Eco Abet 2014 Summer Charrette - Westside Housing

WESTSIDE HOUSINGORGANIZATION

Summer Charrette 2014

Westside Housing4 About WHO6 Site Context and History10 Project Goals

Team BNIM14 Site Access and Connectivity18 Development Opportunities22 Site Plan and Elevations

Team Boulevard28 Site Access and Connectivity30 Streetscape Opportunities34 Site Plans and Elevations

34 EcoAbet

35 Special Consideration

WESTSIDE HOUSING IS ONE OF THE OLDEST AND MOST RESPECTED COMMUNITY

DEVELOPMENT CORPORATIONS IN KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

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Westside Housing Organization, Inc. (WHO) is a private, not-for-profit corporation founded in 1973 by neighborhood residents who wanted the City to improve the physical conditions of their neighborhood and save houses from being torn down for highway construction. Today, Westside Housing is one of the oldest and most respected community development corporations (CDC) in Kansas City, Missouri. It is the only CDC in Kansas City, Missouri that includes a significant focus on serving the Latino community, advocating on a range of social, political and housing issues. Under the direction of a neighborhood-based board of directors, Westside Housing Organization has had substantial success in reversing decades of disinvestment in residential neighborhoods, helping to strengthen related economic conditions in these communities.

ABOUT WESTSIDE HOUSINGSummer Charrette 2014

Westside Housing leading a community meeting on 06/09/2014

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The Westside South neighborhood was separated from Westside North by the construction of I-35 in the 1970s. Westside south is bound to the west by State Line Road, to the east by Southwest Traffic Way, to the north by 26th street, and to the south by 31st Street. The specific area of concentration for this project is 31st Street (on the south), 30th Street (on the north), Jarboe (on the east) and Mercier (on the west).

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SITE CONTEXT AND HISTORYSummer Charrette 2014

31st St.

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View looking South on Mercier

View looking Northeast on 31st Street

View looking Southwest at intersection of 30th and Jarboe

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SITE CONTEXT AND HISTORYSummer Charrette 2014

The homes in the area are smaller two and three bedroom bungalows. The neighborhood has rental properties, single family homes and industrial business as well as restaurants. Westside Housing currently owns the lots outlined in blue below.

West 31st Street

West 30th Street

Jarb

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Belle

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Ave

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Sum

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et/S

W T

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Terr

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Southwest

BoulevardWest 29th Street

Mad

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Hol

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3575ft 300ft

Dean Realty Co.

Dog’s World

Kilgore Industries

WDAF

Premier Packing

SolutionsQuality

Refrigeration

Ponaks

Koch Equipment

Schutte Lumber

Carthage Stoneworks

Paci�c Mutual

Door

“OUR GOAL IS TO CREATE POSSIBILITY FOR DEVELOPMENT

IN THE WESTSIDE SOUTH NEIGHBORHOOD.”

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· Senior living · Park · Single family homes · Grocery store · Professional building · Student living · Parking underneath · Construction training + computer

labs · Billboards for financial backing · Art space

· Parks (brings in strangers) · Billboards for financial backing · Industrial · Liquor Store

· Improved sidewalks and curbs · Tax Overlay district · Reduced light pollution · Small grocery or restaurant · Reduced noise level from Railroad · Watch 31st and Jarboe for dumping

and keep it mowed · Dump trucks/ semis rerouted

around neighborhoods

Acceptable Development:

Unacceptable Development:

Southend Desires:

PROJECT GOALSSummer Charrette 2014

On June 6th, Westside Housing Organization led a neighborhood brainstorming session to create an idea of the kinds of development the community would accept and reject in the specified lot. The community collectively came up with the following list of acceptable development, unacceptable development, and specific desires:

Arpit Balhara//BNIMBeth Dawson//MARCBranden Vissat//BNIMDaniel Brown//BNIMEmily Thompson//BNIMGunnar Hand//BNIMJoshua Boehm//BNIMJoshua Hemberger//BNIMLauren Garrott//BNIMSamuel De Jong//BNIMZach Flanders//BNIM

TEAM BNIM

“Utilize integrated development on 31st Street that includes multi-

story mixed use with residential and community-serving retail.”

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This area is currently isolated by topography, I-35, and Southwest Trafficway. However, future connectivity can be easily implemented with sidewalks, regional trail connections, and cycling accommodations. Additionally, the size of the site and the land adjacent to the site could enable the project to generate a center of gravity capable of anchoring the area. With a focus on community-based development, the proposed design implements a centrally-located neighborhood commons with strategic supporting programmatic spaces to act as a catalyst for future development of the proposed site.

Main Traffic WaysMain EntrancesMinor EntrancesMain Pedestrian PathMinor Pedestrian Path

SITE ACCESS AND CONNECTIVITY

The incorporation of green space and trails into the site could be connected to the existing trail system in Kansas City.

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31st Street as a Connector

30th Street as a family street

Jarboe Street as a retail center

Mercier Street as a Community emphasizer

30th Street features community-oriented retail, including a small grocery market and cafe and supported by activity generated from the larger retail along 31st Street and programmed community spaces along Mercier. It also features a small health clinic that specializes in services to seniors.

Infill of detached single family housing units and row homes, responding to existing single-family units on the site and across the street.

Mercier Street will provide programmed community spaces, terraced down in response to the change in topography. These spaces will include venues for job training in coordination with the nearby Penn Valley Community College, along with computer labs and art classrooms. These community venues not only respond to the needs of the surrounding community, but also fulfill the strategic goals of burgeoning community-oriented institutions like MCC. Above the community venues are multi-family housing with access to at-grade green roofs. Parking is located at the center of the site and covered by a green deck. It can be accessed through a covered driveway on Mercier Street.

31st Street features retail on the first floor and residences above. Although there are currently no pedestrian facilities or transit along 31st Street, this project’s activation of 31st Street warrants a public investment in these resources to better connect the Southend neighborhood with the rest of the city.

SITE ACCESS AND CONNECTIVITY

Possible view from Highway I-35

Possible view down 30th Street

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This site, located north of 31st Street between Jarboe and Mercier Streets provides living, working, retail, educational, and community opportunities. The Greater Downtown Area Plan designates this area as downtown residential on 31st Street transitioning to neighborhood residential on the north side of the site. Along this transition, there is also a steep change in topography as well. This change in topography presents many challenges to development, but it also presents a change to emphasize the environment and create a site specific design.The designation of downtown residential transitioning to neighborhood residential, along with the natural topography of the site, presents a major opportunity for development not only within the site, but within the entire Westside community.

Row Houses Mixed Use

TrainingCommunity

Existing

A myriad of supplemental funding options are available to help realize this project, including various tax abatement programs, New Market Tax Credits, and Low Income Housing Tax Credits which could be appropriate given the size of this project.

DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES

The existing topography has a steep slope from the South to North. This sloping landscape presents the opportunity to create a green common space for the block and surrounding community to take advantage of.

The existing topography also presents the opportunity to create parking underground below the proposed green common space.

By providing a central space accessible by diverse users, this common green area will create a safe, celebrated space that nurtures community and creates connections.

This emphasis on green space will also be expanded onto the buildings themselves in the form of green roofs.

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The central green commons can be accessed through the surrounding buildings, as well as through a central terraced walkway at the center of 30th Street. The green space features an amphitheater and band shell, trails, and a patio for the adjacent café.

Possible View West Along 31st Street

DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Option One

1. Transit hub2. Outdoor patio space3. Amphitheater4. Pedestrian arcade5. Secondary outside spaces6. Garage entry7. Water retention/Trail system

1.

2. 2.

3.

5. 4. 5.

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1. Pedestrain entry/ Extension of Holly Street2. Entry from transit hub3. Transition from multi family to single family4. New community center5. Garage entry6. Main green commons7. Secondary spaces

Option Two

5.6.

7.7.

2.

7.7.

1.

4.

3.

SITE PLANS AND ELEVATIONS

East Elevation

West Elevation

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SITE PLANS AND ELEVATIONS

TEAM BOULEVARDAshley Sadowski//DRAW ArchitectureBrandi Purchas//Westside HousingBrittany Hodges//Gastinger Walker HardenCharles Gorugantula//MARCChloe Lockman//Eco AbetDaniel Dermitzel//UMKCEric Bunch//BikeWalk KCEric Vaughan//BikeWalk KCJake Wagner//UMKCJesse Crupper//DRAW ArchitectureJosh Best//EDC

“We created greater connectivity by focusing on major barriers and

replacing them with new amenities driven by a new investment in

housing, community-based retail and education-oriented office and

related space.”

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Park/rec spaceIntergenerational housingIntegrated open spaceGardens/resting spaceHousing/student housingArts/live work spaceTransportation connections

The team attempted to promote environmental connections by leaving existing forest and drainage systems intact, prioritizing flat areas for development and steep slopes for environmental amenities. Topographical conditions, as well as forested area shaped our sense of what spaces could most easily be developed with the least amount of grading. Bridges would connect the two areas of development and environment together with walkways to promote connectivity. A sense of community connection was also emphasized through multi-generational housing, community based retail, and multi-modal transportation.

Program

Jarboe Street

Mercier Street

31st

Str

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30th

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Major topological changes

Water Accumulation

Ideal development sites

Existing structures

SITE ACCESS AND CONNECTIVITY

Looking northeast on 31st Street

Looking south on the corner of 30th and Jarboe

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Southwes

t Boule

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I-35 Summ

it Street31st Street

The current site is not only isolated, but also a source of isolation or a barrier for the surrounding residential area. The Southend community has been heavily impacted by major infrastructure decisions and designs mostly due to transportation (highways and railroad). Most apparent, I35 cuts off the area from adjacent residential areas.

The BNSF Railway in the Westside is currently unused and collecting unwanted water. This is a possibility to create a “Greenway,” a connector for bikes and pedestrians, with an emphasis of green space, helping to reconnect the city grid and absorb rain water.

The creation of bike lanes on 30th and 31st Streets and the BNSF Railway would serve to connect the Westside community to the rest of Kansas City by diminishing barriers created by some of the current, surrounding streets.

STREETSCAPE OPPORTUNITIES

Looking east from the corner of 31st Street and Mercier

Looking south from the corner of 31st Street and Mercier

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10’ 10’ 10’ 10’Drive Lane Drive Lane Drive Lane Drive Lane

12’Drive Lane

12’Drive Lane

2’ 2’6’ 6’Bike Lane Bike Lane

10’Drive Lane

10’Drive Lane

2’6’ 12’Bike Lane Sharrow

Existing Conditions

Option One

Option Two

Based on the team’s research, the existing conditions on 31st Street suggest that a road diet is necessary. Less than 5,000 cars per day pass the site on 31st Street. By decreasing the street scape from four drive lanes to some sort of combination of drive and bike lanes, traffic could be calmed and it could create a safer neighborhood. Sidewalks on the north side are currently under development, and the community would benefit from adding bike lanes to this plan. Bike lanes could also connect the community to the rest of Kansas City.

STREETSCAPE OPPORTUNITIES

W 30th Street

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Bus Stop

1.

2.

2.

4.

5.

1st fl: Housing2nd & 3rd fl: Student Housing

1st fl: Educational2nd & 3rd fl: Multi-Generational Housing

1st fl: Office2nd & 3rd fl: Housing

1st fl: Retail2nd & 3rd fl: Housing

Office

W 31St Street

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

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Kansas City’s demographics show an emerging racial generation gap. We propose to bridge this gap by creating multi-generational connections through diverse housing options with an intergenerational housing focus. The community also expressed an interest in community based retail along 31st Street. This combination of intergenerational housing and retail could help to create a community center out of the isolated project site.

SITE PLANS AND ELEVATIONS

90%of the World’s designers

10%of the World’s customers

90% of the World’s designers focus all of their effort on developing products

and services exclusively for the richest 10% of the World’s customers

-ADAPTED FROM PAUL POLAK, OUT OF POVERTY: WHEN TRADITIONAL APPROACHES FAIL

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ECOABETSummer Charrette 2014

Eco Abet originated in 2010 as a 501(c)3, intent on providing every person access to design. Design that promotes a socially, economically, and environmentally healthy community.

To provide this service to those who cannot afford it, we facilitate design charrettes that have three key deliverables:

1. Access to professional design services for community organizations.

2. Compelling visual media that help funders assess community projects’ merits, which may otherwise be difficult to visualize without Eco Abet’s services.

3. Professional development and volunteer opportunities for architects and other designers.

With a design charrette, Eco Abet assists in initiating the first steps in a building project’s design process, in which a group of architects and designers provide solutions to a specific design concern. While the structure of a charrette can vary across the profession, we invite the Kansas City design community (for one day) to offer their services and talents for free. These design participants are divided into groups and given a preselected project with which to design. This publication is a summary of one of three projects involved in our 2014 Summer Charrette.

Individual involvement takes place for a myriad of reasons. Between community organizations and the designers helping them envision and communicate their projects, relationships are being formed that give exposure to all stakeholders involved. Anyone who can bring resources to a project is invited to the table. All members are mutually benefited and the results of these projects ultimately assist the betterment of the overall community.

· Morse Architectural Products

· Parisi Artisan Coffee

· Spin! Neopolitan Pizza

· Fervere

· Chez Elle

· Price Chopper

· Summit Architecture

· Katrina Elaine Photography

· KCDC

· Women in Design

Team Sponsors:

Event Supporters:

Event Partners:

SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONSummer Charrette 2014

· Amanda Drews Deacy

· Mary Sullivan Deacy

· Mary Anne Kapp

· Bill Reisler

Board of Directors

· Rachel Duncan

· Jesiy Brown

· Sara Wells

· Brittany Hodges

· Erin Hurd

· Beth Dawson

· Samantha McCloud

· Lindsay Nencheck

· Tiffany Hoffman

Planning Committee

· Chloe Lockman

· Culin Thompson

· Angela Gunn

Publication Design & Editing: 39