From the November issue of Planning:
November 2003
How to Turn Alleys into Allies
By Al Zelinka, AICP, and Wendy Beattie
Alleys are where the "dirty business" of cities got taken care of.
Philadelphia has alleys dating back to 1670, and one of them - Elfreth's Alley - is known as "Our Nation's Oldest Residential Street." Since 1702, Elfreth's Alley (a national historic landmark) has served as a narrow, cobblestone corridor providing access to many homes near the historic center of the city.
"Elfreth's Alley is part of Philadelphia's network of historic alleyways and maintains a strong image and vitality," says Bennur Koksuz, urban designer for the Philadelphia City Planning Commission. This alley and a number of others are part of a pedestrian network that also includes pedestrian paths and links to many different activities, Koksuz adds.
Not your father's alley
Not every alley is historic - or venerated. Traditionally, these narrow thoroughfares giving access to the rear of buildings or lots were a staple in early city planning in the U.S. That's where the "dirty business" of adjacent properties was relegated (trash collection, utilities, storage, and garages).
Beginning in the mid 20th century, as community design in the U.S. evolved from grid to a curvilinear pattern, alleys disappeared. Trash collection moved to front curbs, utility poles were located on major thoroughfares (and eventually placed underground), and garages became prominent focal points at the front of houses.
To this day, many people think alleys are dangerous. Unfortunately, these perceptions are often correct. Alleys can be narrow, poorly lit, unevenly paved (if paved at all), and unsightly.
Some people see alleys differently. In recent years, urban designers have been turning alleys into safe and pedestrian friendly spaces - with support from movements like New Urbanism and smart growth, which advocate for mixed uses and higher density.
Cities across the country are transforming older alleys in downtown and neighborhood commercial districts into dynamic, design-oriented places that are safe and interesting for pedestrians and often serve as access points to festive plazas, secondary storefronts, and outdoor dining areas.
While alley transformation projects have occurred in many cities, the West Coast cities of Seattle, Washington, and Santa Cruz and Fullerton, California, provide three examples of how alleys are being rediscovered.
Seattle's Post Alley
Post Alley, one of the most celebrated alleys in the Pacific Northwest, originally functioned as a standard service alley. Beginning with the renovation and revitalization of Seattle's Pike Place Market in 1971, it was transformed into an attractive pedestrian zone with abutting retail, outdoor restaurants, and other amenities.
According to Lyle Bicknell, urban designer with CityDesign, Seattle's Department of Design, Construction, and Land Use, Post Alley is a 10-block-long, 16- to 36-foot wide, pedestrian corridor that runs parallel to Seattle's central waterfront and links the Pioneer Square and Pike Place Market historic districts. At its northern end it serves as a central spine to the market.
Bicknell notes that the renovation of Post Alley happened in tandem with the restoration of the 22-acre market area. Improvements included restoration - and in some cases replacement - of the alley pavement, new sidewalks at cross streets, and new signage. Because the improvements were done in conjunction with restoration of adjacent structures, it is difficult to estimate the cost of the alley upgrades. But, Bicknell said, these alley improvement funds came from local and federal sources as well as private developers.
Post Alley's renaissance was the responsibility of the Pike Place Market Preservation and Development Authority, a nonprofit corporation, which used a combination of public and private funding. "In many respects," notes Bicknell, "the alley was preserved rather than designed, and its appearance reflects this. The paving varies by block and includes sections of historic cobblestones, interlocking pavers, and scored concrete. Like the Pike Place Market, the design and redevelopment of Post Alley has been eclectic and piecemeal, growing organically over the last 25 years."
Post Alley sets a solid example for other communities that want to uplift the image and vitality of an alley while also maintaining its authenticity.
Santa Cruz's Alleywalk
In 1989 the Loma Prieta Earthquake damaged or destroyed over half of downtown Santa Cruz, California, closing the district for more than a year. Out of the rubble emerged a 50-page Alleywalk Plan to guide redevelopment efforts of downtown alleys. The plan identified specific components for each alley, including landscaping, pavement treatments, entryways, lighting and signs, wall and mural treatments, and infrastructure needs.
Led by the Santa Cruz Planning and Community Development and Public Works departments, the planning effort sought participation and input from local residents and businesses to ensure that the alleys were redeveloped in ways that reflected their needs and concerns.
Ceil Cirillo, executive director of the Santa Cruz Redevelopment Agency, and redevelopment project coordinator Darrell Doan suggest certain elements that were key to the success of the Alleywalk Plan. Among them is the recognition that each alley must simultaneously handle three functions:
+ Provide pedestrian entry into offices, residences, and retail shops.
+ Allow access for service deliveries, trash, and recycling storage and collection, utilities, and maintenance.
+ Function as a pedestrian walkway connecting downtown streets.
"Through thoughtful planning, public participation, and direct investment of funds by the city, six of the nine alleys have been redeveloped, with a seventh set to start construction this fall," says Cirillo.
Between 1993 and 2004, past and budgeted expenses for the alleywalk program will total about $2.5 million, says Doan. Of that amount, nearly $1.9 million has been spent on the hard costs of utilities, pavement, lighting, murals, fencing, and street furniture. Most of the funding for the alleywalk came from tax increment financing, he added.
Downtown Fullerton
Capitalizing on the initiative of several successful businesses in the SoCo (South of Commonwealth) District in downtown Fullerton, California, the city recently completed a successful yearlong visioning and design process to transform an alley into a high-amenity, pedestrian friendly public space. The design concept for the alley accommodates the utilitarian needs of the adjacent businesses, while also fostering a festive atmosphere for pedestrians through decorative paving, wayfinding signs, gateway elements, landscaping, and an array of lighting elements. An adjacent parking lot is planned as a convertible space that can be used as a public plaza during special events.
The project will cost about $2.1 million to complete. Funding will be provided by the city and by adjacent property owners.
Yelena Voronel, senior civil engineer for the city of Fullerton, sees the alley project as instrumental in the downtown's renaissance. "The Fullerton community is very proud of the downtown area," she says. "Its beautiful, inviting appearance has become well known far beyond the city limits."
The alley redevelopment project will create a pedestrian friendly area full of lights and greenery, Voronel says. In the next few months, the city will prepare construction documentation to guide the alley project to fruition.
Alleys are gaining popularity as alternative public spaces in numerous communities throughout the country. "Elfreth's Alley has withstood the ebb and flow of Philadelphia's economic, social, and physical conditions for more than 300 years," says Bennur Koksuz. "Like many other great public spaces, Elfreth's Alley is an authentic place that responds to the human scale and serves as a catalyst for continued improvements to the neighborhood's residential character."
She adds, "Communities across the U.S. have unlimited opportunities to create great gathering places by transforming their alleys into allies. More visitors and residents are yearning for these unique and well-designed public spaces."
Al Zelinka is Principal Community Planner for RBF Consulting's Urban Design Studio in Irvine, California, and co-author of SafeScape (published in 2001 by APA's Planners Press). Wendy Beattie is a second year graduate planning student at the University of California at Irvine and a Community Planner for RBF Consulting's Urban Design Studio. Contact them at 800-933-4837.
Images: Top - Elfreth's Alley in Philadelphia proves that alleys can be pleasant places to stroll. Photo by Bennur Koksuz. Middle - Seattle's Post Alley started life as a service alley but morphed into a pedestrian corridor linking Pioneer Square and the Pike Place Market. Photo by Lyle Bicknell. Bottom - One result of a downtown alleywalk program in Santa Cruz, California. Photo by Darrell Doan.
