Broad Ripple Village Parking Garage Design Changes

The City-financed Broad Ripple Village Parking Garage (BRV Garage) is still working its way through design stages and the City regulatory process. Most recently the BRV Garage was up before the Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) on 10/11/11. The City needs to get a variance to build the garage without “structural floodproofing”, as well as a number of variances from the Commercial Zoning Ordinance to build the structure up to the sidewalks on College and Westfield (which we support) and to build a drive-through for the southern retail space (which we do not support). Here’s what the BRV Garage’s first floor looked like when Ratio Architects originally announced their design in July:

The first floor plan for the BRV Garage, released by Ratio in July 2011.

And here’s what the plan looks like from the staff report for the BZA:

The first floor plan for the BRV Garage, released in the BZA staff report in October 2011.

I see three primary differences in this plan, all designed for the benefit of vehicles:

1. The south end retail space has been redesigned for a one-way drive-through that spits out to an alley on the west side of the garage.
2. There’s now a second entry for cars to enter (but not exit) the garage from Westfield.
3. The “PUBLIC PLAZA – PARKING” area on the SW corner of the original design is now exclusively parking in the new design.

Do you see any other tweaks to the design and how do feel about these design changes? At the request of a neighborhood organization, this case was automatically continued at the BZA 10/11/11 meeting. It will be heard by the BZA at their next hearing on 11/15/11 so you have time to make your opinion known.

Comments 19

  • That “drive through” from College to Westfield is just access to the rear parking of the south commercial space. It also appears to connect to the elbowed alley that wraps the Broad Ripple Animal Clinic (southwest of the garage at Broadway and Westfield) but it should be one-way from Westfield to College, not from College to Westfield. Left-turning off College there isn’t good…there is already a curb cut just one or two car-lengths south for the Chase Drive-Through.

    • The staff report specifically says it’s a drive-through for a bank:

      “Variance of development standards of the Commercial Zoning Ordinance to provide for……a drive-through bank with six stacking spaces (one stacking space after and six stacking spaces before the final component required).”

      I apologize that I initially forgot to link to the staff report in this post. It’s in there now. There isn’t actually a full report, but the case info begins on pg. 55.

  • I am not so sure I see the electric care station or interior bike parking anymore……”tenant space 3″ is significantly smaller due to the crappy drive thru and it’s business as usual in the Indianapolis development world. I guess we shouldn’t gripe too much, for the simple cost of millions of tax payer dollars and a prime commercial spot in one of our most popular districts we are getting better bike parking……or not. We are getting better pedestrian connectivity……..or not. We are getting alternative fuel vehicle progression….or not. We are getting place based design and an active street level retail……..not so much. Wait! What are we getting? Can we put millions into a streetcar line instead?

  • Any pedestrian on the west side of College avenue would have to cross the equivalent of a 4-lane street in this terrible redesign. This is what happens when you cater to cars. Give them a block, and they’ll take a block and a half.

  • The alley direction and the added turn in for Tenant 3 are both one ways going in opposite directions. Should this get built exactly as is, there are going to be issues as people will be drive from Westfield to College or vice versa.

    This new first floor plan looks like a complete mess, in my opinion. I don’t really understand why they want to add another bank near the intersection of Westfield and College when there are already two Chase’s, an M&I, a Flagstar Bank and a PNC ATM at CVS. Catering to the vehicle by adding that turn in is just making everything worse and on top of that they add an entrance to Westfield Blvd.

  • Bank drive-through? We already have 3 bank drive-throughs within 200 yards (Chase, M&I and Huntington) and another one two blocks south (Old National). Considering more than generous city subsidy, I hope they don’t just cater to the developer’s financial interest.

  • And Flagstar as Ross pointed out….so 5 bank drive-throughs….unless Chase is planning to move here and sell its lot next to garage.

  • How will the new Walgreens tenant of this “parking garage” operate without a drive thru pharmacy?

  • Unless car charging and bike parking have been moved to the 2nd level, it appears that they have been cut out. Car charging I can see being on the 2nd level, but bike parking? Granted, most people riding will be pulling their bike up on the sidewalk in the village to be closer to where they are headed, but it still seems like a punch in the face.
    .
    Additionally, I am disappointed to see the former public space being changed to *gasp* more parking. That never happens. I sure hope that whomever is reviewing this from the neighborhood has the right ideas at heart when they consider this thing.

  • Regions bank most likely. Access is terrible; still believe this is a very bad development on its own island.

  • Is BRVA supporting the redesigned plan? This is one of the largest projects in the Village in many years, and I hope they are as vocal about this as they tend to be about small and petty projects (e.g. Kilroy’s).

    • Take it for what you will, but I attended the BRVA meeting where the proposed garage had it’s official public debut. Two members of the BRVA are on the main planning committee and I heard nothing but support from BRVA higher ups and members throughout the entire meeting.

      Now obviously, I doubt any of them have had public comments on the new design. But considering their enthuiastic support of the original plan, I don’t see it faltering by much.

      I think it’s a real shame we’re going to have another drive-thru something here.

  • The parking garage looks as if it is extremely close to the street — too close for pedestrian ease and safety. I see Broad Ripple as a wonderful, walkable community, in/out of art galleries, shops, and restaurants. The garage could be a great benefit for business owners as well as a wonderful amenity to accommodate the public.

    This public parking garage can be a Win/Win for public and private enterprise. You get ONE shot at it — please work with businesses and citizens — don’t lose this wonderful opportunity!

  • Please give priority to the pedestrians as far as the site plan and the detailing of the buildng at street level and connectivity to get to/from the site. Also, please make sure there are appropriate traffic flow and queing areas for cars to turn in off College, otherwise it will be a mess, not to mention dangerous.

  • When this hit the news (briefly) a couple weeks ago, the veternarian office was seeing the new plan creating problems with access to their facility and they strongly opposed the changes.

  • I think what this community really needs is a large parking garage, not a new site for more retail. It seems like developers are missing the whole point here. With the recent violent crimes that have taken place in the community it’s more important now than ever to ensure safety for consumers. Crimes are taking place while patrons are walking (far) to their cars in the early morning hours. The whole point to the garage should be to increase safety and prevent the opportunity for crime, while giving plenty of parking space to consumers that is well lit and close by.

  • Laci, I don’t have any statistics, and obviously the design can play a big factor, but a fair number of crimes do occur in and around parking lots, so building a garage isn’t a panacea for preventing crimes against Broad Ripple visitors.

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