Professional Documents
Culture Documents
i Introduction
City of Los Angeles adopted a vision of revitalizing historic Broadway corridor between
2nd street and Olympic Boulevard as a cultural and commercial center while retaining
physical characteristics that made Broadway distinctive and moves forward to improve
Broadway streetscape, an initial step for reviving Broadway corridor.
This report is summarizing the best practices of the streetscape improvement activities
completed in the cities comparable to the City of Los Angeles to provide references
for Broadway Streetscape Improvement project. The first part of this report presents
sample streetscape improvement projects/programs in other cities that address the
challenges that Broadway confronts, such as preserving historic characteristics,
revitalizing downtown core, and promoting transit and pedestrian uses. This will provide
holistic view of streetscape in creating urban environment.
Following the case study, more streetscape design photographs are presented to
provide additional examples of high quality streetscape design. Design elements are
crafted to address specific issues within a unique physical context.
Contents
STREETSCAPE IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS
5 REDEFINED CHARACTER
Loft District (Washington Avenue) - Saint Louis, Missouri
A PEDESTRIAN SPACE
B SAFETY
C CHARACTER
D MULTI-MODAL ACCESSIBILITY
E SUSTAINABILITY
BEST PRACTICES
In mid to late 1980’s, City of Melbourne adopted a strategic plan to restore vibrant
downtown core and have pursued a strong city improvement agenda. The combination
of many strategic moves transformed once car dominant, mono-functional streets into
high connectivity, multi modal streets with wider sidewalk, exclusive transit ways, and
extensive bicycle links. The results are staggering. Livable downtown environment
attracted over 30,000 residential units, 1,500 new restaurants, cafes, and bars,
numerous supermarkets, and 400 sidewalk cafes in just 15 years.
Collins - Before
Collins - After
Degraves - Before
Degraves - After
Streetscape Improvement Projects
High Quality Public Realm
Swanston - Before
Swanston - After
Streetcar
1
STREETSCAPE CASE STUDIES
In 2007, New York City launched a long term plan called PlaNYC to redefine public
spaces in New York City by implementing greener transportation network and safer
public spaces throughout the City. One of the notable projects completed under the
PlaNYC is the “Broadway Boulevard” project that narrowed a seven block section of
Broadway between 42nd Street and 35th street from four lanes to two lanes for an
esplanade, which turned the space to bike lanes and a pedestrian walkway with tables,
chairs, umbrellas, and planters. The project was completed in August, 2008. Despite
narrowed traffic lanes, NYDOT has predicted that the change will actually ease traffic as
drivers eschew that tighter stretch of Broadway for the avenues.
Public open space is considered as one of the vital components of livable communities,
contributing to health and well-being of residents. NYCDOT launched a Public Plaza
program as a part of PlaNYC and completed the Madison Square, one of 33 planned
public plazas, in the middle of Madison Avenue. This 41,000 square feet of public
space not only offers the space and seating that people desperately need, but also
serves as a very effective traffic calming device. The spaces have already filled with
pedestrians, tourists, people-watchers, area workers and residents.
9th Avenue Complete Street project is another good example of New York City’s
on-going efforts to create a safe and comfortable street for all users. This project,
completed in summer of 2008, includes the first urban on-street parking-protected and
signal-protected bicycle facility in the US. The street plan incorporates several user-
friendly design features such as shortened pedestrian crossings, raised pedestrian
refuge islands, turn bays, and signage, and the bike lane is separated from vehicles
by eight feet for added safety. With the success of the project, the City is planning to
extend the complete street eight more blocks to the North.
Broadway Boulevard
2
STREETSCAPE CASE STUDIES
Pearl district is located in downtown Portland between central business district and
Willamette River. Through 1980’s, the area became a decaying industrial area with
abandoned rail yards and under-utilized warehouse. Since early 1990’s, the city
of Portland has adopted several redevelopment plans for the area (River District
Development Plan-1994, Pearl District Development Plan-2001) and the Pearl District
has undergone significant renovation. The streetscape improvements were designed
to reflect and promote district’s historic characteristics as well as planned streetcar
system that would serve the district connecting to major downtown destinations and to
regional light rail system. Now, the Pearl District became Portland’s premium transit and
pedestrian friendly neighborhood with more than 12,500 residents, 21,000 jobs, and
numerous restaurants and retail shops.
Opensape/Park/Street trees
3
STREETSCAPE CASE STUDIES
As one of the earliest planned streets in the US, South Broad Street, which lies south
of the Philadelphia City Hall was a residential, commercial, and financial center during
the 19th century. However, South Broadway has declined significantly from 1950’s
through 1980’s due to new developments along Market Street and other nearby areas.
In 1993, the Avenue of the Arts, Inc. (AAI), an independent non-profit organization was
formed to transform the South Broadway between the City Hall to Washington Avenue,
into an arts and entertainment center of the City. Major transformation began in 1996
replacing street lights, improving sidewalk paving, installing new planters, bus shelters,
and decorative subway entrances to create vibrant and attractive place to live, work,
shop, and play. Since then, the eight block district has been reinvigorated and became
home to 23 arts organizations, three major art institutions, three large hotels, more than
20 high-end retailers, over 30 restaurants, and 1,450 residential units converted from
vacant office buildings or newly constructed.
4
STREETSCAPE CASE STUDIES
5 Redefined Character
Loft District (Washington Avenue) - Saint Louis, Missouri
Similar to many major cities in the U.S., Washington Avenue area in downtown Saint
Louis, known as “Garment District” declined through 1980’s due to urban sprawl and
declination in domestic garment production. In December 1999, the City adopted
a Washington Avenue Loft District Streetscape design concepts and transformed
a marginally active industrial area into a thriving arts-oriented and regional retail
destination. Expanded public spaces were created for outdoor cafes, seating, display
of public art and street performances, and to stimulate potential linkages to adjacent
destinations, attractions, and districts. Site furnishings, lighting, landscape and street
greenery, sidewalk paving patterns, and building-related elements all combine to create
a unique ambiance for this revitalized urban area.
Loft District 1
Loft District 4
Loft District 5
Loft District 6
5
STREETSCAPE CASE STUDIES
Barracks Row refers to 8th street between Pennsylvania Avenue and M Street within
historic district of Washington, D.C. As the first commercial center of the City with
low-rise commercial and residential buildings, the Barracks Row had declined since the
end of WWII due to the cease of production of ammunition and proliferation of shopping
malls during 1970’s. In an effort to rejuvenate the area, the Barracks Row Business
Alliance was formed in early 1990’s and developed a strategic plan in 1999. One of the
main components of the strategic plan is a large scale physical design component and
the 8.5 million dollar streetscape improvement project was completed in 2003. The
results are highly successful. Since 1999, there have been 51 facades restored; 43
new businesses have opened including business expansion through 12 new outdoor
cafes; an addition of 198 new jobs have created, 3 new traditional buildings have been
constructed.
Barracks Row 1
Barracks Row 4
Barracks Row 5
Barracks Row 6
6
STREETSCAPE CASE STUDIES
Washington Street 1
Washington Street 4
Washington Street 6
Washington Street 7
7
STREETSCAPE CASE STUDIES
The West Main District is bounded by 2nd Street on the east, 9th Street on the west,
Market Street on the south, and Ohio River on the north. The West Main Street, the
main corridor of the District, is the first street in Louisville in late 18th century and the
buildings of this area have the second largest collection of cast-iron facades behind
New York’s SoHo district. Despite its cultural heritage, the West Main District had
been disinvested after the Second World War as river-based commerce declined and
businesses moved to the suburbs.
Through 1970’s and 1980’s, several efforts had been made to address downtown’s
deteriorating condition. However, it was 1990 when the revitalization of the West
Main District finally moved into high gear. The City adopted Louisville Downtown
Development Plan in 1990 and transformed the district to more pedestrian and transit
friendly area. Changes to the street included reducing West Main’s right-of-way so
sidewalks on each side could be widened five feet. Also design features used in
historic building facades, such as cast-iron tree guards, were incorporated into the
streetscape improvement to generate interest and attract visitors. In addition, a rubber
tired trolley bus stop at each block of the district to encourage transit use. These efforts
successfully transformed once abandoned downtown Louisville into vibrant commercial,
retail, residential, and entertainment district.
Washington Street 4
Washington Street 6
Washington Street 7
8
STREETSCAPE CASE STUDIES Streetscape DESIGN ELEMENTS
Pedestrian Space
Sidewalk/Curn Extension
Paseo/Alley/Pedestrian Plaza
Street Trees
Streetscape DESIGN ELEMENTS
Safety
B Safety
Street planning should relate to overall community planning and provide a safe and
pleasant environment for residents, pedestrian, and bicyclists while facilitating mobility of
all modes of transportation.
Crossings
C Character
Well designed streetscape provide an identity that is unique to each site and place and
sets the framework for future development to ensure a cohesive signature that will stand
the test of time.
Banners/Signs
Wayfinding/Kiosks
Streetscape DESIGN ELEMENTS
Multi-Modal Accessibility
D Multi-Modal Accessibility
There is a paradigm shift in the way we want to live our lives today. Transit-oriented
development, downtown living, being a part of a community that promotes walkability,
live-work environment are becoming more important than our dependence on the
automobile. More focus should be given to create streetscape that supports alternative
transportation modes.
Benches
Bike Racks
Transit Stations
E Sustainability
Sustainable streetscape ensures that spaces are long-lasting and function as a part
of the greater ecosystem employing technologies that manage stormwater runoff and
reduce carbon footprint.
BEST PRACTICES
As case studies show, cities that successfully revitalize the declining downtown core
find that particular attention to streetscape is necessary to create a great place to
live, work, and entertain. Cities included in the case studies realized the importance
of creating communities or neighborhoods with safe and pleasant streets for all types
of users that provide access to transit and different land uses. In all these cases, city
officials, business leaders, citizen representatives and other stakeholders all worked
together to employ design principles that helped create better places for present and
future residents.
- Establish consistency with color, materials, texture, scale of elements, proportion of components,
architectural style.
- Simplify the number and type of streetscape elements.
- Minimize superfluous street furniture and signage.
- Coordinate among different services such as drainage, access covers, and other utilities.
Allow Flexibility
Simple and consistent streetscape design starts with a flexible base palette keyed to each of the different street
types to help establish the hierarchy of streets and to provide a cohesive theme for the area.
- Create a flexible base palette that can be applied to different streets and districts.
- Relate the scale and intensity of elements to the scale and intensity of activity on the street.
- Promote informal seating, leaning and perching places.
- Make incidental spaces comfortable to linger by incorporating trees, seating, and artwork.
STREETSCAPE CASE STUDIES BEST PRACTICES
BEST PRACTICES
Consider Maintenanace
The investment in streetscape should not be a short-term investment but should be viewed as providing a long-
term amenity to the community. The key to ensuring a safe, attractive streetscape is for those responsible for its
design and management to work together. Therefore, whenever possible, different elements of public furniture must
be combined to enhance overall convenience, security and appearance to facilitate maintenance, and to prevent
cluttering. The landscaping of activity sites should be aimed at creating low-maintenance or maintenance-free sites
to avoid the negative impacts of neglected gardens. Also, all unpaved or non-tarred surfaces must be appropriately
landscaped or be planted with low-maintenance ground covers.
- Stakeholder involvement in the streetscape design development is critical to its success and expansion.
- Create a public and private partnership, especially with non-traditional partners, such as non-profit organization,
community groups, and environmental organizations.
- From a political standpoint, public and private partners carry substantial clout and provide dependability and
flexibility that both parties can rely on.
ARTIFACTS FROM BROADWAY
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