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KENTUCKY STREETSCAPE DESIGN GUIDELINES FOR HISTORIC COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS Sponsored by the Kentucky Heritage Council and the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet

KENTUCKY STREETSCAPE DESIGN GUIDELINES FOR HISTORIC ... · The publishing of Kentucky Streetscape Design Guidelines for Historic Commercial ... on behalf of improving Kentucky’s

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Page 1: KENTUCKY STREETSCAPE DESIGN GUIDELINES FOR HISTORIC ... · The publishing of Kentucky Streetscape Design Guidelines for Historic Commercial ... on behalf of improving Kentucky’s

KENTUCKY

STREETSCAPE

DESIGN

GUIDELINES

FOR

HISTORIC

COMMERCIAL

DISTRICTS

Sponsored by theKentucky

Heritage Counciland the Kentucky

TransportationCabinet

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ForewordFOREWORD

The publishing of Kentucky Streetscape Design Guidelines for Historic CommercialDistricts is a collaborative effort of the Kentucky Heritage Council andthe Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. These guidelines are intended toassist local communities as they plan for and coordinate public and privateimprovements in their historic downtowns. There are many stakeholdersin every community. All should be in communication with each otherand in agreement towards the goals of downtown revitalization, improvedsafety, and aesthetic considerations. It is our hope these guidelines willserve as a catalyst for discussing and planning your community’s downtown.

We were pleased to have had the opportunity to work with Ned Crankshaw,the author of this publication. His professional expertise and carefulresearch on Kentucky’s historic communities have provided a sound basefor these guidelines. He has demonstrated strong listening skills and hascarefully sorted through a multitude of various resource materials to provideyou with an understandable document which will be useful to communityleaders and professional designers.

The Renaissance Kentucky program, initiated by Governor Paul E. Patton,has raised awareness throughout the Commonwealth on the importanceof downtown revitalization. Since 1999, as part of the Renaissance Kentuckyprogram, Governor Patton has directed $5 million of Kentucky’s federalTransportation Enhancement funding for streetscape improvements incommunities designated at the Gold and Silver levels. Both of our agenciesare pleased to be partners with Kentucky’s communities as they plan theirrevitalization efforts. This opportunity to work with them to enhancethe safety and appearance of the streetscape, in a way that is compatiblewith the historic character of the downtown, has proven to be a rewardingone.

To all the users of these guidelines, thank you for your continuing workon behalf of improving Kentucky’s downtowns. We hope these guidelinesassist your efforts in a significant way.

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Kentucky Streetscape DesignGuidelines for HistoricCommercial Districtsby Ned Crankshaw ASLA

This publication was sponsored by theKentucky Heritage Council incollaboration with the KentuckyTransportation Cabinet and theRenaissance Kentucky Alliance.

The Kentucky Heritage Council is anagency of the Education, Arts andHumanities Cabinet.

The Renaissance Kentucky Alliance is apartnership of seven organizations:Kentucky Housing CorporationKentucky League of CitiesKentucky Department for Local GovernmentKentucky Heritage CouncilKentucky Transportation CabinetFannie MaeFederal Home Loan Bank of Cincinatti

May 2002

This publication was financed in part byfederal funds administered by theKentucky Transportation Cabinet and theKentucky Heritage Council. Allprograms receiving federal funding areoperated free from discrimination on thebasis of race, color, national origin, ageor disability. Any person who believeshe or she has been discriminated againstshould write to: Office of EqualOpportunity, National Park Service,1849 C Street, NW, Washington, DC20240.

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Table of ContentsTABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction 6Downtown Design Goals 8

Design for PeopleCorrect Infrastructure PathologiesMaintain or Improve Mass and Space RelationshipsEnhance Pedestrian ExperienceCoordinate Public and Private ImprovementsEnhance Individuality

Design Guidelines 26Pedestrian PathsLightingTreesParkingStreet FurnitureSigns and Information

Bibliography 48

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IntroductionThe Kentucky Streetscape Design Guidelines forHistoric Commercial Districts have beendeveloped to provide guidance forprojects in Main Street, RenaissanceKentucky, and other communities. Theintent of the guidelines is to encourageconservation of historic resources, targetfinancial assistance where it is needed, andcreate useful and lasting downtownimprovements.

The Design Goals section of the guidelinesprovides a framework for defining thescope of projects during preliminaryplanning. The goals direct attention topragmatic issues that appear in mosttowns and that are often ignored. Mostdowntown streetscape projects should bedesigned to achieve some or all of theDesign Goals.The Design Guidelines section offers specificrecommendations for the design andplacement of downtown design elements.

Every project will present differentcircumstances and should result indifferent design solutions. The guidelinesdo not dictate design decisions, but theyaddress functional standards, preservationprinciples, and parameters for design. Thedesign guidelines provide criteria toevaluate the appropriateness of specificdesign decisions involved in a project.

The design guidelines make manyreferences to other information sources.Many of these sources are on file withthe Kentucky Heritage Council at 300Washington Street, Frankfort, KY 40601and at the Kentucky TransportationCabinet at State Office Building,Frankfort, KY 40622.

Three terms appear often in the designguidelines. These terms are appropriate,compatible, and contemporary.Webster’s II defines each word in thefollowing way:Appropriate: suitable, fittingCompatible: harmonious or agreeableassociationContemporary: belonging to the sameperiod of timeThe guidelines build on those definitionsand use them to express a design ethicthat emphasizes authenticity, yetencourages genuine improvement.

Appropriate design in a historicenvironment is compatible with existingscale, forms, and materials. Appropriatedesign of elements may be historicallyauthentic, as in the use of the same lightstandard that was historically used, or therepair of building facades to retain thestructure of the building as constructed.

INTRODUCTION

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Appropriate design may also becontemporary, rather than historic.Contemporary design is appropriate if itis compatible in scale, form, and material,and also is suitable and fitting for itspurpose. Suitability can be defined bythese elements: It accomplishes a particularpurpose effectively, it will have longevityof material and style, and it is pleasing inits appearance. There is obvioussubjectivity involved in making choicesof this nature. The most importantconsideration is careful deliberation inmaking style and design choices.

The physical material of downtowns willalways need to be adaptable to helpfulchanges such as increased safety oraccessibility. Our downtowns alreadyreflect a continuum of change, and theircontinued vitality will depend on apreservation focus that integratescontemporary improvements intohistoric patterns.

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DowntownDesign Goals

DOWNTOWN DESIGN GOALS

Design for PeopleCorrect Infrastructure PathologiesMaintain or Improve Mass and Space RelationshipsEnhance Pedestrian ExperienceCoordinate Public and Private ImprovementsEnhance Individuality

DOWNTOWN DESIGN GOALS

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Fascination with downtowns does notbegin with buildings, landscapes, lightfixtures, or streets. Their ability to gatherpeople together for diverse activities isthe reason that we devote so much effortto their preservation and revitalization.That ability makes them civic places. Ifthey are to be more than a setting forhistoric buildings and artifacts - if theirunderlying purpose is to be a setting inwhich people interact - then design forpeople must be the primary goal. Designfor people in a downtown will make it aplace that provides for small socialopportunities and larger gatherings, thatallows people to move about usingvarious modes of transportation, that hasa pleasant sense of congestion resultingfrom its popularity, and that provides asafe environment.

DESIGN FOR PEOPLE

Downtownsas Gathering Places

Along with parks, downtowns areone of the few places that citizensfeel belong to everyone. Farmers’markets, parades, musical events, andother social gatherings are logicaland beneficial uses of downtowndistricts. Streetscape and public spacedesign should create the flexibilityto easily allow these types of events.Design decisions that affect the abilityto host events include the following:• designing public spaces to accommodate crowds, but function on normal days• providing space for trucks, awnings, and pedestrian traffic during farmers’ markets or other sales events• providing utility service to public spaces

DowntownDesign Goals

Three small towns inEngland have a longtradition of weeklymarkets. In Salisbury, acombination town squareand parking areabecomes a market placetwo mornings a week.

Design for people in adowntown will make it aplace for socialgatherings that allowsvarious modes oftransportation.

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Parks were historicallyuncommon in Kentuckydowntowns. Fountain

Square in Bowling Greenis a notable exception.

Other than courthouse squares, mostdowntown parks are contemporaryelements without historic precedent. Assuch, they should receive contemporarydesign treatment and should notincorporate a false historic character.Gazebos have become a stock solution

to downtown open spaces and often haveno functional purpose. When attentionis given to the design of downtown openspace that accommodates organizedactivities and casual sociability, gazeboswill probably be found to be inadequate.

New park spaces shouldbe designed for

contemporary functionand with contemporary

design elements.

Utility service isessential to

hosting manypublic events, and

utility hardwarecan be designed to

be unobtrusive.

Most gazebos andother historically-themed structures

have limited utility indowntown parks.

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Congestion and SafetyA downtown is a place whose goals areto bring large numbers of pedestriansinto close proximity with large numbersof moving automobiles. This makesdesign for safety a primary issue. Sighttriangles at intersections should not beimpeded by trees, lights, signs, or streetfurniture so that pedestrians are clearlyseen. Pedestrian and bicycle zones shouldbe clearly delineated. Light standards andother elements should be placed so thatthey maximize the width available for

AlternativeTransportation ModesAccommodating forms of trans-portation other than personalautomobiles is important where there ispotential to expand the methods that areused to arrive downtown. Publictransportation, whether it is a regular busservice or an agency van service, shouldbe provided with waiting areas anddesignated places to pull over. Designshould focus on avoiding disruptions intraffic, on the safety of riders, onpreserving parking spaces, and on designcoordination with other street elements.Bicycle transportation should beencouraged with bicycle lanes whereappropriate and bicycle racks inconvenient places. Research has shownthat a major detriment to bicycletransportation is the absence of securebicycle parking. Providing bicycle racksin desirable locations is an important wayto encourage non-motorized access totown centers. Bicycle racks should notimpede pedestrian movement, and theirlocation should not cause conflictsbetween bicycles and walkers. Design ofbicycle parking areas should becoordinated with the design ofsurrounding areas.

pedestrians. Regulatory signs should beplaced appropriately. Street furniture andother elements should be appropriatelyset back from the curb. All streetscapeelements should be designed for stability,longevity, and appropriateness to their use.

Bike racks are most usefulwhen located nearbusinesses and activityareas. They should be setinto clearly designatedareas away frompedestrian circulationpaths.

A well-designedintersection includesclearly-definedpedestrian crosswalks.

Furnishings on sidewalksshould be placed so thatthere is a continuousclear zone forpedestrians.

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Most Main Street and RenaissanceKentucky downtowns have a reasonablysound building stock paired with aninfrastructure whose physical pathologieslimit function.These pathologies shouldbe diagnosed and dealt with to continueon a process of improvement. A facelifton a person won’t fix a broken leg, andbanners in a downtown won’t fix poorlyorganized parking. There are many typesof downtown pathologies; the followingare some categories that should beconsidered:

DrainageStorm drainage systems were primitivewhen most downtowns wereconstructed. Many need seriousinvestment in improvements. Cosmeticand accessibility issues with pavements areoften caused by repairs to poorlyconstructed drainage systems. Standingwater and drainage structures both canbe major impediments to pedestrian andbicycle travel. Street drainage andinadequate conduction of roof drainageaway from buildings cause destructivewater infiltration into building fabric.

Utility LinesDowntown utility systems can be chaotic.Simplifying and organizing the layout ofutilities can be beneficial to maintenanceas well as a visual improvement.

DowntownDesign Goals

CORRECT INFRASTRUCTURE PATHOLOGIES

Poorly designed ormaintained drainagesystems negativelyaffect pedestrian space.

Replacing storm andsanitary sewers isexpensive andtemporarily destructive.The need for subsurfaceimprovements should beconsidered beforeinvesting in above-ground improvementsthat might be destroyedlater.

A streetscape project often targetscorrecting visible problems with theinfrastructure and expectations are high thatonce corrected, the downtown will behealthy and whole. Pathology is a wordnot commonly applied to downtowns.Like people, however, the basic health ofa downtown has more to do with functionand utility than it does with cosmetic issues.

A Pathology is a physicalmanifestat ion of thedysfunct ional process .Pathologies require ac-curate diagnosis beforethey can be corrected.

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Relocating above-ground utilitiesunderground or into alleys should beconsidered, but the financial impact ofnew hookups on property owners shouldbe taken into account.

Pedestrian AccessPoorly designed and maintained routesof pedestrian access can significantly affectboth perceptions and physical accessiblityof downtowns.

ParkingEveryone who works with downtownswould place parking as a primary issue.A viable parking system involves factorsbeyond simple quantity calculations.Physical organization, distribution,pedestrian links, and screening are issuesthat should be addressed.

Above-ground utilitiescan be visually intrusive,and can also obstructwalkways.

Parking quantityshould not be the onlyissue considered inparking area design.Quality of design is anequally importantissue.

Service AreasOne of the roles of the street and alleysystem is to provide service access.Problems with gaining access to adequateservice and loading areas can discouragepotential uses of downtown buildings.In addition, garbage containers onsidewalks and service vehicle conflictswith traffic and parking negatively impactthe experience of downtown. Whereservice is provided from the front only,consideration should be given todeveloping useful service areas in the rear.

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In the large view, blocks of buildings arethe mass or solid in downtowns. Streetsare the primary spaces. Other areas notoccupied by buildings or significantvegetation join streets as part of the spacein a downtown. The mass-spacerelationship in a downtown is the mostimportant characteristic differentiating itfrom other areas. Only in downtowns ismass predominant over space.

DowntownDesign GoalsMAINTAIN OR IMPROVE MASS AND SPACE REL AT IONSHIPS

Historic commercialdistricts include a largeproportion of spaceoccupied by buildings.This diagram illustratesbuilding coverage in acommercial area.

Historic residentialdistricts adjacent tocommercial areas have amuch lower ratio ofbuilding mass tosurrounding space.

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Building widths establishrhythmic patterns.

Demolition of buildingsinterrupts the patternalong a street.

Building demolition changes the mass-space relationship and makes theexperience of downtown much lesssignificant as the space of the street leaksaway into parking lots and vacant areas.Demolition also has a severe negativeeffect on remaining buildings. Unless theyare on a corner, downtown buildings aredesigned with only one public facade.Loss of neighboring buildings exposeswalls that were never meant to be seen,and in some cases not expected to beexposed to weather. Weather exposure

can cause mild to severe deterioration,which can lead to structural damage.Protective measures should be consideredif a wall is to be left exposed.

The width of downtown buildingsoccurs in multiples of original lot widths.For example, in a given downtown,buildings may be 25, 50, or 75 feet wide.Demolition of some of the buildingsdestroys the rhythmic repetition ofdimension.

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New construction that hasthe same setback andbuilding width assurrounding buildingsremains compatible withhistoric patterns.

New constructionmodeled on suburbanshopping centers willerode the mass-spacepattern of downtowncommercial districts.

Restoration of dense mass-spacerelationships is dependent onconstruction of new buildings on vacantor underutilized space rather than on thesites of existing buildings. When newconstruction occurs, it should have thesame setback from the street as historicbuildings, and it should use the sameoptions for width dimensions.

Creation of parking lots on formerbuilding sites is probably the primary

reason for downtown buildingdemolition. Maximizing the amount ofon-street parking will reduce, but noteliminate this cause of demolition. Theother important action is to utilize suitablylocated vacant space to develop parking.Many towns have located new parkingareas in the interiors of blocks, so thatthe edge of the street is not affected.

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the potential parking area and the assumeddestinations. When parking locations havebeen determined, then commitmentshould be made to implement necessarypedestrian path improvements leadingfrom those locations. Theseimprovements may include pedestrianpath paving, landscaping, lighting, andbuilding facade improvements.

A goal of every town should be toconstantly improve physical accessibilityfor its population, including the elderly,the very young, disabled people, and thosein wheelchairs or pushing strollers. Someimprovements, such as curb ramps atevery street corner and ramps at steps,are obvious. Others are more subtle andmust be discovered by surveying theroutes that are taken by downtownpedestrians, and then analyzing theobstacles to a completely accessible route.

The obstacles to an accessible route canbe so simple that they may beoverlooked, such as a poor paving surfacein an alley, or inadequate directionalsignage coming out of a parking lot.Physical changes, such as creating mid-block crosswalks with highly visiblesidewalk extensions or widening the

If one were to survey an entiredowntown to evaluate the quality ofpedestrian paths, the results might bedisappointing. One would be likely tofind many unpleasant, dirty, unsafe,inaccessible, or even threatening paths.The best place for pedestrians would mostoften be on the main commercial street.The improvements targeted by most grantapplications are also on the maincommercial streets. When it comes topedestrians, many towns are neglectingthe worst problems and investing in areasthat may not need substantialimprovement.

Investments in improving pedestrianpaths should be focused on correctingnegative impacts on pedestrian locationsand paths. These may include inaccessibleinterruptions in pathways, poorlymaintained or intrusive private properties,and side streets and alleys that serve asmajor pedestrian routes but that havenever been designed with pedestrians’experiences in mind.

Parking location has a direct effect on thequality of pedestrians’ experiences.Parking that is well located and organizedwill take care of two aspects ofdowntown experience. First, it will beconveniently accessible for a persondriving a car and finding a parking space.Second, it will be at one end of aconvenient and comfortable walkingroute when that person is walking on toa destination. The second part tends tobe forgotten and pedestrians who havejust parked a car find themselves walkingin poorly maintained alleys, alongside trashcontainers, and in other undesirablesituations. Negative walking experiencesare valid reasons not to return downtownon a subsequent shopping trip. Parkinglocation should be partly determined bythe quality of the environment between

ENHANCE PEDESTRIAN EXPERIENCE

DowntownDesign Goals

Side streets, eventhose in the centerof a downtown, areoften neglectedpedestrianenvironments.

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The following brief analysisof a walking route from aparking area to a towncenter demonstrates a simpleprocess for evaluation andincludes some recom-mendations for improve-ments. The plan drawinghas numbers to indicate thedirection of eachphotograph view.

1: Turn into the parking lotoff of Broadway. Theview is of a metal buildingon the right, sheds on theleft, and a barn straightahead. Parking is in adouble-loaded aisle. There are anappropriate number of parkingspaces for the disabled. The parkinglot is easily accessed, but has no shadetrees, and without any planting or otherscreening next to the sidewalk, it has anegative effect on the visual quality ofthe street.

2: After parking the car, walk down theparking aisle toward Broadway. Theview is of a one-story retail buildingacross the street. There are technicallyno accessibility problems in the parkingarea, but a shaded walk that separatespedestrians from autos would be asafety and visual improvement.

sidewalk at street corners,will increase the safety of allpedestrians. Improvementsin signaling, such as installingpedestrian-activated walklights and ensuring adequatewalk signal time, can alsoimprove the ability tonegotiate downtown streets.

A few selected streets typically receive most of the funding anddesign attention in historic commercial districts.

1

2

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3 and 4:View up Broadway toward Main, of alow-intensity commercial space onBroadway. Because of its width andundeveloped retail facades, the streetwould benefit from landscape andbuilding facade improvements. Thereare appropriate curb ramps but thereis no crosswalk or painted stop linefor autos on Church Alley. Addingthese, along with walk extensions thatwould allow pedestrians to be seenbefore they step into the alley, wouldimprove safety at this crossing.

5: After crossing Church Alley, thesidewalk widens to 10 feet with aclear width of about 6 feet. Busi-nesses on this side of the street havemore active retail facades than on theother side of the street. Businesseskeep trash containers on the sidewalk,negatively affecting visual quality andcreating more obstacles. A sharedtrash area accessed from the alleywould improve the situation. The oldparking meter posts with two-hour signsadd some clutter, but simplifyunderstanding of the parking rules. Atraffic light control box further up thewalk intrudes into the walk space,making a dangerous situation.Approaching the intersection with MainStreet, effective sidewalk width is alsonarrowed by a fire escape.

6: Arrive at Main Street and turn right. Theview down Main includes the higherintensity commercial space on thefirst floor of two- to four- storybuildings, a wide sidewalk, a fewtrees, a barbecue grill, and historicallyauthentic light fixtures. The sidewalkwidth is about fifteen feet, with agenerous clear zone.

3

4

5

6

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There are three major issues related tocoordination of public and privateimprovements that affect public space.One is that the relative level of investmentin improvements should be at a similar

pace. A second is that the publicinfrastructure should be designed to meetthe technological needs and financialcapabilities of private enterprises. Thethird is that public and private elementson the street should have limited designcoordination.

Downtowns are a focus of community,and many organizations and individualshave input and assistance to contribute.This requires more than a cursory effortby local government to work with localnon-profit organizations - such as MainStreet boards and staff - as well asindividual property owners to coordinateand enhance projects.

Investment CoordinationWhen public streetscape investmentdrastically outstrips private buildinginvestment, no one is fooled into believingthat they are experiencing a healthydowntown. The expense and quality ofpublic improvements can dramaticallypoint out the lack of economic activityand investment in the private sector. Theprocess of re-growing a downtowneconomy and restoring its physicalappearance should be paced with eachother. Pacing public improvements maymean rebuilding sidewalks and curbs, butnot investing in new lighting at the sametime. It may mean improving andlandscaping a single parking lot inconjunction with property owners whodevelop rear entrances and clean up therear facades of adjacent buildings.

Infrastructure CoordinationDowntown properties have high ratiosof building coverage, leaving little privateland available to accomodate parking,service, and storm water handling. Theseneeds require coordination betweenproperties and with the public sector.New technological needs are developingin a similar manner. Fiber optic linesrequired for efficient Internet access andto increase business competitiveness arean example of a developing part of thepublic infrastructure. Their placementshould be planned in conjunction withdowntown streetscape improvements.

COORDINATE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE IMPROVEMENTS

DowntownDesign Goals

Flamboyant improvementswere made to thishistorically non-significant concrete blockbuilding, while thestreetscape remainedrather plain. This put anappropriate emphasis oncommercial activity andhas had a positive effecton the street.

Streetscape designand investment thatdrastically outpacesprivate efforts servesto point out weaknessin the commercialeconomy.

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Other kinds of infrastructure facilitiescould have design impacts ondowntowns, and downtown organ-izations should be actively involved in thedecisions surrounding them. Facility typesthat have recently affected downtownsinclude cellular telephone towers andnetwork facilities for Internet serviceproviders.

Changes to public infrastructure havefinancial impacts on owners of privateproperties. Private connections toreplacement storm and sanitary sewerstypically require private expenditure.Relocation of electric lines from the streetto the alley usually involves new electricfeed locations into buildings. Relocationof the feeds, in turn, leads to substantial

rewiring and expense. Placing utility linesunderground could result in therelocation of meters and the installationof conduit on building facades. Theseand other costs should be consideredwhen infrastructure changes areproposed.

Streetscape construction projects canmake it difficult to access downtownbusinesses. Construction should beorganized so that a given area is affectedfor as short a time as possible. Amarketing program during theconstuction period should be used tomitigate the impact of temporarilyinconvenient access.

Streetscapeconstruction projectsare temporarilydestructive andattracting shoppersmay require innovativemarketing.

Maintainingaccessibility requiresextra attention duringconstruction.

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Design CoordinationDesign coordination of accessibilityimprovements would mean that when thepublic invests in accessible street crossingsand sidewalks, that property owners makeaccessible connections from theirbuildings to the walk. Designcoordination of signs might involve asign ordinance that enforces compatibilitybetween advertising signs and theindividual architectural patterns of thebuildings on which they are placed, butthat does not specify particular designelements or styles. Awnings may beencouraged, but with no expectation thatthey will be the same color, size, orpattern.

Providing incentive funds for buildingrehabilitation, and using a design reviewprocess to achieve the best possibleresults, is perhaps the best way toencourage private improvements that willbe compatible with the rest of adowntown. The Renaissance Kentuckyfacade grants are a successful example ofa program that combines financialincentives with design review. NoKentucky town possesses the design purityof a single time period. The level ofdesign restriction applied to a historicmuseum village like Colonial Williamsburgis inappropriate in the context of acommercial downtown. Restrictions onincentive funds should focus on individualsituations and not sap vitality by over-regulation.

A downtown canproject visual orderthrough the rhythm ofbuildings and therepetition ofelements. In this case,awnings of differentdesigns appear onseveral buildings.

When a large numberof private businessesexpress their owncharacter, there is noneed for a town-widedesign treatment.

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HISTORIC FABRICDocumentation is the key activity that leadsto preservation of historic design. Alldowntown commercial districts havebeen photographed through time.Collections of historic photographs canbe assembled and organized into timeperiods to chart the evolution of designand materials. Lights, signs, utilities, pavingmaterials, public art, and parking patternsare frequently revealed in historicphotographs. Other sources for historicdocumentation may be found in purchaserecords for materials and design elements.Sanborn Company fire insurance mapsand older Soil Conservation Service aerialphotographs reveal public space andbuilding configurations for different timeperiods.

An ironic truth about historic downtownsis that the process of highlighting theirown historic values can inadvertently leadthem to look more and more like otherplaces. Some reasons for this areunavoidable. Architecture of a particularperiod will look similar. Town forms maybe homogenous within regions. But thereis also a ‘revitalization look.’ This lookusually results from excessive self-consciousness on the part of a town.Idiosyncracies are removed in order tomake way for a more sanitized andstereotypical version of downtownstreets. Two principles for design canwork to maintain individuality. Oneprinciple is to remain focused onmaintaining historic fabric and authenticdesign elements. The other principle isto use high quality contemporary designfor new elements.

Downtown preservation organizations areaccustomed to standards for preservationof building fabric. The doctrine of repairrather than replace, replace in kind ifnecessary, and select new elementscompatible but not imitative is well-established. Street environments and otherlandscapes are subject to the same ideas.

If a town has existing stone curbs, theyshould be salvaged and re-used ifremoved for construction work. If astreet has brick paving, maintain it with

DowntownDesign Goals

ENHANCE INDIV IDUALITY

Standardized designwork in revitalizationprojects can result inhomogenization. Thisphotograph was takenin Dover, England. The1970s downtown lookcrossed the Atlantic, asdid the more Victorianlook of the 1990s.

Historic photographs areuseful tools fordocumenting historicmaterials and features.A light fixture andstandard appear clearlyin this view.

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accessibility in mind. Extant historic lightstandards or other functional elementsshould be maintained, even when theydon’t all fit with a comprehensive newpattern. Reference: Secretary of theInterior’s Standards for Rehabilitation.

Conserving historic fabric in streetenvironments and public spaces will notonly help separate one town from

another, it will maintain diversity ofconstruction materials and designelements within a single town. One blockmay have light standards that are differentfrom another, or paving materials maybe inconsistent. A downtown environ-ment rich in material variety will be moreinteresting and less likely to become datedto one period.

Authentic features donot have to be beautifulor large to bememorable.

Historic paving, curbingor other constructionmaterials contribute tothe identity of placeswithin a commercialdistrict.

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CONTEMPORARY DESIGN

Contemporary design by definition isconstantly changing. If two townsdeveloped streetscape improvementprojects ten years apart and both usedwell-designed contemporary elements,they would look different from eachother. If the same two towns usedpseudo-Victorian elements, they wouldresemble each other and each town wouldhave weakened its sense of authenticity.

If good design is the standard by whichstreetscape elements are selected, they willbe in harmony with well-designed historicbuildings. Choose elements that arecompatible in scale, color, and materialwith surrounding buildings and seek thevisual liveliness that inspired the originalbuilders.

Distinctive designelements on individualproperties contribute tothe liveliness of theentire downtown.

Historic design themescan be interpreted incontemporary materialsto create distinctivestreet furnishings.

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Pedestrian PathsLightingTreesParkingStreet FurnitureSigns and Information

Design GuidelinesDESIGN GUIDELINES

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Detailed Guidelines

ACCESSIBILITYReference: United States Architectural andTransportation Barriers ComplianceBoard, Accessibility Guidelines for Buildingsand FacilitiesReference: U.S. Departement ofTransportation, Manual on Uniform TrafficControl Devices

Curbs at all intersections and crosswalksshould be dropped to make themaccessible to wheelchairs. Curb rampsshould connect directly to the crosswalks;a diagonal ramp should not be built togive access to two perpendicularcrosswalks.

All ramp slopes, cross-slopes on walks,widths, and other critical dimensionsmust meet the United States Architecturaland Transportation Barriers ComplianceBoard, Accessibility Guidelines for Buildingsand Facilities

Principles

Accessibility is the most important aspectof pedestrian paths. Investing indecorative paving surfaces beforecorrecting problems with accessibilitywould be inappropriate.

All paving surfaces require eventualreplacement or, in the case of unit pavingmaterials, resetting. In addition,pavements are frequently cut and patchedfor utility repairs. Pavement choicesshould be made with this in mind so thatthey can be matched or replaced in thefuture.

Paving has a primarily utilitarian function.Decorative features in paving historicallyfocused more on individual properties,rather than on repeated unifying features.Allowing differences in pavement typeand detail to occur may aid in avoiding a“revitalization look.”

Design GuidelinesPEDESTRIAN PATHS

Pedestrians are given ashorter crossing distanceand an increased visualpresence whenintersections aredesigned for pedestriansafety. This diagramillustrates a typicalcorner sidewalk

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Public entrances into downtown buildingsshould be accessible.

Accessible routes from parking areas todowntown destinations and betweendestinations should meet dimensionalrequirements for accessibility.

Elements that increase pedestrian safety andconvenience should be consideredwherever possible.

Examples include:• walks that are widened at inter-

sections to create shortercrosswalks

• mid-block crosswalks on longerblocks, where safe crosswalkscan be built

• paving strips that emphasize thepedestrian crosswalk

• low, visually non-obstructiveplantings near the ends ofcrosswalks to bring attention topedestrian crossings.

Curb ramps that do notalign with crosswalksplace pedestrians indangerous situations.

Well designed curbramps lead directly ontocrosswalks.

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Mid-block crossingsthat concealpedestrians behindparked cars createdangerous conflicts.

Mid-block crosswalksmust be designedwith sidewalkextensions or parkingrestrictions so thatpedestrians areclearly visible todrivers, and so thatthe crossing distanceis as narrow aspossible.

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BICYCLE ROUTESUtilitarian bicycle travel offers mobility,autonomy, and door-to-door service inurban settings. Connectivity of bicyclefacilities in downtown areas is important.Bike lanes, shared use paths, and widecurb lanes accommodating bicycle travelshould be planned with communitydestinations in mind.

Bicycle racks should be built in locationsthat are convenient for cyclists and safefor pedestrians

All bicycle facilities should be designedaccording to the Kentucky TransportationCabinet’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Policyand the American Association of StateHighway and Transportation Officials,Guide for theDevelopment of Bicycle Facilities.

MATERIALSHistoric paving materials should bedocumented in downtown before pavingchoices are made. The historic pavingmaterial should be used as a model forcontemporary paving, if it is of a materialsuitable to contemporary construction andaccessibility standards. Special existingpaving features which may include streetnumbers, steps, building name inlays, ordecorative details should be retained ifsidewalks or other pathways are rebuilt.The same details should be considered asa local model for other similar featureson downtown walks.

Contemporary decorative pavingmaterials should be avoided if they areincompatible in color or design withexisting buildings. The expense ofmaintaining paving materials should be aprimary consideration in their selection.Paving materials should be chosen that canbe relaid or duplicated in the future wheninevitable utility repairs are made.

Paving inlays and otherfeatures specific to abuilding or locationprovide detail without anobligation to maintain apaving pattern throughouta commercial district.

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PrinciplesThe first objective in lighting downtownstreets is to evenly light travel lanes withthe minimum illumination required by theTransportation Cabinet or by localordinance. Pedestrian walks should thenbe provided with pools of light at ahigher level of illumination than the roadsurface. Lighting from storefront displaysshould be used as an adjunct topedestrian- scale pole lighting to providepedestrian illumination.

Streets should not be over-illuminated tothe point that building interiors arenegatively affected. Pole height, luminairetype, and luminaire power will all affectlight levels in buildings. False historicismin lighting style should be avoided.

Detailed GuidelinesSTYLEIf historic light fixtures specific to adowntown can be accuratelydocumented and duplicated, the historicfixture should be used in a manner similarto its original purposes, locations, andquantities.

Design GuidelinesL IGHTING

If no documentation is available, or ahistoric fixture cannot be duplicated, thena contemporary pedestrian lightingfixture should be used. Contemporaryfixtures should be selected that arecompatible in scale and color with theexisting architectural features, but shouldnot be selected to imitate a period.

In situations such as parking lots, wherelighting was not historically present,contemporary fixtures should be selected.When historic light fixtures orcontemporary pedestrian lighting cannotprovide adequate illumination for roadsurfaces, unobtrusive contemporaryfixtures should be selected to providesupplemental street surface lighting.

Historic light fixturesshould be used whenthey can be accuratelydocumented andreproduced.

Lighting from storefrontscan provide much of theillumination needed forpedestrians, but requirescoordination forconsistency.

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Contemporary lights thatare compatible withhistoric environmentsmay be chosen becausethey interpret historicdesign ideas, they are inkeeping with thecharacter of otherelements, or they areunobtrusively simple.

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PLACEMENT AND HEIGHTIf a historic fixture is used, the originalpole height should be duplicated. If acontemporary fixture is used, the heightshould be set so that light does not shineinto second floor windows and so thatthe fixture does not interfere with the viewof the building sign band at the top ofthe first floor.

If taller fixtures are used to supplementstreet surface lighting, their height,placement, and cut-off angle should bedesigned to prevent directing light intobuilding windows on either side of thestreet.

Traffic signals should not be placed onpoles and arms which are designed inhistoric styles pre-dating the use of trafficlights. Traffic signals must be placedaccording to the U.S. Department ofTransportation, Federal HighwayAdministration, Manual on Uniform TrafficControl Devices.

Street lights shouldnot shine into upperstory windows.

Contemporary lightfixtures should beused for higher-level streetlighting.

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PrinciplesTrees have important functional andspatial roles in downtowns. Trees shouldbe planted in front of parking lots orother areas without street-edge buildingfacades, to maintain the traditional mass-space pattern along downtown streets.They should be used in a similar mannerwhere tree-shaded residential zones at theedges of downtowns have been convertedinto business uses. Parking lots anddowntown parks benefit from shade treeplantings, and trees and shrubs can alsobe used to screen parking areas. Mosttowns have places that were historicallylandscaped, such as courthouse squares.

Design GuidelinesTREES

These areas should be well-landscapedand maintained.

In larger downtowns, where residentialareas with street trees may be distant, treesplanted in restricted “islands” can bringthe benefits of trees into the downtownwithout the conflicts associated withrows of street trees.

The period of significance for downtownhistoric districts should be used as a guidefor documenting the history of thedowntown landscape and for assessingthe appropriateness of proposed plantmaterial types and locations.

Street trees and otherplantings were a historicpart of many commercialcenters, but usually wererestricted to particularbuildings or spaces.

Trees grouped inislands have bettersurvival rates andcan create greaterpositive impacts onspecific areas thancan trees dispersedalong a street.

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Detailed GuidelinesHistoric documentation should be usedto determine if there were tree plantingsassociated with particular buildings orareas of the downtown.

Trees should be planted only where it ispossible to provide the soil volumesnecessary to support the intended tree size.A commonly used recommendation inKentucky is to provide 25 square feet ofsoil area that has been dug approximatelyfour feet deep (100 cubic feet) for a smalltree. Trees expected to grow larger needmore soil volume. Urban tree authorityJames Urban recommends a 100-square-foot area dug four feet deep (400 cubicfeet) for medium and large trees expectedto reach maturity. Volumes of this sizeare available only with continuous treelawns that may be found in areas ondowntown perimeters. This high volumeis mentioned to point out theunlikelihood that most downtown streettrees will reach a mature size. Reference:James Urban, “Bringing Order to theTechnical Dysfunction within the UrbanForest”

The use of trees should be primarily forenvironmental improvement, forexample, to shade parking lots or to createspatial structure in downtown parks.Reference: Ned Crankshaw, “IntegratingStreet Trees into the Historic SmallDowntown”

Trees should be planted in groups orislands of vegetation, when possible.Trees thrive in the larger soil volumesprovided for a group and together theyshade the soil. Islands in suitable locations

can support greater numbers of treeswithout the conflicts created byrhythmically spaced rows of street trees.Reference: Nina Bassuk and PeterTrowbridge, “Urban Islands”

Most tree roots growvery close to thesurface and spread outover fairly large areas.

Trees are most usefulwhen they are used fora positiveenvironmental reason,such as shading largepaved areas.

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Rows of trees should not be planted infront of commercial facades because theyobscure architectural features and signs.

Side streets with unarticulated buildingfacades may be an appropriate place toplant street trees for visual improvementand for shade, if adequate planting sitescan be developed.

Major crosswalks may be appropriateplaces to widen sidewalks and createplanting sites for shrubs; however, shrubsshould not obscure the ability ofpedestrians to be seen by motorists.

Several different tree species should beused in a single downtown.Monocultural plantings are subject to thesame pests and diseases, and one popularspecies can become repetitive from townto town.

Tree species should be chosen withthought given to their mature size andthe amount of space available on the site.In most cases, trees should be chosenwhose mature size will fit within thevolume constraints of a site. Tree speciesthat are chosen strictly on this standard,however, may sometimes be the wrongchoice. There are situations where theform of a larger tree species is best suitedfor a particular site and purpose; in cases,planned removal and replacement musttake place at the appropriate time.

Except in open park spaces, most streettrees will never reach ultimate mature sizebefore they die or are removed. Trees inurban environments require periodicreplacement.

The branching structure and foliagedensity of tree species should be carefully72

Evenly spaced rows oftrees obscure signsand architecturalfeatures, destroyingthe historic spatialrelationship ofbuilding and street.

Side streets and otherareas withunarticulated buildingfacades may beenhanced by streettrees.

The branchingstructure of manysmall trees is sodense that they fillspace, rather thancreate space. Thesetree forms are alsofavored nesting sitesfor birds.

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considered. Many commonly used urbantrees are small in size but are so densethat, instead of framing space, they fillspace and obscure views. Denser treesare also more likely to support bird nesting.

Trees that are planted should meet theguidelines of the American Standard forNursery Stock. Reference: AmericanAssociation of Nurserymen, AmericanStandard for Nursery Stock

Pruning of trees should be doneaccording to the National ArboristAssociation Standards. Reference:National Arborist Association, Standardsfor Pruning Shade Trees, Guying of ShadeTrees, Fertilizing Shade and Ornamental Trees,and Lightning Protection Installation for ShadeTrees

Areas withgenerous openspace should bewell planted withshade trees tocreate cool oasesin commercialdistricts.

Plants in containers can bea choice in areas whereplants are desired butspace is limited. In thiscase, plant material servesto punctuate importantplaces along the sidewalk,such as curb ramps.Containers should bechosen for durability andcompatibility, and plantmaterial should be chosenfor four-seasonattractiveness.

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Detailed GuidelinesOn-street parking should be maximized.Research has shown that on-street parkingis desired enough by shoppers and othersthat even some traffic constriction isworth having more on-street parking.

Parking meters should not be prematurelyremoved for aesthetic reasons. Parkingmanagement studies have shown thatmeters are a useful method for regulatingparking times. Before removing anavailable parking management tool, aprofessional evaluation of downtownparking should be made.

Parking should be neither under nor oversupplied. Problems with under supplyare well known. Over supply is alsodetrimental because of the negativeimpact on building stock and theappearance of an under-used downtown.

Buildings should not be demolished tocreate parking.

The continuity of street edges should beminimally impacted by parking locationand design.

Considerations for parking arrangementinclude:• providing maximum on-street parking for downtown visitors• sequencing parking areas so that if one area is full, a driver can easily get to the next area• ensuring that all parking is within 450 feet of the most trafficked and commercially viable areasReference: Ned Crankshaw, “SpatialModels for Parking and Pedestrian Accessin Historic Downtowns: a Preservationand Design Perspective”

PrinciplesParking is paired with buildingpreservation as the most importantconsideration in downtown design.Parking quantity receives a great amountof attention, but parking organization andmanagement are equally important.Assessing parking quantities anddeveloping parking managementstrategies are well addressed in the bookThe Parking Handbook for Small Communities.Goals and guidelines for parkingorganization will be addressed here. Theway parking is arranged and designeddetermines the perception of availabilityand convenience. Reference: JohnEdwards, The Parking Handbook for SmallCommunities

Considerations for design include:• making parking areas well lit, landscaped, and attractive destinations• developing strong pedestrian connections between parking areas and the destinations of downtown visitors• providing adequate numbers of handicapped parking spaces• placing bicycle racks where appropriateReference: United States Architectural andTransportation Barriers Comp-lianceBoard, Accessibility Guidelines forBuildings and Facilities

PARKINGDesign Guidelines

Parking areas thatadjoin street edgeswithout any screeningwill negatively affectthe street corridor.

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Organize parking so that it follows apattern logical for a particular town.Patterns may include expanded diagonalparking on side streets, parking lots in theinteriors of all downtown blocks, parkingareas lining alleys in the downtown, orparking in a predictable location in everyblock surrounding the center of thedowntown.

The walking experience after leaving a carin a parking lot should be as convenientas the auto access to the parking. Avoidcreating paths through undesirable orthreatening areas. Design parking andpaths so that destinations are visible earlyin the walk. Link paths and downtownpark spaces, if possible, to create a livelypedestrian environment.

If parking is located behind commercialbuildings, coordinate private improve-ments so that they have a positive impacton the visual quality of the parking area.Building owners should consider creatingrear entrances where appropriate.

Organizational patternsfor downtown parkinginclude on-street parking,block interior parking,parking arranged alongalleys, and parking in aconsistent pattern ofquadrants in severaldowntown blocks.

Parking behindcommercial buildingscan be coordinatedwith otherimprovements tocreate goodpedestrianconnections.

Landscape parking areas appropriately.Emphasize pedestrian areas with planting,paving, or other elements. Provide shade,especially in waiting and drop-off areas.Where parking abuts a street, developplantings or structures between theparking area to continue the street wall.

On-Street Alley

Block Interior Quadrant

Parking Patterns

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All parking areasshould be landscapedappropriately toscreen the parkingareas, and to createa suitable pedestrianenvironment.

PARKING DESIGNParking lots should be designed to fit theneeds of automobile drivers andpedestrians, instead of becoming thesimple paving over of available land.Good parking design requires carefulconsideration of a given site. Thefollowing are some basic guidelines fordesign.

Two-way travel is generally preferred inaisles.

Spaces should be between 8 to 9 feetwide by 18 to 20 feet long. The travelaisles should be between 20' to 22' wide.

Continuous circulation is preferred overlot design that requires drivers to backout when no spaces are available.

Islands for shade trees and otherlandscaping should be developed in theinterior of all but the smallest (20 or fewercars) parking lots. Islands can take theform of many small areas parallel withthe parking spaces, or long stripsperpendicular to the parking spaces.Islands should be used at the ends ofrows of parking spaces to separateparked cars from moving cars.

All parking areas should use architecturalor planted edge treatments to avoidinterrupting the street edge.

The leftover areas created between theparallel edges of the parking layout andthe irregular edges of a property shouldnot be paved, but should be used forlandscaping, pedestrian space, or othercreative uses.

Accessible pedestrian connections shouldbe designed into parking lots. Pedestriansshould not be forced to compete withcars at the entrance of a larger parkinglot.

Multiple pedestrian outlets allow moreefficient foot travel between a parkinglot and various destinations.

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PrinciplesStreet furniture includes elements such asbenches, trash containers, tree guards, bikeracks and above-ground planters. Streetfurniture serves functional purposes, andas such, is not primarily decorative. Thegoal in selecting and placing streetfurniture is for it to serve its purpose aseffectively as possible. Effectiveplacement of elements should be basedon an understanding of existing andfuture patterns of use. Good qualityfurnishings are expensive and should becarefully targeted to those places wherethey are most needed.

Detailed Guidelines

STYLE

Extant historic street furniture should beevaluated for its ability to remainserviceable. Individual elements, whilethey may not become part of a patternof new street furnishings, give identity toindividual downtowns. Repair ofexisting elements should receive a highpriority.

If duplicates or reproductions of extantor accurately documented historic streetfurnishings can be produced, they shouldbe considered rather than stockfurnishings.

Period furnishings, such as “mock-Victorian” styles, should be avoided.

When reproductions of historicfurnishings are not possible to documentor produce, simple contemporaryelements should be used. Contemporaryfurnishings should be compatible in scaleand color with existing architectural andlandscape features.

STREET FURNITUREDesign Guidelines

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Extant historic streetfurniture contributes tothe identity ofdowntowns.

Street furnishings arecommonly used tocreate pattern andrepetition in streetcorridors. Elementsplaced in this mannerrarely achieve theirfunctional potential.

When benches and otherstreet furnishings areplaced in ways thatfacilitate use, they fulfilltheir functional purpose.

Good seatingarrangements includeangled configurationsthat encourageconversation.

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Contemporary furnishingsmay recall historic styleswithout imitating them.

Period furnishingscreate a falseemphasis on onefavored time period.

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PLACEMENTStreet furnishings should not obstructpathways. Reference: United StatesArchitectural and Transportation BarriersCompliance Board, AccessibilityGuidelines for Buildings and Facilities

Functionalism in placement should receivea high priority. Placing furnishingsprimarily to create patterns of designelements should be avoided.

Benches should be grouped to createfunctional seating in downtown parksor other places that are desirableenvironments for sitting. Placing benchesin inhospitable locations where they areunlikely to be used should be avoided.

Newsstands, mailboxes, and similarfunctional elements on sidewalks shouldbe in consolidated locations whereverpossible.

Express delivery service drop-offs andother similar structures should not causethe removal of parking spaces orsubstantially narrow the sidewalk. Theirdesign and placement should involveboth aesthetic and safety considerations.

Public art historic to a town should bepreserved on its original site. Newartwork, when proposed, should be usedas focal points in public spaces and inareas with adequate pedestrianaccessibility.

Public art, whether two- or three-dimensional, should be subject to broadreview and consensus, should representhigh standards of design and execution,and should consider issues ofmaintenance and longevity.

Newspaper boxes,mailboxes, expressdelivery drop-offs andother commercialelements on streetsshould be given carefulplacement so that theyremain visible, but arenot obtrusive.

Sculptural pieces mayfunction for seating orother uses.

Relics, like thiswater trough,assume asculptural rolewhen retained inpublic spaces.

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88,89

Art whose creationincludes members ofa community may bemore deeply valued bythe community. Thesehand prints enliven apedestrian tunnelunder a railway.

Public art, whether two-or three-dimensional,should be used as anorganizing element inpublic spaces. The bellin the photograph aboveand the sign painted ona wall in the photographbelow are importantelements of pedestrianspaces.

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SIGNS AND INFORMATIONDesign Guidelines

PrinciplesThere are two major categories of signsin downtowns: private advertising andidentifying signs, and publicinformational, regulatory, and directionalsigns. Private signs should be compatiblewith architectural features. Their diversityshould enliven the public environment ofa downtown.

Public signs should be minimally intrusivein the downtown. Wherever it is possibleto consolidate groups of signs oreliminate redundant signs, it should bedone. Traffic signs must be placed inaccordance with the U.S. Department ofTransportation, Federal HighwayAdministration, Manual on Uniform TrafficControl Devices.

Detailed GuidelinesPRIVATE SECTOR SIGNSSign ordinances should be adaptableenough to allow creative use of designand materials and should not forceuniformity of appearance. MostKentucky downtowns are notrepresentative of a single time period orstyle. Private signs, like the buildings,should be representative of a range ofstyles and periods. The most importantissue in sign design is how an individualsign relates to the building on which it isplaced.

Signs on commercial properties shouldbe carefully considered to fit withinarchitectural spaces and features. Signbands should be utilized where available.If not, window signs may be moreappropriate than a sign that intrudes onarchitectural features. Many signordinances include dimensionalrestrictions that would not require a signto fit within the appropriate area on aspecific building.

Unarticulated side walls of buildings havebeen used historically for paintedadvertising signs. Where these signs areextant, they should be preserved. Theremay be opportunities for thedevelopment of new signs in a similarmanner through conditional use orvariance provisions in sign ordinances.Allowances for historic signing techniquesin downtown areas should beinvestigated for sign ordinances, but withdue caution.

Sign materials should be of a quality andmaterial type appropriate to the buildingfabric on which they will be placed.

Sign materials shouldrelate to the buildingfabric on which theyare placed. This sign isprinted on a clearacetate sheet, giving ita sense ofimpermanence.

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Functional fabric awnings areappropriate locations for business identi-fication. Narrow-width plastic awningsigns are incompatible with historicbuildings.

Private signs should not be voluntarilycoordinated into a uniform designsystem.

Functional fabricawnings were originalfeatures to manydowntown buildings.Awnings provide analternate space forbusiness identification.

Narrow plastic awningsare incompatible with thematerials of historiccommercial buildings,and provide no weatherprotection benefit.

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PUBLIC SECTOR SIGNSAll regulatory traffic signs and street namesigns must be designed and placed inaccordance with the U.S. Department ofTransportation, Federal HighwayAdministration, Manual on Uniform TrafficControl Devices. Reference: U.S.Department of Transportation, FederalHighway Administration, Manual onUniform Traffic Control Devices

Consolidation of street signs orregulatory signs can be part of astreetscape plan; placement requiresapproval from the KentuckyTransportation Cabinet.

Banners should be carefully consideredbefore being implemented. They requirea continuing funding commitment, andthe same amount of money spent onbuilding facades may create as muchvisual improvement.

The scale of banners should beproportional to other streetscapeelements.

Street signs andregulatory signs oftencan be consolidated andreorganized. In this casethey are also removedfrom street level.

Public signs can becomeso cluttered that theybecome difficult to readand obscure views.

Banners scaled appro-priately will become partof the pedestrian-levelstreet entourage.

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American Association of Nurserymen.American Standard for Nursery Stock.1973.

American Association of State Highwayand Transportation Officials. Guide forthe Development of Bicycle Facilities.1999.

American Association of State Highwayand Transportation Officials. AnInformational Guide for RoadwayLighting. 1976.

Bassuk, Nina and Peter Trowbridge.“Urban Islands.” Landscape Architecture,vol. 79, no. 8 (October 1989), 130-131.

Crankshaw, Ned. “Spatial Models forParking and Pedestrian Access in HistoricDowntowns: a Preservation and DesignPerspective.” Landscape Journal, vol. 20,no. 1.

Crankshaw, Ned. “To Be Somewhere:Taking Stock of the Walking Places in aSmall Downtown, Winchester,Kentucky.” Small Town, vol. 29, no. 1(July - August 1989): 14 - 19.

Crankshaw, Ned. “Integrating StreetTrees into the Historic SmallDowntown.” APT Bulletin: the Journalof Preservation Technology, vol. 28, no.4 (December 1996): 36-42.

Edwards, John. The Parking Handbookfor Small Communities. Washington,DC: The National Trust for HistoricPreservation and the Institute ofTransportation Engineers, 1994.

BibliographyBIBLIOGRAPHY

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National Arborist Association. Standardsfor Pruning Shade Trees, Guying ofShade Trees, Fertilizing Shade andOrnamental Trees, and LightningProtection Installation for Shade Trees.1970.

Shelby Development Corporation.Shelby Development CorporationMarketing Strategy. 1997.

“Sourcelist for Pavers and PavingMaterials, Fountains, Street Lighting andFurnishings, Street and Tower Clocks,Plaques and Signage, and Public Art andSculpture.” Traditional Building, vol. 11,no. 2 (March/April 1998).

Union Metal Manufacturing Co. BetterStreet Lighting with Union Metal LampStandards. 1924.

Union Metal Corporation. KentuckyUnion Metal Original Installations 1906-1930.

U.S. Department of the Interior,National Park Service. The Secretary ofthe Interior’s Standards for the Treatmentof Historic Properties: with Guidelinesfor Preserving, Rehabilitating, Restoringand Reconstructing Historic Buildings.1995.

U.S. Department of the Interior,National Park Service. The Secretary ofthe Interior’s Standards for the Treatmentof Historic Properties: with Guidelinesfor the Treatment of CulturalLandscapes. 1996.

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U.S. Architectural and TransportationBarriers Compliance Board. AccessibilityGuidelines for Buildings and Facilities.1998.

U.S. Department of Transportation,Federal Highway Administration. Manualon Uniform Traffic Control Devices.1988.

Urban, James. “Bringing Order to theTechnical Dysfunction within the UrbanForest.” Journal of Arboriculture, vol. 18,no. 2 (March 1992), 85-90.

W. M . Fountain and M. L. Witt. LargeTrees, the Giants of Kentucky’sLandscape. University of KentuckyCollege of Agriculture, 1995.

W. M . Fountain and M. L. Witt.Medium-sized Trees for KentuckyLandscapes. University of KentuckyCollege of Agriculture, 1995.

W. M . Fountain and M. L. Witt. SmallTrees for Urban Spaces in Kentucky.University of Kentucky College ofAgriculture, 1995.