Proposal
from The Druker Company
Urban Design and Architecture
Site
Plan
The location of buildings on the site and in relation to each other has
been conceived around several urban design strategies:
- preserve, restore and create an urban streetwall that respects the
traditional street pattern and that provides an edge to the pedestrian
space;
- create vital public spaces that face onto High Street;
- provide a series of visual anchors of varying type and size‹architectural
and graphic to reinforce important locations and draw people towards
specific areas;
- enhance the public realm with wider sidewalks, street trees, pedestrian
lights, articulated paving, information kiosks and pedestrian crossings.
| Three new important public spaces are proposed. At the intersection of 11th Avenue and High Street, space is sculpted at the northeast and southeast quadrants, and an open pedestrian way stretches from High Street to Pearl Street on the axis of 10th Avenue. The crescent shaped spaces at High and 11th open the vista from the east, celebrating and framing the beacon on axis across High Street and creating a symbolic heart to University Gateway. These are spaces activated by the adjacent cafes, green grocer and apparel stores, as well as the freestanding information kiosks. |  |
The pedestrian walkway called University Way is animated by restaurants and cafes, accommodates outdoor dining and is open to the public at all times. Marking the entry to University Way is the sculptural Around Town News for newspapers and tickets. The open walkway provides direct pedestrian access from the new parking structure located east of Pearl Street. This space is paved in brick and colored, patterned, and textured concrete with trees for shade and canopy.
The configuration of building footprints begins to suggest the creation of visual anchors reinforcing important locations, drawing people down the street and into University Way. These are diverse constructions‹the beacon at High and 11th, the curved massing at Chittenden and High, the articulated corners at University Way, the illuminated marquee at 9th and High‹that are visually compelling. The sidewalks of High Street are lined with a diverse mix of retail, restaurants and entertainment uses. These uses stretch around the corners onto 9th, 11th and Chittenden. Service is provided from Pearl Street on the east side of High and from the alley between 10th and 11th Avenues on the west side. Pearl Street has been relocated between 9th and 11th Avenues to accommodate a greater depth of retail and entertainment uses fronting onto High Street.
A parking structure, with two levels above grade, parking on grade and one level below grade, is located away from High Street. Access for pedestrians is provided through University Way to the parking structure. On 9th and 11th Avenues, row house type apartments line the edge of the parking structure providing appropriate use and vitality, as well as double-loading these residential streets. The east side of the parking structure is visually buffered with green-screen landscaping along its entire facade and a dense tree planting. The site area east of the parking structure might be dedicated to community gardens for the adjacent neighborhood.
The proposed enhancements to the public realm will establish a standard
for future High Street developments. New pedestrian lights, street trees
and pedestrian crossings should continue north and south on High to contribute
to the identity of The University District.
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