CUMBERLAND AVENUE PUBLIC MEETING

Knoxville Cumberland Avenue Charrette Table Session Input December 5, 2006 Table 1. Make way for Transit! Table 1 participants were skeptical about change because some of them had a long history as property owners in the area, but they were supportive of the three lane proposal and had ideas about transit in the area. Minimize trolleys and buses on Cumberland Have a trolley that connects the whole area Create a bypass if necessary Don’t send trolleys downtown Remove utilities on street Improve utilities in the alley Leave cars parked and use the transit system Alleys improved to accommodate deliveries They drew: A trolley route through the district Bus pull offs Trees on Cumberland Ave. Table 2. In the Mix Table 2 participants wanted to answer every question and like the vision statement and the three lane option. Art supplies and books A mix that caters to students, staff, and residents 24/7 Make mixes vertical and make the university part of it Should be welcoming to entire city How do you handle Lake Avenue, connection between Cumberland and University Wider sidewalks a necessity They drew: Don’t change College Inn, between 18 th and 20 th on north side, the character of Cumberland through the university Maintain access to medical facilities on north south streets Address potential development at Mountcastle Park Moved or underground utilities Street tree with street furnishings Changes radii on side streets to allow service vehicles to operate off of Cumberland Striped bike lanes Undeveloped spaces for bus pull offs Gateway improvements on 17th Table 3. Parking – R – Us Table 3 Participants were very detailed in their recommendations, particular about parking, service and delivery and they wanted to keep the Ft. Sanders neighborhood character preserved. No parking on Cumberland Could UT/hospitals and merchants share parking as in White Ave garage? What kinds of services to hospitals want for their staff? How much can strip business be regulated…such as removing Panera out front parking? How does the 3 lane option work with so many crosswalks? Vision statement should be more pedestrian friendly On street parking may make its own problems Alley might be a better face for businesses with back porch seating and pedestrian traffic Cars and deliveries have to go somewhere Alleys will have to be widened Best solution for vehicles may be border parking like UT Underground parking may not be healthy because of fumes Can delivery times be regulated to stop night deliveries? Campus Pointe and new development could add grocery stores Some deliveries need to be made very close to businesses, cases of beer Keep Karnes Drugs, OCI, trees on White White Ave. parking garage and some lots on west end of Fort for border lots Reduce surface lots and build structure garages but must be safe Safe access to Tyson Park via bikes and pedestrian Divert some traffic from Cumberland to other streets? Side streets not built for speed. Another northwest exit from neighborhood near Rohm and Haas Reconfigure one way streets, 19th and 20th work well Maximize Cumberland for pedestrian potential One way streets are confusing Parking off Concord They drew : Taking Terrace and Lake Ave. to two way OCI with storefront retail with parking above and behind Parking garages at Cumberland and 22nd, White and 22nd. Shared parking at 20th and White Keep glorious trees and old homes on White Alley with sidewalks and cafes between 18th and 19th, Cumberland and White Railroad barrier to Tyson Park Table 4: I see the light Table 4 participants validated the vision statement and thought three lanes was a bad idea. They had lots to say about lighting, alleys, connections, parking and visual clutter. Consistent lighting style…like World’s Fair Park Ground lighting Garage pick up time limited-no late night Bike lane Smaller less cluttered signs Standards – enforced Street parking on one side, bike lane on other No street parking Fewer bus stops Underground utilities Pros are density with income, proximity to downtown, multi-venue destination Traffic lights/lighting not pedestrian friendly Clean up filthy dirty alley between Lake and Cumberland Eliminate ugly storefronts Develop design standards for businesses Restrict use of alley between Lake and Cumberland Add no loitering signs behind restaurants Sidewalk from Cumberland down Mountcastle to connect with Lake Ave. sidewalk Lower price for parking at Lake Ave and 18th St. so more students use They drew: Street trees and low street lights along Cumberland Shared parking garages at 18th and White and at the UT garage on Lake. Noted a dangerous condition on Cumberland between Alcoa and 22nd. A greenway connection to Cumberland from Tyson Park Crossed through on-street parking and drew bike lanes on the proposed section Table 5. Green Bike Team Table 5 participants had lots of ideas about how to redevelop the district in a more ecologically friendly way and they all wanted it to be more bike friendly. Bike lanes/public transportation Close several blocks to create a plaza like Market Square Route through traffic Neyland Shared parking in back Bikeable neighborhoods Create a plaza with a community garden Small amphitheater, place for summer concerts/food/café Beautiful parks Ecologically and environmentally responsible construction Where are materials coming from? Community gardens Locally owned businesses Community led action, involvement and decision making on all levels Less driving/drive-thrus Solar panels on roofs Green roofs Bike lanes, bike lanes, bike lanes Uses: grocery store, hardware store, park and plaza event space Construction will impact businesses Bury utilities Design guidelines: no signs above buildings, third story development, give design boards more teeth Blend university standards with corridor Eliminate on-street parking Use bays for transit (bus pull offs) Less transit stops Don’t kill off existing businesses They drew: Shared parking at White and 21st…city to buy lot Green space 19th block of Cumberland Potential development at White and 18th Crossed through front of store parking Table 6 The Big Vision Table 6 participants talked a lot about big ideas and long term prospects for the district. They wanted to make the most of Mountcastle park as well. High density parking behind, less surface lots fronting Cumberland Ave. Utility lines need to be underground/pedestrian scale Limit types of bars, restaurants and such, more neighborhood uses Use UT and existing parks as greenspace Work with UT for parking and housing on back side of Cumberland Sign ordinance Lighting changes to be more pedestrian friendly Create bicycle stands Signal timing Change one ways to two ways Safe and secure street Three lane to Tyson Park Create overlay association Limit delivery trucks to the rear Make it a destination location Decrease bars and create more unique retail/eateries with patios Create safe connection to proposed sorority housing High density public parking for business on strip More bridges across Cumberland Allow for second story pedestrian traffic Use traffic calming method, landscaping, bumpouts on Cumberland Internet accessible street Neyland Drive- how can it take all the overflow without making it more disconnected, how to tie into waterfront development Eliminate non-commercial on street parking Use vertical space while maintaining pedestrian scale with buildings Bike lanes essential Area as residential would be for young professionals/doctors/students More vegetation Improve existing parks by making safer Eliminate some side street parking to connect back to campus and strip More high density parking and multi-story buildings One ways are annoying and confusing No on street parking, especially not parallel because they will cause traffic back up Market Square is precedent for non-on street deliveries Cumberland Avenue equals pedestrian priorities with three traffic lanes Any green space needs to stay at street level, not roofs Existing and or new development of commercial/residential and potentially rear/air access to buildings Appropriate/compatible design transition between Cumberland and Ft. Sanders They drew: Large anchor for Main Street at 22nd and Cumberland North side of Cumberland multi use to the street edge all along Back side is high density parking on White South side of Cumberland, mix of uses and some purely retail with UTK parking decks lined with housing Improved Mountcastle Park Revamp existing UTK parking garage next to Mountcastle Table 8 Less is more Table 8 participants noted a number of things they wanted less of or removed altogether. They liked both on street parking and the three lane proposal. Less predatory parking lots Less curb cuts Less fast food and gas stations Go high vertical on Cumberland, step down on Lake and White Alleys for service vehicles Three lanes yes On street parking yes Integrate development from front to back with alley access Hawkeye’s parking for parking structure Green connection from Cumberland to Mountcastle Park Route traffic to Neyland as possible How many surface parking spaces exist now in Ft. Sanders? Less duplication of services Signalize cross walks and enforce jaywalking Shared parking Five to six stories or more on Cumberland (mixed use) They drew: Parking garage on Terrace next to UT parking garage Trees all down Cumberland from 22nd to 16th Preserve existing houses on Lake and White Redeveloped Walgreens lot A build to line on Cumberland Shared parking on parking lots used by Ft. Sanders Hospital Preserve the Longbranch Preserve retail edge along Cumberland between 18th and 19th Table 10 Making the Connection Table 10 participants wanted to strengthen internal and external connections. They had a lot to say about the types of appropriate development and the need for an effective mix of uses throughout. Strengthen the connections to downtown Concern about bike lanes Concern about connecting bike lanes, sidewalks and lighting Concern about activating parks Panhandling Concern about development on three lanes….mixed use maybe incompatible uses Residential focus on north side Beware of treading on right of way…want to be able to build to right of way Need more green space Vision statement….should add mixed use On street parking...strategic and ideally Improve alley access Clarify intent of development in vision statement They drew: More commercial on Cumberland and White, 19th to 22nd Cumberland and 17th a possible center Designated bus stops, example at Cumberland and 18th Residential between Cumberland and Clinch and 19th and 17th Keep Mountcastle Park Keep Longbranch Keep residential edge at Lake between Volunteer Blvd and Mountcastle Scale of large student housing on White out of scale for neighborhood