Circle and Squares

Unfortunate

2009-10-29T10:54:00.003-05:00

I just read on IBJ Property Lines that St. John Church at E. Washington Street and German Church Road may be demolished to make way for a CVS.

The congregation is aging rapidly and is looking at building a new church that can include amenities that will attract younger families. This is an unfortunate situation. I feel for the congregation who is selling because they can't afford the building they are in because they can't attract new members.

But it is a beautiful 1914 Tudor Gothic Revival church that I have passed many times during my 10 years of living on Indy's eastside. I hate to see a landmark church disappear. It is the reason that German Church Road is called "German Church Road."

I suspect we'll see situations like this happen more rapidly. Churches in downtown and urban areas have a tendency to be revived as offices, performance spaces, and residential buildings. But this suburban intersection is a prime location for commercial development. And with Walgreen's on one corner, it is no wonder that CVS made the congregation an offer they couldn't refuse.

It is an unfortunate situation to be in. And I doubt that the congregation has taken this decision lightly. Historic Landmarks Foundation is trying to get an emergency designation for the church as a protected historic landmark. A maneuver that may save the building for now, but if the congregation can't afford the "estimated $1.3 million over the next 10 years" for maintenance and renovations, how long will the building truly last?

The only win-win would involve CVS reusing the building. But what are the odds of that happening?

A step back in time

2009-09-23T16:17:00.003-05:00

This is a photo from the Bass Photo Collection at the Indiana History Center. It is circa 1910. Notice that the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument is open. That is how it was originally intended. It was enclosed in the 1930's.

This is what the monument looks like on the afternoon of Wednesday, September 23rd. The 1980's enclosure has been removed. And a new enclosure awaits. But for this brief moment in time, the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument is as close to its original form as it has ever been since the 1930's. Even though the column supporting the statue "Victory" (non "Miss Indiana"...she lives in Seymour) is exposed, there is a certain elegance to the original design, even today.

Take it in...

What do the numbers tell us?

2009-09-23T14:41:00.003-05:00

The Indianapolis Star has an article on the express bus routes that IndyGo provides and a great chart that illustrates ridership trends. The Greenwood route is being cancelled. It just never caught on. And the Fishers and Carmel routes may come to an end as federal funding expires.

Greenwood probably didn't catch on as much because the service started when gases prices were at $2 per gallon or lower. Nobody had a reason to take the bus and, therefore discover it.

The Fishers and Carmel routes had big ridership jumps after about two months. Probably as people discovered the convenience of it and positive reviews got around. Ridership peaked as gas prices jumped, no surprise there. When the gas prices declined, so did ridership. But both routes have leveled out, with Fishers taking in about 6,000 to 7,000 riders per month and Carmel between 3,000 and 4,000. Assuming 22 work days a month (and assuming that these are one way riders), that's 135 to 160 round trip riders per work day for Fishers and 70 to 90 riders per work day for Carmel.

Those numbers don't seem all that impressive. But when you consider that Indy is very auto centric and that the buses are subject to the whims of traffic patterns just as cars are, I'm pleased.

Do the numbers justify rail transit in the northeast corridor? Arguable. There definitely right of ways available for rail transit, while recent and current interstate construction projects make it next to impossible to build dedicated bus and HOV lanes.

But maybe there's a middle ground. What if the unused and underused rail right-of-ways were paved to create dedicated busways? What if we used BRT's in the right of ways? Less expensive to build. Vehicles are less expensive. The routes can be more flexible. And it leaves open the opportunity to upgrade the system to rail in the future should demand require it.

I believe the availability of federal dollars puts a greater emphasis on infrastructure projects for rails than buses. But if federal funding could be obtained for such a project, I think it would be the more logical next step for the Indy metro area.

What do you think?

Not gone, just in hiding

2009-09-17T12:35:00.003-05:00

If you haven't noticed, it has been almost two months since I last posted here.

Coincidentally, my wife gave birth to our second child almost two months ago.

Explains things, doesn't it?

There seem to be a lot of things going on around town. A lot of items I want to touch on.

The first item I want to point out is a series of new bus shelters designed by Indianapolis architect Donna Sink which will be installed along the cultural trail. It was recently mentioned on the blog architechnophilia. And there is more information on the Cultural Trail website.

From the website:
“Moving Forward,” by Indianapolis-based architect Donna Sink, is a series of three custom-designed eco-friendly bus shelters that will showcase original poetry by published writers. The shelters will be located along the Cultural Trail on the south side of Virginia Avenue near Lexington Street, McCarty Street and Woodlawn Avenue.
I like this design. I like that it is simple yet sophisticated. It is a modern design, but doesn't overwhelm the historic Fountain Square neighborhood. And the incorporation of bus shelters into the art fixtures along the Cultural Trail are a major win-win for the city. And while the green shelters around downtown are nice, I do like the use of various, original designs. I'd like to see more art/shelters around the city.

Wood windows

2009-07-21T12:58:00.002-05:00

Being an architect who lives in a historic district, I'm often asked to defend some of the practices of the historic preservationist and the decisions of historic preservation commissions. One of the most frequently asked questions are about replacement windows.

You can't go anywhere around Indy without replacement window advertisements blaring at you. Billboards, tv ads, newspaper ads. Even the digital display on my car radio when tuned to a certain station has been showing messages for a big window company.

People think that new windows, especially vinyl framed, double paned windows, are easier to maintain and more energy efficient. I have a hard time convincing them other wise.

A favorite website of mine, called "Rebuilding Place in the Urban Space", recently posted five reasons to conserve historic wood windows, which came from Dave Taylor in the Architectural Conservation Notes series published by the Ontario Ministry of Culture.

It is worth a read. It covers all the reason: aesthetics, energy conservation, maintainability, durability, and everything tied to the almighty dollar. All of which are worth considering before buying replacement windows.

The future for Indy cyclists looks promising

2009-07-02T10:19:00.003-05:00

Adding bike lanes to Michigan and New York Streets seemed like a very long ordeal. A couple years of planning followed by an extended construction process. As I've mentioned, the results were worth the hassle. But I dreaded the thought that every added bike lane would go through the same long process.

Then one day I noticed bike lanes on a small stretch of Ritter Avenue between Pleasant Run Parkway and 10th Street. It was included as part of a repaving project. I was surprised to see it, especially since I hadn't heard anything about it.

And this week, while traveling to Wanamaker to see some friends, I noticed that a paving project on Southeastern Avenue between Five Points and Franklin Road was completed. And it included bike lanes.

We are being invaded by bike lanes! Where will they be popping up next?

And then I was directed to the website for Sustain Indy and the plans for the future of bike lanes in Indianapolis. The hope is that in just over 10 years, the bike lane system in Indianapolis will look like this:

The lines in red are roads with bike lanes. Green are greenways and blue is the cultural trail.

That seems pretty impressive, especially for an auto-loving city like Indy. It won't happen overnight, obviously, but the website outlines several phases. Current bike lanes are listed as:

New York & Michigan Street bike lanes - 11.0 miles - Arlington Avenue to White River Parkway West Drive (2009)
52nd Street - 1.0 mile - Monon Greenway to Keystone Avenue (2008)
Westlane Road - 1.41 miles - Michigan Road to Ditch Road (2008)
Ritter Avenue - 0.43 miles - East Pleasant Run Parkway South Drive to 10th Street (2009)

I've not been on 52nd and Westlane, but I'm assuming they wouldn't lie to me, right?

In next two years, they have other lanes planned, with most funded using federal funds (Allisonville) or as part of resurfacing projects. The latter two are not yet funded but they believe it will be:

Allisonville Road - 5.5 miles - Binford Boulevard to 82nd Street (late 2009/early 2010)
Illinois Street - 1.17 miles - New York Street to 16th Street (2009)
Illinois Street/Capitol Avenue - 4.63/5.63 miles - 16th Street & New York Street to Canal Towpath (2010?)
East Street - 0.72 miles - Sanders Street to Fletcher Avenue (2009)
Southeastern Avenue - 0.57 miles - South Sheridan Avenue to Hunter Road (late 2009/early 2010)
Southeastern Avenue - 1.81 miles - Franklin Road to Five Points Road (late 2009/early 2010)
Allison Pointe - 0.90 miles - 82nd Street to Dead End (2009)
Lafayette Road - 13.29 miles - County Line to West New York Street (2010?)
Broad Ripple Avenue - 1.03 miles - Monon Trail to Keystone Avenue (2010?)

There are more maps and phase descriptions on their website. It is very exciting to me and it seems like a easy and relatively inexpensive way to improve the quality of life in Indianapolis.

Should have knocked on wood

2009-06-24T07:41:00.003-05:00

It just figures that the day after I praise IN BikePort and the bike lockers, they have a hiccup with the system. Even the best functioning systems in the world have hiccups from time to time. I blame myself for this one.

Yesterday, users were unable to call in and retrieve working combinations to the bike lockers. I keep a bike lock with me whenever I travel, just in case, so it wasn't a big deal to me.

Despite the technical mishap yesterday, my satisfaction with the BikePort setup has been extremely high. What is most impressive is how well the BikePort people communicate during these times. I received two phone calls from Connie Szabo Schmucker at IN BikePort apologizing for the troubles and giving updates. It was followed by an email to all BikePort users giving an update.

The good news is that the lockers are functioning again. And this event illustrates that IN BikePort isn't just about facilities, but customer service and advocating a bicycling lifestyle in Indianapolis.

Kudos to Connie, Randy, and everybody at IN BikePort for their hard work.

Life in the bike lane

2009-06-21T17:52:00.006-05:00

Indianapolis is not the most bike friendly city around. That is easy to say.

But it is making efforts to improve that. That is easy to see. Or at least it is for me.

The city recently installed bike lanes on Michigan and New York Streets. They span from the IUPUI campus on the west side of downtown to Arlington Avenue in the Irvington neighborhood.

The project was started during the Mayor Peterson administration and executed in the Mayor Ballard administration. It was a relatively simple project to execute. Lanes were remarked. Automotive lanes were slightly narrowed. Parking was changed. And signs were installed. Very little new construction was necessary.

It intersects with the White River Greenway, the Central Canal, the Cultural Trail, and the Pleasant Run Greenway. This simple connection has connected the eastside to downtown and the rest of the Indianapolis Greenway system in one motion.

As an Irvington resident and a downtown commuter, I have made frequent use of the new bike lanes. And speaking as a user, I think it is a major success. I truly got a feel for the number of cyclists that use the lanes recently when I had a flat tire and was stuck at New York and Gale Streets (and for the record, we have several courteous cyclists in town).

There is a lot to like about the bike lanes. In the past, I had to fight with motorists for my right to bike on the street. I used to have people tailgate, cut off, yell at, and throw stuff at me. Now, with the lanes clearly marked and signs in place, the fear I once felt is gone.

Having bike lanes on the street also prevents me from having to ride on the sidewalks, where bike commuters and pedestrians often tangled. Along the seven or so miles from downtown to Irvington, automobiles, bikes, and pedestrians have clearly identified places.

The complaints I do have are relatively minor. It would have been nice if they had repaved, as the ground off lane markings left divots in the road. Some motorists think that the bike lane doubles as a drop off lane, especially around Arsenal Tech High. At the Federal Building between Delaware and Pennsylvania, motorists who park in the underground parking garage often block the lane waiting to get in.

But I'll just continue to be polite to them and explain that they are blocking a bike lane and it would be appreciated if they would refrain in the future¹.

Otherwise, I'm really happy with the bike lanes and look forward to more in the future.

Once I am downtown, I enjoy the underutilized bike lockers that Indiana Bikeport maintains at a parking garage on South Meridian Street, at NIFS in White River State Park and at the Indiana Government Center. The bike lockers use a phone system that costs a low $5.95 a year to use. At this time, there are no per-use charges outside of the annual fee.

So storing my bike in a secure and weather tight location is relatively easy. After that, things start to stink. And by things, I mean me. My workplace does not have a shower room that I can utilize. While deodorant goes a long way, it would be nice to have access to shower facilities.

In Chicago, there is a bike facility in Millenium Park where you can rent bikes, have bikes repaired, store your bike, and utilize the showers. The Chicago Bike Station provides these services for $149 a year. I asked part time Indy resident/part time Chicago resident Aaron Renn (aka the Urbanophile) about the facility and how much it is used. He replied:

"I have not used it. I have a friend who does though. I think it's popular. Many buildings in Chicago now have integrated bike parking/showers since you get LEED credits - more convenient than the park."

So I ponder if Indianapolis would support a similar facility? Perhaps. There are several locations that could house a facility similar to Chicago's Bike Center. White River State Park, the vacant canal site across from the Indiana History Center. Maybe the vacant lot on Washington Street adjacent to the King Cole Building (approximately 10 E. Washington; that's close to many of downtown's biggest buildings).

There are partial services available right now, though. At NIFS, they offer a shower only membership that starts at $30 a month. But that seems steep to me. Personally, I have a membership with the YMCA. If there were Bikeport lockers available at the Y at the Athenaeum, I'd probably use those lockers and shower facilities. I'd have several more blocks to travel after using the Y in order to get to work, but that would be a step in the right direction for me.

Of course, in the perfect world, there would be shower and locker facilities at everybody's place of work. Until then, we'll have to suffer (or I should say my co-workers will have to suffer).

333 Mass Ave

2009-05-11T13:09:00.003-05:00

When the 333 Mass Ave project was first proposed. The renderings of the proposed project were not that appealing to me, but often what's on paper and how it translates into reality can be really different. So I was hoping it would look better than I first envisioned.

If memory serves me correctly, the permits for this project were being pushed very quickly by the developer in order to get it in before this part of town was a locally designated historic district. That told me that this design wouldn't make it through IHPC (Indianapolis Historic Preservation Commission) and that raised red flags for me.

The biggest concern for me, and possibly IHPC, was how the building related to the neighboring Hammond Block building. I figured the new building would overpower the corner wedge-shaped building.
I must admit that this is a case where reality supersedes the presentation drawings. The use of glass on the wall above Hammond Block building creates a lightness. The glass reflects the sky and makes the background building disappear. Fortunately, the Hammond Block building stands front and center. Even with the cruise ship-like structure floating above it.
Along Massachusetts Avenue, the large building attempts to blend in. Above the sixth floor, 333 starts to step back, scaling down the Mass Ave facade in an attempt to keep in scale with the neighboring structures.

The design elements (windows, stone accents, etc.) attempt to correspond with the building to the northeast. But the Mass Ave facade clashes with the Hammond Block's Mass Ave. facade. It seems awkward.
I try very hard not to be bitchy when providing architectural critiques. But I can't help but compare this building to a mullet. Up front, its clean and business like with the use of brick and glass. But in the back, they use EIFS (fake stucco), a 180 from the front. In fact, its worse than a mullet. At least a mullet has a party in the back.

It's not like they just used a little bit of EIFS. The southern and eastern elevations are completely EIFS. It is as bland and cheap as you can get. It's comparable to vinyl siding in its unattractiveness and cheapness. I suspect this is what the developers were really trying to sneak in before IHPC took jurisdiction over this area. No way in hell would this have happened if IHPC reviewed it.

Lucas Oil Stadium in the news

2009-04-11T08:38:00.003-05:00

Lucas Oil Stadium has been in the press a lot recently, and for all the wrong reasons. The short sightedness of state and local government has produced a great stadium with no way funding mechanism to operate it. I'm not going to argue the merits of different taxes, because I'm not a finance expert. All I do know is that something has to happen, because the stadium won't operate itself.

But there was an interesting itty-bitty piece of news that may have escaped most people. US Soccer, in its bid for the 2018 or 2022 World Cup, provided a list of 70 stadiums across the country that they will be contacting about being potential game sites. Lucas Oil Stadium is one of them.

So while many will moan about the continued costs of a stadium for a bunch of millionaires, keep in mind that this isn't a building just for the Colts. The NCAA had plenty of input and a successful set of basketball games were held recently. The Final Four next year should be spectacular. It is a great venue for indoor and outdoor events. And the flexibility of the L.O. makes it suitable for anything... hockey, track and field, and soccer. And US Soccer recognizes that.

I still think building the stadium was the right thing to do. And I really hope we make a serious run for a World Cup game.

Applying Curitiba to Indianapolis

2009-03-23T11:57:00.004-05:00

Hat tip to one of my favorite urban design blogs, "Rebuilding Place in the Urban Space" , for this link to a funny, cute, and smart illustrated commentary on more efficient means of planning bus transit lines. It is titled "The long Squiggly Line that's killing our transit system (and news of a Brazilian cure)".

Check it out. Tell me that those diagrams don't look like the majority of IndyGo's routes.

You know what irks me?

2009-03-17T15:02:00.002-05:00

That an 18 acre new development for 22 homes can be labeled "green". If you really want to be green, re-use existing housing stocks. Redevelop urban lands. Nothing that involves building or paving over open land should be called "green", in my opinion.

Maybe I'm just being crabby, but it really bugged me when I read it.

The precedent that they feared

2009-02-06T15:15:00.003-05:00

I'm stuck on this idea of a future Simon-Cook Univeristy (currently known as IUPUI). And it occurred to me that this would not be the first time that a satellite campus went rogue in Indiana and formed as its own university.

From Wikipedia:

The relationship with Indiana State University was an awkward one from the start. Local leaders, who were not pleased with the level of support, contended that if the campus was to thrive it would need to gain independent status. A coordinated effort was made to establish the campus as an independent state university.

Opposition came immediately from Indiana State University along with Indiana University and Purdue, which were concerned that granting the campus independence would set a precedence for other small branch campuses around the state. However, the local campus continued to rally support from state legislators, business leaders, and local groups.

In 1985, independence was finally granted when Robert D. Orr, an Evansville native, signed the school's charter and started a new chapter as the University of Southern Indiana. Since gaining its independence, USI's growth has continued to where it is now the fastest growing comprehensive university in the state. The University established student housing, diversified the programs offered, and enrollment has more than doubled since gaining its independence.

The Master Plan for IUPUI

2009-01-28T14:24:00.004-05:00

On the IUPUI chancellor’s website, there is a presentation from SmithGroup/JJR, the design firm responsible for the campus’ master plan. Anyone in the industry knows that master plans are only as strong as their execution. You can make pie-in-the-sky plans, but if you can’t execute them, the plans aren’t worth much.

In the presentation, the master plan lays out the planning principles that the ideas are based on:

-make an urban campus; don’t waste land
-celebrate pedestrian places and environments
-develop Indiana Avenue frontage as distinct mixed use precinct
-integrate campus w/ cultural trail
-transform parking strategy away from surface lots
-connect to the river

They think IUPUI should be an urban, pedestrian-friendly, culturally-significant campus that is less paved-space and more planned-space. Pardon me as I sarcastically say: no kidding?

They include some nice renderings that show what IUPUI could look like in the coming years. And there are some nice things there. More development along edges to reinforce the urban aspect. A pedestrian friendly Vermont Street. Reinforcing their presence at Indiana and West. Establishment of green spaces in a traditional “quad” fashion. Reducing vehicular impact on Michigan and New York. All of these are understandable recommendations that few could argue.

But because it is a master plan, there are vague details. And in some cases, it is what is not mentioned that is most interesting. For example, in the presentation, when mentioning “team partners” who were consulted, there were a couple of groups not mentioned. Indianapolis Downtown Incorporation. Indiana Sports Corporation. White River State Park. While these groups are not necessarily stake holders, they are users and frequent participants. What does this say about IUPUI’s role in the city? Is not talking to these groups an oversight? Or is there a purposeful decision to not include them in discussions? What are they hoping to accomplish with this? This decision could certainly isolate IUPUI from the rest of the city.
Look at the master plan map and notice that big green space between the White River and New York Street. That is where the current track and field stadium is located. The facility is used more by outside users than by IUPUI itself. The campus is probably tired of playing landlord and putting so much money into the upkeep. That is understandable. But instead of considering keeping it or pushing some other organization to take over the sports facilities, they are including in the master plan that the stadium be leveled and replaced with…nothing. This, in my mind, has a negative impact on the master plan. It makes the master plan a political maneuvering in IUPUI’s attempts to rid itself of property or tenants or something. I’d be curious to hear if anybody has any insight into this.

But this begs the question: who is calling the shots here? The master plan process is for both IU Bloomington and IUPUI. Who is providing more input and push into the master plan: Bloomington or Indianapolis? Remember, IUPUI is an Indiana University satellite campus. It is run by IU Bloomington. And I wonder if these moves will make IUPUI less of an independent campus by reducing connections to Indianapolis and everything going on in the city. To me, these maneuvers make IUPUI more dependent on IU Bloomington.

Which comes to a bigger, philosophical discussion: why can’t we cut the umbilical cord between mother IU and child IUPUI? With the exception of the medical campus, which in partnership with Clarian is a big ole money making venture for IU, every other program is treated like the red-headed step child to all things Bloomington. If IUPUI were allowed to become an independent state university and develop based on its needs and desires instead of IU’s needs and desires… well, I think it would benefit both the campus and the city.

IUPUI and the city of Indianapolis are connected. What is good for one entity is good for the other. Some will argue that the only things that separate them is the vast pavement of West Street (something that isn’t really addressed by the master plan either, but that’s for another day). I think the politics that govern the Indiana University system may be a greater barrier.

That's right folks, I'm not just about architectural commentary; I also do conspiracy theories! Free IUPUI!

My Christmas Gift for IndyGo: Round Two of Suggestions

2008-12-24T11:06:00.003-05:00

It’s been over two months when I made my first suggestions for IndyGo’s system. In the writing, I mentioned that I would go into more detail on my suggestions for downtown transit. After reading that IndyGo is revisiting their plans for a downtown transit center, I figured its time for me to continue my thoughts.

In 2006, URS and Storrow Kinsella conducted a feasibility study for a downtown Indianapolis transit center. Several concepts came from this study, including some ideas that I think should definitely be considered. I’ll mention those ideas as we go along.

The latest push to develop a downtown transit center is driven by the upcoming 2012 Super Bowl. No matter how you feel about subsidizing the new stadium and spending so much time and effort on a Super Bowl bid, you can’t argue that there are some potential positives that can come from it. And an improved transit system might be one of those positives. From the WTHR-TV website:

The transit center could tie into a new rapid transit system, which has recently picked up steam. Like other cities, it would likely include retail and restaurants. There is a new urgency driving the plans.

In 2012 Indianapolis joins Miami becoming a Super Bowl city with tens of thousands of first-time visitors.

‘They are coming from cities that have better transit centers in place so when they come here the expectation is we'll have what other cities have and we don't right now,’ said Spalding.

Spalding says the study of these three sites should be done by September with IndyGo ready to makes its next move shortly thereafter.

HNTB has been hired for the latest study. The focus will be on three sites as potential transit center locations:
-Union Station
-Indiana Ave/IUPUI
-the former Market Square Arena site

These are not too different from the URS/SKA recommended transit center sites, which were the current Post Office site on South Street, Indiana Ave./IUPUI, and Virigina Avenue. The Virginia Avenue site could have utilized the space under the Fieldhouse parking garage.

What was really interesting about the URS/SKA study was that they weren’t suggesting one site, but utilizing all three sites and creating three transit centers. They did prioritize which ones should be built first, but they suggested that all three should be built.

I hope that HNTB takes this into consideration, because I don’t think any one site can handle all of the downtown transit needs, but three centers around downtown.

In SimIndy, I’m still czar over the public transportation corporation. Having addressed the large scale system, I now want to share what I would do with the downtown transit issues. When I looked at the downtown transit issue a couple of months ago, I took the URS/SKA study into consideration but opted to change things just a bit. The priorities I created in my concept were:

1.) Keep the multitude of buses out of the downtown mile square. The number of buses and the number of turns that they have to make creates for more congestions than necessary. By having the buses stop at a perimeter transit center, a centralized transfer point is created. Not only would they be connected to a downtown circulator system but also to other buses to other destinations downtown. Use these centers as connection points to my previously proposed express route system and suddenly Indy because a very well connected and easy to navigate city.

2.) Create circulators that are straight forward and easy to identify. In the URS/SKA study, they suggested four circulator routes. The problem with the proposal is that each route made over a dozen turns during its travels and covered a large piece of downtown. These areas they addressed need to be connected, but there has to be an easier, simpler, and more user-friendly option.

3.) Consider connection to the current and potential larger rail system. Both the previous and current studies look at a connection to the elevated rails that run across the south and east sides of downtown. This is important if we are ever to connect to Amtrak, commuter, and regional rails. The Post Office site in the previous study was large enough for the task but unavailable. The current Amtrak/Greyhound site is likely available for use but isn’t large enough to accommodate all IndyGo routes and the existing services. This site should definitely be considered, but only if it is part of a system of transit centers.

4.) Consider the vehicles used. I know that I will receive some arguments, and I’ve heard them before and have often thought of them myself, but there are situations where light rail/street cars become an optimal choice. Out-of-towners and local residents both will hold a rail vehicle in higher esteem than a circulating bus. That is just the perception and we don’t have time to educate big spending out-of-towners. But to receive my support, a proposed train routes needs to have a high home/work population density, thus increasing potential ridership and improving the chances that the investment made will be worthwhile.

With all of that said, below is a diagram illustrating what I propose for downtown Indianapolis.

I am suggesting three transit centers. The Indiana Ave./IUPUI center on the northwest side of downtown is a no brainer. Here, current routes 3, 4, 5, 10, 15, 18, 25, 34, 38, and 39 would feed into this center.

On the southside of downtown, I prefer looking at the space along Virginia Avenue under the city-owned Fieldhouse. There is more space available here. It is far enough away from the Convention Center and stadium that big events won’t affect bus traffic but is close enough that an enclosed walkway with moving sidewalks could connect the transit center to the Convention Center and Union Station. It is along the rail lines so a rail stop for commuter or regional rails could be installed here. And it is easily accessible by current routes 12, 14, 16, 22, 24, 31, and 55.

For the east and northeast sides of downtown, I’m opted not for the MSA site for a couple of reasons. First, I think something bigger should go here. Though if a transit center is put in here, I hope that they will build it in a way that a big building could be built on top of it in the future. But it is also close enough the Virigina Avenue and Union Station proposed sites to be overly redundant. It is not in proximity to a rail line to be a stand alone site either.

I’m proposing instead to locate on the far end of Massachusetts Avenue at or around the IPS property that used to be a Coca-Cola bottling plant. Current routes 2, 3, 5, 10, 11, 17, 19, and 21 would feed into this transit center. This location also offers development opportunities that could tie in with the transit center.

Connecting riders at these transit centers to downtown would be done by a series of simple circulator systems that aren’t the traditional downtown circulator route. Instead they are existing bus routes that are consolidated and improved upon.

One route would be the Illinois Street/Capitol Avenue Circulator. It would travel between South Street and 38th Street and combine redundant routes 4, 18, 28, 38, and 39 through this corridor.

Another route would be a College/Pennsylvania/Delaware Circulator. It would travel between South Street and 38th Street and possibly on to Broad Ripple Avenue. It would combine routes 2, 5, 17, and 19.

A third route would be a Washington Street Crosstown route that would run on Washington and Maryland downtown. The number 8 route is the busiest route in the IndyGo system and for good reason. There is both business and residential density along this route. This improved vehicle and increased capacity route would run between the airport and Shadeland Avenue.

The fourth route would be a New York/Michigan/Tenth Street Crosstown Route. It would run on New York and Michigan from IUPUI, through most of downtown and then on 10th Street east of downtown, which is another busy route with a fair amount of density. It could also potentially continue west along White River Parkway to 16th Street in route to Speedway.

With these routes, it would be fairly easy for regular and new users to quickly identify what understand where these routes go. And these four routes, given the streets they run on and the ridership they serve, are the best arguments that one can make for on-street light rail in Indianapolis. These are proven routes based on IndyGo ridership numbers. They are on street routes that have the ability to incorporate light rail routes.

And the three transit centers I propose, along with the utilization of the Hyatt/National City Center, creates transfer locations between these proposed light rail routes. This proposal, I believe, maximizes the ability of residents, employees, and students to quickly and easily connect to an improved Indianapolis transit system.

Taking flight...sorta

2008-12-09T13:49:00.005-05:00

I first saw the image of the proposed balloon tower on the cover of the Indianapolis Business Journal from a distance. From a distance, I was intrigued. I had thoughts of 1893 Chicago and George Ferris Jr. and turning the world on its head. Then I got a closer look. And read the article.

I discovered that it isn't the first of its kind. And it wasn't specifically designed for Indy. We may be the first city in the US to get one, but Aerophare America plans on building more across the country. I suspect that you'll find one at Disney World and Pigeon Forge and other tourist traps across America soon. In ten years, a portable version will be on the State Fair Midway.

Interesting? Maybe a little. Special? Not at all.

I'm not anti-AeroPhare. If there is anyplace downtown that this would work, it would be at White River State Park. But I am concerned about how much more stuff can be put into WRSP before it becomes cluttered and without greenspace.

Public comments have been far ranging, but the best comes from Donna and is found on IBJ's Property Lines blog:

a balloon trapped in a cage? A balloon that wants to soar but is trapped in a steel prison? Emblematic of a city that doesn’t have high aspirations for itself and prefers to stay safely ensconced in the known?

The Ferris Wheel this is not. I say let Branson have it.

For Comparison's Sake #5: St. Louis and Indianapolis

2008-11-24T15:15:00.003-05:00

I was recently in St. Louis for a weekend getaway with my wife and some friends. The friends live in Indianapolis but were originally from the St. Louis area. They took us on a tour around town, showing us neighborhoods and attractions. Despite liking Indianapolis, they were beaming with pride about their native city.

And it really is a great city. Extensive collection of beautiful, historic architecture. City funded attractions that provide free admission. A modern structure that is an internationally recognized icon. There are a number of reasons for them to be proud. How could Indianapolis compare?

The simple answer is this: we can't. While both cities are located in the Midwest and are of comparable sizes, that is where the similarities end. The historical fabric that forms the foundation of St. Louis is far finer than that of Indianapolis.

Indianapolis was founded by State Government in 1820 so that the capitol was in the geographic center of the state. St. Louis was founded at the natural convergence of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers.

Indianapolis is an entirely American creation, carved out by Americans from American territory. St. Louis began as a French settlement and received some Spanish influence before becoming part of the United State via the Louisiana Purchase.

Indianapolis was located on a river that was not deep enough for big boats. St. Louis was able to receive riverboats and the commerce they hauled along the Mississippi.

The formation of St. Louis was, in a sense, very organic. The creation of Indianapolis was man-made. But having been founded like is not necessarily a hindrance. In fact, Indianapolis was a blank slate that didn't have to conform to any preconceived notions or history. It allowed Alexander Ralston to form the grid of the Mile Square in 1821. It allowed George Kessler to create the parks and boulevards plan in 1909. It allowed Walker and Weeks to carve out the World War Memorial and American Legion Mall from the middle of the city in 1923.

St. Louis made a massive modern statement with the completion for Eero Saarinen's Arch in 1965, a monument to America's movement westward. Attempts have been made to create a "statement" structure in Indianapolis. An icon that could be internationally recognized. A Cesar Pelli-designed tower at White River State Park never came to fruition. The Gateways proposals, while a noble attempt, never created enough excitement to get the community to support it.

I believe Indianapolis is a great city and has the potential to become more. My question for you: do we really need a high impact structure like the Arch? Do we need a modern monument to something? Can historic structures like the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and modern developments like the Cultural Trail provide enough of an impact to attract international attention? Or do you really want that new postcard-picture-perfect landmark structure?

Suggestions for IndyGo

2008-10-15T15:11:00.001-05:00

The reality is that 2009 will be a tough year for IndyGo. Despite increased ridership, they are having to make service cuts and reductions while raising fares.

However, in SimIndy, I’m czar over the public transportation corporation and I have funding available to make improvements to the existing bus system. There are plenty of smaller things that can be done (new buses, more shelters, GPS, improved communications, etc.).

But there are plenty of things that can be done to the organization and layout of the bus system. The first idea deals with the system on a large scale and addresses the hub-and-spoke nature of the system.

Ninety percent of the bus routes are anchored by downtown. And it makes sense given the concentration of business and leisure in the mile square. But there are other parts of town that have concentrations of homes, businesses, and shopping that people of all walks of life want access to.

Despite the close proximity, Speedway residents can not get to the airport by bus without going downtown. Why wouldn’t they take their car instead?

Residents of Lawrence can go shopping in Castleton via bus, but they have to take Route 4 in towards town, get off the bus, wait for and take Route 4A away from town towards Community Hospital North, get off the bus, and wait for and take Route 19. Again, why wouldn’t they take their car instead?

But even if you don’t have to make a bus transfer, the time required for a trip because it is on city streets and has dozens of stops can make travel an inconvenience. Many will drive instead, reducing ridership and fares collected. For example, I live in Irvington. I can travel to the airport on Route 8. The schedule says it will take 50 minutes. I can drive it in 15 minutes.

To address these issues that keep would-be riders off the bus, I am suggesting that we supplement the downtown hub with secondary hubs scattered across Marion County. These hubs would be located at places where multiple routes will or would intersect, where major activity occurs, where large collections of homes and businesses are located, and in many cases, where commuters can utilize park-and-ride lots.

Outside of downtown, I’m suggesting seventeen hubs that are connected by seven express crosstown routes and one express circulator route. Below is a schematic map showing hub locations and connecting routes.

The routes would use both freeways and city streets, utilizing the most “express” route possible. The hubs would be located in the following locations:

College Park Hub:
Located around West 86th Street and Michigan Road
Served by a Park and Ride lot at a retail location
IndyGo Route Connections: #28 - St. Vincent; #34 – Michigan Road; #37 – Park 100

North Meridian Hub:
Located around 96th Street and North Meridian Street
Served by a Park and Ride lot at a retail or office park location
IndyGo Route Connections: #18 – Nora

Keystone at the Crossing Hub:
Located around 86th Street and Keystone
Served by a Park and Ride lot at a retail or office park location
IndyGo Route Connections: #26 – Keystone Crosstown

Castleton Hub:
Located around Castleton Square Mall on East 82nd Street
Served by a Park and Ride lot at a retail location
IndyGo Route Connections: #19 – Castleton

Lawrence Hub:
Located around 56th Street and Post Road
Served by a Park and Ride lot at a retail or office park location
IndyGo Route Connections: #4 – Fort Harrison; #2 – East 34th Street

Broad Ripple Hub:
Located around 62nd Street and Keystone Avenue
Served by a Park and Ride lot at a retail location
IndyGo Route Connections: #17 – College; #19 – Castleton; #26 – Keystone

Lafayette Road Hub:
Located around East 38th Street and Lafayette Road
Served by a Park and Ride lot at a retail or office park location
IndyGo Route Connections: #10 – 10th Street; #15 – Riverside; #25 – West 16th Street; #37 – Park 100; #38 – Lafayette Square

West 38th Hub:
Located on East 38th Street around Illinois, Capitol, and Meridian Streets
No Park and Ride lot
IndyGo Route Connections: #5 – North Harding; #18 – Nora; #28 – St. Vincent; #38 – Lafayette Square; #39 – East 38th Street

State Fairgrounds Hub:
Located on West 38th Street around College Avenue
Possibly served by a Park and Ride lot at the State Fairgrounds
IndyGo Route Connections: #2 – East 34th Street; #4 – Fort Harrison; #17 – College; #19 – Castleton; #39 – East 38th Street

Crawfordsville Road Hub:
Located around Crawfordsville and High School Roads
Served by a Park and Ride lot at a retail or office park location
IndyGo Route Connections: #10 – 10th Street; #15 – Riverside; #25 – West 16th Street

Airport Hub:
Located at Indianapolis International Airport
Served by a Park and Ride lot at Airport
IndyGo Route Connections: #3 – Michigan Street; #8 – Washington Street; #24 – Mars Hill

Shadeland Ave. Hub:
Located around Shadeland Avenue and East Washington Street
Served by a Park and Ride lot at a retail or office park location
IndyGo Route Connections: #3 – Michigan Street; #8 – Washington Street; #10 – 10th Street; #11 – East 16th Street; #21 – East 21st Street; #30 – 30th Street Crosstown; #55 – English

East Washington Street Hub:
Located between Mitthoeffer Road and Cumberland on East Washington Street
Served by a Park and Ride lot at a retail or office park location
IndyGo Route Connections: #2 – East 34th Street; #8 – Washington Street; #10 – 10th Street; #87 – Eastside Circulator

Beech Grove Hub:
Located around Emerson Avenue and Troy/Main Street
Possibly served by a Park and Ride lot at a retail or hospital location
IndyGo Route Connections: #12 – Beechcrest; #14 – Prospect; #16 – Beech Grove; #26 – Keystone Crosstown

South East Street Hub:
Located around South East Street/South US 31 and I-465
Served by a Park and Ride lot at a retail or office park location
IndyGo Route Connections: #22 – Shelby; #31 - Greenwood

Greenwood Hub:
Located around County Line Road and South US 31
Served by a Park and Ride lot at a retail or office park location
IndyGo Route Connections: #22 – Shelby; #31 - Greenwood

On the graphic, you will notice three hubs downtown. I’ll cover that more in my next post. I am also indicating a Speedway Hub around 16th and Georgetown to serve the Indianapolis Motor Speedway as well as the rejuvenation of downtown Speedway. But it is, essentially, a stop on the express route between the Crawfordsville Road hub and downtown. IUPUI would also be a logical stop along this express route.

Speaking of the express routes, I have eight routes that I am suggesting:

Washington Street Express:
Connects Airport, Downtown, Shadeland Avenue, and East Washington Street Hubs

38th Street/Lawrence Express:
Connects Lafayette Road, West 38th Street, State Fairgrounds, and Lawrence Hubs

College Park/Greenwood Express:
Connects College Park, West 38th Street, Downtown, South East Street, and Greenwood Hubs

North Meridian/West 38th Streets Express:
Connects North Meridian Street Hub and West 38th Street Hub; could possibly continue to Greenwood, similar to College Park/Greenwood

Castleton/Beech Grove Express:
Connects Castleton, Beech Grove, State Fairgrounds, Downtown, and Beech Grove Hubs

Keystone/Beech Grove Express:
Connects Keystone Avenue and Beech Grove Hubs; could possibly continue to Beech Grove, similar to Castleton/Beech Grove

Speedway/Lawerence Express:
Connects Crawfordsville Road, Speedway, Downtown, and Lawerence Hubs

Circulator Express:
Connects College Park, North Meridian Street, Keystone, Castleton, Lawernce, Shadeland Avenue, Beech Grove, South East Street, Airport, Crawfordsville Road, and Lafayette Road Hubs

I think adding these secondary hubs and express routes will make the existing IndyGo system more convenient, efficient, and user friendly. There are other suggestions that I have for IndyGo's system that I will share later (hopefully next week).

Getting off track

2008-09-26T10:42:00.003-05:00

For months, I’ve been contemplating my public transit manifesto, a big write up covering my thoughts on public transportation in the Indianapolis metropolitan region. As I worked on it, it just grew bigger and bigger, but an end never seemed to be in sight.

But then discussions about the northeast corridor started accelerating. And a couple of articles in the September 2008 issue of Metropolis (“Back on Track?” and “Fast Train Coming (Slowly)”) got my creative juices flowing again. I became excited about finishing my written thoughts and get them posted for everyone to enjoy.

Then I read the Urbanophile’s Thursday, September 25th post. And I said, “Well, there’s no better time to post it than now.” Let me start with some comments on his thoughts:

-I couldn’t agree more that Indygo needs to add GPS, web tracking, text message capabilities, etc. It will make the system more user friendly.

-There are several areas where routes overlap and the system doesn’t take advantage of the redundancy. Fountain Square isn’t the only place. And yes, the timing is coordinated for downtown transfers. The answer to that is to not make downtown the only transfer point. But I’ll share my thoughts on this in a post later next week.

-There are many opportunities to improve the bus shelters and facilities in Indianapolis. And making all the shelters the same isn’t the only option. In Hannover, Germany, they hired a number of prominent architects to design nine bus and tram shelters that double as works of art inconjuction with Expo 2000 (photos can be found here). Indy lacks design competitions. An open design competition to design bus shelters would add to the system’s appeal and give visitors and locals another reason to ride the bus system: artistic enjoyment.

I’ve been reading Urbanophile’s stuff for a long time and I think that I’m probably more pro-train than he is. But he and I agree that “Indianapolis can have a first rate, excellent public transport system without it.” And while I welcome the concept of train transit in Indianapolis, I question a couple of things about this latest push for a northeast corridor service.

Philosophically, I have a problem that a northeast corridor train is the starting point. If the HHPA rail right of way (aka the Fair Train rail) is used for a northeast corridor route, use of the train north of the fairgrounds is pretty much limited to automobile users. There are very few bus routes in northern Marion County that would connect residents to the trains. And there are no east-west crosstown routes up there to increase the train’s accessibility to a greater number of residents.

And while there are plenty of buses to catch downtown, at the other end of the line there are none. So a person that lives a mile east or west of the Fishers train station at 116th Street would still need to use a car to get to the train station. I have a problem with a train system that is so dependant on cars.

Improved connectivity in Indianapolis and the surrounding region should begin from the ground up. Indygo has a lot of room for improvement. The surrounding counties need to build up some form of mass transit. Because these systems will be the feeders to any trains installed. And the trains can only be successful if you can get the people to them.

I am also concerned that MPO and CIRTA are moving full speed ahead on planning and building the northeast corridor without giving consideration to what’s next. I’m not saying that the northeast corridor shouldn’t be the first piece in a larger train and transit puzzle. Population, traffic congestion, and an available railroad ROW between downtown and Fishers/Noblesville make this the logical starting point.

But before we dive in, shouldn’t we know where we are swimming to? What will be the next rail segment? Where will the ROW’s come from? How will we get to the airport? To Greenwood?

I will tell you where they should look first. If you look at a 1977 map of the Conrail system and compare it to what we have today, you’ll see that every railroad ROW in Indy has fewer tracks now than it did in 1977 with the one exception of the CSX Cleveland-Indy-St. Louis Main. This means there is the potential to reinstall tracks in these existing ROW’s, allowing for passenger rail tracks that are independent from the freight tracks.

(Or you could build dedicated bus lanes in these ROW’s instead, but that’s a discussion for a different time. Right now, I’m on a roll!)

But they haven’t looked at either of these options. Or at least not enough to satisfy me. I want to see a master plan that addresses how a larger rail system would work with an improved bus system.

And how the rail system connects to a statewide or regional rail system. I offer this question: should a northeast corridor train be a local solution? Or should it be part of a larger solution to connect Indianapolis not just to Fishers and Noblesville, but to Anderson, Muncie, and Fort Wayne. And to South Bend, Chicago, Lafayette, Terre Haute, Bloomington, Evansville, Louisville, Cincinnati, and Richmond?

I’m not saying it needs to be high-speed rail either? To this respect, I think James McCommons, author of an upcoming book called Waiting on a Train, said it best:

You need trains that are frequent, that go faster than a car, or as fast as a
car. That’s what people want. We don’t necessarily need
110-mile-an-hour trains if we could just get trains that are on time and go
every hour.

To conclude my rambling thoughts, focusing so intently on the northeast corridor without giving more thought to the bus feeder systems or the rest of the rail system is like building the 12th floor of a building without a proper foundation or an idea of what the building will eventually look like.

Going... going... going...

2008-09-24T13:37:00.000-05:00

Stop Work Order...sort of

2008-08-27T14:37:00.004-05:00

Walking past the future downtown Buffalo Wild Wings location, I noticed the front doors wide open, materials being delivered, and work going on inside. I made a call to the DMD and found out that the Stop Work Order only involves the exterior, as the interior is not under city review. The request for compliance inspection was made on August 5th and the stop work order occurred on August 21st. By then, the exterior work was nearly completed, if not totally.

I asked about the restrooms up front, if they would stay. They said that they hoped not, but they don't know. They are uncertain what will come of all of this.

My hope is that the owner and developer won't get away with a slap on the hand. To not apply for a permit to modify your facade, then blatantly continue your work knowing that there was a problem, then to show no remorse, and submit the same crappy design for approval, it is an insult to the process. What would keep anybody else from doing whatever the hell they want without approval? The city might as well put out an ad:

Hey Developers! Indianapolis wants you!
Zoning. Historic Districts. Building Codes. Forget 'em. Do whatever you want.
Because we have no self respect! Walk all over us! We're a welcome mat!

Lucas Oil Stadium from the inside out

2008-08-21T12:28:00.013-05:00

As if you needed more coverage. As if you needed to hear another opinion. Here is my opinion on the new Lucas Oil Stadium. Since I believe in function first, form second, I'm going to review this structure from the inside out, focusing first on the seating bowl, which if it isn't successful, then the entire building isn't. Then the concourses and other spaces between. And finishing with the exterior, which most of Indianapolis has seen already.

And for the record: I bleed Blue. I have had season tickets for well over a decade, and I've been looking forward to a new venue for nearly as long. So as a Colts fan this is a long time coming. I'll do my best not to let my fanboy nature interfere with my architectural side.

So here it is, in all it's glory. This is the view from the east side of the stadium. Section 613, to be precise. The large window to the right is the retractable window that looks out over the downtown skyline. It is tinted but you can see the skyline when it is closed.

The window to the left is translucent, so light comes in but you can't see anything through it. So a lot of daylighting is allowed in, but direct sunlight will not be a factor. Along each side are clerestory windows. They are positioned where the massive roof transitions from fixed to movable.
There are six levels of seating connected by three concourse levels. Large LED screens occupy two corners. LED ribbons wrap around the stadium. The seats are blue and, even in the nosebleed, are quite comfortable.
The north end is home to the Bud Light Zone, an open party deck that looks out over the field and over the city. I think this is one of the areas where additional seats can be added for the Super Bowl.
This is what the window looks like when it is open (in this photo, the roof is open too). And...
This is the view from the party deck over the downtown skyline.

I'll give you a moment to take it in.
Here the roof is open. The large roof trusses against the sky make for a memorable and photogenic feature for the new stadium, compared to when it is closed when it is just another roof.
And yes, with the roof and window open, there is plenty of light let into the stadium.
I'm betting that you will see this view from the south stands quite frequently as the broadcast returns from commercials back to the game. A very exciting, breathtaking view.
Again, the roof trusses against the sky. Iconic, I think.
Two places that I want to point out. First, the red arrow: behind the banners in two corners are rows of concrete steps and platforms that are set up to receive blue seats but have not. I believe these will be areas used for the Super Bowl but not for regular Colts games. Second, the green arrow: did you see the photo in the Indy Star of a seat located behind a column? This is one of those locations. In the 300/400 level, there are some seats behind support columns. Certainly, one of the biggest challenges to be faced when designing a venue of this size. There are definitely less obstructed view seats here than in the old Dome, may she rest in peace.
Not as glorious, but certainly important for the stadiums versatility, are these retractable seats located in the first rows of the 100 level. When the NCAA Final Four and other basketball events are in town, they collapse these seats and bring in a different seating structures. This will allow a lot of extra seats around a basketball court that orientates its length with the stadiums length, unlike in the Dome.
Another view of those seats from one of the tunnels. Versatility in all its glory.
We transition to the concourses through the party deck. It's a great gathering space, especially when the window is open.
This concourse is at the 500/600 level. They are simple and straightforward. Concession stands, restrooms, walking space. Big and open. No need to screw it up.
There are also plenty of windows along the concourse, so you don't feel like you are in a tunnel, like in the Dome.
Concession stands are pretty standard. Signage doesn't change much from one stand to another. Retro but simple. Easy to understand.
The Lucas Oil Experience, the north end of the 100/200 level concourse, is an exception, of course. There are two large concession stands wrapped in chrome and neon, which adds to the themeing of the area.
Like the party deck, the Lucas Oil gate overlooks the playing field. There is a stage in the middle of the space for pre-game entertainment. And dragsters, funny cars, boats, planes, tractors, and all other things that are fast and use Lucas products are on display here. Over the top? Perhaps. Annoying? Not really. This will be the front door for the stadium and it is an entertaining and exciting space.
A look at the stage with the playing field and seating bowl behind it.
The 100/200 concourse is heavily themed to sponsors. The entrance gates are named and themed for four different sponsors: Lucas Oil, Sprint, HHGregg, and Huntington Bank. The corners of the stadium are also named and themed. This is the Clarian corner. What's nice about these areas is that they are large and wide open with concession stands on all sides. I guess you could call them corner food courts.
The south gate is the HHGregg gate. Like the Lucas Oil gate, there are escalators to move fans up to the 300/400 and 500/600 levels. It is a wide open space with lots of light. Fans coming from the south lot will have an easy time finding their seats.
The west and east gates, however, pale in comparison to the north and south gates. Yes, they are wide open and let in a lot of light. But there are only three ways to go once you enter these gates: left, right, or straight ahead. And only club seat holders can go straight ahead. Everyone else has to go towards the corners and end zones to find vertical circulation to get to the upper levels. And there are no concession stands or anything of real interest at these gates. Essentially, the east and west gates will mostly be used by club seat and suite holders and the north and south gates will be mostly used by lower level end zone dwellers and anybody in the upper decks. So from a logistics standpoint, there's a bit of a hiccup here. Above is the Huntington gate.
And this is the Sprint gate, which oddly enough, wasn't very themed. At least, not yet. Another item to point out related to these two gates: the lower concourse and upper concourse are continuous. You can walk all the way around the stadium. But the middle concourse, which is the 300/400 level, is interrupted at the east and west gate to accommodate very large club areas. You can't walk all the way around the stadium here. And it feels very awkward because there is no indication of this predicament until you reach the end of a hallway where you can head to a particular section or into the club area. And if you don't have seats in either of those spaces, well you are SOL at the LOS (ha!).
But while there might be failures at the east and west gates, the rest of the areas are pleasant and open, light and airy. And there is a lot of connections between upper and lower areas. On the escalators, you can look down onto larger spaces.
From the larger spaces, you can look down onto the escalators...
...and other larger spaces. You really don't feel isolated, enclosed, and claustrophobic in these corridors. A welcome change, indeed.
As we head outside, a quick look at the Colts Pro Shop. It is in the northeast corner of the stadium, also known as the Meijer corner.
A big gift shop is a requirement at new sports venues. And this is big. Two levels big. Much larger than the Circle Centre Mall version. Again, very open. Lots of natural light.
Enough of the great indoors. Lets go outdoors. This is the north elevation with the retractable window. Both in style and shape, I am reminded of the Coliseum at the State Fairgrounds, which is a great old sports venue.

As most (but not all) are aware, the stadium's plan is twisted off of the traditional cardinal directions, pointing this window towards the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument and the downtown skyline. There are other perks that come with the stadium not being squared up to the street. Walking down any of the sidewalks, you get to look at one of the stadiums elevations instead of a corner. By not having to look at it straight on, the building doesn't seem as daunting, as large, and overwhelming. An easily approachable stadium, despite its size.
The other perk about not being parallel to and up against the street is the leftover spaces created. All four sides have plenty of space for security and ticket checking, which is done under cover at the fence gates (though I admit that in some ways, the fencing and gates seem like afterthoughts, not really integrated into the rest of the design). There even additional plaza space on the east and west for pre-game activities. This is the east elevation above, which is pretty much just like the west elevation.
The south elevation looms over the south lot tailgaters. Of the four sides, this seems the largest. Probably because there is wide open space between it and the bean factory.
The main ticket windows are located at the southeast corner, adjacent to the south lot.
The scale of the building is brought down at the arching entrances. Above the east and west entrances are balcony spaces.
There are some dominate details in the stadium's design, in particular along the long east and west elevations. These towers topped by arches break up the facade. The roof trusses and columns are also highlighted along the sides.
There are many that would criticize the stadiums design for looking backwards instead of forward. And certainly, it would be entertaining, at least for a while, to have a stadium whose design is forward thinking, like the home of the Arizona Cardinals or the Beijing Bird's Nest. But often, those progressive modern designs end up being dated down the line. And this is an expensive project to be investing in chic.

The other argument that I would make for this stadium's design is that it fits the context. The nearby Wholesale District, Victory Field, Union Station, the steam plant, the bean factory, and many other turn of the century warehouse and industrial structures (even the radiator repair shop across Missouri Street), all have similar feels and vibs. This stadium meshes in with its environment. Its not contrary. Aside from its size (its a football stadium...it can't be helped!), it is not that different from the other buildings.

You could say that this is just an excuse for Indy's conservative Midwest mentality. And you wouldn't be wrong. But you wouldn't be completely right. I think it is part of a greater desire to not offend. This stadium is downtown's new welcome mat. And I think we will discover that this provides a balance to the new airport. The airport excites you to be in Indy. The stadium, and really all of downtown, make you feel comfortable and at home.

It's a tried and true method in Indianapolis. Conseco Fieldhouse led the way for Lucas Oil Stadium. It's throwback design has made it the darling of all NBA arenas, constantly being voted as a favorite of fans and visitors. But it is not by its exterior design alone that it is successful. Inside are some entertaining and enjoyable spaces, including the entry hall, the practice court, the concourses, the gift shop, and the concession and escalator courts along the arena's sides. In the seating bowl are some of the best seats and views you'll find, not to mention a bar/restaurant (which the stadium is missing, as well as a Colts Hall of Fame). It is essentially a perfect venue for bastketball (but not hockey, but that's a different peeve all together). What about Lucas Oil Stadium? How successful is it?

The outside of the stadium is pleasant and enjoyable, but safe and unchallenging. It is better than most, but despite my appreciation for the design, there will always be that thought in the back of my mind: could we have done something off the hook? Could we have pulled off a stunning, mind-blowing design? The odds would have been against us, but it may have been fun to try. In the end, I give the outside an above average grade, a "B".

The concourses are a vast improvement over the stadium's predeccesor. The north and south ends are fun spaces that allow for commercialization without it being annoying. The corners are more intamite, more closed. They have the feel of downtown's South Meridian Street on a weekend night: it's dark, but there is plenty of neon and other lights to brighten things up and plenty of people and activity to make it feel alive. It is in contrast to the rest of the stadium and its bright spaces.

The biggest failure comes at the east and west ends, where business decisions ruin potentially wonderful spaces. I understand the need to cater to the Club and Suite ticket holders. They pay a premium price, they deserve a premium experience. But being a regular ticket holder, entering from the east and west makes me feel like I am just one amongst the thousands being herded along. I don't want to feel like cattle when I go to a Colts game.

The treatment of the 300/400 concourse along those sides are also a failure. With the space available outside, the concourses on the east and west could have been punched out more. Certainly, it would have increased the footprint and price, but unlike the excellent spaces surrounding it, the east and west gates are failures.

But what really pulls it all together for me is the quality of the seating bowl. This is where fans will spend most of their times. This is what they really pay for. So succeeding here is a necessity. It must function.

I haven't been there for a game yet. And I may never see anything but football games here. But the I get the impression that this will be a great place to watch sports and concerts. From the seats to the exposed steel; from the TV screens to the plazas; from the windows to the retractable roof: the entire package should provide a premiere sporting venue.

And thanks to the sliding window and retractable roof, we will be provided with two very different experiences. When it is closed, it will be loud and tight and fierce. When it is open, it will exciting and fresh. Even without a game to watch, the difference in the atmosphere from when the roof was closed to when it was open and back again... it is amazing. A solid "A". And extra credit for orientating the stadium towards downtown's skyline.

For Comparison's Sake: Lucas Oil Stadium

2008-08-12T08:53:00.002-05:00

For the past couple of years, Lucas Oil Stadium's arrival has been looming over the south side of downtown Indianapolis. Unlike the new airport whose location has kept it out of sight and out of mind for many residents, the construction of the new home of the Colts has been front-and-center for many commuters and visitors coming from the south and west.

Yesterday was the first open house of the (99%) finished stadium. There will be a series of open houses on Saturday with a season ticket holders preview on Sunday. I visited the stadium during its construction, but this weekend will mark the first time I'll see any of the interior finishes.

Be sure to look for photos and my thoughts next week (the Indy Star already has an architectural review). But while local residents will have several opportunities to check out the new digs, the first time that people outside of Indianapolis will have a chance to view Lucas Oil Stadium will be on September 7th when the Colts have their season opener on NBC's primetime broadcast.

When this decade concludes, there will have been a dozen new NFL stadiums constructed. Cincinnati, Denver, Pittsburgh, Seattle, New England, Philadelphia, and Chicago (sorta) all received new open-air stadiums while Detroit, Houston, Arizona, Dallas, and Indianapolis have or will have received new domed or retractable roof stadiums.

So how will our new stadium be received, both locally and nationally? Let's take a quick look at the other enclosed stadiums that the Luke will be compared against...

Ford Field
Detroit, Michigan

Opened in 2002, this stadium seats about 65,000 for football games. It is located to the east of Comerica Park, home of the Detroit Tigers. It is located in downtown Detroit, though it is hugged on the north and east by interstate highways. The roof of the stadium is fixed in place.
There are many things to like about this design. Architecture Firm SmithGroup incorporates a 1920's warehouse into its design. It's not just an appendage, but in fact houses the majority of the stadium's suites in addition to restaurants, offices, and other related spaces. That's a very unique component of the Detroit design. Also, the design is scaled down at its perimeters, where the stadium is located right along the sidewalks. This gives a more pedestrian scale to the massive structure.

Reliant Stadium
Houston, Texas

Also opened in 2002, this HOK designed stadium holds 71,500 football fans. While not a downtown stadium like Detroit, it is also not a suburban stadium like Dallas or Arizona. It is located on the southside of town, inside of the inner loop expressway, and is part of Reliant Park which includes the AstroDome, an arena, and a convention center. So it is surrounded by other large venues and parking lots, eliminating any issues with scale.

The stadium has a retractable roof which creates a 500' by 385' opening. The roof is constructed of steel and fabric, which allows daylighting.

The design is modern and the use of metal and glass in its construction furthers the modern feel. It is a unique design though not necessarily cutting edge. It doesn't have a lot of context to fit in with, so while the design isn't ground breaking or awe inspiring, the design certainly doesn't offend.

University of Phoenix Stadium
Glendale, Arizona

Opened in 2006, the University of Phoenix Stadium was designed by Peter Eisenman with HOK. It is located on the westside of Glendale, also surrounded by parking lots.

It has a retractable roof and a playing field that slides out of the stadium, allowing a solid floor for other uses while letting the natural turf receive plenty of Arizona sunshine.

Unlike most stadiums, Eisenman's design gives it a very sculptural quality as its design is based on a barrel cactus. Again, this structure has no context other than the desert landscape, so the design is very appropriate. Of all the new stadiums (or old, for that matter), this is the only one design by a "starchitect". And while Eisenman could have gone ga-ga with the design, I think he showed careful restraint that led to a very successful and unique design that would only work in the Arizona desert.

Dallas Cowboys Stadium
Arlington, Texas

In 2009, the Dallas Cowboys will open a new stadium in suburban Dallas. It will have a retractable roof and the glass walls in the end zones will open up as well. Sound vaguely familiar? The new Cowboys stadium is designed by HKS, the same firm that designed Lucas Oil Stadium.

Some of the features of the Luke make me think that Indy was a warm up for HKS for the Dallas project. But like everything in Texas, this stadium is bigger. Bigger arches, bigger windows, bigger openings, bigger big screen TV's, more seats. It's a modern design that takes inspiration from the classic Texas Stadium. The combination of modern design and modern materials makes it similar in concept to the Houston design.

Wait until you hear this...

2008-08-06T09:40:00.003-05:00

I spoke to Jeff York at Department of Metropolitan Development. He met with Mike Peoni (DMD Administrator), Harold Rominger (Master Planner), and Pete Watson (co-owner of the downtown Buffalo Wild Wing franchise) recently to discuss the facade issues.

Mr. Watson didn't understand that the only approvals they had applied for and received has been for signs and awnings. His architect submitted the paperwork. By the end of the meeting, he understood that they had messed up in the process and that his architect will contact the DMD and submit elevations for approval (this will be a revision to the previous application, not a brand new application... basically keeping the owner from having to pay another set of application fees). Jeff said that they made the owner aware that the existing facade was not acceptable and would not be approved.

But here is challenge to any new facade design. Do you know what is behind the three windows located to the left of the main doors?
RESTROOMS!!!

The architect for this restaurant put the public restrooms up against the front facade. This is worse than strip mall design. They completely missed an opportunity to connect with pedestrian and vehicular traffic.

In the meantime, Jeff said that the compliance inspector has been asked to visit the site, to pursue whatever course they need, and rectify the situation. So far, the DMD has not heard from the architect. But based on my discussion with Jeff, not only will they have to redesign the facade, they will probably need to redesign the interior layout.

The awnings are on, but is it any better?

2008-08-06T09:21:00.005-05:00

The awnings reduce the amount of yellow visible to those passing by. But I still think that the first level design is all wrong.