H-GAC INDEPENDENCE HEIGHTS – NORTHLINE LIVABLE CENTERS STUDY Houston, Texas May 2012
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H-GAC INDEPENDENCE HEIGHTS – NORTHLINE LIVABLE CENTERS STUDY Houston, Texas May 2012 HOUSTON, TEXAS N. MAIN STREET AND CROSSTIMBERS OCTOBER 2011 INDEPENDENCE HEIGHTS-NORTHLINE LIVABLE CENTERS STUDY CONTENTS CONTENTS . iii APPENDIX A: RECOMMENDATION ALTERNATIVES ................................................................................... A-1 1. INTRODUCTION ..............................................................................................................................................1 Project Context and Scope . 3 APPENDIX B: PRIORITIZING THE VISION PROJECTS .............................................................................. B-1 Project Study Area . 4 Community Charrette and Project Selection . B-2 Previous Visioning Efforts . 5 Framework Plan . B-4 Livable Centers Visions, Goals and Metrics . 6 Circulation and Connectivity Framework Projects . B-6 2. NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND PRIORITY RECOMMENDATIONS ...................................................................7 Public Space Framework Projects . B-12 Needs Assessment . 9 Environment and Sustainability Framework Projects . B-16 Circulation and Connectivity . 10 Community Development Pattern Framework Projects . B-20 Public Space . 12 Economic Development Framework Projects . B-24 Environment and Sustainability . 13 Placemaking, Historic Preservation and Branding Framework Projects . B-32 Community Development Pattern . 14 Conclusions and Next Steps . B-37 Economic Development . 16 Placemaking, Historic Preservation and Branding . 18 APPENDIX C: CASE STUDIES ....................................................................................................................... C-1 Needs Assessment Conclusion . 19 3. PROJECTS ....................................................................................................................................................21 APPENDIX D: PROJECT PRO FORMA ......................................................................................................... D-1 Goals and Projects . 22 Crosstimbers and N . Main Streets Economic Development Pro Forma . D-3 Priority Projects Sequencing . 24 Transit-Oriented Development Pro Forma . D-5 1 . Burgess Hall Redevelopment . 26 2 . Floodplain Engineering and Guidelines . 30 3 . Crosstimbers and N . Main Streets Economic Development . 36 APPENDIX E: HISTORIC ANALYSIS .............................................................................................................. E-1 4 . I-45 Pedestrian Crossing . 40 5 . Transit-oriented Development at Northline Commons . 48 APPENDIX F: TRAFFIC ANALYSIS .................................................................................................................F-1 4. STREETSCAPES...........................................................................................................................................53 Streetscape Goals . 54 Streetscapes Plan . 56 Streetscapes Sequencing . 57 1 . North Main Streetscape . 58 2 . Crosstimbers Streetscape . 62 3 . Airline Drive Connectivity . 66 5. PROGRAMS ..................................................................................................................................................71 Program Goals . 72 Program Sequencing . 73 1 . Family and Community Support . 74 2 . Affordable and Diverse Housing . 76 3 . Historic Preservation and Awareness . 78 6. CONCLUSIONS .............................................................................................................................................85 Implementation Plan . 86 Measured Goals . 90 Recommendations Road Map and Sequencing . 92 Partner and Organization Contact Information . 100 | iii 1 INTRODUCTION Introduction | 1 HOUSTON, TEXAS BURGESS HALL REDEVELOPMENT OCTOBER 2011 INDEPENDENCE HEIGHTS-NORTHLINE LIVABLE CENTERS STUDY Project Context and Scope The Independence Heights – Northline Livable Centers Study aims to further the goals of the Houston-Galveston Area Council’s (H-GAC) Livable Centers Program . The study will address the application of the Livable Centers program goals in the identified study area, including Texas Department of identification of community and transportation improvements that could leverage private Transportation investment and improve the quality of life in the project area . The plan should do the following: • Create quality, walkable, mixed-use places . Funding source Houston-Galveston Area Greater Northside • Create multi-modal travel choices . • Improve environmental quality . Council Management District • Promote economic development . • Address historic and cultural preservation . Funding partners • Estimate potential for private investment to be leveraged from public improvements . • Plan and design street, sidewalk, signage, and lighting improvements, including developing cost estimates . Livable Centers Study This plan made possible by a partnership between H-GAC and the Greater Northside Management District, and in cooperation with Independence Heights Redevelopment Study area stakeholders Council and Northline Development (see the organizational chart at right) . Independence Heights Northline Development Special attention and focus should be on the Redevelopment Council implementation of projects that create a better quality of life and improved connectivity for the entire study area . An overview of the study area can be found in the latter part of this chapter and further discussion of the study area’s needs can be found in the Needs Assessment chapter . Introduction | 3 Project Study Area The study area is bounded approximately by Figure 1: Whitney Street and Lyerly Street to the north, Independence Heights-Northline Study Area Boundary Interstate 610 to the south, Fulton Street and I-45 to the east, and Yale Boulevard and N . Main Street to the west . The main areas of focus Kerr Park Lyerly Street Houston are the Independence Heights area west of I-45 Community and the Northline Commons area . College Northline Commons Light Rail The Greater Northside Management District Terminus oversees the both Independence Heights and Northline neighborhoods . The District works to Whitney Street establish and implement projects and programs Walmart to attract more business and investment, enhance the District’s image and promote public Crosstimbers Street safety . Crosstimbers Street Former Kennedy Elementary School I - 4 The study area is adjacent to the Independence O Site 5 A xf Y No a i or r Heights Residential Historic District . l l e i n This d S r S t e h t National Register historic district is bounded r D tr F eet r ee r by Columbia Street on the east, 34th Street on iv eew t e a the north, Yale Street on the west between 34th E. 43rd Street y and 31st Streets, and Loop 610 on the south . Like Freedmen’s Town in Houston’s Fourth C or F u Ward, Independence Heights was settled by tl l t a o nd S n freed slaves and their descendants E. 40 1/2 Street McCullough S Herrerra t . It was an r tr Park e Elementary independently incorporated municipality from its e e et E. 40th Street t School founding in 1908 until its annexation by the City Booker T. Washington High School of Houston in 1929 N . The architectural styles o r t h L are similar to those in Freedmen’s Town, with itt l M e W a h an emphasis on early 20th century styles and i n i t S e forms consistent with its founding date tr O e a . e k t Stokes Street B Independence a y o The purpose of extending the study area to Heights Park u include Fulton Street to the east is to address E. 35th Street Roosevelt Elementary Burrus School the connectivity to the Northline light rail Li n Elementary k terminus and access across I-45 National Register Ro School . A series ad of circulation and connectivity issues and Historic Boundary E. 33rd Street opportunities are present . Currently, there are inadequate accommodations and connections E. 32nd Street for the high number of transit users as well as major congestion along I-45 in the area . Loop 610 North Connections across the interstate to the Redline Loop 610 North Light Rail terminus at Northline will be crucial to North Li nk further development and enhancement of quality R oad of life in the area 0 . .25 mile .5 mile 4 | Introduction INDEPENDENCE HEIGHTS - NORTHLINE LIVABLE CENTERS STUDY | Houston, Texas Previous Visioning Efforts Portions of the Study Area have undergone Collaborative Community Design Initiative Assessment Intervention and Mobilization Visions and Goals Opportunities numerous visioning efforts . This study does not (2009) (AIM) Community Leaders Report intend to duplicate the efforts of previous work The publication presented by the Collaborative (Originally done in 2007, updated in October The community has identified a desire for a and instead will use the visions created in the Community Design Initiative was intended to be 2011) community center (home of cooperative grocery, past to build upon and create implementable a guide for change in its study communities, as The Houston Department of Health and Human community credit union organized by local projects for the Independence Heights – well as point to potential strategies and tactics . Services (HDHHS) did a community needs churches, a pharmacy or other convenience Northline communities . The collaboration studied income, flooding and assessment, intervention and mobilization for retail) as well as public open space, a park vacant and tax-delinquent lots and provided the Independence Heights neighborhood in or a plaza that can act as an anchor for the broad strategies