El Centro Altamonte Civic Center

A Demonstration of Altamonte’s Civic Values Dedicated to the great people of Altamonte Springs

Altamonte Transit Oriented Development

Planned and Designed by

Jose Carlos Ayala |Sarah Elbadri Travis Ray|Heather Tribou

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Designing Altamonte Civic Center

Enhancing Current Conditions

Given the current conditions surrounding Altamonte Springs’ future Sunrail Station, within its half-mile transit neighborhood and especially its quarter-mile transit core, it was clear that one of the main goals of this project would be to not only create a sense of place, but also re-establish and invigorate Altamonte’s sense of civic pride.

Just west of the site, across Ronald Reagan Boulevard, Altamonte Springs City Hall, Police Department, and Fire Station #11 sit, nestled in between a water treatment facility and several, under-utilized parking lots.

While lacking a clear sense of esteem for government, this site provides a strong foundation for a future civic center.

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Respecting civic features of Altmonte Springs’ current logo, the logo design of El Centro, Altmonte’s civic center and seat of government, induces a feeling civic participation and grounded government.

The crane, reminescent of Crane’s Roost is removed, and focus is shifted to civic engagment, represented by the central feature at the apex of the design. Taking cues from Capitoline, Rome, this logo reminds government and its citizens that collaboration and partnerships are what move civil society forward. This theme is found throughout El Centro, in both its design ethos and physical manifestation.

Current City BrandingAltamonte employs a central architectural structure feauring an Atlas-like globe held up by citizens, along with a crane, which acts as the city’s “mascot”.

Altamonte City Hall This building’s non-descript architecture resorts to an over-sized font to define its use.

Branding

Emphasizing Civic Ideals

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El Centro is located at the intersection of State Road 436 and Ronald Reagan Boulevard. Because of its orienation around Altamonte’s SunRail Station, a great emphasis was placed on what FDOT’s TOD language calls the “transit core” and surrounding “transit neighborhood.”

In order to model the best-suited program for this site, GIS studies were employed to analyze the area.

Orientation

Emphasis on Transit Core and Neighborhood

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POPULATION DistributionHigher population densities are found at least one block away from major thoroughfares. The

greatest density is found in the SW corner of the study area, due to a concentration of multifamily units.

Site Analysis

GIS Studies

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NON-RESIDENTIAL Intensity Non-residential uses are oriented around major thoroughfares in the area. Ronald Reagan Blvd and

436 are significant corridors of non-residential activity.

RESIDENTIAL IntensityDwelling units are found behind the commerical activity corridors.

VACANT LandUndeveloped parcels are scattered throughout the site, but are mostly concentrated in the north- and east-

side of the study area. A significant amount of this vacant land is found in the transit core.

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This Master Plan is the end result of a three-step analysis that sought to transform the transit core and transit neighborhood into regional centers of activity and connectivity. These steps are modeled after Galina Tachieva’s approach to identifying sites for sprawl repair and increased density.

1. Preserve wetlands, agriculture, and park lands

2. Preserve historical, cultural, civic centers

3. Identify areas of employment

Following these steps, connections were then identified and areas for densification planned.

Master Planning

Considering the Regional Context

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Preserve CIVIC CENTERSSchools, churches, community centers, and an African-American neighborhood are

the main civic centers in the area.

Preserve GREENSPACES Wetlands, historically agricultural lands, and parks are preserved for recreational and

environmental needs.

Master Planning

Making Connections

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Identify EMPLOYMENT The corridor around SR-436 is a major employment hub. A secondary node is found north of 436 along the west-side

of Ronald Reagan Boulevard.

CONNECT and DENSIFY These centers of activity are connected. Opportunities for density are then

identified and planned for in the final master plan

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State Road 436, the major thoroughfare running east-west through the site, is not just an auto-oriented road but an auto-dominated arterial. In order to create a more pedestrian-oriented experience, 436 must be civilized.

A boulevard design is proposed, transforming the 6-lane highway into a 4-lane center thoroughfare for higher speed traffic, and two one-way side streets for local and multimodal traffic.

For an optimal pedestrian environment, 10ft sidewalks with 10 ft landscape buffers are suggested. This neccesitates a 10ft easement for each side of SR-436. A similar design is proposed for Ronald Reagan Boulevard.

Designing Better Connectivity

Enhancing Links

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Missing connectivity and increased access are provided by a proposed streetcar line. The streetcar provides a traffic-free route to the mall (1) and hospital (2) west, just north of SR-436, and a much needed commuter route from a neighborhood-center northeast of El Centro.

Old Urbanism

The Streetcar Revisited

Bus ConnectivityFour current routes (1, 41, 102, 103) in the area will become part of the on-site bus hub.

Connecting the dotsEl Centro seeks to act as connection between regional nodes of activity.

Bicycle connectivityWhile exisiting (green) connections exist, boulevarding (red) adds major east-west and north connections.

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This site-specific plan of El Centro utilizes public investment and private-public partnerships for a successful phased build-out.

Major features of this plan include1. improved bus hub2. parking garage3. mixed-use development4. pedestrian plaza5. mirrored civic centers

-governmental center -platform based third- space

6. quasi-public community center (Rife evelopment)

Phasing Altamonte Civic Center

Investments and Partnerships

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Phase 4Reconstruction of City Hall begins. This completes the other half of the El Centro development. The suggested architectural style for this site is Mediterranean Revival, with regional examples from Florida and a city hall example from Pasadena, CA.

Phase 2“One of the greatest design flaws of a station configuration is to surround it with parking and noisy bus areas.” Peter Calthorpe,The Next American Metropolis

The bus hub is moved and

oriented toward the east platform. The city invests in a parking garage, serving as an incentive for private development.

Phase 3Private development takes advantage of the parking garage and adds mixed use development to the site. A public-private partnership is formalized and jointly constructs the central pedestrian plaza.

Phase 1The station features about 350 parking spots and a bus hub.

Phasing

Logistics and Style

Villa Vizcaya, a famous example of Mediterranean revival architecture, is located in Miami.

Vinoy Park Hotel in downtown St. Petersburg FL opened in 1925.

The Mediterranean Revival style

Riverside Baptist Church (1924-1925) was the only church designed by famed Palm Beach

Architect Addison Mizner.Pasadena City Hall

was designed by John Bakewell & Arthur Brown who were influenced by the early Renaissance style of 16th century Italian architect Andrea Palladio. Construction was completed on December 27, 1927.

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Like the site itself, development within El Centro has the potential to create a unique node of activity with a distinctive experience exclusive to its environment.

The Rife Site, just east of City Hall, has the ability to leverage not only its nearness to a major SunRail station, but also its relationship to the civic center. As a community center, with a focus on urban agriculture and local food, it has the capacity to draw people to Altamonte as an experience-based destination. With initially simple design changes, and futher phased renovations, the Rife Site could celebrate the rustic revival of local economies.

Community in the Civic Center

Rife Development

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Phase 2: Structural AdditionsRestaurant space is a profitable and appropriate use for this site, which is close to both transit and employment. Inspiration for this structure comes from Emril’s on Universal City Walk. While a tourist attraction near the theme parks, this structure serves as landmark for the site and grounds the original Rife building. With a menu focused on local food, the restaurant is likely to attract “foodies” throughout Central Florida (especially those living near the SunRail spine).

With the addition of a raised outdoor patio, similar to Winter Park’s Farmers Market, this site becomes ideal for programming ranging from weddings to art shows, to gardening demonstrations.

Phase 1: Architectural ChangesTransforming the face of the Rife post office with a brick and steel facade will set off the rustic feel of the building. Large windows fronting Ronald Reagan Boulevard invite both pedestrians and drivers to peak into the activity happening inside the the building.

Phasing

Architectural and Stuctural

Adding Prato-like folding glass doors facing the interior of the site (and future pedestiran plaza) also add to an indoor-outdoor flexbility to the space.

A side patio with a seating wall and garden boxes present a casual feel. By creating this quasi-public place, it extends the Rife building beyond its site, into the adjacent street life.

Phase 3: Residential ConstructionThe final addtion of artists’ lofts complements the culture of the site and adds residents to El Centro.

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Final Site Design for El Centro

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Perspective of Restaurant