Irvington Neighborhood Plan November 5, 2008 Prepared by the City of Indianapolis Department of Metropolitan Development, Division of Planning Acknowledgments The preparation of this plan was completed cooperatively through the efforts of the Historic Irvington Community Council, the City of Indianapolis, Dawn Briggs (Community Builder), Ball State University, the Indianapolis Neighborhood Resource Center, and the Irvington Development Organization. Special recognition is extended to the neighborhood organizations, neighborhood residents, and neighborhood businesses that are contributing to the improvement of the neighborhood and were the necessary components to assemble the Irvington Neighborhood Plan. Irvington Neighborhood Plan City of Indianapolis Department of Metropolitan Development Division of Planning Adopted Metropolitan Development Commission November 5, 2008 (08-CPS-R-011) Table of Contents Introduction 1 Code Enforcement 13 Neighborhood Planning 1 Housing - Neglected and Blighted Areas 13 First Steps in the Irvington Neighborhood Plan Public Safety 13 Process 1 Roadways and Sidewalks 14 Study Area 2 Transit 14 Community Building/Data Gathering 2 Traffic 14 I Town Hall Meeting 3 Merchants 14 rvington Committee Structure/Steering Committee 3 Parking 14 Economic Development Committee 3 Commercial Realtors 14 Parks and Open Space Committee 3 Hispanic Business Community 14 Arts, Culture, Education and Diversity Arts and Culture 14 Committee 3 History 15 Public Safety and Code Enforcement Neighborhood Grocery 15 Committee 4 New Development 15 Historic Irvington Committee 4 Restaurants 15 Web Site and Neighborhood Survey 4 Retail 15 Speaker Series 4 Marketing 16 Local Historic Area Planning Process 4 Message Management 16 Future Planning Activities 5 Gateways 16 Community Ranking Survey 5 Historic District Status (Local) 18 Community Priorities and Implementation Historic Sites and Structures (State) 18 Strategy 5 Historic Sites and Structures (Federal) 18 Community Visioning Workshop 5 Irving Theater 18 Development of the Land Use and Zoning Plan 5 Irvington Plaza 18 Recent Plans 6 National Retailers 18 Marion County Plans that Impact Irvington 6 Pennsy Trail 18 Economic Development Setting 9 School 57 19 Economic Development Committee 10 Small Business 19 Future Economic Visions 12 Streetscape 19 Economic Development Vision 12 Washington Street 20 Conditions Vision 12 Zoning 20 General Business Vision 12 Economic Development Projects and New Business Development Vision 12 Programs 20 Promotions Vision 12 Business 21 Absentee Landlords 13 Government Regulation 22 Table of Contents, cont. Housing 22 Diversity 38 Marketing 23 Education 39 Transportation and Public Works 23 Physical Environment 39 Street Landscaping and Structures 23 Public Safety and Code Enforcement Parks and Open Space Setting 24 Committee 40 Irvington Parks and Open Space Committee 24 Committee Vision Statement 40 Parks and Open Space Vision 24 Overall Statements from Meetings 40 The Overall Neighborhood 24 Code Enforcement 41 Ellenberger Park 26 Community Collaboration 41 Hilton Brown Corner 27 Crime Prevention 41 Irving Circle 29 Housing 42 Kile Oak 29 Pedestrian and Vehicle Safety 44 Kin Hubbard Memorial 29 Parking 45 Laura’s Community Garden 29 Aggressive Animals 45 Parkways 29 Public Safety and Code Enforcement Pleasant Run 29 Projects and Programs 45 Pleasant Run Golf Course 30 Code Enforcement 45 The Pocket Park 30 Crime Prevention 46 Trails 30 Public Safety 46 Possible New Parks 30 Historic Irvington Setting 47 Parks and Open Space Projects and Historic Irvington Committee 49 Programs 30 Discussion Points 49 Ellenberger 30 Summary of Discussion 53 Other Parks 31 Historic Irvington Projects and Overall 32 Programs 53 Pennsy Trail 32 Remember 54 Arts, Culture, Education, and Diversity Educate 54 Setting 33 Preserve, Protect, and Sustain 54 Irvington’s People and Schools 35 Promote and Identify 54 Arts, Culture, Education, and Diversity Implementing Agencies 55 Committee 37 Additional Information 55 Arts, Culture, Education, and Diversity Community Workshop 56 Projects and Programs 37 Creating Greenway Amenities 56 Arts and Culture 38 Celebrating the Historic Fabric 57 Table of Contents, cont. Public Art Creates Functional Identity 57 Land Use and Zoning 66 Quality Public Places 58 Land Use 67 Gateways that Belong 58 Land Use Definitions 69 Transforming Irvington Plaza 59 Building Conditions Survey 72 Community Priorities - Implementation Land Use Plan 74 Strategy 60 Land Use Recommendations 74 Irvington 1. Support the Washington Street Corridor Zoning Descriptions 76 Project as a Catalyst for Economic Zoning Plan 78 Revitalization of the Corridor and Credits 80 Throughout Irvington 60 Arts, Culture, Education, and Diversity 2. Work to Prepare the Irvington Committee 80 Historic District Plan and Preserve Economic Development Committee 80 Irvington’s Past 61 Historic Irvington Committee 81 3. Create Better Building and Property Parks and Open Space Committee 81 Conditions Throughout the Public Safety and Code Enforcement Neighborhood 62 Committee 81 4. Continue to Protect and Improve Irvington’s Parks and Open Spaces 62 Maps 5. Continue to Repair and Improve 1. Vicinity Map VI Irvington’s Infrastructure 63 2. Household Income Density 17 6. Enhance Public Safety and Improve 3. Recreation and Open Space Potentials 28 the Perception of Safety Throughout 4. Active Crimewatch Blocks 42 Irvington 63 5. National Register of Historic Places 50 7. Improve Irvington Plaza to Better 6. Additional Important Historic Serve and Fit the Neighborhood 64 Structures (1993) 51 8. Seek Development of the Pennsy 7. Existing Land Use 71 Corridor as a Trail and Future 8. Building Conditions 73 Transit Way 64 9. Land Use Plan 75 9. Market Irvington to Indianapolis and 10. Existing Zoning 77 Beyond as a Good Place to Live, Work, 11. Zoning Plan 79 and Shop 65 10. Re-Establish Irvington as an Artist Community with Diverse Art and Cultural Offerings 65 865 465 31 86TH ST 69 MICHIGAN 82ND ST T S N 65 IA ID R E M 71ST ST Pike Township RD Washington Township Lawrence Township Irvington 37 KESSLER BLVD E DR 67 LAF AYETTE 56TH ST 56TH ST PIKE ON E E AV AV PENDLET VD N DR N VD RD BL RD 74 38TH ST 38TH ST CRA E WFORDSVILLE AV D NE O 465 30TH ST 30TH ST KESSLER 136 RD KEYST MASSACHUSETTS SHADELAN 70 ST AVE AVE ST 16TH T 16TH 465 S 10TH ST 10TH ST Wayne Township Center Township Warren Township ST 40 WASHINGTON IRVINGTON ROCKVILLE RD Map 1 - Vicinity Map 36 RURAL ENGLISH AVE ST ST MORRIS PROSPECT N ST POST TO T R S BROOKVILLE IVE N 40 R U R ST ARLING RD ON RAYMOND EMERSON EXPWY WASHINGT SAM JONES 52 HITE W PLEASANT AVE TROY AVE SOUTHEASTERN ST KENTUCKY HANNA AVE AV E D R 74 70 HARDING THOMPSON RD 465 SHELBYVILLE Decatur Township Perry Township Franklin Township MADISON 65 67 SOUTHPORT RD 31 37 FRANKLIN STOP 11 MERIDIAN RD RD AVE 135 Introduction also helping inform residents about public actions under consideration in their areas and how and where to affect Neighborhood Planning those decisions. Neighborhood planning is undertaken to encourage a First Steps in the Irvington particular area’s maintenance and enhancement. Major Neighborhood Plan Process changes in land use (e.g., residential to commercial), proposed large scale new development, the need for Representatives of the Irvington community contacted public improvements, significant social and economic Ball State University, College of Architecture and Irvington changes of the population, and/or the need for revitali­ Planning: Indianapolis Center (BSU CAP:IC) in the zation can create the necessity for a plan. fall of 2002 seeking assistance in the preparation of a new neighborhood plan. At the time, BSU CAP:IC Planning helps develop guidelines for the coordination was participating with the Division of Planning, the of resources and defines neighborhood revitalization and Indianapolis Neighborhood Resource Center (INRC), development goals. Through planning, a guide for the and others in a process to develop a new method of growth of the neighborhood can result in a partnership preparing plans for neighborhoods in Indianapolis. between the community and key stakeholders in accomplishing the recommendations set forth in the The new concept for preparing neighborhood plans plan. includes the following features: Once a plan is officially adopted by the Marion County • A community building phase before the planning Metropolitan Development Commission (the MDC begins to build community knowledge and support has responsibility for setting policies for the physical of the planning process, which includes at least one development of Indianapolis-Marion County), it can neighborhood­wide notice of the planning process. serve as the guide for implementing public improvement • A flexible process that better responds to the desires projects, fostering private investments, and promoting of a variety of different neighborhood situations. neighborhood self­help programs. • A storefront planning office, where the community Neighborhood planning can be an indicator of area activity. It draws attention to the fact that residents and governmental agencies are concerned with the future of the area and sets the stage for continuing cooperation. The City of Indianapolis Department of Metropolitan Development/Division of Planning has a staff of planners assigned to work with the city’s neighborhood Photo- organizations, their residents, and area institutions and Community businesses in the preparation of neighborhood plans. BuilderDawn