Spatial Models for Parking and Pedestrian Access in Historic Downtowns: A Preservation and Design Perspective

Abstract

Small historic downtowns must balance the tension between providing convenience of access and quality of environment. Downtowns that must provide parking for large numbers of cars because of their thriving economies, but have also preserved a significant proportion of their historic resources, were studied to identify common patterns for organizing access. Five models for access were identified in a group of towns representing different regions of the United States: on-street, in quadrant locations, around the downtown perimeter, in alleys, and in block interiors.

Examples of each model were evaluated for the following characteristics:

• convenient parking locations

• desirable pedestrian routes between parking areas and destination points

• preservation of historic architectural and landscape resources

• environmental continuity with areas surrounding the downtown.

The models that best reflect these values are the on-street, block interior, and alley slot models because they avoid encroachment of the street into the block. All of the models have specific strengths that may make them appropriate for application in a particular downtown.