Speed Zone Public Hearing Draws Crowd


(posted July 31)


The sticky points still remain to be addressed by the Speedway Redevelopment Commission concerning the Speed Zone's Master Plan. Approximately 600 people attended the public hearing to voice support and concerns about the future redevelopment of Speedway.

Jennifer Lyttie's support for the plan is an 180 degree turn since she first heard that the realignment of Main Street and Crawfordsville Road would mean the end of her business, Affaire All Occasion Cater, at 4900 W. 16th Street. At the May 1 Main Street workshop meeting she told the group that she felt like her world was coming to an end, that the limited access to Main Street defined Main Street and she did not want to open Main Street for traffic and speed control reasons. At Monday's meeting she told the SRC the proposed fountain would probably be where her business is, but redevelopment is needed. She said Main Street looks "dumpy" as she looks out from her window. "When I look down the road, there is nothing there to catch my eye," she said.

She noted that she is expanding her business in other states, and that Speedway was not a key to her business survival, but would like to stay to keep her kids in Speedway Public Schools. Lyttie agreed that the IMS fencing along Georgetown needs to be moved to provide better pedestrian safety because she has been pinned against the fence twice. That was turning point for Lyttie to get on board with progress to move Georgetown Road to expand the pedestrian promenade. SRC member Vince Noblet talked about the inaccessibility that ambulances have while trying to drive inside the fence line on Georgetown Road. Noblet observed an ambulance that caused people to be squeezed into the fence. She ranked "the pinned to the fence experience" as 90 percent of the reason why she changed her mind to support progress. "The evolution of safety mandates the road to be closed," she said. Lyttie noted Main Street business owners cannot wear blinders nor believe business will always be as usual when living next to a major venue.

"You have to expect future expansion," she said. Lyttie is wasting no time. She started packing on July 31 and is ready to sell her unwanted personal property. She wants to reduce her moving costs as much as possible. She is only taking the bare essentials that are needed to keep her business running. She wants the least amount of interruption to her catering business when it is time to go. She said being a tenant she is probably more vulnerable because she would not know the negotiations or sale of the building if the SRC purchased it from her landlord. She warned the public that moving 4900 W. 16th Street for the sake of history is a mistake. She said she is no structural engineer but the building's floor sags in certain areas. She recommended they take the bricks dated April 5, 1909 from the basement along with their stories and place them in a new visitors center to showcase the town. She did not want to stand in the way of progress and she hopes the other business owners on Main Street will not look at themselves as victims. She said it is about choice and that she wants to be a survivor in progress. She thinks some of the business owners are too focused on the short term, worried about parking instead of thinking their business can grow nine fold because of redevelopment.

Charles Murdock noted that he lives across from the track and has never noticed people being pinned to the fence when emergency vehicles are going down Georgetown Road.

Laura Patterson asked the SRC not to vacate Georgetown as proposed. She said the IMS events are not as crowded as they were in 1995, and the IMS has done little as far as security measures go. A no fly zone has not been instituted since the first year after 9-11. Purses, coolers, cars and bags are not checked. She preferred them to instigate these measure first before digging up Georgetown Road.

Julia Pratt expressed concerns that if the SRC begins part of the $63 million road projects of realigning 16th, vacating Georgetown, and realigning Tenth that the construction will prevent ambulance and emergency vehicles from getting to their calls in a timely manner. Pratt is more aware of these types of issues as she cares for her aging parents that have been in need of emergency care and require frequent visits to medical appointments.

She noted that Lynhurst Drive is not comparable to Georgetown Road to handle the new traffic growth. Once Georgetown is vacated from 16th to 25th Street, she will have to pass three school zones and contend with parked cars that reduce Lynhurst to one lane each way, in addition to more traffic lights on the commute. That is not the case for Georgetown Road where the speed limit is 40 mph.

Attorney Greg Zubeck, representing the Murdocks and Beaudrys, asked the SRC how they can expand the master plan nine blocks north of north boundary to include El Lou Mobile at 1708 Georgetown Road and Indy Screen Prints at 1652 Georgetown Road.

He represented Beaudry family when the SRC was initially forming the TIF boundaries. He noted at that time they were reassured the north boundary was capped at 16th Street. He said that vacating Georgetown Road would be comparable to a taking of these businesses because they would no longer have access.

Karen Such LaRosa, who resides on Ford Street, said her home would be adjacent to the alley if the master plan is carried out. The master plan illustrates the first two homes just west of the alley missing from the map. She opposed the idea because this meant her house would be next to the alley. She expressed her concern about the potential increase of delivery truck traffic to service the Main Street businesses. She is concerned for the safety of her grandchild out playing next to an alley.

Frank Van Overmeiren said he was glad to see the SRC reassessing the buildings for their historical value. Van Overmeiren owns the former bank building at 1520 Main Street. The importance of preserving historic buildings even grabbed the attention of the Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana, their representative voiced support for preserving the buildings. Main Street was designated a National Historic District in 2005.

Mary Ann O'Neal endorsed the plan. She told the SRC there is "quiet support" looking forward to the improvements.

The SRC will address the issues at the August 20 meeting at 6 pm in the high school auditorium. SRC President Scott Harris said engineering could begin as early as the fourth quarter of 2007 with actual changes taking place by 2008. The goal is to cooperate with the IMS' 100th Anniversary celebration in 2011. He noted it would be a public private venture, but did not name the parties involved, saying they planned to bypass federal funding to avoid being bogged down with government bureaucracy to meet the timetable of redevelopment.