Placemaking In Meridian Kessler, part III

Now on to the final part of my series on Placemaking in Meridian-Kessler neighborhood. It has been a fun process. Here are 6 opportunities to improve the neighborhood. Apologies for not making it to 10, but I didn’t want to dilute the list too much. If anyone else has a unique idea, I’d be glad to add it to the list.

1. Better Mass Transit options. I’ve been trying to avoid actually ranking items while making this list, but the obvious number one opportunity for the neighborhood (and the city in general) is to improve on our skeletal bus system. I would love a street car on College Avenue, but would simply settle for more frequent service (this goes for the Castleton and Nora buses as well).

2. Utilize the abandoned area along Winthrop as a cycling and walking hub. Even a simple place, like the refreshment station at 96th and the Monon, may be appropriate. It could also serve as another access point for people who drive their bikes to the Monon.

3. Streetscape improvements, such as curb bump-outs, bricked crosswalks, and better lighting.
This is especially needed along the higher-traffic areas of the Neighborhood.

4. Follow through with Harmoni’s ideas for Meridian Street. I haven’t heard much about this since it was first proposed, but it looks like a winner.

5. Listen to another neighborhood improvement organization, Can Do. I have reservations about their plans for the block-long building at 49th and College when a corner building may be more appropriate at this time (and easier to pull off), but people who are looking at community redevelopment deserve our attention.

6. Add bike racks to neighborhood commercial nodes. With the new restaurant on the way at 49th and Penn, one good way to lessen the vehicular impact on the neighborhood would be to cater towards the bicycle.