Evanston completes its charrette

Evanston completed its week long charrette Saturday with a presentation by architects that transformed residents' ideas for the downtown area into feasible design plans.

A "charrette" is an intense planning session where citizens and designers collaborate on a vision for development. This charette, which is part of Evanston's first major development planning since 1989, established guidelines for future growth so that unregulated development would not overwhelm the city. City Council commissioned the charrette in May as part of the on-going downtown development plan.

During the week, residents expressed what they would like the downtown district to look and feel like. In a series of breakout sessions and meetings with specific groups of residents, the architects and consultants, who were hired by the city to implement a proposal, heard suggestions about high-rise developments and parking among other concerns.

Kevin Klinkenberg, the head architect with 180° Design Studio who worked with Evanston residents, said they "are an opinionated group," but their participation makes it "easier than when people don't show up."

"They have particular interests and are very responsive," he said.

Residents were invited to drop in to the temporary design studio at 1630-1632 Orrington Ave. to talk with the architects and observe their work. The architects also held meetings with some specific groups-young professionals, new residents, and property owners-to hear what these special interests would like to see downtown. The studio estimated that more than 200 people either attended a meeting or visited during drop-in hours.

"I was expecting a fight but everyone was cooperative," said Paul Barker, an Evanston resident who lives on Oakton Street and attended the Saturday presentation. "The basic feeling of residents is that they don't like the idea of being sold out to developers. This is the opposite. We get to have our say."

One of the first challenges facing residents and architects was defining the actual boundaries for downtown. In the first breakout session held Monday night in the Civic Center, about 80 residents worked in small groups around maps to outline downtown. In the map presented on Saturday, downtown had expanded beyond its traditional boundaries to stretch from Hinman Avenue to Ridge Avenue and Emerson Street to Lake Street.

By Saturday, the architects and associates from Duncan Associates, The Lakota Group, Goodman Williams Group and KLOA, Inc., presented their recommendations in a slideshow. They emphasized that their goals would take 15 to 20 years to fully complete.

The team recommended developing more intimacy and pedestrian viability. Bookman's Alley, off Sherman Avenue, has potential for walk space, but is not successfully used now, Klinkenberg said.

"As cities urbanize, they must utilize the space they have," he said. By turning to the alleys, Klinkenberg said the city could expand without building out or up.

Additionally, converting one-way streets into two-way streets would help slow down traffic and make crossing streets easier. Speed is the main danger for pedestrians and two-way streets actually slow traffic, said Klinkenberg citing Church Street and Davis Street as examples.

As for new construction, the presentation recommended that new buildings be set back from the street to avoid the "canyon effect." Klinkenberg cited the Best Western University Plaza on Sherman Avenue as an example. By setting the building back from the sidewalk, it is less daunting from the street and allows for more light.

No specific height limits for future construction were mentioned, but the planning team said "predictable" rules for construction will benefit both developers and residents. The team is expected to make more definite recommendations on traffic and zoning for the city by early September.

Ald. Lionel Jean-Baptiste, whose 2^nd Ward includes part of downtown, said he was pleased with the charrette and that it "attracted a high level of attention."

"When a developer wants to build, we have the where-with-all to see if it's consistent with what's established by the process," he said.

Residents who attended the Saturday morning presentation expressed satisfaction with the recommendations.

Though some residents expressed concern that the expanded downtown would encroach into traditionally residential areas, most said they felt confident with the proposal.

"It's a good plan in that they are talking about balance," said Anne Earle. "There are places for development and there are places to keep."

Danielle Schultz, who said she was born in Evanston and has lived here for 22 years, said the plan will help keep Evanston unique and an attractive place for young people to live.

"This is not Wilmette with its two-point-three kids and a loser cruiser."