Nappanee Advance-News, Volume 112, Number 12, Nappanee, Elkhart County, 23 March 1994 — Page 3

Share vision for Nappanee train depot

By Barb Keiser Editor A group of eight students front Ball State University, and their instructor, Scott Trucx (Wakarusa), Assistant Professor of Urban Planning, treated interested Nappanecans to their visions for the train depot renovation project, at a special meeting held Tuesday, March IS, at the Nappanee Municipal Center. The young people arc fourth-year urban planning students in the College of Architecture and Planning at BSU. Their first visit to Nappanee took place on a chilly day in February, followed by discussion sessions with Main & Market Street

Director Larry Andrews, both in Nappanee, and on campus. Joint meetings centered around issues related to downtown Nappance, as well as the railroad redevelopment area. Activities were threefold. 1- Redevelopment Plan and create an outline of issues and ideas expressed by consultant. Determine issues you wish to explore and expand upon from this document. 2- an Urban Design Plan for the downtown district. Emphasis will be on creating a viable dynamic downtown for visitors and residents. 3- on designing the railroad redevelopment area, facilitating buggy parking, Amlrak activities, and a public spacc/pla/a for the community. Design objectives included creation of a “community space’” for the residents of Nappanee as the primary downtown public area; generating a long-range vision as well as a phasing strategy for the area; integrating the surroundings-not just isolating the site; providing a festival space to celebrate Apple Festival and other community events, and use the site as a catalyst for downtown redevelopment. Funds for the initial phase of rede-’ ycloping the downtown area, including the depot location, are being provided through a half-million-dollar Community Focus Fund Grant, already received by Main &

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Looking back Although he was not around when Nappanee celebrated its Centennial anniversary, 20 years ago, Walt Fates can look back on the iun Nappaneeans had--and then, look ahead to what the depot area might be like in the future. Walt has shared his design ideas and an article, along with presentations made by a group of Ball State students at a community gathering last week. (AN photo by Barb Keiser) v

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Market. According to Andrews, funds will be used toward renovation of the buildings at the former B&B Restaurant location and the former NIPS CO building, and for depot area and sidewalk improvement. He told those gathered for the special meeting that activities should begin late this summer. Also on hand was Dann Keiser, design architect for the project. Trucx introduced his group, and stated, “I look at Nappanee and I sec quality.” He said the community is known for going first-class and making first-rate efforts, and that th is renovation project is “most critical, and should be taken very seriously.” The current grant funds arc just

The depot was a focal point in the design of the Nappanee Centennial logo, and was used extensively throughout the T 974 celebration. The logo appeared on Centennial stationery, plates, commemorative coins and more.

the beginning phase of what must be a longer-term commitment to the depot area, with student visions showing what an attractive gathering place the “depot plaza” might become. Students emphasized taking “what we have,” including buildings, parking, alleys, etc., and working in concepts to renovate and beautify the downtown area. Since their main thrust was the depot area, they talked of the possibility of addition of fountain, clock tower, brick patterned walkways, landscaping, lighting, covered

Local design by Walt...

(NOTE- 12-year-old Walt Fales, a sixth grade student at Nappanee Middle School, was present for the BSU presentation on the Nappanee depot area, and has shared his own drawing and vision for the future) by Walt Fales I think that the new depot station should have a restaurant for people to have a good meal while waiting for family or friends, or for the families that get off of the train to have a meal before heading off to their destination. I think there needs to be a clock tower facing all ways, because I’m a frequent Amtrack user, and when I get off, I almost always look around to find the time, and I usually never find it. There needs to be a play area for kids, while their parents wait for someone, and there also should be an

buggy-parking areas, space for flea markets, open-air dining, festival celebrations, and an additional building to provide dining facilities. In addition, they outlined plans for a shuttle service, possibly by horse-drawn buggies, from the Borkholdcr Dutch Village and Amish Acres areas, to downtown, as a means of introducing visitors to the offerings of the retail area. Also stressed was the importance of keeping Nappanee attractive to those who reside here, and the plaza area could become an ideal gathering spot for local festivals, markets, visiting~“Mcet You At The Depot” activities. One student included a play area for children as part of a vision for the future. The area could include a

replica of an old locomotive or caboose, to tic in with the depot theme. And—would you have thought of the possibility of flooding the plaza area for ice skating?—these students did! In his closing remarks, Trucx reminded those gathered that the plaza area would definitely become a “community site,” and that it would have been developed not for tourists, but for the people of Nappanee. It could be used, lie stated, as a location for a “fire department fundraiser, celebration area when the football team wins the state playoffs,

overhanging buggy parking for the horses, so on not-so-greal days the horse will not be poured on with rain or snow, or in sun on a very hot day. I also think the buggy trail is there for a carriage ride, to carry people from Amish Acres to the depot or

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This group of students from Ball State University visited Nappanee last week to share their visions for the train depot area, in the form of verbal, visual and printed suggestions. Members of the team, front from left, Matt Music, Warsaw, and Phil Folkerts, Chicago. Back, Michael Urbanski, Mishawaka; Robin Traubenik, Chica-

place for band concerets, and more! ” He continued, “You have great potential, and need to look to the futurc-don’t sacrifice it for shortteam goals. Nappanee needs to plan for 20 years ahead, but stan building tomorrow.”

vice versa. The last thing I need to mention is that the center plaza could be used as a walking area in spring-summer. In early fall, you could hold a dance there, and in winter, it could be used as an ice skating rink.

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Nappanee Advance News Wednesday, March 23. 1994

«•:> go area; Troy Kiefer, Huntington; instructor SCett Truex, Wakarusa; Brian Davis, Goshen; Cbfls Palladino, New Jersey, and Jon Dobosiewtoz, South Bend. They were joined by their instructor, Scott Truex (Wakarusa), for their presentation at city hall. (AN photo by Barb Keiser)

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Nappaneeans Bev Fjales and her son Walt discuss plans for the renovation of the depot area with a representative from the BaD State group which shared its “visions” at a special session held in Nappanee last week. See related article for details. (AN photo by Kim Keiser) I

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