Seymour, IN

Burkhart Plaza

St. Louis Avenue is located in the heart of downtown Seymour.

HWC worked closely with the City to develop a design focused on strengthening the connection between St. Louis Avenue and the rest of downtown to bring a sense of vibrancy to the community. Music has always been a significant part of the local culture. Well known singer-songwriter John Mellencamp, a Seymour native, wrote the song “Small Town” about the City. The design team drew on this history and significance of music for the conceptual design.

A curbless street was designed to accommodate Seymour’s annual Oktoberfest and other local events. The site features a play mound with sculptural play pieces, an interactive sign, a trellis with porch-style swings, café tables and chairs, musical play instruments, and a custom paving band and seat wall inspired by the shape of a guitar. Green infrastructure was utilized to reduce stormwater runoff by incorporating large infiltration lawn areas along the street edge.

As the third downtown revitalization project HWC has helped Seymour complete in recent years, Burkhart Plaza is part of an ongoing effort to renew the City while honoring the history and culture of this unique community.

Indiana Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects Award Winner