Urban Gas Stations in Historic Districts, Pt. II
Posted by Chris Corr in Neighborhoods, New Development on Apr 9th, 2012 | 14 comments
A gas station proposed in Ransom Place Conservation District at the corner of 10th St. and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr.?
Nixed by the Indianapolis Historic Preservation Commission (IHPC).
A gas station proposed in Herron Morton Place Historic District at the corner of 16th St. and Central Ave.?
Passed by IHPC, but neighbors sue the developer to block construction (case pending).
Gas station proposals in protected historical neighborhoods have not fared well recently. Nevertheless, another developer is proposing one in Fountain Square Historic District at 1015 Virginia Ave. Not only is this site in a...
Random Good News
Posted by Kevin Kastner in Neighborhoods on Apr 9th, 2012 | 13 comments
I might be the only one excited about this, but here goes. Remember the great sign at the Polk Dairy Stables that I posted about in 2008?
The sign was removed in 2009, which was concerning:
I am happy to report that after a few years, the sign has been repaired. This is a good of a photo I could get with my phone in the dying...
Should Cities actively push mode share change?
Posted by Curt Ailes in Bicycling, Pedestrian, Transit on Apr 6th, 2012 | 9 comments
The recent debate that has been raging here over the new bike lanes on Broad Ripple Avenue really touched off a fury of passionate debate among members of the urbanist community. On one side were folks (myself included) advocating for road diets to encourage slower traffic with the intended benefit being safer roads, sidewalks and a more equal travel corridor for all modes.
On the other side of the argument was the philosophy that mature neighborhoods such as the northside which have, over time, developed around corridors that encourage multiple auto travel lanes and in which the resulting built form...
Washington Street Cultural Trail construction underway
Posted by Curt Ailes in Bicycling, Pedestrian on Apr 5th, 2012 | 6 comments
I had a few minutes after class and snapped a few photos of the construction, now underway, on the last portion of the Cultural Trail downtown.
The pavement has been torn up from Capitol Ave all the way to Senate and the parking looks like it will be gone once the trail is operating.
One cool structure I observed, was the bus shelter being constructed at Illinois and Washington. These are some really nice looking pieces and personally, I hope their design influences future IndyGo sheltered transit stops.
Urban Living as Antidote to Oil Price Fluctuation
Posted by Kevin Kastner in Neighborhoods on Apr 4th, 2012 | 6 comments
The national conversation that has surrounded the most recent gas price jumps has been predictably frustrating. A whole lot of finger-pointing, but little self-analysis. Perhaps the most frustrating aspect about this conversation is the lack of creative and constructive solutions for people who wish to inoculate themselves from price spikes.  We usually hear the primal urges (drill baby drill) as well as the technological advances (alternative fuels). However, the simplest solution that the public can act on is to live in a neighborhood that has transportation options.
These...
