How Can Connecticut Take Advantage of Transit-Oriented Development?

Robert N. Lane, DirectorRegional Design Program

Regional Plan Associationwww.rpa.org

Technical Lessons

Beyond parking and density - find the intersection of:

• Transit agency prioritiesparking, development , ridership

• Community based goals and objectivesplace-making, redevelopment

• Technical constraintsmarket, traffic/access, context, environment

Technical Lessons

• The architecture DOES matter• Parking can be managed creatively• Density needs to be explained• Housing needs to be explained• Create a flexible framework for redevelopment

Process Lessons

• Empower and engage stakeholders• Use a diversity of formats and media• Iterative process and planning• Multiple levels of stakeholder involvement

Transit Oriented Development in the NY Region:•Brownfield redevelopment•Retrofitting sprawl•Intensifying centers

Existing Trend Growth TOD Growth

What is the Share of Workers Who Reach Their New Jersey Jobs by Rail?

• To Jersey City - 21% (9 lines) – PATH, light rail line highly frequent service

• To Newark – 9% (6 lines) – PATH, Newark Subway, NEC, NJCL

• Trenton – 1% (2 lines) – NEC • To New Brunswick - 1% (1 line) - NEC• Elizabeth -1% (2 lines) - NEC• To Atlantic City - 1% (1 line) – once an hour

-6.0

-4.0

-2.0

0.0

2.0

4.0

6.0

8.0

1980/1970 1990/1980 2000/1990

Perc

ent C

hang

e

-6.0

-4.0

-2.0

0.0

2.0

4.0

6.0

8.0

1980/1970 1990/1980 2000/1990

Within WalkingDistance

Beyond WalkingDistance

Percent Change in Workers Living Within and Beyond Walking Distance of Commuter Rail Stations in

New York Region: 1970 to 2000

-6.0

-4.0

-2.0

0.0

2.0

4.0

6.0

8.0

1980/1970 1990/1980 2000/1990

Change in Resident Labor Force by Decade Living Within and Beyond Walking Distance

of Commuter Rail Stations 20 NYR Counties

-200,000

-100,000

0

100,000

200,000

300,000

400,000

500,000

1970 to 1980 1980 to 1990 1990 to 2000

WithinBeyond

Somerville Landfill and Station Area Planning Study

Overview – Design

Mixed-use station area

New civic spaceTwo new neighborhoods

Green gateway

Downtown gateway

Overview – Design

Overview – Design

Station Area

HotelMovie Theatre

Stamford – Glenbrook and Springdale

New Britain Mayors Institute Sketch

Bridgeport Intermodal Center

The Rosslyn-Ballston Corridor

A deteriorating suburban corridor is saved

•Multiple actors•Public subsidy•Control over land use

Transportation

•Very high transit share•Good car access

Technical Lesson: The Architecture Does Matter

Implementation•Consistency•Public participation

Issues•Quality of urban design•Affordability

Technical Lesson: The Architecture Does Matter

Technical Lesson: Parking Can Be Managed Creatively

Technical Lesson: Parking Can Be Managed creatively

Technical Lesson: Density needs to be explained

Understanding density

Is Density “du per acre” or perception?

Use local precedents

0

2,000,000

4,000,000

6,000,000

8,000,000

10,000,000

12,000,000

14,000,000

1975

1977

1979

1981

1983

1985

1987

1989

1991

1993

1995

1997

1999

2001

2003

Fiscal year

Annu

al p

asse

nger

s

To Manhattan

To Hoboken

Relative value of locational attribute on an average-priced property (in 2003 dollars)

-$60,000.00

-$40,000.00

-$20,000.00

$0.00

$20,000.00

$40,000.00

$60,000.00

$80,000.00

$100,000.00

1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003

Year sold

Rel

ativ

e va

lue

of lo

catio

nal a

ttrib

ute

0 to 0.5 miles

0.5 to 2 miles

2 to 5 miles

Residential:

Single-family 5

du/acre $100,000 $(-1,800)/duTwo-family 7 100,000 (-5,700)Townhouse 12 300,000 600Stacked townhouse 22 700,000 1,700Apartments (2-3 story) 30 800,000 3,100Apartments (4+ story) 40 600,000 700Age-restricted 40 600,000 900Assisted living 24 200,000 800

Net TOD Net Value TypicalUse Density (per acre) Fiscal Impact

Revenue

Technical Lesson: Explain Housing

• Tax: $300,000• Units: 105• Density:

18 du/acre• Cars/unit:

1.85• Children/unit:

.05-.1

Franklin Square, MetucheonUnderstanding Housing

Technical Lesson: Explain Housing

Technical Lesson: Create A Flexible Framework for Development

Calibrate to local capabilities

Netcong, NJ

Process Lesson: Use a Diversity of Formats

Diversity of formats town hall meetings, charrettes, and other convenings

Diversity of mediaInteractive models

Process Lesson: Use a Diversity of Formats

Workshop #1: Steering Committee shared understandingexpectations managementvision statement

Workshop #2: Steering Committee plus Stakeholders

expectations managementconcept design alternatives

Workshop #3: Steering Committee plus Stakeholders

schematic design consensus

Workshop #4: Presentation to larger groupfinal designfinal analysis

Technical Studies• Land use analysis• Market reconnaisance• Transportation analysis

Visioning• What do you really want?• Principles• Issues and Opportunities

PlanGuidelines

Implementation StrategyConcerns

Process Lesson: Design an Iterative Process

Iterative Process: Test schemes and “straw men”Netcong, NJ

Process Lesson: Design an Iterative Process

Process Lesson: Enable Multiple Levels of Stakeholder Involvement

Technical Lessons

Beyond parking and density - find the intersection of:

• Transit agency prioritiesparking, development , ridership

• Community based goals and objectivesplace-making, redevelopment

• Technical constraintsmarket, traffic/access, context, environment

• The architecture DOES matter• Parking can be managed creatively• Density needs to be explained• Housing needs to be explained• Create a flexible framework for redevelopment

Process Lessons

• Empower and engage stakeholders• Use a diversity of formats and media• Iterative process and planning• Multiple levels of stakeholder involvement