Arlington County

Courthouse Square Planning and Urban Design Study Analysis

19 March 2014

Cooper, Robertson & Partners Architecture, Urban Designwith Buro Happold, HR&A, Kimley –Horn, Nelson Nygaard, & Tactical Aesthetics

OVERVIEW

What does Courthouse Square want to be?

1. Cultural Resources

2. Circulation

3. Building Location and Design

4. Open Space

5. Sustainability

IDENTITY: WHAT DOES COURTHOUSE SQUARE WANT TO BE?

CULTURAL RESOURCES

CULTURAL RESOURCES

HISTORY: AGRICULTURE

• ARLINGTON WAS MOSTLY AGRICULTURAL LANDS UNTIL THE EARLY 1900’S

• THE FIRST AGRICULTURAL FAIR WAS HELD IN ARLINGTON.

• THE USDA’S ORIGINAL EXPERIMENTAL FARMLANDS WERE BETWEEN ARLINGTON CEMETERY AND THE PENTAGON

CULTURAL RESOURCES

HISTORY: AGRICULTURE

• ARLINGTON WAS MOSTLY AGRICULTURAL LANDS UNTIL THE EARLY 1900’S

• THE FIRST AGRICULTURAL FAIR WAS HELD IN ARLINGTON.

• THE USDA’S ORIGINAL EXPERIMENTAL FARMLANDS WERE BETWEEN ARLINGTON CEMETERY AND THE PENTAGON

• THIS AGRICULTURAL HISTORY LIVES ON IN ITS FARMERS MARKET.

CULTURAL RESOURCES

HISTORY: A CIVIC HUB

• IN 1898 THE COUNTY COURTHOUSE IS RELOCATED TO ITS CURRENT AREA

CULTURAL RESOURCES

HISTORY: A CIVIC HUB

• IN 1898 THE COUNTY COURTHOUSE IS RELOCATED TO ITS CURRENT AREA

• IN THE 1960’S THE COUNTY TORE DOWN ITS ORIGINAL BUILDING BUILT A MIDRISE FACILITY

• IN THE EARLY 1990’S RELOCATED TO THE CURRENT FOUR BUILDINGS THAT MAKE UP TODAY’S CIVIC HUB.

COURT SQ. WEST & 2100 CLARENDON BLVD (CURRENT COUNTY FACILITIES)

COUNTY JAIL & COURTHOUSE

CULTURAL RESOURCES

HISTORY: A PLACE TO EARN A LIVING

A PLACE TO CALL HOME

• IN THE EARLY 1900s ARLINGTON EVOLVES TO AN URBAN COMMUNITY WITH THE EXTENSION OF DC TROLLEY LINES

• TO ACCOMMODATE AN EXPANDING FEDERAL WORK FORCE DURING WWII, COLONIAL VILLAGE WAS BUILT IN THE 30’S AND 40’S

• UPON THE COMPLETION OF THE ORANGE LINE IN THE EARLY 1970’S THE AREA RAPIDLY GREW AROUND THE METRO STOP INTO A MIXED USE COMMERCIAL AND MID-HIGH DENSITY T.O.D.

CULTURAL RESOURCES

THE HEART OF ARLINGTON:

• COURTHOUSE IS THE CIVIC HUB OF THE COUNTY AND A PLACE FOR THE PEOPLE.

• COURTHOUSE LACKS SPACE AND SERVICES FOR SOCIAL ACTIVITY OUTSIDE THE OFFICE AND LIVING ROOM.

CULTURAL RESOURCES

CURRENT ART/LANDMARKS

1. CLARENDON BLVD VIEW

2. WASHINGTON MONUMENT VIEW

3. FARMERS MARKET AREA

4. URBAN VILLAGE MARKET AREA

5. STATUE

6. INHABITABLE SCULPTURE

7. PLAZA FOUNTAIN

8. MOTHER TREE MEMORIAL

9. SOLDIER TREE MEMORIAL

10. HISTORIC FORT MARKER

11. METAL HELIX SCULPTURE

12. OFFICER MEMORIAL STATUE

13. FLAG POLE/ TIME CAPSULE (?)

CULTURAL RESOURCES

EXISTING EVENTS

THE FARMERS MARKET:

• 35 TENTS AT PEAK

• ONLY SATURDAY MORNINGS

• SHUTS DOWN SECTION OF 14TH ST.

• MOST POPULAR MARKET IN THE COUNTY

CULTURAL RESOURCES

EXISTING EVENTS

THE URBAN VILLAGE MARKET:

• 20 TENTS AT PEAK

• ALL DAY SATURDAY

• SHUTS DOWN SECTION OF 15TH ST.

CULTURAL RESOURCES

SITE ACCESS

• 3 POINTS OF METRO ACCESS TO MARKETS AREA

• NORTHWEST OF SITE BECOMES MARKET GATEWAY

• GATEWAY CURRENTLY BLOCKED BY DIFFICULT GRADE CHANGES ACCESS/TREE LINE

CULTURAL RESOURCES

HISTORIC RESOURCES

SOLIDER TREE MOTHER TREE FIRST FEDERAL SAVINGS & LOAN INVESTMENT BUILDING

DURING THE COURTHOUSE SQUARE STUDY, PUBLIC ART CAN ANNOUNCE, “EMBRACE THE VISION. EMBRACE THE PROCESS. YOU ARE A PART OF IT.” EARLY IN THE PROCESS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT CAN COME IN THE FORM OF TEMPORARY ART WORKS, PERFORMANCES, CITIZEN-GENERATED ACTIVITIES. EACH OF WHICH CAN REMOVE LIMITS ON THINKING, PROVOKE HEARTFELT RESPONSES AND INSPIRE FUN.

CLIFF GARTEN

SEED-TIMES SQUARE

JAMES HUNTER PARK

ROSEN QUERALT CULTIVUS LOCI

CULTURAL RESOURCES

PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND EDUCATION

CULTURAL RESOURCES

SCALE COMPARISONS

THE COURT HOUSE PARKING LOT HAS RELATIVELY COMPARABLE AREA TO OTHER SUCCESSFUL URBAN PUBLIC SPACES. A FEW THINGS THAT DIFFER GREAT ARE AS FOLLOWS:

1. INTEGRATING TRANSIT TO ACTIVATE

• POST OFFICE SQUARE USED UNDERGROUND PARKING TO FUND PARK MAINTENANCE

• PIONEER COURTHOUSE SQUARE IS LOCATED ALONG A MAJOR TRANSIT CORRIDOR AND HAS A METRO STOP WITH IN THE SQUARE

2. PROGRAMMED ACTIVITY

• MARKETS, ROTATING ART INSTALLATIONS, MINI CONCERTS, INTEGRATED CAFES

3. TOPOGRAPHY

• PIONEER COURTHOUSE SQUARE USED ITS VARIED TOPOGRAPHY DEFINE THE SPACE AND HELP PEDESTRIANS MOVE THROUGH IT

POST OFFICE SQUARE

PIONEER COURTHOUSE SQUARE

CULTURAL RESOURCES

SCALE COMPARISONS

THE COURT HOUSE PARKING LOT HAS RELATIVELY COMPARABLE AREA TO OTHER SUCCESSFUL URBAN PUBLIC SPACES. A FEW THINGS THAT DIFFER GREAT ARE AS FOLLOWS:

1. TIGHT STREETS AND DENSE BUILDINGS

• THE AVERAGE STREETS SURROUND BOTH DEL CAMPO AND NOVENA ARE 18’ FEET WIDE, CREATING A SENSE OF ENCLOSURE AND SENSE OF RELEASE UPON ARRIVAL

2. PROGRAMMED ACTIVITY

• I.E. EVENTS LIKE THE PALIO

3. TOPOGRAPHY

• VARIED TOPOGRAPHY ALLOWS FOR A MORE DIVERSE EXPERIENCE WITHIN THE SPACE AND CAN HELP ENFORCE IDENTITY

PIAZZA DEL CAMPO

PIAZZA NAVONA

CULTURAL RESOURCES

EVENT CAPACITIES:

150 PERSON WEDDING

CULTURAL RESOURCES

EVENT CAPACITIES:

300 PERSON SPEECH

CULTURAL RESOURCES

EVENT CAPACITIES:

5000 PERSON CONCERT

CULTURAL RESOURCES

EVENT CAPACITIES:

15,500 PEOPLE GATHERED

WHICH IS ROUGHLY THE POPULATION OF COURTHOUSE

CULTURAL RESOURCES

EVENT CAPACITIES:

27,000 PEOPLE GATHEREDIF 14TH AND 15TH STREET TAKEN

WHICH IS ROUGHLY 1 IN 8 OF EVERY ARLINGTONIAN

THIS SPACE COULD POTENTIALLYACCOMMODATE MANY TYPES OF PLANNED (AND UNPLANNED) EVENTS FOR THE PEOPLE AND THE COUNTY

CIRCULATION

CIRCULATION

BACKGROUND CONDITIONS: TRAFFIC

1. THE COURTHOUSE AREA IS WELL SERVED BY PUBLIC TRANSIT

• ORANGE LINE WITH 5 ENTRIES TO HANDLE CURRENT PATRONAGE AND FORECASTED GROWTH BUT CONFUSING FOR NEWCOMERS

• ELEVATOR ACCESS NEEDS ADJUSTMENT

• METRO BUS FOR GENERAL REGIONAL SERVICE

• ART BUS SERVICE THRU ARLINGTON COUNTY WITH SEVERAL ROUTES TERMINATING AT COURTHOUSE

• OMNI COMMUTER BUS

• 4 BUS STOPS NEAR THE METRO ENTRANCES, NOT ALL HAVE SHELTERS

2. TRANSIT USE:

• AVERAGE WEEKDAY METRORAIL BOARDINGS: 7,476

• 45% BOARD BEFORE 9:30AM

• THE VAST MAJORITY (89.7%) TRAVEL TO THE COURTHOUSE STATION ON FOOT

CIRCULATION

OBSERVATIONS

1. METRO ACCESS POINTS CURRENTLY SURROUNDED BY VEHICULAR TRAFFIC

CIRCULATION

OBSERVATIONS

1. METRO ACCESS POINTS CURRENTLY SURROUNDED BY VEHICULAR TRAFFIC

2. A KNOT IS CREATED SOUTH OF THE WILSONAND CLARENDON

CIRCULATION

OBSERVATIONS

1. METRO ACCESS POINTS CURRENTLY SURROUNDED BY VEHICULAR TRAFFIC

2. A KNOT IS CREATED SOUTH OF THE WILSONAND CLARENDON

CIRCULATION

OBSERVATIONS

1. METRO ACCESS POINTS CURRENTLY SURROUNDED BY VEHICULAR TRAFFIC

2. A KNOT IS CREATED SOUTH OF THE WILSONAND CLARENDON

3. CURRENTLY ART AND WMATA BUS ROUTES THATLOOP AROUND 15TH AND NONE ON 14TH

CIRCULATION

OBSERVATIONS

1. METRO ACCESS POINTS CURRENTLY SURROUNDED BY VEHICULAR TRAFFIC

2. A KNOT IS CREATED SOUTH OF THE WILSONAND CLARENDON

3. CURRENTLY ART AND WMATA BUS ROUTES THATLOOP AROUND 15TH AND NONE ON 14TH

CIRCULATION

OBSERVATIONS

1. METRO ACCESS POINTS CURRENTLY SURROUNDED BY VEHICULAR TRAFFIC

2. A KNOT IS CREATED SOUTH OF THE WILSONAND CLARENDON

3. CURRENTLY ART AND WMATA BUS ROUTES THATLOOP AROUND 15TH AND NONE ON 14TH

CIRCULATION

OBSERVATIONS

1. METRO ACCESS POINTS CURRENTLY SURROUNDED BY VEHICULAR TRAFFIC

2. A KNOT IS CREATED SOUTH OF THE WILSONAND CLARENDON

3. CURRENTLY ART AND WMATA BUS ROUTES THATLOOP AROUND 15TH AND NONE ON 14TH

4. 14TH & 15TH STREET HAVE LOW TRAFFIC ANDARE CLOSED PORTIONS OF THE DAY SATURDAY

CIRCULATION

OBSERVATIONS

1. METRO ACCESS POINTS CURRENTLY SURROUNDED BY VEHICULAR TRAFFIC

2. A KNOT IS CREATED SOUTH OF THE WILSONAND CLARENDON

3. CURRENTLY ART AND WMATA BUS ROUTES THATLOOP AROUND 15TH AND NONE ON 14TH

4. 14TH & 15TH STREET HAVE LOW TRAFFIC ANDARE CLOSED PORTIONS OF THE DAY SATURDAY

5. THERE ARE MULTIPLE OPTIONS FOR THRUTRAFFIC TO 50 AND 29/66.

CIRCULATION

OBSERVATIONS

1. METRO ACCESS POINTS CURRENTLY SURROUNDED BY VEHICULAR TRAFFIC

2. A KNOT IS CREATED SOUTH OF THE WILSONAND CLARENDON

3. CURRENTLY ART AND WMATA BUS ROUTES THATLOOP AROUND 15TH AND NONE ON 14TH

4. 14TH & 15TH STREET HAVE LOW TRAFFIC ANDARE CLOSED PORTIONS OF THE DAY SATURDAY

5. THERE ARE MULTIPLE OPTIONS FOR THRUTRAFFIC TO 50 AND 29/66.

6. METRO ACCESS SURROUNDED BY VEHICULAR THOROUGHFARES, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THESOUTHERN ENTRANCE.

CIRCULATION

AUTO SURFACE

• A LARGE PORTION OF THE STUDY AREA IS CONSUMED BY ASPHALT

CIRCULATION

AUTO SURFACE

• A LARGE PORTION OF THE STUDY AREA IS CONSUMED BY ASPHALT

• THE CLARENDON BOULEVARD/WILSON BOULEVARD JUNCTURE CREATES A LARGE SPAN OF ASPHALT AT THE CRITICAL POINT OF THE STUDY AREA

CIRCULATION

COURTHOUSE AREA PARKING

1. WITHIN A 5 MINUTE WALK OF THE COURTHOUSE PLAZA THERE ARE 233 PUBLIC ON-STREET PARKING SPACES

2. THE COUNTY SURFACE LOT CONTAINS 182 SPACES • OF WHICH 137 ARE METER FOR UP TO 4 HOURS

PUBLIC USE.

3. 8 BUILDINGS IN THE COURTHOUSE AREA ALLOW NON-TENANTS TO PARK IN THEIR GARAGES

• LOW PRICE INDICATES THAT BUILDINGS’ PARKING HAVE MORE SPACES THAN ARE REGULARLY UTILIZED BY TENANTS

CIRCULATION

COURTHOUSE AREA BIKEWAYS

1. THE COURTHOUSE AREA IS CENTRALLY LOCATED WITHIN THE COUNTY’S BIKEWAY NETWORK

2. BICYCLE LANES ON WILSON AND CLARENDON BOULEVARDS PROVIDE ACCESS TO THE EAST AND WEST

3. LANES ON VETCH STREET AND COURTHOUSE ROAD PROVIDE DIRECT LINKAGES TO REGIONAL TRAIL

4. BIKE SHARING• THE STATION TO THE NORTH OF WILSON BLVD

AND N. UHLE ST IS ONE OF THE MOST FREQUENTLY USED IN ARLINGTON.

CIRCULATION

NETWORKS

1. THE VEHICULAR GRID BREAKS DOWN SUBSTANTIALLY IN THE VICINITY OF THE STUDY AREA

2. WHILE THESE TRUNCATED STREETS PROTECT LOCAL NEIGHBORHOODS THEY ALSO LIMIT THE SENSE OF CONNECTIVITY AND COMFORT FOR NO-MOTORIZED TRAVELERS

3. INTERRUPTIONS TO THE STREET GRID ARE ALSO DUE TO LARGE DEVELOPMENT PARCELS, TOPOGRAPHY, OR LARGE ROADWAYS

CIRCULATION

NETWORKS

• CONNECTIONS IN THE GRID ARE CREATED WITH PEDESTRIAN THOROUGHFARES

CIRCULATION

WALKING

1. PEDESTRIANS DESIRE LINES ARE NOT ALWAYS THE MOST ATTRACTIVE OR INVITING ROUTES

2. LARGE BLOCK SIZES CAN BE DIFFICULT TO CROSS

3. TOPOGRAPHY CAN CHALLENGE PEDESTRIAN ACCESS AND CONNECTIVITY

4. PEDESTRIAN CROSSING ARE GENERALLY GOOD, BUT LARGE INTERSECTIONS ARE A CHALLENGE

CIRCULATION

SIDEWALK ASSESSMENT

1. THE LARGE BLOCK BORDERED BY CLARENDON BLVD, 15TH ST, COURTHOUSE RD AND 14TH ST CAN BE DIFFICULT TO CROSS BY PEDESTRIANS

2. THE COURTHOUSE COMPLEX OF COUNTY BUILDINGS IS DIFFICULT FOR VISITORS TO NAVIGATE.

3. AREA TOPOGRAPHY (GRADES AND ELEVATION DIFFERENCES) CONTRIBUTES SIGNIFICANTLY TO PEDESTRIAN CONNECTIVITY AND ACCESS.

4. THE QUALITY OF THE STREETSCAPE IN SOME LOCATIONS DETRACTS FROM THE WALKING EXPERIENCE.

CIRCULATION

ANTICIPATED CHANGES

1. TRANSIT• THE COURTHOUSE METRORAIL STATION

WILL BEGIN RECEIVING BOTH ORANGE AND SILVER LINE SERVICE SOMETIME THIS YEAR (2014).

2. WALKING• THE REDEVELOPMENT PROJECTS IN

CONSTRUCTION ALONG WILSON BLVD AND 15TH STREET WILL IMPROVE STREETSCAPE IN ADJACENT LOCATIONS

CIRCULATION

ANTICIPATED CHANGES

1. BIKE• THE VDOT PROJECT TO IMPROVE THE

ARLINGTON BOULEVARD (ROUTE 50) HIGHWAY INTERCHANGES WITH COURTHOUSE RD AND N. 10TH ST WILL SUBSTANTIALLY IMPROVE BIKE FACILITIES

• THIS WILL INCLUDE THE CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW TRAIL ALONG THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE ROAD AND EXISTING TRAIL UPGRADES

2. STREETS AND TRAFFIC• THE DIRECTIONAL RIGHT TURN LANE TO

15TH ( AT THE PORK CHOP) WILL BE REMOVED AND THE ISLAND LINKED TO COURTHOUSE PLAZA

• PROPOSED NEW STREET CROSS SECTIONS HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED THAT NARROW THE GENERALLY WIDE TRAVEL LANES TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SPACE FOR BIKE AND PEDESTRIAN USE.