theDesMoinesPerspective

Green Light for a Green Sixth Avenue

My friends in River Bend have been working diligently for several years on revitalization of the Sixth Avenue Corridor - their hard work is finally coming to fruition! The process started with organizing property owners along Sixth Avenue from the Mercy to the river to work together (no small task in and of itself). Designation as an "Main Street Urban Neighborhood District" by the Department of Economic Development qualified the organization for technical assistance and economic incentives for redevelopment.

Then came the hard work of figuring out what to do and how to pay for it.

We see the fruits of this labor in the streetscape plan (read it here: LARGE file) just approved by the City Council. The phased costs will be shared by stakeholders that include the City and the 6th Avenue Corridor organization, along with various grants.

The goal is to use streetscape improvements as a tool for revitalizing the businesses and buildings that form the backbone of the surrounding neighborhood. In addition, the EPA will provide design assistance to help the incorporate "green" strategies into the proposed streetscape plan. Early next year, a team of designers and landscape architects is scheduled to participate in a three-day design workshop.

Sixth Avenue Corridor Rendering

Above is a rendering from the plan showing more pedestrian-friendly intersection at 6th and University... what you see is wider sidewalks, an expanded bus stop, street plantings, public art, and better lighting. What you don't see is a fundamental remaking of the critical node into a place that people want to be rather than want to pass through.

In their defense, they are working with established businesses at this intersection and a set of parameters that limit this particular exploration to "streetscape" improvements. On the other hand, the Grand Vision will never come about if it isn't visioned. As built, the McDonald's and Quik Trip are, at their cores, anti-pedestrian. If the desire is to bring about a neighborhood-oriented, pedestrian friendly mixed-use district with residential, retail, and office uses that will serve the surrounding area as well as draw people from a wider radius, this intersection deserves to be planned as such.

A fast-food use is not incompatible with this vision, but should be designed in such a way as to enhance the pedestrian experience rather than separate from it. A gas station use at this intersection is probably not compatible with the underlying 6th Avenue Corridor vision. Particularly if the intention is to build a better connection through to the hospital on the south side of University.

Historic Ruan House in River BendI stirred up a little discussion a couple days ago when I posted the following on the reNew Design Studio Facebook page about a historic tax credit project I am working on:

Historic Ruan House historic tax credit application draft is complete. Trying to get the River Bend neighborhood some money back for their FABULOUS renovation of a burned-out shell!

A couple of my friends thought I was being a bit too harsh in describing the pre-renovation building as a "burned-out shell". I admit to descending into a bit of hyperbole, perhaps inspired by my excitement, with this message. Indeed, the words "burned-out shell" may conjure up an image of charred wood studs poking out from beneath a pile of rubble - the pre-renovation Ruan House was not at that level of destruction.

Yet there can be legitimate debate about the terms "burned-out" and "shell". What is the point at which a fire-damaged house becomes burned-out? 25%? 50%? I don't know. My sense is that it relates more to a general feeling about whether or not the interior character of the house remains intact or has been damaged beyond recognition.

I apply the term "shell" to buildings that are substantially intact on the outside, yet can no longer server their intended purpose due to neglect or physical damage on the inside.

When is a Building Too Far Gone

Ruan House (before renovation)The pejorative label "burned-out shell" begs the question, is a building ever too far gone to repair?

Prior to its complete rehabilitation by the River Bend Neighborhood Association, there is little doubt that this historic home had serious issues. There had been a fire in the attic. The roof damage and ensuing water infiltration damaged much of the interior plaster. The rear addition was structurally deficient, building systems and fixtures were missing or inoperable, the entry stoops were crumbling or missing.

Clearly this structure was uninhabitable at the time in terms of both local ordinance and basic human decency. Only those with a healthy understanding of and respect for architectural history would have noted any particular redeeming quality in the physical structure, though it was at one time the residence of a prominent local businessman.

In general I have a pretty low threshold for "save-ability" - that is, I know from experience that older buildings (masonry in particular) are relatively resilient when it comes to water infiltration, fire damage, and general neglect. The Ruan house is a prime example of how a building that many people would assume should be demolished can in fact be rehabilitated into a crowning jewel, a prominent entry market into a National Register historic district!

[Note: I'm reposting this blog originally written in 2008 because it's one of my favorites and because it is particularly relevant in relation to the recent bike lane and commuting blog posts]

Several factors go in to determining how "urban" a neighborhood is: compactness, connectedness, population diversity, diversity of use, and relationship between the private and public space.

The following graph plots these characteristics for a variety of different neighborhoods. The more area enclosed by the graph, the more "urban" a neighborhood is. Continue below the graph for some examples of how it relates to actual Des Moines neighborhoods.

Urban Elements Graph