The Illustrative Plan
Many of the general design concepts are documented in the Illustrative Plan.  This drawing shows a layout of streets, blocks and alleys and their relationship to public spaces and existing views.  Actual building types, lots and their sizes are not illustrated in a site specific way.  This has been done in order to maintain flexibility in evolving the plan.

Concepts regarding the relationship of buildings to streets, street design and public spaces, building placement and architecture are explained in the design guidelines; the final details and adopted construction plan should result from collaboration between the City and the developer selected in a Request for Proposals process.
 
 
 
 

 Celebrate the Green Edge
The ravines and tree lines are part of what make the Peninsula special.  These natural amenities should be celebrated  as public spaces for the enjoyment of the  community and trail users.  Thoughtfully sited overlooks provide seating and gathering areas.

Low retaining walls, typical in older Iowa City neighborhoods, help situate the homes on the gentle slope.  Illustrated is one of the “Green Edge Streets” such as South Willenbrock Circle or Walker Terrace.
 
 
 
 

Comfortable Streets with Great Views
The gracious residential roads and streets in the Peninsula should be quiet and safe for children and the elderly.  Shade trees create a comfortable environment.  Houses placed close to the street create interest and natural surveillance.  Communal front porches should be the norm. Several of the streets have long views of the nearby green spaces.  These streets will be pleasurable to walk and will add value to homes.  Pictured here is a view that could be enjoyed on North Willenbrock Circle, Carlton Street, or Ball Street.
 
 
 
 

A Mix of Housing Types
Lifestyles vary; people and families have different needs.  Many of the households being created today in Iowa City are quite different from the “Ozzie and Harriet” suburban households of the past.  So-called “Empty Nesters” and other household types are attracted to smaller lots and lower maintenance.  A mix of housing types can offer a wide range of homes to satisfy those needs.  These types can be mixed closely together.  For example; attached rowhouses can sit comfortably next to detached homes on the same street or block.
 
 
 
 

A Variety of Streets
The Peninsula has both generously wide streets as well as a small number of narrower, more intimate street spaces.  The narrower, “give- way” streets will create interesting options for pedestrians.
 
 
 
 
 

The Neighborhood Center
The square, which we have named Emma Harvat Square, is the center of the Peninsula neighborhood.  It is the central, narrower area of land that unites the upper neighborhood and the lower neighborhood.  The square is a neighborhood  meeting place, sometimes quiet contemplative space, and sometimes filled with activity.  In the morning parents can drop their children off at the daycare center and pick up a cup of coffee at Emma’s corner store on the way to work.  Throughout the day,  many people enjoy the shaded square while waiting for the bus.  The Iowa River Corridor Trail is aligned to route trail users to the square, so that they can stop at the square to rest and buy refreshments.  The on-street parking along the square doubles as trailhead parking- not at the edge of the neighborhood, but at its center where visits and activities are desirable.

The square will become the natural place for everything from community gatherings and holiday events to casual frisbee games after school.  It will be the “postcard” symbol of the neighborhood.
 
 
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