ARCHITECTURE AT RICE UNIVERSITY designates a series of reports on thoughts and investigations from the Department of Architecture of Rice University. It is published in the belief that the education of architects can best be advanced if teachers, students, practitioners and interested laymen share in what they are thinking and doing. #14 HOUSTON,TEXAS AUGUST 1964 Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2011 with funding from LYRASIS IVIembers and Sloan Foundation http://www.archive.org/details/fourplanningconc14cann PREFACE This report shows the work done by the third-year students of architecture at Rice University for the Chamber of Commerce of Bay City, Texas. Members of the Bay City Chamber of Commerce proposed a pro- ject in which students would assist in formulating plans for the future of their city. They were nearing completion of a compre- hensive area survey and felt the need for inspiration in trans- lating the statistics into architectural form. Rice architectural students receive their introduction to urban design at the third-year level, and this project promised both a thorough orientation to the complex problems of a city with all the practical implications and tangible encouragement from the citizenry to study an existing urban situation. It afforded the students an opportunity to work with real clients, planning consultants, community leaders and the residents. The students did much of their research in Bay City, and they made project presentations intermittently during the progress of the work. These studies are not intended as master plans but as fresh approaches to prosaic problems. Though often idealistic and seemingly impractical, these ideas have value for Bay City by providing guidelines for formulating plans for the future and a means of evoking public concern and action. The value to the students was the experience afforded by the opportunity to broaden the scope of their architectural knowledge through practical experience in city planning. BAY CITY DESIGNS WILLIAM T. CANNADY, Assistant Professor of Architecture Growth is one of the most pressing problems facing many of NTRODUCTION the cities of America today, as ever-increasing urbanization and a burgeoning population combine to produce an urgent need for urban expansion. Of course, America has often faced this challenge in the past; but in many respects, the current rate of expansion is unprecedented. In addition to mere physical growth, our nation is experiencing an expan- sion in sociological, economical, and technological complex- ity that is unparalleled in the history of this nation. Conse- quently the real problem is not simply one of expanding the limits of our cities, but rather one of expanding the scope of our city planning efforts. This report is the result of just such an effort by a small city of 12,000 individuals. Bay City, Texas. In order to assure themselves that their growth will be orderly and beneficial to the community, the citizens have taken a long look ahead to develop planning procedures today that will assist them in solving the plan- ning problems of the future. Such farsightedness is important in this era of accelerated living in order to assure that the Bay City of the future will not become stifled by dated planning. Such a condition could take place if chaotic growth patterns are allowed to occur through the continuation of planning efforts that are merely compromises between the needs of contemporary society and an existing city framework created for another era. Therefore, it has become necessary to take a new look at the city from a fresh viewpoint. This look began with an appraisal of the economic future of Bay City. Originally it was felt that the enhancement of the city square to parallel the forthcoming expansion in indus- trial productivity was all the planning required. fHowever, it soon became apparent that this approach was shortsighted and would only temporarily be effective. Subsequently, the scope of the research was enlarged to include the entire city but with special emphasis on the future of the central business district. The program was divided into three phases: Pliase One: To investigate and define existing and projected future conditions of the city Phase Two: To analyze this information and determine existing and foreseeable problems in the future of the city Phase Three: To develop four separate approaches to the solution of these problems with em- phasis on the problems of the central business district For the purpose of this report, the order of presentation has been reversed from the sequence of the program. The four solutions will be presented first and will be followed by the results of the investigation and the interpretations. The reader is cautioned that these solutions and evaluations are not the answers to the planning problems of Bay City. At best, they are perhaps only a glimpse of what could be some of the answers. The solution to the planning problems of Bay City or any other city will begin only when the citizenry decides to take an active role in shaping the future of their city. The first step in this role is to decide the direction that the city should take to accomplish the goals of the future. It is hoped that this report will assist the citizens of Bay City in taking the first step. THE LINEAR SATELLITE CITY The Linear Satellite City portrays the Bay City of the future as one of many re- mote suburbs to the south of Metropolitan Houston on a commutertransportationbelt that extends from Port Arthur to Corpus Christi. The city itself is but a single segment in one of several belts which parallels this rapid transit corridor. A recreation belt extends along the coast. Behind this area and immediately south of the transit corridor is an industrial belt composed of alternating sections of agriculture and manufacture surrounding inland ports. The urban areas, including Bay City, lie just above the transit cor- ridor v;hich separates the populace from industry and allows ready access to the circulation system which will be so vital to the future mobile population. Ro:jertG. Anderson, Jr. Donald B. Davis Stephen B. Haines, Jr. Dale L. UcCleary see page 9 ;^>fr?l^ ^JS^Jj THE ELEVATED LINEAR CITY This solution advocates a bold proposal to solve one of the mostcritical problems of the present era: the need to separate vehicular from pedestrian traffic. The proposed elevation of the center of the city above a vast parking area takes the form of an immense plateau that nestles within an enveloping loop of expressways. These expressways feed traffic into and out of thegrade-level parking space while pedestrians shop leisurely one story above. Other parts of the city develop in a linear fashion along the major east-west artery with industry developing around the harbor to the southwest. This solutionforesees Bay City as one of several nodes strung along the coastal highway system with Houston and Corpus Christi serving as terminals. Eddy C. Bejar William T. McGrecjor Marcia M. Pieper see page 17 THE LINEAR CENTRAL x:iTY Tne Linear Central City solves specific difficulties with specific answers. It is a practical solution for the problems of Bay City. The imprint of the existing city is still readily apparent in the solution. One of the more significant answers isthe proposed circulation scheme. The cross- roads in the center of the city are not only retained but reinforced as the dominant point in the city. All major traffic converges on this pointwhich lies betweenthe civic center to the west and the shopping district tothe east. Residential and industrial areas are developed to the north and south. The high- ways are thereby allowed to penetrate the city v/ithout interfering with local traffic, thus giving travelers the opportunity to take advantage of the shopping district without hindering their passage through the city. Williarn P. Z. German D, B. Guthrie II John Val Thomas see page 23 THE CELLULAR CENTRAL CITY The Cellular Central City is based upon well-defined segments scaled to basic human needs. The concept assumes ideals may be realized if approached on a small scale. These cells are interdependent and interconnected by a circulatory sys- tem of thoroughfares which define their limits. The cells differ both in use and character — cells for residential areas, industry, and the central business district. Growth may take place by adding cells to the system. Each such addition is a completely planned unit and is so placed in the overall system as to make the best possible use of the land. Such a plan- ning approach assures the city of un- limited expansion possibilities with few of the problems usually associated with growth. Paul Lee Prout William C. Murphy William Roy Wilson see page 29 RESEARCH DATA & EVALUATIONS A City, like a person, has a past which has conditioned its reflexes. It has natural features — geography, to- pography, climate, resources — which man uses as raw material to create visual reflections of the residents. The objectives of this comprehensive city planning pro- ject were to investigate the origin of cities in general, their development, responses to urban problems, design tools for planning, and the relationships between the urban communities and the environs. In order to ac- complish such grandiose intentions, the personality and resources of one city were isolated, investigated, ana- lyzed, revaluated, and reassembled. The commercial, industrial, and residential factors are the life of the city. Tabulations of the statistics about these functions comprise an abstract of the plan of the city. Presented here is such an abstract; but since the fluctuating functions of a city can create irritations which hinder objective valuations by the persons in the milieu, the accompanying representations of conditions in Bay City and the valuations were prepared by the students in preparation for establishing design concepts for the Bay City of the future. see page 37 economy Population: numbers composition distribution \ LOCATION TOPOGRAPHY CLIMATE RESOURCES categories of analysis RESEARCH AND EVALUATION THE LINEAR SATELLITE CITY THE LINEAR SATELLITE CITY 1ft iiiii!!:i:i:::! i!iiiiii:iii:ii!:!;:::i niiiiiiiiiiiriMi !!! 1 Miniii lllllllllllllllllltllltMIIIIIIIIIIII t^ Access to waterways has been one of the most important factors in the location of cities throughout the history of mankind. In early America, the country experienced a period in which almost all urban development was near a coastline. Today, despite the advancement of transportation systems, the regions along the coasts throughout the country are still preferred for the location of major metropolitan areas. The needs of industry for immense water supplies and access to inexpensive water transporta- tion, coupled with additional recreational areas for expanded population, have en- hanced prospects for metropolitan development in the coastal areas. This development is taking place so rapidly today that soon the United States could be rimmed by continuous cities, or megalopoli. This concept of the linear satellite city assumes that such a city, or megalopolis, will develop along the Gulf Coast stretching from Port Arthur to Corpus Christi; and Bay City will form but one link in this band of urban area. This linear development along the coast will have a profount effect on the future of Bay City and will be instrumental in molding a new image of the city. This image will be a linear one with the orientation of the city directed toward the Houston area. Hence, Bay City will become a linear satellite of the Houston metropolitan area. THE LINEAR SATELLITE CITY COASTAL CONCEPT The top figure indicates how the coastal development will appear by the end of this century. Massive urban areas will form along the Gulf Coast in a great band paral- leling the undulative shoreline. It will be served by a transportation band of ex- pressways and rapid rail transit immediately to the south. Agriculture and indus- try will occupy a band adjacent the coast. Beaches reserved for recreational pur- poses form the recreation band. The location of these bands is not an arbitrary arrangement, but rather a logical projection of current trends. Development with- in the bands is not expected to be continuous, but each band will be characterized by a particular usage. COUNTY CONCEPT The middle figure shows how belts would appear in the Bay City region. Matagorda Peninsula would become a recreation area. Industry would develop around port fa- cilities off the Colorado River inlet with agriculture and extraction industries form- ing the rest of the industrial belt. The transportation belt would cut through im- mediately south of the present Bay City business district with commercial and resi- dential areas to the north. Such an arrangement would provide a logical solution to many Bay City problems: the separation of residential area from noxious industrial regions, the provision for separated industrial-residential vehicular access to the major thoroughfares, and the allowance of spacious recreation areas for the future. RECREATION BELT The bottom figure is an enlargement of the recreation area on Matagorda Peninsula which is reached by going south from Bay City on Highway 60. A continuous road- way along the beach would allow access to all the beach area. With the advent of the age of leisure, more and more people will be seeking enjoyable ways to spend their free hours. Consequently, the provision of adequate recreation facilities will become not only a source of increased tourist income, but also a necessity in the lives of future residents of Bay City and Matagorda County. Such an asset is often overlooked, but it is an important consideration that has been developed extensively in this concept. INDUSTRIAL BELT In the initial phases, the development of the industrial area is confined to the east . bank of the Colorado River (top figure), and rail service enters from the north along Highway 60. Later, development occurs along the opposite side of the river as ad- ditional channels are opened. Again, highway and rail services are provided from the north. Additional expansion may take place by adding harbors to the system as required. To isolate the industrial plants from other urban development, the adjoin- ing land will continue to function as farmland and oil and gas well sites, (middle) With the interurban transportation corridor immediately to the north and the Gulf Intra- coastal Waterway and Gulf of Mexico to the south, the industrial area is ideally lo- cated to receive raw materials for processing at the plants and to deliver finished pro- ducts rapidly and inexpensively to any area in the United States or in the world. Lo- cating all industry to the southwest of the residential areas assures the city that noxious odors will be carried away by the prevailing southeasterly winds. TRANSPORTATION BELT In the proposed circulation pattern. Highway 35 will be replaced by an interurban transport corridor containing expressway and rail passenger services (bottom). High- way 60 will continue to penetrate the city as the major north-south artery. The ex- isting railway system will be aligned with the linear development, and the airport located in the agricultural area to the south to allow safe flight patterns. Consoli- dation of major transportation facilities into a single right-of-way will serve many purposes. It will conserve valuable space by avoiding duplication of facilities. It will lessen the required number of major interchanges and overpasses by limiting the number of street and railroad crossings. Most important, perhaps, will be the de- crease in travel time for all forms of transportation by the elimination of meandering roadways and traffic interference. 12 URBAN BELT Major Street Plan Within the city the urban area will be divided into neighborhood units by a rectan- gular grid formed by major streets (top). These major streets will define. the limits of residential and commercial areas and provide controlled access to the transpor- tation corridor. To expedite traffic flow, they will be spread widely apart to de- crease the number of major traffic intersections. Such a street configuration dic- tates linear expansion as no provision is made for diagonal or circumferential traf- fic flow. Land Use In addition to residential and public facilities, the neighborhoods contain local commercial facilities (bottom); however, major commercial concerns are located in the commercial belt previously mentioned. Shops, office buildings, entertain- ment centers and services are placed in proximity to each other to stimulate busi- ness activity. Businesses of an industrial nature are located south of the trans- portation corridor to avoid interference with other urban activity. ! \ ^, J i J- J ■^ III * "' „..,. ™. - " ^ =. v ■ '=->■ • '--1^ M 1 0 \ ff """"" J '■"<'■ ""^ . |.| Jn u 3 C \s — r d " 1 i ^ublic Facilities lach of the residential areas defined by the major street is based upon a popula- ion sufficient to support an elementary school (middle). In addition to the school, 2ach such neighborhood contains its own playgrounds and other facilities. Major )ublic facilities such as the courthouse, city hall and library are contained in the commercial belt which penetrates the south half of the city. In every instance hese facilities are centrally located with respect to the areas they serve. 13 RESIDENTIAL BELT Overall city development projects a popu- lation of 30,000 for 1980. The neigh- borhoods immediately above and belowthe commercial belt are redeveloped old neigh- borhoods (top left). Of these, the one di- rectly below the center of the commercial area is redeveloped as a multi-family dwel- ling area. The three neighborhoods farthesi to the north are projected developments. The layout characteristic of the new neigh- borhood developments (left middle) employs cul-de-sac streets about a central school and park site with local commercial sites on the major perimetric streets. Multi- family dwelling neighborhood units are lo- cated adjacent the business district and near a community college because of the appeal of this type of dwelling for the stu- dent and white-collar worker (lower left). The transition of an existing neighborhood with its small, square blocks into the new neighborhood pattern employing cul-de-sac streets is depicted in the three figures in the right column. This arrangement elim- inates the hazardous cross traffic. 14 COMMERCIAL BELT (Central Business District) The proposed central business district, which lies in the commercial strip, will develop out from the existing city square. In the first phase. Seventh and Eighth streets will be eliminated — the east- west traffic once carried by Seventh Street having been diverted to Sixth and Ninth streets. The square will then be converted into a pedestrian shopping center surrounding the new courthouse. The downtown area thereby takes on the quality of a contemporary shopping mall with continuous pedestrian access toall offices and shops. The few existing buildings on the perimeter streets can be replaced over a period of time with parking areas which will allow more in- tensive development of the business dis- trict (top). In the second phase, pedestrian shopping and business areas expand to the east and west. New clusters of buildings circlethe projected city hall and auditorium which are placed in the business district to pro- mote more business activity and convenience. 15 CIVIC CENTER &^ This shopping and civic center concept is scaled to meet the requirements of the 1980 population and incorporates provisions for further expansion to the east and west. The automobile-pedestrian conflict has been re- solved by relegating the shopping area en- tirely to the pedestrian while providing ample parking behind the shops. Thus the new business district will prove highly attrac- tive and accessible to the local residents as well as travelers. This should prove to be a source for increasing community revenue. It also provides for a fine civic center in which to conduct local government. A view of the new square from overhead (top) shows how the large amount of space once devoted to the automobile would become shopping space and a forum for civic affairs. The existing buildings about the squarewould be enhanced and unified by projecting a con- tinuous canopy around the square (middle). The character achieved in the new shopping center court attached to the square is illus- trated in the lower figure. 16 THE ELEVATED LINEAR CITY THE ELEVATED LINEAR CITY 3: * * » t In the rush to build new cities and to provide for the ever-increasing automobile population, the pedestrian has often been overlooked in the formulation of the plans. Indeed, the pedestrian today is usually relegated to a ten-foot sidewalk between austere granite walls and a torrent of onrushing automobiles. Further- more, those treasured pedestrian retreats of the past, the plaza and the square, have been sacrificed to the traffic island and the turning circle. No longer are there places for humans to meet or to linger leisurely outside the current of hu- manity pouring down city sidewalks. Nowhere is there a place to rest the feet of weary shoppers. In our present way of life the meeting of friends in the square has been replaced by a harried huddle at the street corner. This proposal for the future of Bay City turns the tide back in favor of the pedes- trian. To avoid automotive competition, the pedestrian haunts are elevated one story above the streets. With parking and automobile circulation on a below-street level, the pedestrian is spared the hazards of vehicular traffic. The automobile has its unique area, and the pedestrian has an equal, unhampered area, thereby providing an opportunity to create architectural forms of unprecedented continuity and spatial experiences of limitless variety. THE ELEVATED LINEAR CITY LINEAR DEVELOPMENT The concept of the Elevated Linear City envisions the Bay City of the future as a small metropolis astride the major east-west artery. Highway 35. In contrast to the linear satellite city, this main artery splits apart and encloses the elevated business district rather than bypassing it. Despite this difference, the form of the city is still linear, and neighborhood superblocks are developed to the north and south between major thoroughfare perpendicular to the highway (top). EXISTING DEVELOPMENT MAINTAINED The linear form anticipates the future orientation of Bay City to othercommunication along the coast, rather than to its immediate environs. Therefore, the concentric development which has characterized Bay City to date will be displaced by a natural linear development. The existing industrial and recreational areas, however, will be maintained and further developed along the same order. Railroads and industries presently within the city will be displaced to the south to provide more pleasant conditions within the residential and commercial areas (middle). I SPECIFIC USE AREAS An ordered patchwork of rectilinear spaces will be devoted to specific uses (bottom). Areas within the central business district will be assigned a variety of uses for shops, offices, civic structures and recreation. Larger residential units will lie outside the central business district. Recreation areas, in addition to those in the residential units, will be located in the area of existing large parks west of the river as well as along the coast. 19 jglEflTiliHP NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT One of the neighborhood units which evolved from an existing area of the city is located along Cottonwood Creek (top). Advantage is taken of its location to de- velop a continuous parklet on the banks of the creek. An elementary school is located in the middle of the area accessible by vehicles and pedestrians. The neighborhood is created by dividing existing streets into cul-de-sacs. Existing nonresidential facilities are to be gradually replaced. A newly developed area (bottom) demonstrates the same principles. This plan provides continuous local vehicular traffic throughout while discouraging through traffic. Such a plan makes a greater concession to the automobile than do the other residential schemes pre- sented. 20 ELEVATED CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT The feature which differentiates this scheme most emphatically from the satellite city is the central business district treatment. A plan view (top) reveals two ele- vated platforms: a civic plateau to the west of present Avenue I, and a shopping plateau to the east. A typical plan of the shopping plateau (middle) shows the shops left and parking area right. An illustration (bottom) of the evolution of the two platforms shows in the first diagram the existing square with the two inter- secting main highways (A). Next, the proposed disposition of major east-west traffic to Fifth and Tenth streets allows the civic and shopping centers to begin forming (B). The platforms at first cover only a few blocks (C). Additional por- tions are added (D and E) until the elevated area is completed (F). .1..-' 3l. f-~^^n HI -3 ^ I ''1I ~r^ -"^^T^ ' ^ miMiii .□ 21 ^,.1 ^- — j» - BE a ^331' J The view from Highway 35 (upper left) presents the central business district to passing travelers. The approach to the elevate^ central district (upper right) reveals both the civic plateau (lower left) and the shopping plateau (lower right) of the elevated cit) THE LINEAR CENTRAL CITY THE LINEAR CENTRAL CITY ^ One of the most critical problems facing planners today in designing cities is pro- viding for parking space for vehicles. In fact, with car ownership increasing, the point has been reached in which parked cars occupy more space than the functions attended by the drivers. With this problem in mind for Bay City, the Linear Cen- tral City concept proposes a vertical parking facility that will grow upward as the central business district grows outward. This multi-story parking garage is located at the intersection of two majorthorough- fares in the center of the city. The strong centrality developed by such a dominant structure on the crossroads of the city expresses a duality of form in the otherwise linear city. A duality of development also occurs as the shopping center develops to the east and the civic center to the west of the parking facility. The expansion of these two areas will lie in space formed by the split of the major east-west ar- tery in a manner similar to the elevated city concept previouslydescribed. Since the neighborhoods and most of the central business district are divided from the ex- isting development, this concept could be initiated immediately. The creation of similar nodes of urban development along the east-west artery would provide prac- tical and easy expansion. THE LINEAR CENTRAL CITY REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT The regional development adheres closely to existing directions (top). A recreation area will be provided on the coast with agricultu- ral activities and mineral extraction continu- ing between Bay City and the shoreline. The existing industrial area will be expanded fur- ther according to growth requirements. CIRCULATION Existing highways will continue to penetrate the city, crossing at the center as indicated. The railroads will be directed around urban areas to serve the industrial area on the south- west. A major street pattern will be developed to create superblock neighborhoods just as in the two prior planning concepts. The patterns, however, will adhere closely to existing street alignments. EXPANSION Future expansion will form similar nodes of urbanization along the east-west artery (bottom). Such a development is different from that of the Linear Satellite City in that the commercial and residential areas will not form continuous bands, but rather a series of concentrations of high density centers. 25 The ovei-all residential pattern will de- velop from existing conditions (top left). Major thoroughfares which feed the axial arteries will define the neighborhoods by segmenting the city into sections based on a module of one elementary school per unit. Existing neighborhoods will be trans- formed by the development of discon- tinuous streets and common green spaces (left center). Such an arrangement dis- courages conflicting through traffic and allows school children to reach the neigh- borhood elementary school safely. Be- cause of the absence of a restrictive ex- isting grid pattern in new neighborhoods, a free form (bottom left) will be develop- ed to employ the same amenities as the other residential units. The figure to the right and the one on the opposite page show the central busi- ness district proposed in this concept. The civic center, parking facility, and the shopping center were described in preceding pages. It should be noted that many of the existing structures, such as the courthouse, various shops and other facilities, are maintained in the new plan. 35fe*te^' .r 1^: . , *- — ^»-^A-1 '4i 27 \ > ^v i^J^W?- A pedestrian walking through the city square (plan shown center) of the Linear Central City would view some of the office build- ings (upper left), the shopping plaza (upper right), the shopping street (lower left), and an apartment group (lower right). THE CELLULAR CENTRAL CITY THE CELLULAR CENTRAL CITY Usually the first question raised when urban redevelopment is proposed is where to begin. The ideal answer is to begin everywhere, but this is hardly possible. Yet, the danger is always present that many sectors of the city may fall assunder while attention is focused on specific areas. The Cellular Central City approach would be both effective and comprehensive. The concept is to divide the city into units, each composed of similar use functions for people with mutual interests. Each such unit, or cell, is defined by major thoroughfares on its perimeter and is developed ac- cording to the desires of the electorate living within its boundaries through demo- cratic action. In such an arrangement, the citizens are responsible for organizing and improving their own neighborhoods under the guidance of a central city planning committee created to organize the many individual efforts and provide necessary information and assistance. Specific goals and redevelopment schedules would be established by each cell . Therefore, rather than a sporadic redevelopment of piecemeal sections of the city, redevelopment takes place uniformly throughout the city and becomes a continuous process rather than a brief, single effort. New developments added to the city would be designed to form homogeneous units of similar nature. THE CELLULAR CENTRAL CITY This concept is based on three assumptions: . That basically there are two different scales in city planning — that of the automobile and that of the pedestrian. Major circulatory systems must be designed for the automobile to assure efficient use of its greater speed and space requirements. Within the cells, the pedestrian is the primary concern to assure a rewarding life for the inhabitants. . That similar use functions within a cell complement and reinforce each other. A commercial sector need not fear introduction of business-destroying noxious elements. Likewise, a residential area should constantly regenerate itself secure in the knowledge that blight will not encroach. 3. That cells need not be identical in size, use, or character, but may suit the specific needs of any given period. The effect of this method of development is the refinement and extension of the cur- rent concentric development of Bay City rather than the imposition of a new form. THE REGION Bay City as it is today (top) appears to change little by 1980 (middle), but actually the differences are great. A system of expressway loops have been created about the perimeter to carry unwanted traffic around the city yet allowing easy access to the city from any point. The railroads which now interlace the city are placed out- side, paralleling the loop roadways and serving the industrial area to the southwest. The industrial area around the port is preserved and developed for that specific pur- pose, and a belt of greenery is reserved along the river to preserve its beauty and usefulness as a recreation area. Expansion after 1980 (bottom) is envisioned as additional residential cells beyond the loop. 31 THE CITY A closer look reveals how this development will take place within the city. Resi- dential areas in Bay City are now wrapped around the commercial and industrial de- velopment adjacent to the crossing of highways 60 and 35 (top). The railroads and highways penetrate the city, disrupting circulation and creating disconnected segments of urban area. By 1980 individual cells of commercial and civic functions, light industry, and residential areas would be defined and segregated by major thoroughfares (middle). Highways 35 and 60 would be altered to move traffic either through or around the city. A loop highway would define the limits of the city and circulate traffic around the city. The railroads would closely parallel the loop and pass around the city rather than through it. A recreation area would be developed near the river to the west and could serve as a new location for the county fair. Each of the neighborhood cells (bottom) would evolve from existing neighborhood patterns and preserve existing structures. Each cell would be based upon a popu- lation sufficient to support an elementary school and have park space adjacent to the school. The facilities would be introverted to discourage through traffic, di- recting it to the thoroughfares instead. Some of these neighborhood cells, particu- larly in the western portion of the city, are smaller than the others because of in- dicated higher densities and multi-family housing. The cell for light industry to the north of the central business district is accessible by rail and motor transport. Consequently, these existing city-related industries continue to operate within the city but remain relatively isolated from the populace. The central business district would be developed between the major east-west thoroughfare which has been split to allow free circulation about the district. Ac- cess to the business district is available from all directions within or out of thecity. 32 THE RESIDENTIAL CELLS 'lans for three neighborhoods redevel- ped according to contemporary stand- Jards are shown in the left column. A esidential section about Pierce Ele- nentary School (upper left) is charac- eristic of many Bay City residential reas with wasteful square blocks, little leveloped park space and commercial light. This neighborhood (upper right) would be converted to a cul-de-sac ar- angement to discourage through traffic nd be isolated by major thoroughfares. 'he result would be pedestrian parkways hroughout. A parklet would be developed long the creek and commercial and apart- ent sites would be confined to the perim- :ter of the neighborhood. ^ neighborhood cell around Roberts Ele- entary School (left center) is a neighbor- lood of multi-family housing for low income amilies (right center). Cul-de-sacs and edestrian walkways could be combined to nake the land more useful and pleasant. ilewly developed neighborhoods would be :ompleted as integrated cells (bottom left, ottom right) and employ the methods out- ined above. 'i*J^rP'S'^''^^^^'^T^ f=^'T^?F=HTl=! 1 •Ji U' M»^%C.tl:'llS:-sHi EXI'sTlNCi — .?^*% : , .«» ^l^- ^^-^ PHOPO^fcO I — ] f'^Xv \r,^:i;rr :iiiiii;^ .Tssrr ■ t ; Ui:.; ■;.... wsifiM;^ :Vs*««*i»r; wn»ti»» , :,..-: *...;, st»f»»>V, ^♦'•I_«_«M« ••«••"'-♦, ; t" M^ iTtiKt;' #»ri""*«< ^'-itt--' I ^^J mi<*<'7^ t»it;"MiM ■"t«"-r^ _j liliLMiMiMiMxy jM i^ iU ^y jfj -y ; Iji ji.! t ..*.frsm iCiill I:: nil^t ''•"'-"'■ ''nil 33 THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT The cellular concept would be manifested in the central business district by the various use-function groupings: the civic center, the community college, the amusement district, the office and banking area, the shopping center, the central park and lake, and the visitors' facilities. In addition, wholesale and bulk item marketing areas would be located to the east with the farmer-rancher market. (See insert on proposed grouping on opposite page.) Stores and offices with similar functions would be grouped together to reinforce each other commercially. Together, they would provide an overall selection of goods and services comparable to, or greater than, any other business center in the area. In addition, the proximity of the varied groupings to each other would provide a strong attraction for secondary as well as primary shoppers. For example, bank patrons would be prompted to shop since the shopping center would be close at hand. Others visiting the courthouse might decide to dine at a nearby restaurant before leaving the business district. Rather than being inter-competitive, the shops and of- fices would be complementary. Individual store owners would continue to compete with large dealers and render the personal service that is characteristic of small establishments. Such a possibility, however, presupposes a united effort to capture the market of Bay City. The united plan shown below could be sup- plemented by a united advertising program and perhaps a credit system. Working together, the Bay City busi- nessmen could have just such a prosperous center. The portrayed results can be achieved by a controlled evolution of the central business district. The first step is progressively closing Seventh Street to vehicu- lar traffic from Avenue E to Nicholls Avenue thereby diverting east-west traffic to Sixth and Eighth streets and allowing the shops now facing on Seventh Street to face pedestrian malls and plazas instead. Parking would be provided behind the shops and off peripheral streets. The new pedestrian Seventh Street would be- come a backbone upon which the various use groups could form. These groups would be determined by location and function of the existing structures which form the base for future development. All existing structures which are substantial would be maintained and utilized, but poorer structures and those not in keeping with the char- acter of the business district would be eventually removed. The new county courthouse would form the nucleus of the projected civic center and a new city hall, auditorium and library would be located around the revitalized square. The civic center would connect to the community facilities to the south by a continuation of the square across Eighth Street. This one-way street would pass under the square and give access to parking beneath the square and court- house. Office and business centers would surround the square, and to the east a shopping mall would be extend- ed lined by interrelated shops and stores to the exterior extremity terminated by a tourist and convention center. The characters of these groups are illustrated in the sketches on the following page. 34 } ^r-*'%f% ,i ^'^ 1, ^ -,1^7^-^ -£..^-.^- ^ ■5 — -I - -— ^ .; ^^ MAJOR STREET PLAN 54 The amount of parking space avail- able is inadequate for present needs. This scarcity is aggravated by the difficulty encountered in entering and leaving parking spaces. 4, Pedestrian traffic is relegated only the narrow sidewalks. It is in con- stant conflict with automotive traf- fic at the street crossings. |he railroads are perhaps the most perilous azard to safety. They almost encircle the usiness section and interrupt traffic flow numerous intersections. The tracks also ass through residential neighborhoods and \vj safeguards exist to protect the unwary sdestrian or driver. These problems exist addition to the ungainlytraffic congestion. Parking Facilities: Existing metered spaces 614 Existing unmetered spaces and parking lots 228 Existing employee spaces 136 Total number of existing spaces 978 Existing parking space deficit 5 77 Projected number of parking spaces required by 1980 3,960 Railroads: Bay City is served by trunk lines of three of the major rail systems. When the railroads first went though the city, they were located on the perimeter, but now they penetrate the expanded center of town. The three stations serve passenger and freight requirements to all destinations. Air Transportation: A small municipal airstrip for light aircraft will be augmented by a new mun- icipal airport capable of handling commercial flights by 1965. 55 IHI^HH^' Underground Pipelines: Bay City and iVlatagorda County have pipeline connections to the major indus- trial areas along the Gulf Coast. Waterways: Matagorda County is located on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway which extends from Florida to Texas. Access to other inland systems occurs along the route. Bay City has just finished development of a barge port southwest of the city on the Colorado River. Present planning estimates indicate that this port may be- come a deep-water port by 1980. Utilities: Bay City is unique in that it operates its own natural gas supply systems as well as those for water supplyand waste disposal. Sewage disposal represents a major problem because of the limited change in topography. The electricity supplied by a private firm is virtually unlimited, and it may be subsidized by resources of nearby electrical systems as well as its own. Bay City has a radio station and neighboring television stations are received clearly in the area. Telephone and telegraphic services are available as required. Pipelines and waterways are two most important transportation links. Both have served in the past to export raw material resources of food stuffs and oil from Matagorda County. In the future, they may transport the produce of the new industries in Bay City. Bay City has utilities in ample supply. There should not be a problem of pro- viding sufficient water, gas, and elec- tricity in the future. From an aesthetic standpoint, however, much could be done to eliminate the obtrusive storage tanks and network of utility wires. There is really no reason to have myriads of wires dangling from creosoted poles in the middle of the central business district downtown. 56 CONCLUSION In recent years, urban renewal legislation by state and Federal governments has promoted a rash of comprehensive plans which have been undertaken by many communities. For most cities, however, these plans ultimately serve only as community balance sheets of statistical information rather than as the basis of a progressive beginning for a new era. The plans and the cities often gather dust to- gether as life continues in the old familiar patterns. Soon, however, many of these cities may no longer enjoy the blessing of tranquility and order without planning. Some, seeking industry and growth, will be passed by in favor of more progressive communities. Others, attempting to maintain the status quo, will find their population bur- geoning and problems magnified by proximity to a blooming metropolitan area. A belated search through an old compre- hensive plan for answers will reveal only words that say little and figures that mean nothing. For a comprehensive plan is, at best, only a tabulation of the content of the city. It is a vague picture of the cityto- day without even the faintest image of the city of tomorrow. If the city is to be a better one tomorrow, then it must go a step further than tabulating the balance sheet. It must seek a direction. Lewis Mumford, the acclaimed historian of cities, once said that what is missing is an "idea of the city." The intent of this report is to take that next step and provide a direction, an idea of the city, to which end the citizens can direct their planning and actions. This final section of the report dealt with the beginnings of that idea which found its roots in the problems of the city. The design concepts outlined in the first portions of the report were options to be considered by residents and planning officials of the Chamber of Commerce of Bay City. An attempt was made to go beyond mere facts and figures in the analysis. Often statistics are but little better indicators of the health and disposition of a city than are medical test results for a human being. While a city may have everything in ample amounts, the main consideration is always how these things are put together. The blood pressure of the city may be fine, but the city may also have a gloomy disposition. I SPONSORS: Bay City Cliamber of Commerce — Matacjorda County Area Development (Planning) Committee JDIRECTOR OF PROJECT: William T. Cannady, Assistant Professor of Architecture, Rice University ICONSULTANTS: James K. Dunaway, Associate Professor of Architecture, Rice University; Berndt Koll