Joe Lawler
Managing Editor
FOR THE PAST 10 years, South Bend Mayor Steve Luecke and the Notre Dame administration have envisioned a commercial center resembling a traditional college town near the intersection of Eddy Street and Edison Streets. The development would satisfy students’ need for a place to shop and socialize within walking distance of campus. The development has been delayed by neighbors’ fears that their residential area will be ruined by a raucous student hangout and by university members who expressed concern that over-commercialization would mar the aesthetics of campus. The design of the Eddy Street Commons, however, has allayed those concerns with its use of New Urbanism.
Developed in the 1990’s, New Urbanism is “a method of building human-scale neighborhoods in place of single-use subdivisions, shopping centers, and office parks,” according to the New Urban News. With a strong following and many proponents in the Notre Dame School of Architecture, New Urbanism typifies many of the things students, faculty, visitors, and community members would like to see in Notre Dame’s own college town.
“People think that New Urbanism is nostalgia, but really it’s very sound” said Dr. Norman Crowe, School of Architecture professor and South Bend Common Council architectural adviser, in an interview with The Rover. Dr. Crowe, himself a New Urbanism expert, opined that the Commons will have a visible positive impact on both the campus and South Bend’s Northeast neighborhood. He cited students’ and faculty’s lack of access to commercial areas within walking distance as an indicator of the potential for retail. Dr. Crowe also added that graduate students and young faculty especially would like to escape the “isolation” of campus from the local community.
The Commons will employ many New Urbanism principles that will bring retailers right to Notre Dame’s doorstep, while maintaining both the style of the school as well as a layout conducive to community and school relations. The Congress for the New Urbanism lists among the defining characteristics of the movement “restoration of existing urban centers and towns within coherent metropolitan regions, the reconfiguration of sprawling suburbs into communities of real neighborhoods and diverse districts, the conservation of natural environments, and the preservation of our built legacy.”
According to Greg Hakanen, the University’s Director of Asset Management and Real Estate, the Commons will be designed with these principles in mind. The project will encourage pedestrians and bicyclists, as both retail and hospitality destinations will be within walking distance of campus and recreational areas. As for cars, “autos are accommodated but not celebrated” with a 1,200-car garage nestled out of sight behind more aesthetic buildings. The Commons will complement Notre Dame’s collegiate Gothic style, with varied facades across the development providing aesthetic interest while maintaining continuity with the campus.
Aside from the proposed Irish Pub at the corner of Eddy and Angela, the highlight of the project is the “Town Commons” concept for the area between the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center and the intersection of Eddy and Edison. The Town Commons will connect the campus to the Eddy Street with a “town square,” an outdoor space with that will serve many purposes beyond being a scenic walkway between campus and the college town. It will include places for both the permanent and temporary exhibition of sculpture, and will host outdoor drama, music, and cinema productions, according to Mr. Hakanen, in addition to providing a “place for the University to recognize the contributions of major benefactors and trustees.”
Kite Realty, the developer responsible for the Commons, hired Looney Ricks Kiss (LRK) Architects to design for the project. Dr. Crowe stated that his Congress of the New Urbanism colleagues view LRK as a “very reputable” firm, with experience in neighborhood-friendly development. Tellingly, LRK is a sponsor of the upcoming International Students for New Urbanism Congress, which will be held in Bond Hall on October 5-7.
One advantage LRK enjoys is the lessons learned from the growing body of New Urbanism work. The New Urban News claims that over 250 new towns, villages, and neighborhoods involving traditional neighborhood development are under construction in the US. One such project in particular that Notre Dame can look to as an example is the University of Connecticut’s Storrs Center, a $165 million college town that Dr. Crowe and other experts already regard as a success.
Another resource that LRK has at its disposal is the School of Architecture, which is among the leaders in New Urbanism. Mr. Hakenan confirmed Notre Dame Architecture faculty and graduates were among the groups considered for the project and commented, “Their presence on those teams was considered a strong plus.” Dr. Crowe noted that to this point the faculty of the School has seen schematics of the project, but not actual designs. Furthermore, architectural students have submitted their own design incorporating many of the principles LRK has embraced “as a pedagogical exercise.”
Kite’s and LRK’s design has also answered questions regarding the viability of such a large commercial development in South Bend’s Northeast Neighborhood. The South Bend Common Council voted unanimously on July 16th to approve the Commons’ plan, indicating residents’ satisfaction with the proposal. According to Dr. Crowe, himself a resident of the Northeast neighborhood, the Council did not influence the design of the Commons, but did exert some influence over the quantifiable aspects of the project, such as the height of buildings. Although Dr. Crowe said that the community is “not completely at ease” with some of the aspects of the large development, including traffic and density, overall they are comfortable with the plan.
Kite Realty plans to offer condominiums at a price of under $200,000 and three-story courtyard townhouses at a starting price of around $300,000, although Mr. Hakenan noted that those stated prices are not finalized, and will change as the market dictates. Pricing is one of the tools the developers will use to discourage students from turning the Commons into an undergraduate hangout, which was one of the neighborhood’s fears. He stated, “While fair housing laws prevent barring students directly, a combination of design, pricing, marketing and management techniques will be employed to minimize student occupancy in the neighborhood.” The goal of keeping students away satisfies both the University’s aim of emphasizing campus life and the Northeast neighborhood’s desire to keep out some of the more unattractive qualities of student life.
The $215 million Eddy Street Commons is the largest development project in South Bend since 1989, according to the July 16th City of South Bend press release. “It is very important that it be based on New Urbanism,” Dr. Crowe said, “It’s a wonderful opportunity.”
Contact Joe at jlawler2@nd.edu.
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