Fishers Town Center. A Vibrant, Cultural, Hometown Destination. Key Concepts and Design Guidelines 2011

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1 Key Concepts and Design Guidelines 2011

2 Fishers Town Center area is undergoing a renaissance of sorts. Over the years, there have been several plans to build up, revitalize, or create an identifiable downtown core to the Fishers community. Background The Town of Fishers is a unique, rapidly growing community with a population of over 68,000. The Town was founded in 1872 and is located in southern Hamilton County, Indiana just 20 miles north of the capitol city of Indianapolis. Fishers remained a slow-growing community from its inception until the mid-1980s. In 1960 the Town s population was just 388. Growth in Fishers began a steady climb from 1990, when the total population was just a little over 7,000 persons, to 65,287 persons in That s an 800% increase in incorporated population in just 17 years. Growth in Fishers began at the crossroads of the major roads in the community 116 th Street and State Road 37. State Road 37 served as an important north-south link prior to the construction of Interstate 69, while 116 th Street remains as the primary east-west route through town. The downtown area encompasses 677 acres, with a broader study area of 2277 acres. This study area was examined to determine nearby influences on the Town Center area and potential growth areas. Purpose of the Plan The Town Center Plan provides a guide for future growth and physical development of the downtown core of Fishers. It establishes a framework for private development projects and provides a foundation for public and private investments within the town s core. This Plan is the result of efforts on the part of the Town Council, the Town Center Redevelopment Steering Committee, town staff, and of course, the residents of Fishers. The overall goal of the Plan is to help create a distinctive, livable, and vibrant Town Center area; one that can be branded and marketed to residents, visitors, and potential development partners. The steering committee began work by examining the existing Town Center area and ordinances, looking at a broader study area, and determining new boundaries for downtown proper. It is apparent that within the downtown core, there are several distinct images and uses. 2

3 Older single-family residences mix with newer townhomes, and the municipal center, commercial, manufacturing, and transit are all prominent inside the downtown. The committee wanted to respect and retain some existing uses while allowing for the integration of new uses throughout the built environment. The Town Center committee has crafted a long term policy document that will help set immediate, short-term, and longterm goals and objectives for Town Center. The overall goal of the Plan is to help create a distinctive, livable, and vibrant Town Center area; one that can be branded and marketed to residents, visitors, and potential development partners. Town Center Planning Process A series of public input meetings were held. Although the meetings were open to all town residents, downtown residents and local business owners were specifically invited to provide their input. As expected, several opinions emerged concerning the future development of downtown. Town Center residents voiced their desire to remain living in this core area of Town. These residents would like to have more shopping, dining, and entertainment choices, but don t necessarily want to live in a bustling, urban setting. Other residents enjoy the idea of living, working, shopping, and playing just a few short blocks from home. When presented with pictures showing typical commercial nodes and mixed-use sites (commercial, retail, and residential together), many people preferred the image of a downtown that had a mix of uses, building styles, and accessible gathering spaces. In short, residents would like to have a downtown that has a sense of place and provides all the conveniences of shopping, dining, and living spaces, in one locale. Residents want to accommodate all age ranges; they want their downtown to be lively and to look good; and they want to feel and be safe whenever they re enjoying downtown activities. The Town Center Redevelopment Committee had the complex task of taking all of the input into account and presenting the Town Council with a proposal for consideration. Members discussed the elements of placemaking sociability, activities, access, and comfort and how best to accommodate such public desires into a cohesive central core. 3

4 Committee members also devised their own list of important topics to tackle during the planning stage of downtown development: 1. Transportation and Passenger Rail 2. Parking and Gray Infrastructure 3. Open space, Trails, and Green Infrastructure 4. Uses, Activities, and Cultural Infrastructure 5. Funding Schemes 6. Sustainability and Implementation 7. Architectural Standards The committee began rethinking downtown by creating a vision of a vibrant destination and considering those uses and activities that would occur in such a place. They took the comments generated during the public input meetings and made them into a clear, concise, memorable Vision Statement: Fishers Town Center 4

5 The Importance of Place The goal of creating a new town center plan for Fishers is to make a distinct destination that will serve as the heart of the community to create that sense of place for people. Placemaking is at its simplest exactly what it sounds like. It is the art and science of making a place. It is not the end result of design and construction. Instead it is the whole experience of creating a viable, vital, and sustainable public destination. Placemaking causes those public spaces to be meaningful and memorable to people. Turning a space into a Place requires a new way of planning one that is communitydriven and visionary; is inclusive and flexible; and is focused on people and activities instead of buildings and infrastructure. The idea of placemaking has been around since the giants of urban design and activism, Jane Jacobs and William Whyte, presented their thoughts on how to make cities people places. Prior to Jacobs and Whyte, cities were built from the top down. The elected officials and municipal decision-makers determined what streets and structures were needed and where they would go with little to no regard for the people actually living there. Cities and towns were sterile and rote creations, with auto-dominated streets and congestion, underutilized public areas and mile after mile of under-performing strip centers. These placemaking concepts were the basis of the current planning endeavors. This Town Center Plan was created by first meeting with local residents and business owners. They were asked their thoughts on the liabilities, assets, needs, and desires for their town center. The input garnered is the foundation for the rest of the committee s work. 5

6 Keeping in mind the basics of Placemaking, committee members began studying the Town Center area in conjunction with their important issues of transportation, infrastructure, open space, funding, and implementation. They began with a study of uses, activities, and cultural infrastructure as the foundational aspects of a vital town center. Public comments on sociability, comfort, and activities were very similar over all three input meetings. Residents like the current hometown feel to the community, they want to keep and enhance the few green spaces around the town center, and they want to encourage a mix of retail and residential uses. Some of the items residents highlighted as needs include: increasing the diversity of users and uses, improving pedestrian access and comfort, and serving the entire range of ages and abilities. These comments have been reflected in the recommendations described in the next chapter. Certain aspects of the overall design are common to the entire area. Items like marketing and identity do need to be looked at in the big picture and cannot be teased apart from the whole. Establishing a brand and promotional scheme for the Town Center is an important part of the area s cultural infrastructure and transcends physical and political boundaries. In the strictest sense, there is hard infrastructure like signage and cultural infrastructure like performing spaces. Then there is the programming, the allure of public art, the lunch time concerts and the interactive public spaces whose benefits blur those lines. If we promote cultural infrastructure throughout the whole Town Center, then we will have taken positive steps to foster a sense of place for Fishers Town Center. Transportation and connectivity are other overarching elements to the design. Without easy access and linkages throughout the Town Center, the area won t be attractive to users. Town Center also needs to have a connection to the greater Fishers community. People need to see downtown, get to it, get around in it, and be comfortable moving through the area. It became apparent during committee discussions that although the entire Town Center needed to be cohesive, it couldn t be identical from street to street. There is a desire to maintain 116 th Street as a major commercial and transportation focus and to retain the ability to provide detached residential uses. It made sense to separate the Town Center into Districts to arrive at a flexible and usable downtown design. 6

7 The Districts 7

8 Holland Park Nickel Plate RR Corridor 116th Street PRAIRIE CIVIC Municipal Complex VILLAGE NICKEL PLATE Interstate 69 NORTHEAST TECHNOLOGY The Five Districts The committee created five (5) distinct Districts within the new boundaries of Fishers Town Center. Each District has an individual image and design intent. To help describe and set policy, the districts are illustrated throughout this document through text and pictures. Each District is described through an Image Statement. To ensure each particular Image is achieved, there are specific permitted uses and related anticipated activities noted. An important component to realizing a stated vision is to create a specific or standard look for the area. One of the most understandable means to accomplish this is through architecture. Each District therefore contains architectural requirements. Adhering to design rules for architecture, amenities, and site layout will ensure each District has a distinct look and feel, yet meshes with the surrounding neighborhoods. 106th Street 8

9 Holland Park Civic District This is the area of Town Center north of 116 th Street and west of the Nickel Plate railroad. It currently contains the largest amount of public open/green space (part of municipal complex and Holland Park). The area is comprised of one and two story civic buildings (town hall, bureau of motor vehicles, library, post office) and multi-story attached residences. Building materials currently are a mix of masonry and vinyl. The Civic District contains an established residential neighborhood including apartments and single family homes. CIVIC CIVIC Nickel Plate RR Corridor Municipal Complex N D Desired Image This part of Town Center should serve as one of the vital spots for public engagement. The amount of public open space should be preserved and enhanced by providing linkages throughout the Civic District and to neighboring Districts. Amenities (benches, water, art, shade, etc) should be provided throughout and designed so that elements relate to one another and are similar or the same in size, materials, and color. The majority of buildings should be limited in height 116th Street 9

10 to two-story, although parking structures may be taller to accommodate adequate downtown parking and to severely reduce surface parking. The existing municipal buildings and associated green areas should be showcased to serve as a major focal point and gathering space within this District. The photos to the left show existing residential and civic buildings. To ensure the Desired Image is achieved and maintained, the following list contains the only uses that are permitted within the Civic District: Civic buildings Multi-family Public Open Space C1 Office uses Museum/performing arts building (amphitheater/band shelter) Transportation light rail transit station, rails with trails, bus station, etc. Mixed use parking structure Civic memorials and public art 10

11 Related Activities Government affairs development, police, fire, BMV Library and associated programs Fairs and festivals Concerts and live theater Farmer s Market Parks, recreation, leisure, and educational activities Residential Transit Architectural Requirements All buildings shall have a finished façade on all sides and use clay brick or natural and man-made stone as the primary building material. EIFS and cement fiberboard are permitted as accent materials. A mix of structured and open lot parking shall be used throughout the Civic District. Parking structures are preferred. Where they are used, they may be up to four stories in height and may be in combination with office or retail uses. 11

12 Holland Park Transportation Network The existing roadway network in the Civic District has two connection points. One connects the municipal complex to 116 th Street and the second connects the complex s back door to Lantern Road. There is no relationship between the civic heart of town to the rest of the community. Although this does serve to make the municipal area an important destination (all roads lead to Town Hall), it isn t a necessary design. The town hall area is already an important destination people who have business to conduct in the area already know that they re going there. What s missing is some connection to the rest of the downtown and to adjacent residential areas. CIVIC 116 th Street is classified as a primary arterial. That means it is designed to carry a lot of vehicular traffic in an efficient manner. It serves as the primary eastwest road for cars traveling past Fishers on their way to somewhere else. 116 th Street provides direct access to Interstate 69 on the east edge of downtown. It is therefore very important to maintain 116 th Street as an efficient automobile thoroughfare. 116 th Street also is the boundary between the Civic District and the retail Nickel Plate District. 116th Street Nickel Plate RR Corridor Municipal Complex N D Lantern Road is also an important part of the roadway network. Lantern Road runs north and south and provides an important connection though all of the downtown Districts. As currently designed, the road is not straight, taking a few jogs as it works its way from 106 th Street north through downtown. However important it is to keep cars moving well, it is just as important to keep in mind pedestrians and aesthetics when designing a comprehensive street system. 12

13 A significant potential for the Civic District is a transit station. The Nickel Plate railroad runs through the Town Center and the Civic District is a prime location for a transit stop. A light rail passenger system is currently under consideration by the Central Indiana Regional Transit Authority using the existing Nickel Plate tracks. Several possible stops have been discussed, although not one at 116 th Street. The possibility of having a stop at the heart of downtown Fishers is, however, too important to ignore. Holland Park CIVIC Nickel Plate RR Corridor Municipal Complex N D 116th Street 13

14 Holland Park Nickel Plate RR Corridor 116th Street CIVIC Municipal Complex VILLAGE Interstate 69 NORTHEAST TECHNOLOGY NICKELPLATE Nickel Plate District This is the largest and most densely developed area of town center. It is located both north and south of 116 th Street and stretches to I 69. It currently contains commerce areas with some residential (single family attached and detached). The area is comprised of single and multi-story buildings and a combination of architectural styles. Building materials are a mix of masonry and vinyl on older homes. Newer residences and commercial buildings are more contemporary in look, using mostly brick, stone, and EIFS as primary exterior materials. Desired Image This part of town center should continue to serve as the hub of retail development. Because it is densely developed, finding places for green areas, social gathering, and site aesthetics must be emphasized. Linkages to other Districts are crucial, so as to attract users to this spot. Amenities (benches, water, art, shade, etc) should be provided throughout with design elements that relate to one another and are similar or the same in size, materials, and color. The majority of buildings in this District should be encouraged to be taller 4 or 5 stories and contain a PRAIRIE 14

15 mix of uses (e.g., retail 1 st floor, office 2 nd floor, and residential upper floors). Parking structures should also be encouraged to aggregate parking and encourage walking. Some on-street parking would be permitted. The structures could be pulled closer to the major roads (116 th, Lantern, Commercial Drive) for visibility, but cannot preclude pedestrian activity along the streets. This District would look like a typical new urban downtown. To ensure the Desired Image is achieved and maintained, the following list contains the uses that are encouraged within the Nickel Plate District: Retail uses (C1-C3) Athletics and sports facilities Certain types of residential Public Open Space Arts and culture (museum) Conference Center Hotel-either stand alone or in conjunction with another use Institutional Mixed use parking structure Mixed use buildings 15

16 Related Activities Commerce Art studios and sales Education Residential Parks, recreation, leisure, and educational activities Architectural Requirements All buildings in this District should have a finished façade on all sides. Brick, stone, and other natural materials would be encouraged. Certain man-made materials like EIFS and cultured stone would be allowed. Parking structures would be encouraged. Placement of these throughout the District will need to be carefully considered in the final design. Four and five story buildings should be encouraged for the majority of this District. A proximity ratio could be used to promote taller buildings in appropriate spots. As buildings get farther away from the property line, they can be taller. 16

17 Holland Park Nickel Plate RR Corridor CIVIC Municipal Complex NICKEL PLATE NORTHEAST TECHNOLOGY Transportation Network 116 th Street bisects this District, making pedestrian connections an issue. The potential realignment of Lantern Road would take such connections into consideration. There is an established road network providing good vehicular access and connections through the District and to adjoining areas. The Nickel Plate RR corridor divides the District, requiring additional vehicular and pedestrian/bike connections. This District also needs a better connection to Northeast Technology District. Pedestrian Connection across I 69 is very important, as is a north/south connection through the District 116th Street Interstate 69 VILLAGE 17 PRAIRIE

18 Northeast Technology District This is the area of town center between the Nickel Plate Railroad and I 69, in the northeast section of Town Center. It currently contains large light industrial buildings and some sports-related venues. There are areas ripe for redevelopment amidst vacant lots. Building materials are mostly metal, with some mix of masonry and vinyl. NICKEL PLATE NORTHEAST TECHNOLOGY NORTHEAST TECHNOLOGY Desired Image This part of town center should continue to house manufacturing, research and development businesses, and sports venues. With good visibility to the interstate, and easy access to the adjoining Nickel Plate District, this area could become a sports hub for the community. Adding at least one hotel to this district would make it an attractive location for sports fans, traveling teams, and tournaments. Multi-story office buildings would be encouraged here, along with specialty retail and restaurants to support the work force. The public open space available needs to be enhanced by providing linkages throughout the District and to neighboring Districts. Amenities (benches, water, art, shade, etc) should be provided throughout and could be specific to a particular design/ designer. The elements need not specifically relate to one another or be similar in size, materials, and/or color. 18

19 To ensure the Desired Image is achieved and maintained, the following list contains the only uses that are permitted within the Northeast Technology District: Warehouse/office buildings Sports buildings/stadium Public Open Space C1 Office uses Neighborhood commercial Institutional Hotel Related Activities Technology R&D and manufacturing Indoor/outdoor sports Parks, recreation, leisure, and educational activities Business (office) uses Commerce Architectural Requirements Although this District is expected to house manufacturing buildings, visually appealing architecture is still important. All sides of building façades should look finished and attractive. Modern architecture and finishes are encouraged. Brick, stone, synthetic stone, glass, metal, textured pre-cast panels and wood are desirable as primary building materials and finishes. 19

20 Transportation Network This District needs better access from the rest of downtown and from areas outside of the town center. It is highly visible to I69-an important transportation corridor-but it is extremely difficult to get to. Another missing piece is an additional street connection to Lantern Road. This roadway is the primary north/south route through downtown and a direct link to that road from this District would be beneficial. NORTHEAST TECHNOLOGY There is also no pedestrian access to or through this District. Even if people wanted to walk or ride their bikes to this area they would be unable to. Putting these connections in place is crucial to making this District a part of the whole. NICKEL PLATE 20

21 116th Street Nickel Plate RR Corr Municipal Complex NICKEL PLATE Interstate 69 Village District This is the area of town center south of the Nickel Plate District and between the railroad and I 69. It currently contains some of the older structures and original homes, along with an elementary school. It is exclusively residential in character, with a fair amount of green spaces and mature landscaping. Building materials currently are a mix of wood, masonry and vinyl. VILLAGE Desired Image This part of town center should serve as a less intense commerce and residential area. The District should consist of specialty shops, offices, and live-work homes. This District could provide artist in residence sites, as well as studio/retail businesses. The amount of public open space is well placed throughout the District and needs to be preserved and enhanced via linkages throughout the District and to neighboring Districts. Amenities (benches, water, art, shade, etc) should be provided throughout and could be specific to a particular design/designer. The elements need not specifically relate to one another or be similar in size, materials, and/or color. 21 PRAIRIE

22 The majority of buildings should have a maximum height of three-story and should be residential in scale and character. On street parking should be encouraged in this District. The Village District is to serve as a neighborhood and specialty retail center. People should be encouraged to park in one location, walk to a variety of destinations, and return to their car at the end of the day. To ensure the Desired Image is achieved and maintained, the following list contains the only uses that are permitted within the Village District: Civic buildings Multi-family & single family residential Public Open Space C1 Office uses Specialty commercial Museum 22

23 Related Activities Government affairs Residential Parks, recreation, leisure, and educational activities Business (office) uses Commerce Architectural Requirements As with the other Districts, architectural aesthetics is very important in the Village District. The existing buildings are smaller in scale and residential in nature. This archetype needs to continue for new structures built within this District. Exterior building materials should consist of brick, stone, synthetic stone, and fiber cement board. As with other town center Districts, pedestrian amenities, open spaces, and places to gather and participate in social activities are very important. Signage in this District will also need special treatment. 23

24 Nickel Plate RR Corr Municipal Complex NICKEL PLATE Transportation Network 116th Street Interstate 69 Streets and sidewalks in the Village District should receive special attention to detail. Various patterns and textures should be used for streets and sidewalks. Roadway aesthetics is very important in this District. There is a desire for a very distinct look to this area. Roads need to be narrow in the Village, encouraging slower vehicular speeds and highlighting the importance of walkability. Pedestrian and bike access across the Nickel Plate railroad is important, as is access to town parks located to the north and south. VILLAGE 24 PRAIRIE

25 VILLAGE Prairie Commons District This is the area of town center north of 106 th Street, between the railroad and I 69. It currently contains apartments and office buildings. There is also a town park in this area abutting the railroad. The area is comprised of one and two story office buildings and multi-story attached residences. Building materials are a mix of masonry, wood, and vinyl. The office park has a distinct architectural style (Prairie style) which sets a possible tone for future development. 106th Street PRAIRIE PRAIRIE Desired Image This District is located on the outer fringe of the Town Center, so providing a link to Prairie Commons is very important. The existing public open space should be preserved and enhanced, and the current Town park should be leveraged to its fullest potential. Public gardens should be constructed and mimic the Prairie style of the office building architecture. Visibility to the interstate is an important characteristic of this District and should be utilized as such. Amenities (benches, water, art, shade, etc) should be provided throughout and may be designed so that elements relate to one another and are similar or the same in size, materials, and color. The majority of buildings should be limited in height to twostory although multi-family residential buildings may be taller to accommodate adequate living density. 25

26 To ensure the Desired Image is achieved and maintained, the following list contains the only uses that are permitted within the Prairie Commons District: Public amenities (water fountains, bike racks, restrooms, etc) Multi-family Public Open Space C1 Office uses Public art Public gardens Related Activities Government affairs Residential Parks, recreation, leisure, and educational activities Business (office) uses Pedestrian and bicycle linkages Architectural Requirements New structures should be designed using Prairie style architecture. Natural materials like brick, stone, and stucco should be the primary exterior finishes. Limited amounts of man-made material (EIFS, fiber cement board, vinyl etc.) may be used as accents. 26

27 VILLAGE Transportation Network Lantern Road is the only through street in this District. This north-south corridor will need special consideration and perhaps upgraded to accommodate increased vehicular and pedestrian traffic. PRAIRIE Pedestrian and bicycle connections to the adjacent Village District, Cheeney Creek Park property located within the Prairie Commons District, and to and across the railroad are vital and need to be carefully incorporated into an overall transportation design. There should also be a link to the nearby Ritchey Woods Nature Preserve. 106th Street 27

28 Implementation and Monitoring A common thought is that once the plan is completed, one can breathe a sigh of relief. Unfortunately, that s when the work is just beginning. Formal adoption of the plan is merely a first step of many more to follow. The ultimate success of any plan depends on whether and how it is implemented. Implementation of this plan will take strong public and private cooperation. To help realize the goals and objectives, a process should be adopted to formalize how objectives will be met, establish measures of success, and begin a monitoring program. The process should be aligned with budgeting procedures to make implementation concrete, important, and achievable. It is important that both this Plan and the implementation process be flexible and dynamic. Both should be reviewed on a regular basis (perhaps annually) and modified if necessary to continually reflect local conditions and desires. Recommendations: Adopt this Plan Establish review/approval process Organize a Town Center Implementation Committee. This committee would be responsible for: Marketing plan for Town Center Master plan for Town Center Capital Improvements Plan Begin design process for Phase II Prepare updated plans for neighborhoods adjacent to Town Center Revisit and update Town Center Plan as needed (at least every 5 years) 28

29 Draft Capital Improvement Map TOWN CENTER MAP DETAILS %&'( th St. 116TH TOWN CENTER OUTLINE EXISTING MULTI USE TRAIL NETWORK SUGGESTED TRAIL NETWORK SUGGESTED RAILS WITH TRAILS RAILROAD RAILS WITH TRAILS TRAILHEAD LANTERN ROAD REALIGNMENT/UPGRADE MASS TRANSIT CENTER WITH TRAIN STATION PARKING GARAGE GATEWAY SIGNAGE INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENT PEDESTRIAN RR CROSSINGS Lantern Rd. OPEN SPACE PEDESTRIAN WALKING BRIDGE (OVERPASS).35 Miles to Ritchey Woods 106th St. LANTERN 106TH 29