Old Northside CVS approved.

From the IBJ property lines.

http://propertylines.ibj.com/blogshell.asp?p=836

The Old Northside Neighborhood Association is fighting an administrative approval of plans to build a CVS pharmacy at the southeast corner of 16th and Meridian streets. The Metropolitan Development Commission will consider the appeal at its meeting on July 2. Among the group’s concerns: The plans don’t include an entrance at the intersection, and the approval doesn’t include a stipulation that customers leaving the store’s drive-through must turn right onto 16th Street. The DPW intends to allow only right turns, said Jeff York, a senior city planner. As for the other issue, CVS has a security concern about adding a second entrance, York said. The pharmacy’s entrance is planned for the rear, facing the store’s parking lot. The neighborhood group wants a layout more friendly to pedestrians.

------------------

CVS often places their businesses in downtowns.
More than often, they place a parking lot around it.
CVS often contributes too many Indiana downtowns providing it with somewhat of a food store and basic supplies to local residents.
However, more than often they tear down collections of pedestrian friendly structures to build their straight out of suburban stores.
In this case, CVS has seemed to budge for the sake (more like threat) of the neighborhood.
Though I still think more windows facing Meridian would make it more pedestrian friendly this is definitely an improvement from the typical suburban design.
The CVS design here borrows some of the architecture from the Old Northside (specifically the window decorations.) and tries to mimic the 19th-century commercial style without looking Disney.
The Pharmacy just across the street lacks the same quality of design but is too some extant against the sidewalk (but the corner is wasted.).
I do find the idea of putting a corner entrance quiet seductive but I understand the security threats the store would face doing that.
The Meridian street corridor seems to be getting more and more attention almost daily.
The stretch is lined with many what we call 'Chicago-Looking' structures and old Victorian mansions.
It could be a neighborhood of its own! Ha-ha
This is a step up from the IHOP that stood there.
That building was ghastly and stuck out like a sore thumb.
As more people moved downtown more neighborhoods, structures, vacant land, etc are being to be revived, re-used, or replaced.
The only problem with downtown growth is that it is almost exclusive to the upper class.
Downtown Indianapolis should be looking to bringing in lower middle class and middle class families as well. Diversify eh?
Many developments are doing part of this task. Including the Rink-Savoy development and the planned lower-income apartments on Massachusetts Avenue.
Anyway, the Old North side was right for pushing up density, beauty, etc in this development.
All too often neighborhoods try to stop high-density development. Like Lockerbie Square having the number of row houses built in Lockerbie square reduced from x-amount to y-amount like that somehow, helps preserve the historical significance of the neighborhood when in reality it harms growth.
I am looking forward to see more development such as this along the Meridian corridor.
-I am out.

Does Indianapolis Auto Culture have to change?

As gas prices hit 4 bucks with no intention to stop, many Americans are beginning to realize the flaws of auto culture.
A culture in which everyone owns their own private form of transportation (Without a horse and buggy) is a culture that can never last.
If you do your research you will know that at our current production of biofuels (and the materials needed for biofuels) that it would be too catastrophic to the market in other areas for everyone to own an ethanol-powered car or electric hybrid.
I recently read an article in the Indianapolis Star about how bus rider ship has nearly tripled in many areas. Many people now have to be left behind because the busses are full. The interesting thing about this is that IndyGo had declining rider ship until gas prices shot up.
Now they find their system inadequate for their growing rider ship.
If this does not scream "Public transportation update! NOW!" I do not know what does.
I wonder how the planned commuter rail between downtown and Fishers will help the demand for bus transportation.
The city of Indianapolis originally was made up of downtown and surrounding walking neighborhoods(Chatham Arch, Ransom Place, St.Joseph, Lockerbie Square, etc) and then as the city grew out of its 'walking city'(meaning the mile square) neighborhoods such as the Old North side, Cottage Home, Fletcher Place, and Holy Cross developed.
Once streetcars were in full swing a short time after the civil war neighborhoods such as Woodruff place, Herron Morton, Fountain Square, Fall Creek, etc. Then once the streetcar systems were updated and a wave of economic growth came in the early 20th century dozens of turn-of-the-century neighborhoods popped up all over the city providing Indianapolis with its massive collection of bungalows, American-foursquare, and classic revivals.
The thing about these neighborhoods is that, they did not depend on the individual ownership of vehicles (excluding private buggies) and most of the residents would travel by streetcar.
This is how most US cities developed. After the removal of interurban, trolleys, etc and the rise of auto culture most neighborhoods were spread out, with private garages, no sidewalks, and large yards.
At the time of a post-WWII society being away from the urban core seemed great. Especially with the amounts of pollution from factories crammed into the downtown area.
This is when Indianapolis received its massive 1940's-1970's ring of ranch houses.
During a time of cheap oil, this made sense. Why would anyone want to ride a crammed streetcar and live in a crammed inner-city home without a yard and with a lot narrower than your mother- in- law's face?
No one really. That is why the beloved neighborhoods of today were the declining ghettos of yesterday.
Unfortunately, due to lack of thinking many of these pedestrian friendly neighborhoods have lost significant numbers of pedestrian oriented structures leaving space for a flood of inner-city suburbia.
It is not uncommon to see a Victorian home or classic store up to the sidewalk right next door to a business with front parking and a bright neon sign on the corner.
However, it was not always like this. Before auto culture amongst the middle and lower class, the sight of any empty lot anywhere near downtown was rare. Shortly either a newly built structure or shack was placed there.
However, let us not look at this era entirely as an era of utopia urban society.
Indianapolis was much dirtier too. Diseases spread rapidly and sanitation was poor.
Orphanages, Asylums, and poorly maintained homes for the poor, widows, and soldiers were sprinkled all over the city. People sometimes lived in cramped one-room apartments or shacks made from whatever while their children worked at a dangerous factory making ruffled sleeve sweaters for wealthy women.
Smoke and fumes were not unusual and more than often fresh meat was filthy meat as butchers would hang their prize out and often it would go bad.
Many of our beloved landmarks today were covered in a layer of soot, dirt, and bird poop and the city's cemeteries were packed (Anyone remember Green Lawn? I think not.) In addition, poorly maintained.
Unfortunately, this is just how things were in 19th century America.
However.
Auto culture has left many urban neighborhoods in decline. Homes and structures were vandalized, abandoned, and eventually torn down. Important keys of history and Indianapolis culture were also lost.
The Mann choir building and Seven Steeples are some of many lost who's importance in history and their loss leaves a blank slate of what happened in that era.

Enough History.
The city of Indianapolis for the longest time invested in new highways instead of passenger trains.
They invested in wider roads than bus upgrades.
Then over time, Indianapolis went from a public transportation and walking city, to an auto-addicted city.
Oh yes, believe it. Indianapolis was at one point, pedestrian oriented.
Now that gas has hit 4 bucks, a gallon and many experts believe it will never be below 3 dollars again we are faced with a choice.
Rebuild the public transportation system that once gave this city major advantages or ignore demand from over packed busses and continue thinking "Hoosiers love their cars." as this city falls into economic despair.
Many people think, "Well, there is a growing downtown population! Why don't they have public transport yet?"
Here is the thing. Many of the occupied units downtown are "weekend get away" apartments, condominiums, etc to show off to the in-laws. It is all part of the sick material culture that has developed.
That leaves demand in almost a slug-paced growth for public transportation.
The streetcar idea for downtown Indianapolis might prompt more people to invest in public transportation.
As the SUV and Hummer dies so does the middle class suburban culture, well at least the auto suburban culture.
The only way to save suburbia in the end at this point is to grasp rail services.
Let us hope that the city of Indianapolis does not look at this energy crisis as a 'temporary problem caused by speculation, big bad oil companies, and lack of drilling in the US.'
Let us hope that Indianapolis takes the steps to wean itself off mass oil demand.
I am out.

Water water everywhere!

In the past week Indiana has been severely hit by floods. The worst since 1913.
Not only are hundreds of people without homes and many missing, but many areas are completely destroyed. Not only peoples beloved homes but everything from historical neighborhoods to landmarks and even playgrounds.
It will take years to clean up and unfortunately we will probably not get support from the US government when it comes to cleaning up.
Anyone remember New Orleans?
Let us rebuild and move on. Salvage what we can. Indiana survived the 1913 flood, it can survive this without doubt.