Durham kuss

EAST DURHAM NEIGHBORHOOD ANALYSIS Tyler Kuss

LAR 502.001 Landscape Architecture Design Studio

Spring 2016

SOURCES: OPEN DURHAM, THE CITY OF DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, NORTH CAROLINA STATE PRESERVATION OFFICE, UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

Project Statement: The goal of this project is to examine neighborhood characteristics & infrastructure and how it influences the character and identity of East Durham. This analysis will also take a closer looked at collected data & information, how it relates to neighborhood infrastructure, and what it means for East Durham going forward. Analyzing this information will help develop a better understanding of how we percieve the landscape, and having that understanding of the build and natural environment should be under consideration for the ASLA Student Award.

Project Objective: East Durham The objective of this project is to evaluate and understand the built and natural environment of East Durham by recognizing features that help define its identity as well as other collected information. The first portion of the analysis will examine the data that helps define certain characteristics of the neighborhood as well as identifying its historic background. The second portion of the analysis will take a closer examination of major corridors and other public spaces within the neighborhood and identify its built and natural features that could potentially open up discussions regarding design strategies, historic preservation, and future development.

Context Map: The displayed images define the location of East Durham within Durham County and identifying its surrounding assets, including its relationship with the downtown location.

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NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTERISTICS & NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTERISTICS EXAMINED INFORMATION ANALYZED

1) Street Characteristics -Sidewalk Characteristics -Street Design -On-Street Parking -Street Furniture -Landmarks

2) Buildings -architecture, historic character & preservation, wall art -building uses (residential, commercial, industrial,etc.)

3) Land Uses -Commercial -Residential -Industrial -Environmental Data -Public/ Private Spaces -Land Occupancy Status (Occupied/Vacant)

4) Transportation -Infrastructure: -sidewalks -highways/roads -railroads -bike lanes -transit stations

Major Transit Corridors/Routes: -Bike -Bus -Automobile -Truck -Light Rail / Train

5) Gateways, Signage, & Wayfinding Points

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Infrastructure Edges Accessibility Connectivity Walkability

HISTORIC CHARACTER & PRESERVATION 1

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Architecture Styles: (1) Craftsman (2) Triple A (3) Victorian (4) Art Deco (5) Neoclassical Revival (6) Romanesque Revival (7) Italiante Present

Demolished

In order to understand the challenges defined within the neighborhood today, we have to first understand its history and how its environment was shaped overtime. Beginning in the late 19th century, East Durham developed a rich industrial identity over the next half century which helped set the foundation for its growth. Manufacturing Companies such as the Durham Cotton Manufacturing Co., Commonwealth Cotton Manufacturing Co., and the Durham Buggy Co. Carriage Factory established the framework for economic growth for the neighborhood and Durham as it took advantage of the railyard corridor to transport raw materials and other goods throughout the country. With the growth of the industrial presence in the neighborhood as well as the implementation of street cars along E.Main St and Angier Ave, the rest of the neighborhood resembled similar growth as residential development increased once it was able to construct the central business district along Angier Ave & S. Driver Street. While most of the industrial factories and commercial facilities resembled italianate characteristics, other businesses introduced other unique styles of architecture such as neoclassical revival and art deco. The housing units also introduced other definative styles of architecture such as craftsman, victorian, triple a, and bungalow.

Roughly 47.5 percent of the housing units today were built before 1959 while other historic facilities throughout the neighborhood were either demolished ,abandoned, or preserved overtime. The images shown above depict buildings with historic character that were either preserved, demolished, or vacant. Overall, this introduces the topic of historic preservation and how these buildings can introduce its historic character into the public realm and how it could impact future development (or removal) patterns throughout the neighborhood.

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National Register Historic District Surveyed Building (No individual designation, but may be within a

National Register, Study List, or DOE District.)

Surveyed Building Demonlished EAST DURHAM HISTORIC DISTRICT

548 Surveyed buildings within East Durham, beginning in 1976 164 of the surveyed buildings have been demolished or moved to a new site 8 of those buildings were within the National Register Historic District of East Durham

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INFRASTRUCTURE, LAND USE & VACANCY

Grass area (landfill)

Tree Coverage & vegitation

Impervious

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MAJOR TRANSIT CORRIDORS & ROUTES

Bicylce Friendly Roads (green) (Bicycle Access) Light Rail Station proposal (blue) - 1/2 mile buffer Commercial District (red)- 1/2 mile buffer Food (Grocery) Access (brown) - 1/2 mile buffer -Los Primos -Save a Lot - Food Lion-

Transit Corridors & Routes

Inner Edge / Boundary

Highway 77

Outer Edge / Boundary East Durham Access Alston Ave Miami Blvd EAST DURHAM

Pettigrew Railyard

Highway 147

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Notes: Transit corridors such as highway 147, 77 and the Pettigrew Railyard tend to create edges in which limits access into the surrounding neighborhoods.

Even though most of the roads within the neighborhood are considered bike friendly, there is a small percentage of residents that use a bike as a means of transportation (.35%).

SIDEWALK CONDITIONS & CONNECTIVITY

Sidewalk Infrastructure (yellow)(Sidewalk acLight Rail Station proposal (blue) - 1/2 mile buffer Commercial District (red) - 1/2 mile buffer Food (Grocery) Access (brown) - 1/2 mile buffer -Los Primos- Save a Lot - Food Lion -

Sidewalks 6’ width & greater (highlighted)

Notes: The top right graphic highlights sidewalks that have a width greater than 6 feet. It shows that a majority of those highlighted sidewalks are mostly concentrated within the downtown core and less within the East Durham neighborhood with the exception of the neighborhoods commercial district. The bottom right graphic highlights sidewalk conditions, from light to severe. Based on the graphic, there is a high concentration of sidewalks that are in less than ideal conditions as opposed to Downtown Durham.

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LIGHT MODERATE SEVERE Sidewalks conditions

GATEWAYS, SIGNAGE, & WAYFINDING POINTS Existing Signage

Opprotunities: -Build off of existing signage into the neighborhood - Take advantage of gateway entrys into the neighborhood by establishing signage.

- Develop signage that is unique to the neighborhood and implement it through banners & other street furniture.

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Signage Examples

OPPROTUNITY: PROMOTE BIKE CONNECTIVITY RAIL-WITH-TAIL CONCEPT ALONG PETTIGREW AVE

Opprotunities: -Develop bike lanes within the neighborhood that would establish stronger connections to East Durhams Commercial District.

Bike Highway Route (Concept) Dedicated Bike Lane (Concept) Alston Ave Light Rail Station (Proposed) Commercial District (East Durham)

-Estabilish a Bike Highway alongside the Pettigrew railyard, leading up to the proposed Light Rail Station along Alston Ave.

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PROPOSED ALSTON AVEPROPOSED ALSTON AVE EXPANSION EXPANSION PLAN (NCDOT) E. MAIN STREET

ANGIER AVE

ALSTON AVE (EXISTING) ALSTON AVE (PROPOSED)

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Notes: The expansion project proposed by the North Carolina Department of Transportation could potentially introduce walkability issues as well as estabilshing a greater disconnection between Downtown Durham and the East Durham neighborhood.

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OPPROTUNITY: ANGIER/S.DRIVER INTERSECTION

Angier Ave Section (to Downtown) S.Driver Street Section (to N. Driver Street)

Notes: - Existing Infrastructure within the intersection contains street and sidewalk characteristics which makes it easier for walkability within the area as well as providing adaquate seating furniture & easier access to public spaces.

Opprotunities: -Build off of existing spaces to promote community involvement was well as programing activities that would attract residents to these spaces.

-Take advantage of parking spaces that could potentially be used for community activities such as temporary Farmers Markets.

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Temporary Farmers Market Concept