The document summarizes a creative project exploring building typologies for a proposed mixed-use development called South Street Square on the site of a former GM stamping facility in Indianapolis. The project explores seven building typologies - terrace homes, plex units, courtyards, apartments, townhomes, shop homes, and mews - that would create a diverse, walkable urban neighborhood with affordable and market-rate housing options. Standards are established for density, height, setbacks, parking, and ground floor transparency to guide development of the typologies into a cohesive neighborhood that supports sustainability and activates the public realm.

1. South Street Square
An Exploration of Building Typologies at the General Motors Stamping Facility in Indianapolis, Indiana
Daniel Liggett
Master of Urban Design 2011
Professor Bruce Race - FAIA, AICP, Associate Professor of Practice
Advisor Michel Mounayar - RA, Associate Dean of College of Architecture and Planning
Advisor Kevin Osburn - RLA, Principal at Rundell Ernstberger Associates

2. South Street Square
An Exploration of Contemporary Building Typologies in Indianapolis, Indiana
Daniel Liggett
Introduction
“To most people this
Over the next 30 years, South Street contemporary urban housing
Square will provide Indianapolis design that supports the is their most treasured
with its first contemporary, urban development of diverse and dense possession. It is not just
neighborhoods. The proposed
neighborhood. Located at the
design helps our understanding
bricks and motor or a
existing GM stamping facility, South
Street Square will be a mixed- how to adapt the GM site into a financial investment; it
contemporary community.
use neighborhood with a diverse is a vital part of their
range of building typologies. The
typologies are designed to create
The research aims include a life. Home is crucial to
a diverse, inclusive neighborhood.
process that analyzes the specific everybody’s daily well
demands of housing, evaluate how
It will offer both affordable and an existing framework plan can being.”
market rate units, and provide be adapted to fit a set of building
amenities such as park and open typologies, and the form and shape Tony Monk, forward “At Home in the
space and a vibrant commercial of the typologies on site. City”
shopping district.
The creative project explores
41 2011 Creative Project Summary

3. breakdown of 64% ownership to
36% rental.
However, the proximity of the
South Street Square in relation
to Indianapolis means the ratio
between ownership and rental
units should be reevaluated. This
census information directed the
land use type and density of
building typologies in South Street
Square. Furthermore, parking
requirements vary depending
upon rental or ownership
housing. Additionally, building
types inform parking policy. The
proper amount of parking must be
available for commercial services
for the residents of South Street
Square. The housing demographic
Concept Diagram
influenced all of these decisions.
The site is located in the southwest the center of Indianapolis by using Population demographic that
region of Indianapolis, Indiana. several attractions; Indianapolis impacted the building typology
Historically, the city was laid Zoo, Victory Field, Lucas Oil Stadium objectives include age, household
out with four diagonal streets and the Indianapolis Convention size, and race. Census information
entering the city and ceasing Center. The clear constraint has shows that target rental age group
near Monument Circle. Each become an opportunity. The is less than 35 years of age, while
diagonal street has its attraction development at the GM Stamping the target age for ownership
and character. Indiana Avenue plant studied how proper urban housing is between 45 and 54 years
developed into a place for IUPUI building typologies can form the of age. To support other ages and
and health services, Massachusetts majority of the development site. cultures/races, the typology was
Avenue has small shops and varied throughout different districts
of South Street Square.
restaurants, and Fountain Square is Demographics
1.6
known for artesian lofts. However,
Kentucky Avenue has lost character Addressing the current population
with the development of super and housing trends influences
blocks, including Lucas Oil, the several of the project’s objectives. Downtown Indianapolis
As found through the United State
2.2
convention center, and several
industries. The development at Census information for Indianapolis,
the GM site sought to reconnect to a rental to ownership housing
Indianapolis (Balance)
Downtown Living Range Indianapolis (Balence) Average Household Size
5+ Daniel Liggett 42

4. Washin
gton S
treet
4
2 3
4
1
5 1 Arc Park
4
Oliver Avenue 2 South Street Park
3 GM Reuse
4 Arc Street
5 White River
Framework Master Plan
South Street Square: Design Features
There are two primary southwest street angle entering residential housing types.
organizational features for the downtown Indianapolis.
South Street Square master plan. There are two key gateways. One
Other design features include is at the east end of South Street
The first is South Street Walkway, districts, gateways, landmarks, Park and other is at the west end
which is extended from historical nodes, circulation, and open spaces. of Arc Park, both on Arc Street.
South Street, the most southern These provide urban design context These gateways are located in
road as part of the original layout to for building typologies. the commercial shopping district
the city of Indianapolis. and pronounce the site to visitors.
There are two types of character Elevated building corners cause a
The second organizing feature is districts in South Street Square. The compression and release effect on
Arc Street, a newly developed space first is the commercial shopping those traveling from the enclosure
meant to connect the development, district, found on Arc Street of Arc Street to the open park space.
South Street Square, and major between the two transit stops.
downtown attractions. A park The second are the park districts. A vertical landmark is located at
is formed where South Street South Street Park and Arc Park vary intersection of South Street and
Walkway and Arc Street intersect. in programming. South Street Arc Street. It is a vertical element,
The street grid within the site is Park functions as a high activity designed into an intermodal transit
organized on a forty-five degree area for the transit stop. Arc Park facility. The streetcar stop, South
angle to optimize wind patterns is programmed as a space to relax Street Walkway, and commercial
and breezes that move off the and designed to suit the general shopping district make for a mix
White River and through the site. public for use of the library and of transportation alternatives.
The street grid also runs parallel religious buildings. The districts Extruded building corners are also
to Kentucky Avenue, the historical are surrounded by an array of expressed as gateway elements.
43 2011 Creative Project Summary

5. Arc Street, from transit stop to
transit stop, is the central address
for South Street Square. It is a street
that functions as a linear space with
a series of interconnected nodes.
There are several different types
of circulation modes within and
beyond South Street Square
including pedestrian, bicycle,
vehicular, and streetcars.
Vehicular Routes
To improve pedestrian circulation,
Secondary Routes
blocks were reduced from
Greenways
the typical 500 foot widths of
Railways
Indianapolis blocks, to 375 foot and
Framework Circluation 150 foot blocks. Smaller block sizes
support a more walkable system
for pedestrians. The smaller block
typology also allows for bicycles to
easily navigate South Street Square
with safely designed crosswalks and
celebrated streets.
To promote walkability and biking,
South Street Walkway has been
designed as a non-motorized
pedestrian and bikeway that
extends to the White River and the
Public Institutions newly developed portion of the
Hardscape Space White River State Park (see Figure
Softscape Space 5, 7 and 9). South Street allows
Public Commerce for pedestrians, bicyclists, runners,
Destination Point joggers, and people of all activities
Framework Public Space to easily access South Street Park,
the commercial shopping district,
and Arc Park, which are nestled
within the interior of South Street
Square development. South Street
provides a friendly way for bikers to
travel. Other street types include
bike lanes.
There are four street types
including alleys (and service alleys),
residential streets, collector streets,
and Arc Street. Alleys service
commercial and residential areas
Public Space
Low Dense Residential
and provide access to parking.
High Dense Residential
Light Industrial
Residential streets have bike lanes
on-street. Residential streets have
Framework Land Use Daniel Liggett 44

6. 22
17
23
18 24
19 21
16
12 20
8 13
14
4 9
10
15
7
11
5
3
6
1
2
South Street Square Master Plan
1 Arc Transit Stop 9 Mixed Use Plex 17 Micro-police station
1 Oliver School
2 10 Mews 18 Reflecting Pool
3 Arc Park Gateway 11 Courtyard with Parking 19 Multimodal Hub
4 12 Apartments 20 Transit Authority
Church
13 Plex Service & Parking 21 South Street Walkway
5 Arc Park (Parking Under)
14 Shophouse 22 Anchor Retail
6 Community Library
15 Doubled Loaded Units 23 Market Housing
7 Celebrated street-type
16 Arc Street Gateway 24 Reuse GM Plant
8 Townhouses
45 2011 Creative Project Summary

7. just two travel lanes with on street
parking. This street type is designed
to provide parking and a peaceful
street for residents.
The collector street is designed to
provide efficient travel within and
through South Street Square. They
are critical for the development
of special use zones, such as the
micro-police station and transit
authority which require quick
egress and ingress of emergency
vehicles.
Arc Street is a “complete street”
as it offers plenty of space and
safe movement for a variety of
circulation types. Pedestrians have
large wide sidewalks, cafés, planting
beds that cool the environment,
and public seating. Bike users have Arc Street in Action!
a dedicated bike space, much like
that of the Indianapolis Cultural
Trail, which safely separates bikes
from traffic. On street parking is
available for commercial businesses. The South Street Square project townhouses, and shop housing.
The streetcar also has its own illustrates how building typologies Each typology has a list of standards
dedicated space that makes two work within a framework plan. to follow for development. These
stop in South Street Square. The project shows how typologies design objectives were used to
form a contemporary district with a formulate standards:
The plan outlines public and private cohesive form.
open spaces. Building typologies • Density
respond to their open space setting The project site is 40 acres with • Land use
in terms of height, ground floor various building types. The • Location in Context
use, and orientation. Residential typologies are dependent on • Parking
buildings facing parks have deeper several factors, including land • Transit Oriented Design
setbacks. Arc Street spans the two use. The land uses found in South • Street Types
parks and is a public green space as Street Square include institutional, • Park & Open Space
well. industrial, commercial mixed-use, • Height
residential mixed-use, park and • Setback
An additional plaza contains the open space, and residential land • Transparency & Form of 1st Floor
southeastern-most transit stop. This use.
transit stop is near to the school. These topics were used to develop
Private green spaces are within each Design Topics for Typologies design standards for South Street
lot and block. These private green Square.
spaces would include the open The typological exploration of
space in plex, terrace, and shop South Street Square includes
housing. terrace housing, plex housing,
courtyard, mew housing,
Daniel Liggett 46

8. Typology Standards
The building types for South Street
Square address contemporary
urban forms.
Standards and guidelines include
height, setback, and transparency
of buildings floors. The height
standard for the building typologies
is linked with density. Mixed-use
Ownership Housing buildings are taller than single use
residential buildings.
The first floors of commercial
buildings are to be the tall and
transparent to promote a flexible
use for a variety of potential
commercial businesses. The first
floor façades are to be visually
accessible from the sidewalk and
retail.
The building setbacks for residential
buildings reflect the need for
Ownership & Rental Housing privacy. The further the setback
from the right-of-the-way, the more
public to private transition space is
available for porches, stoops, and
patios.
Mixed-Use & Ownership - Rental Housing
47 2011 Creative Project Summary

9. Typology Features Infrastructure
2% 12%
6% Industrial
Public buildings, such as
commercial and government Park & Open Space
5%
66%
buildings form promote public use
and access. 9% Special Use
Commercial
In order to create diverse and
Residential
inclusive neighborhoods, the
proposed land use and density for Land Use Breakdown
South Street Square was designed
to attract a variety of people.
4% 3%
Mews
Also, an enhanced public realm,
invited people to experience the Townhouses
space. Higher densities and a mix
12% 25%
Shophouses
of uses activate the public realm.
Private “back” areas are more Courtyard
effectively used for service and
parking.
27% 20% Plex
Terrace
Typology form also ensures “eyes-
on-the-street” meaning the area Residential Typology Breakdown
will be safer, as everyone acts as
an informal watchman. The plan cooling systems were integrated to be as transparent as possible.
has commercial mixed-use on Arc into buildings. The “skyline” of the The reason for this is twofold. First,
Street. By increasing density at this development is to be pyramidal transparent first floors activate
area and providing shopping, it in shape. The tallest buildings, or the street. In terms of sustainable
becomes the primary destination highest density, are located at Arc systems, the first and second floors
for residents and visitors. Street. The buildings decrease in are more likely to be shaded by
height to be energy efficient for street trees. Natural environmental
Building type design can contribute optimal use of day lighting and strategies can be used to passively
toward a reduction in greenhouses passive energy systems. cool the building. Upper floors
gases and consumption of fossil receive more direct sunlight and
fuels. To achieve energy efficiency, Floor transparency standards consist of less transparent material.
natural lighting and passive encourage the first several floors
Arc Street Section
Daniel Liggett 48

10. Mixed-use Plexhouse
60’ min. --
Townhouse Shophouse Residential Plexhouse
36’ min. -- 36’ min. --
24’ min. -- 24’ min. -- 24’ min. --
Height 14’ min. --
5 story --
12’ min. -- 10’ min. 15’ max.-- 10’ min.
Setback
from street R.O.W.
W
3 story --
2 story -- 2 story --
Density
= 1 unit
Parking
surface/tuckunder space on street on street & park between on alley & park between
Building Types they are flexible in using alleys to economic advantages. Socially,
help free the street right-of-way families can offer the units to family
South Street Square includes from additional vehicles. Terrace or friends, to keep them close to
seven building typologies that are homes and plex units are mixed home if need be. Economically,
terrace, plex, courtyard, apartments, use typologies found on Arc Street. they provide affordable units to
townhouses, shop homes, and They create an attractive edge to those who are looking to rent
mews. the commercial shopping district studio-type spaces. The rent
found between the two streetcar produced each month by these
Terrace homes are approximately stops in South Street Square. units provides an incentive to create
27% of the housing types. They and maintain the success of mew
come in a variety of forms, and Mews are smaller one or story typologies.
can be adapted to mixed-use units that are located in the alley
development. Alleys provide between two rows of terrace or plex Rental building types include
service access to terrace homes and units. They have one service alley courtyard and stacked flat
commercial blocks removing cars and one circulation alley on either units. These typologies can offer
from the public right-of-way. side. Mews are often associated affordable living, with an increase
with the plex or terrace house in in density. Most of these units are
Plex units allow for a variety in which it shares the lot. In South close to public transportation and
occupancies. Second story walkups Street Square, 33 mew units are have lower parking requirements.
and basement units offer potential provided less than 100 feet from Eight development acres are
for a mix in market and affordable parks and the commercial shopping dedicated to these two typologies
living units. Much like terrace units, district. Mews have social and and provide living for almost one
49 2011 Creative Project Summary

11. Mews Mixed-use Terrace Terrace House Chicago Courtyard
60’ min. -- Apartments
36’ min. -- 36’ min. -- 36’ min. --
Use Req. -- 24’ min. --
12’ min. --
5 story --
3’ - 6’ min. 15’ min. 10’ min. 10’ min.
3 story -- 3 story --
+
+
1 story --
+
no parking provided on alley on street on street & park between
thousand people. Conclusions
social and economic activities and
Townhouses and shophouses Urban design guidelines support
community connections.
are designed for market rate and quality design because all designers
affordable ownership. In South and developers play by the same
3.
Street Square, 3.5 development rules. Urban design typology
Housing should support and
acres are included for these housing standards can create consistent
facilitate new living strategies.
types. These building types help form that supports place making
Contemporary design can be
provide market rate and affordable objectives and values. These
responsive to new needs and life
units. conclusions are illustrated by the
styles, even if the base idea for each
creative project effort:
typology is classic in nature.
1.
Urban design guidelines and
standards are important for mixed
use districts with residential,
commercial, office, industrial, or
special uses.
2.
The guidelines and standards
support place making. They shape
the form of buildings to respond to
Daniel Liggett 50