Indianapolis downtown revitalization : fostering businesses at street level with linkages to the Circle Centre Mall

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Authors
Baule, Samuel L.
Advisor
Mitchell, J. Paul
Issue Date
2000
Keyword
Degree
Thesis (M.U.R.P.)
Department
Department of Urban Planning
Other Identifiers
Abstract

The phenomenon of suburbanization has contributed significantly to the decline of many larger urban centers in many countries. As a result, many cities have experienced deterioration of infrastructure, a climate of disinvestment, and other consequences such as population losses, high rates of unemployment, increased poverty rates, fiscal distress, housing and neighborhood deterioration, and a negative image. In response to the impact of suburban expansion, public and private sector entities have implemented downtown revitalization programs intended to attract more people and restore diverse socio-economic, historic, and cultural functions to the core. The city of Indianapolis, like many others, has been involved in revitalizing its downtown city core to reverse the decline that took place following the World War II. Using a partnership of a proactive city government, strong neighborhoods, good public services and concerned private corporations they came together with one goal in mind: to restore a critical element of the city that being a regional shopping center in downtown core.This creative project researches the history of the mall and evaluates its present attributes and liabilities. It also offers possible strategies of using the Circle Centre Mall as a part of a balanced downtown urban system specific to its core. Lastly, this study will present some of the possible strategies and solutions, which can be used to stimulate downtown, street-level businesses integrating Circle Centre Mall's positive impacts in the process. It also contains an analysis and discussion of other components of the downtown revitalization programs, including: economic benefits; downtown urban spaces; skyways systems; facilities connectors; and the decision-making process.From this analysis, conclusions will be drawn that present facts and solutions about keeping the positive impacts of the Circle Centre Mall co-existing with growth of other downtown businesses, specially at sidewalk level, thus supporting the overall activities of the downtown core.

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