CampustownRedefining Champaign, Illinois Green Street (0.7 mi)
MacArthur Boulevard (1.7 mi)
CampustownRedefining Champaign, Illinois
Land Area Population Density City Population (square miles) (Per square mile)
Champaign 75,254 17 3,975
Champaign/Urbana 114,738 29 3,956
Normal 52,056 14 3,687
Urbana 39,484 12 3,468
Bloomington/Normal 127,031 37 3,433
Bloomington 74,975 23 2,880
Peoria 112,936 44 2,543
Springfield 116,482 54 2,064
Decatur 81,860 46 1,970 CampustownRedefining Champaign, Illinois Park Place Tower Green St. Tower Skylight Court Illini Media Dominos Post Office Railway Tracks Railway
Walgreens University Freestar Refinery Center Urban Bank Outfitters
309 Tower
CG Commercial General District CB Central Business District
More than 60% paved for automobiles
Residential Commercial Surface Parking Other (Setbacks, Driveways) Ra ilway Tracks
Locust St
First St CG
Second St
Third St Campustown Redefining
Fourth St CB Champaign, Illinois Fifth St Springfield Ave. Springfield Chalmers St.
Sixth St Healey St. Daniel St. Daniel Green St.Green John St. John
Wright St
Green Street Statistics
Phase 1 - Completed 2002 Cost - $8.4 million Included - new sidewalks, street lights, landscape, street furniture, storm and storm sewers Primary Funding – Food and Beverage Tax and Campustown Special Service Area
Phase 2 – Scheduled for 2016 Estimated Cost - $9 million) Primary Funding – Food and Beverage Tax and New Campustown Special Service Area
Population Density within 1.5 mile of Green Street ~ 24,000/ square mile CampustownRedefining Champaign, Illinois
NeedNeed forfor ChangeChange
• Deferred Maintenance led to crumbling sidewalks and curbs • Major streetscape upgrades had not occurred since 1960’s.
• Streets Designed for Maximum Traffic Capacity
• Drive Through Businesses Destroyed Urban Fabric
• Pedestrians took a back seat to cars. NeedNeed forfor ChangeChange
• Flooding was a regular occurrence and a major barrier to Campustown redevelopment and economic growth.
• Boneyard Storm water Detention project was an element of this streetscape work.
CampustownRedefining Champaign, Illinois NeedNeed forfor ChangeChange
• A partnership between the City of Champaign, Business Owners, the University of Illinois and the City of Urbana was forged to transform Green Street in 2001 • Campus Area Transportation Study recommended transportation enhancement throughout Campustown including Green Street • Goal was to redefine Campustown into a viable commercial area for students and a gateway to the University of Illinois’ Flagship Campus.
CampustownRedefining Champaign, Illinois GoalsGoals forfor RedevelopmentRedevelopment
• Higher pedestrian activity • Safe environment for all modes of traffic • Minimize cross town thru traffic • Create a thriving business environment • Define a look and feel • CREATE A PLACE PEOPLE WANT TO BE
CampustownRedefining Champaign, Illinois DesignDesign
CampustownRedefining Champaign, Illinois ChangingChanging aa CultureCulture
Old Model New Model
Automobile Pedestrian
Bus Bicycle
Pedestrian Bus
Bicycle Automobile CampustownRedefining Champaign, Illinois ChangingChanging aa CultureCulture The RRoadoad Diet
Narrowing Green Street From Four lanes to Three
Benefits Cons • Center turn lane reduces • Travel times will increase (slightly) dangerous lane shifts • Hard to sell - Public perception says • Wider sidewalks to buffer more lanes equals better roads pedestrians from cars and increase • Business believe fewer cars equals pedestrian counts less business • Slower traffic creates safer feeling • Slower speeds discourage cut thru traffic CampustownRedefining Champaign, Illinois
DesignDesign SSidewalksidewalks
• Wider design to create two corridors (protection and travel) • Curb Bump outs to shorten crossing distances • Countdown crosswalks/all walk crossing cycle • High visibility crosswalks
CampustownRedefining Champaign, Illinois
DesignDesign AAmenitiesmenities
CampustownRedefining Champaign, Illinois EconomicEconomic ImpactsImpacts Building Construction
1997 – 5 Fast Food Suburban Models (McDonalds, Burger King, Wendy’s, Steak n’ Shake, and Arby’s) 2007 – Over 25 restaurants and only one CampustownRedefining Suburban Fast Food Structure (Pizza Hut) Champaign, Illinois EconomicEconomic ImpactsImpacts New Food/Entertainment
New restaurants since 2002. Five new restaurants opening this summer. CampustownRedefining Champaign, Illinois EconomicEconomic ImpactsImpacts New Housing
• Over 600 new residential units • Over $400 million in new construction has occurred in the University District since 2007. • Addition of “necessary” services such as grocery and retail puts the needs of residents within walking distance.
CampustownRedefining Champaign, Illinois EconomicEconomic ImpactsImpacts New Retail – The Next Wave
• Mixture of Local and National Fashion Retail/Restaurants
• Expected increase in national fashion retail with the entrance of Urban Outfitters
• Pedestrian Traffic outweighs lack of abundant parking. CampustownRedefining Champaign, Illinois QQuestions?uestions?
T.J. Blakeman, AICP City of Champaign Planning Department 102 North Neil Street Champaign, IL. 61820 (217) 403-8800 [email protected]
CampustownRedefining Champaign, Illinois