Transit Oriented Development
Thinking Beyond Transit
MY ROLE: Project Team Leader & Speaker
My role as a Team Leader for ‘Transit Oriented Development’ project primarily involved demonstrating to local leaders, the development community, and the public, the utilization of urban design principles and development planning to holistically envision TOD on a real site in Springfield. My major task involved integrating a multitude of considerations from stakeholders into one comprehensive master plan design and illustrating the transformative change and the improvement of the community through the intervention.
PROJECT VISION: ‘Thinking Beyond Transit’
The vision was to create a holistic development that established a unique identity and an image for the city. The vision of developing the area ‘Beyond Transit’ and making it a ‘Gateway to the City’ was the core idea of the project. The design addressed creating a sense of place for people who would live, work and play in the vicinity of the transit center. It was not just about constructing buildings, plazas, and commercial zones, but was about ‘making a place’ where people feel welcomed and comfortable because of its special social and physical attributes.
PROJECT OUTCOME:
As the final outcome of the project, a dialogue has begun within the community regarding implementing a more comprehensive TOD development visualized through urban design principles and strategies. Besides the written report, a power-point presentation was also created and presented to state and regional groups, community organizations, developers, and citizens, generating much enthusiasm. Both the Mayor of Springfield and the Sangamon County Board Chairman have called upon the Planning Commission to make this presentation to local groups. The local media has provided extensive coverage and support of this planning and urban design exercise as well.
The project was nominated for APA Illinois chapter award, 2012.
PROJECT INFO @ SSCRPC (Springfield Sangamon County Regional Planning Commission) >> Project Booklet
PRESS:
The State Journal Register, Springfield, IL – January 8, 2012
The State Journal Register, Springfield, IL – February 9, 2012
Illinois Times, Springfield, IL – February 23 – Online news, Cover Story >> Cover Page, Inside pages 1, Inside Pages 2
Illinois Times, Springfield, IL – March 29 Inside Story
PRESENTATIONS:
ILARC 2011 Annual Meeting Brochure – Presentation Part I, Part II
SATS (Springfield Area Transportation Study) Presentation, January 5, 2012
Public Presentation with DSI (Downtown Springfield Inc.), February 8, 2012
Citizens Club of Springfield Presentation, March 22, 2012
Feedback Discussion with SDAT (Sustainable Design Assessment Team), May 8, 2012
TIFIA Workshop by FHWA (2013)
Concept Sketches
Proposed Multi-Modal Center based on historic Richardson Romanesque Architectural Style
Place – Making Concepts
Site Considerations
Illustrative Master Plan
Multi – Modal Center Plan
Bird’s eye View
Built – Form Typology
Sections and Elevation
Bird’s Eye Views
Design Characteristics
Views
Lincoln Depot
Complete Street
Plaza Night View
All images copyright and courtesy SSC Regional Planning Commission, Springfield, IL