East of I-30 2005 East of I-30 Study - 2005 East of I-30 Study - 2005 Page 1 of 22 East of I-30 Study City of Little Rock 2005
Executive Summary The area bounded by Interstate 30, Fourche Creek and the Arkansas River promises to have exciting redevelopment opportunities. With the activities west of Interstate 30 and the development of both the William Jefferson Clinton Presidential Park (Presidential Park) and Heifer International Center change is in the air. Currently this area is predominately industrial with two large Public use area (one in the east and one in the southwest), and three small residential pockets. The industrial tends to be heavy industrial, which generally is not attractive and residential and commercial is marginal in nature. To encourage the reinvestment and redevelopment of the area, it is recommended to extend the Urban Use zoning and Rivermarket Overlay further east surrounding the Presidential Park and Heifer Development area. Streetscape and gateway designs are recommended along Interstate 30 and major routes into and through the area, particularly 3rd, 6th, 9th and College Streets. Changes in land use are recommended to move the industrial uses around the airport and encourage residential, non-residential and mixed use developments surrounding the Presidential Park and Heifer Developments, in the Hanger Hill area and the Fletcher to Pepper area north of 8th Street. The residential uses are recommended to be ‘traditional’ in character with front porches, modest setbacks and garages accessed from the rear. Page 2 of 22 East of I-30 Study City of Little Rock 2005
Introduction and Current Conditions: The Arkansas River, Interstate 30 and the Fourche Creek bound the East of I-30 Study area. The dominant use within the area is industrial. Numerous commercial and industrial uses have located within the study area in large part due to Little Rock National Airport being located within the area. Many of these developments are deeply entrenched at their sites, either through heavy onsite development or dependence on other nearby industry. This makes them likely to remain at their current locations for many more years. Some of these uses are: The Little Rock National Airport, AFCO Steel Production, Sterling Paint Distribution, Sol Alman Co scrap metal yard. There are three residential pockets of modest single-family homes in the area. One is north of the Airport, a couple of blocks deep to the Arkansas River. Another is between the interstate and the heavy commercial west of the Airport. The third pocket is an island of roughly 6 to 10 blocks surrounded by heavy commercial uses. The housing stock in all three pockets is older with only limited maintenance and rehabilitation. There has been almost no new residential construction within the area. As the housing stock has deteriorated, vacancy and abandonment rates have escalated. There are two large public use areas east of I-30. One is an island within the residential area north of the airport and includes Carver Elementary School, East End Park and Nathaniel Hill Community Center. The other, just south and southwest of the Hanger Hill neighborhood, consists of Horace Mann Magnet School and Booker Elementary School as well as a collection of five historical cemeteries. The area immediately to the west (across I-30) offers many attractions that draw large numbers of people: River Market, Riverfront Park, Statehouse Convention Center, CALS Main Library, Historic Arkansas Museum, Curran Hall -- Little Rock Visitor’s Center, Arts Center and MacArthur Park. In addition the development of Page 3 of 22 East of I-30 Study City of Little Rock 2005
new residential (lofts) and office buildings has been occurring. This activity to the immediate west provides the study area a spark from which to build. Land Use / Zoning Concepts: The proposed Land Use Plan for the area east of I-30 to Little Rock National Airport recommends some changes to the current development pattern. In the area north of the airport, a change from Single Family and Multifamily to Light Industrial is proposed. This is designed to recognized the Airport’s long range plan and allow for support industrial uses, some of which may take direct access to the taxi ways. Most of this area is currently platted as 50-foot residential lots. Rezoning to non-residential should not be done on a lot-by-lot basis. Reclassifications should only be considered for a city block or larger area. There is a similar area west of the Airport to J. L. Hawkins Street. Likewise, reclassification of this area should only be done on a city block basis not a lot-by-lot basis. The land use proposal calls for the conversion of two other small single-family pockets to service commercial or industrial uses. The first is between 17th and 22nd Streets, Security and Boyce. This is an older single-family area, which over the years has been experiencing a decline in the number of occupied residences. Due to the intensity of some of the industrial uses in the immediate area, the Plan recommends converting this area to industrial as well. However, since it is an existing residential area and true industrial uses need larger tracts of land; no change to industrial zoning should be approved on a lot-by-lot basis. The area should be replatted to more appropriate size tracts either prior to reclassification or as part of the same application. The final residential area proposed for service commercial or industrial Page 4 of 22 East of I-30 Study City of Little Rock 2005
uses is southwest of the Roosevelt Rd./Confederate Blvd. intersection. As in the previous case, since the new use type is a larger tract development, reclassification should only be approved when a replat combining lots is part of the application. The Hanger Hill and East Little Rock (Bond to Calhoun) residential neighborhoods are both recommended for Low Density Residential. Currently these areas are predominantly single-family with some industrial and commercial zoning scattered through the area. It is recommended that a more in-depth review of the uses and zoning be done in these locations with reclassification undertaken where possible to remove the industrial and commercial spot zones. In these areas, increased density of residential uses is recommended. Where a block-face of vacant land is located in these neighborhoods attached single family- row house, zero-lot line homes rather than the traditional single-family detached house should be strongly considered as the infill. Care will need to be taken with this infill to ensure compatibility with the existing residential. In the Hanger Hill neighborhood, design elements have been recommended for College Avenue and the entryways at 17th Street, 9th Street and the I-630 ramp at 15th Street. A special district could be developed to help implement the gateway and College Avenue corridor designs. Another possibility for implementation of the design recommendations is a Design-Overlay-District for the Hanger Hill neighborhood. The final location recommended for a land use change is the area south and east of the William Jefferson Clinton Presidential Park (Presidential Park) and Heifer Project, the “transition area”. Page 5 of 22 East of I-30 Study City of Little Rock 2005
This area, north of 6th Street and west of Bond, is recommended for a similar treatment as much of the area west of I-30 – a pedestrian oriented urban area, with a mix of uses. A change of the Plan to Mixed Use Urban is the first step. This land use classification would continue south to 6th Street and east to Bond. This is the one location where the City should initiate a comprehensive reclassification to encourage property owners’ redevelopment using more appropriate development standards. To this end, the remaining area not already zoned ‘UU’ Urban Use, should be reclassified to ‘UU’. In addition, due to the importance of this area, a Design Overlay District should be considered for the current and expanded ‘UU’ area east of I-30. It is important that the “transition area” be pedestrian friendly and encourages a diverse mix of uses. The urban development pattern will help highlight the Presidential Park and Heifer Project by contrast. The contrast of traveling through an urban built environment then entering a more park-like, open area highlights the significance of these buildings. Since most of the desired elements are the same as those in the River Market Design Overlay District, it is recommended to extend this district in to the area -- east to Bond and south to 6th and 7th Streets. More specifically, the south boundary would be the centerline of 7th from I-30 to the railroad right-of-way and then the entire right-of-way on 6th Street from to the railroad right-of-way to Bond Street. It is recommended for 3rd, 6th and College and its' extension that Page 6 of 22 East of I-30 Study City of Little Rock 2005
street trees and light standards used for the Presidential Park be required. In the ‘UU’ Urban Use area, these streets would have a more urban pedestrian design, with the first two to four feet back of curb be pavers or other hardscape paving and street furniture only at intersections. The remaining streets in the ‘UU’ area should have this four-foot area be grass. It is further recommended that the overlay requirements not be placed on any property zoned ‘PR’ Park. Finally, a statement in the ‘View’ subsection should be added as follows: “Views of the Presidential Library Center shall be protected from any obstructions or visual clutter.” In addition, “Views of the Heifer International Center shall be protected from any obstructions or visual clutter.” The basic concept of the Design Overlay District should be to develop a strong urban feeling with streetscape, which help tie the River Market area together with the Presidential Park/Heifer Developments and other possible developments to the south and east. Streetscape showing UU design principles Page 7 of 22 East of I-30 Study City of Little Rock 2005
Master Street Plan: With the changes recommended in the use pattern and proposed street changes around the Presidential Park and Heifer International Center, there is a need to modify the Master Street Plan designations. First, the Arterials between I-30 and the National Airport, it is recommended to have two Minor Arterials in the area. The north-south Arterial would be Bond from I-440 to 3rd Street. Currently the southern portion of Bond is classified a Principal Arterial with the northern end a Collector. This road services the through north-south movement for this part of Little Rock. The east-west Arterial would be 3rd Street. This would mean upgrading the Collector designation to Minor Arterial from Cumberland to McLean Streets. Then connecting 3rd Street around the proposed Heifer Project and continuing east along the levee. This road would be designed as an enhanced boulevard in the areas west of Reichardt where it passes the Presidential Park and Heifer International Center. From Reichardt or Kimball Streets east, it should be a divided road with pedestrian/bike paths. Streetscape with bike lane Page 8 of 22 East of I-30 Study City of Little Rock 2005
The 6th, 9th and 15th Streets would continue to be Collectors from I-30 to Bond Street. 6th Street would continue east as a Collector to its connection with the 3rd Street extension. College Street would be the only north-south Collector from 15th Street to 3rd Street. 2nd and 4th Streets would be downgraded to local streets. Mass Transit: It has been proposed to extend the River Rail Street Car to the Presidential Park as a second phase. The exact alignment has not been determined, however a connection along 3rd Street is favored. As a later phase, it has been proposed to further extend the line to the Airport. This next phase from the Presidential Park to the Airport would be designed as ‘light rail’ rather than ‘street car’ as the first two phases are proposed. Two alignments for this second phase have been discussed. The first would be from the Presidential Park along the existing railroad right-of-way southeast along Bond Street, then continuing east along Roosevelt Road and the north to the terminal Page 9 of 22 East of I-30 Study City of Little Rock 2005
Urban streetscape on trolley line . A second alignment is along the proposed 3rd Street, north of the Airport and continuing this alignment to the Terminal building. If this later alignment is favored, the rails could be placed either in the median, travel lanes or along side of the ‘enhanced arterial. Design showing elements of a transit stop Page 10 of 22 East of I-30 Study City of Little Rock 2005
Page 11 of 22 East of I-30 Study City of Little Rock 2005
East Third Street looking east Boulevards: The accompanying graphics depict a proposed north-south boulevard, College Street, extending from the Presidential Park into the neighborhood to the south. Starting at 17th Street for approximately fourteen blocks, the boulevard would be a two lane divided street with left turn lanes at major streets. South of 7th Street, five-foot sidewalks would be placed at the property lines and trees would be planted in the grass strip between the walks and the curbs. Trees chosen would have a high arching canopy (elms, locusts, etc.) that would enhance the boulevard yet not hinder sightlines or the sense of security. Decorative lighting, placed in the median, would have banner arms to promote both the neighborhood and the Presidential Park on the same pole. From 7th Street to 3rd Street, the College Street alignment shifts to the west and continues along McLean Street. In this area, the proposed zoning changes to ‘UU’ - Urban Use. This change in zoning would affect the streetscape by changing the grass strip at the back of the curb to brick pavers. From 7th Street to 3rd Street, there is the opportunity to increase the right-of-way for enlarged medians and/or on-street parking. Page 12 of 22 East of I-30 Study City of Little Rock 2005
College Street at Ninth Street looking north There are different entry nodes into the East I-30 Study Area. These nodes should be treated as differently as they inherently are. The entries are more prolific the further north one goes. 17th Street and College Street is the southernmost entry and would be the southernmost leg of the College Street boulevard streetscape. The intersection of the 15th Street exit off I-630 has the potential to be a major entry point. The wide freeway exit ramp could have a median placed into it to extend the boulevard treatment onto the freeway and further west. The existing bus stop at that intersection could benefit from the new plaza area in front of the neighborhood sign welcoming people to the Hanger Hill Area. Streetscape blocking less desirable views Page 13 of 22 East of I-30 Study City of Little Rock 2005
College Street at Ninth looking South Street Section of boulevard Streetscape in residential areas Page 14 of 22 East of I-30 Study City of Little Rock 2005
College Street at 15th Street and I-630 exit looking northwest The next entries into the area are the 9th and 6th Street interchanges with I-30. These two entries are above the grade of the freeway and both sides of the freeway are more visually connected than the entries further to the north. These intersections should have additional plantings on both sides of the freeway. The overpasses and adjacent sidewalks would be colored concrete to match the pavers in other areas. Street furniture would be located at the intersections. The entries at the 4th, 3rd, 2nd and President Clinton Avenue are unique to the others in that the visual connections east and west are severely limited by the freeway ramps and bridge abutments. These entries must pull both vehicular and pedestrian traffic under the I-30 freeway to the study area. The trolley will assist in making that entry when it travels east along 3rd Street to connect downtown with the Presidential Park and Heifer Developments.Page 15 of 22 East of I-30 Study City of Little Rock 2005
Ninth Street at I-30 looking southwest Existing entry streetscape development Page 16 of 22 East of I-30 Study City of Little Rock 2005
East 6th Street and I-30 looking east Streetscape along major streets Page 17 of 22 East of I-30 Study City of Little Rock 2005
Plan showing infill single family housing Single Family Housing: The accompanying graphics show a traditional development scheme for single family detached housing to the south and east of the Presidential Park site. Shown are six units per acre on 50' by 140' lots. This scheme, used as infill development, would be seamless with the existing housing stock. A number of basic principles should be utilized for infill housing including: modest setbacks, front porches that address the street and garage access from the existing alley system. Infill should be in keeping with the character and scale of the neighborhood, even if it is higher density. Page 18 of 22 East of I-30 Study City of Little Rock 2005
Elevation showing infill single family housing Page 19 of 22 East of I-30 Study City of Little Rock 2005
Plan showing half block development of infill low density housing Low Density Residential Housing: The accompanying graphics show a possible development scheme for housing in the East of I-30 Study area. Shown are two-story duplexes with 10 units per acre with the possible expansion to 12 units per acre. Units are zero lot line on one side and have a minimal 3' front yard for a stoop. Selected structures have optional courtyards or common green areas/gardens. The increased housing density should be along the improved College Street with single-family densities along the other streets. In the residential area east of the Presidential Park and Heifer Developments, this increased density residential would be adjacent higher intensity uses, with single-family density further to the east. Page 20 of 22 East of I-30 Study City of Little Rock 2005
Perspective of Low Density Infill HousingPage 21 of 22 East of I-30 Study City of Little Rock 2005
POSSIBLE ACTION STEPS • Amendments to the City Land Use Plan • Amendments to the Master Street Plan Reclassify 3rd Street and add sections of 3rd Street Extension to the airport Add section of College Street Extension to 3rd Street • Reclassify (Zone) an area north of 6th and west of Bond to Urban Use • Develop a Design Overlay for the area north of 6th between I-30 and Bond • Establish a redevelopment or special district(s) such as an improvement district for the area • Develop detailed urban design plan for the area Streetscape designs Gateways Boulevards and public spaces • Strengthen existing residential neighborhoods Infill housing design concepts Low and medium density housing developments • Completion of intermodel connection to airport through the area • Implement the Master Parks Plan Edge Trail (along river, Presidential Park to airport) Earth Trail (along Fourche from river west) Green connection through the area, east of Hanger Hill • Full implementation of Airport Master Plan • Soften impacts of I-30, increasing pedestrian and public space • Establish public/private partnerships • Develop funding strategies Page 22 of 22 East of I-30 Study City of Little Rock 2005