Page 57 - Michigan City, IN US Highway 421 Corridor Plan

3.3 Corridor Redevelopment Goals, Principles and Strategies

Goal 3.3.4: Improve Visual Appearance and B. Create a safe, comfortable environment in
Engender a Sense of Place which people can live, work, shop, and play.
Improve the visual appearance of the thoroughfares and Actions and Initiatives
built environment within the 421 Gateway District. The visual
environment along the US Highway 421 / S. Franklin Street 1. Plan for different types of redevelopment subdistricts within
corridor suffers from several acute problems; including an the 421 Gateway District, ranging from traditional, low-density
over-abundance of signage of varying types and sizes; overhead strip shopping centers to denser and more urban nodes of
utilities, dilapidated and vacant buildings, and little to no activity.
landscape continuity. 2. Accommodate a range of nonretail uses, including housing, Surface parking area in the corridor is expansive with little lighting
Principles hotels, offices, civic uses, and cultural, entertainment, and and little to no landscape enhancements. Source: KKC
recreational activities.
3. Arrange the diverse land uses in ways that encourage walking
A. Eradicate the Ugliness (ULI) and discourage driving for short trips and errands.

To improve retail competitiveness and encourage residential 4. Rezone designated areas in mature strips for urban mixed-
living, eradicate the visual unsightliness within the 421 Gateway use projects (proposed B4 Urban Commercial / Mixed-Use
District. district) and higher-density housing.
5. Concentrate mixed uses along the major arteries to preserve
B. Create the Place (ULI) single-family neighborhoods.

Create attractive walkways and continuous street front 6. Reserve some of the previously zoned retail land for housing,
experiences to maximize the quality of the pedestrian office space, civic uses, recreational facilities, and open
environment and afford opportunities to increase retail space.
spending. 7. Add vitality by requiring active uses along the sidewalks such
as outdoor dining (except along arterial streets), interactive
C. Diversify the Character of Land Uses displays in shop windows, entertainment, and diverse
within the 421 Gateway District architectural elements, styles, and setbacks. Multiple driveways and inadequate pedestrian lighting and landscape treatment
creates a bleak environment on S. Franklin Street. Source: KKC
Strategies C. Develop design guidelines for architecture Actions and Initiatives substantially to the wasteland aesthetics of today’s commercial
and landscape site work improvements strip.
within the 421 Gateway District. 1. Strive to achieve architectural excellence, higher-quality
building design and retail-friendly, first-floor facades.
A. Eliminate Blighted Development. 1. Size prime parking lots and structures for reasonable
Create sophisticated development standards to accompany 2. Ensure architectural continuity through use of uniform demand; provide for peak parking in overflow areas.
Create an aggressive nuisance abatement program to eliminate new zoning regulations. As will be discussed in greater detail in building materials, facade treatments, and detailing. 2. Encourage and plan for shared parking among adjacent uses.
problems that inhibit achieving the kind of environment that Chapter 5, Implementation, developing design and development
facilitates the community’s vision for the 421 Gateway District. regulations and engineering standards are fundamental for D. Develop rigorous parking guidelines and 3. Look for alternative parking and building configurations that
Dilapidated or abandoned buildings, and incompatible land uses ensuring the desired quality and character of development within provide convenience and avoid visual blight. Parking should
and activities are some of the more common problems affecting the 421 Gateway District. It is often under-appreciated, but standards to ensure that the location and be located in courtyards, behind buildings, and in innovative
suburban strip development. configuration of parking remains subordinate arrangements as properties are redeveloped in new and
private investment decisions account for the more substantive denser configurations; this will reduce the visual blight of
aspects of any city’s physical form. Consequently, zoning and to the preferred character of development. endless parking lots.
subdivision regulations and associated development criteria
and technical engineering standards are the basic keys to The success of mixed-use development within the 421 Gateway 4. When justified by higher land prices, introduce structured
ensuring that the form, character and quality of development District is predicated on public access to private developments, parking to open up parking lots for denser development in
reflect the City’s planning objectives. Design guidelines should and free and plentiful parking. Unfortunately, parking lots more urban settings.
reflect the community’s desire for quality development outcomes commonly dominate the landscape of the strip along US Highway
while recognizing economic factors. They should not delay or 421 / S. Franklin Street. Conventional practice requires that
interfere unnecessarily with appropriate new development or every development along the corridor provide for all of its
redevelopment that is consistent with plan goals and policies. parking needs on its own site, typically between the structure
and the roadway, even though this is inefficient and contributes
Low quality vacant buildings on US Highway 20. Source: KKC
3-07

Adopted: August 16, 20165 Envision 421 Gateway District 3.0