Evansville

The Allen Creek & North Union Street Corridor has a mix of new and old commercial buildings, single-family residences, and vacant parcels extending from the downtown to the city limits. The city sought a plan that would help it to encourage redevelopment and infill to transform the corridor into an active and economically viable commercial zone that is integrated into the community.

Recommendations in the plan are based on a market analysis that, while not identifying specific uses, described the character of likely uses in terms of building size, lot, and circulation requirements. Existing platting, and lot depths defined by the distance between the street and a railroad, work well for these uses.

The plan divides the corridor into three segments that offer varying degrees of auto and pedestrian orientation. Near the city center, the plan continues a pattern of buildings set close to the street, with broad sidewalks and no off-street parking required. A new road is recommended to improve access and to provide angled on-street parking.

At the edge of the community, highway-oriented uses (such as gas stations and fast food restaurants) are accommodated through a design approach that maintains a pedestrian environment by setting more intensive components of the use to the side or rear of the main structure. The third district is a transitional zone with greater emphasis on pedestrian access, yet still providing space for on-site parking. These design recommendations are provided through an illustrated design guideline.

Other issues addressed in the plan include routing for a proposed off-street bicycle and pedestrian trail along Allen Creek and bordering a wetland, creating a gateway to a historic WPA-era park, identifying the locations for roads connecting to future residential development, and evaluating financial or technical assistance programs that the City might use to encourage redevelopment.