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Riverside: A Master Planning CommunitySession #22470Monday, September 21, 12:00PM - 1:30PM

Understand the history of Riverside and it’s design vision and how the community took shape over time.

Understand Frederick Law Olmsted’s principles and how they were applied in creating the Riverside General Plan

Learn how Riverside developed into an established community

Understand the challenges Riverside faced with contemporary influences on both the redevelopment and vision of Riverside

Learn how the Village of Riverside was able to build upon historic precedent to determine modern standards for new development

Learn why Riverside demonstrates how a Village can preserve their historic character, as well as facilitate change.

Learn how current development trends have adopted Olmsted’s principles, fully realizing them or not

Learning Objectives

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In 1869, the Riverside Improvement Company had acquired a 1600-acre tract of land along the Des Plaines River, 9 miles west of Chicago.

The Riverside Improvement Company commissioned Olmsted & Calvert Vaux to develop a General Plan of Riverside.

Riverside, Illinois

Riverside Improvement Company

Riverside Map (1836)

Cen

tral

Par

k Im

ages

Aerial view of Central Park (1938)

Olmsted & Vaux's original Greensward Plan (1858)

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Pros

pect

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k Im

ages

Prospect Park in the Fall (2003)

Design of Prospect Park (1868)

Urban cities needed to embrace a broader metropolitan dynamic

Configured curvilinear roads/lots

Continuous park system with 40 smaller triangular parks at the intersections of roads

Variety of lot dimensions to avoid “sameness”

Nine mile connection from Riverside to the City of Chicago

Developing the Principles of Riverside

Calvert Vaux

Frederick Law Olmsted

The vision that guided Olmsted in designing Riverside:

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Olmsted wrote that suburbs should combine

“ruralistic beauty of a loosely built New England village with a certain degree of the material and social advantages of a town.”

Developing the Principles of Riverside

Historic Riverside Street

Believed urban cities needed to embrace a broader metropolitan dynamic.

A successful “metropolitan condition” was the blending of both the cities and the suburb

Developing the Principles of Riverside

Typical mid-west rural farm-house of the time.The “Loop” - 1897

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Configured the roads/lots in a curvilinear design to respond to the natural features of the land.

Developing the Principles of Riverside

Curvilinear roads of Riverside Early cobblestone gutters in Riverside

Advocated for a continuous park system featuring several large parks with over 40 smaller triangular parks also formed at the intersections of the roads.

Developing the Principles of Riverside

Swan Pond

Historic Riverside Commons

Historic Scottswood Commons

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Riv

ersi

de O

pen

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Scottswood Commons (Historic) Scottswood Commons (Present Day)

Fairbank Road Fairbank Road

Designed a variety of lot dimensions to avoid “sameness”.

Developing the Principles of Riverside

Olmsted’s General Plan utilized lot variation

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Olmsted had grand plans for a 9 mile connection from Riverside to the City of Chicago, this was an unrealized vision.

Developing the Principles of Riverside

Ocean Parkway – Prospect Park (1894) Railway connections to the “Loop” - 1897

Olmsted parts ways with Riverside

Preeminent architects designed a great variety of landmark buildings

The 1920’s zoning ordinance included one business district category

The Riverside WPA maps were created between the 1930’s to the 1950’s

In 1970 the U.S. Department of Interior designated the Riverside Landscape Architectural District as a National Historic Landmark

National and cultural trends left a poorly regulated Riverside ill-equipped to handle new demands

Riverside becomes an established suburb of Chicago

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William LeBaron Jenney - Water Tower (1900) Original Train Depot

Preeminent architects designed a great variety of landmark buildings contributing to the historical character of Riverside

Riverside becomes an established suburb of Chicago

Frank Lloyd Wright - Coonley Playhouse (1913)

Joseph L. Silsbee - Palmer Residence (1893)

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toric

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ctur

e Im

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Olmsted & Vaux - Dore Cottage (1869) Louis Sullivan - Babson Estate (1907)

Riverside Improvement Co. Building (1870)

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The 1920’s zoning ordinance included one business district category that addressed the Village’s commercial sector

Riverside becomes an established suburb of Chicago

The Riverside WPA maps provided a residential context model for future regulation

Riverside becomes an established suburb of Chicago

Lot Dimension/Setback Study - Figure Set A

Lot Dimension/Setback Study - Figure Set BWPA Map

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Public Open Space & Parks of Riverside

In 1970 the U.S. Department of Interior designated the RiversideLandscape Architectural District as a National Historic Landmark

Riverside becomes an established suburb of Chicago

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Streets of Riverside

National and cultural trends left a poorly regulated Riverside ill-equipped to handle new demands

Riverside becomes an established suburb of Chicago

Historic Riverside Improvement Co. Building

Conflicting development trends

Conflicting development trends

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Why Riverside updated their Zoning Code?Recognized that the 1920’s ordinance had never been comprehensively evaluated.Eliminated inconsistencies among zoning and other parts of Village Code.Needed to create zoning for Central Business District. Made it easier for property owners to add on to existing homes and improve existing properties, keeping with the historic character.Ensure that “build-backs” are consistent in scale and character with existing neighborhoods

Preserving Riverside, returning to Olmsted’s Principles

The Five Steps of Form-Based Zoning1. Target the Area

Where will the regulations apply?

2. Set PolicyWhat are the overall goals & guiding policies?

3. Describe FormWhich specific elements constitute the desired character?

4. Balance Regulations How strict will the regulations be?

5. Administer OrdinanceWho will administer the regulations?

Preserving Riverside, returning to Olmsted’s Principles

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Step 1: Target the Area

Central Business District Boundary

Residential District Boundary

Step 2: Set Overall Policy & Goals

Central Business District

Commercial areas zoned B-1 District:Different physical character to Central Business District

• Historic characterCreate new district: B-2 Central Business District

Maintain existing character:Consistent with Olmsted’s visionPedestrian-orientationPreservation of historic character & development patterns

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Step 2: Set Overall Policy & Goals

Central Business DistrictIllustrative Concept Plan

Step 2: Set Overall Policy & Goals

Residential Districts

Teardown phenomena:Lack of comprehensive development controls – ex: no max. heightPotential for new developmentout of character/scale

Maintain traditional residential character:Consistent with Olmsted’s visionScale Historical orientation on lot

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Step 3: Describe Desired “Form”

Open House & Public Workshops

Image Preference Survey

Establish Architectural Hierarchy

Building Height Requirements

Step 3: Describe Desired “Form”

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Step 4: Balance Regulations

Central Business District

Key “Form-Based” Regulations:Sub-district structureSetbacksDesign requirements & guidelinesOn-site development standards

Step 4: Balance Regulations

Sub-Districts

Retail CodeMixed-Use PeripheryPublic Use

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Setbacks

Based on Historical development patterns

Step 4: Balance Regulations

Step 2: Set Overall Policy & Goals

LandscapingParking lot interior & perimeterScreeningBuffering abutting residential

ParkingParking flexibilities: shared parking, fee-in-lieu, exemptions

Signs1 primary + 1 secondary sign: all, window, canopy or awning signMonument sign = site plan reviewAmortization

On-Site Development Standards

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Step 4: Balance Regulations

Design Requirements & Guidelines

Water Tower Town Hall Library Railroad Depot

Tower Bldg. 1 Riverside Bldg. Riverside Plumbing Bldg. Arcade Bldg.

Contextual Architecture

Step 4: Balance Regulations

ScaleBase, middle & top

Visually broken into bays

Punched openings for windows & doors

First floor ceiling 12’-14’

Access StandardsPrimary access from public sidewalk

Parking in the rear

Design StandardsMeet established architectural style

Permitted & prohibited building materials matching historical character

Double hung, casement, or fixed picture windows - wood or wood clad with aluminum

50% of the first floor façade shall be display type windows -minimum 18” high knee wall

Design Requirements & Guidelines

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Step 4: Balance Regulations

Required Yards:Issues:- Setbacks hard to measure on curvilinear/odd-shaped lots.

Preferred Approaches:- Clearly define and illustrate measurement of setbacks.

Front Yards:Issues:- There are different front setbacks for existing homes/lots and new

construction- Front yard averaging is not clear because blockface is not defined

Works Progress Administration (WPA) House Setback Survey (1936 – 1953)

Residential Districts

Step 4: Balance Regulations

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Step 4: Balance Regulations

Additional Design Controls

• Prohibited building materials• New building height maximums with

allowances for appurtenances• Landscaping: hedges & fences, street

tree requirement

Step 4: Balance Regulations

3-D Volume Control

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Step 5: Administration of Regulation

New site plan review:

Plan Commission review & approvalLandscape Advisory Commission inputPreservation Commission input

The EndQuestions & Open Discussion