SUBAREA PLANS City of Elmhurst, Illinois
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SUBAREA PLANS City of Elmhurst, Illinois Adopted December 17, 2018 SUBAREA PLANS Five subareas of the City in Elmhurst have been selected for in depth study and planning. This plan reviews the state of each area and, specifically, their chal- IN THIS DOCUMENT lenges and strengths. Goals are identified for each district, with the focus of About the Subarea Plans (pg 2) the plan being proposals for private and public-sector improvements that take Lake Street Corridor (pg 5) advantage of its opportunities. North Avenue & Route 83 (pg 13) First Street & York Street (pg 21) York Street & Vallette Street (pg 27) York Street & Butterfield Road (pg 35) 1 ABOUT THE SUBAREAS Subarea recommendations are based on Lake Street Corridor First Street & York Street discussions with stakeholders and City The Lake Street Corridor subarea is North of Elmhurst’s Metra station, this block staff, as well as the analysis and appli- located between Kingery Highway (Route is in the heart of Downtown. There is some cation of best practices for planning and 83) and York Street, just south of the opinion that the block is not well-maintained development. Conversations, presenta- Dwight D. Eisenhower Expressway (I-290) and that there is a potential for redevelop- tions, and consultant field observations and about 10 miles south of O’Hare ment. There is also a general sentiment have been conducted over the course of International Airport. The subarea includes about Downtown, applicable to this block, the portion of US 20 west of York Street to that there should be more restaurants, retail, many months, starting in 2017. Stake- Elmhurst’s western boundary as well as and entertainment options. holders include residents, business some properties to the north and south. and property owners, and the Elmhurst Development, Planning, and Zoning Lake Street is a major arterial road and York & Vallette Committee, the Zoning and Planning currently is not as active or as attractive as it could be. Although Lake Street carries more Commission, and City staff. Consultants Business District than 22,000 motor vehicles per day, this has also reviewed past plans and studies, The York and Vallette streets business not translated into a high level of economic district arose around the former site of conducted field reconnaissance, and activity along the roadway (“Average Daily a commuter railway station. Although surveyed existing physical conditions. Traffic Counts,” Illinois Department of Trans- the rail line has been out of service for portation, 2016). It also marks a boundary decades (and is now the popular Illinois between a successful office and industrial Prairie Path), a concentration of neigh- district to the north and a residential neigh- borhood businesses remains. These are borhood to the south. The corridor is also housed in a number of auto-oriented home to several auto-oriented commer- strip-mall developments as well as some cial and service uses such as auto repair sidewalk-fronting buildings on York Street. shops and car dealerships. While largely The commercial area is surrounded by an employment district, Lake Street has established residential neighborhoods as not fully benefited from its proximity to both well as several parks. daytime and residential populations. North Avenue & Route 83 York Street & The intersection of North Avenue and Butterfield Road Route 83 is one of the busiest in the state, The York and Butterfield subarea, with approximately 100,000 motor vehi- bounded by York Street, Roosevelt Road, cles passing through per day (“Average and Butterfield Road, is a collection of Daily Traffic Counts,” Illinois Department of different uses and scales. A large institu- Transportation, 2016). The large volume of tion, Elmhurst Hospital, shares this district traffic that passes through the intersection with smaller institutions, office build- is both an asset for adjacent properties ings, retail establishments, multi-family and an impediment. The properties located complexes, and single-family homes. It at the intersection are difficult to access. is also a mix of unincorporated DuPage Some driveways lead into right turn lanes, County and City of Elmhurst jurisdictions. making it very difficult for exiting motorists to continue traveling on Route 83. 2 Purpose | Elmhurst Subarea Plans BENSENVILLE ADDISON Grand Ave York St Church Rd 290 Lake Street Corridor 294 83 Lake St 20 NORTHLAKE Route 83 Route North Street & Route 83 64 North Ave k e e r C t l a First Street & York Street S Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad Downtown Elmhurst Canadian National Railroad York St St Charles Rd 290 Illinois Prairie Path York & Vallette Business District BERKELEY Vallette St VILLA PARK 83 Spring Rd Route 83 Route York St Butterfield Rd 56 York Street & Butterfield Road ey 294 City of Elmhurst 88 Railroad Illinois Prairie Path Roosevelt Rd 38 OAK BROOK Elmhurst Subarea Plans | Purpose 3 LAKE STREET CORRIDOR The goal of the Lake Street Corridor subarea plan is to take advantage of its loca- tion between successful employment and residential districts. Specifically, the plan proposes actions to strengthen and increase the desirability of the business district, to encourage commercial uses along the corridor that can support nearby businesses and serve residents, to improve the appearance and functionality of both the public realm and private properties, and to increase the safety, comfort, and mobility of pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists. 5 Sbre Frmeor Redevelopment Site. With high visibility and access to I-290 and Route 83, this site is a prime loccation for Lake Street redevelopment Support Commercial. Recruit and help to establish commercial uses that will support Corridor Subarea the nearby employment district. Bike Network. Connect cyclists to the district by filling gaps and expanding bicycle lane infrastructure. The City should coordinate with ComEd to construct a new pedestrian trail along its utility easement. 290 ADDISON Eliminate Chain Link Fencing. Develop design standards that require landscaping for GRAND AVE screening and buffering rather than chain link. Wrightwood Ave LAKE ST Elevate Employment District. To help create the feel of 20 a high end employment district, all streets should be complete with sidewalks, pedestrian-scaled lighting, Fullerton Ave curbs, and signage. Signage should direct people 83 from Lake Street into employment district and to Church Rd Church businesses within the district. Jr Terrace Oak Lawn Ave Lawn Oak Fullerton Ave INERY HWY Fischer Farm Rd Ave Larch Industrial Dr Belden Ave On-Site Improvements. Develop design guidelines for façade, YOR ST landscape, and streetscape WEST AVE improvements. Partner with area property owners to make a concerted effort to approve Berens aesthetics of the subarea. Park Kimbell Ave Gladys Ave Oaklawn Ave Oaklawn LAKE ST Landscape Buffer. Develop landscape design guidelines to ensure that dissimilar 20 land uses are buffered from one another. Walnut St Walnut 290 Armitage Ave Vacant and Underutilized Lots. Underutilized and vacant parcels are prime for redevelopment and infill development. Transition of Uses. Design a purposeful transition between residential uses on the south side and industrial uses on the north side. The transition Wayfinding Signage. Wayfinding systems can help direct YOR ST could include changes in pedestrian amenities, people to industrial and business park areas, Berens streetscaping, and design standards. Park, and other nearby destinations. The median, east 0 300 600 1,200 feet to West Avenue, should be landscaped with native and N drought tolerant plants. ey Context Recommended Land Use Subarea Improvements Subarea Boundary Commerical Industrial / Redevelopment Site Pedestian Connection Manufacturing (See page 10 & 11) (See page 8) Municipal Boundary Office Existing Bike Route Hospitality Gateway Improvements Median Landscaping Flex - Office / Commercial Park Wayfinding On-Site Improvements (See page 9) Utility Easement Proposed Pedestrian & Bike Route Screening Intersection Improvements 6 Lake Street Corridor | Elmhurst Subarea Plans Current condition of West Lake Street frontage road Subarea Enhancements Parking: To reduce traffic conflicts, curb cuts should be consolidated. Parking should be located to the side or rear of buildings and shared between adjacent properties. To minimize stormwater runoff and the heat island effect, parking lot pave- 1 ment should be minimized and permeable. Pavers should be used where feasible. Frontage Road: The frontage road on the south side of Lake Street, east of Walnut Street, should be removed. While 3 the properties have great visibility from Lake Street, their uses are limited by their physical access. Intersections: Safety should be improved at intersections with ladder striping, pedestrian countdown signals, bulbouts, and reduced turning radii. Slip lanes should be narrow and meet the cross street close to perpendicular. Sidewalks: There should be a six-foot 2 4 wide sidewalk along both sides of Lake Street with a minimum five-foot wide (1) Screening (2) Parking Lot Improvements (3) Gateway Signage (4) Intersection Improvements planting strip located between the Lake Street carriageway and the sidewalk. Gateway: As a major entrance into Elmhurst, a gateway feature should be installed at Grand Avenue. The median that extends east from Grand Avenue to West Avenue is at points more than 25 feet wide. Elmhurst Subarea Plans | Lake Street Corridor 7 Existing Lake Street Cross Section Pedestrian & Roadway Improvements To encourage the success of businesses along Lake Street the roadway should be improved both in appearance and func- 11’ 5’ 13’ 13’ 16’ 13’ 13’ 16’ tion. The street should be easy to use for motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists. Parkway & Drive Lane Center Drive Lane Parkway Carriage Walk Turn Lane There should be a six-foot wide sidewalk along both sides of Lake Street. While 68’ Edge of Pavement five feet is the Americans with Disabili- ties Act-required minimum width, wider sidewalks are recommended to allow Proposed Lake Street Cross Section two people to walk together comfortably (“FHWA Course on Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation: Walkways, Sidewalks, and Public Spaces”, Section 13.2).