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Practical Approaches to Positive Change in Commercial Districts
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PRACTICAL APPROACHES TO POSITIVE CHANGE IN COMMERCIAL DISTRICTSCase Study: Hartwell Ave. in Lexington, MA
Presenters
Thomas RagnoPrincipal & Founder, King Street Properties 22-years experience in real estateEstablished King Street's record in engineering, construction, permitting, development and asset management expertise
Maryann McCall TaylorPlanning Director, Town of Lexington25-years experience MA planning and land use
Melisa TintocalisEconomic Development Director, Town of Lexington15-years experience in land use and economic development policies and programs in various municipalities in CA, MA and MI
Overview• Setting Context • Roadblocks • New Regulatory Tools • Developer Considerations• Don’t Just Sit There, Show The Love (And Negotiate)• Questions & Discussion on your road blocks
Lexington in Southern New England
Lexington in Metro Boston
Town’s Zoning Map
Hartwell Ave. Area
Hartwell Avenue Area
Area vacancy rates high: 25-28%Source: Costar Property; includes direct& sublet vacancies
Roadblocks
1. Perception Change• Desire to better distribute commercial & residential
property tax• Don’t want more commercial but “better”• “Better” = high value, low impact
2. Low FAR
3. The “Transportation Trip Wire”
4. Perceived traffic issues
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Hartwell Properties
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FAR
From the Lexington Comprehensive Plan (2002)
• The non-residential share of assessed valuations had fallen to less than 13%; in the 1980’s it was 22%
• A key aspect of the town’s approach should be to recognize the value of the high demand for business location in Lexington, and to work with that demand to help achieve the goals articulated, including “Better, not bigger.”
Vision 2020 Task Force looked at:
• whether Lexington's reliance on residential property taxes for town and school services should be balanced by more growth in commercial property and businesses;
• the tradeoffs associated with various commercial-development choices vs. the affordability of current and expected public services;
• the structure of Lexington’s complex regulatory and advisory system bearing on development decisions
The Cecil Group’s Study
• Offered objective data
• Helped make the fiscal argument for addition FAR
New Regulatory Tools
1. Increase in the FAR
2. Transportation Demand Management Overly
3. Transportation Demand Management Plan• Developer fee per sf into a fund• Town Commitment • State and Federal Funds
TMO District
• Planning Board adopts district-wide transportation plan
• Developer complies with parking and TDM requirements
• Town implements infrastructure improvements
Infrastructure Improvements
Developers Considerations: Why Lexington?
• Favorable life science zoning• Intelligent work force/access to
Cambridge• Experienced/forward-thinking town
professionals
101 & 113 Harwell Avenue
• New zoning – increased density• Town’s attitude• Minor/major site plan review – speed to
market• Existing life science neighborhood• Infrastructure and building types
Developers Considerations: Why Hartwell?
King Street’s Site Plan for Hartwell
A Vision: 113 Hartwell Ave.
BEFORE AFTER
Hartwell Courtyard Design Images
Don’t Just Sit There, Show The Love!
1. Think like a BID
2. Organize the property owners
• Develop relationships• Set up monthly
meetings • Include elected officials• Identify common issues
3. Agree on short-term objectives that can be accomplished
4. Just do it!
Negotiate
Bus Shelter Provided by BIDC
Gateway Signage ProposedTown Funds Sidewalk
Leverage TIF for MassWorks
Contributions by Property Owners for JARC
Pilot Commuter Shuttle/JARC Grant
Food Truck Rodeo Hartwell Area Shuttle LaunchAug. 28, 2013500+ lunch goers
Public-Private Partnership Tools• Use Tax Increment Financing Strategically
• UniQure• Proactive about the type of business we want in the area• Supported approximately $5million of new assessed value over
time• Creating a critical mass of the type of industry we want
Questions & Discussion
What are some of your roadblocks?