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To The Citizens of Ravenna:

On behalf of the people who participated in this design investigation of Ravenna's Historic Center, I am pleased to transmit to you this report which was prepared by the Urban Design Center of Northeastern Ohio with grants secured from the Ravenna Chamber of Commerce and the Ohio Board of Regents' Urban University Program.

The School of Architecture and Environmental Design at Kent State University endeavors to provide both a theoretical and practical basis for the study and research of design and planning problems. One of the purposes of the Urban Design Center of Northeastern Ohio is to facilitate such investigation, supporting students with opportunities to relate theory and practice while maintaining a public service to the region's neighborhoods and communities. Members of the third year architectural design studio and several graduate students who participated in this project gained much, I believe, through their association with the leaders in the Ravenna community. I am particularly grateful to the members of the Ravenna Chamber of Commerce, the Ravenna Development Corporation, the Ravenna Heritage Association, the Ravenna Design Review Committee, and Ravenna citizens who supported and contributed to this effort.

It is our hope that Ravenna's public officials, property owners, businessmen, citizens and community leaders will continue to work together to improve your future actions.

  Foster D. Armstrong
Project Director

  THIS REPORT IS DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF

GRANT CARLIN
1927 - 1987

  EDUCATOR AND CIVIC SERVANT

  City Administration and Council
Ravenna Heritage Association
Property Owners such as Riddle-Frank Properties

  Study sponsored by:
Ravenna Chamber of Commerce
and
Ravenna Development Corporation

The Ravenna Development Corporation would like to thank the Kent-Ravenna Record-Courier for their coverage and publicity of this study.

Thomas Moore
Vice President for Academic
and Student Affairs

Richard E. Dunn
Vice President for Business Affairs
and Treasurer

William E. Shelton
Vice President for Institutional Advancement

Thomas J. Barber
Dean, Fine and Professional Arts

Robert Powell,
Dean, Graduate College

Eugene Wenninger
Dean, Research and Sponsored Programs

James E. Dalton,
Director, School of Architeture and
Environmental Design

Foster D. Armstrong
Director, Urban Design Center of Northeastern
Ohio

RAVENNA PROJECT TEAM
Professor Foster Armstrong
Project Director

Ann Bryner Hedington
Report Preparation

Third Year Students:

David James Beatty Kenny Kulak William J. Berger Robert Anthony Maschke Dave A. Brennan Joseph Matava Louis W. Brink Lynn M. Marchak B. Allison combs John Reyes Daniel DeAnelo Michael L. Tome Dave M. Fredrickson William T. Willoughby

  Graduate Students:
Karen Clinc J. Peter Shannon
Somshekar Marappa K. K. Tan

The Urban Design Center would like to thank the Portage County Historical Society for allowing the reproduction of the historical photographs used in this publication.

The Urban Design Center is supported by the Ohio General Assembly and the Ohio Board of Regents through the Urban University Program. Partial funding for this project was provided by the Ohio Department of Development, Office of Local Government Services.

This report, prepared by the Urban Design Center of Northeast Ohio, summarizes the efforts of students in the School of Architecture at Kent State University in developing a physical plan for improving the central area of Ravenna, Ohio.

Chapter One traces the history of the city from its founding to the present. Ravenna was selected as the County seat in 1808 and county government has been a major reason for the city's growth and development since. Transportation improvements have also facilitated the city's industrial and commercial expansion. Ravenna's earliest residents were served by the stage coach line between Pittsburgh and Cleveland. By 1840, the Pennsylvania and Ohio canal provided a much cheaper and easier way of transporting bulk goods to and from larger cities and markets. Only a decade later, the first train line was completed to Cleveland and by the end of the 19th century, Ravenna was served by three rail lines. In the first decade of the 20th century, inter-urban trolleys provided easy passenger connections between Ravenna and other major cities in Northeast Ohio. After World War II, the car and truck became the major modes of movement and the construction of the Ohio Turnpike, Interstate 76, and the relocation of State Routes 14 and 5 around the city spurred further industrial and commercial expansion on the periphery of the town.

Ravenna's first industries were related to the manufacture of glass. Toward the end of the 19th century, carriage, coach, and hearse making emerged as a major industry. Cereal and cloth mills also became major employers during this period. In the twentieth century, industry has become more diverse but the manufacture of rubber products has become an important element in the local economy.

Commercial development in downtown Ravenna reached a high point around the turn of the century. The development of the auto in this century not only caused the commercial development to spread out along major traffic arteries within the city, but also provided residents with easier access to other larger metropolitan areas, especially Akron and Cleveland. Because these city's offered a wider selection of merchandise, downtown Ravenna began to diminish as an important retail center. In recent years, the growth of the county, the increased cost of transportation, and the desire to save time have caused Ravenna residents to re-assess the importance of their own city center.

Chapter Two examines the character of Ravenna's central area today. The following assets and liabilities are noted:

  ASSETS:

1. The city has a potentially vast regional market which could be targeted.

2. The city serves as a county seat which brings in many people from outside city limits.

3. The city center contains a good mix of uses which enables citizens to accomplish several varied tasks in a single visit.

4. The city center offers a variety of specialized merchandise within a relatively compact area which encourages comparative shopping.

5. The city possesses a number of under-utilized tracts of land near the city center which provide space for expansion of buildings and parking in close proximity to existing activity generators.

6. The city center has an interesting mix of architectural styles which provide a strong sense of identity and demonstrate how the city's physical form has emerged over time.

  LIABILITIES:

1. Office spaces which formerly occupied upper stories of commercial blocks have moved to ground floor locations thereby reducing the concentration of retail activities in the central area.

2. The overall visual impression lacks harmony and unity. This is partly caused by the creation of storefronts inappropriate to the overall context and partly by inappropriate signs, uncoordinated streetscape, a significant amount of overhead utility wire, and inconsistent maintenance of buildings.

3. Parking is scattered, poorly landscaped, poorly maintained, and not visually accessible. The profusion of private parking areas is confusing to drivers and discouraging to the potential customer.

4. A significant portion of the central area is devoted to the movement of traffic. The overabundance of streets and alleyways is not only expensive to maintain, but it also creates many points of conflict between pedestrian and vehicular movements.

5. The pathways between parking areas and store entries are not clearly marked nor are they beautiful.

6. There is a perceived lack of cooperation, coordination and control among businessmen and property owners. Stronger management of the downtown district would enable the central area to complete more effectively with regional shopping centers.

Chapter III outlines the goals, objectives and strategies of the plan and describes the principles on which the plan is based.

  Major Public Improvement Recommendations:

1. Convert the existing alley ways in the first block on each side of Main Street between Sycamore and Walnut from vehicular to pedestrian use to reduce pedestrian/vehicular conflicts, and establish a more convenient and aesthetic pedestrian linkage between parking areas and store entries.

2. Acquire additional lands for parking in locations shown in the illustrative plan so that parking is perceived as a system, rather than back alley lots. All parking areas should be well landscaped and clearly identified with attractive graphics. Each space should be paved, well lighted and clearly marked.

3. All streetscape features, including elements such as lighting, planting, benches, trash receptacles, street signs, etc. should be coordinated to create a more unified visual environment. A coordinated tree planting plan and utility wire removal plan are important considerations in improving the overall image of Ravenna's central area.

  Major Private Improvement Recommendations:

1. As the street facades of structures are rehabilitated, care should be taken to ensure that: a. the design of the upper and lower stories of the building are aesthetically compatible, b. the design of the facade should be in the spirit of the times in which the building was constructed and consistent with Ravenna's Historic Design Guidelines. c. in any rehabilitation effort, there should be an overriding respect for the character of the larger community context and no facade, regardless of its style or era, should detract from the overall spirit of the place.

2. Rear facades which face the proposed parking or pedestrian pathway systems should be also rehabilitated consistent with street facade guidelines. Care should also be taken to improve any undeveloped portions of rear lots facing such systems including screening of refuse containers, air conditioning units, or storage areas. The installation of public entries, window displays, awnings, planters and attractive signs should also be encouraged on rear facades.

3. New structures, called infill construction, should respect the height, width, roofline, material, color, setback, rhythm and proportion of neighboring buildings while reflecting good contemporary design. New buildings should not be made to look like old ones but they should be visually compatible with them.

4. Signs should be limited to identifying on site uses or products, compatible with the structures character and consistent with Ravenna's Historic District Guidelines.

Chapter III also suggests that there is a need to improve the quality of environment in the areas one passes through in approaching downtown because these areas affect one's perception of the city. In particular, efforts should be undertaken in improving West Main Street near Vine Street and the old Penn Central Railway at East Main Street between Ravenna High School and Reed Memorial Library.

The final portion of Chapter III contains suggestions for implementing the plan. Important among these are:

1. the need to build widespread public support through effective communication,

2. the need to remain committed to an idea while being flexible enough to take advantages of new opportunities which may emerge.

A HISTORY OF RAVENNA, OHIO

History is the story of the past and the way the events of the past have produced the present day. Thus, this chapter attempts to provide some common back-ground information to readers of this report so that they may have a basis for understanding how Ravenna developed over time. Much of the information in this chapter has been summarized from other sources. Readers interested in further exploring Ravenna's history should consult the bibliography found at the end of this report for additional sources.

The evolution of the Western Reserve is a long, complicated story, yet to understand the development of Ravenna and the other small towns of Northeast Ohio, a brief account of the genesis of the Reserve is merited. In the decades of the eighteenth century, Congress called upon the colonies to yield their claims in the western lands to be pooled under the jurisdiction of the confederation, to belong to the public domain, and to be at the disposal of the United States for the general welfare. On September 14, 1786, Connecticut gave up to Congress:

"All the right, title, interest, jurisdiction and claim of the State of Connecticut to certain western lands beginning at the completion of the forty first degree of north latitude one hundred and twenty miles west of the western boundary line of Pennsylvania as now claimed by said Commonwealth; and from thence by a line drawn parallel to and one hundred and twenty miles west of said west line of Pennsylvania, and to continue north until it comes to forty two degrees and two minutes north latitude."

Connecticut, prior to that date, however, had "reserved" this valuable 120 mile strip of territory south of Lake Erie for herself, thereby generating the title of the Connecticut Western Reserve. This property was, in turn, sold to 35 daring men who then formed a syndicate under the name of the Connecticut Land Company. Since nothing could be done to dispose of this holding until the land had been surveyed in salable units, surveying teams were sent over the next eleven years to divide and mark the boundaries.

The first survey was led by Moses Cleveland. The task of these men was to lay out a series of 177 townships, five miles square, unlike the traditional six miles square of other townships located elsewhere in Ohio and the midwest. The location of a township was designated by assigning numbers to the east- west parallels or "towns" numbered 1 to 13; the north-south parallels or "ranges" numbered 1 to 24. The townships were then divided into lots, the number varying from township to township, averaging about 100 per township. The large grids of township and ranges were overlaid by smaller grids of lots and sections; these original boundaries are still visible today and are expressed in the form of county roads and city streets, the edges of towns and cities, and the shape and size of farms and real estate allotments. The number of lots a purchaser acquired depended on the percentage of his investment with respect to the value of the whole township. Thus, before the early settlers arrived, the geometric framework for settlement had already been determined. these townships and ranges formed the pattern for the sale and settlement of almost all the land in the Western Reserve.

On a September day in 1798, Benjamin Tappan of Massachusetts bought from Loomis and Company of Suffield, connecticut, approximately 13,000 acres of wilderness. The land was described as being the southern two-thirds of Township 3, Range 8 of the Connecticut Western Reserve. the northern one-third of the township was purchased by Major Buel and Mr. Starn. Some of the new property owners, including Tappan, never became residents of the land which they had purchased. Tappan, though, sent his son here to be his agent and sales manager.

  Early Settlement

After much hardship during the journey to the Western Reserve, Benjamin Tappan Jr. then a young lawyer, arrived in the area on June 3, 1799. While he came to dispose of the land and establish a settlement, Tappan's first task was to build a cabin of unhewn logs. In January of 1800, Tappan met Benjamin Bigsby with whom he made a deal; Bigsby was to receive 100 acres of land for doing general work, including assisting Tappan in the erection of Tappan's 18' x 20' cabin. This became the first residence in Ravenna Township.

After providing for his need of shelter, Tappan got down to the business of organizing the township; he arranged a meeting of the township owners, Messrs. Starn and Buel. During this meeting the location of the future town was decided, but the group was faced with the dilemma of naming their new town. Buel and Starn suggested it be named Tappan, but Tappan could not agree with them on this point. Tappan then suggested the name of Ravenna, meaning "roots and flowers". Having never been to Italy, he chose the name simply because he liked the sound of the word. His heart may have been influenced too, for his fiancee liked the name also. Thus, the name of Ravenna was agreed upon by the owners, and the land was divided.

After this business was settled, Tappan returned to the East to marry his fiancee, Miss Nancy Wright, and later brought her back to Ravenna where they built their home one mile east of the present Ravenna city.

The early story of Ravenna township is almast wholly associated with Benjamin Tappan. As settlers wandered in from the east, Tappan sold them land, and a sparse settlement pattern resulted. Most of the new immigrants had come to establish themselves independently; they made their living through farming, milling or in such trades as blacksmithing or tanning.

  Formation of a State and Birth of a Town

Until the year 1803, settlers took a double risk in moving to the Western Reserve. Not only were they pulling up roots, leaving comfortable homes, and making a seemingly impossible and treacherous 400-mile journey west, they were also exposing themselves to the rumored hazards of the somewhat unfriendly native Indians. this fear, however, had very little basis in fact, Moses Cleaveland had negotiated the land from the Indians during the surveying trip in 1798, and even before that date, more often than not, Cleaveland was given a warm reception by the various tribes.

Yet, it wasn't until Ohio was formally declared a state in 1803 that the immigrants felt more secure about moving west and starting anew. Statehood seemed to stimulate land sales. During this time, Benjamin Tappan proceeded to lay out 192 lots and set out the streets in an area presently bordered by Highland Street on the north, Walnut Street on the east, Oak (now Riddle) Street on the south, and Sycamore on the west. The Main-Chestnut intersection designated the center of the new town. This is the area of the city which is the focus of this report.

Inevitably, the need for a cemetery arose, with Tappan donating a plot of ground to be used for this purpose. It was located in the southwest part of the new town. In 1813, residents requested a more desirable piece of land. New lands were donated by Howard Fuller, Erastus Carter, Moses Smith and Anson Beeman in the northern part of the town. Thus, the Maple Grove Cemetery came in existence.

During this time of early development, Tappan was a busy man, and he made quite a bit of money. When he was not selling land, he was practicing law. He became progressively more active in law and politics, and helped to carve the future of the state of Ohio. After the State was admitted to the Union, he served in the legislature of Ohio. In 1809, at the insistence of political friends, Tappan was convinced to move to Steubenville where there was a larger market for lawyers. He remained there until his death in April 1857. His accomplishments were outstanding. Not only was he the founder of Ravenna and a scholar and lawyer, he became a Circuit Judge, United States Judge for Ohio, and served as a United States Senator from 1839 to 1845.

  In Search of a County Seat

Until 1807, Ravenna remained a part of Trumbull County, the largest county in the Western Reserve. When it proved to be too large to govern from the county seat in Warren, the state legislature decided that Trumbull County should be subdivided, thereby creating Portage County.

"Be it enacted, etc.-that all that part of the county of Trumbull, which lies west of the fifth range of townships, be erected into a separated county by the name of Portage, and shall be vested with all the powers, privileges and immunities of a separate and distinct county."

Now that a new county had been established, one of the first requirements was the selection of a county seat. Naturally, a central location was preferred. Two locations were being considered, both with their advantages. The first was Ravenna, which showed promise because it had been settled early. Tappan vigorously pursued bringing the county seat to Ravenna, for a courthouse town was an important place and almost invariably insured continued future growth. But Tappan had a worthy adversary in Aaron Olmsted, a large land owner in Franklin township west of Ravenna. As the county was more centrally located than Ravenna. (The western two tiers of Portage County were ceded to Summit County when it was established in 1840.) Being an "absentee landlord," Olmsted handed matters over to his Lieutenant, Capt. John Campbell, who apparently did not see eye to eye with Tappan. Olmsted sweetened the pot by offering to donate all the land needed if the courthouse were located in Franklin. For awhile it appeared as though the decision had been made in favor of Franklin township, but as fate would have it, Olmsted died in the East, leaving no authorized agent here to carry out his wishes; the prize went to Tappan's town of Ravenna in 1808. On December 5, 1809, Tappan signed an agreement to erect a courthouse and jail.

For lack of a ready facility, the first court session in Portage County was held in the residence of Robert Eaton. From 1820 to 1830 court sessions were held in a frame building located in the center of Ravenna Village. a building more suited for the purpose of housing the county courthouse was completed in 1830 and cost $7,000. This structure was a two story combination Greek and Roman Revival structure with a temple front and a prominent cupola. In 1836 the adjacent jail house was completed. As the county grew, the court system outgrew the confines of the courthouse. to accommodate the new space requirements, a more prominent building was erected in 1881, keeping the old structure as an extension at the rear. The new building was a structure of permanence and strength, built with a stone exterior in the Italianate style. It stood to symbolize the rule of law in Portage county for over three quarters of a century. This structure and the jail were torn down in 1961 to make way for the present structure which houses the court system and jail.

In 1978, many of the county offices were removed from the courthouse and relocated in the County Office Building on South Chestnut Street and Meridian. The building had formerly served as Robinson Memorial Hospital.

Thus, since 1809, Ravenna has served as the seat of Portage County and county government has been the primary reason for the city's continual growth and expansion.

  Transportation Improvements

Ravenna had just gotten settled as a staid frontier town when something new appeared on the horizon that gave promise of better times. The only means of travel up to 1827 was by stage coach or horse. While the stage coach lines carried freight, they were only capable of transporting light merchandise; bulk could not be moved. There was a limited market for local farm products, and the prices paid were extremely low. Therefore, rumors of a new canal spurred great interest among local residents. The great Erie Canal between Troy, New York, and Buffalo had been completed in 1825, and the Ohio and Erie Canal running between Lake Erie at Cleveland and the Ohio River at Portsmouth was hot on its heels with the Cleveland-Akron section being completed in 1827. The construction of these waterways encouraged growth in the towns they served. This was only part of the canal building fever sweeping the country. When people saw an opportunity for a new canal cutting through Portage County, they became convinced that it would open the county to outside markets. This canal was 82 miles long and became known as the Pennsylvania & Ohio Canal, though it was often popularly known as "The Cross Cut." The canal ran from the Ohio & Erie canal in Akron, Ohio, through Ravenna to the Ohio River near the Lowell Gap not far from New Castle, Pennsylvania. Work commenced in September 1835 and was completed five years later. By May 1840, boats were leaving both Cleveland and Pittsburgh, and the canal was completely navigable. To Ravenna inhabitants, the canal meant communication with the outside world. Ravenna people used all their energy to promote the canal, and they were largely responsible for its eventual realization. it was a "shot in the arm" not only for Ravenna, but for the entire county.

Business forged ahead and prices of farmed goods went up. Land values increased drastically. Ravenna was on the move.

It is ironic to think that as the canal was being built, it was already being made obsolete by the next wave in transportation, railroads. Ravenna recognized that the canal would inevitably be replaced, mainly because of the canal's slow speed. Between the years 1851 and 1882, Ravenna saw three railroads come to town. The first was the Cleveland and Pittsburgh Railroad. This line was promoted as early as 1836, when "railroad fever" was sweeping the country. Like most pioneer railroads, the beginning years were plagued with a series of delays; lack of money, and lack of knowledge. Finally, in 1851, the first train arrived in Ravenna from Cleveland, and for many years it provided Ravenna with good transportation. In fact, train service was so good that the P & O Canal stopped carrying passengers the following year. By 1867, the canal had outlived its usefulness. The coming of the Great Atlantic and Western freight carrier in 1862 hastened the canal's demise. This line was later known as the Erie system. Ravenna's third trunk line railroad was the Baltimore & Ohio took over this line in order to gain a shorter line to Chicago.

While the trains served to connect Ravenna with the great cities of the nation, the electric interurban system served to connect Ravenna with other cities in Northeast Ohio. This system permitted this section of the state to operate as one large city, and Ravenna benefitted greatly from its presence. These electric or "interurban" railroads functioned mainly as people movers over a period of 30 years. The Northern Ohio Traction Co. Line, from Akron and Kent, reached Ravenna in November 1901. In 1912, a trolley line was built from Alliance northward to Atwater and Ravenna. In 1915, another line connected Ravenna with Warren. Though leased to the Northern Ohio Traction Company, the system was known as the C.A. & M.V. line. The Great Depression (1929-1936) greatly affected the economy of northeast Ohio, and all of these companies had gone out of business by 1932.

The railroads, nevertheless, continued to provide both passenger and freight services throughout the depression and World War II. After World War II, public methods of transport declined, and the car and truck became high priority in this era. In this regard, Ravenna benefitted from the opening of the Ohio Turnpike in 1955, the construction of Interstate 76 south of the city, and the circumferential improvements north of the city to State Route 14 and State Route 5 around the city. These improvements permitted Ravenna to have access to the new regional highway network and encouraged new industry to develop in these areas. For example, General Electric and Container Corporation of America selected Ravenna as a location because of its easy access to markets, good highways and small town environment. the location of the new Robinson Hospital at Chestnut and State Route 14 was also influenced by these highway improvements.

  Industrial Development

Industry in Ravenna has experienced its ups and downs. Almost invariably, industry was greatly affected by the type of transportation available and its effectiveness. There was virtually no manufacturing on a large scale in Ravenna before 1840. Even then, the industries were usually small and consisted of one or two men.

It was only after the Civil War that Ravenna began to emerge as an important manufacturing center. The first major industry was glass manufacturing. The first such plant was the Diamond Window Glass Co., established in 1867. The Enterprise Glass Co. went into production about 1872; the Ravenna Flint Glass Co. in 1882, and the Crown Flint Glass Co. in 1883. These companies produced a variety of glass products, ranging from practical items such as window panes, to more artistic articles such as bottles and household goods. Other glass manufacturers in Ravenna were the Eagle Glass Co., United Glass Co., both formed about 1880, while the Ballinger Glass Works, established about the same time, made lamp chimneys.

The industry that shaped Ravenna, however, was that of carriage, coach and hearse making. this industry was orchestrated by Henry W. Riddle, who had come to Ravenna from Pittsburrgh in 1860 to work for N.D. Clarke and Co. as a woodworker. The company was established in 1831. After a few years, Riddle and his brother-in-law purchased the carriage company, and the firm of merts & Riddle was founded. Before the end of the century, the firm had become the Riddle Coach and hearse Company. The company was a great economic stronghold for Ravenna inhabitants, and it brought fame to the city in a rather unusual way. Presidents Lincoln, Hayes, Garfield, and McKinley were all carried to their resting places in Riddle hearses. The Riddle Company also helped to shape Ravenna's downtown. The Riddle family constructed many commercial structures in the downtown area in the late 19th and early 20th century. The buildings range from Romanesque and Italianate, to Neo-classical and remain today as significant landmarks in the Ravenna community.

With sound transportation established in the 1870s and 1880s, Ravenna's industries began to build. Responding to the region's growing agricultural importance, the Star Agricultural Works was founded in 1874. Several mill companies also prospered during this period. The Ravenna Mill and the Atlantic Mill came into operation in the early 1880s. The D. L. Baldwin & Son Planing Company was founded in 1863 and grew with the city. Other planing companies followed, the most famous being the Kingbury & Sons Planing Mill. Also in the wood working line, E.B. Griffin manufactured hubs and spokes.

Ravenna also gained some manufacturing fame in another line, cereal making. In 1877, the Quaker Mills Co. started business as manufacturers of flour and oatmeal. When the company was taken over by the American Cereal Co. in 1890, it was moved to Akron and ultimately the company moved to Chicago, but the name of Quaker Oats is now known around the world.

Other major employers in Ravenna were the Gledhill Ravenna Woolen Mills Co. and Turner Worsted Mills, established in the early 1880's. the Ravenna Mills Co. with its Redfern Mill making yarns and cloth; and the Annevar Mill used for dyeing. At the height of the annevar Mills operation, they employed several hundred workers and were the city's largest employer. the business dissolved in 1956.

Before the end of the 19th century, other industries had been established. Several foundry and machine shops manufactured molds for nearby glass companies and tool makers. Also, the manufacturing of hardware including valves pipe fittings, nuts and bolts took place. Notable among these was the J.F. Byers machine shop established in 1873.

After the turn of the century, Ravenna established itself as a center of the manufacturing of rubber accessories and sundries. Of these, the Oak Rubber, White Rubber, Paeco, and Enduro Rubber Companies remain in business today. Their products include rubber balloons, electric glove products and small rubber household and industrial accessories.

Though not a manufacturing industry, some mention of the hospital system should be made here, for this facility employs a considerable number of people and provides a very necessary service to the residents of Portage County. Indeed, health care facilities are an important ingredient in county growth and assist in attracting non-residents to the city. In 1894, Dr. W.W. White established a private hospital at 126 East Main Street. In 1904, White erected a more modern hospital at N. Chestnut and Cedar Streets. The county purchased the facility in 1917 and operated it until 1932 when the new Robinson Memorial was opened on S. Chestnut Street. this facility was enlarged in 1943, 1954, and 1955. The present facility at the intersection of North Chestnut Street and State Route 14 was opened in 1977.

In recent years, most of the city's industries have located in the area as the new hospital because of good access to both rail and highway transportation. The glass, hearse making and cloth industries have faded from the scene, but the rubber and plastics industries have provided a stable base of employment over many years. Newer industries tend to be more oriented toward processing and distribution rather that manufacturing. Ravenna's central location in an urbanizing area could make the city an important distribution center in future years if the city's small town flavor is preserved and enhanced.

  Commercial Development

Ravenna also aspired to become a commercial center, but it was slow to develop. The town's location was relatively inaccessible due to the lack of adequate roads and waterways in the early years. The period of 1810 to 1825 witnessed localized growth, sustaining only the immediate community. Taverns, stores, hotels, and homes were typical building types. Almost all the buildings were of wood frame construction, as there was no brick manufacturing near Ravenna at the time. Gradually, however, the town began to take on the appearance of a settlement.

David Greer opened a tavern on the southeast corner of Main and Chestnut streets in 1808. It was credited not only with being the first tavern, but also the first store, for Greer stocked some merchandise that was in great demand, including gunpowder. About 1812, General John Campbell of Campbell sport put up a rather "pretentious" frame building, painted a "peculiar" yellow, on West Main Street where the Etna House now stands. It was built with the intention of housing a tavern, but after completion James Haslip, from the Pittsburgh area, rented it and put in a stock of goods, thereby establishing the first full-time store in Ravenna.

As Ravenna's importance as a county seat increased, people from the surrounding area came to town on a regular basis. This growth attracted the attention of herman Oviatt, a Hudson merchant who teamed up with young Zenas Kent and opened a store on the northeast corner of Main and Chestnut in 1814. About the same time, Seth Day and Isaac Swift opened a store. In 1825, Coolman and Prentiss opened an "unusually fine" store according to the editor of the Western Courier:

"We witnessed such a scene on Thursday last. The frame, timbers, etc., of a very large brick building, belonging to Messrs. Prentiss and Coolman were raised. The building is three stories high, eighty-six feet long and thirty two feet in width. The timbers were very heavy, and in the morning lay scattered on the ground, but under the direction of the master-builder, Mr.Hills, the different pieces were collected, put in proper place, and now assist in forming by far the largest building in this place."

This building stood as a sign of permanence for the town; it served as a symbol that Ravenna was an important commercial place.

Downtown Ravenna reached its high point in the last two decades of the 19th and first decade of the 20th century, Ravenna, like American cities in general, learned about the credit system and developed ways of paying for improvements over long periods of time. they gave monopolies to traction entrepreneurs and suppliers of various services. The growing middle class stayed in the city because the automobile had not yet been popularized. Other people moved to the city because farming became less labor intentive due to the development of farm machinery and opportunities for work in the city increased. The industrial revolution had produced a new building type; the manufacturing plant. These new industries made great profits which enabled free schools and public libraries to be built. Thus, people moved to the city for both economic and cultural reasons, and the city prospered.

Full of optimism about the future of downtown, Ravenna built a new courthouse and many commercial blocks during this era. They were not just ordinary buildings that could produce a quick profit and then be discarded. They were high style buildings of elegance and grace. They made people feel good about coming downtown. they inspired a sense of confidence.

World War I shook the optimsim of the American people, and the Great Depression of the 30's further eroded it. World War II also provided great tensions although downtown Ravenna enjoyed prosperity in this period due to the building of the Arsenal just east of the city. Dring these decades, people became involved in worldwide events, and the importance of the goal of creating a beautiful hometown atmoshpere gradually slipped away. Investment in downtown Ravenna during these decades was minimal.

After World War II, the economy of the Ravenna area prospered, but the availability of the automobile and relatively cheap land in outlying locations encouraged a new kind of development oriented to the automobile. New commercial growth took place outside the downtown area both east and west of the city, and new industrial growth took place north of the city. On the routes between these new nodes of activity and the older central place gasoline service stations first occupied corner lots. Later, the homes between the corners began to be converted from residential to retail, service and office uses. Such uses were, of course, accompanied by front yard car parking areas and signs of all types. There was little concern for the planning of these strip developments, and the resulting environment may be generally described as one of chaos and confusion. the newer commercial development, in general, tended to be motivated by minimal investment, maximum on-site function, and little concern for the aesthetic impact of the appearance on the overall community. Thus, unlike a century ago, the new commercial development has not produced high style buildings of elegance and grace, and people do not feel especially good about these new strip commercial developments.

Indeed, it is this general dissatisfaction with the deteriorating environment that has inspired the formation of new groups such as the Ravenna Heritage Association, the Ravenna Design Review Committee and the Ravenna Development Corporation. Working with older groups such as the Ravenna Chamber of Commerce, the activities of these groups can do much to encourage a more beautiful and more profitable environment which protects the public interest while enhancing private investments. Thus, it is hoped that now is the time for a new beginning, a rebirth, that will build both on the most satisfying environmental precedents of the past and serve the needs of the present.

A LOOK AT RAVENNA'S CENTER TODAY

This chapter examines the relationship between the region, city and city center. Within the defined project boundaries the elements of land use, movement, building form and space are analyzed. The analysis of amenities and conflicts within the city center provides a basis for making decisions about the location and extent of possible future development efforts which are elaborated in Chapter III.

  Regional Setting and Market Area

An interesting aspect of Ravenna's location is its proximity to the major cities in northeastern Ohio. Within one hour's driving time, there are nearly 4,000,000 people. Cleveland is about 40 miles to the northwest. Akron is 20 miles to the west. Canton is 25 miles south, Warren is 25 miles northeast and Youngstown is 30 miles to the southeast. All of these cities, but especially Akron and Cleveland, impact upon ravenna's market area. Since these metropolitan centers offer a greater selection of merchandise and a wider range of prices, people who might otherwise shop in Ravenna are drawn to these centers even though they are further from their place of residence. A recent survey by the Akron Metropolitan Transportation Study suggests that about twothirds of Ravenna and Ravenna Township residents go outside of Ravenna for soft goods and entertainment. The primary destinations for shopping outside of the city include Chapel Hill Mall in Akron, Randall Park Mall near Cleveland, and the Murphy Mart and K-Mart plazas in Kent.

The primary market area for Ravenna, therefore, includes only the City of Ravenna, and the townships of Shalersville, Freedom, Ravenna, Charlestown, Rootstown, Edinburg, and Randolph. The total 1980 population of these areas was 44,100. The projected population for the same area in the year 2000 is 51,300. the projected growth of the primary market area, then, is less than 1% per year.

Beyond the primary market area, however, there is a secondary market which consists of the 4,000,000 people within one hour's drive. While it is not likely that improvements to Ravenna's downtown would attract a significantly larger sector of the secondary market, attracting only 1% of the secondary market would nearly double the current targeted market (1% of 4,000,000 =44,000 plus the current primary market of 44,100 =84,100 people). Thus, it is recommended that Ravenna merchants and Chamber of Commerce should commence advertising beyond the local area, appealing to the wider regional audience through the regional media. Other small towns in northeastern Ohio which have made physical improvements to streetscape and buildings and altered their marketing strategies have successfully increased their business. Examples would include Milan, Oberlin, Wellington, Medina, Wadsworth, Chagrin Falls, and Hudson.

  City Setting and Image

Peoples perception of a place is not only influenced by the quality of development of the immediate vicinity, but what they pass through on the way to that place. The city's overall visual image, therefore, plays an important part in the success of downtown. An overall city image is created by the elements of physical form, density, and scale of the existing structure; the critical factors affecting the image are major traffic routes, breaks in visual continuity, changes in land use and legibility of nodes and landmarks. In Ravenna, the overall form of the city is an oval with the longer axis in an east-west direction, and the shorter axis running north-south. There is a clear distinction between urban and rural when approaching Ravenna via State Route 44 from the north and State Routes 5 and 59 have less clarity. Generally, people respond more favorably to distinct changes between urban and rural than they do to gradual change which is often referred to as "urban sprawl." In terms of density, the residential areas are rather uniform in appearance with a density of two to six dwelling units per acre. The residential areas, then, provide a rather consistent image, and no residential areas overwhelm non-residential areas in terms of scale. The central business district has the largest buildings and therefore visually represents the largest node in the city. Other nodes of activity occur at the city's major entry points; the intersection of State Route 14 and State Route 44 on the north; the intersection of State Route 14 and State Route 44 and Summit and Hayes Roads on the south is delineated by a railroad bridge over the road, but since there is little non-residential activity in the area it has not been designated as a node in Figure 42. Landmarks (magnets) which give directional clues to visitors include Robinson Memorial Hospital at the city's north gate, the northeast industrial district, visible from State Routes 14, 44, and 88 and Windmill Lakes Golf Course east of State Route 44. Landmarks which give directional clues to city residents include the City Park and local schools. Overall then, the city seems to present an appropriate image in terms of form, density and scale.

There are, however, some image problems along some of the major routes which lead to the central business district. While State Route 88 presents a good image between the railroad and East Main Street, and State Route 59 presents a good image between Linden Street and Clinton Street because of consistency of land use, building form and balance of building and landscape, the same is unfortunately not true for the routes along Cleveland Road, and West Main Street. Both suffer from frequent changes of land use, frequent changes in the form, scale and material of buildings, the lack of appropriate landscaping, dangerous ingress and egress movements, uncoordinated parking, uncoordinated signing and wiring and lack of appropriate maintenance. Because many people enter the central business district via West Main Street, it is particularly critical that the image of this mixed commercial and residential strip be improved.

  Project Area Boundaries and Study Area Image

The primary study area consists of properties along Main Street between Sycamore Street on the west and Walnut Street on the east. The northern and southern boundaries of the primary study area are Cedar Avenue and Spruce Avenue, respectively. A model was constructed of this area. The general study area is the same as that contained in the original town plot, i.e., bounded by Highland Avenue on the south, and Sycamore Street on the west. the plan covers this area. Additional study areas include the properties along East Main Street to Freedom Street and the properties along West Main Street to Diamond Street. Suggestions for improving these approaches to the central business district are included following the description of the plan.

When one's memory of downtown Ravenna is triggered, the immediate image that comes to mind is the buildings around the square in front of the courthouse. Few would argue that this is the focal point of the city, and it is an appropriate image because county government is the city's primary reason for being. From the Courthouse Square, intense commercial uses run along Main Street west to Sycamore and east to Prospect. Less intensive commercial uses can be found along Chestnut north to Poplar Lane and south to Lynn Lane; along East Main Street between Prospect and Clinton; and along West Main between Sycamore and Grant Streets.

Several landmarks on the edge of the district serve as gateways that announce the beginning of the town's center. They include Immaculate Conception Church when approaching from the west, Reed Library when approaching from the east, and the Post Office when approaching from the north. These landmarks help define the edge of the central business district and thus serve to clarify the transition from outside the district to inside the district.

There is a break in continuity at the edges of the main commercial district where one feels a sense of uneasiness; where one is not sure whether he/she is in the central area or out of it. These areas are characterized by mixed uses: parking areas that are not well developed or landscaped; isolated structures; or buildings that appear to be used less than their full potential. These areas typically have few landmarks and are often referred to as "lost space" by designers because they are taking up space that could be developed for higher and better uses. In Ravenna, such conditions occur northeast of the Square behind the commercial structures on the north side of West Main Street and Cedar Avenue between Sycamore Street and Park Way. Northeast of the Square, the area behind the buildings on the north side of East Main Street from Hickory Way to Reed Library also needs attention. Similar areas exist east of the Courthouse in the blocks bounded by East Main, Plum Way, Spruce and Prospect, the area around the Maple Lane and Hickory Way intersection and the area northeast of Vale Edge Sparkle Market. In the southeastern sector of the district, the area behind Immaculate Conception School and the area between Meridian and the backs of the buildings facing Chestnut represent areas of transition between the commercial center and residential areas. Thus, in the central business district the image is more positive on the street, and "lost space" tends to occur behind buildings and near the edge of the district; whereas, in the approaches to the central business district "lost space" is evident in front of buildings and between buildings.

  General and Commercial Land Use

Land use has been the focus of traditional physical planning as well as recent general and community development plans. It's quite clear that land use is still one of the key elements of urban design. After all, it determines the basic two-dimensional plans on which three-dimensional spaces are created and functions are performed. Land use decisions establish the relationship between circulation/parking and density of activities/uses within urban areas. There are different areas within an urban setting with different capacities for intensity, access, parking, transportation system availability, and finally, demand for individual uses. In Ravenna's central area the private uses are chiefly constituted of commercial uses along the major streets and a ring of parking adjacent to the commercial uses. Government and other quasi-public uses such as the library, churches, educational facilities and lodges can be found on the edges of the commercial district. These tend to buffer the residential uses found at the corners of the district. Within the central area, however, the public infrastructure system occupies the greatest single use of land. Thus, streets, alleys, and walkways constitute a major element in the downtown area. They should, therefore, be given considerable attention in any plan for redeveloping the area.

Of the 269 buildings within the central area, 124 are used for commercial purposes. In order to better understand the nature of these commercial ventures, they were classified as follows: Apparel, accessories and personal items Finance, insurance and real estate Eating and drinking places Hardware and building materials Misc. commercial uses These uses are indentified in Figure 55.

  Assessed Value and Ownership

Normally, in developing a plan, structures that have a high value are preserved because they are generally in sound condition and produce a substantial income to the city via taxes. Those structures that are darkest in value in Figure 56 produce the greatest income, and therefore should be preserved in any development plan unless they are clearly incompatible with the goals of the plan.

The ownership of buildings can also affect rehabilitation and redevelopment efforts. Normally, out-of-town landlords express less interest and enthusiasm in making improvements than owners who are local residents. In this regard, Ravenna is extremely fortunate. Only thirteen of the structures within the central area are owned by out-of-town people.

  Movement and Parking

The movement of people to the downtown is necessary, and it is realistic to assume that the automobile has become such an essential part of American life that most people will come to the central area by car. While it is hoped that both walking and public transit will help to alleviate over-reliance on the car in the future, downtown at present must include a substantial number of parking places.

The movement and parking component impact on the quality of environment in several ways:

At present, about 13,500 vehicles per day enter the central area via East and West Main Street. Approximately 6,000 vehicles per day arrive via Chestnut and Prospect Streets, and another 3500 enter the central district via Riddle Avenue. All other streets accommodate fewer than 2,000 vehicles per day. Most of the parking takes place behind the commercial buildings facing main Street. This results in pedestrian travel along the alleys to Main Street. These alleys also accommodate traffic traveling to the parking areas from Main Street. Thus, pedestrian/vehicular conflicts occur on all seven of the mid-block alleys in the primary study area. The alleys also encourage additional turning movements on or off of Main Street thereby increasing traffic congestion.

Currently, Ravenna has parking spaces for about 2,000 cars in the central area. Nearly 1,000 of these spaces are privately assigned. Another 400 are for customers of particular shops or offices, and only 600 are in open public lots. Unfortunately, most of the public lots are furthest from the main concentration of commercial development. This mixture of private, public and special public parking is confusing to the consumer. Also, many of the parking areas are not well developed or landscaped, and the overall image presented to the public is not satisfying.

The walkways between the parking areas and shops and offices are somewhat more pleasant than the parking areas themselves, but even here some curbs and sidewalks need repair. Exposed utility wires and signing compete with primary uses for attention; and parking meters, trash receptacles and plantings are not coordinated to the extent that they might be.

  Architectural Character and Signing

Many of the downtown historic buildings are interesting from an architectural point of view, and they demonstrate how people's values about building have changed. These structures incorporate unique forms and details indigenous to particular, times and thus produce a richness not found in new shopping centers where all shops are built of the same materials in a very short span of time. Thus, Ravenna's downtown is a living museum of the city's history. It should not be destroyed. Neither should it remain static. Rather, new buildings should respond to the social and cultural setting that exists. There should be a fit between existing conditions and new design.

Some of these older buildings have unfortunately been remodeled in ways that disguise the original facade. A particular problem is that the remodeling of ground floor uses are otern not aesthetically compatible with the upper floors of the same facade.

Another frequent problem is that the new signs are often out of character with the color, scale and material of the original structure. Often these signs overpower the viewer, causing a negative image when there are actually many things happening beyond the signage.

  Summary of Problems and Assets

Like most central areas in older towns, Ravenna's Business district faces a set of problems which has arisen due to changes in retailing, changes in modes of transportation and changes due simply to the aging of the built physical environment. More specifically, these problems deal with the loss of retail uses, the visual environment, pockets of deterioration at the edges of the district, disorganized parking and unsafe traffic patterns.

A major change in retailing is that stores have tended to leave central areas and move into new facilities in shopping centers on the edge of growing areas of the city. The older downtown shops have been replaced by services such as banks, insurance companies, lawyers etc. To some extent this has happened in Ravenna, but the city is fortunate that retailing activities have been retained in the central area. This enables shoppers to walk from one store to another and compare quality of merchandise and prices. In some towns there are discount stores on each edge of the city, and if one store is out of a particular item it becomes necessary to drive to the other side of town. Such trips are not only time consuming and costly, they create additional traffic congestion on city streets. Ravenna, thus, should make every attempt to retain retail uses in the central business district. It should guard against becoming solely a commercial service center. Additional offices should not be encouraged as a replacement for retail activity. Offices can and should be accommodated in the central business area, but they should not be concentrated on the street level on Main Street. This should be retained as a primarily retail street.

Today's shoppers also enjoy shopping in an environment which is attractive and beautiful. Many downtowns or sections of downtowns that have been rehabilitated have enjoyed greater sales per square foot of space than the suburban malls of the same city. Thus, if Ravenna wishes to attract customers from the regional market it must make the downtown area as attractive as possible. A more aesthetic environment would not only attract more customers, it would make shopping more enjoyable, and encourage customers to come more often and stay longer. The present aesthetic character of the downtown could be improved substantially by removing overhead wiring, encouraging more appropriate to the context in which they exist and coordinating the design of the streetscape, i.e. curbs, walkways, benches, trash receptacles, light fixtures, trees, flowers, etc.

Ravenna also suffers from pockets of deteriorating structures on the outer edges of downtown. The back of many of the buildings facing Main Street are unattractive and since the majority of the parking areas are located behind the stores this creates a poor first impression upon arrival. This impression is compounded by the generally poor condition of the parking areas which typically lack organization and appropriate landscaping. The parking situation is also very confusing because many of the lots are private or for the use of certain persons only. Public parking is available but is scattered and not clearly marked. It is believed that the perceived shortage of parking could be ameliorated through more cooperative efforts between private property owners and the city. Much could be gained through shared parking agreements and improved parking lot organization and landscaping.

Finally, downtown Ravenna suffers form an overabundance of street and alley rights-of-way. These not only create additional problems of maintenance for the city, they create the potential for more turning movements causing vehicular/pedestrian conflicts. Closing of most of the alleys running off of Main street would not only encourage greater safety, it would provide for more appropriate pedestrian pathways connecting the parking areas with Main Street shops.

While all these problems now impact negatively on Ravenna's central business district, all of them can be corrected. Additionally, Ravenna has other assets which should not be taken for granted, for they contribute much to the city's potential success. These include the fact that Ravenna is the county seat, that the Courthouse Square gives the city a unique and appropriate identity, and that there are many historic structures of architectural interest. Downtown functions are also concentrated in a small area, stores sell specialized merchandise, and there is room for expansion.

Being the county seat, Ravenna accommodates not only the county executive offices, it also houses many of the county's institutions. These uses draw people to Ravenna and provide potential customers for shops in the central business district. Appropriately, the Courthouse and open space in front of it provide the central visual focus for the downtown. There are also many buildings of architectural interest that show not only how the city has evolved, but they also provide a richness of texture and materials in contrast to the newer shopping centers in the region. Similarly the mix of uses and the concentration of buildings allow one to walk the entire district within ten minutes. This is in contrast to commercial development in the periphery of the city, which is much more automobile oriented. In these peripheral establishments one must typically drive from one use to another, and there is no sense of unity. Shops within the central area offer specialty items, ones that cannot typically be found in the outlying commercial areas. Downtown can thus attract customers from a much wider region.

Finally, the areas of "lost space" around the edges of the central business district provide room for commercial expansion. In particular, these areas include the block between Prospect and Plum Way on the south side of East Main Street and the areas on both sides of East Main between Walnut and Clinton.

This analysis of the central business district suggests that the city center has a number of problems that need attention if it is to achieve its full potential. Nevertheless, the city possesses a number of assets that provide a sound basis for expanding Ravenna's commercial activities. If the centers negative aspects can be ameliorated and its assets strengthened, then Ravenna will have the capacity to capture a larger share of the significant megalopolitan market and emerge as an important regional retail center.

A PLAN FOR RAVENNA'S HISTORIC CENTER

This chapter outlines the goals, objectives and strategies sought in the development of the plan. It suggests some urban design principles for reviewing public and private initiatives that could complement the architectural design guidelines already in place. It is believed that careful attention to these principles would enhance the economic vitality and visual image of Ravenna's historic center. The major elements of the central area plan are discussed. Guidelines for improving the approaches to downtown are also included. The chapter concludes with some suggestions for implementing the plan.

  Goals, Objectives and Strategies

The first step in any planning process is to define the problems and opportunities which exist. These have been summarized in Chapter II. the second step is to suggest how the problems can be corrected and the opportunities enhanced. These are often expressed in terms of goals, objectives and strategies. Goals describe broad general aims; they express the hopes and dreams of the people doing the planning. Objectives are more specific; they provide a direction for action. Strategies are even more specific; they describe what actions need to be undertaken to accomplish an objective. Together the goals, objectives and strategies spell out the intent of, and purpose behind, the plan. Typically the goals are more fixed while the strategies are more flexible and likely to change. Thus, a series of alternatives should be discussed and evaluated, and then a final strategy should be selected and translated into policies and programs. In this report, however, only one set of strategies is enumerated and no plans or programs have been suggested. The final strategies should be the prerogative of local decision makers and should be determined only after considerable local discussion and debate.

The goals, objectives and strategies contained in this report were developed by students in consultation with leaders of the Ravenna Chamber of Commerce, the Ravenna Design Review Committee and the Ravenna Heritage Association. Thus, the goals, objectives and strategies listed here represent a combination of analysis, judgment and intuition. It is hoped that these will serve as a basis for additional discussion by local residents and leaders.

  The four major goals in this planning process were:

1. To inform local citizens and public officials of the need to plan and improve the downtown area in coordinated fashion,

  2. To protect current investments and enhance investment opportunities in the downtown area,

  3. To provide within the city's central area facilities and services appropriate to citizen needs, and

  4. To strenghthen pride in the city and encourage an understanding of Ravenna's history.

To convince local citizens and public officials of the need to plan is an important aspect of any planning process. Perhaps this can be demonstrated by the importance of planning in each citizen's life. Deciding upon a career, investing, driving to work, or preparing a meal require some degree of planning. Planning takes many forms. It may be short-range or long-range, it may be implicit or formalized in written policy; it may affect only one individual or it may determine the future of a nation. In its most general sense, planning is a term that refers to any activity contributing to the establishment of objectives for the future and their attainment over time.

Planning is not a new concept; it is as old as man's realization that his efforts to cope with his environment were most effective when organized on some logical basis. Scarce resources and limited time have all encouraged individuals to plan their activities. For most short-range personal decisions of an individual, planning is a matter of "common sense." Longer range decisions, such as investing in a home or planning for retirement, are more complex and require more thought since they involve more changeable factors. Applied to a community, planning is concerned with long-range. decisions affecting a relatively large number of people. Consequently, the process of planning for a community is more complex than planning for an individual. The diversified values of many individuals and groups are competing for recognition at the public-policy making level. What may seem to be common sense and reasonable to one person may be something entirely different to another. Thus, the complexity of community planning becomes apparently; there are simply too many competing interests to allow all of them to be satisfied. Not only is it impossible to achieve a solution completely acceptable to all groups in the community, it is extremely difficult to find unanimous recognition of the problem itself. Planning is an attempt to reconcile these varied views. Hopefully, it is based upon rational data. Nevertheless, it should be remembered that the "right" course of action to bring about "good" community development is always a matter of choice. There are always alternative courses for action. The development of a single plan, though, helps to coordinate efforts. it assists citizens, developers, and governmental officials by providing comprehensive views of the community's future.

  Simply put, comprehensive community planning has as its purpose to:

1. Prepare for events that are expected to happen,

2. Provide for that which the community wants to happen, and

3. provide for the prevention of that which the community does not want to happen.

It is a continuous process of supplying to local government and private enterprise advice on day-to-day decisions based on a statement of long-range community development objectives.

Without the widespread support of the people and their representative public officials no blueprint for the city's revival will be likely succeed. Thus, the purpose of this goal is not only to inform, but to persuade the citizens and city government that it is their best interest to take actions that will encourage new growth and development which is in harmony with existing development. Objectives include:

  1. Increasing effective citizen participation and input,

  2. Strengthening the leadership role of organizations concerned with the improvement of the physical environment,

  C. communicating the collective aspirations of various citizen groups to local governmental officials, and

  4. Providing a collective vision of what the city's center might become.

The central area of the city represents not only the visual focal point of the city, it also has the highest land and building values and accounts for the most intense area of public investment. The downtown area enjoys a reputation as a governmental, business and shopping center. It is logical that this current center be conserved not only because of its substantial tax base, but also because of its regional and symbolic significance. It is believed that the current investments within the central city can best be protected by:

  1. Capturing a larger share of the vast regional market

  2. Maintaining and improving the visual quality of the buildings within the central area

  3. Coordinating the design of the public open space within the central area, and

  4. Developing new structures that will attract additional customers to the central area.

  Citizen needs in the central area can be accommodated by:

  1. Expanding the range of merchandise and services available,

  2. Making the existing physical environment more attractive,

  3. Improving parking conditions, and

  4. Reducing pedestrian/vehicular conflicts.

Developing pride in the city is somewhat more difficult to deal with. Yet, it is this "spirit of the city" that is most essential to making the place a success. The city's spirit is sometimes concentrated in intangible things such as the quality of its education and culture, but more often than not the spirit is also associated with the city's most historic resources. After all how can any city have a spirit if it loses its soul? The old buildings and places remind everyone of Ravenna's unique history. Objectives, thus, include:

  1. Retaining the best examples of each of the architectural eras in Ravenna's history,

  2. Retaining those structures that are associated with Ravenna's important historical events and people,

  3. Restoring older buildings so that the upper and lower floors are more consistent with each other, and

  4. Developing new structures that are compatible with older structures but at the same time express current styles and technologies.

  Principles of Urban Design

Urban design is concerned with aesthetics, visual quality and human behavior. Design strives to create order, beauty and scale: Order concerns the logical, comprehensive arrangements of separate elements, including the disposition of one element to another; beauty, the quality that delights the senses or exalts the mind, the outward visual impression; and scale concerns the proportion of elements to the human figure that gives a sense of well-being and comfortable spatial relationships to the environment.

In generating an urban design plan for central Ravenna, design principles, discussed below, deal with movement and linkage, spatial form, and use of land.

  Movement and Linkage

With regard to movement, there are two types of circulation that must be considered: automobile and pedestrian. In so far as possible, each of these systems should be complete and continuous and conflicts between the systems should be minimal; i.e., pedestrian/vehicular conflicts should be avoided. When the decision to accommodate one of the systems is not obviously clear, the decision to accommodate the pedestrian should be given priority. This is recommended not only because nearly all recent commercial development in and around Ravenna is auto oriented. This is not to suggest that auto-oriented uses are bad, but rather that people should always be given a choice.

During the 1950s and 1960s automobile oriented shopping areas were popular, but during the 1980's, humanly scaled shopping environments in older areas re-emerged, and public space devoted to people rather than machines became valued. Indeed, throughout the centuries, public open space has provided an important social role in the life of individuals and communities; it was a place for friends to chat and businessmen to meet. In the re-development of Ravenna's historic center, places for social interaction should receive considerable attention in the form of improved streetscape and landscape. Not only should walkways and curbs be well maintained, but overhead wiring should be eliminated and street furniture, street signs, lamp posts, plantings etc. should be coordinated to provide a harmonious, comfortable environment.

Parking areas, too, should be made more safe and beautiful. The use of existing public and private parking should be coordinated so that the process of finding a parking space is less confusing and more satisfying. In order to reduce turning movement and pedestrian/vehicular confusion, routes to and from the parking area should be delineated for cars or people, not both. However, both the pedestrian and vehicular sequences should connect in an ordered, aesthetic environment which cue the movement, linkage and transition from one place to another.

  Spatial Form

With regard to spatial form, it is important to remember that in today's cities we must create new frontage onto the public open space by filling in the gaps that break up the consistency of the urban wall facing streets and squares. Continuity of the urban wall is important for achieving enclosure and creating a setting for street-level activities. In almost every city, a break in the wall, is followed by a reduction of commercial activity. This is also true in Ravenna. For example; along Main Street, the urban wall is broken between Cherry Way and Sycamore Street. After that gap, the intensity of commercial activity diminishes quickly. On East Main there is an auto-oriented use at Prospect, and similarly the level of commercial activity, guard against any use which would provide a gap in the urban wall; to expand intense commercial activity, close the gaps that currently exist.

The character of this closure is almost important as the continuity of the wall itself. Building height, materials, proportions and ornamentation greatly affect character. Therefore, it is important to reflect the existing silhouette of buildings as new ones are developed. Generally, cornice lines should be maintained at a similar height throughout the block though greater height may be given to corner sites and important social landmarks. New buildings should be kept in scale with the existing environment by respecting the rhythm of existing facades and the proportion of existing openings. Also, efforts should be made to match or complement existing materials. The fundamental rule is that no buildings or spaces should be designed without reference to the overriding existing spatial structure.

A second principle with regard to spatial form is that the entry points to the central area should have a clear identity. The transition from outside to inside should be represented by a gateway form which welcomes people upon entering and signals departure upon leaving.

A third principle is that the edges of the district should not be delineated by a street. Therefore, districts should be defined at mid-block rather than the center line of the street. Thus at the streets bordering the edges of the district, it is more important that the scale of buildings and spaces be similar to that which is across the street rather than that which is adjacent in the rear yard. This will provide a buffer between the central business district and the neighborhood surrounding it as well as preserving the character of the streets.

  Use of Land

Prior to the twentieth century there was little public control over the use of land. Market forces suggested the distribution of various use of land, and the lack of technology generally prohibited buildings above several stories. Therefore, the uses of land were generally mixed. Shop owners often lived over their businesses, and the intensity of use never became great. With the development of structural steel, the elevator; and the automobile, all this changed.

In order to prevent multi-storied buildings from being constructed adjacent to two- and three-story homes, it became necessary to segregate land uses into discrete zones in order to insure ample sunlight and promote the public welfare. The car enabled people to live farther from work, and thus streets needed to be wider to accommodate the additional traffic. The result has been that cities have been subdivided into homogeneous districts via zoning, and these zones have become separated by wide traffic arteries. Since the central areas contained the highest concentration of buildings, more space was needed for parking of cars. These changes had a disastrous affect on the central areas of cities. Because offices and shop uses could pay higher prices, than residential uses, people left the central city areas; downtowns became separated from other areas of the city by a sea of parking lots and, in larger cities, a ring of superhighways.

While Ravenna's central area is surrounded by parking, it is not cut off by highways. Moreover, the parking areas are not so vast that residents are widely separated from the center. Thus, as the city expands, great care should be taken to ensure that residential users are kept close to the center. Indeed, higher residential uses in the center and near the center should be encouraged. They could be used to provide a transition between the smaller scale residential units outside the district and the larger scale uses in the central area. Additional residential units not only would provide a built-in market for downtown merchants, it would reduce the need for additional highways and parking lots, conserve energy and make shopping and other public facilities more convenient to residents. Moreover, the mixing of land uses to promote 24 hour activity would expand the market, make better use of the public infrastructure investments and retain the city center as a multi-purpose district.

While the mixing of residential, retail and office uses at varied densities can create a more lively city center, the most important land use issue in the central area deals with auto-related uses. Some would argue that the downtown districts must become auto-oriented to remain competitive with strip commercial areas located on the periphery of the city. Others argue that if this were permitted the central city areas would become undifferentiated form the suburban shopping strips and thus, show no unique purpose. They argue that this would not only diminish the level of activity in the central area, it would destroy the historic heart and soul of the place.

Downtown Binghamton, New York, according to Mayor Junita Crabb, tried to compete with the suburbs by mimicking the suburban malls. It surrounded the downtown by parking, and replaced the deteriorating buildings on the edge of the downtown with new well landscaped drive-in facilities. Downtown, in essence, became an island cut off from the people who used to walk to it. The experiment was not a success, and Binghamton lost the one thing the suburban shops could not provide - the uniqueness of the historic structures. Therefore, in order to prevent this from happening in Ravenna, discourage auto-oriented uses in the downtown area, link the downtown to existing neighborhoods along the main thoroughfares and retain significant buildings which display the evolution and history of the city.

  Plan Description

In describing the plan, attention is first given to the development of public space. Public space consists of all space not owned by individuals, partnerships or corporations. The primary elements of public space include lands within the public rights-of-way, i.e., streets, alleys, sidewalks, squares and some parking areas. In this description, however, all parking areas, whether publicly or privately owned, are discussed under public improvements. Public spaces also consist of buildings owned and operated by the public, e.g., the courthouse, city hall, the fire station and the library. However, in this report any description of these buildings is included with the discussion of privately owned buildings, i.e., under private improvements. The same is true of quasi-public buildings, e.g., buildings owned by churches and lodges.

Private space consists of buildings and lots owned by individuals, partnerships and corporations. Generally, all residential, commercial and industrial uses are private.

  Public uses, of course, are supported via private individuals by taxes, gifts etc. Similarly, private uses are supported by public services, e.g. the provision of central water and sewer. Other forms of public support could come in the way of grants or incentives, e.g., more rapid depreciation allowances for people willing to restore historically significant structures. There is, thus, a symbiotic relationship between the public and private sectors. This relationship should be strengthened in any planning effort for it is not likely that any plan can be successfully implemented without a cooperative working relationship between these groups.

  PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS:

Circulation

In order to reduce pedestrian/vehicular conflicts and improve the flow of pedestrian and vehicular traffic, the following public rights-of-way should be converted from vehicular to pedestrian use:

  A. Between main Street and Locust Lane
1. Cherry Way
2. Park Way
3. Hickory Way
4. Plum Way

  B. Between North Chestnut and Hickory Lane
1. Locust Lane

  C. Between Main Street and Maple Lane
1. Cherry Way
2. Hickory Lane
3. Plum Way

  D. Maple Lane for its entire length

The conversion of these rights-of-way from vehicular to pedestrian use will not only reduce the large number of vehicular/pedestrian conflicts, and reduce street maintenance costs, but more importantly, it will permit the establishment of a convenient and beautiful system of pedestrian pathways that will link the parking areas to Main Street stores and the County Courthouse and Square. Appropriate landscaping of the pedestrian pathway system will make shopping downtown a more pleasant and satisfying experience. Hamid Shirvani suggests that a good pedestrian system reduces dependency on automobiles in a downtown area, increases trips downtown, enhances the environment by promoting a human scale system, creates more retailing activity and finally helps improve the quality of air.

These changes in the circulation system will also improve vehicular flow because turning movements in the more intensely developed areas of the center will be reduced, resulting in a smoother traffic flow on Main Street. This will be accomplished because vehicular access to the parking areas will be changed from Main Street to Cedar Avenue on the north and Spruce Avenue on the south.

  Parking

Many persons tend to blame the loss of business on insufficient and inconvenient parking even though poor customer relations, limited merchandise selection and high prices are just as likely to discourage sales. The parking problem in Ravenna is exacerbated by off street parking that is poorly marked and unattractive and by the intimidating path that leads from the parking area to Main Street. The proposed pathway just described should alleviate this problem. However, it is also necessary to provide off-street parking which is adequate, conveniently located and inviting. It is important for the customer to feel that his or her destination has been reached upon entering the parking lot. Parking lots should be clearly identified with attractive graphics. All downtown parking should be handled in the same manner so that the customer perceives it as a system and not as back alley parking.

The lots should be landscaped, well maintained, and the spaces marked. The link to Main Street must also be made inviting. It should be paved, well lighted, and enhanced by landscaping or graphics.

A small town must be very cautious, however, about demolishing Main Street buildings to provide parking. Spaces between buildings tends to suburbanize downtown and few people enjoy walking past parking lots. Therefore, in order to provide additional and more convenient parking, the following areas are recommended for acquisition:

  A. Property located at the northwest intersection of Locust Lane and
Cherry Way. (contains a residence and several garages).

  B. Property located north of Locust Lane between Meridian Street and

  C. Property along the east side of Hickory Lane adjacent to the
existing Post Office parking (contains a utility building [gas], a
garage and a residence).

  D. Property along the west side of Hickory Lane between Maple Lane and
Spruce Avenue (contains a multi-;urpose building).

  E. The rear portions of properties located at the intersection of
Maple lane and Plum Way (contain several garages).

  F. Properties on the east and west side of meridian Street adjacent to
Lynn Lane (contains several houses and garages).

  G. Properties between Sycamore Street and Cherry Way adjacent to Lynn
Lane (contains several houses and garages).

  Streetscape

Streetscape includes paving, trees, flowers, water, benches, lighting, kiosks, trash receptacles, drinking fountains, pieces of sculpture, clocks, fire plugs and other items normally found in the public rights-of-way. Traffic and informational signs are also considered part of the streetscape. These elements can contribute significantly to the image of the total environment. Therefore, great care should be taken in selecting and coordinating the elements of the streetscape system. Naturally, it is imperative that all of these elements be properly maintained and kept in good repair.

Sidewalks are a major element in streetscape design; and the existing sidewalks are in need of repair. Some are uneven and broken from heaving by tree roots or weather conditions. It is recommended that the sidewalks and curbs along Main Street be reconstructed at the same time the new pedestrian pathway system linking the parking areas and Main Street is built. This will provide visual consistency. The same system should be extended around the rear of the stores to encourage redevelopment and remodeling of rear building facades with possible rear entries from the pul\blic parking areas. It is suggested that brick be the major material for the new walkway system as it possesses a more interesting texture and more personal scale than concrete. Consideration might also be given to extending the brick pathways across Main Street in order to emphasize the importance and continuity of the pedestrian pathway system. In this plan the sidewalks are widened five feet on either side of Main Street to reduce the scale of the street and permit the planting of larger trees along the edge of the street.

Street trees are also considered one of the strongest elements in forming the impressions that people have of small towns. On Main Street, trees take on special importance: they soften the "hard" atmosphere of buildings, pavement and automobiles; they bring variety and life with the changing of the seasons; and they provide shade for shoppers while reducing the need for air conditioning.

For too many small towns, the comfortable ambience of shaded, tree-lined streets has been the "price of success." Once such an important aesthetic and practical asset, trees have been lost to disease and neglect, and to misguided expediency as streets were widened and electrical poles erected. The result is an environment that is barren and desolate, with streets that are too wide in relation to the buildings that flank them, and an intensity of heat and light that are unbearable.

There are two ways in which policy can help preserve and restore the role of trees in the environment; protect the trees that exist, and replace those that have been lost. A tree protection ordinance is based on the assumption that trees on public rights-of-way are a community resource whose fate should not be in the hands of any one individual or company. Such an ordinance requires a public hearing and a permit before any tree in the public domain can be removed. The burden of proof is placed upon those who wish to cut down the trees.

A tree planting program is an investment in the future-in five years the results are noticeable; in ten they are significant. In Ravenna, trees are to be encouraged along pedestrian pathways. Trees in both of these areas should have leaves of a lacy quality so that sunlight may filter through. Trees and shrubs used to screen parking lots should be more dense in character. The landscaping of the First Congregational Church and the Bank One drive-in facility provide good examples of the screening of cars and incorporation of green space within an urban area.

Although some elements of the appropriate streetscape exist within Ravenna's central area, greater coordination of all streetscape elements would improve the overall visual image of the community. For example, street names can now be found in several places; attached to utility poles, hanging from their own poles, and on concrete obelisks. A uniform sign type and standard location would reduce confusion and clutter. Similarly the condition and proliferation of parking meters are detracting elements in the downtown area. Possibly two meters could be placed on the same post, but in any case the meters need to be more carefully placed and properly cared for. Overhead wiring also contributes significantly to the visual clutter in the central area. While these wires might be somewhat masked by the planting of trees along Main Street a better solution would be to bury the wiring when the new pedestrian walkway system is installed. This would also provide the opportunity for installing new, smaller - more humanly scaled - turn-of-the-century street lamps more appropriate to the context of primarily late nineteenth century structures. In contrast, the existing fire hydrants appear compatible with the context, though perhaps they could be painted brightly to give them greater attention. Similarly, there are some iron benches that seem sympathetic to the context but these too should be painted and more thoughtfully placed throughout the entire central area.

An element within the downtown district that seems quite out of context with the late nineteenth century ambience is the chain link fence. Not only are such fences out of context, they do little to provide a warm and welcome feeling. Many of these chain link fences are unkempt, rusted or falling down, and it is recommended that such fences be removed. If fencing is needed, wrought iron is more in character with the context and would be more appropriate.

The improvement of public space will do much to enhance the beauty of downtown. In other towns where such public improvements have been made owners of individual businesses have made additional private improvements in their businesses. Moreover, merchants agreed that such projects restored pride in the city and people, once again, became proud of their downtown area.

The cost of such public improvements, however, is not insignificant. Normally, such improvements may be financed through general revenues, front space assessments or the creation of a special taxing district. If this proves to be too expensive, a program of gradual capital public sector improvements extended over a period of time in accordance with a master plan may be an acceptable alternative. If the latter method is selected, some tasks should be undertaken as soon as possible to build the confidence of merchants and show signs of caring for shoppers.

  Normally, all public improvements within the central area should conform to the "Site Planning and Landscape Standards" advocated in the Ravenna Historic Design Guidelines.

The development of public space in downtown Ravenna is a very significant element of the plan. A coordinated public space infrastructure system can do much to unify the image of the area thus creating a more charming and attractive environment.

  PRIVATE IMPROVEMENTS:

The recommendations in this section relate to properties that are privately owned within Ravenna's central area. These guidelines are principally of two types:

1. Suggestions to owners of buildings that are in substantially sound condition but need "rehabilitation."

2. Suggestions to owners of properties which are not developed at present or which require total redevelopment. In either of the latter cases, new structures are required and these are referred to here as "infill" structures.

This section also contains recommendations for the signing of both rehabilitated and infill structures.

  Rehabilitation

These guidelines apply only to the exteriors of buildings and more specifically to their front and rear facades. Moreover, the term rehabilitation as used here, is an umbrella term and includes all of the more definitive terms used in Ravenna's Historic Design Guidelines: e.g., preservation, restoration, reconstruction, replication and remodeling. The purpose of these guidelines is to ensure that the individual owners are working toward a common goal in the improvement of their individual properties; i.e. there should be a visual harmony among rehabilitation efforts and assurance that the individual efforts are not working at cross purposes.

The underlying principle regarding all of these recommendations is that all buildings should be rehabilitated in the spirit of the times in which they were originally constructed. That is, buildings of the 1890's should be rehabilitated in the spirit of that era; whereas, buildings originally constructed in the 1950s should be rehabilitated in that spirit. Nevertheless, in all of these efforts, there should be an overriding respect for the character of the larger community context and no building, regardless of its style or ear should be so bold as to detract from the overall spirit of the place. Thus, the major goal in rehabilitation work is to be sure that the rehabilitation effort is compatible with the original building and the street as a whole.

A major concern in the rehabilitation of older buildings is to develop a more sympathetic visual relationship between upper-floor and ground-floor facades. A typical occurrence has been remodeled several times during the life of the building while the upper floor has not. Therefor, the upper story of buildings is often more in harmony with the stated rehabilitation goal than the ground floor of the facade. Several things may be done to ameliorate the disparity between upper floor and ground floor images. A first step would be to remove what has been added to the building over the years, e.g., a projected mansard roof over the walls or large fluorescent sign over the entry. Once the superfluous appendages have been removed, a second step is to restore the structural integrity of the building. The structural columns and apparent weight of walls expressed on the upper floors should be visually carried through the first floor facade to the ground.

While it is structurally possible to hold up a massive amount of weight by transferring upper floor loads to side walls via large transfer beams, it is not visually satisfying to see large massive weights which appear to be supported solely by glass. In any remodeling effort, the storefront should remain delicate in appearance. Large display windows should not be blocked up. However, thin framing members may be used to reduce the apparent scale of larger glass areas making them more compatible in scale with upper floor windows. In any case the storefront portion of the building should not dominate the facade. Rehabilitation efforts should not extend the storefront onto the upper facade or mask corner pilasters, masonry side walls or other visible means of support.

On upper stories a common problem is that original windows have been replaced with newer, smaller, windows which may conserve energy but which nearly always destroy the proportions and character of the building. The new windows may have also been installed because the interior ceiling of the building has been lowered. In either case great care should be taken to retain the original proportions of wall to opening. Also, the style of replacement windows should be sympathetic to the original building. Tinted and reflected glass should not be permitted. if a new lower interior ceiling must be installed below the height of existing windows, the dropped ceiling should be raised adjacent to the window wall. Good examples of rehabilitation in Ravenna include the Etna House at the corner of West Main Street and Park Way and the Sandvoss and Lentz portion of the Reed block on West Main.

Because the plan calls for the upgrading of off-street parking areas located to the rear of the existing commercial structure considerably greater care should be given to the improvement of these second facades. In particular, attention should be given to the provision of a public entry from the parking area. These improvements could do much to attract additional customers to the store. The following improvements are also suggested:

  1. Maintaining the rear portion of the lot

  2. Screening the refuse containers, air conditioning units, storage
areas etc.

3. Installing a rear display window, awnings, a small attractive sign
and planter boxes.

In performing this work, all special architectural features of the building should be preserved and enhanced. In developing a new facade design it may be helpful to search for old photos which would give clues to how the buildings have evolved over time. Care should be taken to ensure that the materials and colors selected are in character with the buildings and neighborhood. It is also helpful to consult with experienced architects and contractors in this effort. In many cases extensive rehabilitation may not be required. The removal of superfluous additions and signs along with repointing the brick may be sufficient to restore the building's character. however, great care should be taken in cleaning of building surfaces. In particular, sandblasting of brick is not encouraged because it tends to damage the integrity of the material causing more rapid deterioration.

  Infill Construction

The construction of new buildings on vacant or under-utilized sites along Main, Chestnut and Prospect Streets is part of the strategy for revitalizing Ravenna's central area. The design of the new storefronts requires the analysis of existing surrounding buildings so that new uses don't conflict with older structures.

Although the appearance of new infill buildings should be sensitive to the character of neighboring storefronts, they should look new. Avoid attempts to create a false historic look as such a strategy usually fails to match the existing buildings and detracts from the character of the area. If the design of a new facade is guided by the appearance of its neighbors, and at the same time reflects the best of contemporary design, the infill building will be visually compatible with the older buildings. Keep in mind that a proper balance should be achieved between existing architectural styles and good contemporary design elements. Specific considerations include:

1. Height: Infill construction should respect the prevalent existing building heights. Try to maintain the common height of the surrounding buildings so that the visual continuity of the central commercial area is kept intact.

2. Width: Again, the emphasis of infill design is on the maintenance of visual continuity of Ravenna's central area. If the building site is larger than one storefront in width, divide the facade into smaller bays to match the width of existing storefronts.

3. Rooflines: The style and form of the roof line should be similar to adjoining buildings-in most commercial areas this means a flat roof. Avoid mansard, shed or peaked roof lines when designing an infill building. The roofline of a corner building may be slightly higher but similar in profile to adjacent buildings.

4. Materials and Colors: a new building should not stand out against the existing buildings on the street. Although the specific design requirements of the new building will determine the materials to be used, the colors and textures should be influenced by the surrounding structures. Simplicity is preferred.

5. Setbacks: When considering an infill structure's relationship to the street, try to match the setbacks of existing buildings. Except for the creation of pedestrian space, preserve the linear continuity of the strip by placing the buildings parallel to the street. Emphasis should be placed on providing access to pedestrians; avoid automobile oriented, franchise-type structures.

6. Rhythm and Proportion of Openings:
Window openings on existing buildings, including large storefront display windows, and smaller second and third story window, should be emulated in newly constructed buildings, Also, the ratio of window openings to solid wall should be maintained.

Infill buildings which should be encouraged within Ravenna's central area include uses which would expand the commercial market and attract additional persons to the downtown area. Specifically, these would include a small hotel and conference center, a full service restaurant, movie theater and professional offices, apartments and condominiums. A possible location for the hotel-conference and entertainment center is the block bounded by East Main, Prospect, Spruce and Plum Way. Other sites for infill buildings may be found on East Main Street between Walnut and Clinton and on West Main Street between Cherry Way and Vine.

More specific guidelines for the rehabilitation of masonry, wood, roofs, windows, porches, entries, storefronts and structures may be found in the Ravenna historic Design Guidelines.

  Signs

Signs are necessary to identify businesses and create an individual business image. The use of signs also has an impact on the appearance and image of an entire commercial area. In recent years many commercial areas have become cluttered with large, brightly colored signs. While signage in central Ravenna is not as bad as in outlying areas the competition among businesses to advertise their goods and services has sometimes resulted in a chaotic, overwhelming display of signs that detract from one another and affect the overall appearance of the commercial area. The image of a commercial area and an individual business can be enhanced if the signage guidelines included in the Ravenna Historic District Guidelines were applied to the entire central area district. It is believed that adherence to these guidelines would protect property values, create a more attractive economic and business climate, preserve the dignity and architectural significance of the historic district and provide for a more enjoyable and pleasing community for citizens and visitors.

  Approaches

The approaches into the central area from the east and west along Main Street (State Route 59) are very important to one's perception of the city. Students approaching the city from the east tended to think that the condition of the city center was more positive than students who approached the city from the west. This difference in perception was generally due to the fact that the approach from the east had greater continuity in land use, a more consistent scale in terms of building forms and open space, a more even distribution of trees and buildings, and better maintenance of structures. Also, from the eastern approach, there were fewer disruptive elements, i.e., inappropriately scaled signs, and exposed surface parking areas. Thus, the approach from the west is a primary area of concern. Passage through this area sets up an initial impression of Ravenna that is not altogether positive. While this approach strip is quite lengthy, the only area studied was the area between Diamond and Sycamore Streets.

The major problems in this area were the lack of curbing along West Main Street, uncontrolled entrance and egress from Main Street, large exposed surface parking areas, exposed utility lines, uncoordinated signage, inconsistency of landscape and lack of unity in building scale and architectural character.

Considerable progress in improving the visual appearance of the area could be made by installing street curbs, controlling access, replacing inappropriate signs and adding appropriate plantings. These improvements would not only reduce the visual clutter that now exists, but they would also provide a sense of unity for the area and provide the pedestrian with safer, more humanly scaled routes to the central area of Ravenna. At a later date, overhead wiring could be placed underground and new iron light posts could be installed.

Longer range proposals might deal with the remodeling or redevelopment of some building sites. For example; Y-Mart and Sherwin Williams might be reorganized into a single composition with improved signing and landscaping. Other structures, e.g., The Crock Pot, have perhaps outlived their usefulness. Such structures might be removed and replaced with other, higher intensity uses such as townhouses or apartments. These would not only increase the tax base but also enlarge the potential market for downtown since these are within walking distance of the site.

Another area of ambiguity within this strip is the vicinity near where the former Penn Central Rail line crosses West Main Street. Presently this area is scaleless and bleeds out in several directions. This space needs to be integrated with some of the existing structures so that a well defined exterior space is created, and a new context is developed. A possible theme for such a place might be Ravenna during the railroad era. Old trains and landscaping might be used to link the old mill and the newer fast food restaurants. Outdoor picnic areas and a bike path could be provided along the old railway right-of-way. Such a park would not only provide a place for reflecting on the historical impact of the RAvenna railroad era, it would also provide a sense of focus for the area and act as a gateway to the central business district from the west.

As previously mentioned, the experience of passage along East Main Street to the town center provides a more consistent entry than is found on West Main Street. Here, one passes by a street of well maintained historic homes; in addition, the old trees provide a canopy over the street.The general ambience is one of elegance and grace. Nevertheless, there are improvements that could be made. For example, the gasoline service station at Freedom and East Main seems inappropriate. It is hoped that one day it might be replaced with a residential use or, if uneconomical, and office use with a residential scale and parking confined to the rear. The scale of the office building at the southeast corner of East Main and Lawrence also seems inappropriate, but its appearance could be improved by providing a pitched roof and exterior materials and window and door openings similar to those found in the immediate neighborhood. Moving the parking to the rear of the structure and adding new landscaping would make this use appear much less conspicuous.

However, the area between Ravenna High School and Reed Library on both sides of the street provides the greatest design challenge of East main Street. This area provided a great opportunity to link not only the high school and library, but also the East Main Street historic District with downtown Ravenna. The potential for creating a beautiful pedestrian connection between these areas is largely undeveloped at present, and because there is already one well maintained and well landscaped structure on the north side of the street that provides a cue to the scale and type of use that is appropriate for linking these areas; the building houses Dr. Miller's Family Dental Practice and the office of Attorney Douglas Kehres. The design challenge is great because most of the other uses on the north side of the street are small, evenly spaced, structures setback at various distances from the street completely surrounded by parking, and the only building on the south side of the street is an auto-oriented use surrounded by parking. While the new structure is not poorly designed, and it is well landscaped, it is not the type of use that should be encouraged in an area where pedestrian linkage is desired. While this single auto-oriented use will not destroy the potential pedestrian linkage desired the proliferation of similar uses would. Therefore, additional auto-oriented uses should not be encouraged in this area and access to parking associated with any new use in this area should not be from Main Street. Further, all surface parking areas should be placed to the rear of the buildings and appropriately buffered from the street and surrounding uses. Appropriate use in this area might include apartments, condominiums, town houses, or professional offices and retail uses provided that they have a residential character appropriate to the neighborhood context.

The design of the approaches to the central historic area is critical to the image of the city. Care should be taken to re-claim the ambiguous space that now exists between the residential districts and downtown. By integrating buildings and activities in these approach ways to the city, it is possible to design continuous pedestrian spaces without the negative gaps that often disrupt the spatial flow. If these approaches are made more continuous, the flow will increase and the level of activity in the central area will build.

  IMPLEMENTATION

It is hoped that these planning efforts will have generated sufficient interest among Ravenna citizens and leaders so that the community will want to continue to pursue redevelopment of Ravenna's historic central area. This process of implementation will require the adoption of plans, policies, guidelines, and programs; collaboration with a wide variety of individuals and groups; the ability to search for opportunities for incremental actions; the willingness to accommodate modification and change; and the persuasiveness to generate political support and financial capital.

The plan shown and described in this report is an essential part of the planning process. It provides a basis for discussion. Does it reflect the true aspirations of the community? Is it based upon realistic assumptions? Can support be generated to implement the plan? If people can respond positively to these questions, then the plan should be adopted. If they cannot, the plan needs to be modified so that it reflects the desires of the citizens and generates the support of a large diverse group of people that are willing to work to support it. Such a plan needs to be accompanied by design policies that are indirect design methods including regulatory means of implementation or investment programs and other means of causing direct design policies to be implemented.

The Ravenna Design Review Commission's Ravenna Historic Design Guidelines is an example of a regulating mechanism which is already in place. Design guidelines, however, are normally more precise than those enumerated in the Ravenna Guidelines. Typically such guidelines show, graphically, in a very organized manner, the use of land along a pedestrian route, parking, access to property, building appearance and configuration, landscape and signs. See, for example, the graphic design guidelines for the City of Long Beach shown in Figure 103.

Programs are those aspects of planning and design that maintain and preserve the existing environment as well as the environments that will be created. Often programs deal with a particular aspect of the overall plan e.g., "A Program for the Developing Multi-Family Housing In Downtown Ravenna." All four of these products, i.e., plans, policies, guidelines and programs may be useful marketing tools in revitalizing downtown Ravenna. Various legal and financial mechanisms may be used to implement the plan. Space does not permit a full discussion of these here. However, special mention should be given here to Dorothy David's paper on the "Economic Development of Ravenna's Preservation Plan." The paper includes a discussion of financing options available to groups desiring to implement preservation plans. Likewise, many other techniques for successful implementation of plans have been advocated. Four are described in the paragraphs below.

  According to Weiming Lu, any group:

1. Must establish a direct communication link to the chief executive of the city, be it the city council, city manager or mayor;

2. Should be given a certain level of discretion, limited in varying ways, dependent on many factors, and specific to the particular city; at the very least, the reviewers should have a chance to review proposed design and to respond directly to the chief executive;

3. Must develop a strong rapport with business and public interest groups and with other departments of the city;

4. Should have an adequate budget, a competent staff, and the ability to engage outside consultants when required.

  The HUD publication, Lessons from Local Experience (1981), suggests that success in urban design "often hinges on several detailed arrangements" and that the organization of the design function "may not be the crucial factor." Important ingredients include;

1. A "political constituency that supports the...group doing urban environmental design";

2. A "matter between what officials consider to be the most pressing issues and the agenda of designers."

3. "durability of organizational arrangements" (a long term project requires a long-team or the design committee), and

4. "the ability to attract and maintain highly skilled staff. As in the first list above, Lessons mentions "formal and informal linkages between decision - makers and desinger" as essential to effective urbban design and to the gaining of sufficient funds for the agency.

Andy Euston has indicated that successful urban design results from overcoming "the familiar intramural habits of mind and prerogative that tend to rigidify public decision making." he further states that "consensus building, option identifying, commitment seeking...must characterize the behavior and procedure adopted by local government."

The ground rules for successful urban design clear statement of purposes are a well-established planning program, a clear statement of purpose, a procedural description (design manuals, logical steps, and so on), a well-developed financial program, citizen participation, and lobbying.

These suggestions should be kept in mind by citizens rallying support for their plan's implementation. Indeed, implementation is seldom a linear process; it begins with a widely accepted view of an environmental problem and ends with a modified city environment. Usually, it involves experimentation, trial, and several successive approximations of the "right" action. it is best thought about as a learning process, where the course is adjusted based on reactions to each step along the way.

Only one thing is certain. Ravenna will change just as surely as it has in the past. The photo on the cover reminds us how Ravenna has changed in the last 80 years. Imagine now, how Ravenna could look 80 years hence. Then organize and work hard to ensure that your dream is achieved. In the process of building your dream you will probably argue with your freinds, work endless hours, and wonder if you should be spending more time with your family. But in the end you will look back and say with pride: "I helped Ravenna become this beautiful place."

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