Advantages of Suburbia

Because the US needs to abandon sprawl and invest in its cities in order to have a sustainable future, I try to encourage people to move into existing denser neighborhoods. Needless to say, when you start off every conversation with "have you thought about moving downtown" you get to hear a lot of excuses.

While the historic drivers of surburbanization have mostly been replaced with new concerns, many of the residents' complaints are still valid. White flight, that odd concept of leaving a city because of minority residents, doesn't seem to be too relevant. Some people, however, seem to be uncomfortable in neighborhoods where people are out walking on the street. The sight of citizens walking along the sidewalk seems to be enough to scare them away. It just seems too different, too alien. In general though, people focus on the more mundane concerns such as school districts, crime, taxes, and real estate prices.

Suburbs often have an advantage on these issues, but it is an unfair advantage. The urban core hosts many of the necessities required to attract and support a large, working population. Arts, events, sports teams, welfare services, indigent care, and many other aspects of city life still reside in the city. Suburbanites contribute a certain amount of talent and productivity to cities, but much of the tax base continues to decline in US cities. As cities struggle to balance their own budgets, essential city services are cut and the region becomes less attractive for everyone.

It is imperative that cities find out how to both improve services and lower costs if they want to continue to exist. American cities must be resurrected, it is the only way to modernize our economy and prepare for the high energy costs of the future. It falls to us city-dwellers to figure out how to make cities attractive once more.

I think the first topic that any city should address is their school system. In many cases, our urban schools have failed. Even the schools that have brilliant teachers and motivated students are associated with a system that has lost favor in the public eye. Improvements must be system wide or they will not be relevant.

Schools are important because parents want to invest in their children. Parents will change jobs, move across the globe, even sacrifice their own welfare just to give their children an educational advantage. City leaders who neglect their school systems are doomed to see their tax base disappear.

I have no silver bullet solution for this problem. However, I don't think business-as-usual attitudes will suffice. Strong leadership must come from somewhere, and soon. The public school system, including each individual piece of it, must be held accountable to high performance standards. The charter schools, operating independently of the conventional school system, are a good start but don't serve enough of the population.

The other issues that give suburbs an advantage are:

• taxes
• housing costs
• crime

These issues are important, but even if you have low taxes / responsible spending, incredibly low housing costs, and low crime rates, you won't be appealing to the parents who are choosing suburbia. Indianapolis meets these criteria, but has not made progress in attracting residents to the urban core. People are still moving to the suburbs in large numbers.

The cities always roll out the same marketing campaigns to address this issue. The historic homes, the diversity of urban areas, the walkability of urban neighborhoods, the vibrance of the urban core are highlighted. In the end, Indianapolis does manage to attract the young urban types, but only for a few years as they usually start families and move outwards to the suburbs. So, if there is any confusion about the issue allow me to clear it up: people prefer living in older, well-built historic homes with walkable neighborhoods. They tell me all the time. But that isn't the important issue. Safety and education of the family will always trump other concerns.

People typically don't understand how to determine if a school system is good or how much crime a certain area has. But they are generally smart enough to spot patterns. Urbanists often criticize suburbs for their homogeneity, but in some ways this is a huge advantage for suburbs. Parents can trust that the local suburban school system will be just as good as the one in the next jurisdiction over, and that the crime levels will be similar too. The commoditized style of living assures parents they are making a safe decision if they locate their family in the suburbs.

We need better schools in our cities. For all, not just some. We know how to achieve this, but nobody has been willing to step up to the plate and fix the entrenched bureaucracy and unions. We also need to learn from the suburbs and provide something easy to understand. The patterns must be easily recognizable. Remove the key advantage that suburbs have. Fix the school system and automatically cities can fix the tax base issue. Once they restore the tax base, cities have a lot more options about fixing the other problems.

Iconic Structures of Indiana: Bush Stadium

Bush Stadium from the southwest

Bush Stadium is a baseball stadium just Northwest of downtown Indianapolis. This ivy covered brick structure with a heavily styled Art Deco entry has been the home of several teams since construction in 1931, all of whom have had a major role in the sports history of the city. Legend says that Wrigley Field (1913) served as inspiration for the ivy covered walls and roof system of the Indianapolis ballpark.

(NOTE: the property is closed and there is no access to the interior of the stadium)

Bush Stadium entry pavillion

Typical exterior walls of Bush Stadium

The structure has been essentially abandoned since 1996 when the Indianapolis Indians team moved to Victory Field downtown. The Indians move wasn't such a bad plan, it consolidated the sports activities in the downtown area and created another destination in the central core. Victory Field and the Indianapolis Indians team offer one of the best baseball experiences available in the US, I love the current configuration they have. But as seen in a photos here and one from this link, Bush Stadium was quite sufficient as a baseball park and consolidating downtown was the reason for the move rather than obsolescence.

An aerial image from 1995, the last year that the stadium saw a full season

I wanted to concentrate on this structure for a few reasons:

• It is currently on HLFI top ten endangered list
  
• It has an exposed structural system, which always attracts my attention
  
• It has a great location near downtown and alongside the river
• I want to help raise awareness of the structure
  

Google Earth 3-d building model of Bush Stadium from the south

Google Earth 3-d building model of Bush Stadium from the southeast

The Indianapolis Star had a good descriptive article on this structure last year, but there was absolutely no call to action.

I hope that Indianapolis will find a reuse for this structure, but I don't think that the current owners, Indy Parks, actually know what to do with it yet. Historic preservation has never been too high on their list of priorities and they seem to be too comfortable with razing a significant structure just to acquire a clean piece of property. Indy Parks official position is that they are entertaining offers for the property, but that no "viable solution" has been proposed.

The current cost estimate for a rehab is $6.7M (and maybe as low as $5M). If you look at how much Lucas Oil Stadium cost (~$700M), you can see that a rehabbed Bush Stadium will cost significantly less. Bush Stadium holds 12,000 spectators compared to LOS' 60,000, so you get 1/5 the people for 1/100 the cost. No matter where you draw your money from, that doesn't seem like a bad value. Most importantly, you now have a stadium that nobody can compete with, an authentic art deco structure.

Ripken Design performed the restoration feasibility study sponsored by the Chambers Family Foundation. It seems that no action has been taken since the initial phase, probably everyone is waiting for the city to make a decision or put funding into place.

When you consider how distinct the authentic facade is, you can easily imagine adaptive reuse consultants having an easy time marketing this property. Even if not for baseball or softball or little league, other sports such as cricket, soccer, or a facility of IUPUI's choosing is possible. Many sports have devoted fans in need of small, yet upscale, stadiums to host championship games or tournaments.

Aerial image from 1937 showing arrangement as a baseball stadium

Aerial image as of 2005, after outfield was converted into the 16th Street Speedway

The entry pavillion is precast concrete with a metal awning. The cast reliefs probably refer to local issues set as mythological stories, which was a big hit in Art Deco days.

An art deco design relief (click for larger view)

Art deco relief showing original name of Perry Stadium

An Native American with ceremonial headdress and baseball equipment

The exterior windows are steel with divided lites. The awning and ticket counter windows give the impression of an old movie theater experience, which is probably not coincidental since they were also a burgeoning industry at this time. The management and operational facilities are directly above the ticket counter windows.

Awning above ticket counter booths with more design elements

Original gates to control traffic in and out of turnstyles

Turnstyles in main room of entry pavillion

Main room of entry pavillion with offices above the ticket booths (check out column details)

The vendors are no longer open but the signs are still hanging around

Beautiful desolation

Typical stadium ramp up to the seating area

A wild view greets anyone walking up the ramp to see the old playing surface

I don't know how the upper stadium boxes were accessed, but they appear to be a later addition that has not fared very well. On the other hand, the lighting towers are obviously original and look absolutely fitting in their function and appearance. The roof structure is steel trusses with some type of steel decking covering almost all of the seats. That in itself is a rare thing at any baseball stadium.

Left field of Bush Stadium

Right field of Bush Stadium

One of several enormous light towers

A closer view of the home plate area and the "luxury boxes"

Good view of the windows and ticketing areas

The stadium risers are concrete and look cast in place, supported on brick walls. There is plenty of room for vendors under the risers. The exterior walls have overhead doors at regular intervals, these are access doors for the vendor stands. It looks like one could just back a truck right up into the stall and sell out of the truck. At the very least, it makes loading and unloading a simple affair.

Old vendor stall with roll-up door

The roof is supported by a steel frame structure, likely a moment frame with rigid connections to the truss chords. There is some wood roofing materials falling down, but nothing extensive. The timeline of the stadium shows that public use was still being allowed as late as 2001. I refuse to believe that this structure which has been exposed to weather for 70 years would go from structurally sound to the brink of collapse in 8 years. It seems like a scare tactic to me.

View of the framing from the exterior, note the braced frames in certain bays

The tall steel columns are connected with built-up trusses acting as a rigid frame

Good view of the trusses supporting the roof members

Viewing the structure from the outside, it is clear that this building is still in serviceable condition, and reportedly sees some seasonal upkeep. An outfield wall recently collapsed, but those are typically unbraced at their top so not surprising this would happen while nobody is maintaining the brick. There are no signs of walls being out of plumb, no exposed steel rusted through, nor any evidence of serious degradation by water. Many of the reports reference structural deficiencies, but (at least from the exterior) it appears to be in great shape compared to many of the historic properties I have been in.

My impression is that the decision to leave Bush Stadium was political and the required maintenance of the structure was merely a convenient excuse. Instead of focusing their energy on a solution that would preserve the heritage of the city, the owners (city of Indianapolis) began describing the stadium as "crumbling" or "unsafe" and rapidly abandoned it to raise a new edifice in honor of their own leadership.

Bush stadium is in good shape, even if it does have a few problems needing to be addressed. Only a limited amount of graffiti is present. Many of the window panes are still in good shape, a rare phenomenon for an abandoned urban building. Looking at the above referenced renovation costs, I think it is safe to assume that most of that cost would not be structural issues, but rather M/E/P, accessibility, or "luxury booth" upgrades. Asbestos treatments may be a concern, but there are many structures where management-in-place policies have been very effective.

Looking even further into the future, the stadium is on a direct route from downtown to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Thus, a dedicated people mover could serve both facilities. In my opinion, this is a strong argument in favor of preserving it. It could become another great facility in the portfolio of Indianapolis sports venues. I wouldn't even be opposed to letting it sit for many more years and cultivating Indy's first set of urban ruins, to be celebrated in a picturesque way many decades from now.

I just hope that the city of Indianapolis understands that once something is lost, it is lost forever. In the end if we can't save Bush Stadium then it will be a sad day for us all.

Updates from Irvington - Pennsy Trail

There has been a lot of work going in Irvington in the past year or so. I've managed to photograph some of it, figured I would post here to show people that things are progressing along just fine. First on the list is the Pennsy trail.

The Pennsy trail (see original post here) is under construction, I took some construction photos during the nice weather this past week. This phase of construction will link Arlington to Shortridge along the old Pennsylvania railroad line.




Looks like they are stripping the original tracks down a significant amount and re-building the roadway. Should be very good quality and long lasting pathway. Judging from how deep my footprints went, they need to add and compact a bit more soil before they are done.



I was very happy to be able to get to the old rail bridge across Shadeland. This bridge is essential to the success of the trail, because there would be no way to get across a limited access freeway like Shadeland otherwise. A big benefit of this project is that the no-man's-land in between Shadeland and I-465 is now accessible by pedestrians. Thus, I can now ride my bike to Applebee's or K-Mart without risking a busy street crossing.




Soon, the trail will be extended to Ritter on the West and underneath the I-465 highway on the East. With a bit of luck, the state will continue its plans to extend to trail to Cumberland, Greenfield, and eventually all the way to Ohio. But the longest journeys start with a single step.

2013 National Preservation Conference in Indianapolis

Something to look forward to, Indianapolis will host the 2013 National Preservation Conference.

I don't know if this is comparable to the 2012 superbowl in terms of marketability or economic effects, but I know which one I'll be more excited about.

Further Earthquake Links

For those who have more than a passing interest in Earthquake research happening in the Eastern US (i.e. not California) we have plenty of resources.

First off is the USGS - US Geological Survey. They are the clearinghouse for all things dealing with rock, soil, faults, etc. You will still need a qualified soils engineer to determine site classification, but their soil explorer program can sometimes provide you with some interesting advance information. If a previous soil boring was reported to the USGS, and it showed bedrock at 5 feet, you can make an assumption that soil classification will be favorable.


Next up is the Mid-America Earthquake Center. This is a group of researchers dedicated to mitigating the possible problems that a large earthquake in the Central US might cause. They especially focus on the many historic buildings (unreinforced masonry) and even modern buildings that were built before awareness of the seismic risk in the area. The worst historic earthquake (magnitude, not damage) was in this area, so there is a good reason to be concerned. A good source for graduate funding, too.

Then there is the Central US Earthquake Consortium. This was started by FEMA to handle the human aspects of Earthquakes. So this doesn't deal so much with research, but is all about the government response and disaster preparedness/awareness. It's all about coordination. A good resource nonetheless.


CERI is another great resource. They have a lot of independent information, as well as links for teachers and students. Was able to find a waveform taken from a Missouri station of the earthquake here. These people also have graduate funding programs available for students.

More general information about midwest earthquake risks:
New Madrid Seismic Zone
Wabash Valley Seismic Zone

I believe the most important thing when anyone asks an engineer about these topics, or related disaster topics such as building collapses, hurricanes, etc. is to refer them to the appropriate spokespersons for our industry. Alternatively, read up or interview someone from one the groups in advance if you know that a newspaper or media outlet will be contacting you for a response. It is essential that the public knows the most recent information and that we present the consensus opinion to the media. Don't take the fools way out and use the publicity to invent your own conspiracy theory.

update - 5/30/08

How could I forget about NEHRP? The National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program is another government entity dedicated to reducing earthquake losses in the US. This is a great resource for any structural engineer dealing with seismic design. It is especially relevant for older buildings that are being updated or going through seismic hazard mitigation. The methodologies used are somewhat different from the IBC and UBC code provisions for new buildings and you won't always get a "yes/no" answer on a design. They have also posted a recent newsletter describing the efforts to develop a consensus based document for performance based design of seismic resistant structures. See the interim FEMA 461 document here.