Client:

Village of Addison

Architect:

Oppermann Architects

Engineer:

Metro Transportation Group, Inc.

Consultant:

Business Districts, Inc.

Category:

Planning & Analysis

West Suburban Addison is not unlike many small cities that grew up in the post-World War II era. For many years the town center prospered, yet as people became more mobile and commercial development increased on its periphery, the main crossroads suffered. The landscape architect and market research consultants were engaged to help Addison’s town center regain a distinctive civic heart through redevelopment. The process encompassed research and public input from community leaders and citizens, including a visual preference survey. Based on feedback and findings, the team created a master implementation plan as well as design and development guidelines.

In addition to knitting together land parcels into a classic downtown business district, the master plan sets out general guidelines on land use and density, parking, open space and landscape that Addison can apply to future planning efforts elsewhere in the village. Overall, a holistic approach is outlined for the town center, treating economic, retail and residential development as well as family-friendly amenities like parks. Special places such as plazas and greens, coupled with high-quality streetscapes, provide for a vibrant town center that encourages casual social interactions.