Northwest Marion - City of Marion, Indiana

Comprehensive Plan
Marion 2030
Northwest Marion
Introduction
In order to realize each area’s specific issues and needs in detail,
the City was divided into nine “sectors.” Inventory was taken and
community meetings were held for each area. The Sector Study
includes the following information related to that portion of the
city: Sector Character, Neighborhood Associations, District Maps,
Sector Trends, Sector Input, and Land Use and Zoning information
Sector Content
■■ Character Map
■■ Neighborhood Associations
■■ Character District Map
■■ Sector Trends
■■ Mapping
■■ Zoning
■■ Land Use
■■ Future Land Use
■■ Land Use Recommendations
Sector Studies
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Northwest Marion is a major northern gateway into the City via Wabash Road. Major regional destinations in Northwest
Marion include General Motors stamping and Five Points Mall.
Character Map
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Marion 2030
Chapel Pike
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Comprehensive Plan
Northwest Marion
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Kem Road
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Miller Avenue
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S.R. 18
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S.R. 9
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Spencer Avenue
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2nd St
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3rd St
School
Religious
Recreation
Commercial
Main Arterial Road
Secondary Arterial Road
Tertiary Road
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Sector Studies
1. Calvary Social Brethren Church
2. Nelson Street Wesleyan Church
3. Lighthouse Baptist Church
4. St. James Lutheran Church
5. Chapel Pike Wesleyan Church
6. Sunnycrest Baptist Church
7. Westlea Park
8. Sunnycrest Park
9. Franklin Park
10. Justice School Recreational Fields
11. Justice Middle School
Northwest Marion
12. Kendall Elementary
13. MGH Cancer Center
14. Five Points Mall
1. Franklin:
Bounded by Factory and Winona
Avenues on the North, Baldwin
Avenue on the East, the railroad
on the South, and Bradner Avenue
on the West. Mission: To identify
concerns regarding vacant properties,
health hazards, dead trees, unkempt
yards, trash accumulation, and elderly
or disabled residents needing help.
■■ Schools Attended: Elementary:
Kendall, Middle: Justice, High:
Marion
Marion 2030
■■ Unit
Occupancy:
OwnerOccupied: 55%, Renter-Occupied:
20%, Commercial: 10%, Industrial:
10%, Vacant: 5%
Comprehensive Plan
Neighborhood Associations
■■ Average House Build Date: 1940
2. Sunnywest:
Definition: Bounded by Kem Road on the North, Lancelot Drive and Bradner Avenue on the East, Spencer
Avenue on the South, and Miller Avenue on the West.
■■ Unit Occupancy: Owner-Occupied: 55%, Renter-Occupied: 25%, Commercial: 5%, Institutional: 15%
■■ Schools Attended: Elementary: Kendall, Middle: Justice, High: Marion
■■ Average House Build Date: 1960
3. Maplewood:
Definition: Contains Lenfesty Avenue, Morrow Road, Maplewood and Holman Drives, and the West end of
Wilno Drive. Mission: To maintain properties to improve aesthetic qualities of the neighborhood and communicate with our neighbors while keeping an eye on the children. It is important that people know their
neighbors.
■■ Unit Occupancy: Owner-Occupied: 100%
■■ Schools Attended: Elementary: Kendall: Middle: Justice: High: Marion
■■ Average House Build Date: 1970
Northwest Marion
Sector Studies
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Character Districts are created with purpose or sometimes
unintentionally through years of similar development
styles/standards/guidelines/etc. The following districts
are not permanent, however, they represent current
development patterns and styles found throughout the
sector.
Marion 2030
Comprehensive Plan
Character District Map
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Sector Studies
Northwest Marion
a. 5 Points Commercial District
Key Findings
■■ Five Points Mall regional shopping center
■■ Five Points intersection prone to automobile
and pedestrian conflicts
Recommendations
■■ Sidewalks, limited access medians and pedestrian
crosswalks
■■ Redevelop and infill outlots with design
standards
■■ Improve Raintree Plaza appearance and signage
■■ Market vacant mall space
b. Suburban Residential District
Key Findings
■■ Majority of traditional subdivision
(1960-present) in NW Sector
■■ Lots still available for residential development
■■ Post-war residential area south of Five Points
District
Recommendations
■■ Sidewalks and curbs in new subdivisions
■■ Connect Kem Road and residential areas by
sidewalks and bike lanes
■■ Label boundaries of neighborhoods by branded
signage
c. General Motors District
Key Findings
■■ SR18 corridor major gateway into Marion
■■ General Motors Stamping Plant operation
expanded (2010)
Recommendations
■■ Design standard overlay along SR18 corridor
■■ Buffer/landscape parking lot and storage areas
Sector Meeting TOP RESULTS
Residential Trends
Average Year Built: 1950
Average Listing Price (2009): $86,161
Northwest Marion Strengths Ranking
-All services within 3-5 minutes ...........................
-Friendly neighbors ................................................
-Homeownership/pride ........................................
-Low crime ..............................................................
-Close to edge City limits (near the country,
w/city convenience) .....................................
-5 Points Mall ..........................................................
-Movie theater .........................................................
Recreational Trends
City Parks Visited Most Often: Matter Park,
Franklin Park
Infrastructure + Service Needs
In Need of Sidewalks, Improvements
■■ 1400 block of Nelson
■■ 1500 blocks of Jeffras Avenue, 2nd Street,
Marion Avenue
■■ Miller Avenue (Section unspecified)
Street Improvements
■■ Forest Avenue from 3rd Street to the
North
■■ Butler Avenue from the factory to the 5th
Street bridge
■■ Short Street (Section unspecified)
■■ Alley between Jeffras and Marion Avenues
in 1500 block
■■ Linwood Drive
Circulation Issues
■■ Remove stop sign (Lexington and Crane
Pond (E-W))
Northwest Marion Weaknesses Ranking
-Absentee landlords ................................................
-Vacant housing ......................................................
-5 Points Mall (Empty stores) ...............................
-Lack of a good, sit-down restaurant ..................
-Street conditions ....................................................
-No sidewalks along Miller Ave.
(lots of pedestrian traffic) ...........................
-Poor resident participation ..................................
-Threat of GM leaving Marion ...........................
City of Marion Opportunities Ranking (NW)
-Indiana Wesleyan University ...............................
-Marion Public Library & Museum .....................
-Expansion of City limits east to I69 ..................
-YMCA.....................................................................
-Improvements at 5 Points Mall
(kid’s play area) .............................................
-Walkway of Lights ................................................
-Cardinal Greenway ...............................................
-Community arts (Marion Philharmonic,
Civic Theater, CSA) .....................................
City of Marion Threats Ranking (NW)
-Loss of industry/industrial jobs..........................
-Run-down homes/properties .............................
-Job loss ...................................................................
-Pavement maintenance .........................................
-School system is deteriorating .............................
-Vacant homes (inner-City) ...................................
Northwest Marion
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Marion 2030
Commercial + Industrial Trends
Major Shopping Corridors: Baldwin Avenue Streets
Prime for Potential Home Businesses: Kem Road,
Miller Avenue, 2nd Street, Forest Avenue
Commercial Needs
Independent grocery store, Coffee shop, Fill
existing. Westwood Square strip mall, Post Office
branch, Police post
Industrial Spaces
Devoe Site (SR 18 and Troy Avenue), Miller Avenue
Office Space (834 Miller Avenue), Miller Avenue
Office Space (840 N. Miller Avenue), Bradner
Avenue Office Space (515 N. Bradner Avenue),
General Motors Metal Fabricating Division
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Comprehensive Plan
Sector Trends
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Sector Studies
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Comprehensive Plan
Marion 2030
Zoning
Land Use
Legend
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Sector Studies
Northwest Marion
Comprehensive Plan
Future Land Use
Marion 2030
Land Use and Zoning Recommendations:
Northwest Marion is home to many of the city’s single-family subdivisions and residential PUDs, but also
includes a range of industrial and commercial uses.
Mall Area
Located along the commercial strip known as the Bypass, the newly renovated 5 Points Mall is the largest
shopping area in North Marion and is expected to remain a high impact commercial area in the future. It is
suggested that shopping opportunities be allowed to expand in this area with the need for future reconfiguration
of the existing circulation patterns in and around the site.
Industrial Area
The industrial area located at the heart of Northwest Marion is expected to continue operations into the future.
It is important that buffers are created between adjacent residential neighborhoods to preserve value and
character. Heavy truck traffic to the site should also be directed so as not to affect the neighborhood.
SR18 West Corridor
The portion of SR 18 that travels through Northwest Marion, past Miller Avenue, is expected to remain
comprised of large-scale light and heavy industrial uses, such as warehousing, manufacturing and factories. It is
important that these operations begin placing landscaping and buffers along the road to improve this primary
gateway into the city.
Northwest Marion
Sector Studies
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Sector Studies
Marion 2030
Comprehensive Plan