Sherman Plaza Streetscape, Evanston, Ill.

By Jodi Mariano, ASLA, Teska Associates, Inc.

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Strolling through the heart of downtown Evanston is exciting again. Inviting retail stores, a new municipal parking garage and a condominium tower breathe life into the downtown. Punctuated by tiered raised planters, richly textured specialty paving, decorative lighting and dynamic public art, the surrounding streetscape celebrates Evanston’s walkable urban center.

The development was a joint venture between Focus Development Inc. and Klutznick-Fisher Development Co. It occupies nearly a city block and includes about 253 residential condominiums, lofts and penthouse residences, a municipal garage with 1,585 spaces, and 152,000 square feet of retail space. Current retail tenants include Barnes & Noble Booksellers, Ann Taylor Loft, Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spa, Levi’s, North Face, and LA Fitness.

Teska Associates prepared urban design concepts, construction documents and construction oversight for the Sherman Plaza development that complement the downtown master planned streetscape design theme. Unique to Sherman Plaza are streetscape features that include specialty paving, decorative lighting, custom fabricated seatwall height planters, site furnishings, specialty plantings and designations for public art.

Cast-in-place seatwall-height concrete planters, custom fabricated, separate vehicles and pedestrians.

Hardscape product selections reference the existing products used throughout downtown Evanston. The design incorporates Evanston standard hardscape materials creatively reorganized with new forms that celebrate the revitalized downtown city block. Special consideration was made to create a comfortable and generous walking environment. This was accomplished by locating raised seatwall height concrete planters that separate vehicles from pedestrians. As well, building storefronts were set back from the right-of-way line to maximize the walkable sidewalk area.

Vendors

• Clay brick pavers: Pine Hall Brick Co.
  Pinehall Evanston Mix
  4"x8"x2"
• Precast Concrete Pavers: Wausau Tile
  Wausau 4 Color Evanston Blend
  12"x12"x2" (pedestrian); 12"x12"x2" (vehicular)
• Custom cast-in-place raised concrete planters
• Precast Concrete Planter Pots: Wausau Tile
  Evanston Precast Planter with
  Evanston Banding, Evanston Mix
• Tree Grates: Ironsmith, “Starburst”
• Bike Bollards: Victor Stanley, #BKR-35T, bronze
  Trash Receptacles: Victor Stanley, S-424, bronze finish

Sherman Plaza Streetscape Team

• Developer: Focus Development, Northfield, Ill.
  
• Project Architect: OKW Architects, Chicago
  
• Project Landscape Architect: Teska Associates, Evanston, Ill.
  
• General Contractor: WE O’Neil, Chicago
  
• Paving Contractor: Onscape, Glenview, Ill.
  
• Landscape Contractor: Moore Landscapes, Northbrook, Ill.