This study has contributed to two areas of growing interest and involvement: the knowledge base of public participation in community workshops for design practitioners and Muncie's White River project.Two community workshops were conducted and compared to study their processes and end results. All variables were constant between both workshops with the exception of a video, When the Wind Stops by Dianne Haak and Bernard Wilets, shown at the beginning of only one workshop. The group dynamics of the workshops were reviewed to understand their influence. It was determined that group size, persons conducting the workshops, the video, and the composition of the participants all affected the workshops' process and results.Focusing on the proposed White River Corridor Greenway, participants generated 183 ideas for increasing use and extending ownership of the river to the community. Participants produced 51 benefits, 85 potential physical development, and 47 programs and activities for improving connections to the creation and use of the river greenway. / Department of Landscape Architecture

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the transportation estimation in Metropolitan Muncie for the year 2000 done in 1975. The basis for evaluation is the present situation data. From these findings I expect to learn from what was correct and what was inaccurate in their projections. Finally, this study could present several recommendations for long-range transportation planning study in the future.Barton-Aschman Associates (B-A-A) transportation planning for Metropolitan Muncie for the year 2000 based on the year 1975 is a part of Delaware-Muncie Metropolitan Transportation Estimations. The B-A-A had done many studies for Metropolitan Muncie, including a comprehensive plan, to support transportation projections. Land-use, socio-economic, and vehicle travel were examined in order to produce accurate transportation estimates. Socio-economic variables for Metropolitan Muncie are population, occupied dwelling units, employment, and automobiles.Trip generation, trip distribution, mode choice, trip assignment, and traffic volume are projected in the final estimations. But this project focuses on relationships among variables: land-use, zoning change, population, occupied dwelling units, employment, average daily traffic volume (ADT), assigned over service volume, and level of service (L.O.S.) that were projected by the B-A-A and for the present situation in Metropolitan Muncie.Overall proposed land-uses in the transportation study coincide well with the actual situation 1992. But commercial land-use growth along West Bethel Ave and McGsllinrd Ave in Metropolitan Muncie was not foreseen by the transportation study.Overall estimations of population and occupied dwelling units in Metropolitan Muncie agree well with the present situation. But in tract 9.01, 19.01, and 19.02 in north Metropolitan Muncie the present situation does not follow the transportation estimations closely and major differences appear between socio-economic estimations and the actual situation. Estimations of employment by the B-A-A are not closely with the present situation.Overall transportation estimates of average daily traffic volume and assigned over service volume in Metropolitan Muncie picture the present situation well on several roads but also not so well on the other roads. The B-A-A projections of Level of Service (L.O.S.) are very close with the present situation. / Department of Urban Planning

A significant problem for small cities is a lack of a sense of community. In some multicultural cities, land use in such categories as residential, commercial, industrial and educational forms separate uses or locations. Such segregation leads ultimately to a city stagnation which eliminates the essential life of vibrant and healthy cities. People commute from zone to zone only when necessary. Each territory is connected by automobile. Therefore, there is no interrelation which can cause discontinuity and fragmentation. The business zones are vacant at night because nobody lives there. People in the residential zones have few public facilities and places for diverse activities outside their houses within an intimate distance. Nevertheless, to eliminate segregation is not an answer. Each function improves when segregated at a certain level, but it also requires a close interaction with the other functions in order to maintain its vibrancy. / Department of Architecture

This creative project has analyzed the feasibility of project #35 of the Delaware County Long Range Plan. This analysis was accomplished by determining if present capacity is adequate to accommodate traffic volumes projected using current data. Once this relationship was determined, alternatives were developed that would aid in maximizing the efficiency of traffic movement in the corridor. Eventually it was concluded that the project should be undertaken with some minor additions. / Department of Urban Planning

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, Muncie's city center was the core of urban life. It was similar to many industrial cities of the late 1800s, where the central business district was the hub of activities. The urban fabric in Muncie has changed significantly over the years, making it a city with very little activity in the city center. Downtown revitalization has therefore been an important task for civic leaders in the city. There are various revitalization strategies that aid in city center revival. Some have been classified as incremental, while some as catalysts. The first approach seeks to revitalize a city center using programs that show results over a period of time. The second approach depends on the successful development of a large project like a shopping mall, convention center or a hotel that brings back life in the city center. The goal of this study is to prove the effectiveness of colleges and universities as catalysts in downtown revitalization. Researched material suggests that various communities across the United States are harnessing the resources and forming partnerships with their host universities in order to aid in downtown revitalization efforts. Traditionally, universities and colleges in the United States developed away from the city center, but physically shifting downtown has proven effective in reviving the deteriorating condition of economically deprived communities. The proposed Integration Plan is aimed at guiding as well as providing ideas to further enhance the downtown revitalization process in the City of Muncie. / Department of Urban Planning

The purpose of this creative project was to bring about the development and hypothetical implementation of development guidelines for the McGalliard Road commercial corridor in Muncie, Indiana, as an example of how the development guidelines can improve the development character, safety, and creativity within Muncie's urban arterial corridors. The project introduces the development guidelines, explains the existing conditions along McGalliard Road in terms of transportation efficiency, safety, and aesthetics, implements a model design alternative along McGalliard Road based on the guidelines, and presents implementation strategies and recommendations for changes in current development regulation policies which would bring about these changes for arterial commercial developments in the city of Muncie. / Department of Urban Planning

The objective of the study is to propose a strategy to revitalize Muncie's downtown through cultural tourism. This is seen as a critical catalyst to help preserve the historical fabric of the downtown.Muncie's downtown, with its historical and cultural assets, has an opportunity to attract the tourism, convention, and conference business which in turn can support hotels, restaurants, specialty shops, and entertainment establishments.In view of above, this creative project attempts to revitalize downtown through linking and promoting cultural tourism facilities like museums, theaters and festivals, convention and conference centers, and specialty shops.A transport loop connecting the tourist anchors like Ball State University, Minnitrista Cultural Center, and downtown of has been proposed. The tourist routes in Muncie and to East Central Indiana have been identified to enable the visitors to visit tourist destinations easily. Signage, and banners have been proposed along major routes to give proper orientation to visitors and also to enhance the image of Muncie.A strategy has been outlined for the preservation historical buildings through adaptive reuse. All these proposals have been incorporated as an urban design strategy. / Department of Architecture

This creative project is a rivitalization plan of the McKinley neighborhood, Muncie, Indiana. This project is focused primarily on the existing problems, as they related to the expanding urban pattern in the City of Muncie, and uses an urban design process to produce a final research paper and neighborhood design proposal incorporating social, residential, commercial, recreational, streetscape and industrial uses, public facilities, zoning traffic systems and pedestrians. In addition this project includes a design for a portion of McKinley neighborhood (located between Jefferson and Madison street, being bordered on the south by Race street). It is a case study aimed at improving the new use of housing as well as relating to harmony within this neighborhood. / Department of Architecture

In this study, Multidimensional Scaling of a reperatory grid using five point scale was found to be a flexible, precise and sensitive method of measuring visual quality and preference. The results of the multidimensional scaling were found to be consistent with the arithmetic means of a five point rating scale. Each of the two major dimensions of the spatial configuration gave important insights into the criteria by which Muncie residents (Ball State Students) evaluated townscapes. "Dim 1" revealed the importance of whether the townscapes have dense or little vegetative cover, and "Dim 2" indicated that visual perception of a townscape is influenced by whether it is "old" or "new". In addition the resulting solutions also showed a high positive correlation between visual quality and preference.The dimensions may be used as generalized guidelines for determining characteristics of visual quality and preferred townscapes. / Department of Landscape Architecture

The decline in patronage, decrease in building density, and loss in property values suffered by Downtown Muncie, Indiana is a result of competition from shopping malls. This deterioration will continue unless there is a concerted effort by citizens, property owners, and the city to promote commercial revitalization of this area.The National Trust for Historic Preservation's Main Street Center suggest that communities can achieve commercial revitalization through a four part program which combines organization, design, promotion, and economic restructuring. Mary Jo Ruccio of the National Development Council, suggests that commercial revitalization cannot be successful unless the approach includes a comprehensive plan that addresses a downtown's unique problems.In order to create a functional commercial revitalization strategy for Muncie's downtown, the commercial district's history was reviewed, the existing buildings were surveyed, published historic preservation plans and commercial revitalization plans ware reviewed, and a variety of funding sources were studied. These efforts led to the development of a commercial revitalization strategy that is patterned after the Main Street Center's program. A major component of this strategy is the Downtown Commercial Revitalization Network that is recommended to act as a steering committee for a Downtown Development Director whose sole purpose is to direct downtown revitalization. The strategy recommends residential adaptive-use of the second stories in downtown buildings to promote economic development, and to preserve the historic structures. Low-interest loans with design standards are recommended to provide funds to create this housing stock without damaging the historic fabric. This will supply downtown with regular customers, thus strengthening existing establishments, creating the need for new businesses downtown, and diversifying the economic base.This strategy can be applied to the current downtown revitalization efforts by the City of Muncie. The ideas and general theories can also be applied by small Indiana towns which suffer from economic problems. A comprehensive plan that is tailored specifically for a downtown which account for the organization, design, economic, and promotion needs of downtown will set the course for successful commercial revitalization. / Department of Architecture