Mixed-Use Hotel & Culture

The prescription for reviving downtown American cities, everyone seems to agree these days, is culture. And so as developers rely increasingly on creating mixed-use districts, it’s perhaps not surprising that some are developing mixed-use buildings. The 21C hotel in downtown Louisville, KY is the latest attempt at a sized-down cultural destination.

The 21C, designed by Deborah Berke Architects for philanthropists Steve Wilson and Laura Lee Brown, is a hotel-museum-restaurant amalgam in a renovated 5-building former warehouse complex. The art hotel—or museum with beds—is a single, dense cultural site devoted to both leisure and function.

What separates this building from other leisure ventures is the conscious integration of culture into all of its physical spaces. The hotel displays contemporary art pieces within guest rooms and hallways, as well as in stand-alone gallery spaces. Guests (paying guests, that is) don’t have to wander far from their living space to experience a cultural attraction; they see it before they’ve brushed their teeth. Wilson and Brown hired Deborah Berke Architects, known for their deft use of minimalist design, to accentuate the experience of viewing contemporary art. Berke faced the challenge of renovating the old warehouses while retaining part of their historic character. The façade of the original building remains, but the architects removed a large chunk of the middle to create an atrium accessible to interior hotel rooms. The union of the old and the new structures is a subtle reminder that boundaries of urban space—whether physical or experiential— are open to negotiation. Berke was positive about the synthesis of functions in 21C, and its ability to appeal to visitors. “[The] vision,” she recalls, “was that there be culture, there be food, there be destination.” The 21C encompasses all these activities, and suggests that the project of keeping disparate downtown experiences discreet may be expendable. Indeed, cities keen to create attractive cultural districts will no doubt continue to experiment with this hyper-mixed-use model.

Reclaiming Suburbia

Excerpts from "Breaking the Density Deadlock" by ALAN EHRENHALT

Tysons Corner isn’t much to look at. I don’t mean simply that it’s unattractive — although it is — but that when you pass through it, along the main commercial strip of Route 7, in Northern Virginia’s Fairfax County, you don’t even get the feeling that anything substantial is there. You see a long, loose string of office buildings built in the 1970s and ’80s, scattered over a stretch of two or three miles, few of them close together or in any way congruent with each other. You pass two huge regional shopping malls, both tucked behind vast parking lots and barely visible from the highway. You don’t know for sure when you’ve reached the place, and there’s no way to tell when you’ve left.

If you work in local government anywhere, the odds are you have heard the joke that there are two things Americans can’t stand: sprawl and density. I refer to it as a joke, but in fact it comes close to being a literal truth. Millions of Americans who live in places like Fairfax County visit places such as Boston and San Francisco and wish they could recreate some of that urbanity and elegance for themselves. But faced with the reality of what true urban sophistication requires — height, big crowds, and strangers from the city flocking in on trains, they back off. That’s the deadlock of density.

The developer of this project, the Macerich Co. of California, is pressing all the right New Urbanist buttons. Its computerized graphics envision spacious plazas, sculpture gardens, skating rinks and performance space. Macerich talks about making the Intersection of Routes 7 and 123 into a new “Central Park,” a “100 percent downtown corner.”

Most intriguing of all, Macerich is promising to take the blank acres of asphalt that dominate Tysons now and superimpose a grid that would provide 54 additional pedestrian-friendly streets for traffic to move in, generate a huge increase in sidewalk capacity, provide up to 14,000 curbside parking spaces, and in the end create something that doesn’t just possess the density of a city but actually looks like a city.

My guess is that when all of this development is completed, 10 or 15 years from now, I do not expect that Tysons Corner will much resemble the green pedestrian oasis pictured in the computerized Macerich sketches. But I think it will be quite a bit better than what is there now. I also think it will be a commercial success.

I’m convinced of that because I see all around me a generation of young, mainstream, middle-class adults — label them any way you want to — who are looking for some form of mid-level urban experience, not bohemian inner-city adventure but definitely not cul-de-sacs and long commutes. There are more of them coming into the residential market every year. They like the idea of having some space, but they aren’t fleeing in terror at the mention of density. They aren’t willing to sell their cars, but they appreciate the advantage of having another way to get around. If Tysons Corner is rebuilt on a reasonable human scale and with a modicum of physical appeal, they will go for it, imperfect as it may be.

And then we will begin to see experiments of this sort in suburbs all over the country, launched by developers and local governments that may still be a little nervous about density but will know one thing for sure: If Tysons Corner can be reborn, nothing in the suburbs is beyond hope.If the effort to rebuild Tysons Corner somehow succeeds, it will become a national model for reclaiming suburbia.

New Urbanism & ‘low-impact’ infrastructure

by Philip Langdon
Courtesy New Urban News

Natural drainage systems and other ecologically advanced technologies are coming to walkable communities.

A new urbanist-led charrette in November 2006 recommended that New Orleans be redeveloped with “natural drainage systems” — techniques allowing stormwater to soak into the ground rather than be piped, sometimes full of pollutants, to bodies of water like Lake Pontchartrain.The recommendation, intended for the Gentilly section of the flood-ravaged city, is a sign of new urbanists’ emerging interest in engineering and landscape systems based on processes found in nature.

In recent years, environmental activists have argued that rain should be handled in a more natural fashion — through “rain gardens,” bioswales, and other ecological features — instead of relying heavily on underground pipes and other conventional engineering mechanisms. A growing number of new urbanists are moving toward this ecological approach.Inquiries by New Urban News found nature-based environmental techniques being incorporated into projects and plans ranging from Traditional Neighborhood Developments (TNDs) in North Carolina and Pennsylvania to urban neighborhoods and HOPE VI public housing redevelopments in Portland, Oregon, and Seattle. (An article on using stormwater management to enhance civic spaces is on page 5 of the December 2006 issue.)

The approach is known by many names, including high-performance infrastructure, natural drainage systems, bioretention, low-impact development, and sustainable stormwater management. “’Laying lightly on the land’ is perhaps the best term we have,” says Tom Low, the Charlotte, North Carolina-based director of town planning for Duany Plater-Zyberk & Company (DPZ). “It basically means using less pipe. The water sheets across the surface. The amount of surface pavement per dwelling unit is reduced.”

Low led a group that last month completed a study of a TND called Griffin Park, to be built in Greenville County, South Carolina. The study looks at building Griffin Park as a TND with conventional engineering versus building it as a TND with a more nature-based system. The natural approach envisions less pavement, fewer curbs and gutters, less storm sewer pipe, and fewer storm sewer inlets, thereby reducing some of the development’s costs. The study is expected to be used to promote natural drainage options among new urbanists.

THE NATURAL APPROACH

For Woodsong, a 22-acre TND in Shallotte, North Carolina, developer Buddy Milliken insisted on natural methods of handling rainwater. In front of a series of cottages on narrow lots is a concrete street 300 feet long and 10 feet (one lane) wide. The center of the street consists of a three-foot-wide strip of pervious concrete. Rain seeps through the porous pavement and a rock subbase and enters the ground, rather than being concentrated in storm drains and pipes. The narrow, curbless street, passing within about seven feet of the houses, helps replenish an aquifer. At the same time, it helps create a more relaxed and intimate setting, making the properties more valuable.

A ditch that cut across the mostly wooded property prior to development has been modified by installing “small check dams or gabions to slow the water down,” Milliken says. Advocates of natural drainage often sum up the basic principles in these words: “Slow the water down, spread it around, and get it into the ground.” Rain from roofs may be captured in cisterns or directed into rain gardens — mild depressions filled with natural material that absorbs the water and gives it time to percolate into the soil. “These are very, very simple things,” says Milliken.

Low devised Woodsong’s neighborhood plan, which includes a man-made wetland in one area and a pond in another. Milliken says that in a conventional development the pond might have been dug in an out-of-the-way spot and then ringed by a chain-link fence. The detention and retention ponds that have proliferated in recent decades are often unsightly and hard to maintain — a waste of valuable real estate. Milliken chose instead to place the pond in a prominent location, in front of a group of houses, forming a neighborhood centerpiece which helps to control rainwater and let it soak into the ground.

At the edges of the pond are four small constructed wetland bays that slow and filter the water before it enters the pond. Mary Vogel, principal in PlanGreen in Washington DC advises against ponds because, among other things, their water may heat up, harming fish life. However, Peg Staeheli, principal in SvR Design Company in Seattle, says a detention pond is needed in some situations to control the water flow. Woodsong’s pond is apparently an aesthetic plus, which has translated into stronger real estate values.“Everything we’ve done has been with the intent to get a financial return —not necessarily the next day,” Milliken says of Woodsong, which he has been building since 1999. “New Urbanism and the environment are mutually reinforcing.”The Oct. 29-Nov. 3 Gentilly charrette, led by Andres Duany and covering 17 New Orleans neighborhoods, recommended using natural drainage systems to absorb water, decrease flooding, and lessen pollution in the runoff, much of which goes into Lake Pontchartrain untreated. Vogel says one instrument is “roadside bioswales — concave gardens planted with native perennial plants and trees — [which] increase absorption and add beauty and resiliency to the environment.” These can be placed between streets and sidewalks.

New Orleans contains many road medians (New Orleanians call them “neutral ground”) that were damaged by last year’s flooding. The intention is to dig into some of these medians and install a mix of soil conditioners, organic mulches, and rock, capable of holding and gradually dispersing a large quantity of water. The economics are favorable, says Vogel. “Whereas conventional street and storm drain maintenance costs increase over time as the result of aging materials, pipes, and drains, natural drainage systems actually become more effective over time, as plants and trees mature.”

One city that is a leader in combining natural drainage with walkable streets and neighborhoods is Seattle, where sustainable stormwater management has been advocated by the Puget Sound Action Team and has been put into practice by firms such as SvR Design. SvR designed High Point, a mixed-income, 34-block, 1,600-unit Hope VI project that features vegetated and grassy swales, porous concrete sidewalks, and front-yard rain gardens. South Lake Union, a large mixed-use development to be built north of downtown Seattle, may also employ natural drainage. (For techniques at High Point, see www.thehighpoint.com or www.svrdesign.com.)

Financing For New Urbanist Projects

Philip Langdon
Courtesy of the Rose Companies

Across the United States, investment pools are suddenly cropping up, offering what could eventually be substantial financial backing for new urbanist development. At least three such pools either are being formed or are starting operations, based in New York, Denver, and northern California.

If they succeed and expand, the pools may provide a means by which foundations, universities, pension funds, and other institutions can invest in environmentally advanced new urbanist projects. Chris Leinberger, a visiting fellow at Brookings Institution and a faculty member at the University of Michigan, says institutions can place some of their assets in the investment pools, and the pools in turn can invest the money in urban development projects — benefiting society while producing a reasonable return.

These are the three pools:

• New York-based developer Jonathan Rose has started the Rose Smart Growth Investment Fund, a $100 million fund that purchases real estate in downtowns, walkable communities, main streets, and transit-oriented developments throughout the US.


• Kacey Fitzpatrick is forming the Green Living Fund in Santa Cruz, California, a $100 million fund that she says will invest in “residential projects and mixed-use projects in existing urban areas and preferably adjacent to transit,” all in the San Francisco Bay Area.


• Dennis Fleming, who has been active in Denver’s “green” building movement, is organizing the New Commons Fund, which aims to invest in energy-efficient new urbanist projects with easy access to mass transportation. It will start as a fund of at least $50 million and may gradually grow to $200 to $300 million, investing in a number of metropolitan areas.

How large a proportion of the pools’ money will be directed to new projects, as opposed to the purchase and improvement of existing buildings, will vary from one fund to another. Although the initial sums are not terribly large by national development standards, Fleming believes the funds can play a critical role; they can demonstrate the profitability of New Urbanism and overcome the financial world’s resistance to projects that mix a variety of uses, intermingle houses of differing price levels, and are pedestrian oriented.

Architects, planners, developers, and journalists have all come to recognize the appeal of New Urbanism in recent years, Fleming says, but financiers have lagged behind. “The money side,” he observes, “is always the last to show up at the party.” If the investment pools produce figures showing that new urban projects routinely generate an attractive return, the stage will be set for a leap in new urbanist activity, including the formation of one or more New Urbanism-focused real estate investment trusts (REITs), he says.

Rose’s fund will mainly buy existing buildings and make them more energy-efficient and environmentally benign. The fund will also carry out some brand-new development.

His fund’s first acquisition, announced in April, was a pair of downtown Seattle buildings — the 14-story Vance Building dating to 1929 and the 3-story Sterling Building from 1910, which together were purchased for $23.1 million. Rose told The Seattle Times that the buildings’ locations near bus lines in the city fit the fund’s philosophy of investing in smart-growth locations rather than suburban settings that depend on automobiles and parking lots. Rose aims to make the buildings “the greenest and healthiest historic buildings in the Seattle marketplace,” changes that he hopes will attract more tenants and boost the rents. Planned building upgrades include better energy controls, a well-insulated roof, and the use of recycled and nontoxic products.

Some of Rose’s investors will be “high-net-worth individuals, most of whom are in the real estate business,” he told New Urban News. Foundations, colleges, and not-for-profit organizations are also expected to invest in the fund, which Rose sees as an alternative to “buying stocks in REITs which are based on sprawl.”

In the past several years, a few philanthropies, such as McCune Charitable Foundation in New Mexico (see April 2006 New Urban News) and the Arnold Fund in Covington, Georgia (see story on page 6), have invested in new urbanist development in their home state or home county. Many more foundations would be interested in investing through a pool, Leinberger says, because they wouldn’t have the risk and responsibility of managing the projects themselves; the fund would do that for them.

Monroe center... emerging BOHO Center?

One of the most desirable locations for BOHO centers is at or near transit hubs such as light rail stations. The new Monroe Center in New Jersey is a perfect example of this new trend.

"A culturally friendly transit village"
An example of the opportunities provide by transit-oriented development is the 123-unit Monroe Center in New Jersy, described by the Hudson Reporter (24 January 2006) as a "high-rise condominium tower" which "will ultimately be part of a 435-unit development on a 5.5-acre site just steps from the Ninth Street stop of the Hudson Bergen Light Rail....[it] will include four high-rise residential buildings of between 10 and 13 stories, with ground floor retail, commercial arts space, and mezzanine space." It's intended to be "a culturally friendly transit village", according to the paper.

This ideal location has been attracting an eclectic mix of artists, entrepreneurs, and small businesses. The paper goes on to note:

"Already underway is the renovation of the interior of the existing Monroe Center for the Arts at 720 Monroe St. Since opening in 1990, the converted Levelor Blinds Factory has maintained an eclectic mixture of businesses that now include ad agencies, interior designers, cake bakers, architects, toy makers, dance instructors, and yoga studios. "

Accesible Urban Transit Hub

Another selling point, said the developer, is the project's location. He said that because of the property's proximity to the light rail, this project will be a good example of the "smart growth" principle of a "transit friendly community."

A transit village is a state-promoted planning initiative to redevelop and revitalize communities around transit facilities, making them appealing choices for people to live in, while lessening their reliance on cars.

More than required parking
In Hoboken, parking is always an issue, and this is one of the few projects that will provide more parking spaces than the zoning requires. When fully built out, the project will have 1,120 garage parking spaces to complement the surrounding off-street parking.

Outdoor Plaza
According to the developers, outdoor areas at Monroe Center will include one large plaza with stylistic fountains, seating decks and a "hammock park." Each new building at the community will also feature rooftop gardens. "Monroe Center's appeal as a destination will be enhanced by its substantial outdoor public areas," points out Gerard Saddel, a partner of Monroe Center Development, LLC. "A series of public parks and a plaza will be scattered throughout the entire development."

Form-Based Codes

by Planning & Design Institute

Regulations known as "form–based codes" offer an approach that favors walkable neighborhoods, a variety of housing choices, and mixed use developments. Unlike conventional zoning, form–based codes make it easier to find a balance between maintaining a community's local character and, at the same time facilitating high–quality development projects.

The codes can be applied to new growth ares, existing neighborhoods, special districts, as well as entire communities.

The regulations focus on the size, form, and placement of buildings and parking locations. With form–based codes, there is flexibility in combining residential commercial uses on property, and less emphasis on specific densities. A land owner or developer will have more options in offering single–family homes, apartments, offices, or retail as long as the building form conforms to the community's vision reflected in the form–based codes. Overall, form–based codes give a community the opportunity to respond to market demands in a manner that follows the principles of smart growth planning.

Key elements in form–based code may include:

• A Regulating Plan which may include a map of the study area that specify where specific building forms apply
• Standards for building forms
• Standards for street and sidewalks
• Design Guidelines which address architecture and landscaping
• Clearly defined processes for application and review
• Definitions of technical terms

In addition, form–based codes are typically written to be user–friendly, and often supplement regulatory text with graphics to help illustrate specific regulations, such as minimum and maximum heights of buildings.

Creating Walkable Neighborhoods

by smartgrowth.org

Walkable communities are desirable places to live, work, learn, worship and play, and therefore a key component of smart growth. Their desirability comes from two factors. First, walkable communities locate within an easy and safe walk goods (such as housing, offices, and retail) and services (such as transportation, schools, libraries) that a community resident or employee needs on a regular basis. Second, by definition, walkable communities make pedestrian activity possible, thus expanding transportation options, and creating a streetscape that better serves a range of users -- pedestrians, bicyclists, transit riders, and automobiles. To foster walkability, communities must mix land uses and build compactly, and ensure safe and inviting pedestrian corridors.



Walkable communities are nothing new. Outside of the last half-century communities worldwide have created neighborhoods, communities, towns and cities premised on pedestrian access. Within the last fifty years public and private actions often present created obstacles to walkable communities. Conventional land use regulation often prohibits the mixing of land uses, thus lengthening trips and making walking a less viable alternative to other forms of travel. This regulatory bias against mixed-use development is reinforced by private financing policies that view mixed-use development as riskier than single-use development. Many communities -- particularly those that are dispersed and largely auto-dependent -- employ street and development design practices that reduce pedestrian activity.



As the personal and societal benefits of pedestrian friendly communities are realized – benefits which include lower transportation costs, greater social interaction, improved personal and environmental health, and expanded consumer choice -- many are calling upon the public and private sector to facilitate the development of walkable places. Land use and community design plays a pivotal role in encouraging pedestrian environments. By building places with multiple destinations within close proximity, where the streets and sidewalks balance all forms of transportation, communities have the basic framework for encouraging walkability.

Urban Redevelopment Do’s & Don’ts

By Michael S. Weiner

The last 50 years of real estate development have often been innovative, but also, in many cases, downright dreadful in the approach to redeveloping downtown areas. Today, city fathers struggle with breaking from the past trends of urban sprawl and walled communities to redevelop urban areas that will increase downtown real estate values, attract businesses and residents, and enhance cultural and civic activities.

The success or failure of these endeavors will have lasting economic impact on those cities in competition to become regional destinations, capturing discretionary spending or seeking to exponentially increase their current tax base. Failure to create an economically sound downtown can ruin a city. Finding the right formula can catapult a city into the national limelight, creating a trickle down effect that results in higher-priced real estate, a strong retail and business environment, and a reputation that draws people to the area.

Do enter a third generation of thought. Before World War II, neighborhoods in urban areas seemed to evolve organically. Many times neighborhoods were organized along ethnic lines. This was immediately followed by the era of urban sprawl, massive malls, and the introduction of walled communities. At that time, there was an aversion to urban areas and people were fleeing to the perceived safety of the suburbs.

Don’t think this is suburbia. Many cities cannot resist the temptation to create suburban centers in urban pockets. Large areas are leveled to create a contrived center that is nothing more than an outdoor mall. The problem with this strategy is that cities are not capitalizing on the already existing local flavor, history, and charm to create vibrant, dynamic areas to which crowds will flock. They tend to have a “walled-in” feeling, one that excludes the urban environment rather than invites.

Do encourage jaywalking. Though this may sound a bit unusual, urban areas actually lend themselves to this type of civil disobedience, given the greater pedestrian density in vital urban areas. Consequently, it’s important to have no more than two lanes of road traffic, and to discourage car speeds of more than 30 mph through the use of traffic circles, speed bumps, and stop signs. Parallel parking also slows everyone down.

Don’t fall for the fallacy of mixed use. Too many developers cling to a belief that an apartment building with a few thousand square feet of retail thrown in on the ground floor constitutes “mixed use.” This is usually a formula for disaster simply because the limited number of tenants cannot support these small retailers. These small mixed-use projects have limited parking and residents tend to get angered by others using their space. These projects are clearly not a new urban environment and usually fail. A watchword for redevelopment should be “sustainability,” retail survives only with enough households conveniently located using its services and buying its goods.

Do capitalize on history. Successful downtown redevelopments reflect their cities’ history and personality. They build on their roots and successfully market their new “old” images. As a result, people know what they’re getting when they decide to live, dine or visit. It’s that “branding” thing that advertising firms love so much.

The world is sprinkled with examples of locations that have become attractions based on the authenticity of their culture. Pamplona has the running of the bulls. Sedona, AZ has capitalized on its rock formations and Indian art. Aspen, CO carved an initial reputation on its classical music festival. People flock to different neighborhoods of New York City for different experiences--to Tribeca, Chelsea, Greenwich Village, the Upper East Side, and Central Park West, to name just a few. But these experiences did not just happen; they evolved, becoming unique to their districts and locales.
There’s no question that the concept of New Urbanism will continue. It is up to the real estate community to create the proper, and profitable, destinations.

The BOHO Philosophy

BOHO Developments seek to offer a compelling alternative for those who are dissatisfied with the choices provided by conventional development. Conventional development emphasizes the private realm, auto dependency, single use pods, privacy, exclusivity, and bigger and bigger private residences. BOHO Developments emphasize the public realm, walkability, mixed uses, community, diversity, and quality over quantity.

A Walkable Community
BOHO Developments pragmatically accommodates cars, but are be designed for people. They are to be very walkable. Cars travel slowly, and sidewalk and street designs emphasize pedestrian comfort and safety. There are plenty of interesting things to walk to, because of the fine-grained mix of uses. Walks won’t be too long, because the development is relatively compact. And the walks are safe, because there are plenty of eyes on the street at all times.

Environmental Considerations
BOHO Developments site plan, as well as construction and management procedures, emphasize resource efficiency, environmental protection and restoration. Developments incorporate elements of nature in the neighborhood and make them part of people’s daily experience. Street trees are especially important.

A Place for Commerce
The commercial center of a BOHO Development have retail stores that serve the practical everyday needs of the BOHO Development residents and its surrounding neighborhoods – needs that are currently not well served. And because of its unique character, rare good urbanism, and easy access, they also attract businesses that are a destination for citizens of the entire metro areas and beyond.

A Place to Live
The residential elements of A BOHO center cover the entire spectrum from small loft apartments above shops to larger live/work condominiums. Developments aspire to keep the scale of individual buildings rather small, which will enhance the ability to have an attractive mix of housing types throughout the neighborhood.

A Place to Work
BOHO Developments feature a traditional fine-grained mix of different residential types as well as retail stores, office space, civic buildings, people-friendly streets, squares, and recreational facilities. Live-workloftsandtraditionaloffices are pivitol the neighborhood, as the daytime occupants and visitors they draw to the neighborhood will be very helpful in maintaining a vibrant, active, daytime environment.

A Place to Gather
BOHO Developments incorporate civic gathering places, which include public green spaces, pedestrian-oriented streets, recreational facilities, shops and restaurants. These civic places reinforce a sense of neighborhood and help provide the glue that holds the people of the community together.

Austin Independent's Links Developers With Local Businesses

by David Grogan

The Austin (Texas) Independent Business Alliance (AIBA) recently launched an online database of commercial properties whose owners or developers are seeking community-based businesses to fill vacant retail spaces. The database, the newest phase of AIBA's program Connecting & Linking Independents With Commercial Development (CLIC), helps locally owned businesses identify available properties in which to open or expand.



Steve Bercu, owner of BookPeople and president of AIBA, told BTW that the organization has been "relatively successful in getting the city to promote local businesses to developers." But, he added, "There were a lot of developers looking for local businesses, and they didn't have a clue [where] to look... so our idea was to figure out a way to get them together."



Toward that end, in May 2006, AIBA debuted its first annual CLIC Trade Show, which it modeled on trade shows for large developers held yearly in Las Vegas. The CLIC show seeks to link local businesses with commercial developers and to provide local business owners with information and tools to grow their business. In addition, AIBA incorporated workshops that provide business owners with information about municipal resources and legal considerations pertaining to expansion. For developers, the show includes sessions that introduce them to the needs of small businesses. The second annual trade show is scheduled for May 15, 2007.



"The trade show was one idea," said Bercu, "and now we've put together the online database.... Businesses can go there and developers can go there ... and see who is interested." The database, the CLIC Commercial Vacancies, is accessible via AIBA's website, www.ibuyaustin.com.



Noting that Austin has many neighborhood associations, and these organizations are now seeking to bring in independent retail, Bercu added, "There is nothing more rewarding than to see the neighborhood associations asking for local businesses." Most of the associations are "very active ... and having them in support of local business is very good."



The CLIC program is just one of AIBA's economic initiatives. Through its Independent Business Investment Zones (IBIZ) program, AIBA works with city officials, neighborhood groups, and representatives of commercial districts within Austin to identify unique independent commercial districts. AIBA then helps coordinate the enhancement of those districts to increase appeal to existing and potential independent businesses and to customers and clients and promotes the area and facilitates events. AIBA has amassed a database of local entertainers and vendors and compiled information about local ordinances affecting the events and media contacts for use by IBIZ district businesses. AIBA now has four IBIZ districts and, with the help of city funding, has hired an IBIZ program coordinator

Importance of Independents

by David Grogan



Over the past few years, a number of economic studies -- including two conducted by Civic Economics, a leader in the field of progressive economic development -- have consistently calculated that locally owned businesses contribute more than three times as much economic value to a community than do chain retailers. So when the San Francisco Locally Owned Merchants Alliance (SFLOMA) asked Civic Economics to conduct a similar economic study of San Francisco, the firm's partners told SFLOMA that they weren't interested.


They wanted to do something more.


Matt Cunningham, who founded Civic Economics with business partner Dan Houston, told BTW, "We wanted to advance the research. We thought it would be interesting to see something else out there."


The new economic study, which got underway about three weeks ago, will analyze a number of factors.


First, the study will seek to determine locally owned merchants' total market share in San Francisco. Second, incorporating data from Civic Economics' previous studies, "Economic Impact Analysis -- A Case Study: Local Merchants vs. Chain Retailers" and "The Andersonville Study of Retail Economics," the new report will analyze the impact of an "x-percent" increase in local shopping and then determine what exactly happens to the extra money going back to the community.


"We don't think [a study like this] has been done," Cunningham said.


Significantly, a large portion of the money that was raised to fund the study is from the bookselling community, said Hut Landon, executive director for the Northern California Independent Booksellers Association (NCIBA) and SFLOMA's project coordinator for the study. In addition to NCIBA, among the study's other supporters are the American Booksellers Association, the Great Lake Booksellers Association, the New Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association, the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association, the Mountains & Plains Independent Booksellers Association, and individual booksellers.


"We think this study will be great for locally owned merchants. It will give us some talking points with consumers," Landon said. Noting that past research indicates that consumers who buy an average of 10 books per year buy only four of those books from their local bookstores, he added, "This will give them some other reasons to shop at their local independent bookstore. If they shift their spending habits ... look at what happens to the local economy. This report will quantify that."


In addition, since there are few municipalities that are not seeking additional revenue, independent retailers around the country will be able to take this study to their local lawmakers to show them one simple solution to their monetary woes -- supporting locally owned businesses, Landon said.


Similar to the Austin and Andersonville reports, the San Francisco economic study, which as yet does not have a projected release date, will be relevant to all communities. "This study can be used by everybody," Landon said. "We are happy to share this information."

Ten Principles for Creating Successful Squares

by Project for Public Space PPS

The Small details add up to great places.

Squares have been a core focus of PPS beginning with our first project 30 years ago--Rockefeller Center's Channel Gardens. We've honed the ten principles below based on the hundreds of squares--the good and the bad--that we've analyzed and observed since then. What stands out most is that design is only a small fraction of what goes into making a great square. To really succeed, a square must take into account a host of factors that extend beyond its physical dimensions.
1. Image and Identity
A popular square in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Historically, squares were the center of communities, and they traditionally helped shape the identity of entire cities. Sometimes a fountain was used to give the square a strong image: Think of the majestic Trevi Fountain in Rome or the Swann Fountain in Philadelphia's Logan Circle. The image of many squares was closely tied to the great civic buildings located nearby, such as cathedrals, city halls, or libraries. Today, creating a square that becomes the most significant place in a city--that gives identity to whole communities--is a huge challenge, but meeting this challenge is absolutely necessary if great civic squares are to return.

2. Attractions and Destinations
Ghirardelli Square, San Francisco.

Any great square has a variety of smaller "places" within it to appeal to various people. These can include outdoor cafés, fountains, sculpture, or a bandshell for performances. These attractions don't need to be big to make the square a success. In fact, some of the best civic squares have numerous small attractions such as a vendor cart or playground that, when put together, draw people throughout the day. We often use the idea of "The Power of Ten" to set goals for destinations within a square. Creating ten good places, each with ten things to do, offers a full program for a successful square.
3. Amenities
Circular benches provide a comfortable place to sit in Rockefeller Center, New York City.

A square should feature amenities that make it comfortable for people to use. A bench or waste receptacle in just the right location can make a big difference in how people choose to use a place. Lighting can strengthen a square's identity while highlighting specific activities, entrances, or pathways. Public art can be a great magnet for children of all ages to come together. Whether temporary or permanent, a good amenity will help establish a convivial setting for social interaction.
4. Flexible Design
Tennis on the square, Copenhagen.

The use of a square changes during the course of the day, week, and year. To respond to these natural fluctuations, flexibility needs to be built in. Instead of a permanent stage, for example, a retractable or temporary stage could be used. Likewise, it is important to have on-site storage for movable chairs, tables, umbrellas, and games so they can be used at a moment's notice.

5. Seasonal Strategy
The holiday market in New York's Union Square.

A successful square can't flourish with just one design or management strategy. Great squares such as Bryant Park, the plazas of Rockefeller Center, and Detroit's new Campus Martius change with the seasons. Skating rinks, outdoor cafés, markets, horticulture displays, art and sculpture help adapt our use of the space from one season to the next.

6. Access
A short pedestrian crossing at Plaza Santa Ana in Madrid, Spain.

To be successful, a square needs to be easy to get to. The best squares are always easily accessible by foot: Surrounding streets are narrow; crosswalks are well marked; lights are timed for pedestrians, not vehicles; traffic moves slowly; and transit stops are located nearby. A square surrounded by lanes of fast-moving traffic will be cut off from pedestrians and deprived of its most essential element: people.

7. The Inner Square & the Outer Square
Ground floor retail rings the edge of this square in Verona, Italy.

Visionary park planner Frederick Law Olmsted's idea of the "inner park" and the "outer park" is just as relevant today as it was over 100 years ago. The streets and sidewalks around a square greatly affect its accessibility and use, as do the buildings that surround it. Imagine a square fronted on each side by 15-foot blank walls -- that is the worst-case scenario for the outer square. Then imagine that same square situated next to a public library: the library doors open right onto the square; people sit outside and read on the steps; maybe the children's reading room has an outdoor space right on the square, or even a bookstore and cafe. An active, welcoming outer square is essential to the well-being of the inner square.

8. Reaching Out Like an Octopus
A great square reaches out into the surrounding neighborhood, like Piazza Maggiore in Bologna, Italy.

Just as important as the edge of a square is the way that streets, sidewalks and ground floors of adjacent buildings lead into it. Like the tentacles of an octopus extending into the surrounding neighborhood, the influence of a good square (such as Union Square in New York) starts at least a block away. Vehicles slow down, walking becomes more enjoyable, and pedestrian traffic increases. Elements within the square are visible from a distance, and the ground floor activity of buildings entices pedestrians to move toward the square.

9. The Central Role of Management
Attentive maintenance is an essential part of good management in St. Stephen's Green, Dublin.

The best places are ones that people return to time and time again. The only way to achieve this is through a management plan that understands and promotes ways of keeping the square safe and lively. For example, a good manager understands existing and potential users and gears events to both types of people. Good managers become so familiar with the patterns of how people use the park that waste receptacles get emptied at just the right time and refreshment stands are open when people most want them. Good managers create a feeling of comfort and safety in a square, fixing and maintaining it so that people feel assured that someone is in charge.
10. Diverse Funding Sources
Sponsorships can help fund events like Festa Italiana in Portland's Pioneer Courthouse Square.

A well-managed square is generally beyond the scope of the average city parks or public works department, which is why partnerships have been established to operate most of the best squares in the United States. These partnerships seek to supplement what the city can provide with funding from diverse sources, including--but not limited to--rent from cafés, markets or other small commercial uses on the site; taxes on adjacent properties; film shoots; and benefit fundraisers.

Importance of a SQUARE

by whaday 1.30.07

Take a look at "Squares" by Mark Childs, published in 2005. It is a design manual book for urban designers around the concept of the plaza, square, green, etc. (he does discuss other forms of public space and classifies them).

In planning and architecture here in New Mexico, the plaza is a key typology we all must study. No plaza is worth its weight in frijoles without retail to ring the exterior. This is what gives it life. It is the "third place" and provides the excuse for being there at all, let alone a reason to stop.

The typical scenario (not always followed) for the Laws of the Indies settlement requirements included an open rectangle of specified proportions with the church on the north side, government functions on the south and retail on the sides.

Make sure you do consider the role of vendors in public space in some sense, though, They are extremely important in addressing some of the key factors that make public space lively (and are adaptable to locations where a permanent structure may be impractical or costly). Again, Childs' book has lots on this, as does William Whyte and the Project for Public Spaces (based largely on Whyte's writing). Food is especially important, which Childs relates to the psychologist Maslowe's "hierrchy of needs" (meet the most basic needs first).

New Urbanism (one view)

by VirtualCity

New urbanism occasionally encompasses other city planning systems such as smart growth, and is occasionally recognized as a separate entity. The idea claims to originate in the early twentieth century with the development of the neighborhoods it uses as models, though as a movement, it is responding to the perceived weaknesses in suburban development.

Whether or not smart growth is an offshoot of new urbanism, the two share a number of concepts. Both emphasize the important of a compact, walkable community center, and the assimilation of different types of housing and commercial buildings. An emphasis on environmentally-conscious building, the renovation of brown- or greyfield land, and historic preservation are other similarities.

However, because new urbanism was created as a specific theory for urban design rather than simply being based on a looser set of ideals, its definition is more concrete than that of smart growth. Andres Duany and Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk founded the Congress for the New Urbanism, inspired by the time the husband-and-wife team spent at Yale. Their guidelines for a ‘new urban’ neighborhood suggest the inclusion of most of these elements:

• A recognizable center for the town/city/community, such as a green square or distinctive intersection, in which the transit stop is also situated.
• Buildings in the neighborhood center placed close to the street, to form a well-defined space.
• A walk of not much more than 5 minutes from any home to the community center, or approximately 2,000 feet.
• Mixed housing types, including apartments, rowhouses and detached homes, to provide a suitable dwelling for people of all ages and all economic means.
• An auxiliary building for workspace or a garage apartment is allowed in the backyard of each home.
• Parking lots or garages in the back of homes and businesses, rather than fronting the streets.
• Shops and offices to sufficiently serve the weekly needs of residents on the edge of the community.
• An elementary school close enough for most children to walk from home.
• Small parks or playgrounds near every home, not more than a tenth of a mile away.
• Streets that create a linked network to disperse traffic.
• Relatively narrow streets, suitable for pedestrians and bicycles, preferably lined with trees.
• Some major spots in the neighborhood center reserved for buildings to facilitate community meetings and activities, or for religious, cultural, or educational purposes.
• A self-governing community, guided by a council that makes decisions on maintenance and change.

There are a number of complaints lodged against new urbanism—the first, a semantics issue, that the scheme is not actually ‘new,’ as it derives its inspiration from American towns of the pre-automobile era. Some argue, conversely, that this halcyon design is based upon a system that exists only in nostalgia. Either way, it has drawn criticism chiefly for emphasizing aesthetic values over practical design, especially as a new urban community might relate to the surrounding region. The delineation of design elements irks those who feel the plan undermines American property rights and civil liberties, while on the opposite side of the spectrum, some accuse it of being a gentrification plan that would force lower-income families from their neighborhoods. Though the transportation habits of new urban residents may improve, the communities tend to remain socially homogenous ones.

Mixed-Use Summit

by Jetson Green

12/18/06

Never mind the fact that I'm supposed to be finishing a final for intellectual property, I spent the day at Victory Park and the new Dallas W Hotel, attending the Mixed Use Summit, presented by Commercial Property News and Multi-Housing News. I found the seminar extremely enlightening and educational; I wanted to pass on some nuggets of green development wisdom. If you could provide a nugget, a quote of sorts, on green building and the future of sustainability, what would it be? Comments are open.

On Sustainability:

"If you're not thinking about sustainability, you're missing the boat. TODs, urban development, LEED, etc. There are four reasons you should be thinking about it: (1) it's the right thing to do, (2) your competition's doing it, (3) it adds value to the project, and (4) it speeds up the process." - Ken Ryan, Principal of EDAW Inc.

On LEED:

• "This is where the future is going and groups are getting staffed up with LEED Accredited Professionals, they're getting everyone certified."
• "It's sort of a best practices thing."
• "It's easier to sell LEED to corporate tenants, rather than human tenants, but we're starting to get there..."
• "If you have a project and people are worried about the bottom line, it's tough to go LEED, especially the contractors--they're hard to get on board, but the sales appeal is very big. Developers know the appeal is big and they're trying to figure it out..."
• "In a place like Chicago, with all the requirements they have, you're about 3/4 the way to LEED, so you might as well take the plunge and go all the way."

This conference had many of the best developers and architects from around the country in one room, strategizing and talking about the future of land use, specifically urban development + smart growth, in the US.

BOHO Centers Design Charrette

What is a BOHO Design Charrette?

Based on the pricipals of New Urbanist Design Charrette, it is

• An open process that includes all interested parties
• A collaborative process involving all disciplines
• A process that produces a feasible plan.

The Charrette combines this creative, intense work session with public workshops and open houses. Its an intense collaborative planning process that harnesses the talents and energies of all interested parties. We bring it a team of professionals experienced in the Town Planning disciple to create and support a feasible plan that represents transformative community change.

The workflow of the Charrette involves a series of design sessions and public input cycles for multiple, consecutive days. All interested parties are invited at scheduled intervals: the city planner, fire department, public works, planning and zoning, council members, and local business owners. Stakeholders in the community become aware of the complexities of development and design issues, and everyone works together to arrive at the best possible solution. They are also welcome to visit the Charrette Studio site throughout the Charrette during open hours. In this way, it does not consume large blocks of time for residents or officials. This input is used to refine the alternatives and create more detailed plans that are again reviewed and critiqued by the public during an open house. The design team further refines and narrows the feedback into a final plan and set of implementation documents to be presented for public confirmation on the final night of the Charrette.

Benefits of a Charrette:
Conventional approaches to the public approval process are failing. Even high quality architectural and planning projects with demonstrable public benefit may lose support without a collaborative approach. The public design Charrette has emerged as an alternative to the "design and present" convention. Charrettes provide a framework for creating a shared vision with community involvement, directed by consultants representing all key disciplines.

It is important to note that the project is not complete when the Charrette is over. Plan refinement and further feedback occur through discussions and a follow-up meeting approximately a month after the Charrette. This allows everyone to check in on the refined Charrette plan and to allow for one final review and comment.

A Detailed Definition of BOHO-centers

BOHO centers are the only high density mixed use retail and residential development that exceed existing standards in their economic, cultural, social, and environmentally sustainability to create the needed vitality to act as a catalyst of growth for the surrounding area.

Requirements:

Design-The standard project program is a high density multi use environment that is sensitive to the surrounding location in scale and style. Development is an 8-16 acre site with pedestrian-friendly traffic patterns and green gathering spaces for individuals to utilize for its 24-7 days worth of services and active spaces. Project must have close proximity to multiple mass transit opportunities. Projects must be (LEED) Green Building Rating System™ certified.

Economic-Take advantage of undervalued urban land to create a retail district with national independents as anchors and affordable entry level lease for boutique and localized retailers. Smaller Café’s and tavern spaces are set aside to encourage multiple styles of restaurant and relaxing options. Coffeehouses and independent bookstores are encouraged to align around exterior common gathering space. Loft style housing and office options are created with minimum design elements to reduce initial capital investment and encourage a sense of ownership in the leassors by their customization of space.

What are BOHO Centers?

Briefly,

BOHO Centers are the natural evolution in the high density retail-based mixed use development model that is emerging onto the real estate scene. Imagine if you took one of the popular faux "Mayberry" Lifestyle Centers, stripped away the faux-ness, reduced it to the scale of a small Parisian block or five and built a completely sustainable development that respects as well as enhances its surrounding environment to create a Sense of Place.

Add to the mix some affordable housing lofts for the creative class and workforce, a couple town home lofts for empty nesters... throw in professional services space, unique virtual office spaces, and balance the standard retail chain stores with emerging and authentic shops such as independent bookstores, emerging retail brands, art galleries, grocery store, bodegas, cafe's...

Then you have a BOHO Center