Duneland Village
A Neighborhood Nestled in Nature
Renowned affordable housing developer McCormack Baron Salazar selected Farr Associates to lead the master planning process and architectural design team for a HOPE-VI-funded redevelopment of Duneland Village in Gary, Indiana.
The site context is unique: to the east it has multiple street connections to Miller Beach’s main drag Lake Street, and is otherwise surrounded on three sides by a National Park. This natural area is home to the endangered Monarch butterfly, a design motif from nature that in part inspired the site plan.
Client: McCormack Baron Salazar
Location: Gary, IN
Role: Architect of Record & Master Planning
Size: 121 Units
Completion: 2004
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site design group: Landscape Architecture
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Beach-Inspired Missing Middle Housing
The building program included 12 rental apartments ranging in size from one to four bedrooms with ADA units provided for each unit size. Additionally, a management office and community center with computer labs and a seasonal outdoor pool.
The traditional architectural styles of the buildings were inspired by precedents from southern Lake Michigan beach communities. Continuous front porches provide a prompt for neighborliness and social interaction.
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Neighborhood Safety
Safety is enhanced through narrow 26’ curb to curb streets that slow travel speeds, an enhancement reinforced by short building setbacks.
Small blocks feature a walk-to totlot. Buildings enclose the block perimeter, screening interior parking.
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Stormwater Rain Gardens
The master plan took advantage of the site’s highly porous sandy soils by creating a central stormwater “midway” and four block-serving rain gardens. By providing these stormwater facilities at different scales, the project could scale back the money spent on drainage infrastructure to just four 40’ long pipes!
Lush native plantings designed by site design group nests the development into its natural surroundings. Meanwhile, 10 buildable lots, suitable for new homes, are available.
