How Large is Downtown Indy?
Monument Circle is the heart of Indianapolis. It marks the center of downtown, the central business district. I love this part of town. However, as I have been exploring downtown over the course of my escapades, I have come to realize that Indianapolis does not have a big "downtown" region. My sister best explained it during a visit when she asked "isn't downtown supposed to have buildings?" She lives in NYC so I excused her comment, but she did have a point.
This prompted me to start thinking about downtown as it truly exists, not as we wish it. As far as I can tell, downtown Indy only extends within two blocks of the Circle in any direction. This is the true downtown. If you walk two blocks away you are presented with parking lots, buildings that are only open for special events, and monumental parks lined with unfriendly streetscapes.
This small plot of land is only a remant of the city that was (area of interest in blue)
Looking at the area within two blocks of the circle, I think it is clear why this meets the definition of downtown. Great sidewalks, calm traffic, storefronts, tall buildings (at least 3 stories), and lots of pedestrian options. It is somewhat unfortunate that the urban towers have been set into this downtown region, because they have typically eschewed storefront space and brought parking garages with them. That is truly my only complaint, because otherwise this central core is all right.
Monument Circle is extraordinary
Traffic is managed within the circle by civic goodwill instead of traffic signals
Traveling westwards, the pedestrian environment breaks down at Capitol Ave. The state government buildings are obviously necessary, but many of them have abandoned good urban design principles. Looking at the aerial view, it is clear that few properties exist between Capitol Ave. and Haughville that would attract a pedestrian.
The east side of downtown has too much green and too many mega-projects
A pedestrian would have to walk for several blocks along uninviting, uninteresting streetscapes. Even the museum campus is set far back from the sidewalk. This helps the buildings take advantage of the canal, but the frontage along Washington St is a wasteland.
This streetscape is fronted by buildings set back from (or on top of) the sidewalk
Can this even be classified as a sidewalk? Or did the street grow?
Northwest from the circle we find parking lots. Not much else for a downtown experience. And the one-way streets with timed lights sure make driving fast seem easy.
Walking East from the Circle rewards visitors with this charming site, but then...
...nothing but parking lots and suburban apartments to thrill our visitors
Directly north is our mall of city parks. Also some non-urban buildings. And more parking lots. Still nothing attractive to pedestrians. The library has a great location but we are missing a continuous pedestrian streetscape from the circle to the library door.
The problem with this area is that none of the buildings that front the park spaces are useful to pedestrians. They are just big plots of green that beautify the view for the nearby towers. I am not trying to minimize the importance of the parks, they are wonderful. But they need to be surrounded by properties that address it appropriately. The first step towards correcting this is to reduce one-way streets and slow down traffic. The park will never succeed as an island surrounded by an urban highway.
The Star might find a connection to the city if they physically connect to it
A permit-only parking lot - not a preferred use for this location
Walking northeast from the circle leads to Mass Ave, or at least it does after you walk past some more parking lots. Mass Ave is one of the crown jewels of downtown Indianapolis. And what did the city have to do to achieve this? Two important things: 1) preserve existing buildings & 2) encourage infill development. The old buildings correctly addressed the street with good urban design, but there were so many parking spaces and empty lots that infill development was needed. Urban Indy's post discusses the issue and has a link to lots of photos of the area before and during infill stages.
Mass Ave should be the guide for downtown Indianapolis development. Start with an area that has existing assets. Create small, mixed use plots for independent development where parking lots and asphalt currently exist.
Remove *all* parking requirements from the zoning code in urban areas. In fact, try to actively discourage on-site parking. Provide parking with city sponsored multi-level garages and treat it like part of the road infrastructure. Next, spend a hell of a lot of money on getting the message out, using hired guns for marketing. Connect the area with other downtown amenities. There is no need to reinvent the wheel, just keep it rolling.
The enduring efforts on Mass Ave have led to this latest infill project
Directly east from the circle is the most depressing sight of any downtown I have ever visited. A gravel parking lot. Several, actually. It has been this way for a while. Apparently infill projects that would convert this area into a usable downtown are not good enough. The city is angling for yet another mega-project that would give a nice symmetry with the west side.
Huge, low-profile, block-killing projects that prevent people from walking around. And if they are not walking, they are driving. That's the wrong kind of development. Stop the insanity!
This part of town is shameful
No comment
Is the CCB part of the problem or part of the solution?
Judging from this sign prohibiting walking on the sidewalk, I'm guessing that the CCB needs to rethink its policies on pedestrians
To the southeast is a discouraging blend of special-use structures, parking lots, and parking garages. I do enjoy seeing basketball games and concerts, but there should be some kind of balance between other uses.
The Broadbent building along Washington Street was a wise renovation
Directly south of the circle is the only other part of downtown that was retained. This gives downtown another three blocks extension, and this is widely marketed by the city.In this case, the city only had to avoid bulldozing the original buildings to acquire this unique cultural district.
Past the South Meridian area the downtown region is absolutely destroyed by the parking lots south of the train tracks. In fact, if I was to characterize this part of Indianapolis, I can think of no better descriptor than asphaltic.
Lucas Oil Field is a great stadium, but the Colts only play 10 home games
Indianapolis needs to rethink its urban land-use and construction policies in the downtown area. The zoning code has been reworked within the last decade, but the whole concept of mega-projects ruins natural growth possibilities and clearly kills the pedestrian scale of downtown. Indianapolis needs to follow through on the original plan of an urban square mile. Not just a small CBD area ringed by parking lots and mega-projects. Give the citizens a downtown big enough to justify Indianapolis.
A parking lot visible from Washington Street, how can the owner justify this when tax rates should be astronomical? Good question...
There is no reason to invent a new urban form, all the city needs to do is specify three story (or higher) buildings with limited setbacks and waive all parking requirements. Then subdivide the city-owned blocks into manageable plots and make it easy to develop them. Instant walkable downtown! There, I fixed it. No subsidies required.
Good urban design
And now for some of my favorite annoyances:
Please Indy, demolish more historic buildings - I prefer spectacular concrete UFOs
This is why people like Urbanophile want better looking lightposts, because these don't even look good at 70MPH
This pathetic sign wouldn't be necessary if the original building design had included storefronts
This prompted me to start thinking about downtown as it truly exists, not as we wish it. As far as I can tell, downtown Indy only extends within two blocks of the Circle in any direction. This is the true downtown. If you walk two blocks away you are presented with parking lots, buildings that are only open for special events, and monumental parks lined with unfriendly streetscapes.
This small plot of land is only a remant of the city that was (area of interest in blue)Looking at the area within two blocks of the circle, I think it is clear why this meets the definition of downtown. Great sidewalks, calm traffic, storefronts, tall buildings (at least 3 stories), and lots of pedestrian options. It is somewhat unfortunate that the urban towers have been set into this downtown region, because they have typically eschewed storefront space and brought parking garages with them. That is truly my only complaint, because otherwise this central core is all right.
Monument Circle is extraordinary
Traffic is managed within the circle by civic goodwill instead of traffic signalsTraveling westwards, the pedestrian environment breaks down at Capitol Ave. The state government buildings are obviously necessary, but many of them have abandoned good urban design principles. Looking at the aerial view, it is clear that few properties exist between Capitol Ave. and Haughville that would attract a pedestrian.
The east side of downtown has too much green and too many mega-projectsA pedestrian would have to walk for several blocks along uninviting, uninteresting streetscapes. Even the museum campus is set far back from the sidewalk. This helps the buildings take advantage of the canal, but the frontage along Washington St is a wasteland.
This streetscape is fronted by buildings set back from (or on top of) the sidewalk
Can this even be classified as a sidewalk? Or did the street grow?Northwest from the circle we find parking lots. Not much else for a downtown experience. And the one-way streets with timed lights sure make driving fast seem easy.
Walking East from the Circle rewards visitors with this charming site, but then...
...nothing but parking lots and suburban apartments to thrill our visitorsDirectly north is our mall of city parks. Also some non-urban buildings. And more parking lots. Still nothing attractive to pedestrians. The library has a great location but we are missing a continuous pedestrian streetscape from the circle to the library door.
The problem with this area is that none of the buildings that front the park spaces are useful to pedestrians. They are just big plots of green that beautify the view for the nearby towers. I am not trying to minimize the importance of the parks, they are wonderful. But they need to be surrounded by properties that address it appropriately. The first step towards correcting this is to reduce one-way streets and slow down traffic. The park will never succeed as an island surrounded by an urban highway.
The Star might find a connection to the city if they physically connect to it
A permit-only parking lot - not a preferred use for this locationWalking northeast from the circle leads to Mass Ave, or at least it does after you walk past some more parking lots. Mass Ave is one of the crown jewels of downtown Indianapolis. And what did the city have to do to achieve this? Two important things: 1) preserve existing buildings & 2) encourage infill development. The old buildings correctly addressed the street with good urban design, but there were so many parking spaces and empty lots that infill development was needed. Urban Indy's post discusses the issue and has a link to lots of photos of the area before and during infill stages.
Mass Ave should be the guide for downtown Indianapolis development. Start with an area that has existing assets. Create small, mixed use plots for independent development where parking lots and asphalt currently exist.
Remove *all* parking requirements from the zoning code in urban areas. In fact, try to actively discourage on-site parking. Provide parking with city sponsored multi-level garages and treat it like part of the road infrastructure. Next, spend a hell of a lot of money on getting the message out, using hired guns for marketing. Connect the area with other downtown amenities. There is no need to reinvent the wheel, just keep it rolling.
The enduring efforts on Mass Ave have led to this latest infill projectDirectly east from the circle is the most depressing sight of any downtown I have ever visited. A gravel parking lot. Several, actually. It has been this way for a while. Apparently infill projects that would convert this area into a usable downtown are not good enough. The city is angling for yet another mega-project that would give a nice symmetry with the west side.
Huge, low-profile, block-killing projects that prevent people from walking around. And if they are not walking, they are driving. That's the wrong kind of development. Stop the insanity!
This part of town is shameful
No comment
Is the CCB part of the problem or part of the solution?
Judging from this sign prohibiting walking on the sidewalk, I'm guessing that the CCB needs to rethink its policies on pedestriansTo the southeast is a discouraging blend of special-use structures, parking lots, and parking garages. I do enjoy seeing basketball games and concerts, but there should be some kind of balance between other uses.
The Broadbent building along Washington Street was a wise renovationDirectly south of the circle is the only other part of downtown that was retained. This gives downtown another three blocks extension, and this is widely marketed by the city.In this case, the city only had to avoid bulldozing the original buildings to acquire this unique cultural district.
Past the South Meridian area the downtown region is absolutely destroyed by the parking lots south of the train tracks. In fact, if I was to characterize this part of Indianapolis, I can think of no better descriptor than asphaltic.
Lucas Oil Field is a great stadium, but the Colts only play 10 home gamesIndianapolis needs to rethink its urban land-use and construction policies in the downtown area. The zoning code has been reworked within the last decade, but the whole concept of mega-projects ruins natural growth possibilities and clearly kills the pedestrian scale of downtown. Indianapolis needs to follow through on the original plan of an urban square mile. Not just a small CBD area ringed by parking lots and mega-projects. Give the citizens a downtown big enough to justify Indianapolis.
A parking lot visible from Washington Street, how can the owner justify this when tax rates should be astronomical? Good question...There is no reason to invent a new urban form, all the city needs to do is specify three story (or higher) buildings with limited setbacks and waive all parking requirements. Then subdivide the city-owned blocks into manageable plots and make it easy to develop them. Instant walkable downtown! There, I fixed it. No subsidies required.
Good urban design
Please Indy, demolish more historic buildings - I prefer spectacular concrete UFOs
This is why people like Urbanophile want better looking lightposts, because these don't even look good at 70MPH
This pathetic sign wouldn't be necessary if the original building design had included storefrontsLabels: controversy Friday, Indianapolis, Urban Environment
posted by Graeme at
7:30 AM
2 Comments:
I like this kaleidoscopic approach to downtown analysis--a real potpourri. I agree with nearly all of it, especially your argument that the west side has too much green. 95% of metro Indy's population thinks a city can never have too much green, proving once again an emphasis on quantity instead of quality. Several development proposals have been stalled at least due in part to remonstrances regarding the destruction of valuable, ecologically sound green space. Virtually no urban green space truly represents great ecological stewardship: we fertilize and pesticide and manicure and wring all biodiversity out of it. (The prairie grasses around the Eiteljorg may be one of the few exceptions, though even of that I'm doubtful.) Because urban parks generally aren't great for the environment, we should at least focus on making them desirable places for humans. You correctly pointed out that University Park/Am. Legion Mall would have far more potential if they weren't surrounded by office buildings lacking storefronts and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in rectangular form.
I am not as depressed about the vacant lots on the site where the Market Square Arena once stood. Granted, the absence of activity on the east side of town does nothing to improve traffic around the City Market, but civic leaders still seem to be operating with the frame of mind that something better will be going there eventually. Previous proposals with uninspiring and the city is all the better that they failed. The use of gravel as a parking surface is cheaper, more ecologically sustainable (a better material in the long-haul, I think, than pervious pavement) and reinforces the impermanence of the current status of the site. My one frustration is that so many proposals emphasize development of the entirety all at once--treating it all as one big parcel. Why not more incremental? If multiple, small nibbles away at the vacant land is unrealistic, why not just focus on one side of Market Street at a time?
To me, if any parking lots are truly dispiriting, it's the ones around Indiana Avenue south of Vermont Street. Great buildings were undoubtedly demolished for the most uninspired high-rise in the country (now called the One America Building) which has no engagement with the street and couldn't even be bothered to provide underground parking on site. And the City touts Indiana Avenue as one of its "cultural districts". Fortunately, I did hear a few squeaks about potential developments around there in recent years--all the proposals in the past have been suburban style monoliths with huge setbacks (think Anthem headquarters). So perhaps its better that the area stays parking lots until the DMD finally decides "any development does not equate to good development". I'm not holding my breath.
Great post. I totally agree. Downtown Indy has a lot of potential but there's too many parking lots.
My idea for the American Legion Mall Park area was to make the World War I memorial to be a centerpiece structure. Many county seat towns have the old courthouse as the centerpiece (with angled parking around it) with storefronts all around the old courthouse sort of like Bloomington or Noblesville's Downtown.
Since Indy tore down the old courthouse, the World War I memorial can be Indy's version of the old courthouse. University Park can stay but the park with the obelisk seems redundant so I'm thinking sell that plot of land for mixed use strucutures and send the obelisk to IUPUI where it can be like IUPUI's version of Monument Circle.
Back to the World War I memorial area, Pennsylvania Street needs to become a two way street and of course, storefronts and buildings need to be re-developed along Meridian and Pennsylvania streets. There's already development around the library and redeveloping the World War I memorial area can help move redevelopment to the northern part of downtown.
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