DECEMBER 23, 2013 Final Report

Midtown Alliance Transit Station Enhancement Plans: MIDTOWN STATION

SMITH DALIA ARCHITECTS

SmithDalia ARCHITECTS, LLC

621 NORTH AVENUE, NE SUITE C-140 ATLANTA, GA 30308-2805 404-892-2443

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Ginny Kennedy

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Connie Krisak

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Morgan Gabler

Susan Stainback

Team Members: ‡

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Alex Brewer

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Jacob Vallo

Brian Whitfield

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Heather Alhadeff

MIDTOWN ALLIANCE | MARTA STATION ENHANCEMENT PLANS

Table of Contents 1

A1 - Project Description

2

A2 - Approach

4

Section B -Station Assessment B1 - Existing Conditions B2 - Summary & Project Brief

7 8 14

Section C -Concept Development

17

C1 - Station Concepts

18

C2 - Enhancement Strategies

20

Section D - Implementation Plan

27

D1 - Zone Plan

28

D2 - Project Cost Spreadsheet

32

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Section A - Introduction

S ECTION

A

artwork by HENSE

MARTA: Midtown Station Introduction

“Cities are re-making themselves around urban amenities and Transit is an essential component to defining the difference between world-class cities with vibrant 24-hour occupancy and the type of commuter city that empties out when work is over.”

1

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S EC TI O N A

Source: Peter David Cavaluzzi; EE&K

MIDTOWN ALLIANCE | MARTA STATION ENHANCEMENT PLANS

A1 Arts Center Station

Project Description: To develop implementable solutions for three Midtown Atlanta MARTA stations by enhancing the functional, operational, and aesthetic aspects of each station.

Project Goals: Attract Users & Spur Economic Development Short Term: To create an enhanced gateway experience that increases transit ridership and provides visitors with the best possible first impression of Midtown Atlanta. Midtown Station

North Ave. Station

Long Term: To reposition the transit stations as destinations in their own right that catalyze surrounding development and sustain economic growth within the Midtown area.

2

Transit Station Enhancement Desired Outcomes: s A renewed interest by community members to view MARTA stations as an asset s Plan that sustains the continued mixed use, high density development in Midtown, particularly in areas within the 5-minute walkshed of transit stations. s Strategies that aim to increase transit ridership and station visits s Actionable steps to: 1. 2. 3. 4.

To increase public safety and improve perceptions of safety in and around stations Improve accessibility to and from the stations by all users Improve connectivity to the stations Enhance the sense of place around MARTA stations

Project Work Plan:

Phase IV: Implementation Plan Phase V: Final Report

- August - October

S EC TI O N A

Phase III: Concept Development

- July - August

- October - November - December 2013

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Phase II: Visioning & Public Engagement

- June - July

3

Phase I: Station Assessment

MIDTOWN ALLIANCE | MARTA STATION ENHANCEMENT PLANS

A2

WHY?

current condition

Urban Centers: The designs of the original Midtown MARTA stations were mainly inwardly focused with little urban engagement beyond their immediate sites. As the city developed around them, there was minimal incorporation of the transit stations into the creation of public urban spaces. As a result, these sites became disconnected from the urban fabric and are contributing little to the perception or identity of Midtown Atlanta. The MARTA stations are under utilized in promoting Midtown’s community, culture, and activity in Atlanta which are essential components to the creation of “Place” in an urban setting. For these stations to be vibrant and successful, it is critical to re-introduce these elements to the MARTA sites. Transit stations are integral components of urban living which impact the overall quality of life and impression of our city for the residents and the visitors of Midtown Atlanta. To become true urban generators, these MARTA stations need to appeal to patrons beyond the commuter and provide amenities that promote a social exchange regardless of the intent to ride the transit system.

4

HOW?

proposed solution

If we are to make Atlanta more sustainable we need to create transit places that will sustain and enhance urban life. The collective experience of over 400,000 daily MARTA riders is a major contributing factor in our city’s urban experience and reputation.

S EC TI O N A

Urban Approach:

Safer

Delightful

s Access s Signage s Connectivity

s Lighting s Activation s Maintenance

s Landscape s Art s Interaction

s Productive Wait Time (Work, Entertain, Play)

5

Easier

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Making Midtown Atlanta’s Transit:

S ECTION

B

artwork by HENSE

MARTA: Midtown Station

7

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S EC TI O N B

Station Evaluation

MIDTOWN ALLIANCE | MARTA STATION ENHANCEMENT PLANS

B1

Arts Center Station

Arts Center Station: Residential Demographics (1/2 mile): Population Median Age Households Median Household Income Business Demographics (1/2 mile): Businesses Employees

8,884 37 5,271 $78,822

2,741 50,162

Urban Context Midtown Station

Midtown Station: Residential Demographics (1/2 mile): Population Median Age Households Median Household Income Business Demographics (1/2 mile): Businesses Employees

Residential Commercial

9,674 35.4 6,645 $63,110

3,144 54,609

Institutional Parks TCU Limited Access Transitional

North Ave. Station

North Ave. Station: Residential Demographics (1/2 mile): Population Median Age Households Median Household Income Business Demographics (1/2 mile): Businesses Employees

8 * Source|: MARTA GIS Analysis 2011 & ARC LandPro 2009.

* Source|: Site To Do Business on-line, 2011

12,426 25.7 4,006 $53,396

3,732 73,918

S EC TI O N B SMITH DAL IA .COM

Peachtree Place

Existing Site Plan

9

Midtown Station

Parking

Bus Terminal

10 Street

MIDTOWN ALLIANCE | MARTA STATION ENHANCEMENT PLANS

Key Topic Comparison

Maintenance Signage

Daily Ridership Land Use/Density 5.0

Cleanliness

Walk/bike ratio 4.0

Art Visibility

Vehicular Street Traffic 3.0

Landscaping Presence

Visibility to Station 2.0

Shelter from Weather

Bike Parking

1.0 0.0

Walkability

Lighting

Security

Wayfinding to Station

Seating Maintenance Signage Pedestrian Flow Way-finding in Station

Park N Ride Park N Ride Adequate space Waiting Areas Directness

Arts Center Midtown North Ave

10

Site Access

Bike Rack Presence Bike Rack Visibility Walkability Crosswalk Effectiveness ADA Compliant Ramps ADA Compliant Sidewalks Intuitiveness of Short-cuts Streetscape Lighting Wayfinding to Station Park N Ride Park N Ride Adequate space Park N Ride Visibility

Station Circulation

Waiting Areas Train Waiting Area Size Bus Waiting Area Size Directness Directness to Train Directness to Bus Way-finding in Station Way-finding Vertical Way-finding Directional Schedule Info Pedestrian Flow Maintenance Signage Seating Seating at Train Platform Seating at Bus Bay Seating outside Safety & Experience

Security Police presence Call box/station help Lighting Interior Exterior Shelter from Weather Landscaping Presence Art Visibility Cleanliness Graffitti Presence Litter Presence Dirt Maintenance Signage

27

Walk/bike ratio Vehicular Street Traffic Visibility to Station Bike Parking

S EC TI O N B

Housing Jobs Shopping Services DU/acre Jobs/acre

Arts Center Midtown North Ave 4.0 3 3.5 1.9 3.4 3.3 1.5 3.5 3 3.5 3 4 1 3.5 2.5 1 3.5 3 1 4 3.5 3.5 3 4 3 4 4.5 3.5 5 5 2.5 5 4 5 2.75 1.5 5 3 2 5 2.5 1 2.7 3.5 3.1 3.5 2.5 2.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 3 3.5 1 4.5 2.5 3.5 5 4 1 3 1 2.5 2.75 1 3 2.5 1 2 3 1 4 4 5 3 5 5 5 3 5 2.5 4.5 3.75 2 5 3.5 3 4 4 1.3 2.5 1.8 1 2.5 2.5 2 4 2 1 1 1 2 4 4 2 3 3 3 3.5 5 2 2.5 4 3.5 1.5 3 2.5 2 2 3.5 3.25 3.5 2 3 3.5 5 3.5 3.5 2.5 3.75 3.25 2.5 3.5 3 2.5 4 3.5 2 2 3 3.5 1 2 2 2.5 2.5 2 1.8 2.0 1 1 1 2 2 2 3 2.5 3 1 3 2

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Daily Ridership Land Use/Density

11

Urban Character

Key Topic Matrix

MIDTOWN ALLIANCE | MARTA STATION ENHANCEMENT PLANS

Urban Character Vehicular Street Traffic

Daily Ridership 5.0

4.0

Land Use/Density

3.0

2.0 Walk/bike ratio

Housing 1.0

0.0

Jobs/acre

Jobs

DU/acre

Shopping

Services

Arts Center

Site Access

Midtown North Ave

Park N Ride Visibility

Visibility to Station 5

Bike Parking

4 Park N Ride Adequate space

3

Bike Rack Presence

2 Park N Ride

1

Bike Rack Visibility

0

Wayfinding to Station

Walkability

Streetscape Lighting

Crosswalk Effectiveness

Intuitiveness of Short-cuts

ADA Compliant Ramps ADA Compliant Sidewalks

12

Site Circulation

Waiting Areas 5 Maintenance Signage

Train Waiting Area Size 4

3 Pedestrian Flow

Bus Waiting Area Size 2

Schedule Info

Directness

0

27

1

Directness to Train

Way-finding Directional

Way-finding Vertical

Directness to Bus Way-finding in Station

Arts Center

Safety/Experience

Midtown

Maintenance Signage Dirt

Seating 5

Seating at Train

4

Seating at bus

3 Litter Presence

Seating outside 2

1

Graffitti Presence

S EC TI O N B

North Ave

Security

0 Police presence

Art Visibility

Call box/station help

Landscaping Presence

Lighting Interior Exterior

13

Shelter from Weather

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Cleanliness

MIDTOWN ALLIANCE | MARTA STATION ENHANCEMENT PLANS

Summary:

B2

The Midtown station seems to be the most efficient and compact in terms of internal transit function and circulation. Directness and travel distance is proficient in this station which creates a sense of intuitiveness for the transit user. The transparency of the glass at the street level gives the commuter a sense of place and orientation to their surroundings. The exterior spaces and amenities for the commuter are limited however. There are few opportunities for shaded pick up and drop off areas causing commuters to loiter at the entrances to the station. There is very limited green space to soften the concrete plazas and provide relief from the heat. These plazas are overwhelmingly dominated by concrete, which as a material, tends to damper commuter experience. The addition of the stair and elevator entrances on the north side of 10th Street have not been integrated well into the transit experience. From the train platform level, ineffective signage & wayfinding makes these exits unnoticeable and commuters feel unsafe using the secluded stairwells. Given a choice, commuters are opting to use the 10th street crosswalk as a preferred alternative. This puts more demand of crossing 10th Street as daily commuting experience.

Midtown Station Comparisons: (Target Issues) Station Visibility –

highest

Wayfinding –

highest

Directness –

highest

Shelter –

lowest

Art Visibility –

low

Landscape –

lowest

Station Goals: › DXb\k_\eXm`^Xk`fekfXe[]ifdk_\kiX`egcXk]fiddfi\`ekl`k`m\Yp`eZi\Xj`e^k_\ wayfinding markers within the MARTA station as well as identify ways to communicate real time information to the transit users at street level. › :i\Xk\g\[\jki`Xe\og\i`\eZ\jXcfe^Yfk_('k_Jki\\kXe[G\XZ_ki\\GcXZ\k_Xk\e^X^\j the urban fabric and creates a sense of place. These spaces should create a street presence that activates the entry plazas with program and pedestrian conveniences. › Cffb]fifggfikle`k`\jkf`ekif[lZ\d`o\[lj\gif^iXdkfYifX[\ek_\Xgg\Xcf]k_\ MARTA site to an audience beyond the daily commuter. The eastern parking lot can be re-purposed as a pocket park introducing activity and a public amenity. ›