merson Heights What is a Charrette? - Ball State University

Building a Complete NeighborhoodRevitalizingLinwoodHome to the only full-servicesupermarket on the near eastside,Linwood Square fulfills a criticalneed for the daily lives of tensof thousands of people. It’salready a destination, and we cancapitalize on that with new infilldevelopment that adds new retailshops, supports the 10th Streetvillage, and adds new amenitieslike a park and senior housing.A VillageHeartAnchored by a revitalizedEmerson Theater, 10th Street isreborn as the Emerson HeightsVillage. With a new streetscapeand plazas, rehabbed andnewly constructed buildings,and shared parking, the Villagebecomes the heart that is missingfrom the neighborhood. It’swhere neighbors relax after workand where visitors realize theneighborhood is a special place.Dequincy SpineA beautiful, esplanade streetruns through the heart of theneighborhood and connects twohigh schools. It receives focusedimprovements to establish itas the signature “alpha” street,similar to how Meridian Streetserves as the backbone for theMeridian Kessler neighborhood.HomeRestorationThe historic architecture ofthe neighborhood is the mostcritical element of its identity.Restoration of homes throughthe removal of previousmaintenance fixes restores thecolor and craftsmanship that setsthe neighborhood apart.CompleteStreetsStreets aren’t just for cars anymore, and the most successfulneighborhoods accommodate allusers. New pedestrian paths areadded to the side streets that lackthem while upgraded sidewalks,traffic calming, and bicycleaccommodations invite residentsto enjoy their neighborhood.WalkableConnectionsEmerson Heights is a verycompact neighborhood, andconnecting it to nearby regionaldestinations like EllenbergerPark, downtown Irvington, andthe Indianapolis Greenwaysnetwork provides residents withsafe and easy access to thoseamenities while confirming theneighborhood as an importantpart of the regional landscape.GatheringSpacesFrom sidewalk cafes in a villagesetting to a streetscape treatmentsthat transform everyday streetsinto places for festivals andcommunity gatherings, the publicspaces in the neighborhoodare critical in providing a civicheart through which neighborssocialize and build a communityspirit.GreenInfrastructureA major selling point ofEmerson Heights when it wasfirst built was that it was highand dry. Today we recognize theecological importance of slowingwater down as it flows from theneighborhood to minimize theimpact we have on our streams.Rain gardens can be added tothe streetscape, providing placesfor native landscaping to absorband filter rainwater and adding aprogressive feature many peopleare placing increasing value on.Live/WorkRevitalizationThe Michigan Street edge islined with new or revitalized live/work arrangements, providing anew type of housing, tax base,and economic activity for theneighborhood. It is a moredurable housing type for thisbusy corridor and allows us toreally focus more traditionalretail in the village area.ReinvigoratedAlleysAlleys serve an importantfunction in urban neighborhoodsby keeping driveways and serviceaccess off of the beautiful streets.Alleys are always the first thingsin neighborhoods to decay…theyare where we put our trash andwhere landscape tends to getovergrown. With some love theycan again provide safe accessto garages or parking areas andhelp address some of the parkingissues on the main streets.HistoricIdentityThe historic bollards arerebuilt and added throughoutthe neighborhood to serveas gateways, while they arecomplimented with a completestreetscape package that includeshistoric streetlighting, nativelandscaping, and banners andcolorful hanging baskets incommercial areas.ResidentialUpgradesThe rear of the historic homesare the places for upgrades—additions that provide more livingspace demanded by new familiesor mud rooms and ramps neededfor aging residents, garages forsafe storage of cars, or carriagehouses that allow an extendedfamily member to live. Theseupgrades increase propertyappeal while minimizing theimpact on the historic qualitiesof the architecture.Design Charrettemerson Heights