1 ec eoa 19 20 rma J ^^e Decatur ^lan Book Number .^)49 *~»~-*~.-.~,-,-,.^^,..^..^^^., „ , , ....... . . ....^ L I B k A R V MYRON HL-Vr ARCHITECT *-"* '^'"■■E'ES, Calif. UNIV. OF CALIF. UBRARY, LOS ANGELES UBflARV GF A3Ci;iT£GlUtt£ AND ALLIED ARTS .1* . .HA as: I? ■ - tr i,i > • a.' ,1 Date Due mm OF AmnEcmt ''NO ^iUED ARTS i\.Mr ■'i' ¥ X ; Q - '^rJ/ -a c u J?^. ^N-») > •\*' t,i m k a M C i 3 a E c 12 "The City Practical" The Decatur Plan Made for the City Plan Commission of Decatur, Illinois By Myron Howard West of the American Park Builders Chicago Published by the Association of Commerce 1920 CTX^" HIS book is published bij Ihe \\) Association of Commerce, The expense of making the City Plan was defrayed from a fund contributed by Decatur citizens at the suggestion and solicitation of the City Plan Commission, a committee of the Association of Commerce '^ '^ Copyrighted 1920. b>j the Association of Commerce. Decatur Si o CONTENTS Page FOREWORD 19 LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL 23 INTRODUCTION 25 THE CITY OF DECATUR i2> THE MOTIVE AND SCOPE OF THE PLAN 41 STREETS 47 Curved Streets 51 Railroad Diagonals 53 Alleys 55 Special Street Corrections 56 Street Furnishings 63 Street Lighting 65 Street Paving 66 Street (Ornamentation 66 SPECIAL STREET CORRECTION 56 The Widening of Broadway from Prairie to Wood 56 Street Changes in Connection with Civic Center 56 Southwest Boulevard and I'mposed Street Arrangement in X'icinity 56 Wabash Right of \\'a.y 56 Connection of Jackson and Warren Streets ^7 Widening of Mason Street ^7 Van Dyke Street 57 Garfield Street 57 Grand Avenue 57 Union Street 58 Edward, Woodford and Se\-enth Streets 58 Fairview Avenue 58 Oakland Axenue 58 Orchard Street 58 Cerro Gordo Street 58 Dunham Street 59 Center Street Extended West 59 Suggested Plotting Northwest of Monroe and Garfield Streets 59 Johnson and Olive Streets 59 Replotting Land Contiguous to the Proposed Factory District 59 Division Street 60 Calhoun Street 60 William Street 60 8 The Decatur Plan .^■>»»^»»«-<.^.^»»»»-»-»"»-»"*"»"*"«"»"»"«"»"»' '»■■•■■•■■•■■•■■•■■>■■*■■>'■*■■*■'•■'»■'*■'•"•"•"•■■••••■••"•"•"•■••■••"•"»"•"•"••••"•"•"•"»-»♦. Page Diagonals Along the C. H. & D 61 Replotting of District Southeast of Wood and Seventh Streets 61 Arrangement of Streets North of Golf Club 61 South Section of the Circular Boulevard 61 INDUSTRIES 67 The Proposed Factory District 70 Scheme of Arrangement 71 THE RAILROAD PROBLEM 77 Elevation of the Wabash Railroad 85 Relocation of St. Louis Division Over the Kansas City Line 87 Relocation of the St. Louis Division Over the Illinois Central 87 Railroad Crossing Elimination 90 Tables of Estimates of Alternate Railroad Projects 92 The Union Station 94 Freight Yards 97 Summary of Railroad Change Benefits 99 STREET CAR AND INTERURBAN TRANSPORTATION 101 Proposed Comprehensive System of Street Car Lines 104 Discussion of the Economy of the Plan 105 Interurban Lines 106 Station Facilities 106 ZONING PLAN 107 Heavy Industrial Zone 110 Light Industrial and Warehouse 110 Light Industrial and Commercial 1 10 First Residential 110 Second Residential 110 Park Zone 112 Cemeteries 112 HOUSING 115 PARKS 121 Types of Parks 123 Parking Plan for Decatur 127 Interior Parks 130 Johns Hill 131 A Farmers Headquarters 131 Central Park 132 The Boulevard System 134 School Parks 134 Park Design 136 The City Practical Page SCHOOLS 137 High School 141 Junior High School 142 Pugh School 143 Oakland School 143 Riverside School 143 Ulrich School 144 Gastman School 144 Roach School ... 145 Warren School 145 Jasper School 145 Dennis School 145 French School 146 THE CIVIC CENTER 147 Post Office Site 149 Central Park Site 151 Washington Street Site 153 Civic Center Plan 155 CARRYING OUT OF PLAN 157 CONCLUSION 165 APPENDIX— ILLINOIS ZONING LAW 169 PLANS AND DRAWINGS FOR DECATUR CITY PLAN Page GENERAL PLANS Map of the City of Decatur and Surrnuiiclings Preceding 33 General Plan for Improvement and Extensions Preceding 49 Map of Zoning Plan for Decatur Preceding 113 Plan of Main Thoroughfares Preceding S7 Map of Street Car System Preceding 105 Interior Street Changes Preceding 59 Chart of Existing Thoroughfares 52 RAILROAD MAPS AND PROFILES Present Railroad and Street Car Map of Decatur 80 Railroad Plan, Showing Proposed Changes 84 Proposed Arrangement of Railroads Passing Through Decatur 96 Proposed Freight Station and Teaming Yards 98 Profiles of Illinois Central Railroad, Showing Change of Grade 88 Profiles of Proposed Wabash Belt Line 86 CHARTS OF GENERAL DATA Building Density Chart 45 Present Arrangement of Types of Develoijment Ill Zone of Influence Chart 37 Wind Chart 74 CIVIC CENTER Perspective of Proposed Civic Center 160 Plan of Proposed Civic Center 150 MISCELLANEOUS Detail of Curved Street Treatment 54 Typical Quarter Section of Rectangular Plotting for Factory District 72 Typical Quarter Section of Rectangular Plotting for Residence Dis- 'trict ' 50 Diagram of Growth of P(i[)ulatii m 36 Chart Showing Estimated Decennial Increase in Area of Decatur. , . 39 SCHOOL CHARTS Chart of Existing Parks and Schools 140 Arrangement of Typical School Block 135 PARKS Re-design of Fairvievv and Dreamland Park 124 Re-design of Central Park 133 Perspective of Impounding Reservoir 3 PHOTOGRAPHIC ILLUSTRATIONS Page Park Avenue, Decatur, 111 64 Railroad Shops and Industrial Plants Along Wabash Railroad 70 Factory District Along Wabash Railroad 81 Another Mew of Factory District Along Wabash Railroad 82 Wabash Railroad Crossing at James Millikin University 8.i The Chinese Wall of Decatur 85 Illinois Central Right of Way 90 Passenger Stations at Decatur 94 Congestion of Tracts at Wabash Station 95 Pennsylvania Freight Station and Surroundings 97 Business District of Decatur as Viewed from Aeroplane 112 Neighborhood Store in Residential Section 119 Along the Sangamon 126 Stevens Creek Territory 127 Wood and Meadow Along Stevens Creek 128 Beautiful Native Forests Near Decatur 130 Johns Hill, One of Decatur's Landmarks 131 Aeroplane View of Central Park 132 Decatur High School and Junior High . 142 Scant Room for Play at Decatur School 144 View Along Jefferson Street 154 Overlooking Site of Proposed Civic Center 155 Site of Proposed Civic Center 156 DECATUR CITY PLAN COMMISSION In the month of April, 1<)19, the Citv Plan Co appointed. mmission was PERSONNEL OF COMMISSION W. F. Hardy, Chairman, W. C. Field. C. H. Beane, H. R. Gregory, Robert Mueller, H. D. Warner, Mrs. Guy P. Lewis, Mrs. Delia P. Gushard, C. A. Ewing, H. L Baldwin, F. M. Meridith, George A. Williams, L. Swisher, H. C. Schaub, W. C. Casey, M. L. Harry, M. C. Nelson, Mrs. R. D. Wood, F. H. Johns, Mrs. J. D. Moore, Mrs. R. L Hunt, Dan Dinneen, j. j. Alaloney, William H. Collins, A. H. Cope, R. J. Monroe, J. M. Clokey, Mrs. L J. Bender, Mrs. Charles H. Patterson, C. M. Borchers, ex-officio. R. J. Holmes, Secretary. LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS TO DECATUR CITY PLAN Millikin National Bank- Citizens National Bank Decatur Railway & t-ight Co. Wm. Gusharcl Dry Goods Co. Dr. W'm. Barnes H. Mueller Mfg. Co. National Bank of Decatur Morehouse & Wells Co. E. L. Harris Mrs. Guy P. Lewis American Grain Co. C. G. Powers Orlando Hotel Jos. Michl & Sons H. D. Warner Decatur Ice Cream Co. Decatur Lumber & Mfg. Co. Wait-Cahill Co. Elliott Commission Co. Scovill Furniture Co. Pierce & Caldwell Dan W. Tait R. C. Augustine Bohon Clothing Store E. E. Barber Dr. C. M. Jack Dance Bros. Leon & Morris Mr. and Mrs. G. R. Stanton Shellabarger Estate Dan Dinneen Baldwin & Carey Cadillac Co. Vade Conklin T. W. Boruff Decatur Cornice and Roofing Co. Davidson Bakery G. R. Eschelman Sam Malleos Confectionery Spell Bros. E. W. Armstrong Mrs. Inez J. Bender Princess Confectionery C. H. Beane James K. Dovekas James D. Johnson G. P. Calfas John F. Mattes American Ice Cream Co. Sam Burstein Blakeney & Plum Mrs. J. D. Moore Bright Bros. Decatur Model Laundry Co. Donald E. VVillard Folrath & Folrath A. Kaufman H. I. Baldwin H. Post & Sons H. S. Gebhart G. S. Lyon & Sons Mfg. Co. J. S. McClelland Grocer Co. Ed Drobisch Osgood Dry Goods Co. Farmers State Bank & Trust Co. Mrs. A. P. Hunt Mrs. M. W. Fitzpatrick Frank Curtis Co. Field & Shorb Co. W. L. Shellabarger W. F. Hardy L. Swisher Decatur Drug Co. J. E. Freeman C. J. Tucker H. D. Greider J. M. Clokey Benson Creamery Chambers, Bering & Quinlan Decatur Grocer Co. Decatur Tent & Awning Co. W. C. Starr C. G. Starr J. J. Moran R. W. Heady John L. Bennett Guy Parke Royer & Schlie Schudel Bros. R. S. Bohon F. M. Dickinson Aschauer & Waggoner Emerson Piano Co. C. A. Ewing H. C. Schaub Joe Murphey W. T. Delahunty & Co. Zimmermali Plumbing Co. Bert Hall Decatur Manufacturing Co. J. G. Flint C. E. Woodward Bricklayers & Masons Forrest File L. F. Kinister C. A. McMillen M. C. Nelson G. W. Lipscomb Owen Scott C. Martin Wood H. H. Wise Byrd Davis N. O. Maesterson Hamman Bros. College Club Fred C. Stowesand Hue Singleton C. F. Mattes Wm. Heyne G. A. Stadler C. G. Buffington N. L. Bourne F. A. Havighurst J. O. Engleman A. T. Davis A. Beer Mrs. George R. Bacon R. S. Baker Mrs. I. M. Barnes Brown's Floral Store FOREWORD WHILE the temptation is to tell the story of the city plan in considerable detail, it is probable that a summarized schedule of events will serve as well, and will more effec- tively illustrate the characteristlic way in which Decatur gets things done. Here then is the tabloid history: Dec. 9, 1918 — Directors of Association of Commerce hear a presentation of a city plan by T. J. Aloreau. Feb. 25, 1919 — Appointment of a City Planning Com- mission approved. March 6, 1919 — Scope of City Planning presented in public address by T. J. Moreau, of Chicago, and George D. Roper, of Rockford. April 11, 1919 — American Park Builders of Chicago engaged by Commission to make the plan. April 16. 1919 — Myron Howard West begins work. April 18, 1920 — Commission adopts Mr. West's re- port. May 4, 1920 — Association of Commerce adopts report of Commission. May 20, 1920 — City Plan presented to the public. The term "Commission" is a misnomer, tolerated by the Asso- ciation of Commerce and perhaps encouraged in order to give a little dignity to what is really only one of its committees, a purely voluntary body without a particle of power under any existing law. With this confession let some of its accomplishments may be recited. It raised quietly and without any special drive nearly $3,600 to pay the engineer. It brought in a complete and final report in a little more than a year after it had been appointed. It has presented the plan to the public through the Associa- tion of Commerce meeting, through the city plan exhibit at the Decatur Industrial exhibition in the Art institute and through numerous lectures to clubs and other organizations. 20 The Decatur Plan It has obtained from the plat committee of tlie board of super- visors the promise that new additions shall conform to the city plan. It has conferred with the City Council on matters pertaining to making available the industrial district and putting the zoning law into operation. It has supplied all railroads and interurban lines operating in Decatur with charts and text of the City plan whicli atifect the railroads. It has outlined and presented to the board of education a course in city planning suitable for adoption in the public schools with the recommendation that it be included in the curriculum. It has committees at work on such subjects as street furnish- ing, an improved street car system, zoning, freight yard develop- ment and grade crossing elimination, and conference with real estate interests. Its work has only just begun and never will be completed. Years hence when Decatur has attained a population of 100,000 or the 150,000 for which it had been planned the commission or its successor will still be engaged upon the plan, for in the ver}- nature of things work directing the growth of a growing city must be unending. It is with a feeling of satisfaction combined with concern that the commission presents this book to the public. On the shelves of too many municipal offices lie city plans dust covered and forgotten. Some conscientious engineer with vision and ideals has forecasted a community's needs as Mr. West has forecasted Decatur's; the plan, providing for a development, making both for harmony and convenience, has been received with quite as much favor as the Decatur plan, and then as the first enthusiasm has abated, the community has gone on unheeding, development has continued in the old sprawling, haphazard style, without unity, harmony or intelligence. Such is the tragedy of city planning. May the justly boasted civic spirit of Decatur and a kindly Providence save us from this ! Mr. West has conceived of an orderly arranged, easily tra- T!ic City Practical 21 versed city where everything shall have its proper place. He has not builded out of idealistic dreams a New Jerusalem, but he has planned for an_ American industrial, commercial and residential city to work and live in. He has touched only incidentall}- upon beautificatiim l)ecause. with order, beaut>- will come. Tf with this plan to guide us we lapse into our old errors of reckless and selfish platting which leave us ugly street jogs, if we squeeze in our fac- tories along railroad main lines or place them where they will defile cjuiet residential neighborhoods, where they cannot expand, if we neglect our parks and drives, leave our main thoroughfares dan- gerously narrow, and permit our railroad crossings to remain at grade, we shall sin against ourselves and our children. It is no argument against the plan if its every detail cannot be carried out. Undoubtedly, more practical and feasible methods, which \vill warrant a departure from the recommendations will suggest themselves, but our purpose should be to give the plan the benefit of the doubt in every instance, and not to depart from it until we are certain that the alternative is an improvement. And so this book goes out to the people of Decatur, whose intelligent interest and financial support have made the plan pos- sible, to public officials, from whom the Commission expects and has received kindly co-operation, to the schools, where it will be studied, and to civic organizations, and libraries in Decatur and elsewhere. Strictly it represents the ideals of Mr. West, but in a larger sense it voices the hopes and aspirations of all the people for the city which they love. Respectfully submitted, WARREN F. HARDY, Chairman Citv Plan Commission. LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL Chicago, April 12, 1920. To tlie City Planning- Commission of Deca- tur, Illinois. Ladies and (ientlemen: Herewith is snh- mitted a report and recommendations illus- trated, dealing with possible ini])ro\-ements and a scheme of extension for the cit\- of Decatur. This is in accordance with our con- tract with you dated Ajjril 12th. 1919. \ ery truh" yours, AMERICAN PARK BUILDERS, Mvron 11. ^^'est, President. Introduction INTRODUCTION A CITY is an instrument of man, built to aid in the earning of a livelihood and to furnish domicile. Primarily, it is a place in which to carry on work; incidentally, a place in which to live near where work is performed. Once cities were fortified groups of homes from which people sallied forth to tend their crops and herds. Today they are ma- chines turning out wealth and tended by a surrounding popula- tion living in the tenements, the closely built homes, the sparce suburbs and even on the scattered farms beyond. The success of a city, like a factory, is dependent on the quan- tity and quality of its output, whether it be a city of industrv, or trade, of pleasure or health resorts, or whatever line of work it may elect. Tn turn, generally, the city's work is made possible by trans- portation, so that location on an harbor, a navigable river or one or more railroads becomes necessary. Fundamentally, the three main elements of a city therefore are transportation, facilities for work and homes. If a city is to be- come a good instrument, these elements must each be well built and must co-ordinate properly. City Planning has to do with such co-ordination or the fitting together of the city's main and lesser factors so that the city as a whole may function to the best ad\antage and I)ecome as good a machine as possible. In the improvement of the elements of which the city is built, almost every branch of science has been applied, with the result that progress with respect to these elements has kept pace with the times. Develoimient with relation to harbors, railroads, elec- tric lines, buildings, water and sanitary systems and lighting, the control of fire and disease, the manufacture and handling of goods, the building of streets and bridges, all these are being well done by carefully trained experts who are striving constantly for im- provement. That which remains is to arrange these elements to form a satisfactory whole. The tragedy of our cities in the past and the great danger to them in the future, is that this important service has not in most cases and mav not in manv cases, be rendered. 28 The Decatur Plan It is important that cities be well ])iit together. Tt is impor- tant to the prosperity, health and happiness of not only every dweller of the city of today, but to all those who ma\- live and do business in the city through the years to come. Cities are in actual competition with one another, both by natural and artificial processes. Some cities have natural advan- tages, which becoming generally realized, produce an accelerated growth at the expense of nearby communities. Again, there have been examples, especially in the newer sections of the country where, although the cities in question were poorly located and badly built, they have by active boosting, been brought into promi- nence; their permanency and prestige have been established, even at the expense of communities holding better potential advantages. Citizens' associations everywhere are spending money freely to build up their respective connnunitics by inducing manufactur- ing or other enterprises, which in turn will increase population, build up trade and produce higher land values. This brings about a purely commercial competition among cities and makes it appar- ent that any city needs exert itself whether for the purpose of forging ahead of its competitors or preventing- these same com- petitors from sucking its own life blood. Darwin's theory, that of the survival i>f the fittest, a]iplies to cities as surel}' as to the animal kingdom. While success in building u]) cities has no doulit attended clever salesmanshi]) and skilfully engineered propaganda, in which minor features of spectacular nature have been given undue prominence and while in other cases cities have grown large and prosperous by reason of natural advantages, the great majority of cities, like the great majority of men, belong to the class — ordinary. Having their beginning like other neighboring villages, they have by reason of a factory, a mine, a railroad intersection or some such advantage, grown more rapidly and have taken on the aspect of cities. However, while undergoing development u]) to this point, other equally endowed villages in other zones of in- fluence have done the same and there has sjirung u]) over the country, a series of ordinary small cities. These in turn enter competition, none are susceptible to boom methods and none have the natural advantages such as would The City Practical 20 cause the making" of a metropolis. Competition among this group becomes a matter of creating civic vakies. in other words, the best city is apt to win from this point on. OuaHty in cities is dependent first of all u])on good arrange- ment in building. A well arranged citv, one which is convenient and attractive, which has ample parks and playgrounds, good public buildings, a fine business section, a good water supply, good schools and the like and which above all is well put together, soon becomes known as a desirable place in which to live and naturallv draws to itself new lines of industry with their attendant opera- tives. No city can reasonably expect to attain and maintain this civic ciuality without adopting and following a definite, scientific and practical plan. Practically every American citv demonstrates the fallacy of attem])ting to l)uil(l the cit\- machine without fore- thought. In the beginnings of our cities, there was generallv a street plan, often comprising only a few city blocks, but which at least was orderly. As time progressed and additions were made, even a semblance of orderliness was lost, and, year !))• year, while va- rious features within the city underwent rajiid im])rovement, tlic city in arrangement l)ecame more com])lex and hodgepodge in character. This has brought about alarming conditions. The expenditure of large sums of money has been made necessary to correct mistakes which should have been obvious at first and would have been unthinkable, had the crudest sort of a citv ]dan been available to follow. The problem of planning for a city alreadv esta])lished di\ides itself into two general parts, first, that of designing a lavout of streets, railroads, car lines, factory districts, residcnti;il sections, etc., on lands surrounding the present built vip city to provide for future growth. The second problem is that of suggesting cor- rections, rearrangement and improvement of the present citv, that it may properly connect and function with this future extension and that it may become satisfactory in itself and not run the danger of being abandoned in later years because of its shortcomings. Of the two general problems, the first is, without question, the more important, although generally less appreciated. A new city complete in all its elements is designed on virgin territor\-. The The Pccatiir Plan <•••••••••••••••••< science of modern city i^lanning- is bron.ght to hear with full con- sideration given to local conditions and a policy is outlined which mav he followed for generations to guide the cities" growth. Tn this case, no expense is called for other than that which must, in anv event, take place if the city is to grow. Indeed, if wisely planned, economies are g'enerally shown, which compared with past development are of startling magnitude. Most important of all, however, a scientific co-ordination of city elements is pro- vided, only hy which a really efficient, attractive and convenient tool of civilization may be built. The part of the i)rohlem ])ertaining to the remodeling- of the old city, while necessarily more spectacular in its nature and more costly to bring about, shoitld be approached with catition and con- servatism and should be carried otit only as time and financial aliilit\" make exjiedient. On the other hand, when once decided upon, these changes, radical as they may appear, should be carried through cour- ageously and to a definite purpose. The investment is too large to be jeopardized by allowing this nucleus of the greater cily to become antiquated, as has been true in cities like Xew Orleans, where the French Quarter, once complete unto itself, is now looked tipon as an interesting but unimportant adjunct to the great new community extending beyond Canal Street. llie problem of the old city is a difficult one, for the citv ]ilan- ner. not only from an engineering standpoint hut because of those discouraging circumstances which always attend the tearing" down of that which was built with efifort and cost. It is disheartening to correct mistakes, there is always the thotight of wasted efifort and of retraced steps, which should have been made in the right direc- tion at first. To the citizens the fdllowing out o\ this ])art of the program, means bond issues and taxes. While generally, these improvements ma\- be demonstrated as thorotighly worth while of themselves, irrespective of their relation to far reaching bene- fits, anfl while many linu-s these projects of reconstruction please the popular mind, not the least value given to the community is the lesson they drive home. A people forced to pav so heavily for the correction of past mistakes, will be loath to allow their city to go on year by year insidiously duplicating these errors. The City Practical The time to build a good city is when subdivisions are accepted on record. These apparently insignificant groups of house lots with their seemingly innocent plan for street layout, are the prime menace to the American city. In fact probably nine-tentlis of every city of the count r\- has been planned and built by individual property owners, whose chief interest has centered on getting as much out of a few acres of land as possible. The streets thus carelessly designed and located with the sole purpose of creating profit to individuals become the artries of the city. Their fre(|uent change in width and direction, their constantly recurring dead ends, their lack of proper gradient, all spell inconvenience which in turn spells an inestimable loss to city users. The building of a city by sporadic individual effort without regard for the common good, cannot continue if cities are to fulfill their true purpose. The benefits of city |)lanning do not end with the improvement of the physical city, they extend to the creation of civic pride. Civic pride makes for ambition and serious effort. This, once crys- tallized and properly directed may give to the city that character by which it is made outstanding. It is difficult to center one's faith on a purposeless city, one wdiich is drifting like a ship without a rudder. A corporation which is unable to show a policy has difficulty in selling its stock. The city plan may be visualized. It can be held up as a definite goal. It creates a new vision, a widened horizon, an incentive to united efifort. The city plan has none of partisanshij), it favors all sections alike. Sectional jealousies which have held back so manv communities must break down, once the true scope and meaning of the plan is appreciated. The plan is worth while, if Init a single mistake is therewith forestalled. At a minimum city planning must pay, on the average it means to the city what a constitution means to a state, education to a person, a plan to a building. At the maximum, backed b\- intel- ligent public opinion it may become the gospel bv which the citv will be lead to the realization of high ideals. The plan will guard the city from the rampaging of stupid or vicious administrations and will he welcomed as a long looked for aid by patriotic and effi- cient citv governments. The Decatur Plan To the Associatimi of Commerce and other civic liodies, the citv plan hecomes of great mument. Not only does it present the very best agency for advertising the city — for it shows a definite purpose — expressed concretely, but it provides a standard by which the various ideas of citizens concerning- desired improvements may be checked. I^ed by imjiulse, such organizations are in dan- ger of exerting their force to create benefits which later fall short of expectations. By reason of lacking perspective, other ecjually important benefits are at the time overlooked and are found to be obstructed when their time for consideration arrives. A cit\' ]dan falls short of its true possibilities if it fails to aid in all phases of comnuuial life. While the report and illustrating drawings of the planner may seemingly deal with Init physical ele- ments and may even neglect some of these, city planning carried to the n-th power may include the greater human problems, met with in the modern city. Health, recreation, education, ethics, mor- als, home building, industrial policy, relations with other cities and especially with the closely allied farming communities, all these fit- tingl}' come under a comprehensive program for extending, strengthening and upbuilding the community. The term "city ])lan" ma\- be fittingly applied only to such a broad program. Q'he City of Decatur o I ^ I piled to ahotv Quilyins 'Oodt and laleil tubd Area plolled in city •Heel, 4000 ■ Are* built up 3770 ( i?% THE CITY OF DECATUR DECATUR typifies the energetic, sound, fast growing cities of the middle west. There is nothing of Decatur that is sordid, no crowded tenements, no sweatshops, no mills crowded with women or overworked children, no narrow streets flanked with shacks and basement living quarters. Visiting Decatur after seeing the conditions under which peo- ple live in some cities abroad or even in the older cities of our own country, one feels a great relief. Decatur is "no mean city" yet there is room for improvement and being superior in physical con- dition to so many other cities, there is all the more reason for exer- cising prudence and forethought concerning her future develop- ment. Decatur was well placed, whether by intention or accident. Here, a wonderful fertile country of great potential wealth made a citv inevitable. The discovery of coal underlying all the region, the advent of railroads centering here from many directions, to- gether with the agricultural wealth of the region, made constant growth a certainty. Merely to take care of the trade of the trib- utarv country, would have made the city possible. But Decatur has become more than a city of local influence. That energy and resourcefulness which caused the wild plains of a hundred years ago to become the built up empire of today, has brought to Decatur over one hundred thirty manufacturing enterprises, with a yearly output of some sixteen million dollars. Decatur is a good city in which to live. The climate is equa- ble, the city is freely supplied with schools and churches. Music, art and higher education are centered here. The topography here- abouts is charmingly diversified on account of the creeks and river giving a grateful change to the monotony of rolling prairie around. The city is not out of the world, but a few hours" ride takes one to other modern and populous centers. Decatur is surrounded by markets. The tributary population has far from reached its maximum. There is no gTeat city near to rob her of her individuality, yet she is sufficiently close to the great metropolis of the middle west to secure therefrom advan- Ji^o jfjo Y £ ARS DIAGRAM OF GROWTH OF POPULATION According to Decatur's present rate of growth, the city will reach a population oi 150,000 in the year 1956. The present rate curve corresponds closely with that of average grow th 1890. ZON£ or INFIUENCE CHART DECATUR UllNOJS ZONE OF INFLUENCE CHART Decatur lies in the midst of a wonderfully fertile country, is admirably served by rail- roads and is tributary to a large and fast-growing population. 38 The Decatur Plan tages, in the wav of lalxir supply, markets and goods. Decatur's growth has never been phenomenal hut always steady and constant, giving- that stability which attracts the best class of investors. Tt is a kind of city the future of which may be reck- oned Avith well nigh mathematical certainty. Estimating the city's future growth from that of the last twenty years. Decatur will reach a population of one hundred hft\- thou- sand by 1956 or the same population by 1957 based on the average growth of the city since 1890. To take care of this additional one hundred thousand jieople which reasonal)ly may be expected to live in Decatur during the next thirtv-five vears or within the lifetime of many of Decatur's present citizens, is the pur])ose of this plan. While this is the primary purpose, the plan will also present an orderly and scientific start from which the cit}- ma}- develop on indefinitely. & The Cit\' Practical 39 /6 7.SOO /29.e oo as.soo 67,300 y/////////////A6,000//////////y 3/,/'>0 ZO,7Sf I68W ^ ^^ Q s 0) ri ■V) 15 '^ «> ^ % »i 5 5 ? 0) 5 1 CHART SHOWING ESTIMATED DECEISIMAL INCREASE IN AREA OF DECATUR ILLINOIS Q'he TTlotiue and Scope of the Plan THE MOTIVE AND SCOPE OF THE PLAN THE city of Decatur at the present time ()ccu])ies a plotted area of 4()()() acres and a fairly well built u]) area of 8770 acres. Railroads occupy 203 acres, industr}- 207 acres, trade 94 acres, parks 182 acres, schools 25 acres. There are 1800 acres built up to residences while the remainder of the 4000 acres is devoted to institutional grounds, scattered building sites and vacant town lots. The population based on the area devoted to housing gives 16.1 persons to the acre and leased U])on the entire built u]) area of the city, gives a ratio of 11 ])eople to the acre. The com])rehensive plan for the city as shown covers 20,000 acres including the 4,000 acres already ])lotted. Of this, 1,200 acres are set aside for industries, oOO for railroads, 2,700 for ]iarks. 220 for schools, 500 for commercial expansion and an ap- proximate total of 14.150 acres reserved for homes, which based upon a population of 150,000 would give an average of 10.6 people to the acre over the present and proposed housing district. This report has been made to deal with Decatur's problems only, it not being deemed advisable to load its pages with the famaliar and somewhat hackneyed examples of art in foreign and neighboring cities. While innumerable comparisons may be made with stich otitside examples, these are left for later discitssions of the plan from the ])latform. Tn arranging for the future city, all of the greater and many of the minor controlling factors have been kept in mind. Acting on the supposition that transportation and industry are fundamental, these problems have been worked out first and the city plotted to bring about a satisfactorv balance between these features and the homes. The relationship between the homes and the parks, schools, local and outside transportation, business, etc., has been fully recognized. Tn the matter of aiding industry, the main objects have been to establish a satisfactory location for a segregated factory dis- trict, to present a practical arrangement therefor, to bring into connection therewith all rail service and to furnish adefpiate ]iro- vision for workingmen's home sites. The problem of transportation has been dealt with broadly to 44 77i(' Decatur Plan include the hauling" of freight and passengers into and through the citv to anv [xiint therein whether h\' railroad, electric cars, auto trucks or pleasure cars. The street plan has been considered first from the standpoint of efficiency, second from the stand])oint of economy of construc- tion and maintenance and finally from the standpoint of attrac- tiveness. Parks have been considered as to proper location, desirable proportionate area to population and the utilization of such grounds as would be improper for housing. A more comprehensive housing ordinance is urged, not so much to correct existing- conditions as to guard the city from the mistakes out of which have arisen the deplorable congestion and the lack of sanitation, which are confronting other cities. Onlv such changes in existing streets have been recommended as seem imperative now or ultimately. In some cases, although the need is not at this time pressing, delay will entail an increased cost out of proportion to the benefits to be derived from waiting. The grouping of future public buildings into a harmonious and practical civic center is in line with all else in the i)lan. What- ever is worth building is worth building" well and with everv pos- sible advantage carefully studied. If the plan is founded on any one scheme it may be said that it is the scheme of zoning. Like a well ordered house, a cit\- should ha\e a i)lace for ever\- thing" and have everything in its ])lace. A machine fails to work if its parts are out of position and are therefore out of harmony. A city cannot be planned scieiitifically for industry, business, trans- portation and housing quarters unless it be known where these are to be located and within what zones they are to lie, to a large degree, forced to remain. The Decatur Plan must be considered as elastic and cajiable of change where changes ma}" manifestly improve. If wisely made, however, changes will not interfere with the general struc- ture of the ])lan, l)Ut will carefull} lit into and co-ordinate with, the main ]irogram. The City Practical 45 •'-ilLli,.il ! ! i—it-ir, i-nsA v~-.-r,nr!\M!rv-= = ^'^^ ■■■■•cjijimrians—srirt!:^ 3:3 ::ii:inn cans;' .m;';: Jiiii- r-' .iiii"r. :-:::::.pr:, ;:;j-rtJlP-5i^...,'!— : "iiGi;;: :::;::;-i^-:r..i •. i ^J '::::; building density chart if*'. DECATUU ILLINOIS BUILDING DENSITY CHART Showing Trend of the City's Development CThe Street Plan Curued Streets Railroad Diagonals ^Alleys Special Street Corrections Street Furnishings Street Lighting Street Pauing Street Ornamentation 1 c THE STREET PLAN THE street arrangement for future Decatur consists of a series of rectangular blocks laid out with their long axes toward the center of the city. Superimposed on these, are a limited num- ber of diagonals approaching from various directions and extending as far toward the city's center as practical, without disturbing ex- pensive improvements. To the south along the river banks and westwardly where the land becomes broken, the straight streets divert to follow along the contours in long, graceful curves, but still keeping to a greater extent their continuity. Beyond the river and creek these curved streets lead into the main thoroughfares by which the waterways are crossed. Rectangular blocks are plotted eight by fourteen to the mile with streets on half mile lines one hundred feet wide and inter- mediate streets sixtv-six feet wide. This gives 20.5 miles of street to the square mile or twenty-eight percentage of the entire plot- ted area used in street surface. One hundred foot streets would be designed for fifty-six foot pavement, the sixty-six foot streets for twentv-four, twenty-six and thirty foot pavements depending on location. Comparing this layout with a typical example of present street arrangement, as for instance, the section one-half mile west of Wa- ter Street and one-half mile each side of the Wabash tracks, there is shown a street area of 29.4% of the total, not including alleys. This is, of course, brought about by the short blocks and is in a measure excusable owing to the proximity of the business section. The saving of 1.4% however involves a considerable total when applied to the entire area plotted in new streets. This saving would amount to $809,000.00 for each square mile for street im- provements and $78,000.00 for each square mile for land saved (based on 20c. per sq. ft.), or a total of $887,600.00 for each square mile. The total saving for the nineteen square miles involved would be $16,864,000.00. This amount would produce carrying charges in the way of interest and depreciation which, based on a population of 150,000 people, would give an annual per capita charge (taxes) of $9.71. 50 The Decatur Plan •••••••••••••••-•I 1 V ' 1 1 ' ' i ,1 ^1,1 \\\ \, L 1 1 1 \t 1 I 1| 1 j =^1 1 l| 1 ■ II 1 5 i J L i| 1 \ [ 1 1 1' 1 'l ( If— It 11 11 11 |l 1 III! Ill i[ ii| ii ,1 o TYPICAL QUARTER SECTION OF RECTANGULAR PL ATT I N\ G TOR RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT DECAT UR ILLINOIS s c A Li: Tlic City Practical 31 As compared with the standard eight by sixteen block, the annual saving per ca]Mta would amount to $7.07. CURVED STREETS A total of 5.1 square miles have been plotted with curved streets. All curved streets are designed for residence frontage. These streets would, in all cases, be sixty-six feet wide, although the pavement widths would vary according to the amount of through traffic to l)e ex])ected by reason of their connections. In size, the blocks surrountled l)y curved streets would vary accord- ing to the nature of the topography. In g-eneral, however, these blocks would be somewhat larger than the standard rectangular block, of three hundred by six hundred feet, for the reason that the tendency is toward larger house lots and that these particular sec- tions being naturally attractive would build up to finer residences, requiring more than the usual ground space. In the matter of comparative costs, the curved street la\out is of course much more economical than the standard rectangular arrangement owing not only to the smaller percentage of land used for street svn-face but to the greatly lessened cost in grading. While the curved street system would obviously be impractical for general city planning where comparatively level ground is en- countered, it is ideal for residence districts wherein exists broken topography. It secures a satisfactory relationship between the house lots and the street in regard to grade, in contrast to that obtained when streets are carried through with unrelenting pre- cision as to line and grade. A saving of $1,808,000.00 to each square mile is shown in curved street sections as compared with the example mentioned. While compared with the standard plotting recommended, the curved street sections show a saving of $261,000.00 to the square mile. The eight by fourteen block system as compared witli the usual eight by sixteen block system, while involving the same area in street surface to the square mile, offers the following advantages: Main thoroughfares of ample width are provided beforehand and the cost and difficulty of later street widening will therefore ••»•••••■• — •"••■•-••••.••^1 77h' Dccatitr Plan 33 Sli s ^^.^ , l-^ ./' .J ir't ii 1 JL. [ .J. f!KL^i:W..-. eraet^ ~jiig tj^ tflcmr. jr e. caretr jr. Jf ■"T<"»',gj;LjL.^ JLJi. Ii Hi — irii 11 J! I 6i ^r.~3aas^^2i' ii , f trw M ST ^JBnnn CAMTIteit ST. \ I E G € N D \ CHAKT or EXISTING THMtOUGHFARti nCCATUR fLL. CHART OF EXISTING THOROUGHFARES Showing Principal Streets of the Present City as Regards Traffic Volur The City Practical 53 be obviated. These half mile streets naturally will become those upon which street car lines will be built, in which main sewer lines will be installed, and over which the heavier traffic will be carried. Such streets would be fitted with heavy pavements, wide side- walks and other e(|uipment required for the use to which they will be placed. Diverting heavy traffic to these arteries makes for proportionately lighter traffic in the secondary streets. This in turn, enables the use of narrower and lighter pavements thereon, lessening cost and what is more im])ortant, giving greater privacy and freedom from danger on these secondary residential streets. Diagonal streets are all treated as main thoroughfares and are proposed to be 100 feet in width. \\'here possible, these are par- alleled on each side by a secondary street intended to carry light and faster moving traffic, to increase the spacing of crossings on the principal thoroughfare and to force back into the residential zone the triangular intersections. While these may be effectively used in houselots and for parking sites, they are extremely trou- blesome on a business street as they do not permit of the econom- ical use of land for business structures. RAILROAD DIAGONALS For the reason that railroads usually api)roach cities directly from important outside points, it is nearly alwa\s desirable to carry streets on each side and parallel to their rights of way through the city. Such a plan has been proposed along the Illinois Central line which would become the line of the main group of railroads, and also along the Champaign branch and all lines leav- ing the main group outside of the citw The removal of the Peoria branch and of the St. Louis branch of the Wabash makes possible the use of these rights of way for streets. These should be wid- ened to one hundred feet or at least to eighty feet. 54 The Decatur Plan ..•.^..•^•^•..•-••••••i Tlic City Practical ^c ALLEYS It is recommended that no alleys be used in residence districts. It is assumed of course that lot widths will be controlled so that access may be given to the back of lots. Block depths in all cases will permit of alleys, if in time any district should be used for apartment houses or business. In the strictly residential sections, the alley has proven but an unnecessary expense, a collector of rubbish, a source of danger and disease and nearly always unsightly. 56 The Decatur Flan SPECIAL STREET CORRECTIONS WIDENING OF BROADWAY FROM PRAIRIE TO WOOD It is suggested to carry Broadway and \\'ood Street over the Illinois Central tracks by means of a double viaduct. A\'ith this accomplished, the importance of Broadway as a thoroughfare will be increased. Widened and unobstructed by railroad tracks, it will become an important by-pass street tending to relieve traffic pressure from the center of the city. Broadway will also be of added importance b}' reason of its connection with the proposed teaming vard and freight hotises as well as with the Union Pas- senger Station. STREET CHANGES IN CONNECTION WITH CIVIC CENTER These are shown graphically in the civic center plan. \A'ash- ington and iNIacon Streets thereby would be abolished from Main Street east to the railroad and would l)e replaced by a drive bor- dered plaza, leading through the ]ud)lic building group. SOUTHWEST BOULEVARD AND PROPOSED STREET ARRANGEMENT IN VICINITY Lender the plan, a boulevard would be carried southwesterly from the intersection of ]Main and Decatur Streets, skirting Green- wood cemeterv and making connections with the scenic drive leading along the bluff and skirting the lake. This boulevard would in ttirn be connected with Church, I'nion, Edward, I'owers, Ewing and IMonroe Streets. The widening of Church Street from a \)v\n{ near Macon to the proposed drive is es]iecially urged. WABASH RIGHT OF WAY As elsewhere mentioned in this report, this right of way should be used as a diagonal thoroughfare extending from Eldorado Street sotithwest and fixing the site of a drive bridge over the Sangamon. This right of way is one hundred feet in width with the exception of that portion lying between West Macon and Forest streets, where it narrows to fiftv feet. This section should be widened to conform to the remainder of the right of wav. 1 c • • Tlic City Practical 57 CONNECTION OF JACKSON AND WARREN STREETS The lack of a thoroughfare across the Wabash railroad on a line with Jackson Street creates a serious barrier to the north and south flow of traffic which is greatest in this locality. Although Franklin Street is used somewhat more, its connection with War- ren Street would not be so direct. The block between Central Street and the Wabash would have to be cut through from whence W'arren Street would be carried to the east to connect with Jackson Street. Fortunately, no im- provements of costly nature would stand in the way of this under- taking. WIDENING OF MASON STREET Mason Street from AVater Street east to the Illinois Central should be widen.=d to eighty feet. The increased traffic around the teaming yards would make this advisable. VAN DYKE STREET \ an Dyke Street from Eldorado to Harrison will, under the plan, be freed from the railroad spur and electric belt line, although a trolley line will be located here in conformity with the jjroposed layout. With the railroad out of the way, \ an Dyke Street may be made to take on quite a different aspect from the present. AVe recommend its widening to eighty feet from the Wabash diagonal to the proposed diagonal leading to the northwest. By taking the railroad right of way and the tier of lots intervening, a thoroughfare one hundred eighty feet wide could be created. This could be center parked and made into one of the show streets of the city.* GARFIELD STREET Garfield Street should, in our oj)inion, be widened to eightv feel from the northwest diagonal through the factory district. GRAND AVENUE (jrand Avenue, under this jdan, will also become a tirst-class thoroughfare. It is at present normally sixty feet wide, but nar- rows down to fortv feet between Union and Water Streets. Be- *This suggestion is made to the owners of abutting property-, but is not offered as a recommendation from a City Planning standijoint. 58 The Decatur Plan tween these points it should he widened to at least sixty feet and if it be deemed possible should be widened to eig'hty feet through- out its entire length. UNION STREET Under the ]dan. Union Street will make imjiortant connections with the through thoroughfare leading to the northwest beyond the Pvthian Home. Union Street is one of the many which have been allowed to change their widths as extensions have been plotted and if it is to be made to handle considerable through traffic and assume the dignity of an arterial thoroughfare, timely consideration should be given to providing a uniform width be- tween the railroad and Grand Avenue. It is now sixty feet wide between Grand and Garfield and seventy feet wide from this point to the hospital, where it is widened to ninety-four feet. We rec- ommend a uniform witlth of seventy feet from Garfield to the hosi)ital. EDWARD. WOODFORD AND SEVENTH STREETS These streets should ultimately be widened to eighty feet to permit of car lines without interfering with increased traffic. FAIRVIEW AVENUE Would, imder the plan, be widened over a distance of three and one-half blocks. OAKLAND AVENUE Would be widened as shown for boulevard i)urposes. ORCHARD STREET Would be widene>"•"»'•»"•"♦"»«■♦««• " • " « " «"<-»•«» " »">"•**»*«>«»•«•♦"•'•»"»• DIVISION STREET Tt is proposed to extend Division Street east to Illinois Street, carrvins: same under the railroad and making; possible an impor- tant thoroughfare, to give added accessibility to the factory dis- trict. CALHOUN STREET It is ])roposed to carry this street north to intersect with the diag^onal extending along the railroad. This to be done whenever the industrial plants on land to the north will not be seriously inter- fered with. WILLIAM STREET One of the sad examples of the fallacy of trying to buiUl streets without official control and a definite plan is illustrated by the jog in \\'illiam Street between Jasper and East Streets. Xot only was an important thoroughfare blocked and made inconvenient but an exceedinglv poor lot division was brought about. There is no (|uestion but the best way out of the tlifhculty would be to expro- priate all the land lying between the alley north of Prairie Street and Xorth Street, carry William Street through on its original line and resell the lots arranged conveniently, for use. The frontage of ^^'illiam Street is closely built up and such a l)lan would mean the wholesale moving of houses. Providing that bv ordinance the erection of more costly buildings could be pre- vented, there would in all probability come a time when the present structures could be removed at an expense compatible with the benefits to be derived. If this district is allowed to be developed equally with other parts of the city, there may never come a time when the citv government would consider this change tinanciall} possible. On the other hand, to retard the development of the district by ordinance would of course immediately bring u\) the matter of damages due to property owners. An alternative to the project of cutting William Street through on a straight line would be to round off the corners at Jasper and East Streets. This would necessitate the using of at least two lots at each end and again would not provide the widening of the short section of William Street w liich is after all of the most importance. The City Practical 6t This would, at best, be a makeshift, wliich has no ])hice in a ])ro- grain of tliis character. DIAGONALS ALONG THE C. H. & D. It is proposed to carry a diagonal street on both sides of the C. H. & D. right of way from Eldorado Street southeast to the river, where a bridge crossing would be made on the west side of the tracks. This diagonal would serve the purpose of collecting traffic from the west to be carried across the river and from the east into town. REPLOTTING OF DISTRICT SOUTHEAST OF WOOD AND SEVENTH STREETS This suggested arrangement of streets is influenced l)v the broken topography which, together with the proximity to the golf club grounds, makes possible a desirable residential communitv. ARRANGEMENT OF STREETS NORTH OF GOLF CLUB Important in the proposed arrangement of streets fur this sec- tion is the proposed diagonal connecting at Decatur and Maffit Streets, extending southeasterly and crossing the impounding" lake at the present site of Lost Bridge. This would, in time, form an exceedingly important thoroughfare, tapping the countrv to the southeast and leading traffic into town over streets provided with stibways under the railroads. The block arrangement for the remainder of this sectiiui nurth of the countr\- clul) has been sttidied with the object in mind of ])roviding suitable frontage and an economical use of land. SOUTH SECTION OF THE CIRCULAR BOULEVARD The proposed circular Ixnilevard extending to the west from Lost Bridge Road is more im])ortant liecause of the fact that it passes through improved property. The boulevard would skirt along the north line of the country club, passing over the ravines immediately be}'ond, thence on through the district now known as "Oklahoma," which will be to a large extent inundated with the comj^letion of the new dam. thence extending north .'ilong the 62 The Decatur Plan line of (iarrison Street, it would pass to the north of the ptimping' l)lant, under the lllimiis Central Railroad, along the crest of the slopes, through a woods and Lincoln Park, and linally would connect with the drive along Stevens Creek. Onlv hy walking over this ground and picturing tlie trans- formation which may be wrotight in the character of improve- ments along the wa}-, can a citizen of Decatur reall}- understand the true purport of this benefit. What is now Decatur's backyard will become a place of beauty. There is no questioning the fact that this is a project which woitld pay real dividends. The City Practical 63 STREET FURNISHINGS Perhajis no feature of the city, aside from the liome. is more closely associated with the everyday existence of city dwellers than the streets. Being commonplace, their importance and pos- sibilities are often overlooked. Beautiful avenues in distant cities often provoke admiration and influence the creation of a home town boulevard which con- trasts sharply with the ordinary streets within the city. There is really no reason why every street should not be as well treated as the so-called boulevard. As a matter of fact, practicallv every street has cost as much to develop as has the boulevard. The ordinary street has been given pavement, curb, gutter, sidewalks and generalh', as many if not more, street trees than are bestowed on the boulevard : improvements have been installed more or less haphazardly but generall}- at quite as great expense. The boule- vard may have been slightly better lighted but this feature may have cost no more per mile than the antiquated and uglv lighting of the ordinary street. Practically, the only dilTerence between the ordinary street and boulevard is that the one lacks the uni- formity and appropriate treatment of the other. We do not want all our streets to be boulevards in the sense that they be built primarily for show. In fact, we mav properlv object to that exotic and rather pretentious term, but we have the right to expect that every street within the city be as attractive as may be made possible with the money available. There are many things which enter into the proper furnishing of a street. Foremost among these are tree planting, lighting, paving and sidewalks. Special ornamentation which mav include the introduction of statuary, fountains, little parkings and the like are important, and not the least in this consideration should come the matter of building line control, the treatment of front yards and indeed the facading of buildings. Tree planting is especially important. There seems to be an inherent desire on the part of all i)ro])ert_\- owners to plant trees, and they generally begin on the little bit of greensward l\ing be- tween the curb and sidewalk. The work is prompted by a real desire to do something worth while, but results in starting on their way toward long years of growth, all kinds and varieties of trees. 64 The Decatur Plan ■••••••••■•••••••••••■••••••• of all sizes and manner of spacing", and showing that diversity which is to be expected when work of this kind is carried out by several thousand individuals. An equal amount of money ex- pended for the wholesale purchase of suitable trees and the plant- ing and care of these properly supervised would make a showing really worth while. ^^'hile a curved street with wide parkings ma}' be suitablv planted with informal groups of trees and shrubs, interspersed with perennials and other flowers, the ordinary straight street de- mands that formality of planting which is gained by uniformity of kind and size. Trees should be selected with reference to their fitness to the particular street on which they are to be planted. Where the street is wide and the houses are well set back, the American elm, America's street tree par excellence, may be used. On narrow streets, with less room between the sidewalk and the buildings, such trees as the ash, Xorwav majde, American and European lin- den, gingko, etc., are better. In certain sections, smoke resisting trees should be used and the employment of flowering shrubs and special tvpes of planting may be indulged in to fit special cases. Street tree planting and care should be taken from the hands of individuals and ])laced in those of a competent authority, such as the city park commission, the commissioner of streets or a spe- cial tree committee, through which, in turn, the authority should be given to a trained and experienced arboriculturist. The citv should set aside annualh' a sufticient aj^prnpriation. PARK AVENUE. DECATUR A Well-Planned Street. With Houses Set Back, Giving Excellent Setting to Homes The City Practical 65 and the work of s])ra\in,g- and i)runing, planting vacant spaces along the streets, and cutting out dead or damaged specimens to present better spacing should be started and carried out sys- tematically. The planting and care of trees by individuals should be allowed only by written permit by the city forester and under his personal inspection. A\'hat may be accomplished in ten years by this method can be seen in such cities as BuiTalo, N. Y. ; Spring- field, Mass.; Hartford and New Haven, Conn.; Newark, N. J., and in many other cities throughout the country. STREET LIGHTING The lighting of streets in smaller cities has been to a consid- erable extent planned and executed by local electric companies. Occasionally the officials of these companies have been interested in procuring an artistic lighting scheme and have been willing to spend money necessary to do work out of the ordinary. Unfor- tunately, as a general thing, there has been no disposition other than to sell as many kilowatt hours as possible. High voltage lamps of a type which waste current are placed over street inter- sections and swung from ugly poles served by overhead wires. The other extreme in lighting is the "Great White Way," popular of late years, concerning which the astute salesmen of patented and ornate electroliers are zealously interested in selling as many concrete or cast iron creations as possible. The result in the main has been forests of electroliers surmounted b_\- twin- kling clusters of lamplets. Tt would be to the city's advantage to light all streets effi- ciently, artistically and economically. The whole city should be lighted from the viewpoint of providing safety and convenience to street users. As additions are built, the lighting plan should be ready to be followed without loss of time. A special electrolier may be designed for the city's exclusive use. Overhead wires should be abolished on account of their \\n- sightliness and danger and not only should this apply to high ten- sion lines but to telephone and telegraph lines as well, ^^'ith the im|)rovement in ty])es of underground installation, giving greater efficiency and lower cost of maintenance, we are fast approaching the time when every city can demand that the street be at last freed from the hideous lines of poles and maze of wires. 66 The Decatur Plan STREET PAVING New types of pavement are being' constantly developed and it would not be safe to advise a city for any such period as is repre- sented by a city plan. The wise policy, which strangely enough is seldom followed, is. however, to use pavements fitted to the particular kind of traffic the street in (juestion is to accommodate and to use this tvpe. whatever it may be, continuously over the length of the street or until the character of traflic changes. Too often are heavy brick pavements placed on light residential streets and light asphalt pavements on heavy traffic streets. STREET ORNAMENTATION Throughout the city there are no end of opportunities for the little embellishments which go so far to reflect the true character of the conuuunitv. These exponents of the city's culture cost little but do nuich to establish its good reputation. During a period of years, many of these features may be ex- pected to be given to the city. Little w'aste areas at street inter- sections which amount to little in ])roperty value may be made beautiful In- i)lantings. Fountains, pergolas, Roman seats, stat- uar\-, properlv designed flower beds, sun dials and the like are often donated by public spirited citizens, especially if it is known that these will be appropriately placed and maintained. The citv plan shows the way to provide opportunities for these embellishments in the street l;i\-out but the manner in which these shall be treated must depend u])on the good taste of those from time to time in charg-e. Industries The Proposed Factory District Scheme of Arrangement INDUSTRIES DECATUR'S industries are diversified in ciiaracter. There seems to be no present indication that anv one kind will greatly predominate. This of course, is desirable from the standpoint of giving greater stability of output and labor condi- tions. The city with diversified industries is more apt to weather hard times and to undergo constant and uniform growth than the one having but a single line of work. The location of present factories is to some degree satisfac- tory. Those which are building up along the Wabash and the Champaign branch of the Illinois Central to the north and east, fit admirably with the suggested factorv district. By far the worse situation in regard to factory layout is that which exists along the Wabash right of way, west of the Illinois Central. Here a double row of factories, flanking the railroad, forms a veritable wall through the city's midst, cutting the busi- ness section in two and inserting in the very heart of the residen- tial district the noise, smoke and other disadvantages, not the least of which is the switching of cars and the consequent interruption of traffic on intersecting streets. While the location of factories to the south along the Illinois Central is to a measure unfortunate, these do not form the barrier that do those along the Wabash. The policy of these recommendations is not to hamper in any way factories now existing in any part of the city. Industry wherever situated is too vital to the city's good to assume to destroy. Furthermore, it is not within the city's financial abilitv to remove existing plants (exce])t on a comparativelv small scale). While it is necessary for the good of the citv to give all pos- sible aid to existing industries, at the same time it is in no wise incumbent on the city to encourage new plants to build up in places where they will be detrimental to their surroundings. The best way to discourage building in the wrong wav is to encourage building in the right wav. With this motive in mind, a segregated factory district has been planned with careful attention to benefits which may be given to future industries therein and to efTects upon the com- munitv as a whole. 70 The Decatur Plan '••••••■■•■••"••••"••••"•"•"••••"•"•"••••"I THE PROPOSED FACTORY DISTRICT The location of the proposed factory cHstrict is tu the iiortlieast of the city beyond Woodford Street and lying between the Wabash railroad and the C'hampaign l)ranch of the Illinois Central. The area is triangnlar in shape spreading out as it extends and giving practically unlimited room for industrial expansion. The land is high, well drained, and practically level. As attested by recent factory development, this location has the advantage of popular indorsement. The present location of railroads makes the furnishing of ideal transportation to this area exceedingly easy to bring about. The Cham]iaign interurban line runs through the tract. Logical ex- tensions of the i)resent street car lines would give necessary local transportation, which will lie materiall}- improved bv the adoption of the general street car layout suggested. The tract lies to the leeward of the city, thus the smoke will be carried away from the city instead of through it. The building of factories in this (piadrant of the city leaves free from ])ossible molestation the exceedingl}- fine locations for homes to the north, west and south. Altogether, the site suggested has, without ques- tion, advantages far outranking any other section around Decatur. .>^. Railroad Shops and Industrial Plants Along the Wabash Railroad. East of the City. Showing Nature of Land Selected for Segregated Factory District TJic Cifv Practical SCHEME OF ARRANGEMENT The district comprising ajji^roximately one thousand acres has been laid out with rectangular blocks, measuring" four hundred sixty by eight hundred feet, with the long axes north and south. East and west streets are one hundred feet wide on half- mile sections and seventy feet wide between. Half-mile streets north and south are one hundred feet wide with intervening streets sixty feet wide. Railroad factory lines are carried through the middle of all blocks from north to south, each connecting with ])ro]5osed classi- fication and distrilnition yards along the Illinois Central and Wa- bash railroads. Thus, each factory line would become an inter- change line by which freight may be received or delivered in either direction. Factory, switches or spurs may be taken from these running- lines as found most convenient and whether onlv a portion of a block or a series of blocks is needed for a plant, ample freight facilities are given. The wide east and west streets make possible an easy approach to the team tracks and freight terminal for broken car load shipments. By the arrangement given 79. 27^ of the area is available for factory purposes, only 20.8/'''^ being used for streets and railroads. While the area shown as plotted in streets would in all i^rob- ability accommodate a city of over 150,000 i)eo])le, it is recom- mended that in the event of passing a zoning ordinance, the entire area shown here for industries be kept free from permanent build- ings other than factories and limited to those needed for farms, market gardens and the like, and that no street ])lotting be ac- cepted which does not conform to that best suited to the industrial district. This would reserve all suitable land as far as the river in the direction indicated. The reason generally acce])ted as sufficient for the segregation of factories is that thereby homes may be protected. There seems to be good and sufficient reason why established home districts should be protected against the encroachment of new industries which many times change the character of the neighborhood and depreciate the value of home improvements. In some instances this does not hold true and in many instances there is n (luickened 72 The Decatur Plan TYPICAL QUARTER SECTION OF RECTANGULAR PLATTING FOR FACTORY^ DISTRICT SHOWING POSSIBLE TRACK .ARRANGEMENT DECATUR ILLINOIS S C >X 1. £ The Citv Practical sale at raised prices of nearl)y \acant property. This is of course only apt to be true when the district in question is but poorly built up and with a cheaper grade of homes. Many a fine old home section has been robbed altogether of its character and forced into a tenement district b}- the advent of the factorw Therein- lias the development of years been destroyed, the sentiment of the ances- tral home lost and the associations which go to make for better city relations broken up. But figuring from the standpoint of city planning economics, a still more potent reason may be advanced for factorv segrega- tion, namely, that the factory itself may be protected. Inasmuch as the existence of the home is largely made possible by the exist- ence of the factory, the protection and encouragement of the latter may be considered of paramount importance. Existing factories are being constantly hampered in their ex- tensions. Generally starting with but small resources and un- mindful of the possibilities of the growth of its business, onlv enough land is taken by the new compan}- at first to fulfill inmie- diate needs. The plant becomes circumscribed by homes, which later have to be removed for the plant's extension. This is costly and must be paid for out of the product manufactured. The result is to the advantage of competitors whose plants ma\- expand at less expense. An area kept free from other kinds of im])rovements gives opportunity for expansion of unit industries without mcreased cost other than that equal to the carrying charges of the ])ropertv or to its natural enhancement in value. A district held solely for factory purposes and properly ar- ranged for such use, insures ade(|uate and unifurm railroad service, a feature of the greatest importance. Many established indus- tries are forced to move to other cities and many are kept from going to the city of their choice because of the lack of available trackage or the difficulty of handling cars over the various rail- roads within the city. Added to this is the constantlv growing difficulty in obtaining switching service, especialh- where grade crossings are caused. The practice of building factories along the main railroad lines has in the past had the disadvantage of placing the manufacturer w J/ •/' WIND CHAR T L£6£/Va Prctse/sit C/rr or Occ/^ruf! Kwwwwi FuruRs C/TK Of Dec^ruff i i Proposco FfiicTORY District fifSSKHliWi S ,*7 WIND CHART From the above chart it will be noted that the prevailing winds are from the south and southwest. Therefore the location of the factory district to the northeast of the city- would be preferable from the standpoint of smoke. T!ic City Practical 75 somewhat at the mercy of the railroad company. Tliis is guarded against and much saving of time and expense brought about by the location of factories on independent lines leading into general classification and distribtition yards, connecting in tttrn with all railroads of the city. ^luch aid is to l)e extended to the city's industries bv reserving land topographically suitable. The practice of building along main lines often forces plants down into depressions or tip on hills where it is difficult to secure sw'itch service and where again the cost of plant extension is increased. The best possible physical relation is needed between the fac- tory and the home section wherein live the operatives. This mav be best provided by factory segregation, the suitable development of a nearby workingmen's home district and by a scientific ar- rangement of connecting streets and car lines. The factory district gives opportunity to build public service in a fitting man- ner. Streets may be paved with heavy teaming in mind. Water stipply, sewers, etc., may be built to meet known re(|uirements. Thus factories may be better served while on the other hand a lighter and less expensive series of improvements mav ])e installed in the residential district. Not only does sttch a factory district aid established industries bvtt by the same token, it aids the city to secure new ones, and herein of cotu'se lies the ver\' crtix of city progress. Q'he Rdilrodd Problem Special Eleuation of Roads Special Relocation of Routes The Union Station Freight yards Summarg of Railroad Change benefits THE RAILROAD PROBLEM IN SOLX'ING a railroad problem in connection with the city plan, two view points have to be considered. First, as regards benefiting to the greatest extent the city, and second the rail- roads themselves. It is usual for towns to be located on existing railroads and it would therefore seem that the railroad first being on the ground, should have the right of way and the town should adapt itself to conditions. The growth of new towns is largely dependent upon new railroads being built, thus giving better connections with outside communities. So eager have new towns been to secure railroad lines that few obstacles have been placed in their way and they have been allowed to enter and leave about as they saw fit. As a city grows larger and more important, however, the aspect of the case is altered. Then it comes to pass that railroads need the city as liadly as the city needs the railroads, and with the advent of new lines, the city finds itself in the position to dictate as to location of rights of way, stations, freight vards, etc. When a city acquires a population of twenty or thirty thousand, it becomes a corporation of considerable importance: its railroads bear the same relation as its street car lines, interurban lines and, in fact, its streets; they are a part of its physical structure and their arrangement as to location, grades, etc., becomes of tremen- dous importance with relation to the growth of the city both from the standpoint of rapidity and direction. The city Ijecomes a fac- tor of larger consequence than the cost involved in rearranging lines within its limits, whereby less danger and greater conven- ience to the inhabitants may be brought about. On the other hand, railroad rights of way have been granted by state or government legislation or by exercising the right of eminent domain. It is therefore a difficult undertaking to change these rights of way. Again, the rivalry between lines and the nat- ural jealousy thereby arising have caused railroad companies to fight tremendously against the unification of rights of way, sta- tions and the like. It is therefore necessary to show a saving in dollars and cents in operation charges and maintenance to make 8o The Decatur Plan •••••••••••••••••I TIh- Cit\ Practical rd — Relocation of the St. Louis Division to come in over the Illinois Central. ^^^ i At Millikin University, Where the St. Louis Branch of the Wabash Traverses One of the City's Best Residential Sections. With the Inevitable Result 84 The Decatur Plan ••••••"••■•"•"I The City Practical 85 4th — Relocating Ixith tlie St. Louis and Kansas City divisions of the Wabash to come in over the Illinois Cen- tral and the diverting of the Peoria Branch of the Illinois Central east to meet the main line beyond the plotted area. ELEVATION OF THE WABASH RAILROAD WEST OF THE ILLINOIS CENTRAL TRACKS This would inchule the Kansas City and St. Louis branches as far as the river and Stevens Creek. Its advantage would lie merely in the separation of grade crossings. The chief disadvantage from the city standpoint would be the difficulty of serving the present factory district. According to tables following, it will be seen that the cost of elevation would be $1,405,850.00. against which may be charged the item of S250,- 000.00 for a new Sangamon River bridge as repairs and renewals, leaving a net charge for the improvement of $1,155,850.00. The cost of the elevation of the Illinois Central is not included in the above figure. There would in addition be heavy damage claims from ])ro])erty owners, es]iecially from Monroe Street east, which are not included in the estimate. ' *''-'*tri*i"' I I 'ZT Three Trains at Once On One of the Crossings jl tlie Wabash — the "Chinese Wall" of Decatur The City Practical 87 >«•••••••—•—••••••••••••••••■•••••»•••••■••• •—«•••—•«•« RELOCATION OF ST. LOUIS DIVISION TO COME IN OVER THE KANSAS CITY BRANCH AND ELEVATION OF THE KANSAS CITY LINE This would involve $900,000.00 for track elevation in addition to cost of the belt line of the St. Louis branch at Boody, which would add at least a half million dollars, making the total cost more than tliat for comjilete elevation. Items of pr(»])ert_\- damage would also enter into this project. If either of these projects are carried out, the location of the Union Station at the Illinois Central crossing would be the only feasible plan. This location is already congested due to yards, industry tracks, freight houses, etc., and is disadvantageous from the point of convenient and uninterrupted operation of trains. RELOCATION OF THE ST. LOUIS DIVISION TO COME IN OVER THE ILLINOIS CENTRAL This scheme, while diverting the double line traific of the St. Louis branch from the present factory district and residential dis- trict to the southwest, involves the most expensive part of the cut off and still leaves the problem of the Kansas City branch unsolved. The final solution, that of relocating both the St. Louis and Kansas City branches as well as the Peoria branch of the Illinois Central brings about the following advantages: In the first place, it would relieve the western section of the city entirely from railroads except for a freight switch to serve the present factory district. This section of the city while on ac- count of the topography is not adapted to manufacturing, is for the same reason most desirable for residences. Approaching the city, all roads would pass over the Illinois Central right of way, which is of ample width. Already several important street crossings on the Illinois Central have been sep- arated and it would be comparatively easy to separate others. The three branches to the east, namely the Champaign, Dan- ville and Indianapolis lines, are not a serious menace. The first two named would bring about a convenient arrangement for the proposed factory district and in fact could not be planned better Sf ^",-H^F mn :\tth lim ±hi4±±rb:±t ^^-k*rJ-- tttfc ,■^3.. —I X '^ M be 3 kl X Q be UJ B tn O « Q. o o a: a. -c (0 o z ^ c o a I c tn E >:u "w -f"^ ^5 JZ V S _lc/) -0 ?<- a.S uJX a.S uu 01 ii O ?2 _J S _j -s,*^ «u u. U X n "^ ° c a= u. n >1 a: (Q C a. « ° -c >> H.-S The City Practical 89 as to alignment for this ])urp()se. The C, H. & I), line goes through a small section of the city to the southeast and will in time be more serious to the city. This line could be carried to the north and across the present Wabash bridge over the Sangamon, thence through the city over the Wabash tracks. This change, however, is not urg^ed for the present. The Kansas City branch, according to this plan, would leave the present location just east of Harristown and swinging south- east by the belt line would join the St. Louis division at a point about two miles from Boody. From this point, it would combine with the St. Louis branch swinging northeast and joining the main line of the Illinois Central. The disadvantage of course in this scheme lies in the fact that the Kansas City traffic would be diverted from a straight line and the distance to the city increased by nearly five miles. If this were a trunk line like the St. Louis division, this change would l)e seri- ous, hi many instances, however, railroad lines have been diverted in this way to bring about better connection to the city and we believe that the advantages would far outweigh the disadvantages. As to the item of cost, there would be in the first place, no damages to pay to abutting" ])roperty owners. The total cost of the improvements would be approximately $1,116,100.00. Re- newals, repairs and other credits, would amount to $741,250.00. leaving a net improvement charge of $374,850.00. This change would eliminate 23 grade crossings, in addition to the many extra crossings that would ensue in the development of the city up to the point designed l)y the city ])lan. The present annual cost of guarding a grade crossing may be conservativeh' placed at $2,600.00 or a total of $59,800.00 a year for these 23 cross- ings. This amount capitalized at 5% would amount to $1,19(),(H)0.00. or in other words, more than three times enough to take care of the net cost of the im])rovement. At present ten of these crossings are guarded, which fm the above basis would be ecpuvalent to $520,000.00, or more than the cost of the improvement. In the case of the Peoria ])ranch of the Illinois C'entral. there would l^e involved in the construction, $210,000.00 against which 90 The Decatur Plan The Illinois Central Right of Way Gives Ample Width for the Proposed Main Group of Railroads Through the City could be charged credits amounting to $102,850.00, bringing about a net improvement charg-e of $107,150.00. This change would eliminate 12 grade crossings which if properly guarded would accrue a yearly expense of $31,200.00. The amount of this saving capitalized at 57^ would be $624,000.00. RAILROAD CROSSING ELIMINATION Tt is proposed to raise the main line of the Illinois Central six feet from Prairie Street to Eldorado, thence extend on level grade to Springfield Avenue, where it would meet the present grade. This would cost about $75,000.00 plus bridges and subways for main line work and would give subways at William. Eldorado, Orchard, Grand, Division and four ])roposed streets beyond to the north. In addition there would be subways at Prairie, Deca- tur, Franklin, and South Main Streets on two river drives and on two proposed streets to the south. An overhead combined cross- ing would serve Broadway and Wood Street. The City Practical 91 •••••••••••••■I The A\'abash line would be raised two feet at jasper Street and up to new grade of the Illinois Central. Subways would be provided at Jasper, Woodford, Seventh and Eleventh Streets with three addi- tional on proposed streets beyond. . Seven subways would be installed along the Champaign branch of the Illinois Central. On the C. H. & D. subways would be placed at Eldorado, Sev- enth and North William, overhead crossing at Wood Street with three additional subways to the east. Three subways are provided on the Alattoon l'>ranch of the Illinois Central. The above sfives a total of fortA- subwavs and three viaducts. 92 Tlic Decatur Plan TABLES OF ESTIMATES, ALTERNATE RAILROAD PROJECTS Cost of Track Elevation for Wabash Railroad from Decatur Junction East 9.500 ft. of relainiriR wall @ $27.50 $ 261.250 150.000 yds. fill @ . .50 75,000 15,000 yds. ballast (a .80 12.000 25,000 ft. track taken up and relaid @ .60 15,000 7 bridges @ 30.000 210.000 2.000 ft. raised east of I. C 20,000 Temporary structures 150,000 Total from Junction east $ 743,250 From Decatur Junction to Sangamon River 14,000 ft. track taken up and relaid @ .60 $ 8.400 Ballast 10,000 260,000 yds. fill @ .50 130.000 4 Bridges @ 20,000 80,000 Temporary Structures 10,000 Total from Junction to Sangamon River $ 238,400 South from North End of Sangamon Bridge Sangamon River Bridge and raising $ 250,000 7000 ft. track taken up and relaid (n .60 4.200 Ballast 5,000 80.000 yds. fill @ .50 40,000 Total from North end Sangamon Bridge $ 299,200 Total St. Louis Division 1,280.850 Kansas City Division Decatur Jet. West 125,000 Grand Total $1,405,850 Credit Sangamon Brid.ge 250.000 Net impro\ement charge $1,155,850 Illinois Central Railv^fay Warrensburg to Forsyth 6 miles main line @ $35,000 $210,000 Credits 4.7 miles renewal items single track @$1 5,500 $ 72.850 Right of way abandoned 30.000 Total credit $ 102.850 Net improvement charge $ 107,150 Save 12 grade crossings, capital charge at 57f on $2600 i)er year $ 624.000 The City Practical 93 Cost of Cut Off St. Louis Division Alone 2.S Miles New Double Track @ $48,500 $ 121,250 4.3 Miles Additional Double Track along I. C @ 39,500 169.850 Extending 4 subways @ 10,000 40,000 Half of viaduct 100,000 Widening Sangamon Bridge 175,000 Grading 90,000 Interlocker and tower 20,000 Total $ 716,100 Cost of Cut Off Kansas City Line to St. Louis Line Junction 5.5 miles single track @ $30,000 $ 165,000 Grading 90,000 Sangamon River Bridge 125.000 Interlocker tower 20,000 Total $ 400,000 Total cost of entire Cut Ofif $1,116,100 Credit Rail renewal 6.3 miles double track $81,900 Ties 6.3 miles double track 66,150 Spikes and fastenings 6.3 miles double track 9,450 Laying of new steel and ties and relaying 6.3 miles. . . . 37,800 $ 195,300 New double track Sangamon Bridge 225,000 Rail renewal 6.4 miles single track 41,600 Ties 6.4 miles single track 33,600 Spikes and fastenings 6.4 miles single track 4,800 Laving new steel and ties and relaying 19,200 99,200 12.7 miles block signal apparatus 31,750 Interlocking tower at Decatur Jet 20,000 K. C. Branch right of way 50,000 St. L. Branch right of way 120,000 Total credit $ 741,250 Net improvement charge 374,850 94 The Decatur Plan —•"•-•-•••a THE UNION STATION If this plan is adopted, a Union Station in place of two or more stations would be so obviously desirable as to in all probal)ility lie insisted upon by the municipality. It is not necessary to go into the matter of the Union Station from the standpoint of railroad economics. The advantages to the traveling public are equally obvious. Added to these is the fact that the street car line arrangement may be made far more convenient and that a traffic focal point may be had, serving not onlv the railroads but the interurban lines and local electric lines. The adoption of the foregoing plan of railroad rearrangement furthermore makes ])ossible the location of this Union Station, at a point which in many respects will add to the convenience and attractiveness of the city as a wdiole. The chief objection to the present station locations is the re- moteness from the business and hotel district. \\"e have therefore suggested that the new Union Station be located as shown, be- tween Washington and Jefferson Streets. At this point the Illi- nois Central right of way is two hundred feet wide. The land along the railroad is low and an opportunity is offered to construct a building which will have the advantage of two levels with ap- proaches to station ])lat forms without crossing tracks. The loca- I'aasen^er Stations The Citv Practical 95 ••••^-••"•— I ■*■—•'♦ " • " • ■■• " ! tion would be only five blocks from the center of the business dis- trict or about one-half distance to the present stations. At this site, the disadvantages of the crossing from a railroad standpoint would be done away with. All present interurbans or those which may in the future enter the city, could be conveniently handled at this point. The station should be so developed and placed as to become, in all respects, the front door to the city. Not only would it be con- veniently placed, but its environs would be in keeping with its character as a civic feature. Located as shown, the proposed Union Station would have the crowning advantage from a city standpoint of becoming part of the proposed civic center. Instead of being surrounded and hemmed in by second rate shops and buildings of the usual char- acter, it would look out upon a harmonious and beautiful group of public building's adecpiately set off by parkings, and would itself form an element to a harmonious scheme of architecture. It would therefore have the two the prime advantages of beauty and con- venience. Congestion of Tracks at Wabash Station — The City Will Soon Demand Better Station Facilities The Cit\ Practical 97 FREIGHT YARDS Tlic present freight yards and team tracks of the citv are located to the southeast of Sangamon Street and Broadway. At present there is handled in and out of these three vards approximately 150,000 tons of less than car load freight annually, aside from a small proportion of the 30.000 cars of car load freight handled within the city each year. The yards are scattered over appro.ximately 23 acres, present- ing considerahle loss in ground efficiency as well as unnecessary overhead costs which may be saved by unification. A team track and freight house layout is herein presented which would have the following capacitv: \andalia Freight House 25 cars Proposed In Bound Freight House 46 cars Proposed Out Bound Freight House 103 cars Proposed Transfer Tracks 90 cars Proposed Teaming Tracks 187 cars Total 451 cars THE PENNSYLVANIA FREIGHT STATION AND SURROUNDINGS Here, Under the Proposed Plan, an Adequate Freight Terminal Would Be Installed, to Serve the City for Years to Come 98 The Decatur Plan PROPOSED FREIGHT STATION AND TEAMING YARD Decatur Illinois The City Practical 99 The above capacity is based on present average car loads with 24 hour period of handling. This is about four times the capacity of the three present yards. A large increase in handling capacitv over the above can be obtained Ijy working extra shifts, bv the use of electric trucks and by the standardization of freight cars which is rapidly being brought about. The latter would allow the elimination of the island platforms provided in the plan and a subsequent 50% increase of track space to the freight houses. The location of the yard has the advantage of being between the business and factory districts, both of which it will serve con- veniently. The space now occupied by the railroads south of the Wabash tracks and north of Eldorado Street would serve as vard room for coal, building material, etc. Only one and one-half blocks of land are proposed to be acquired under the plan, the re- mainder now lieing owned ])}• the railroad companies. SUMMARY OF RAILROAD CHANGE BENEFITS By carrying out the above recommendations, the following benefits would accrue to the city: Five and one-half miles of main track would be removed from the present city. Fifty-seven grade crossings would be abolished within the present city. Nine and one-half miles of main track and 168 crossings would be removed from the city as shown by the plan for future plotting. All main line grade crossings would be abolished. Unified freight house and team track facilities would be given. Better opportunities for interchange of freight between rail- roads would be afiforded. West side of city would be freed from railroad lines with the exception of freight sptir along present factory district. Gives opportunity for im])ortant diagonal street to southwest over present Wabash right of waw Provides union passenger station away from railroad crossing and at a point which will cause it to become an integral part of !:he civic center. Street Car dnd Interurban Transportdtion Proposed Comprehensiue System of Street Car Lines Discussion of the Economy of the Plan Inlerurban Lines Station Facilities STREET CAR AND INTERURBAN TRANSPORTATION FOR the reason that street car Hues are generally owned and operated by private companies for gain and for the reason that their service is paid for immediately and is therefore constantly forced to attention, the public is apt to look upon their operators as parasites on its pocketbook, and upon the city's power of franchise. As a matter of fact, the success of any city depends very largely on its public street transportation. If a city is to prosper, if it is to spread out and grow larger, if it is to be able to use definite sec- tions for distinct purposes, ability must be given to travel between the homes and places of business with regularity and speed. So far no means of public conveyance on a comprehensive scale has taken the place of electric surface cars. Street car systems have become as much the part of the organism of cities as have water supply or sewer systems. No city plan can be complete unless a proportionate number of streets are laid out with the definite purpose of providing for street car lines. The street car problem presents a somewhat different aspect when viewed as a city element, from that when looked upon as a source of private revenue. The test for the public is in providing within easy walking distance for every home, car lines on which there will be frequent and rapid transit to all important points within the city. From the operating standpoint, the most suc- cessful line is the one which gives the greatest net returns to the car mile. The citizen wants to be a])le to purchase a reasonable priced lot on the outskirts on which he may develop a home, and still l)e able to secure regular transportation to his work, which may be on the other side of the city. The street car company prefers to wait with the extensions of its lines until fairly dense population has taken place. Tt is to the interest of the company not to keep pace with the geographical growth of the city, whereas it is much to the interest of the city that the development of car lines keep ahead of city growth. Where this does not take place, the city must grow up I04 //'<' Di'catur Plait in the air. The tenement with its unhealthful congestion is en- couraged and the private home of the ordinary type witi: its gar- den, its sunlight and its influence toward better citizenship is dis- couraged. Herein Hes, if not an argument for municipal owner- ship, at least an argument for thorough control by the municipal- ity of the layout and operation of street car lines. The ideal layout of car lines from the city's standpoint would, in the first place, provide a fairly even distribution of lines over the entire citv, spaced so that every home would be within convenient walking distance of some line and with lines kept extended well out into the sparsely built up sections. This would encourage a more even development of the city, the building of homes on larger lots and would have a considerable effect on stabilizing land values over the entire city. *In the city of Toronto, Canada, it has been determined that a valuation increase of 68% on land has been ])rought about by street car extensions. Whereas these extensions cost but 6% of the increase of such values in the districts served. PROPOSED COMPREHENSIVE SYSTEM OF STREET CAR LINES The proposed car line system which would serve the Decatur of 150,000 population would include 68 miles of track. 16 miles of which is existing. It would provide transportation either direct or with but one transfer from an)- part of the city to the business district, factorv district and L'nion Station, where connections would be made with all interurl)an and steam lines. Spacing is such in the outlying districts that the usual distance of a car line from any home would not exceed two thousand feet. One way routing would be adopted in ^^^ater, Mn'm, Jackson and Edward Streets to relieve congestion. By this plan the necessity for the old transfer station at Lincoln Square would no longer exist. The arrangement of lines and routing as shown on the accom- panying street car plan would be as follows: ♦Report Ontario Housing Committee 1919. c Tlic City Practical iqc; Three east and west lines and three nortli and south Hnes through factory district. Inner loop over Xorth. Main, Water, Eldorado and through civic center. The above routing of lines would bring about tlie al)andonnH'nt of 4.1 miles of existing track as follows: The West Orchard line from Water Street to the ])resent belt line and Condit Street line from ^^'ater Street to Jasper Street would be abandoned to give a direct through route on Grand Avenue which would serve the factory district more directh'. The i)ortion of the Condit Street line on Jasper Street would be replaced by a thrnugh line on ^^'oodford Street. The line on Water Street north of Grand and on Division as far as Broadway would be removed. Instead, a line would be carried east on Grand and north on Broadway. The change in view of the proposed layout would give better distribution and save one fourth mile of track. That portion of Edward Street line on Cerro Gordo Street and the portion of the Eldorado Street line on North and William Streets would be removed to relieve heavy traffic on Cerro Gordo Street and to ]M-ovide a direct through line on Eldorado Street. This would give more direct service from the west to the Stalev plant and would do away with the awkward detour over ^\'iIliam Street. DISCUSSION OF THE ECONOMY OF THE PLAN The car line system as shown can be built with reasonable assurance that it will be a paying investment. It has been found in cities that the number of revenue passengers increase at double the rate of increase in |)0])ulation. Based on the num])er of ])resent rides per ca])ita in Decatur, these will increase to oOO rides per capita before a population of 150,000 is reached. The number of five cent fares from 150,000 people at iSOO rides per annum will pay 38% gross revenue on an investment of ^85,000 per mile on the 68 miles shown in this system. \';iluation engi- neers have found that this valuation of $85,000.00 per mile is usual in cities having a population of from 100,000 to 150,000. Such a io6 Tlic Decatur Plan gross revenue based on present operating costs is a paying invest- ment. Extensions to lines spaced as shown can be carried into terri- tory having hwi five peojjle to the acre, which is but -^07^ average density. The number of fares based on 300 rides per capita per annum will pay interest and depreciation on the additional track- age and equipment needed and on the additional cost of operation. INTERURBAN LINES Interurl)an lines would, according to the plan, be routed as follows : Line from the west would enter city over existing track with grade crossings abolished to a point north of Calvary Cemetery, from which point tracks would be elevated on abandoned Wabash right of wa\- to lllinuis Central Railroad, l-'mni this point, line would be carried along west side of group to L'nion Station. Line from north would abandon present right of way at edge of plotted area and would cross to east side of Illinois Central, thence extend parallel to railroad south to point at which line ap])roaches from the west, where it would again cross railroad and continue to L'nion Station. Line from east would ioin that from north at Garfield .Avenue. STATION FACILITIES The train shed for interurbans at the I'nion Station would be at the north side of structure and carried over the low level street. The possibility of a future interurban line from the sotith has been contemplated in the station arrangement. The advantages of the above arrangement would be primarih- to give rapid transit from a central point in the city to the outskirts which is impossible while using the streets as at present. The streets of the city would also be freed from congestion due to inter- urban trains. By bringing all interurlians to the I'nion Station, a central transfer station would be secured between all steam, interurban and local electric lines. f improved cemetery land, aside from that now available for use. Where new cemeteries may be ])lace(l and how tlie\- shall be imjiroved and maintained is a matter of ])ublic concern. While the modern park cemetery under perpetual care operation is a great advance over the old time graveyard, new cemeteries are not usuallv welcomed bv nearbv land owners. «■•■■_«•■,__—££-'£, n The City Practical 113 >■•••■•"•»•••••••• It is suggested tliat two or possibly three general locations be prescribed in advance, in which cemeteries may be installed. These whether built by the city or by private concerns should be sur- rounded by a park strip not less than fifty feet in width and suit- ably improved and so parked as to form a screen, shutting off from view the cemetery ])roper from surrounding homes. Such pro- vision would give notice to prospective property buyers of the installation of a cemetery and would protect the outlook from resi- dences built on abutting ground. Housing HOUSING IN 1913, the City Council of Decatur adopted a building code which compares favorably with those of most cities in the country. The code was carefully prepared and goes as far in protecting the citizens of Decatur against injury and disease as is probably permissible under the laws of Illinois. Like nearly all building codes, it covers principally such structural requirements as will insure the safety of buildings from collapse and fire. The newer conception of good housing takes cognizance of the need of building control to insure the proper circulation of air, amount of sunlight, the regulation of population density, the satis- factory relation of buildings mass to lot area and the location of structures with relation to lot lines. Broadly it applies not only to safety but to comfort and to the protection of nearby property as well. The housing situation in Decatur is not bad compared with many industrial cities of its size. It is decidedly better than that in most of the larger cities. The problem of better housing here, therefore, lies not so much in the correction of present conditions as to future control. While instances were noted in the survey of the city which would doubtless be corrected in the event of the adoption of a building code of broader scope, these instances are alarming only as they point directly toward a condition which surely will take place when the city becomes considerably larger, unless provided against now. The transformation from ordinary to bad housing is nearly always insidious. Rarely does it take place quickly and in a whole- sale manner. As new industries come and activities increase, houses now owned and occupied by a single family will become occupied by two or more families. Basements will be used for living quarters and cheap dwellings will spring up on back lots and facing alleys. The tenement will come and therein will be introduced the bane of the average manufacturing city. n8 The Decatur rian Decatur cannot hope to grow in size without absorbing its proportion of comparatively low price labor. It is the housing of this class that really constitutes the big problem. There is no question but that the ordinary workman is better housed in America than in an}- other land. To a very large extent, he owns and takes pride in his home. To this fact and to the public school do we owe to a very great extent the high type of average citizenship which makes America supreme among nations. To maintain and improve this situation rather than to permit of a retrograde movement is manifestly im])ortant. The policv for future housing in Decatur should be to: (1) Encourage the individual home built on ample ground and owned by its occupant. (2) Permit the construction or reconstruction of single homes within the city only as shall insure adequate air circulation and sunlight. (3) Permit the erecting of multiplex dwellings only in such manner as to give each occupant proper amount of room, sunlight, air and satisfactory outlook. (4) Limit height and mass of all dwellings in proportion to size of lot. (5) Limit multii)lex dwellings of apartment type to restricted zones. (6) Insure against population density, unsanitary places of abode and surroundings, dwellings on alleys and the erection of homes on areas subject to flood. (7) Encourage a satisfactory type of architecture and ar- rangement of buildings on the lot. We recommend the passage of a zoning and housing ordinance which will establish the uses and restrictions of zones as set forth by the plan and which will cover matters pertaining to improved housing. This ordinance should be framed only after a careful consideration of other zoning ordinances in effect. Among other provisions it should include the following: Allow the continuance for present use of all existing buildings except in special cases. Allow no building now existing to l)e reoccui)ied or altered for The Cit\ Practical 119 occupancy nor any new building to be erected for purposes against which the district is restricted. Powers should be given the Public Service Department to make the following exceptions by special permit where such are nec- essary: Permit the erection of temporary buildings for business pur- poses in the residential districts. Permit alterations not to exceed 75% of the assessed value of the building for purposes against which the district is restricted. Permit the reconstruction of buildings destroyed bv fire to an extent not to exceed 75% of the assessed value of the building for purposes against which the district is restricted. The ordinance should further: Provide for maximum height of buildings in the various zones or portions of zones. Divide the city into area districts within which shall be regu- lated the sizes of side and rear yards, outer and enclosed courts, the building area in proportion to the size of lots and the set back from front property lines. One of the Many Examples of Neighborhood Stores. Placed Forward on the Building Line, and Marring the Appearance of the Home Section Parks Interior Parks Johns Hill A Farmers Headquarters Central Park The Bouleuard System School Parks Park Design PARKS IN CITY planning, parks, playgrounds, parkings and grounds of various sorts used for the enjoyment of the public should be looked upon mainly from the standpoint of area, location and accessibility rather than that of landscape detail. The park sys- tem should be dealt with in the same way as is a system of car lines or any other feature necessary to the city's composition. A park system is an adjunct to the home division of the city. It is built to fulfill a definite and accepted purpose, that of making the city more attractive and enjoyable and to give the benefits of recre- ation. Incidentally, parks give other important service, such as the letting into the city of sunlight and air, not an unimportant matter when the city becomes congested. Parks in most instances en- hance the value of contiguous land and this in turn increases the city's taxable revenue. Parks serve as a valuable medium for ad- vertising the city. Many cities, ordinary in their general character, have become distinguished on account of their parks and have profited immeasurably thereby. Beautiful parks go far toward stimulating civic pride; a tonic without which no city may be normal. Finally, parks, if well placed, well designed and well built, give the crowning visibile evidence of good planning. By its parking is a city tested, not only for its culture and good taste but for its foresightedness and good business sense. No city can afiford to be poorly parked, as no store can afiford to have other than a good window display. But first of all, parks are for the enjoyment of the city's inhab- itants. Therefore they should be placed where people may enjoy them without undue inconvenience. To a very large measure, parks are built for children — and therefore convenient location of park units becomes doubly important. In order that parks may be convenient for use, they must be placed near the homes. Units should be placed with more or less geometrical regularity so that zones of influence of fairlv regular size mav be served. It has become an accepted principle in city planning that some sort of a park should be within a half mile — comfortable walking distance — of every home. 124 The F^ccntiir Plan "•—■••■■■■■< -a c a o T3 c a 0. v^ o S g bo ' l1 -SO. £ 4; (0 TJic City Practical i. ..•..•••«• Parks naturally group themselves according to their size and treatment into playgrounds, school parks, central parks, neighbor- hood parks and scenic parks. The treatment and furnishings of these various kinds of parks have been largely standardized. Playgrounds are fitted for intensive recreational activities. Playfields and athletic apparatus are installed. Often neighbor- hood center buildings with gymnasiums, concert halls, etc., are built, and trained physical instructors placed in charge. School parks, first of all, should furnish adequate sites for school buildings with ample room for extensions thereto without its later being necessary to acquire added property. In addition, they should furnish ample room for both organized and informal play for children during the school season and for neighborhood activi- ties during the remainder of the year. School buildings if properly arranged become ideal neighborhood centers where various social activities may be held. School parks should be not less than a standard block in size or approximately four acres and may cover several times this area to advantage. The school park properly developed does away with the necessity for the i)layground. Only by setting aside these tracts as land is plotted and secur- ing them for the public while they can be purchased at reasonable price may economy be exercised and a satisfactory series of school parks be insured. Central parks, or "down town parks," are usually too limited in size to permit of play features. They are primarily rest places provided with benches, shade, a fountain perhaps, a bandstand and, where possible, flowers. Downtown parks are usually susceptible to better arrangement and a fuller use than generally accorded them. Better facilities for open air concerts and public speaking, more adequate and comfortable seating, more toilet and rest rooms and better landscape treatment can generally be provided to ad- vantage. Neighborhood parks are larger in extent, embodying some of the natural treatment of the still larger scenic park, but are ar- ranged more especially to meet the needs of a local community. Baseball fields, tennis courts, swimming pools, facilities for tobog- ganing and ice skating are often introduced. Scenic parks or larger outlying units, give space for woodland. 126 The Decatur Plan Along the Sangamon meadow and waterway, where drives and jjicnic i^rDunds, i^olf courses and lakes for boating, fishing and skating may be furnished, a place where the freedom and lieauties of nature may assuage the enervating influence of city life. These various park units should supplement each other as to features. As for instance, a park with a swimming pool or a base- l)all field may draw from a larger zone, while one having a zoolog- ical garden, a conservatory or a natural history museum may serve the entire city. Larger park units where possible should be connected by park- ways or boulevards, which in reality are but elongated parks, built for driving and riding and suitably ])aved, planted, lighted and fur- nished with interesting views to give the greatest comfort and pleasure to their users. Parkwavs should, moreover, wherever possible, lead from va- rious directions to the center of the city. They should be freed from heavy traffic and made to furnish routes for light, fast moving vehicles. This makes more accesible the business section of the city and largelv relieves the congestion and danger on streets where fast and slow traffic are intermingled. It is generally accepted as standard that there should be a ratio of one hundred i)eople to each acre of improved park. The Citv Practical i-^: Decatur at present has 182 acres of park lands, not all of which are improved. With a population of 43,818 there is given a ratio of 240 people to the park acre. The park plan as shown calls for the acquirement of 2500 acres in addition to the 182 acres now owned hy the city. \\'hile this gives a ratio of 55 people to the acre based on a population of 150,000, a large portion is outlying ravine and river bank lands, which will in turn serve a still greater number of people. Much of this land should be secured to safeguard the city's water supply, while other land along the ravine should be taken over to guard against housing development on areas subject to flood. The most imposing feature of the proposed parking scheme would be these outlying reservations extending along the Stevens Creek \^alley and the ])anks of the Sangamon. These are areas of natural charm to the ownership of which the ]niblic of Decatur has the right to aspire. The valley of Stevens Creek is particularly valuable for a park. On each side are lands destined to become high class residential sites. The valley is of course unsuitalile for residence purposes and STEVENS CREEK TERRITORY Ideal Sites for Parks, for Future Decatur, Are to Be Had Along This Charming Waterway 128 The Decatur Plan •••—••••••••• if allowed to be used for buildings would but encourage the shacks and undesirable structures always found in such places. Above all, this bit of natural beauty should not be despoiled. The entire valley with its sloping banks and a narrow strip along their crest should be secured for public use. Curved drives as pro- vided in the street layout would carry along the summits giving admirable views up and down the valley. 'Phis reservation would begin with a narrow strip directh- north of the hospital and continue to the junction of the creek and river. Here and there it would widen out to include some espe- ciallv desirable tract and to provide room for golf courses or other special features requiring particular shape, topography and size. A drive would lead through the bottom lands connecting with im- portant streets leading across the valley. This drive would con- nect with the river parkway and with the ])arkway leading around to the north of the city. The impounding of the Sangamon to furnish water supply for Decatur makes possible yet another reservation, which, if secured, will add tremendously to the city's beauty. A generous strip of land along each bank of the new lake should be acquired, along which a driveway w^ould be carried. Generally this park strip should extend w^ell to the top of the slopes, leading to the water's edge. This is necessary in the tirst place to insure vaja^Tmik'ViBiwn^'mg/ m L'"*«!".*.«tl'-V5 \^^ Wood and Meadow Alcng Stevens Creek The City Practical 129 against the pollution of the water supply, and to enable the laying of an intercepting sewer along this boundary road. Only by con- trolling the banks in this way can the reservoir be adequately con- trolled. No buildings except park structures should be built between the boundary drives and the water's edge. By so doing, miles of homes may front the lake, obtaining an unobstructed view and presenting an attractive appearance from the lake and bordering parks. While careful regulation will doubtless be found necessary in the use of the lake for boating and fishing, this body of water and the flanking shores may fittingly become Decatur's great place of recreation which in time will extend through a large section of the bivUt up city and will be used daily by thousands. Below the new dam lies a mediumly wide and flat valley through which the Sangamon winds sluggishly. This valley is subject to overflow and has therefore been kept free from buildings. It would appear that as the city grows out beyond to the south, this land should be used for public purposes, if for no other reason than to keep it from being sold for cheap house lots and built upon. De- catur has ample high land for building purposes to forestall devel- oping homes whereon there will be the annual menace of floods. Yet it invariably happens that such places left long enough even- tually sell for house lots and are built upon in spite of the obvious danger. While the flooding of these lands might be guarded against, by deepening and straightening the river, they would never be satis- factory for building sites. It has been suggested that a dam be built across the river at the intersection of Stevens Creek in order to form a second lake which may be used for bathing. It would hardly seem that the benefits would warrant the expense. A number of swimming pools could lie built at less cost, the water in which wouUl be more sani- tary. Aside from bathing, the u])])er lake will serve all necessary purposes of recreation. These low lands for man_\- years will doubtless be of more value to the city as farms and market gardens. Later the}- mav be used for aviation landing fields, golf courses, school gardens, etc. Their i.^^o The Decatur Plan acquisition b}- tlie city is not urged at present. Many years will probably elapse before tbey will be needed, meanwhile steps should be taken to discourage the erection thereon of buildings of per- manent character. INTERIOR PARKS Aside from enlarg-ing several school grounds, the plan for addi- tional interior parks contemplates but three units, namely fortv acres at Garfield and \\'ater Streets, Johns' Hill, sixteen acres of which would become a school park, and the small tract lying along the railroad south to Prairie Street consisting of about six acres. These areas would care for. in a fairly satisfactory wav, the j^resent unparked sections of the city. The first tract mentioned is especially needed. This section of the city has no park at ]iresent. The land is possessed of natural advantages and is large enough to serve the neighborhood. This land has been subdivided and it is apparent that there can l)e no delay if the city is to secure it for park purposes. (Provided it is found imi)racticable to secure the tract in question that Iving im- mediately to the north although somewhat more remote would serve. ) Beautiful Native Forests May Still Be Found in the Environs of Decatur. Where Possible. Such Land Should Be Taken Over Before It Is Despoiled by the Constant Advance of the City The City Practical I U JOHNS HILL This hill with its excellent views calls for consideration in any park study. A park unit is needed in this locality. The location of the proposed junior high school here would alone give sufficient reason for its acquirement. Johns Hill, One of Decatur's Landmarks. Forms a Desirable Site for a School Park A FARMER'S HEADQUARTERS Tt is suggested that some ])lace he arranged in Decatur where farmers mav make their heruhpiarters, while in town, wlicre they mav leave their cars or teams, where their families may rest and lunch and where telephone service may be provided. There would be needed a sufficient area for automobile parking and to furnish room for a suitable building. Such a place would probably be used to some extent by tourists. It would form a suit- able headquarters for the farm bureau and would be to some extent useful to the citizens of Decatur. Not many sites are available for such an institution. Room could probably l^e found in the proposed civic center, but it is sug- gested that the vacant site south of Prairie and east of the Illinois Central be considered. While separated from the business center by the railroad, the underpass on Prairie Street removes largely the objection on this account. A portion of the hill would have to be cut down to permit of the building, but the major part would be left as a screen to shut off the railroad. The remainder of the grounds could be arranged fur ];lay pur- poses with field apparatus, a children's playground, and possibly 13^ The Decatur Plan ••••-••••■-••••■-•■•••••"••■•■• a swimming- pool which, thus centrally located, would serve the entire downtown section. CENTRAL PARK While somewhat out of the scope of this report we are submit- ting a suggested rearrangement for Central Park. There would be provided an out-of-doors forum which would accommodate several thousand people and give an unobstructed view of the plat- form from which public speeches, concerts or theatricals could be given. The introduction of water, shade and flowers is sug- gested and i)ul)lic toilet stations should be provided. The natural slope of the ground to the east makes possible the carrving out of this plan with comparatively little grading. The theater would be placed at the east side of the park on the axis of Prairie Street but far enough back from the street line to provide for a planting screen which would make possible the entrance to the stage unobserved by the audience. The park rearranged in this manner would give much broader use than at present, at which time it furnishes little more than a Central Park, m the Midst of Decatur's Business Section, as Viewed from an Aeroplane The Cif\ Practical •••••••-•■•••■••• '••••••••••••••I 133 —••■••••■■••■••■••• -J M/'/JIA/VifJ '\ % r \ I c 134 TI'C Decatur Plan shaded retreat. Concerts given in the little Ijandstand are cramped affairs l)()th for the musicians and the audience. A centrally located out-of-doors auditorium of this kind would fulfill a long felt need in Decatur. THE BOULEVARD SYSTEM An important element of the general park ])lan is a continuous ])arkwav extending completel\- around Decatur. Following along the river hank and to the north and east along Stevens Creek it again connects with the river drive north of the Wabash Railroad Bridge. This would form a driveway of twenty miles in length, over which there would he a continuous diversity of scenery. In- tersecting this circumferential parkway would he various radial parkways reaching to the center of the city. Tt is desirable that the heart of the city may thus be approached from various directions by light, fast moving traffic without inter- ference l)y heavy teaming, hut on the other hand considering the economic importance of heavy trafiic to a city, it is necessary to go slowly in the matter of restricting the use of thoroughfares. We have, therefore, suggested such streets for parkways as may be best spared and along which there are parallel lines for heavy teaming. SCHOOL PARKS Twenty-seven school parks have been designated on the gen- eral plan. These average approximately four acres in extent. Tn all cases they are placed away from car lines and generally off' from main traffic streets. They are so distributed as to each have a zone of influence of one-half mile radius. A suggestion is submitted for a typical school park layout. The main idea, of course, is to cause the park and the school to co- operate in their usefulness to the neighborhood. An eight-room building is shown ca])able of acconnnodaling 320 pupils and with provision for extension to take care of an addi- tional 320 pupils, or 640 in all, the average number for a s(|uare mile of mediumly built up residence district. The site, four acres in extent, is arranged for pla\grounds, ten nis, garden, a lawn oval, set off' by a i)ergola, which would furnish a stage for open air entertainments, a |)erennial garden, wading" pool, drinking fountain, benches, etc. Ample lawn and shade give f- a -0-0 c « 3 • - 3 u> a -a a = 1 V &X1 &c u .2 &i P , 00 136 Tlic Decatur Plan ••••••••••••■ attractive setting to the building in which may be provided the assemblv hall, club rooms, toilets, kitchens, etc.. necessary to a well appointed neighborhood center. PARK DESIGN Art in landscape depends on the application of the same prin- ciples as does art in painting, in architecture or in house decora- tion. These principles apply to mass, form, color and proportion and not to personal whim. The best artists of all kinds and times have bowed to the inflexible rules which make for beauty in all things, although it is true that from time to time schools as well as individuals have broken away from these tried and proven rules and have attempted to set up a new art, only to be forgotten along with their works. A park cannot be made beautiful by filling its area to over- flowing with gew-gaws, more than a room may be made beautiful by filling it with bric-a-brac. A park must have proper mass of foliage, water and lawn, proper color balance, which may be so very easily wrecked by an irrelevant geranium bed, a golden elder or a blue spruce, and proper form, whether it be of the horizontal or vertical curve, of a driveway or the terrace to a garden. Let a park be built in a way to disregard these rules of art, and while onlv the trained artist may be able to diagnose and correct the trouble, there will be even to the slightly cultured a subconscious feeling that something is wrong. But parks should not only be beauty places, full sized landscape paintings with real water, trees, hills, and flowers used as pigments and fulfilling" the best in art either as viewed from the outside or tested hv an interior vista, but they must fulfill the test of prac- ticability and everyday use. Every square foot of park surface should be arranged for the use and enjoyment of people. But again, should a park be well balanced as concerning its facilities for use? A park may demand drixcways. but they should be kei)t within bounds and not led here and there and everywhere with- out reason, to the efl:'ect of destroying lawn space often of far greater importance than the drives themselves. Common sense and an appreciation of the eternal fitness of things must alwavs go far in the building of a successful park. Schools Hiqh School Junior High School Pugh School Oakland School Riuerside School Ulrich School Qastaan School Roach School IParren School Jasper School Dennis School French School SCHOOLS THERE are at present in Decatur sixteen public schools, hav- ing a total enrollment of nearly seven thousand students. The grounds on which these schools are situated occupy about twenty-five acres. The following table shows enrollment, total area, available playground space, percentage of playground space to the child and the estimated population density of the neighborhood : Enroll- Total Play Square Feet Density Schools ment Area Ground Play Area of Neigh- Square Feet Area a Child borhood High School 1,261 49,928 Junior High 528 45,315 12,000 21.7 lasper 339 43,425 41,100 122.0 957r Roach 393 80,034 60,450 154.0 507c French 299 51,876 32,531 109.0 857f Dennis 189 73,080 71,580 379.0 40% Oakland 334 30,456 18,456 55.3 857o Riverside 319 32,400 17,400 54.6 50% Marietta (Lincoln) 330 61,456 43,456 132.0 85% Ulrich 393 30,000 20,000 50.8 85% Warren 432 41,300 31,300 72.6 90% Oglesby 186 164,688 154,686 832.0 10% Pugh 565 156,200 133,700 237.0 85% Durfee 572 122,850 64.350 112.0 75% Gastman 399 22,176 9.676 24.2 90% Jackson 400 63,020 43,020 108.0 80% Total 6,939 1,068,204 753,705 2,464.2 Total area occupied by schools, 24.5 acres. Average amount of play space to the child, 108.5 scjuare feet. In connection with the schools, the city plan is concerned chiefly in the matter of providing adequate space and in fixing the loca- tion of new sites to take care of the school system as the city de- velops in size. Proposed school sites in outlying plotting are designated on the plan and are dealt with in the subject of parks. Further consideration should be given to the matter of en- larging school sites which are manifestly inadequate in size. It is held by authorities that at least one hundred square feet of avail- 140 The Decatur Plan A. lannt "□DDDBCSC ,jinS[5.,.,. ( if MClSO/t O*^* CHART OF EXISTING PARKS f^PUBUC SCHOOLS DECATUR ILLINOIS The Above Chart Shows Recommended Extensions to Present School Grounds Tlic City Practical 14.1 al)le ])lay area is needed for each child in attendance at tlie school This being aside from space devoted to lawns, flower beds and other restricted places wdiere children are barred from playing. This, however, does not entirely meet the situation, vmless the district from which the school draws its pupils has reached its maximum density of population, otherwise there is alwavs a pos- sibility that the school building will have to be enlarged, thereby cutting down the present play space. Indeed, the tendency is to secure more land for schools than would give the above standard. Many cities are refraining from erecting grade schools on less than a full city block, where the blocks measure about five acres. Some cities, as for instance. Gary, Indiana, are l)uilding schools on not less than twice this area. It is however manifestly out of the (piestion for an^■ cit\- of the ordinary financial condition to enlarge its |)resent school sites to meet these demands. To enlarge the average school site means to acquire contiguous lots, often times improved with costly build- ings. It therefore becomes a project which must be undertaken with extreme conservatism. Recommendations have been made recently by the business manager of the Decatur school system, Mr. Kinkade, taking xip in detail the apparent need of each school with respect to ground enlargement. Our report is made independently but coincides to a considerable extent with Mr. Kinkade's recommendations. Taking up the schools in sequence, we would advise as follows: HIGH SCHOOL While play grounds such as are built for grade schools are not needed at the high school, there is need for plenty of space sur- rounding such a building. First of all, there should be adeijuate setting for the building. The Decatur high school suffers in this regard. Any building of a public nature, as costly and presenting as good design as Decatur's high school, should have enough vacant land surround- ing it to present the building to view to the best advantage. Again there is a psychological reason whv a suitable environment should surround the high school in which boys and girls of the impres- sionistic age are in attendance. There should be given space 142 TJn- Decatur Plan enough around the Iniilding to permit of a dignified, restful and beautiful landscape treatment. In connection with any high school, there should furthermore be provided, a well equipped athletic field for the use of both boys and girls. This should include a running track, baseball and foot- ball fields, tennis courts, jumps, athletic ajjparatus, bleachers and other paraphernalia necessary for athletic events and to accom- modate spectators. Such a field may properly be placed at some distance from the school as will be necessary in Decatur. ^^'e recommend that the remainder of the block on which the high school is now situated be secured. JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL AND DECATUR HIGH SCHOOL Practically No Space Was Provided Around These Buildings for Recreation or for Adequate Setting The athletic field could be placed on the proposed park at Garfield and Water Streets, where ample room would be afforded for a thoroughly adequate and modern equipment and where the topographv of the ground is excellent for the purpose. JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL We recommend the consideration of three new sites for Junior High .Schools aside from the new Pugh School. The first lieing at the proposed site on Johns Hill, the second near the Oakland School and the third in the newly plotted area, northwest of the proposed factory district. (Consideration has been given to the location of a Junior High TIic City Practical 143 on the site of the Durfee School at Grand and Jasper Streets. This however does not seem satisfactory, for the reason that in case of the carrying out of the factory district project, this section would naturally tend to light industries, warehouses and the like, thereby robbing the school of its tributary population. The location of the present Junior High at Eldorado and Broad- way we believe to be unsatisfactory, both from the standpoint of tributary population and proximity to railroads and industries. A Junior High School should be placed as nearly as possible in the center of a group of grade schools, in turn serving a rather distinct section of the city. In case new schools are built as sug- gested above, it would probably be wise to abandon the old Junior High and dispose of the property. PUGH SCHOOL The grounds of this school are ample in size and should not be encroached upon by the New Junior High. We concur in Mr. Kinkade's suggestion to secure lots on Leafland and Grand Avenue, thereby giving necessary room for the grounds of the new building. OAKLAND SCHOOL This school occupies a space 160x188 feet, giving but 55.3 square feet of play space to the child, ^^'e recommend that the school board acquire propertv to the mirth and including the rest of the half block. RIVERSIDE SCHOOL This school is located in a rather s]:)arsely settled district which however bids fair to rapidly increase in density. If allowed to re- main where it is. the entire block should be taken, which in this case would give onh- 72,000 square feet. More land could l)e secured to the south, taking the next entire block and closing Lincoln Street. We believe, however, that a better arrangement would be to abolish Riverside School as well as Jackson School, three blocks away and combine these on the new grounds at Johns Hill, where the sixteen acre school park proposed would adequately accommodate the grade pupils of ])oth districts. 144 The Decatur I'lan The Jackson School situated as it is, near the railroad, is re- stricted as to its drawing- territory. \\\i\\ a modern plant at Johns Hill, accommodating- territory as far as the railroad and for a half mile to the south and east and with a new school site directly northeast of the Country Club, a better distribution would be obtained. ULRICH SCHOOL We recommend to acquire the remainder of the block, or failing to do this, to acquire the rest of the half block as far as Morgan Street. GASTMAN SCHOOL This school we believe should be abolished for school purposes, although it could serve well as an administration ])uilding for the school board. Tt is on the very edge of the district being shut ot^' on the east bv business houses. This school draws a number of pupils from the territory lying to the east of the business district and between it and the Illinois Central railroad. We believe it would be better to enlarge the Jasper School facilities for these Scant Room for Play at One of Decatur's Schools TJh- City Practical 143 ••••••••••"•"•"•* pupils or in case the old Junior High School be not removed, use it for this section, thereby doing away with the necessity of having the children cross the business district to the Gastman School. A new school should be located further to the west where it covdd serve the district better. ROACH SCHOOL This school at William and North Fourth Streets, while occupy- ing fairly comfortable (|uarters at present, will in all probability be crowded in a very few years. The neighborhood is not over 50% density and the enrollment of the school will probably be more than double in the next ten or twelve years. This situa- tion is made apparent bv the portable building already on the ground. The securing of the rest of the block on which the build- ing stands, should be considered. WARREN SCHOOL The building will probably have to l)e re])laced in the next few years. Fortunately, the district has practically reached its max- imum densitv. at least until ai)artment houses crowd out the indi- vidual homes. This, however, is not impossible, considering the industrial development which is apt to take place directly to the east. If this site is enlarged, it would seem logical to extend the grounds to the north on a line with the present west line of the propertv. This would remove eight houses and would be a some- what costly undertaking. JASPER SCHOOL This school at present occupies nearly the whole block. The building lots remaining are ])oorl)- arranged and the school as well as the neighborhood would be improved by taking the re- mainder of the block for school ])urposes. DENNIS SCHOOL While there is shown a ratio of 379 square feet to the child at this school, the neighborhood has only about 40% density. The l)uilding is so placed as to give a good foreground, but does not give satisfactory space for playgrounds. The site should be ex- tended east to take in ap])roximately twice the present area. 146 The Decatur Plan FRENCH SCHOOL ^^'e recommend the extension of this ground to the west, tak- ing the remainder of tlie half block. The grounds of nearly all schools in Decatur could be im- proved by planting and the installation of playground equipment. Each site should be studied and a carefully drawn ground plan prepared. Considerable work of improvement could be accom- plished bv the pupils under proper direction. Q'he Civic Center Post Ogice Site Central Park Site IPashinqlon Street Site The Ciuic Center Plan THE CIVIC CENTER THE primary reason for city planning" in general and the particular reason for the Decatur plan is based on the assump- tion that the city is to grow larger. If this is true, there is no fact more clear than that the public buildings now serving the city will in time become inadequate and will have to be replaced bv larger structures. This has been the repeated history in other cities as w^ell as Decatur and there is no reason to suppose that conditions will change in this respect in the future. The fallacy of waiting until the last moment before selecting sites for public buildings has been demonstrated times without number. There invariably occurs factional strife and jealousies and the inevitable happens that some particular site is selected, usually inadequate in size and often in such a location as to have small possibilities for approach and setting for the costly build- ing to be erected. SufHcient room is rarelv provided for future extensions and in a decade or so the same process is apt to be re- peated. By the selection in advance of an ample area, pro])erl\- located, on which public buildings as they are needed may ])e installed harmoniously, not only is the city provided with a beautiful fea- ture which will be a matter of pride to the citizens and of adver- tising value, but room will be provided for additions as they are needed. Assuming that such a grou]) of public buildings is desired, the matter of location immediately presents itself. There appear to be three possible locations for a civic center in Decatur. POST OFFICE SITE The first would use as a nucleus, the present post office and librar}-. Around these could ])e grouped other public buildings which might in turn be connected with the present stations or a union station by an avenue or plaza. The chief advantage of this scheme would be the utilization of the two buildings, namely the post office and library, both excel- lent examples of architecture. ' " - -' J i- ''■*'» ■-. * mft T - ■- -■ -| nDi j^-4Mtof*--i- l» i 'ii "w nr = 1 ir — *; ^p—^ >^- '^ W* .^rfp*:! ■*. ;i iL Proposed Location and Arrangement of Public Buildings Till- City Practical i ^i The disadvantages would be: The insertion of a public group directly in line with the present business extension of the city. The location of a station remote from the liusiness section. The great cost of acquiring necessary land for pu])lic l)uildings. The cost of widening the connecting street. The detached relations of the important elements. CENTRAL PARK SITE The second location would involve property extending from Central Park to the railroad and lying between Main and \\'illiam Streets. In addition it would bring into use Central Park and the vacant property directly east of the railroad and south of Prairie Street. The advantages of this site would be as follows: It is one block nearer the present business center than the third or what may be termed the Washington Street site. It would utilize Central Park. For these reasons the location would perhaps be more |)Opular at the onset and this popularit}' would no doulit aid materially in carrying out the project. The proposed park east of the railroad would tit into this scheme admirably, especially if the house lots along Prairie Avenue were taken over. The plan would necessarily do away with the coal mine shaft, which in many respects would be desirable from the standpoint of improving the attractiveness of the city. The civic center would be approached from the east by an ex- isting subway on Prairie Street. By the proposed treatment of Central Park, a dignified axis could be given to the layout which would balance the Union Sta- tion. The chief disadvantages of this site are as follows: The cost of the area needed as based on the assessor's records would be $550,000.00, or an average of 57 3 10 cents per square foot. This is largely influenced by the character of the improve- ments on the blocks lying between Main and William Streets, directlv east of Franklin. Here an established Imsiness section 152 Tlic Pccafiir Plan would have to be destroyed as well as the Inisiness establishments along the streets to the east. The location of the Union Station at this point offers some structural difficulties. It probably would not be considered feas- ible to span Prairie Street with the main structure because of the steep grade encountered in going through the subway. Therefore, the architectural advantage of facing the main building on the axis of the panel would be lost, although it would be perfectly possible to span the subway with a clock tower or campanile, which would give the desired balance to the plan. AA'hile this tower could be used for offices, its practicability as a station adjunct might be questioned by the railroad companies. The civic center placed here would be more or less sliut oft' from view from Water Street on account of the business blocks to the north and south of Central Park. The building group would be at a lower level than Water Street and would have the appear- ance of being in a depression, viewed from this thoroughfare. Tall business blocks of mixed architecture and unharmonious facades would encroach ujjon the composition. / The City Practical 153 WASHINGTON STREET SITE The tliird or Washington Street site would take in property extending between South Main Street and the lUinois Central rail- road and extending from Wood Street to a distance of one-half block south of JetTerson Street. For the most part, the improve- ments consist of moderately priced houses. There is, however, in addition thereto, a modern garage, a new apartment house, the Moose Lodge building, the new city fire station and the car barns now tinder construction, which would be interfered with in carry- ing out the plan. Based on present estimates, the entire i)roperty \'alue would amount to $415,000 or $135,000 less than the Central Park site. There wottld be secured 1,206,000 square feet of space as against 960,000 square feet at the latter site. At Washington Street the property has an average value of 34 4 TO cents to the square foot, as compard with 57 3/10 cents at the Central Park site. The W^ashington Street site ])resents the following advantages: The Union Station could be made a ]irominent and balanced element in the gToup. The topography is ideal for the arrangement of a convenient station. The present Court House grounds would be part of the scheme. The enlargement or replacement of the j^resent Court House would therefore be facilitated. The new fire station and car barns would in no wise interfere with the plan until the time should come for the building of a new- post office, possibly a generation hence, at which time, both Iniild- ings may be expected to have outlived their usefulness. The introduction of a civic center at this point, not only would fail to interfere with business develo])ment but would be ex])ected to stimulate as such, that section immediately to the north. There would without doubt, be a marked change for the better in the character of improvements to the south and west of the proposed site. The boulevard leading southwest from Decatur and Main Street would pass through ])ro])ert\-, the im|)rovement of which would be far reaching in its im])ortance. The Union Station would be placed in close proximity to the two leading hotels. The environs of the civic center would l)e ad- 154 I'lic Pccatiir J'liin niiral^le for other hotels and apartment hnilding-.s, which the city will soon re(|uire. The facades of these l)uildin<;-s ni;i\- he made to harmonize with those of the group. The location works out well from the standpoint of street car arrangement. The land, although sloping away to the south, could be easily graded so as to cause opposite buildings of the group to be appar- ently level. The group located here would compose well. Tt would lie in harmony with the parkway plans. It would tend to build up rather than to destroy. View East Along Jefferson Street. Toward Proposed Union Station, Showing Character of Improvements Necessary to Remove The Citx Practical Overlooking Site of Proposed Civic Center THE CIVIC CENTER PLAN The sclTemc sul)niittcd provides site for six and possibly seven buildings. Four of tliese presumably would be the City Hall, County Building, Post Office and Coliseum. In time to come, it is probable that the remaining sites would be used for an armory, museum, art gallery or buildings of like nature. Already there is an obvious need of a city hall. This will per- haps be one of the first buildings to be considered. While the present post office is adequate for the time being, it may be assumed that well within the life of this plan, tiiere will be found reason to renew the building. At such a time its relocation at a point near the railroads in order to expedite the handling of mail will, in all probability, be deemed advisable. As a citv emerges from the village class, the need of placing the post office near the railroad station so that the least possible delay will be experienced in taking the mail from the cars and placing it on the sorting racks always becomes apparent. As a city grows larger, the post office building becomes less a rendez- vous and more a plant for distrilnition of mail. It is also imjjortant that the building be placed conveniently near to car lines extend- ing in all directions through the city. With the post office placed as suggested, mail could be taken from the interurban and steam trains and carried, possibly by 156 The Decatur Plan '"•"•••••••••••^— I means of a tunnel, to the building, and thence distributed through the city by carriers, with the utmost rapidity. Opposite the post office would be an admirable site for an armory. A spur track can be carried to the l)uilding for the load- ing and unloading of stores, troops and the like. Tt also has the advantag'e of being on the focal point of the pro- posed system of street car lines. The slope of the ground at this site makes it possible to erect the building with minimum excaA'ation for basement, while the floor of the main structure would be level with those of the other buildings of the group. Si)ace is here provided for a structure which could easi]\- accommodate ten thousand |)eople, if such a size should l)e desired. The group would take the form of a rectangular plaza, termi- nating on the west by a colonnade which might appropriately as- sume the form of a memorial to those who served Decatur in the world war. The buildings would l)e placed on the property lines of Washington and jeft'erson Streets so that they could be erected without interference with these streets. Later the intervening propertv could l^e acquired and the drives of the plaza rearranged. These drives would l)e carried in parallel lines through the group, the center parking being developed with pools. The buildings hav- ing a set back of eight \- feet from the drives, woidd thereby be given ample foreground. je^' _!l Site of Proposed Civic Center cfhe Cdrri^inq Out of the Plan THE CARRYING OUT OF THE PLAN HOW to apply the foregoing plan of Decatur to the ground, how even to inaugurate its application are questions which will at once present themselves to the members of the plan commission. The immensity of the project, the enormous cost involved, the difificulties attendant upon convincing railroad and other corpora- tions of the value of sweeping changes, the length of time which must elapse before many of the projects will even become oppor- tune, the arduous task of arousing and keeping awake public senti- ment — all these and many other discouraging aspects will no doubt occur to the memliers of this body. It will be realized that no law on the statute books of the state makes possible an official plan commission much less the carrying out of such a comprehensive series of benefits as are here outlined. The plan commission of Decatur, an imofficial body, having not even advisatory powers g'ranted by law and being without funds other than those secured by contributions, is confronted with the task of moulding the city's destiny. The situation might savor of the ludicrous were we not re- minded of the fact that through such volunteer agencies have the big things of our country been accomplished. No greater powers were needed to establish a nation behind Plymouth Rock nor to declare Indepentk-nce from a mother countrv, to build a thousand cities like Decatur and to establish justice, education, industry and civilization in a hitherto untamed land than those held at first by such volunteer groups as this. Decatur's plan will be carried out if the people of Decatur will it. It is but necessary to win the people to the plan and to hold their interest. To win public approval is the first great task and for this work there must be careful organization on the part of the plan board. The first step toward carrying- out this work of introducing the plan to the people has been well taken. A plan board has been formed which is essentially non-partisan and which will therefore appeal to the citizens generally. Education to the benefits of the plan should not be of the nature of propaganda — there is nothing f "r'-'"Tn'g"7'^'"~-'~'"i'^'*- i 4? I ,,, I' .tit 1 fc cr' ^ '(e'i i iSBfe. -^-* t^Ert^.?".. IT'" ■'^- ■ -< ?* >— «g*- 'y Tlic Cifv Practical i6i in the city plan to exploit hut should he a frank and honest explana- tion of the plan's merits. It may he safely assumed that if the plan is generally approved bv leading- business men and by the public, by far the greater num- ber of projects set forth will in due time be accom])lished. The plan only shows a lietter way to do what will be undertaken in any event. No special laws are needed to erect public buildings or to group these harmoniously. Again, in the selection of parks, as the city takes on size and more parks are needed, they will as a matter of course be provided and the city plan will be followed gen- erally unless a better course presents itself. On the other hand, the plan will be effective in checking movements for carrying out costly changes, the fallacy of which may he seen at a glance when compared with the balanced structure which the new plan repre- sents. The thoroughness with which the people are made cognizant of the benefits of the city plan will reflect at once upon the attitude of succeeding city administrations, which in turn will secure the passage of such ordinances as may be found essential. It will be found that a very great part of the plan may ])e car- ried out through the exercise of these local ordinances and In* means of police powers under the jurisdiction of city authorities. These powers have to do with the safety, health and morals of the community and in governing nuisances, encroachments upon streets and other public property. Powers of Eminent Domain mav be exercised for the establish- ment of parks, school sites and other classes of public propertv. In some states this power of Eminent Domain has been increased to include that very important aid in city improvement, namely the subsequent disposal of that portion of the land taken by condemna- tion which is not needed for the imjirovement. A law jjermitting such excess condemnation of land, carefully framed to safeguard against injustice to the individual, may be eventually passed in Illinois through the efforts of civic bodies like this plan commission. }ilany benefits suggested may be realized through the benefi- cence of public spirited citizens. Gifts of the nature of park lands, statuarv, fountains, i)uhlic l)uildings. etc., mav be looked for with i62 The Decatur Plan greater frequency when there is known to be a definite pLm toward winch tlie city is working. Tn matters pertaining to the rearrangement of railroad lines, recourse may be taken to the state railroad commission with the assumption that fair decisions would be given in instances where human life is in anv wise jeopardized, such as in projects relating to grade crossing elimination. In dealing with railroad corporations, which also have the right of Eminent Domain and whose rights of tenancy have been granted bv state or federal acts, much less may be generally gained by at- tempting force than by demonstrating expediency and by the citv's showing a willingness to go half way to bring about changes of mutual advantage. The extension of car lines and the rearrangement of routes may effectively be handled by the power of franchise. In the opening through or widening of streets, several ])rocesses mav be resorted to, namely that of special assessment, condemna- tion or the establishment of building lines which will become eft'ec- tive u])<)n the erection of new buildings. The most important of all, the building of future streets accord- ing to a scientific plan, will for the time being have to depend largelv on personal appeal and on the attitude of the city authori- ties in accepting new subdivisions. A law should be passed in Illi- nois similar to the Wisconsin law giving authority to the city gov- ernment to refttse acceptance of plots wdiich are unsatisfactory. It is, however, not unlikelv that the City Commission would be within its rights to reiect ])lots not in conformit\- with a scientific i)lan and "to refuse to extend sewers, water service, police and fire protection to such areas. It is unthinkable, however, that a real estate owner, depending upon the good will of his fellow citizens for the success of his venture, would ])ersist in arranging new streets and lots acainst what seemed to be for the best interest of the community at large. The fact that the plan shows an economical arrangement of land and a street lavout which is intended to develop e(|ually all sections of the outlying districts should appeal to the land owner's good business sense. The City Practical 163 •••"•"••■•-••»•• Illinois has one law* recently passed which is particularly im- portant, namely, the zone act passed by the iiftv-first assembly, a reprint of which is given below. Used comprehensively and in connection with the plan for the future city, this law makes pos- silile that which is to be nidst desired, the predisposition of fixed areas for different classes of building. Used as it might be used to establish little zones here and there throughout the citv without relation to each other, the law would prove not only derogatory to the city's interest Imt indeed ridiculous. The exercise of this law in Decatur should not be attempted until it may be ai)plied to a comprehensive scheme of zoning not only for the Decatur of today but for a generation to come. *See Appendix. Conclusion Appendix — Illinois Zoning Laip CONCLUSION IT HAS been a pleasure to study the city of Decatur and to work out a program for its future. The inadequacy of one or a group of city planners to presume to show how the mistakes of past generations can best be corrected and how those of the future generation can be best thwarted has not been overlooked. Our justification is that for the first time these have been seriously studied as a single problem. Could this have been done forty years ago, our work would have been unnecessary and De- catur would today enjoy the distinction which Washington and other well planned cities so enjoy. Respectfully submitted, MYRON HOWARD WEST. APPENDIX ILLINOIS ZONING LAW AN ACT TO CONFER CERTAIN ADDITIONAL POWERS UPOX CITY COUNCILS IN CITIES AND PRESIDENTS AND BOARDS OF TRUSTEES IN VILLAGES CONCERNING BUILDINGS, THE INTENSITY OF USE OF LOT AREAS, THE CLASSIFICATION OF BUILDINGS. TRADES AND IN- DUSTRIES WITH RESPECT TO LOCATION AND REGULATION, THE CREATION OF RESIDENTIAL, INDUSTRIAL, COMMERCIAL AND OTHER DISTRICTS, AND THE EXCLUSION FROM AND REGULATION WITHIN SUCH DISTRICTS OF CLASSES OF BUILDINGS, TRADES AND INDUSTRIES. Section 1. Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly: That in addition to existing powers, and to the end that adequate light, pure air and safety from fire and other dangers may be secured, that the taxable value of land and buildings throughout the city or village may be conserved, that con- gestion in the public streets may be lessened or avoided, and that the public health, safety, comfort and welfare may otherwise be promoted, the city council in each city, and the president and board of trustees in each village, shall have the following powers: To regulate and limit the height and bulk of buildings hereafter to be erected, to regulate and limit the intensity of the use of lot areas and to regulate and determine the area of yards, courts and other open spaces within and surrounding such build- ings; to classify, regulate and restrict the location of trades and industries and the location of buildings designed for specified uses; to make regulations designating the trades and industries that shall be excluded or subjected to special regulations within fixed districts and designating uses for which buildings may not be erected or altered in such district; To divide the city or village or portions of same into districts of such number, shape and area as may be deemed best suited to carry out the purposes of this Act, including the power to create and establish residential districts within w'hich new buildings designed for business may be excluded, restricted or limited, and including the power to regulate and restrict the location of trades and industries and buildings designed for same in such a way that classes of industries which aflfect the general comfort of the public may be excluded from districts where commercial and profes- sional pursuits which do not aflfect the comfort of the public are carried on; and to prevent the alteration or remodeling of existing buildings in such a way as to avoid the restrictions and limitations lawfully imposed on any such district; provided, that in ordinances passed under the authority of this Act due allowance shall be made for existing conditions, the conservation of property values, the direction of building devel- opment to the best advantage of the entire city or village, and the uses to which prop- erty is devoted at the time of the enactment of any such ordinance, and that the powers by this Act given shall not be exercised so as to deprive the owner of any existing prop- erty of its use for the purpose to which it is then lawfully devoted: And provided fur- ther, that nothing in this Act shall be construed to prevent additions to and alterations of any existing plant or building made to further the purpose to which it is then law- fully devoted. 2. N'o ordinance under the authority of this .Act shall be enacted until a public hearing has been held upon the subject matter of the proposed ordinance before a commission, board or committee authorized by the city council in cities, or the presi- dent and board of trustees in villages, to investigate and make recommendations con- cerning such subject matter; and an opportunity afTorded the owners of lands or lots within the proposed district to file written objections as herein provided for. Such I/O 77;r Decatur Plan public hearing- shall be held only after publication in a newspaper of such city or village of a notice of the time and place of such hearing at least thirty days in advance thereof and the posting of such notice at not less than four different places vv'ithin such district, which notice shall indicate the boundaries of the territory to be affected both by the designation of the street and house numbers included and Ijy the legal description of the property therein, and shall state what regulations under the authority of this Act affecting such territorj- are to be considered at such hearing. In addition to making publication and posting notices as herein provided, the olificer or officers authorized to hold said public hearing shall cause a notice of similar import to be mailed to the person shown by the records of the county collector as the one who paid the taxes during the last preceeding calendar year on each lot, block, tract or parcel of land sit- uated within such territory, at the residence of the person so paying the taxes on each lot, block, tract or parcel of land, if the same can on diligent inquiry be found, and if the same cannot on diligent inquiry be found, such notice shall be directed to such person at the general delivery of the post office in the city or village in which said district is proposed to be made. The affidavit of the officer designated by ordinance as the one to give such notice to the effect that such publication was made in such news- paper and by such posting and that such notices were mailed shall be taken as con- clusive evidence that sufficient notice was given to all parties interested. When a dis- trict is first created no ordinance shall be passed hereunder which shall enlarge or reduce or otherwise change the boundaries of the territory as indicated in such notice without another such notice and public hearing. Said public hearing shall be con- ducted by the said commission, board or committee and may be temporarily ad- journed and reconvened from time to time until final adjournment at the discretion of the said commission, board or committee. .After such final adjournment said com- mission, board or committee shall make its report and recommendation to the city council or board of trustees, as the case may be, and file the same with the city or village clerk within ten (10) days of the date of such adjournment. 3. At any time after the public hearing herein provided for, and not more than thirty (30) days after such commission, board or committee shall file its report as required herein, the owners of a majority of the land or lots within the proposed dis- trict according to the frontage on the streets dedicated to public use shall have the right to file their objection in writing to the formation of such district or to the regu- lations or restrictions proposed therein. Such written objection may consist of one sheet or of a number of sheets bound together, with the signatures of such owners, the location of the property and tlie amount of frontage owned by each stated thereon after each name, and the same may be filed with the commission, board or committee designated as the proper authority to conduct such proceedings. Upon the filing of such objection, if it shall appear that the owners of such majority according to frontage are opposed to the formation or creation of such district as is proposed, or to the regu- lations or restrictions proposed for any such district, all proceedings for same shall be discontinued, and no ordinance for the creation or formation of such district in such territory shall be passed, and no new proceedings for the formation or creation of such district within the said territory shall be begun within one year after the filing of such objection: Provided, that if said objection shall state that it is directed only against certain of the proposed regulations and restrictions, specifying same, new proceedings as herein provided for may be begun at any time for the purpose of creating such dis- trict after changing or modifying the proposed regulations and restrictions. 4. The regulations imposed and the districts created under the authority of this .Act may be amended, supplemented or changed from time to time by ordinance after the ordinance establishing same has gone into effect, but no such change shall be made without notice and public hearing in the same manner as when such district is first Till- City Practical 171 created, and in case of written protest against a proposed amendment, supplement or change, signed by the owners of twenty per cent of the frontage proposed to be altered, or by the owners of twenty per cent of the frontage immediately adjoining or across an alley therefrom, or by the owners of twenty per cent of the frontage directly oppo- site the frontage proposed to be altered, filed with the said commission, board or com- mittee so designated, such amendment shall not be passed except by the favorable vote of two-thirds of the members of the city council in cities, or the members of the board of trustees in villages: Provided, that it shall always be within the power of the owners of a majority of the lands and lots according to frontage within a proposed addition to such district to prevent such addition by filing objection thereto as herein provided. 5. Upon the passage of an ordinance under the authority of this Act a certified copy of same, together with a plat of the territory aiTected certified to by the mayor of the city or president of the board of trustees of the village, as the case may be, shall be filed for record in the office of the recorder of deeds of the county in which the said territory is located, and no such ordinance shall take effect until the same is so recorded. Approved June 28, 1919. LOUIS L. EMMERSON, Secretary of State. PEVIEW tKCU\'WllIXOU D 000 000 452 3 University of California SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY Return this material to the library from which it was borrowed.