy their dogs while avoiding others on the street.

Street Design 34

Battery Park began in 2002, the idea for this street scape was to incorporate park space into the street so pedestrians could enjoy the green infrastructure alongside the commercial buildings. The project covers just over a mile of road along several blocks. The Rogers Marvel Architects started with drastic changes to the existing street trees. The new design incorporated large tree pits to associate park space within the tight downtown space. The new plant material added to the street created a visible separation from the vehicular R.O.W. and the pedestrian R.O.W. This brought security issues up at a community meeting. The design team immediately focused on a strategic lighting plan that illuminated the sidewalks so patrol men could see it from their cars. The extensive redesign of Battery Park helped the community reconnect to nature. The professional awards for ASLA was awarded to this project in 2005. This design helped guide the downtown park connection while creating a secure environment. Downtown Elkhart focuses on three main ideas, streetscape, connectivity, and cultural identity. This design helped guide the design decisions for both streetscape and connectivity to the park spaces

throughout downtown. Overall, this award winning project focused on innovative design elements to help Battery Park flourish.

Street Detail Developing seating for the bus was crucial for this design team.

Background Knowledge

Bell Street Park Seattle, Washington, USA

Illustrative Master Plan

Bell Street Park 36

Concept Designs

The innovative urban design of Bell Street Park created a vibrant, safe and public green space that connects the street to the waterfront. SvR developed phases for the 3 mile street. Phase one focuses on the 4 block section leading to the water. The single purpose R.O.W. was transformed to create a more pedestrian friendly environment. The new street features include multifunctional open spaces, continuous street surface, and increased connectivity to the waterfront. This design focused on reclaiming pedestrian space and creating a safe environment where both vehicles and pedestrians coincide. This hybrid park incorporates cultural materials into the street design to symbolize the importance of the past. This design project continues to be a huge success with the surrounding community. This futuristic design helped guide the design decisions for the Elkhart streetscape and waterfront access. The problems related to Bell Street coincided with the problems of downtown Elkhart. The existing street existing solely for vehicular passage, and made pedestrians feel uncomfortable. By reducing parking and increasing green â&#x20AC;&#x153;Popoutsâ&#x20AC;? SvR

developed a unified street. This design decision was implemented into the parking system in downtown Elkhart. Overall, Bell Street creates a precedent for any downtown wanting to connect to waterfront and create pedestrian space.

Illustrative Master Plan Bell Street has been transformed into a friendly pedestrian street that has no curbs. Background Knowledge

Design Process

Historic Neighborhood

Site Selection Post Office

Historic Elkhart Elkhart Armory

Public Library

Over 185 years ago Joseph Noffsinger, my great great great grandfather, founded Elkhart, Indiana. This densely forested area became the home for my family. After, seeing this beautiful city decline the past decade made me want to develop a downtown community that made my family and the citizens of Elkhart proud. The downtown site was very unique, the Saint Joseph River and the Elkhart River intersect in the heart of this site, making for a very unique environment. Within this site lies four districts which are, the arts and entertainment district, business district, riverwalk district, and the garden district. These interesting districts once flourished in the downtown, but urban sprawl and a declining economy crushed the cultural identity of Elkhart. This design focuses on these districts to make a connected downtown. Design Process

Goals & Objectives

Goal I: Revitalize cultural identity in Elkhart. Objective: Provide connection of cultural trail through business district Objective: Provide educational spaces throughout the trail Objective: Utilize cultural significant materials Goal II: Create a vibrant streetscape that promotes the dow ntow n. Objective: Provide optimal pedestrian space along Main Street Objective: Reduce vehicular R.O.W. Objective: increase plantings along Main Street Goal III: Connect riverw alk to M ain Street and enhance pedestrian circulation throughout downtown Objective: Provide multiple entrances to the riverwalk from Main Street Objective: Create green pedestrian roads to the entrances of riverwalk Objective: Fully develop west bank of the Elkhart River Goal IV: Unite the riverw alk w ith existing park spaces Objective: Provide park space along the riverwalk Objective: Connect Wellfield Botanical Garden to park system Objective: Utilize existing pedestrian routes though park system Goal V: P romote local economy, especially that of the dow ntow n. Objective: create ample space along Main Street for community activities Objective: repurpose abandoned buildings to enhance visual quality Objective: Utilize signage to promote the downtown experience

Cultural Identity

Program

Elkhart’s fleeting cultural identity has obsolete. The following components been absent for decades, this program connect the downtown to the intends to regain the lost identity with riverwalk and existing park spaces. the following elements:  Create entrances along Main  Utilizing historic materials Street to the Riverwalk 

Rebuild failing facades



Improve city infrastructures



Unite the broken cultural trail



Implement artistic landmark identifiers



Mesh together distraught districts



Utilize existing trail system to unite the parks with the riverwalk



Develop the west bank of the Elkhart River to activate both sides of the river



Retake abandoned rail yard and transform into rails to trails path

Retake Pedestrian Space Elkhart’s obsession with the automobile has left the pedestrian with little to no space along Main Street, these tactics can help make the pedestrian feel more comfortable while in the downtown environment. 

Narrow the vehicular R.O.W.

With these key elements the cultural  Expand the pedestrian R.O.W.  Design a set of signage elements identity of Elkhart can regain its to inform pedestrians of access  Create plant buffers between the former self and make the citizens of to the riverwalk and park system pedestrian and the vehicular this hard working community proud of R.O.W. These connections create a unified their city. downtown environment that act as a  Allow for local businesses to loop, so if a pedestrian walks the utilize their store front space to cultural trail along main street they Connection draw people into their store can take the scenic riverwalk back to Downtown Elkhart has a very unique  Develop more seating the heart of downtown. location that is squandered by the Retaking the pedestrian space can lack of connection to the existing park create a more inviting environment space. The newly developed riverwalk for the visitors of downtown Elkhart. is isolated from the downtown and the park system, making the riverwalk Design Process

A&E District

Business District

districts. The following key findings helped guide the design process.

Riverwalk District

Site Inventory

Downtown Elkhart is broken down into four districts. The Arts and Entertainment District, Business District, Riverwalk District, and the Garden District. The following site inventory helped clear up the four drastically different district. The site has two strong anchors at each end of the mile and a half corridor. The industrialized Train Museum anchors the south side of the site and the naturalistic Wellfield Botanical Garden anchors the side of the site. These two anchors helped develop a transition from the industrialized south end to the naturalistic north end. Arts & Entertainment This district has the most improvements in the downtown, but has no correlation with the other 42



Two 12’ traffic lanes



20’ angular parking lanes



No shade trees



Cheap materials



Failing facades

Garden District

Business The business district has fallen on the hardest times due to the lack of pedestrian circulation. The following findings were improved upon. 

Four 12’ traffic lanes



One 8’ parking lane



No Connections



5’ sidewalks



Materials don’t match



No cultural connection



No historic aspects



Sea of abandoned parking lots



No shade trees

Riverwalk

following problems.

Garden

The riverwalk only has one side This district is home to the last developed due to political conflictions. remaining historic neighborhood in This district needed looked at the Elkhart. Due to the failing economy

Scale 1”=400’

may homes are vacant and in disrepair. The following aspects developed a more naturalistic garden district.

   

12’ traffic lanes 5’ sidewalks 5’ green buffers Rundown areas



No cultural connection even though it is a historic neighborhood. Design Process

Arts & Entertainment District

Business District

Design Process

Riverwalk District

Garden District

Design Process

Site Analysis

Riverwalk After, the site inventory was  Improve failing facades completed their were several areas of  Transition into the business concern that needed to be focused on district for the site analysis. The following  Create pedestrian streets that analysis focuses on key elements that lead to the riverwalk the inventory pointed out, these solutions were developed during this Business phase of the design process. The site inventory shed light upon Arts & Entertainment multiple problems in the business district the following were advised There were several concerns in the solutions. A&E district mostly concerning the vehicular R.O.W. and the pedestrian realm. The following were possible solutions.



Reducing traffic lanes to 10’



Remove angular parking and create parallel parking pockets



Green buffers



Historic materials



Three 10’ traffic lanes



Two 8’ parallel parking lanes

  

The riverwalk has a unique opportunity to connect to Main Street and park system, but the lack of development makes it hard to create entrances. The following criteria were used in the design process. 

Create multiple entrances



Tie materials to other districts



Utilize existing trail system



Develop natural west bank



Connect pedestrian streets to riverwalk

Extended sidewalks with planting Garden buffer The final district in the analysis phase created a challenge, because it has Connect cultural trail such a historic value. The following Transform parking lots into park changes were made during the entrances analysis phase. 

10’ traffic lanes

Scale 1”=400’



10’ sidewalks



Urban rain gardens



Signify historic houses



Join the cultural trail to the business district



Transform abandoned rail yard

into park connection. 

Use historic materials to signify Elkhart’s past Design Process

Connective Concept

Brick intersections  Continuous wood seating  Urban rain gardens  Street trees Business 

The connective concept utilizes existing and purposed connections to Main Street, riverwalk, and park system. The four districts were originally isolated due to differing materials, street types, and failing businesses. Creating an overall continuous street with transitions to signify moving into a new district at key intersections. The following district breakdowns create unique experiences in each area, but keeps the overall experience continuous from one end to the other end. Arts and Entertainment The conceptual design for the A&E district focus on the following elements: 

Materials  Wooden boardwalk  Limestone pavers  Artistic historic indicators

The business district focuses on the following improvements in this conceptual design. 

  

Materials  Rusted steel grates in pavement  Limestone pavers  Artistic historic indicators  Brick intersections



Connections to pedestrian streets  Accessing existing park system Garden 

The last district focuses on a naturalistic historic zone. The following are improvements added to the street. 

Continuous steel seating Urban Rain Gardens Street Trees

Riverwalk The newly developed riverwalk focuses on creating a transition zone between a industrialized east bank and a naturalized west bank.

Materials  Limestone pavers  Artistic historic indicators  Mix of wooden benches and steel benches

   

Materials  Limestone pavers  Brick intersections  Artistic historic indicators Repurpose abandoned train yard Urban rain gardens Street trees Entrance at Wellfield Botanical Garden

Connective Concept

Scale 1”=400’

Design Process

Character Sketches

In this character sketch the arts and entertainment district transforms into a scenic pedestrian environment. The narrowed R.O.W. creates a more comfortable zone for the pedestrian. The green buffers offer a break of monotonous build faces. Parking bays start to take form and create a rhythmic system of parking and pedestrian space. 52

Arts & Entertainment District

Pedestrian Streets

The pedestrian streets create access from Main street through Central Park to the riverwalk district. These streets focus on making the pedestrian feel a change in the environment to inform the visitor of the changing of districts. Design Process

Riverwalk District

The new design of the rivewalk mixes an industrialized east bank and a more naturalistic west bank, that allows visitors to interact with the rising water level depending on the time of year. This technique represents the Train Museum on the south side of the site and the Wellfield Botanical Garden at the north end of the site. 54

Garden District

The garden district offers a break from the downtown feel by adding in residential housing and a more naturalistic environment. Utilizing the abandoned rail yard this district can bridge the gap from the riverwalk and the garden zone through a rails to trails design approach. Design Process

Hydrology

District Plan

Greenery

The district plan breaks down each zone into a color coded map to make the districts visible. The arts and entertainment district covers a six block stretch equaling about half of a mile. The business district covers a four block stretch and equals about four tenths of a mile. The riverwalk district has over three miles of trails throughout downtown Elkhart and connects Island Park to district. The final district, the garden district, covers a five block stretch of Main Street equaling about half a mile. These four districts make up the extents of this comprehensive project.

Parking & Vehicular Circulation

Pedestrian Circulation

Districts 56

District Plan

Garden District

Business District

A&E District Riverwalk District

Scale 1â&#x20AC;?=300â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Design Process

Arts & Entertainment

Lerner Theatre Block



Urban rain gardens

This block contains the historic Lerner Theatre that has been recently renovated and draws a strong crowd. This block shows all the elements that are included throughout the arts and entertainment district. The following have been labeled in the plan below.



District specific street furniture



Brick intersections



Parallel parking bays



Wooden boardwalks



Added street trees



Continuous street lighting

Brick Intersection

Parallel Parking Bay

These specific elements help bring the cultural identity Elkhart deserves back to the street. The local business’s now have space to create outdoor seating or areas for window shopping. The parking bays create enough parking for people to enjoy the downtown without walking from distant parking lost, but the parking is not overwhelming like the previous design. Overall this district creates a warm comfortable environment for the pedestrian.

Wooden Boardwalk

Street Trees

1, 2, 3, 4 ,5

6, 7, 8, 9, 10

Modern Industrial Lighting

Urban Rain Garden

Street Furniture

Scale 1â&#x20AC;?=30â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Design Process

Lerner Theatre Intersection 2

Urban Rain Garden

Street Trees Brick Intersection

Modern Industrial Lighting

Street Furniture

Wooden Boardwalk Scale 1”=15’

Boardwalk Detail

Scale 1”=5’

10’ Driving Lanes

Parallel Parking Lane

A&E Street Section 3

Scale 1”=15’

Design Process

Arts & Entertainment Character The purposed design in the arts and entertainment district allows Elkhart to quickly close off the street to make it a completely pedestrian environment. The following graphics shows the street during a warm summer day and at the opposite end of the spectrum the street is closed off for the annual Christmas festival. The artistic glass panels represent the once forested Elkhart county. The laser etched panels create a visual appearance of large trees. The panels are lined with LED bulbs that can be changed

4 62

according to the season. Each panel has a plaque attached to the side to provide background on the historic building or important time in history. These panels line Main Street from the Train Museum to the Botanical Garden, to create a continuous timeline. Local artists helped create the one hundred panels so each one is different. Overall, these unique panels bring new life and character to the street, by evoking a sense of history and cultural appeal to the area being displayed.

Black Eyed Susan Red maple River Birch

Rudbeckia hirta

Acer rubrum

Betula nigra Feather Reed Grass Sedges Japanese Painted Fern

Calamagrostis acutiflora

Carex spp.

Athyrium nipponicum Lady Fern Bluestar Daylilies

Athyrium felix-femina

Amsonia tabernaemontana

Hemerocallis spp.

Storm Water Operations This graphic displays how runoff enters the curb-cut along the road and infiltration water into the urban rain gardens. Design Process

Pedestrian Street 7

Green Finger

Scale 1”=20’

Central Park Design The proposed Central Park in downtown Elkhart focuses on transitioning pedestrians from Main Street to the riverwalk. The seven hundred foot transition zone has two pedestrian streets that were underutilized vehicular roads. The once bland slope to the green space has been transformed into a native grass field with a meandering path with multiple viewpoints overlooking the river. The existing green space

Central Park Section Scale 1”=40’

Central Park

was hindered by a small parking lot that acted as city hall parking. Removing this parking lot and adding green fingers that extend between the buildings to the underutilized parking garage draw people into the downtown, and create more green space for Central Park. The park acts as a community activity space that can be transformed into concert venues, sports fields, or festival space.

Scale 1â&#x20AC;?=50â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Design Process

Historic Armory Block

Business

Street Trees

The selected block contains the historic armory building that was built in 1885. Overtime this building has become vacant, but still holds a significant amount of history. This block starts to represent the transition from train yard to a more naturalistic environment by utilizing steel grate panels in the sidewalk and larger urban rain gardens. The business district acts as a bridge to make pedestrians feel the change in the environment around them. The following have been labeled in the plan below to help identify

Brick Intersection

the design elements.       

Brick intersections Two lanes of parallel parking Steel grates inlaid in limestone sidewalk Added street trees Continuous street lighting Urban rain gardens District specific street furniture

These district elements keep pedestrians aware of the changing environment while keeping them comfortable with repeating lighting and urban rain gardens within each district.

Parallel Parking Lane

Modern Industrial Lighting

1, 2, 3, 4

5, 6

Steel Grate

Urban Rain Garden

Street Furniture

Center Turn Lane

Scale 1”=40’

Design Process

Sidewalk Detail

Scale 1”=5’

Center Turn Lane

Parallel Parking Lane

Business Street Section

Scale 1”=15’

Swamp White Oak Quercus bicolor

Hardy Begonia Begonia grandis Lilyturf Liriope muscari

Storm Water Operations This graphic displays how runoff enters the curb-cut along the road and infiltration water into the urban rain gardens. Design Process

Historic Armory Intersection Street Furniture Urban Rain Garden

Street Trees Parallel Parking

Center Turn Lane

Brick Intersection

Parallel Parking Modern Industrial Lighting

Steel Grate Inlays

Scale 1”=25’

Seasonal Business District The goal of these seasonal perspectives are to encapsulate the audience and provide a wide variety of characteristics that help people envision the site year round. This fall perspective creates a warm amber street essence. Pedestrians now have the space to enjoy the downtown area with the added street trees and landmark panels along Main Street. Design Process

Bridge Celebration

twenty foot intervals to create the illusion of a dense forest over the The existing bridge was very bridge. This section of the site industrialized and this portion of the transitions the industrial business site needed to be more naturalistic, so district to the more naturalistic garden the landmark panels were installed in district. The changing of districts

creates a unique experience for both the pedestrian and vehicular visitor. When traveling across the bridge it can be extremely hard to not notice the change in street materials and overall site amenities.

July Fourth Festival Main Street can be closed off during the annual Fourth of July Festival and the landmark panels transform the space into an event space.

Design Process

Riverwalk

Meshing the River



The riverwalk district has a unique roll in connecting the downtown area. The proposed riverwalk has a much more naturalistic east bank compared to the existing built up west bank. These perspectives show the proposed and existing riverwalk to help the audience realize the transition from bank to bank. The following elements have been labeled in the perspectives below.



Pedestrian Bridge



Limestone pavers Terraced paths

 

Water interactivity Industrialized west bank Naturalized east bank Continuous Lighting

These elements create a unified downtown environment instead of the existing disconnection between each districts. Each bank has a direct correlation with the two anchors of the site. The industrialized west bank symbolizes the Train Museum at the south end of the site and the east bank symbolizes the naturalistic Botanical Garden at the north end of the site. 1

Continuous Lighting

Limestone Pavers 74

1, 2

Industrial vs. Naturalistic 2

Industrialized West Bank

Naturalized East Bank

Water Interactions Design Process

Riverwalk Entrance One of the biggest problems along Main Street was the lack of entrances to the riverwalk. This perspective displays the main entrance to the riverwalk from Main Street. The space drains into the two basins at each side of the entrance. The landmark pieces have been transformed into a gateway to help pedestrians find their way from the riverwalk to Main Street or vice versa.

731.45

731.33 731.28

731.54

731

731 730 729

730 729 LP 728.85

732 LP 728.82

731.42 731.34

732 EXISTING BUILDING FFE: 732.05 1%

731.52

730.49 730 729 731.33

LP 728.75

731.44

731 731

LP 728.81

731.36

731.42 731.38

731.15 731.12

731.18 731.15

Scale 1â&#x20AC;?=40â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Access Along Main Street Several problems arose while creating access to the riverwalk from Main street. The biggest problem was creating a seamless connection in pavement materials from the existing riverwalk to Main Street. The paving detail below shows the limestone pavers and how they connect to the surrounding environment.

Riverwalk Paving Detail

Scale 1â&#x20AC;?=2â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Design Process

Garden

Brick Intersection

Wellfield Botanical Garden



Continuous street lighting

This block contains the newly developed Wellfield Botanical Garden and the proposed rails to trails design. These two naturalistic elements create an extremely different environment from the other three districts. The following elements were utilized to help transition from those districts.



Urban rain gardens



Entrances to both Rails to trails and botanical Garden



Brick intersections



No on street parking



Limestone pavers



Added street trees Limestone Pavers

This naturalized district has taken the abandoned train yard and transformed it into a naturalistic rails to trails design. The urban rain gardens act as a rhythmic connector to the other districts. When a pedestrian walks or drives by this section, they know they have transitioned from the downtown environment to the scenic garden district.

Urban Rain Gardens

Modern Industrial Lighting

1, 2, 4

3, 5

Rails To Trials

Added Street Trees

Botanical Garden Entrance

Scale 1”=40’

Design Process

Garden District Detail

Scale 1”=3’

10’ Drive Lanes

Garden District Street Section

Modern Street Lighting

Urban Rain Gardens

Scale 1”=10’

Hibiscus Hibiscus coccineus

Ginkgo Ginkgo biloba Plumbago Ceratostigma plumbaginoides

Storm Water Operations This graphic displays how runoff enters the curb-cut along the road and infiltration water into the urban rain gardens. Design Process

Rails to Trails Intersection

Urban Rain Garden

Modern Industrial Lighting

Brick Intersection

Street Trees

Limestone Pavers

Rails to Trails Entrance Scale 1â&#x20AC;?=15â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Naturalistic Garden District

Design Process

Rails to Trails Entrance The existing train yard has been abandoned for years and this rails to trails design helps mediate all of the wasted pavement. Removing the pavement and installing a native grassland helps to make this district more naturalistic. The artistic landmark panels create a strong entrance for pedestrians to pass under before starting the trail experience. 84

Scale 1â&#x20AC;?=2â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Rails to Trails Pavement Detail Repurposing the existing rails to incorporate them into the paving design creates a connection to the south side off the site. This evokes the sense of a beginning of the journey through downtown Elkhart along the extensive path system developed in this comprehensive project. Overall, this limestone and steel mix creates a joining of the districts. Design Process

Conclusion

Design Impact

Existing Conditions

Proposed Conditions

This comprehensive project successfully took a economically failing downtown that lost their cultural identity decades ago and transformed it into an interconnected system. The design of this project focused on five main goals: revitalize cultural identity, create vibrant streetscapes, connect the riverwalk to Main Street, unite the riverwalk with existing park spaces, and promote local economy. The Downtown Connection project combines the Arts and Entertainment District, Business District, Riverwalk District, and Garden district into a interconnected system that depicts Elkhartâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cultural identity in a timeline fashion. The downtown of Elkhart has over 500 new street trees, 179,000 sq. ft. of urban rain gardens that infiltrate eighty four percent of runoff, and over three miles of continuous trail systems. The citizens of Elkhart now have a downtown that reflects the strong cultural identity Elkhart deserves. The Downtown Connection project can now serve as a design guide for downtown areas looking to connect to the river and create a cultural Identity.

Design Process

Appendices

Appendix I

Runoff Calculations

Current Scenarioâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;Proposed Design Baseline Scenarioâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;Existing Conditions Appendices

Appendix II

Planting Palette

Appendices

Appendix III

Design Schedule

Appendices

References

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Dominic Grimske/Ball State University/College of Architecture & Planning/Department of Landscape Architecture/Muncie, Indiana