Mike - in regard to lighting. hen they take these grants for various things there are often strings attached. I believe that this is one of the main reasons that over bright electric lighting was introduced into town and all the way up Woodside. You have to remember these people are afraid of the dark, they think evil lurks there, that there are stalkers in the understory plantings, etc. You're not dealing with rocket scientists here. They probably genuinely like the new "casinos" we are getting all over town with their attendant outdoor lighting schemes. You want to see something really ghastly take a look up on Scottswood at the River. Or on Nuttall and Longcommon at night.
Riverside Info » About Riverside
Centennial Industrial Site (aka "Park")
(36 posts)-
Posted Thursday Jun 14, 2007 22:11 #
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Where is the image of the current DLK plan for Centennial Park? Does this plan also call for the removal of trees? What of the green space is left?
I cannot pull up the 8/14 article from the search function on the Landmark.
Posted Thursday Sep 6, 2007 16:16 # -
http://rblandmark.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=2869&SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1
Maybe because they spelled DLK as DKL in the article...
Posted Friday Sep 7, 2007 12:16 # -
Thanks Chris. I can't read it, but perhaps there will be a big blowup at the "Special" meeting Monday night.
Posted Friday Sep 7, 2007 12:50 # -
Verbal description of plan from that same link to the Landmark:
"In the meantime, DKL Civic Design, the architects hired to design the improvements, will attempt to formulate a plan that passes muster with the village's plan, landscape advisory, and preservation commissions. Last week, those three groups gave the preliminary concept plan mixed reviews.
As presented, most of the improvements are relegated to the southwest half of the triangular park, which is home to the historic brick water tower, the Riverside Recreation Department offices (in the former pump house attached to the water tower) and two cylindrical former well houses. One of the well houses is home to the Riverside Historical Museum. The other well house will be a future exhibit site for the museum, and is currently under construction.
The plan shows new planting beds and trees along the East Avenue frontage of the park and new aggregate concrete walkways that would connect the park with the train station across Pine Avenue.
One of the more controversial aspects of the plan is relocating the curb line of the park's southwest corner. A concept drawing shows the curb being moved to the northeast by some 10 feet, a move that would create an open paved area to the southwest of the park where the village would have room to erect an event tent or bandstand.
Members of both the plan commission and the preservation commission balked at the proposal, which they say would sacrifice green space for pavement.
"We want to give the impression that Riverside is more of a green place," said Aberdeen Marsh-Ozga, a member of the preservation commission.
Preservation commissioner Richard Ray also slammed a plan to use brick pavers on East and Pine avenues. Planners suggested the brick pavers to delineate the area around Centennial Park as a village common area. Ray stated emphatically that the pavers flew in the face of Frederick Law Olmsted's original plan for the village.
"Riverside never had brick streets," Ray said. "From the beginning, Olmsted said the wheelways were to be a continuous surface and not bumpy. I think it would be inconsistent with Olmsted's concept to put brick in there."
Preservation commissioners were also critical of a plan to located the entire heating and air-conditioning system for the southwest well house on a 4-by-6-foot concrete pad, adjacent to the structure. Instead, they said, it should be similar to the solution the village uses for the historical museum in the northeast well house.
Hullihan said he will recommend making that specific change to the plan. Regarding the location of the curb and the paving, Hullihan said the architect will provide plans with all options. All of the commissions will later get to review more detailed plans. The Plan Commission will make a final recommendation on the site plan to the village board, which has final authority on the matter.
Hullihan said detailed architectural drawings won't be completed until fall of 2008."
Posted Friday Sep 7, 2007 16:52 # -
THIS IS A REPOST OF MIKE HULLIHAN'S DESCRIPTION OF AND RATIONALE FOR THE PROJECT, TO REFRESH OUR RECOLLECTIONS:
"Some information on the Centennial site. The area had been occupied by parts of our water system. The gravity system was replaced by a pumped system in 2003 and the components of the system in/around the water tower were taken out of service in 2004. The additional open space created by the removal of the reservoir building presented an opportunity for adaptive re-use of the site. We applied for and received approval for an Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program grant in 2006. This project includes resurfacing of East and a portion of Pine Ave, sidewalk and ADA access improvements, removal of service drive, lighting improvements, landscaping, and hardscaping. Engineering and design are scheduled for 2007 with a target construction contract letting of June 2008. Required design activities include environmental testing of soils, design of proposed alignments for curbing and sidewalks, landscaping design, lighting design, design of modifications to power distribution system and selection of pavement materials. The preliminary design will be presented to the Landscape Advisory Commission and Preservation Commission before presentation to the Board of Trustees. The total project cost is estimated at $420,000 with a Federal cost share of $336,000. The official name of the project is the Railway/Water Tower Campus Project. In the project justification and subsequently I used the term "Centennial Plaza" as the project area encompasses more than the space bounded by the curbs. In the design phase we will do a layout of East Ave including angled parking on both sides of the street along with one with parking only on the West side. Both will be reviewed by LAC and Preservation Commission as outlined above. It should be noted that the Elm tree which is located at the corner of the former site of the reservoir is in decline. Removal of the reservoir (which was leaking) deprived it of its main source of water. Hopefully these facts will make future discussions more fruitful. "
Posted Monday Sep 10, 2007 22:54 # -
Now, I think someone told me tonight the parking spaces are out. Is that true?
It sounded to me like we are doing this because we were given 300K+ free money to do it. Albeit the free money is going to cost us $85K. Does anyone know what part of this design, if any, encroaches upon the green space that was not formerly occupied by the reservoir or the driveway? One item I heard of tonight was that there needs to be an exterior air conditioner to protect the historical collection. That would be screened with landscaping.
I have the impression from the special meeting tonight that all the trustees favor this, and I believe they have the zoning law on their side. Hm. It is hard for me to understand what can be better than green spece in the middle of a built environment, other than putting some discreet benches on it. It is so small, after all.
Posted Monday Sep 10, 2007 23:01 # -
1. It would be terrible if they put parking spaces on the east side of East Ave (where there are none now.)
2. Who really cares about that little corner in the very SW edge of the 'park'? It's useless and pathetic as green space goes. Ever walk from Riverside Garage over that way? It's not like pristine old growth forest or something, it's a cruddy little piece of grass and concrete!
Of course it's hard to tell from the tiny dlk drawing and the official drawings won't be done until later, but if it's just the tiny little corner across from Riverside Garage, I'd say let it go. There are more important things to fight about.
Posted Tuesday Sep 11, 2007 07:41 # -
Riversider - There was a building there that was torn down, and with this in the offing nothing was done but throw in some grass seed. It is the space that is important. What will this wider street be used for if not for parking? A bandstand? A Performance space? Next to the trains? Look at Centennial from down on Longcommon across from the school and then imagine what parking along the west side of the park would do? The important thing is to preserve the space. Why cut it back and provide more paving. For what? We all need to read and look deeper into what the Board says is the purpose for all this. Go back and look at the TOD drawings to see that they first had 15-17 spaces on the east side of East Ave. and all the spaces were angled in the other way - toward Forest. That meant the traffic from Pine would exit right into our busiest corner. This was all part of a greater plan to create a larger space where Riverside Garage is and the parking garage where Mike's house is and condos on the south side of Pine. And at the Masonic building. And rezone Forest along the south side. And get those 100 new condos into this little town. Be watchful.
Posted Tuesday Sep 11, 2007 08:39 # -
I was told by one of the trustees that Riverside Garage is safe from interference and that they have been told as much, that it is a valued business that the trustees themselves use as residents. As do we all. I was worried about this when I read in the CP vision statement in the trustees' packet about the desire for a space for "al fresco" dining, as I did not see how this could be had on public property.
Posted Tuesday Sep 11, 2007 10:42 #
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