Comprehensive Planning for The Village of Curran

Sub-area Planning – Urban Design

The small village of Curran in Sangamon County, IL with a population of approximately 220 people and at a geographically strategic location in the county has a set of advantages as well as challenges for envisioning its comprehensive plan. The village lacked a sense of place and an identity with almost no historic character.  The main design concept for future development was to create an identity and a sense of place. This involved creating a sense of center and a periphery with a pattern of the hierarchy of spaces in the neighborhood. Some of the design characteristics included were an entrance island to the village, a retail commercial node around the main street linking north and south parts of the village to a regional road network, new multi-family units proposal to diversify from the single units prevalent in the area and a community park with a trailhead connecting to a regional trail network. These concepts became instrumental in creating a variety of spaces and linkages to create an Imageability of the place.

Concept Sketches

An Entrance Island creates a welcoming feeling to the village, Main Street with Retail Commercial use, Park with Trailhead

The development of infrastructure like the sewer systems in the village was a key guiding force for considering the minimum and maximum growth scenarios. Three growth options were considered and were visualized into phases for future development.

Maximum Growth Scenario

All images copyright and courtesy SSC Regional Planning Commission, Springfield, IL