reintegrating: independence avenue urban vision study | part 3

edible Streetscape

lykins walkthrough

junior high school

chestnut avenue

east gateway265

productive infill227

cleveland avenue

203

209

215

221

245

249

253

293

301

sheffield plaza

kit of parts

spruce avenue

commercial corridor173

transit hub

focus areas

NORTH SPACE

NORTH FACADES

SOUTH FACADES

SOUTH SPACE

NORTH SOUTH FACADE OVERLAY

NORTH SOUTH SPACE OVERLAY

commercial corridorOne of the most important aspects of urban design is consideration of contextual

relationships between local sites, their confines, areas they inhabit, and the city

as a whole. Due to the diversity of the avenue, both culturally and physically, an

informed design approach not only acknowledges and celebrates this diversity, but

embraces and adheres to it while creating a cohesive framework which formalizes

its experience spatially. That cohesive framework allows the avenue to establish

an identity from the collective of its parts. This is where the concept of avenue

assemblage and the ideology of macro to micro design become operable. 5

The Commercial Corridor design study looks at Independence Avenue proper

from the Paseo to Hardesty Avenue- an area characterized by unique cultural,

architectural, and historical heritage. Unfortunately, this unique character of the

Avenue is undermined by the discontinuous disposition of the street space.

The urban fabric of Independence Avenue is fragmented, riddled with voids of

parking lots, vacancies, and empty parcels, creating a physical challenge that

overwhelms any possibility of complete and consistent urban identity. This

ad hoc, disrupted condition becomes the foundation for developing an urban

design concept, which embraces voids along the street as an attribute, allowing

173

the creation of meaningful urban space. The reality of incompleteness forces

strategies of urbanization to consider inherited conditions and provide hierarchy

capable of establishing a new urban order.

The Commercial Corridor recognizes three generative orders along the avenue.

The first order of prominence along the avenue is topography, the most elemental

inherited condition of the urban landscape. A secondary order is assigned to

the concentration and distribution of colloquial culture and functional space.

Clusters of architectural artifacts preserved in fragments assign a tertiary

order. New hierarchical definitions of Independence Avenue emerge from these

orders. This definition allows development of design strategies for the physical

environment. The order of topography informs an urban strategy of creating

landmark destinations at high points in visual reference to each other, with low

areas designed for mobility between.

Acceptance of the inconsistency of physical and spatial morphology on the

avenue as an opportunistic condition informs an urban strategy of two basic

street design typologies compression and expansion. Infill is used to add density

to the street walls, containing distinct space of the avenue in the compression

typology. Parking lots and empty parcels become urban rooms, public gathering

spaces filling voids in the expansion typology. An urban strategy of districts and

nodes is informed by the order found in the cultural and functional concentrations

and clusters of preserved architecture. Three districts are identified based on

commercial activity, building stock, and potential for future development. Four

nodes are identified based on significant building or vacancy clusters, each

generating unique combinations of local design strategies.

174 Focus Areas

The urban strategies of compression and expansion, destination and mobility, along with the districts and nodes, provide a framework for a cohesive Indepen-dence Avenue, unifying a porous urban fabric conscious of its role as medium for experience of cultural, historical, functional, and architectural diversity.

commercial corridor

176 Focus Areas

Commercial District Building Footprints12.11.2012KCDC 2012 - 2013 Independence Avenue Commercial District

Implied Space with Sidewalks12.11.2012KCDC 2012 - 2013 Independence Avenue Commercial District

Watersheds in relation to Implied Space12.11.2012KCDC 2012 - 2013 Independence Avenue Commercial District

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Business Districts & Street Front Buildings12.11.2012KCDC 2012 - 2013 Independence Avenue Commercial District

Street Front Compression-Release Sequence12.11.2012KCDC 2012 - 2013 Independence Avenue Commercial District

PLAZA

Compression & Release12.11.2012Independence Avenue Inventory MappingKCDC 2012 - 2013

Implied Space as Existing Site Framework12.11.2012Independence Avenue Inventory MappingKCDC 2012 - 2013

Commercial District Implied Space12.11.2012KCDC 2012 - 2013 Independence Avenue Commercial District

Implied Space with Parking Lots12.11.2012KCDC 2012 - 2013 Independence Avenue Commercial District

Green Spaces in Relation to Hydrology12.11.2012Independence Avenue Inventory MappingKCDC 2012 - 2013

Structureless Parcels in relation to Implied Space12.11.2012KCDC 2012 - 2013 Independence Avenue Commercial District

PLAZA

Compression-Release alignment to Green Space12.11.2012KCDC 2012 - 2013 Independence Avenue Commercial District

GENERATIVE PROCESS DRAWINGS

commercial corridor

Implied Space - Abstracted12.11.2012KCDC 2012 - 2013 Independence Avenue Commercial District

Implied Space as Existing Site Framework12.11.2012KCDC 2012 - 2013 Independence Avenue Commercial District

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High Points in relation to Implied Space12.11.2012KCDC 2012 - 2013 Independence Avenue Commercial District

Structureless Parcels & Street Front Buildings 12.11.2012KCDC 2012 - 2013 Independence Avenue Commercial District

INDEPENDENCEPLAZAPARK

.55 MILE R ADIUS

.55 MMIILLEE RR AADDIIUUSS.5 MMIILLEE RR AADDIIUUSS

.25 MILE R ADIUS

.25 MILE R ADIUS.25 MILE R ADIUSILL

ADD

Walking Distance - Pedestrian Scale12.11.2012KCDC 2012 - 2013 Independence Avenue Commercial District

Proposed Site Development12.11.2012KCDC 2012 - 2013 ExpansionIndependence Avenue Commercial District

Street Wall

Overfill

Urban Room

InfillBuilding Footprint

Proposed Site Development12.11.2012KCDC 2012 - 2013 Independence Avenue Commercial District Building Footprint Commercial Infill

Residential Infill

Implied Space with Streets12.11.2012KCDC 2012 - 2013 Independence Avenue Commercial District

BUDD PARK

ELMWOODCEMETARY

SOCCERFIELDS

LYKINS SQUARE

KESSLER PARK

HARMONY PARK

FREEWAYPARK

PROSPECTPLAZAPARK

INDEPENDENCEPLAZAPARK

MAPLEPARK

Green Space in relation to Implied Space12.11.2012KCDC 2012 - 2013 Independence Avenue Commercial District

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Significant Buildings in relation to Implied Space12.11.2012KCDC 2012 - 2013 Independence Avenue Commercial District

Structureless Parcels, Street Front Buildings & Business Districts12.11.2012KCDC 2012 - 2013 Independence Avenue Commercial District

.25 MMIL RADDIUS

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High Density Traffic Points12.11.2012Independence Avenue Commercial DistrictKCDC 2012 - 2013

CHES

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178 Focus AreasProposed Implied Space & Significant Buildings

12.11.2012KCDC 2012 - 2013 Independence Avenue Commercial District

Proposed Building Additions12.11.2012KCDC 2012 - 2013 ExpansionIndependence Avenue Commercial District

Proposed Buildings

Existing Buildings

Implied Space and Building Removal - Context12.11.2012KCDC 2012 - 2013 Independence Avenue Commercial District

Implied Space & Building Removal - Abstracted12.11.2012KCDC 2012 - 2013 Independence Avenue Commercial District

Proposed Implied Space12.11.2012KCDC 2012 - 2013 Independence Avenue Commercial District

Superimposition - Proposed & Existing Implied Space12.11.2012KCDC 2012 - 2013 Independence Avenue Commercial District




DEVELOPMENT PROCESS

commercial corridor

The fragmentation of urban fabric is omnipresent along Independence Avenue. To make feasible propositions for improvement, this fragmentation must be accepted as a new reality and opportunity must be found in the voids. Independence Avenue exists beyond the boundary of the curb, the space of the Avenue is perceived to extend across parking lots and empty parcels to the furthest built or natural edge providing vertical spatial definition. Implied space is the combination of the Avenue proper and the adjacent space that seems to leak out. To identify pockets of potential in the implied space; sidewalks, curbs, roads, building footprints, and parking lots are overlaid; resulting in what can be called interstitial space. The interstitial space, the space remain-ing between existing elements in the environment, are spaces eligible for interim uses, temporary program that activates the void.

IMPLIED SPACE



INTERSTINTERSTIITIIAL AL SPACEPACE

180 Focus Areas

0 100 200 400 800Scale 1= 350KCDC 2012 - 2013 Independence Avenue Commercial District 02.27.2013

Analytical Comparisons0 100 200 400 800

Scale 1= 350KCDC 2012 - 2013 Independence Avenue Commercial District 02.27.2013

Analytical Comparisons

0 100 200 400 800 Scale 1= 350

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High Points in SectionKCDC 2012-2013 Independence Avenue Commercial District 02.27.2013

0 100 200 400 800 Scale 1= 350

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High Point Node Parti KCDC 2012-2013 Independence Avenue Commercial District 02.27.2013

Central District East District West District

Districts in SectionKCDC 2012-2013 Independence Avenue Commercial District 02.27.2013 0 100 200 400 800 Scale 1= 350

Central District East District

West District

Districts PartiKCDC 2012-2013 Independence Avenue Commercial District 02.27.2013

IMPLIED SPACE

SECTIONAL RELATIONHIGH POINTS

DISTRICT DERIVATIONDISTRICT DERIVATION




West District


0 100 200 400 800 Scale 1= 350

Topo Gradient Revealing Secondary High PointKCDC 2012-2013 Independence Avenue Commercial District 02.27.2013


West District


Central DistrictEast District

West District

0 100 200 400 800Scale 1= 350

Cumulative Node Development PartiKCDC 2012-2013 Independence Avenue Commercial District 02.27.2013

VISUAL SPACE

SECTIONAL RELATIONSHIPS

DISTRICT DERIVATION

commercial corridor

0 100 200 400 800Scale 1= 350

Implied Space Node PartiKCDC 2012-2013 Independence Avenue Commercial District 02.27.2013



0 100 200 400 800 Scale 1= 350

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High Point Node Parti KCDC 2012-2013 Independence Avenue Commercial District 02.27.2013


West District


Developing the framework for Independence Avenue begins by reading the Avenue as implied and interstitial space. The second layer of consideration is topography, un-derstanding that high points have a visual connectivity which makes them strong destinations and low points lend themselves to be areas of mobility between destinations. The third layer of consideration is concentrations of cultural, histori-cal and functional diversity which identifies districts along the Av-enue, and nodes within districts.

MAJOR CONNECTIONS

HIGH POINTS

DISTRICTS AND NODES

VACANCIES AND PARKING LOTS

PEDESTRIAN NETWORK INTERACTION

MISALIGNMENT CONDITION

CORNER PARCEL CONDITION

Site Selection Analysis

A breakdown of sites reveals the multiple layers that contribute to the comprehensive site selection. Sites were chosen if they met more than one of the listed conditions. Each category led to development of guiding principles for design.

Cumulative Design Intervention Sites

Pedestrian Network Interaction

Vacant Parcels and Parking Lot Conditions

0 100 200 400 800Scale 1= 175

VACANT PARCEL

PARKING LOT

Corner Parcel Condition

Misalignment Condition






0 100 200 400 800Scale 1= 175

VACANT PARCEL

PARKING LOT








0 100 200 400 800Scale 1= 175

VACANT PARCEL

PARKING LOT








0 100 200 400 800Scale 1= 175

VACANT PARCEL

PARKING LOT



182 Focus Areas

commercial corridor

A breakdown of sites reveals the multiple layers that contribute to the site selection. Sites were cho-sen based on the frequency of co-incidence of conditions mapped: corner parcel, misalignment, pe-destrian network interaction, va-cancies, and parking lots. Unique combination of coincidence led to development of guiding principles for design.

MOVE SURFACE PARKING OFF STREET

PROMOTE EASE OF WALKABILITY

GUIDING DESIGN PRINCIPLES

Before After

Before After

Before After

Before After

Before After

EMBRACE SPACIAL INTERLOCK CONDITIONS

IMPROVE ARCHITECTURAL INFRASTRUCTURE

ESTABLISH ARCHITECTURE ALONG CORNER PARCELS

SHIFT EXPOSED PARKING LOTS OFF AVENUE

CURRENT USE:

VACANT

SUGGESTED USE:

COMMUNITY CENTER HUB

Recreational Facilities

Private Practice Rooms

Fine Arts Studios

Flexible Event Space

Performing Arts Classrooms

Athletic Practice Facilities



Before After

Before After

Before After

Before After

Before After





CURRENT USE:

VACANT

SUGGESTED USE:




Fine Arts Studios




EMBRACE SPATIAL INTERLOCK CONDITION



Before After

Before After

Before After

Before After

Before After





CURRENT USE:

VACANT

SUGGESTED USE:




Fine Arts Studios






Before After

Before After

Before After

Before After

Before After





CURRENT USE:

VACANT

SUGGESTED USE:




Fine Arts Studios




STRATEGIC PERMEABILITY



Before After

Before After

Before After

Before After

Before After





CURRENT USE:

VACANT

SUGGESTED USE:




Fine Arts Studios






Before After

Before After

Before After

Before After

Before After





CURRENT USE:

VACANT

SUGGESTED USE:




Fine Arts Studios






Before After

Before After

Before After

Before After

Before After





CURRENT USE:

VACANT

SUGGESTED USE:




Fine Arts Studios






Before After

Before After

Before After

Before After

Before After





CURRENT USE:

VACANT

SUGGESTED USE:




Fine Arts Studios




ESTABLISH LANDMARKS AT CORNER PARCELS

184 Focus Areas

NORTHEAST MIDDLE SCHOOL

CHESTNUT INTERSECTIONKESSLER PARKHIGH POINT

GLADSTONE INTERSECTIONHISTORIC AREA

PROSPECT INTERSECTIONCOMMERCIAL CENTER

INDEPENDENCEPLAZA PARKHIGH DENSITYHOUSING

URBAN AGRICULTURE PUBLIC ENTRANCE AT AVENUE HIGH POINT

APPLE MARKETLOW POINT

RESIDENTIAL IMPACTON AVENUE


COMMERCIAL CHARACTERWITHOUT STREETSCAPE

SIGNIFICANT EXISTINGURBAN ROOM

WELL DEVELOPEDHIGH DENSITYHOUSING

BENTON INTERSECTIONIMPROVEMENT PLAN

S

REDEVELOP ICONIC SCHOOL BUILDING INTO NEIGHBORHOOD CATALYST WITH ENVIABLE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FUNCTIONS

ACTIVITY HUB WITH MONUMENT, PUBLIC ENTRANCE TO KESSLER PARK

ADVERTISE HISTORIC DISTRICT THROUGH CREATIVE STRATEGY

REVITALIZE PROSPECTAND INDEPENDENCE COMMERCIAL DISTRICT

TRANSIT STATION BRIDGING GAP BETWEEN CHESTNUT AND WESTGATEWAY

URBAN AGRICULTURE PUBLIC ENTRANCE AT AVENUE HIGH POINTWITH MONUMENT

BRING FRESH, HEALTHY FOOD TO APPLE MARKET WITH TEMPORARY ACTIVITY NODE

DENSIFY APPLE MARKET NEIGHBORS

GIVE PROGRAM TO SIGNIFICANT-URBAN ROOM SPACE

REDEVELOP ON-STREET PARKING AREA TO DENSIFY KEY DISTRICT

REPURPOSE SITES TORESTAURANT ROW

REPURPOSE SITES TO RESTAURANT ROW

TRANSIT STATION BRIDGING GAP BETWEENVAN BRUNT AND EASTGATEWAY

0 100 200 400 800Scale 1= 175

DESTINATION: PARKS AND BOULEVARDS PUBLIC ENTRANCE, HIGH POINT, MONUMENT

DESTINATION: FOOD JUNCTURE,MARKET, COMMON GATHERINGPOINT

DESTINATION: PUBLIC ENTRANCE TO URBAN AGRICULTURE PATHS,HIGH POINT, MONUMENT

DESTINATION: COMMUNITY CENTER, PUBLIC QUAD SPACE

MOBILITY: REDESIGN NEIGHBORHOODSAVENUE PRESENCE

MOBILITY: POTENTIALMIDPOINT TRANSITSTATION BEFORE WEST GATEWAY

MOBILITY: POTENTIAL MIDPOINT TRANSITSTATION MOBILITY: POTENTIAL MID-

POINT TRANSIT STATION

MOBILITY: REPURPOSE TO RESTAURANT ROW

MOBILITY: REPURPOSE TO-RESTAURANT ROW


MOBILITY: REDESIGN NEIGHBORHOODS AVENUE PRESENCE

MOBILITY: POTENTIALMIDPOINT TRANSIT STATION BEFOREEAST GATEWAY

EXPANSION: VISUAL ENTRY TOKESSLER PARK FACILITIES

EXPANSION: HYBRIDIZEDUSE OF SETBACK

EXPANSION: PUBLIC ENTRANCE TO URBAN AGRICULTURE

EXPANSION: EXISTING VACANT GREEN SPACE


HYBRIDIZED USE OF SETBACKFOR COMMERCIALIZATION

DESIGNED AVENUE CROSSING FOR URBAN AGRICULTURE AND LOCAL PATH SYSTEM

USE OF FACADE TO FRAME PUBLIC SPACE AND CONNECT NEW COMMERCIAL ACROSS AVENUE

DESIGNED AVENUE CROSSINGFROM KESSLER PARKAT CHESTNUT

Along Independence Avenue, many significant sites are identi-fied by the strategic selection pro-cess, but only those with the most overlap of selection conditions are considered as design interven-tion sites. The Chestnut Avenue, Cleveland Avenue, Spruce Avenue intersections and the Northeast Junior High School are selected as design intervention sites for their topographical, cultural, functional, and historic characteristics. High points Chestnut and Spruce are in-tersections with Kessler Park and the Productive Infill focus area, re-spectively, and though Cleveland is a low point on Independence, it is the location of apple market, an active social hub, and an intersec-tion with the hydrology path of the areas major watershed. Northeast Junior High School is some of the most socially valuable building stock on the avenue, and its pres-ence in the culture of the avenue positions its restoration as a ma-jor catalyst for future development and a force of change on the im-pression of the Northeast.














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HYBRIDIZED USE OF SETBACKFOR COMMERCIALIZATION

DESIGNED AVENUE CROSSING FOR URBAN AGRICULTURE AND LOCAL PATH SYSTEM

USE OF FACADE TO FRAME PUBLIC SPACE AND CONNECT NEW COMMERCIAL ACROSS AVENUE

DESIGNED AVENUE CROSSINGFROM KESSLER PARKAT CHESTNUT

IMPROVING NORTH TO SOUTH DIALOGUE

CUMULATIVE INTERVENTION SITES

186 Focus Areas














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Voids in the fragmented fabric of Independence Avenue overwhelm the object in such a way that it becomes a new reality of urban design. A non-porous street wall is no longer a feasible aspiration, nor would it properly acknowledge the origins of the place, so spaces among buildings must be made meaningful by strategies other than infill. At points of destination, conventional infill is used to make a dense street wall and at areas of mobility, a porous street wall is accepted, while larger voids on the avenue are maintained as ur-the avenue are maintained as ur-the avenue are maintained as urban rooms. Meaningful expansion occurs at the Chestnut connec-tion to Kessler Park, the setback of the Apple Market parking lot, the Productive Infill intersection at Spruce, and the setback of the Northeast Junior High School.














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DESTINATION & MOBILITY

COMPRESSION-RELEASE STRATEGY

188 Focus Areas














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Accumulation of these urban de-sign strategies and site selection criteria allow a hierarchy of inter-criteria allow a hierarchy of inter-criteria allow a hierarchy of intervention to be established. Primary sites nodes at Chestnut Avenue, Cleveland Avenue, Spruce Avenue, and Northeast Junior High will be the first points of impact, driving development of secondary sites including transit stations, parking lot re-purposing, developing res-taurant rows and programming of major urban rooms. Intervention at the primary sites and support-ing development of the secondary sites are catalysts for improvement of the remainder of buildings and voids along Independence Av-enue, unified by streetscape and transit implemented along the full length of the avenue.














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SYNTHESIS OF SITE DEVELOPMENT

HIERARCHY OF INTERVENTION SITES

190 Focus Areas

Building uses mapped along the commercial corridor of Independence Avenue reveal a distinct pattern. Break-down of the primary commercial region transitions to a block with residential buildings. This was utilized as the initial basis for developing distinct districts. The three dis-tricts were then named based on character, building use, and future development complementary to character and use.

A study of the building character, size, style, and orienta-tion led to further distinction between the districts. The Historic District features larger, more ornate buildings clad in red brick. In contrast, the Exchange District is warmer and richer in color with small one story buildings that lie perpendicular to the Avenue. Lastly, the Link District be-gins to incorporate warm sand brick with forest green de-tails in addition to roll-out retail structures.

District Divisions

HISTORIC DISTRICT EXCHANGE DISTRICT LINK DISTRICT

RESIDENTIAL VS. BUSINESS

IDENTIFYING DISTRICTS

District Divisions


District Divisions


192 Focus Areas

15.8%

-

9.1% 9.4% 20.4% 12.7% 15.7% 10.4% 0%7.7% 14.7% 12.6% 0% 7.6% 11.9%

7.2% 9.3% 7.1% 5.5% 14.2% 16.0% 12.0% 0%5.2% 6.5% 13.2% 22.3% 9.1% 1.8%

9.6% 3.1% 5.6% 5.1% 9.2% 1.6% 4.2% 0%0% 6.3% 5.4% 2.5% 4.2% 13.4%

PROPOSED NORTH TRANSFORMATION:

SIGNAGE AVERAGE: 8.0%

DOORS AVERAGE: 3.3%

WINDOWS AVERAGE 10.8%

EXISTING CONDITIONS

WINDOWS: 59.8%DOORS: 9.1%

SIGNAGE: 3.4%

commercial corridor

An important component of the overall fabric of the Com-mercial Corridor is the relation of buildings to public space on Independence Avenue. A study of facade po-rosity quantified the current conditions that exist within the street wall. The primary study region was selected because while a shift in building use is suggested, the cur-because while a shift in building use is suggested, the cur-because while a shift in building use is suggested, the current contribution to the street wall is notable and desired. Analyzing the percentage of existing facade dedicated to transparent windows, doors, and signage; allowed for tan-gible percentages to influence the design. As it currently exists, the facades have great opportunity for transforma-tion in improving visually permeable windows, easily ac-cessible doors, and consistent signage.

PROPOSED SOUTH TRANSFORMATION

15.8%

-

9.1% 9.4% 20.4% 12.7% 15.7% 10.4% 0%7.7% 14.7% 12.6% 0% 7.6% 11.9%

7.2% 9.3% 7.1% 5.5% 14.2% 16.0% 12.0% 0%5.2% 6.5% 13.2% 22.3% 9.1% 1.8%

9.6% 3.1% 5.6% 5.1% 9.2% 1.6% 4.2% 0%0% 6.3% 5.4% 2.5% 4.2% 13.4%

PROPOSED SOUTH TRANSFORMATION:

SIGNAGE AVERAGE: 11.3%

DOORS AVERAGE: 5.4%

WINDOWS AVERAGE 10.5%

EXISTING CONDITIONS

WINDOWS: 59.8%DOORS: 9.1%

SIGNAGE: 3.4%

194 Focus Areas

Ter

85 ROW 100 ROW 80 ROW80 ROW80 ROW80 ROW80 ROW80 ROW80 ROW80 ROW80 ROW

85 100 100 80 80 80 80

11 9 56 9 7 9 14 56 7 16 6 13 56 9 8 10 56 4 8 4 7 56 13 5 6 56 6 5 4 56 94

Ter

85 ROW 100 ROW 80 ROW

85 100 100 80 80 80 80

11 9 56 9 7 9 14 56 7 16 6 13 56 9 8 10 56 4 8 4 7 56 13 5 6 56 6 5 4 56 94


BEFORE AFTER BEFORE AFTER

EMBRACE SPATIAL INTERLOCK CONDITIONS


CURRENT USE:

VACANT

SUGGESTED USE:




Fine A rts Studios


Performing A rts Class rooms


BEFORE AFTER

SHIFT PARKING LOTS AWAY FROM AVENUE

BEFORE AFTER

ESTABLISH ARCHITECTURE ON CORNER PARCELS

BEFORE AFTER

RIGHT OF WAY STUDY

PEDESTRIAN ELEMENTS

MODIFICATION HIERARCHY

PROPOSED MODIFICATION

TERTIARY

PRIMARYSECONDARY

QUINCY

MYRTLEELMWOOD

BENTON

BROOKLYNPROSPECT

commercial corridor

Understanding the existing conditions of the pedestrian realm of Independence Avenue is necessary to make well-informed and well-prioritized improvements to street scape. The immediate right of way of the avenue is examined in plan and section to locate all greenery, lighting, street furniture, transit stops, and traffic lanes elements comprising the pedestrian realm. Extracting more positive elements trees, shrubs, street lighting and pedestrian lighting allows the avenue to be seen for what it is, and more importantly what it is not. From Cherry Street to Benton Boulevard, Independence Avenue is designated a boulevard, and the re-sulting trees, signage and lighting associated with that designation are quite visible in the extraction. The boulevard street scape is particularly evident in contrast to the street scape between Benton Boulevard and Norton Avenue, where trees and shrubs are sparse, and lighting occurs minimally as necessary. This stretch is identified as the top priority street scape intervention zone, and is studied in depth for specific needs. From this in depth study, and application of the overall avenue framework, three local typologies of street scape are developed, two accommodating mobility, and one accommodating destination. Mobility street scape serves vehicular and transit traffic, with more lane width dedicated to transportation. Destination street scape serves pedestrian occupation, with reduced transportation lane width and increased bike lane width, lighting and greenery.

MOBILITY 1 DESTINATION MOBILITY 2

196 Focus Areas

DETAIL: BENTON TO BATES

commercial corridor

While the top priority street scape intervention zone study results in three typical street types enabling either mobility or destina-tion at a local scale, study of the avenue as a whole results in typical street typologies performing similar function at a larger scale. All of Independence Avenue is developed as a complete street a thoroughfare for multiple modes of transit while also providing ample room and consideration for the safety of pedestrians. To do this, the street scape of Independence Avenue is designed in two distinct but complimentary layers: transportation and pedestrian. The transportation layer of the street scape includes streetcar routes and stops, bus routes and stops, vehicle traffic lanes and on-street parking, and bike lanes. The pedestrian layer of the street scape includes sidewalks, crosswalks, urban furniture, planters and bio swales. Streetscape of Independence Avenue which allows coexistence of pedestrians, vehicle traffic, and public transit ultimately enables commercial development by increasing accessibility to businesses in the Commercial Corridor.

TRANSPORTATION LAYER

PEDESTRIAN LAYER

COMPILATION

198 Focus Areas

13'-8" 12'-3"11'-10" 11'-0" 11'-0" 5'-0" 11'-3 1/2"5'-0" 19'-11" 12'-0"11'-0" 11'-0"9'-0" 5'-0" 15'-0 3/8"5'-0"

Sidewalk SidewalkEastbound Bike Lane

Westbound Bike Lane

Eastbound Lane Eastbound Lane Westbound Lane Westbound Lane Sidewalk SidewalkEastbound Bike Lane

Westbound Bike Lane

Eastbound Lane Eastbound Lane Westbound Lane Westbound LaneEastbound Bike Lane

Parallel Parking

Westbound Bike Lane

Variable Turn Lane Westbound LaneSidewalk SidewalkEastbound LaneEastbound Bike Lane

Parallel Parking

Parallel Parking

Westbound Bike Lane

Westbound LaneSidewalk SidewalkEastbound Lane

11'-0" 11'-0" 9'-0" 11'-0" 11'-0"9'-0" 5'-0"5'-0" 11'-10" 11'-0" 11'-0" 5'-0" 11'-3 1/2"5'-0" 11'-0" 11'-0"

13'-8" 12'-3"11'-10" 11'-0" 11'-0" 5'-0" 11'-3 1/2"5'-0" 19'-11" 12'-0"11'-0" 11'-0"9'-0" 5'-0" 15'-0 3/8"5'-0"


Westbound Bike Lane


Westbound Bike Lane


Parallel Parking

Westbound Bike Lane


Parallel Parking

Parallel Parking

Westbound Bike Lane


11'-0" 11'-0" 9'-0" 11'-0" 11'-0"9'-0" 5'-0"5'-0" 11'-10" 11'-0" 11'-0" 5'-0" 11'-3 1/2"5'-0" 11'-0" 11'-0"

13'-8" 12'-3"11'-10" 11'-0" 11'-0" 5'-0" 11'-3 1/2"5'-0" 19'-11" 12'-0"11'-0" 11'-0"9'-0" 5'-0" 15'-0 3/8"5'-0"


Westbound Bike Lane


Westbound Bike Lane


Parallel Parking

Westbound Bike Lane


Parallel Parking

Parallel Parking

Westbound Bike Lane


11'-0" 11'-0" 9'-0" 11'-0" 11'-0"9'-0" 5'-0"5'-0" 11'-10" 11'-0" 11'-0" 5'-0" 11'-3 1/2"5'-0" 11'-0" 11'-0"

13'-8" 12'-3"11'-10" 11'-0" 11'-0" 5'-0" 11'-3 1/2"5'-0" 19'-11" 12'-0"11'-0" 11'-0"9'-0" 5'-0" 15'-0 3/8"5'-0"


Westbound Bike Lane


Westbound Bike Lane


Parallel Parking

Westbound Bike Lane


Parallel Parking

Parallel Parking

Westbound Bike Lane


11'-0" 11'-0" 9'-0" 11'-0" 11'-0"9'-0" 5'-0"5'-0" 11'-10" 11'-0" 11'-0" 5'-0" 11'-3 1/2"5'-0" 11'-0" 11'-0"

commercial corridor

Street Scape of the entire avenue can be reduced to four typologies, each applicable to the regions identified in the existing street scape analysis west of Benton Boulevard, Benton Boulevard to Norton Avenue, Norton Avenue to Spruce Avenue, and east of Spruce Avenue. The four typologies make street scape transformations based on needs derived from existing pedestrian realm elements, characteristics of the identified avenue district, and transportation promoted in that area. All transformation areas are combinations of lighting, greenery, signage, urban furniture, bike lanes, traffic lanes and transit stops. As the avenue is the unifying element of the Northeast, the urban furniture is the unifying element of the avenue, providing identity and orientation throughout.

13'-8" 12'-3"11'-10" 11'-0" 11'-0" 5'-0" 11'-3 1/2"5'-0" 19'-11" 12'-0"11'-0" 11'-0"9'-0" 5'-0" 15'-0 3/8"5'-0"


Westbound Bike Lane


Westbound Bike Lane


Parallel Parking

Westbound Bike Lane


Parallel Parking

Parallel Parking

Westbound Bike Lane


11'-0" 11'-0" 9'-0" 11'-0" 11'-0"9'-0" 5'-0"5'-0" 11'-10" 11'-0" 11'-0" 5'-0" 11'-3 1/2"5'-0" 11'-0" 11'-0"

200 Focus Areas

MODULAR STREET FURNITURE

The linear form expresses the primary function of this piece, to provide seating directly off of the Avenue. This simple form also provided opportunities to rotate and merge separate components to establish larger units in social gathering spaces. To estab-lish a consistent and low maintenance aesthetic, modular dimensions and construction techniques were used. This modular unit was based on an 18 x 18 cube and is doubled where appropriate. Recognizing the importance of skateboard deterrents in place, this unit employs a mass vs. void strategy to create an uneven riding surface. Each segment of the module, combines consistently scaled elements with consistent voids for visual balance. In order to address all of the needs of a popular Avenue environment, trash receptacles, a cubic planter, and a bike rack were all designed into the same unit.

FURNITURE BRANDING AND IDENTITY

commercial corridor

The intersection of Chestnut with Independence Avenue is a critical site;

currently devoid of any urban or architectural articulation that would capitalize

on its geographic and contextual prominence. The proposed node will establish

a landmark at the highest point of Independence Avenue and celebrate its

connection with Kessler Park. High points along Independence Avenue serve as

powerful elements of artifact. From these enhanced high points, the topography

of the full Avenue can be read and appreciated. Views of downtown provide order

and orientation to space otherwise convoluted by disjointed fabric. This same

fabric challenges the landmark to formally operate within the grid arrangement of

the neighborhood and increase density in a low density area.

Design of the Chestnut Avenue landmark turns the block inward on itself to create

a pedestrian safe interior plaza between mixed programming of residential, retail,

office, parking, and public event space. By having an inward facing block, the

destination point is emphasized through pedestrian safety. Chestnut Avenue node

block typology recognizes the neighborhoods origins as a low-density residential

area, the current needs to strengthen the street wall at a destination point, and

responds with a form of dense street edge facing Independence Avenue with a

low density block interior removed from the avenue to the north.

commercial corridor:chestnut avenue

202 Focus Areas

SITE EXTENTS

REINFORCE BLOCK EDGE

LANDMARK

INTERIOR FACING BLOCK

DEFINE SPACE MIXED PROGRAM

chestnut avenue

CHESTNUT NODE INTERIOR

As it exists today, Apple Market is a social and commercial hub for the Northeast

where people from various ethnic, economic, and educational backgrounds

converge. As an emphasized node of the Avenue, its colloquial use is expanded

upon, transforming the store and its parking lot into a hybrid use public space.

Rethinking parking lots as public space and capitalizing on inherent gathering

habits creates an original urban space prototype that can serve the reintegration

of Independence Avenue as an urban element of Kansas City.

To transform the grocery store into a more open and public space, the faade

facing Independence Avenue is made transparent and an overhang extends over

outdoor dining space. The grocery store function is expanded as an outdoor

market at the perimeter of the existing parking lot. A place for the sale of harvest

from Productive Infill gardens, the outdoor market is an ideological intersection of

commerce on Independence Avenue and nearby urban agriculture.

Use of the parking lot as an outdoor market is seasonally flexible, and informs

the interim use of neighboring parking lots. Parking lots are activated periodically

as public event space, making them purposeful and meaningful while the

development of the area increases to a point at which the space is better used for

new construction.

commercial corridor:cleveland avenue

208 Focus Areas

SITE EXTENTS

SPATIAL CHARACTER

EXISTING BUILDING

PEDESTRIAN NETWORK ENTRY

VOLUMETRIC ADJUSTMENT PROPOSED PROGRAM

cleveland avenue

OUTDOOR FARMERS MARKET

commercial corridor:spruce avenueThe intersection of Spruce and Independence Avenue marks the secondary

high point. As with Chestnut, the Spruce Avenue node establishes a landmark,

formally develops the block, increases density in a low density area and creates

a destination on the avenue. Intersection with the Productive Infill pathway and a

direct integration of architecture and topography distinguish the Spruce Avenue

node from others. These additional conceptual parameters produce a unique

urban form and program.

Urban space of the avenue penetrates the street wall creating a pedestrian

flow into the public space of the landmark building. Flow of space is translated

physically to a flow of topography, land flowing up and over the parking garage.

Architecture of the landmark also responds physically to the site, embodying

the topographical significance in exaggerated character of form. Commercial

storefront encloses activity of the street reinforcing the notion of this node as a

pedestrian oriented destination. Opposite the storefronts, multifamily residential

buildings line the avenue, increasing population density of the node.

A convergence of diverse program, public and private space, topography and

architecture, and urban and pedestrian realms, the Spruce Avenue node is

an environment born of hybrid urban concepts. The combinative strategy is

necessary in establishing active nodes reflective of the diversity of the Northeast.

214 Focus Areas

SITE EXTENTS

PEDESTRIAN NETWORK ENTRY

LANDMARK

SPATIAL CHARACTER

SEQUENTIAL PUBLIC SPACE PROPOSED PROGRAM

spruce avenue

LANDMARK ARCHITECTURE ACTIVATES THE AVENUE

Selection of the Northeast Junior High School as an area of detailed study and

intervention is based on potential for cultural significance. Prominence of the

school comes inherently from its original purpose, its scale among the residential

neighborhood, and the quality of its architecture. The Northeast Junior High

School is one of the many vacant schools in Kansas City and its restoration of

cultural significance is exemplary of the catalytic changes possible for other

schools. Additionally, the junior high school site is the largest and most defined

moment of expansion within the compression and expansion strategy of the

Independence Avenue design so the function of the space must capitalize on this

role in the urban scheme.

Northeast Junior High School is reintegrated into Independence Avenue as a

fine arts center, for visual and performing arts. As an arts center, the junior high

school is once again a place for learning and cultural exchange, enhanced by and

enhancing the diversity of the neighborhoods. Adjacent to the school, the front

faade of the former multi-cultural center is preserved as the proscenium for an

amphitheater hosting performances in conjunction with the arts center. This open

air theater and the extension of its function to the schoolyard creates a signficant

hybrid public space along the Avenue.

commercial corridor:northeast junior high

220 Focus Areas

SITE EXTENTS

STREET EDGE AND RECREATION LOOP

REVITALIZE SCHOOLS

SPATIAL CHARACTER

VOLUMETRIC ADJUSTMENT PROPOSED PROGRAM

northeast junior high

PERFORMANCE AT THE NORTHEAST ARTS CENTER

reintegrating: independence avenue urban vision study | part 3

Documents

urban design concept

hardesty avenue

new urban order

urban rooms

urban landscape

independence avenue

urban strategy of districts

concept of avenue assemblage