The New Isla Vista Calls For A CORR-idor
Finalist #4 Calls for A Central Pathway from Campus to Sands With Pockets of Renovations Along the Way
Proposal # 4 di Domenico and Partners, Kenji Suzuki Head Planner, New York, NY
The CORR-idor concept (core = heart, door = opening) involves the unification of all that is important to Isla Vista – life, movement, and sustainability, according to the plan. It seeks to extend what is currently Pardall Road, which would stretch from a new Campus Plaza located on the 6500 block across I.V. to Sands Beach, in an attempt to unite I.V. and UCSB. The new thoroughfare will be divided into separate districts, each with its own core program, such as housing, recreation, or community outreach. Implementation of the plan would occur in four phases.
Phase 1: Foundation and Transportation
The first phase of the plan will complete 35% of the total projected increase of single and family housing, as well as begin work on the I.V. market-place and the Campus Entry Plaza along the Pardall corridor. Restoration along the ocean bluff and implementation of a new minivan or electric shuttle way will also be completed in this phase.
Phase 2: Expanding Housing and Blurring the Edges
The second phase of the plan will focus on the completion of another 45% of the total planned housing and the development of retail services related to campus activities, such as bookstores, clothing stores, and eateries. A new bicycle path from campus through the bluff to the western side of campus and the creation of an open-air market/picnic area will also be constructed at this time.
Phase 3: Recreation and Public Outdoor Space
The third phase will establish outdoor recreational facilities, including a community environmental-research farm, as well as complete another 10 % of the total planned new housing.
Phase 4: Community Identity (CORR-idor)
The final phase plans to strengthen the core of the Isla Vista community with the completion of a learning center, a new public park with performance space, and a senior center all located along the proposed corridor.
Community Environmental Gardens: The plan calls for collaboration between district groups and local education board(s) to provide plots for the growth of vegetables and flowers in a community garden.
Community Open Market: Developed by community groups to sell produce, craft works and hold fairs. The open market could include comfort stations, green or open space, and temporary structures.
Performance/Learning Center: The plan calls for collaboration between district groups and UCSB to provide Isla Vista residents with cultural education and performances. The center could be utilized to promote child/adult lifelong learning, outdoor performances, and as temporary parking.
Parking: A variety of parking options are to be presented as a part of an overall design guideline for Isla Vista, which will include a study of the feasibility of underground parking.
Anisq’Oyo Park, I.V.’s Diamond in the Rough
Finalist #21 Will Increase the Size of Anisq’Oyo Park and Manage Traffic with New Designs for I.V. Roads
Proposal #21 Glatting Jackson, Ed McKinney, head planner, Orlando, Florida – Connect Neighborhood to Campus
In this plan, the transition between UCSB and Isla Vista needs to be improved. Currently, a number of physical features divide the two areas. No street within I.V. connects to Ocean Road and a combination of elevated roads, landscaped barriers, and the ‘eucalyptus wall’ creates a barrier between the campus and the community. Similarly, on the north side of Isla Vista, El Colegio Road divides both campus and neighborhood.
This plan seeks to eliminate these divisions and create a natural seam between the two. A combination of important street connections and new development is proposed on both the northern and eastern edges of Isla Vista, framing existing open space and connecting the neighborhood with the campus. To the east an ‘esplando’ (a large park) will unite the two areas with a tamed, at-grade Ocean Road and a bicycle/recreation corridor. To the north, new on-campus student housing will frame the recreational field along Los Carneros Road. The plan’s new travel options provide alternatives to El Colegio, with hopes of distributing traffic and blurring the seam between campus and I.V.
Phase 1: The plan seeks to reconfigure Ocean Road and allow access to I.V. roads that run from east to west in this phase.
Phase 2: Focuses on the UCSB’s planned student housing on Storke Campus. This development extends key streets from Isla Vista and creates a series of streets and blocks organizing new student-housing. As an extension of the Storke campus development, potential redevelopment within Isla Vista could include the large blocks between Camino Del Sur and Camino Pescadero.
Phase 3: The final phase will focus on existing park space, which will be reconfigured to create a more vibrant park and an amenity for redevelopment. The sites include reconfiguring Estero, Sueno, and Anisq’ Oyo’ parks. All of these projects assume sophisticated land deals that include acquiring additional new park space and potentially developing underutilized existing park space in a trade-off that will create a stronger park for the community, according to the plan.
Anisq’ Oyo’: This vision Of Anisq’ Oyo’ Park includes acquiring over time the remnant pieces of commercial land that divide the park, and extending Madrid Road to complete one unified space bound by public streets. The extension of Madrid completes the adjacent block and provides opportunity for a new mixed-use development to face the reformed park. The developed park could include all of the elements of the current park, as well as a community building/meeting space, a redesigned amphitheater, and large passive open spaces for recreation. The new Anisq’ Oyo’ will be the jewel of Isla Vista parks and open spaces in this proposal.
UCSB Storke Campus housing: Future student housing on the Storke Campus adjacent to the recreations fields is an opportunity to create a dramatic gateway to Isla Vista and UCSB while mending the division between the campus and the neighborhood.
Housing: The development strategy calls for the community to leverage the development of the university’s student housing projects and redevelop underutilized park space to increase the supply of housing units without dramatically altering the density within Isla Vista. These actions will challenge property owners to stay competitive within the market and upgrade the housing stock, as well as provide funding sources for the improving park space throughout Isla Vista.
Traffic Calming/Street Design Concept: The proposed concept for key local streets in Isla Vista will be to reduce the pavement width, incorporate street trees, define on-street parking and accommodate both vehicle and bicycle traffic. The proposed street cross-section involves removing the asphalt on the outer eight feet where on-street parking occurs and replacing it with a more pervious material, such as crushed stone, in keeping with the informal ‘beach’ character in Isla Vista. The redesigned on-street parking strip will accommodate street trees to further reduce the visual look of the road without interfering with private property, utilities, or existing/future sidewalks. The total effect of this street conversion will be to shrink the visual feel of the road to calm traffic, reduce pavement/impervious surfaces, and enhance the bicycle and pedestrian environment.
