Issue link: http://townofcary.uberflip.com/i/791958
CHAPTER 6:SHAPE Core Issues: Downtown Market Regional Access and Competition There is support for enhancing the historic heart of Cary by providing more dining, entertainment, retail and employment op ons, and for encouraging investment in Downtown to make it more of a des na on within the region. And many areas of Downtown Cary are thriving due to this renewed focus on the core of the Town. The challenge for a rac ng a des na on market, however, is downtown's rela vely isolated loca on. Downtown sits in the heart of Cary, approximately two to three miles from major commuter and transporta on routes such as Interstate 40. And this area is challenged, to some degree, by a lack of exposure, par cularly for regional commuters and visitors. Compounding this challenge is the rapid investment in and redevelopment of other Triangle community downtowns – Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, among others – crea ng greater compe on for Cary's central business district. Downtown Market Cary in many respects is a mul -centered community. There are several major commercial centers located throughout Town that provide opportuni es for residents to eat and shop in Cary proximate to their homes and places of work. Due to this market context, the neighborhoods surrounding Downtown Cary are a cri cally important part of the downtown market. Downtown is surrounded by several older neighborhoods that are within a short walk or drive to the heart of Cary. The majority of these neighborhoods are fairly low-density, resul ng in a lower number of homes proximate to downtown when compared to other downtown centers in the region. This is by design, as the Town supports a certain character of development within its downtown neighborhoods. However, there are some targeted opportuni es to increase the number of housing units within walking distance of downtown, par cularly in older neighborhoods that are in a state of transi on or decline and poten ally ripe for reinvestment and redevelopment. There are also opportuni es to provide new denser housing op ons within the core downtown area that can strengthen the local downtown market and make it more invi ng and feasible for new business investment. Core Issues : Downtown Development and Design Downtown Development Framework The framework for Downtown Cary – its streets and the buildings that line the streets – was largely set during the early years of the Town. This framework was generally designed using a tradi onal grid pa ern of streets, providing for easier naviga on and good connec vity between des na ons. As redevelopment has occurred in downtown, o en one parcel at a me, the urban fabric has some mes been altered. While there is some consistency in many parts of downtown, there are opportuni es to create more cohesion along downtown streetscapes by be er framing corridors with consistent building setbacks, connected sidewalks, and more consistent size and shape of adjacent buildings. However, there is also a need to protect historic structures within downtown. In some instances, these historic proper es may not contribute to a cohesive urban fabric, but are no less important to protect. The railroad lines that bisect downtown are an important point of orienta on. While the railroad service is a key amenity for Downtown Cary, and may provide future regional transit connec ons, it is also a challenge in terms of the connectedness of downtown. In many ways, the railroad line effec vely breaks downtown into two parts – north and south. And analyses have been conducted to evaluate solu ons to this challenge and to evaluate ways to improve railroad crossings. Several studies evaluate solu ons for key railroad crossings in downtown (North Harrison Avenue, Walker Street, and East Maynard Avenue). The possible solu ons iden fied in these studies can improve traffic conges on problems and create a more connected, safe, and accessible environment. Design of these areas will be cri cal to ensure cohesion with adjacent areas. Historic Preservation Many of Cary's historic homes and commercial proper es are located within the Na onal Register Historic District in Downtown Cary. (See the map of historic structures on the following page.) And several historic proper es in Downtown Cary are located outside of the district. The Town does not currently have a local historic district in downtown, which limits the Town's ability to protect these proper es as they redevelop, or as proper es around them are developed. Over me, this has resulted in the loss of historic structures in downtown. The Town adopted its Historic Preserva on Master Plan (HPMP) in 2010 that provides guidance for adop ng formal preserva on policies and programs. Several of the items in the implementa on plan iden fy ac ons to protect historic proper es and the historic character of Downtown Cary. Of par cular note is HPMP Ac on 2.1.6 to develop alterna ve zoning and design standards for the Town Center's historic core to ensure compa ble infill development and to reinforce tradi onal design pa erns. In many cases, the current Town Center zoning encourages higher density development on historic proper es, which can be a disincen ve to preserva on. Chatham Street was the original Highway 1 and served as a main regional transporta on corridor between the 1940s and 1960s and was lined with motels, garages, and other commercial uses that supported travelers as they crossed through Cary or stopped to visit. Over me, these uses have been redeveloped to more tradi onal downtown uses. 138