Circle and Squares Studios

Repurposing Indy's Rail Lines

2010-09-08T10:55:00.003-05:00

One of my favorite topics is public transit. And I find myself pondering over ways to improve our system in Indianapolis. The following is a concept that I have been rolling around in my head for the past several months. I should point out that while I considered a number of factors in my statement, financial restraints weren’t one of them. When building inside your imagination, you should never let dollars get in the way. And while I present a conceptual layout, by no means do I believe that things can’t be changed. I provide it purely to help illustrate my thoughts on the subject. With that being said, I hope you find some interest in my conceptual proposal for repurposing Indy’s rail lines.

The Indy Connect study presents some ideas that had received a lot of attention previously as well as some ideas that hadn’t been given much thought. A northeast corridor commuter rail, express bus routes, and expanded city bus routes are ideas that have been proposed in the past and still receive a lot of support from the community. Adding a light rail route along Washington Street and commuter rail to the southside are ideas that received a big boost from Indy Connect’s endorsement.

One of the reasons given for the Washington Street light rail is the density along that route and the potential for investment in transit oriented development. And I think that is a great reason for pursuing that option. But it had me wondering, why can’t we look at even more options that service those areas with greatest density and help spur re-development of crumbling urban areas?

I began to think about the areas in Indianapolis that would meet those criteria. Areas that immediately came to mind are the old RCA plant and Citizens Gas and Coke facility on the eastside; the Diamond Chain and GM Stamping Plants on the near Westside; and areas around Speedway. How can we insert the infrastructure into and between these areas to allow rail transit and encourage TOD at these current or future brownfield sites?

Light rail in the street right of ways are certainly an option. But there is another option that hasn’t received a lot of attention: using existing rail right of ways.

All around Indianapolis, we are surrounded by an ‘L’. We just don’t pay as much attention to our elevated rail lines because it is currently dedicated to freight rail traffic. But I believe there are opportunities to better utilize these lines.

But first I should explain why we should utilize those lines, and then I’ll describe the options of how we can.

Once upon a time, the various uses of lands were not isolated into zones the way we do today in modern land design. Because the automobile was not as prevalent, people had to live close to their work, school, church, and stores, or live along a transportation line that would connect them to those places. So nobody gave much thought to building or buying a home across the street from the factory they worked out. Beech Grove, for example, was a company town built by the railroad for their employees at the repair yard.

For multiple reasons, including the rise of the automobile and the proliferation of suburbanization, people moved out of the urban neighborhoods. But it wasn’t only homes that were lost. Jobs were moved to the suburbs. Or other towns. Or other countries. Factories were closing down, leaving behind inflexible industrial structures that very few others could use. New businesses were building their factories and warehouses in industrial parks where they didn’t have to worry about residential neighbors and their concerns and they could build a new, modern facility from scratch instead of trying to make an existing, outdated facility work for their needs.

This is why places like the former RCA factory and the Citizens Gas and Coke facility sit vacant or underutilized. The cost to build new industrial facilities in their place would not only be expensive, there would likely be resistance from neighborhood groups to return the land to industrial because of the residential properties that surround them.

But the catch 22 is that these neighborhoods languish because they built up around these facilities and now that they are vacant, they no longer have a center or unifying point. The neighborhoods have lost their identity, in a way, and are in need of re-investment.

Thankfully, these sites have a unifying asset: they are located along rail lines. Formerly, the rail lines served as a means to supply raw materials and carry away new products. But now the rail lines are underutilized, a fact that is illustrated by this 1977 map of rail lines in Indianapolis. Notice how many lines use to exist in central Indianapolis. And then notice how many lines I’ve highlighted. Those are lines that are no longer used. The reality is that the freight lines in Indianapolis are used more for shuffling of rail cars at old rail yards and for through traffic than for local access. There are still businesses that need the rail service in Indianapolis, but it is a far cry from what it used to be.

So we have multiple pockets of urban neighborhoods that would benefit from transit oriented development. We have underutilized rail right of ways adjacent to these pockets. How can we better utilize these assets?

The first option would be to change the rules governing the separation freight trains from most forms of passenger transit. Through the use of computers, satellites, and other technologies, it is possible to have both public transit and freight rail share lines. The biggest challenges I see to this are getting the laws changed to allow this (it is considered a major safety issue) and gaining control from the railroads that control the tracks. Anyone who has tried riding Amtrak from Indianapolis to Chicago knows that freight trains ALWAYS maintain the right of way.

The next option would be to reclaim some of the vacant right of ways. The challenge there is that many lines, including the CSX line that runs from Cleveland through Indy to St. Louis, has no right of way to give. And there is still the issue of freight trains maintaining their right of way. Not being able to keep a schedule would challenge the success of a passenger rail transit service.

The final option I would provide is do away with the majority freight rail service in Indianapolis and dedicate all of the rail lines to passenger service first, freight service second.

My argument is built on accepting the following notion: the industry that once powered the livelihoods of our urban neighborhoods are gone and will never come back. I offer the previously mentioned urban industrial sites as proof and recent discussions related to the GM stamping plant, the International Engine Plant, and others illustrate that it will be a continuing trend. They are expensive to operate and out of date.

With a few exceptions, the need for freight rail traffic in Indianapolis is minimal. The industry that remains could still be serviced, but that freight traffic would need to yield to passenger traffic. That’s not a tough concept to accept. The current proposals for commuter rail to Fishers and Greenwood hinges on commuter lines sharing the Hoosier Heritage and Louisville & Indiana lines with freight traffic.

There are still the rail yards and through freight traffic to deal with. Years ago, a beltway railroad was constructed to allow freight traffic to move through the city and connect to other rail lines without creating congestion on the downtown rails. The beltway is just a few miles out from the city, but served a purpose. Take that same concept, but grow it. Instead of a beltway within the city, build a new beltway that starts around Pendleton, travels through Madison, Hancock, Shelby, Johnson, Morgan, Hendricks, and Boone counties, before finishing up near Lebanon.

Through freight traffic would be re-routed on this beltway and new, modern rail yards could be constructed could be constructed where the new beltway intersections with a rail line. These new rail yards could serve as new multi-modal ports, providing more support for the industrial and logistics facilities that already exist in the outer metro counties and continue to multiple.

Freight service into the city could continue, but on a schedule that is dictated by the needs of passenger travel. If all of this were to occur, there could be a passenger rail service that utilizes the existing rail lines and connect downtown to Fishers, Lawrence, Irvington, Beech Grove, Greenwood, the Airport, Speedway, and points beyond. And then opportunities for urban redevelopment and brownfield reuse begin to unveil themselves. These lines could serve as the back bone for a new and improved transit system that connects to light rail/street cars, express and local buses, greenways, bike lanes, streets and highways. Along each line, the opportunity for new residential, commercial, and office developments are available, not to mention park and ride facilities along Indy’s perimeter.

It’s a farfetched idea, but one with merit that deserves some discussion and that could, at the very least, serve as a jumping point for continued dialogue.

Repurposing Circle and Squares

2010-09-07T10:32:00.002-05:00

Since I now write for Urban Indy (which is being generous; I've done one article for Urban Indy so far; I'm a slacker), I have to decide what to do with Circle and Squares. My critiques, criticisms, compliments, and news coverage related to Indianapolis design and planning will occur over at Urban Indy; I've decided to use this space as an online studio, of sorts. A place where I can take the ideas and dreams I have for Indy from the scrap paper and post it notes where they usually find themselves and put them online for everybody to see. It is possible that I will eventually include a portfolio of the work I have completed. Nevertheless, Circle and Squares is now less of a commentary and news site and more of a venue for my ideas. You are welcome, of course, to stay and enjoy. Otherwise, I would encourage you to visit Urban Indy where 5 great minds joined up with my slacker self to provide some of the best commentary on urban life in Indianapolis.

Urban Indy

2010-08-05T08:30:00.003-05:00

I enjoying working on collaborative websites. Hoosier Beer Geek has been an absolute delight over the past four years. And I'm happy to say that I'm working with another great group of people at Urban Indy, which started as an individual's blog but has now relaunched as a collaborative effort. I'm thrilled to be writing and working with this group of concerned urbanists. My first effort went online yesterday: The freedoms, benefits that come from riding the bus.

You'll see a lot more of my writings over there. I'm not sure yet what will come of this blog. I won't take it off line, but I'm not sure what the future holds for this blog. But in the meantime, I invite you to visit Urban Indy where I join Curtis Ailes (Huston Street Racing), Chris Corr (DIG-B), Graeme Sharpe (A Place of Sense), Kevin Kastner (creator of Urban Indy) and Kirsten Eamon-Shine (Middle West Meals).

The good, the bad, and the ugly of Indianapolis (recently)

2010-05-21T10:40:00.003-05:00

The Good: The nice thing about what is perceived to be a one time event like the Super Bowl is that it gives people a deadline to clean house and finish up projects. A lot of projects and ideas are coming out and about.

The decision to close Monument Circle in August to see what would happen is a fascinating proposition. The Circle is closed half the time during the summer months anyway, so closing it for a whole month should make for an interesting experiment. The opportunities that come with recreating the circle as a pedestrian plaza is limitless. Tables and chairs. Public art. Landscaping. And even more events since the cost of security and road closure permits are practically eliminated. I have really warmed up to this idea.

The proposal to turn Georgia Street into an event plaza is interesting as well. The biggest challenge was allowing access to the multiple garages along Georgia. But the Ratio Architects design seems to do that. Sidewalks on each side. A plaza down the middle. Less vehicular space. And unique elements that could create unique venues in the middle of the street.

The ups and downs of the City Market will hopefully hit another up and stay up. The drive is to use the center hall as a real city market and steer away from the food court setup that has plagued them in recent years. There is a call to demo the west wing and redevelop it. Riley Area has a proposal that incorporates an art center and a YMCA, which I think would be spectacular. And the east wing would be converted into a bike commuter hub, an idea that is LONG over due.

The Bad: All the good ideas listed add to the improvement of our urban city. The proposed cuts by IndyGo is a great disservice. In my opinion, you can't have a world-class city without having transportation options that everybody can enjoy. City business leaders showed their support for expanded and improved transportation, including commuter rail and a street car on Washington Street. But a good bus system to support and feed these larger systems is needed. And for some reason, IndyGo isn't capable of being that. At this point, I almost feel like the system needs to be dismantled and started over from scratch. It is a really sad situation. The city and the region needs to adequately fund public transportation if we are truly going to be a great city.

The Ugly: The Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library system is seeing some rough times too. They recently announced a proposal to close 6 branches to save money. Not good. The Mayor's office recently stated that they will do everything they can to keep that from happening. Not bad. But in the end, we have a library system that is having money issues. And it needs to be fixed before it becomes an uglier situation.

Public spaces and places and the ability to access them are important components of a successful city. We need to make it happen.

Work in progress: Marriott Place

2010-03-16T22:21:00.002-05:00

From the outside, it looks like the new J.W. Marriott in downtown Indianapolis could open any day. But in reality, they have another year before they will open. But the big cranes have been removed and the majority of the exterior glass panels have been installed.

The long awaited hotel had gone through many, many, MANY redesigns. The reality of the hotel is slightly different than the last renderings I had seen. The footprint and shape are pretty much the same. The color palette is different. The rendering shows different shades of glass and dark neutral colors where the glass is not. The reality is that the glass is pretty much the same shade of blue and the dark neutrals are replaced with limestone-like shades, similar to the Convention Center across the street. The limestone colors are an improvement; the class coloring isn't, in my opinion.

But the project consists of more than just the J.W. Marriott tower. There are three other hotels that together from Marriott Place. And in between them, on the northside, is an art plaza that includes a large stylized sculpture of a cardinal, a mosaic mural of peonies, and tulip tree leaves etched into the plaza pavement. The collection of art is a nice touch for the complex and creates a connection to the White River State Park across the street with its collection of art.

To the west of the J.W. Marriott tower are three hotels consisting of one remodeled structure and two new structures. The existing structure received a much needed face lift. They all use some standard suburban hotel design standards; there is nothing unique here.

On the plus side, they do have canopies at the entries that are modern in design. And the entire complex covers the majority of the property. The density at Marriott Place is more urban than it is suburban. And that might be one of the best features of this project.

The hotel might be best seen from the west. The curve of the J.W. Marriott tower is more interesting on convex side than on the concave side. And the convention spaces along Maryland street create more street interest than along West Street.

While I contend that the glass colors in the renderings are more interesting than the blue glass that is installed. But on a sunny day, like on this day that I took these pictures, the blue glass tower looks nice with the blue sky backdrop. Additionally, some color variations will occur depending on if the room's curtains are open or not. Or where the stairwells and elevator towers are located.

The brick along the Maryland Street elevation is interesting. I believe they are trying to give an interpretation of natural limestone patterns, similar to what you see when a highway cuts through a hill in southern Indiana. The wall makes me think of exposed limestone. It also makes me think that someone screwed up the brick ordering. I didn't like it at first. It has grown on me, though.

Being a fan of baseball and, in particular, Victory Field, I was concerned about how the hotel would impact the fan experience. I'll be interested to see what the hotel looks like from my seats this season.

My other concern was the impact that the pedestrian bridge would have over West Street. They opted to use a clearer glass than the reflective blue on the hotel, and I think that lessens the impact of the bridge.

And when you look south along West Street, you can even see the Victory Field centerfield sign through the bridge.

Work on the West Street side of the hotel continues, including the canopy. At the moment, the street presence could be improved, but we'll see what the finished project looks like. But the concave side does nicely catch the sunlight at different times during the day and the blue glass reflections the Indy skyline back.

It's a nice modern addition to our skyline. No one would argue that it could have been better, but so far, it seems to be successful.

Parking in Urban Areas

2010-02-19T13:37:00.002-05:00

A planned redevelopment on Meridian Street has come to a stop because of a Metropolitan Development Commission ruling, according to the Indianapolis Business Journal. MDC Staff recommended a variance for the required off-site parking, but because of neighborhood opposition, the MDC did not give the developer a variance.

In my opinion, we need to change the zoning ordinance so that properties in urban areas don't need to meet these requirements. Especially given the properties close proximity to public transit, as Urban Indy pointed out.

Far too often, minimum parking requirements in the zoning ordinance gets in the way of good re-development.

Buses, Trains, and Automobiles

2010-02-10T12:43:00.003-05:00

In other news, another topic that is near and dear to my heart has made some headlines recently. A draft plan by Indy Connect - Central Indiana's Transportation Initiative has been made public and they are requesting comments on their ideas for public transportation in the Indianapolis area. The initiative is made up of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), Central Indiana Regional Transportation Authority (CIRTA), and IndyGo. The plan was created as a result of years of studies and comments from the Central Indiana Transit Task Force (which the Indianapolis Business Journal talked about recently).

The plan in intriguing as it combines commuter rail, light rail, express bus service, expanded local bus service, and expansion of highway lanes (the Task Force recommends adding toll lanes on I-69 and I-65).

I like this draft for multiple reasons. The commuter rail north to Fishers and south to Greenwood addresses some of the greatest commuter needs. These are the densest of the Indianapolis suburbs and are the most likely to provide customers. Additionally, there are railroad right of ways in place that are vacant or are underutilized. In the case of the Greenwood line, the existing ROW is wide enough to accommodate an additional track.

The light rail proposal would utilize Washington Street between Cumberland and the airport, similar to the interurban line that used to run along this route. This provides an improvement in transportation quality and reliability to a corridor that already heavily uses public transit. I hope that, in the future, they would also look at light rail for 38th Street, for a Downtown/Broad Ripple connection, and another connection between downtown and 38th Street (along Meridian or Illinois/Capital). I've made these sort of suggestions before.

Not all areas need rail and I'm happy to see proposals for express bus services. I think this proposal and the addition of toll/express lanes go hand in hand. A bus that is stuck in traffic like everybody else is not that helpful. An express bus that can utilize dedicated lanes, however, is something that more people would consider.

And finally, the addition of bus routes both within Indianapolis and in other counties is important to be able to feed the rail and express bus routes. And I agree with the Task Force that IndyGo should look at more direct routing and move away from the central hub network that is currently used (I suggested a series of bus hubs in the past as well).

I'm glad to see that both the public and private sectors are staying on task with public transportation. While there are obviously costs that are associated with it (a regional tax has been suggested), it is worth it. Improved and expanded public transportation will improve the quality of life in our region.

Veterans Day

2009-11-11T09:18:00.003-05:00

It is often said that Indianapolis has more memorials to veterans than any other city in the country aside from Washington, D.C. I don't know if that is true, but we do have several wonderful sites in the Circle City. And today would be a great day to enjoy them.

Almost everybody knows about the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument. It's the monument in the middle of Monument Circle. It was dedicated to the memory of Civil War, Spanish/American War, and other veterans. The Eli Lilly Civil War Museum is located in the basement. A gift shop is located above the museum. And usually the observation level is open up top (though not at the moment...still under construction).

The World War Memorial is a monument that is often seen by many but rarely visited. Located on a block bound by Meridian, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Vermont, it was originally dedicated to the veterans of WWI but has since taken on remembrance of all military skirmishes that Hoosiers have been involved in. Inside are some of the best kept secrets in Indianapolis. A museum covering military activity from pre-Revolutionary War to present. The sacred space that is the Shrine Room. And a beautiful auditorium.

To the north of the Indiana World War Memorial is Veterans Memorial Plaza, an urban park dedicated to all veterans. The center piece of the park is an obelisk and fountain.

To the north of Veterans Memorial Plaza is the American Legion Mall. The Mall is home to two office buildings. The smaller building on the westside of the mall is the original headquarters to the American Legion. They outgrew the building very quickly, building the larger building on the eastside. The original building is now home to the state American Legion headquarters. Also on site is the historic cenotaph (empty tomb) and memorials to WWII, Korea, and Vietnam.

On the canal, there are two important memorials. At Walnut Street you will find the USS Indianapolis Memorial, a ship sunk during WWII. At White River State Park, you will find the National Medal of Honor Memorial, a beautiful contemporary memorial.

There are many other monuments and memorials all around town. Cemeteries, like Crown Hill, often have several memorials. And it shouldn't be forgotten that the airport terminal is named for Col. H. Weir Cook. The city is filled with reminders of sacrifices made for our country. It is a good day to recall the inspiration behind the structures.

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?