URBAN PARTNERS John Andrew Gallery James E. Hartling COMMUNITY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT / HOUSING / POLICY RESEARCH 829 Spruce Street, Suite 204 Philadelphia, PA 19107 215 829-1901 215 829-1908 FAX www. urbanpartners.us Urban Partnersis a professional consulting firm serving public, non-profit and private clients in the planning and implementation of urban development projects. Our primary focus is on the implementation of development projects - - our goal is to produce visible results in the form of completed real estate projects and development programs. This attitude toward implementation influences all of our work, including our work in the area of policy and program evaluation. Because of Urban Partners’ broad knowledge of urban development issues and mechanisms, we often undertake specialized development strategies for unusual properties or policy issues. We have a particular interest in the non-profit development sector and have also worked frequently with institutions concerned with the development of their surrounding neighborhood or the reuse of difficult properties. Site Development Strategies: Urban Partners has created a large number of specialized economic development strategies for properties having complex development needs. Our site development strategies have included conver- sion of former military installations and other large industrial and institutional properties to mixed-use developments; establishment of transfer of development rights programs to steer conservation and development activity to desired locations; transit-oriented development around regional rail stations; adaptive reuse of historic properties and the creation of new village centers. Our assistance ranges from negotiating on behalf of public agencies with private developers seeking public sector support to performing comprehensive market studies and recommending viable development alternatives. Downtown Revitalization Strategies: Much of our work is oriented toward the revitalization of downtown areas. We have been active in the creation of revitalization strategies for downtown commercial areas and often arrange financing to implement our recommended plans. Our experience suggests that a successful downtown development plan requires careful consideration of marketand management issues, physical needs and eco- nomic strategies that involve a combination of public and private resources. Urban Partners’ approach to down- town revitalization projects emphasizes our firm belief that actors who will be ultimately responsible for carrying out the development plan must be involved from the start. Downtown merchants, property owners, residents, local developers, cultural arts groups, elected officials and key public staff are all encouraged to participate in the shaping and implementation of the downtown revitalization strategy. As a result of this involvement, it is not uncommon for individual development projects to begin even before the planning process is completed. Commercial District Revitalization: Urban Partners has regularly assisted cities, community organizations and developers create neighborhood commercial revitalization strategies and projects which help meet the employment, commercial, retail and service needs of urban and lower-income neighborhoods. This work has involved economic and financial analysis of specific projects as well as broader economic development studies. Urban Partners has been particularly effective in working with non-profit corporations and helping them to develop economic development strategies and either secure developer sponsors or proceed with projects on their own. Our approach to neighbor- hood commercial revitalization heavily emphasizes the involvement of public and private sector actors who are likely to participate in carrying out the development plan. Neighborhood merchants, property owners and residents, local developers and lenders help participate in the shaping and implementation of the revitalization strategy selected. Neighborhood Development Strategies: Urban Partners has a strong commitment to working with community development corporations and public agencies on neighborhood revitalization issues and we have assisted our clients to organize and implement development ventures which address housing, economic development and service needs at the neighborhood level. Our work has ranged from the creation of overall development strategies to the identification of specific projects, the securing of funds for project implementation and project management. Urban Partners works with government entities, institutions, community groups and private developers in identifying and evaluating potential development projects, performing market and financial feasibility analyses and structuring the creative and workable financing strategies necessary to move these complex urban development projects from conception to completion. As with our downtown planning work, community stakeholders are actively involved in developing revitalization strategies that capitalize on available assets and respond to the needs of the community. Cultural and Recreational Planning: Urban Partners has had extensive experience in planning for cultural and historic districts and regional heritage areas and in assisting educational and cultural institutions in developing financing and implementation strategies to carry out the major elements of those plans. Our work in this area has included overall planning approaches as well as analysis of specific program components such as recreational facilities; museums, interpretive centers and cultural facilities; related public infrastructure , landscape and streetscape improvements and, in certain instances, supportive retail, residential and hotel development. Urban Partners has assisted numerous clients create recreational and tourism development strategies by identifying area resources -- natural, historical, cultural and organizational -- determining appropriate development sites and devising financing programs for project implementation. Historic Preservation Studies: Urban Partners has a longstanding interest in the economic aspects of historic preservation -- an interest that has emerged from the architectural backgrounds of members of the firm and our appreciation for the contribution that historic buildings can make to revitalization efforts. Our work has included the assessment of market conditions, the preparation of pro forma analyses and the creation of financing strategies for the rehabilitation and reuse of specific properties. In addition to private investment/adaptive reuse projects we have been involved in projects driven by the preservation objectives of public and non-profit clients. We find this work especially challenging because the economic characteristics of preservation activities under- taken by public and non-profit projects are often quite difficult and require more creative and complex solutions. Program and Policy Analysis:While most of our work focuses on the planning and implementation of specific housing or economic/community development projects, we also undertake program and policy evaluations in these areas. Our program and policy analysis services are oriented to foundations; national and local intermedi- aries in the community development field, special public agencies and non-profit organizations with broad national, regional and local perspectives that provide funding to the non-profit sector or are in the position to establish or influence new program initiatives. Our services allow clients to evaluate the effectiveness of their current programs and to examine new policy directions for their organizations. These services are enhanced by our extensive experience in the actual implementation of housing, economic development and community devel- opment programs, which provides us both a practical operational understanding and a broad intellectual per- spective on the housing, community development and economic development fields. URBAN PARTNERS I-16 F R P LYOVER EMOVAL ROJECT Savannah, GA U rban Partners recently assisted the City of Savannah and the Chatham County - Savannah Metropolitan Planning Com mission (MPC) assess the potential of demolishing the cur- rent flyover entering downtown Savannah which terminates I-16. In- stead, a grid of boulevards, local streets and city-scale blocks would be substituted for the current “expressway-barrier” development pat- ter. Urban Partners modeled a strategic path for redevelopmetn of the overall area impacted by the I-16 Floyover removal project. This re- development program is intended to revitalizeAnd redevelop the MLK Boulevard and Montgomery Street corridors in patterns consistent with on-going public policy and adjacent uses; to re- construct the Kayton Homes public housing de- velopment within the area to create a mixed-in- come, mixed-tenure community connected to the existing neighborhood fabric; to redevelop par- cels currently encumbered by the I-16 Flyover, and to encourage housing and business diver- sity in the overall redevelopment scheme. The target area includes all or portions of 35 current blocks, as well as land to be freed up by the I-16 Flyover removal. Taken together, approximately 35-40 acres of land are likely to be redeveloped over a 20-year period. Ur- ban Partners’ analysis described existing population and development patterns and assessed market opportunities and constraints over a 20-year development period. This analysis identified the potential for development of over 500,000 SF of commercial space, including re- tail, office and lodging opportunities, as well as 1,200 new housing units. Housing potential was assessed by tenure (ownership, rental), as well as by market niche (market rate, workforce and affordable). Development was programmed for each major grouping of blocks within the study area and expected development was phased over the 20- year period to respect market absorption potential. Urban Partners also prepared an overall strategy for implementation and a detailed early action agenda to capture the identified develop- Client Reference: ment potential. The project was awarded the Georgia Planning City of Savannah Association’s Outstanding Planning Document for a Large Commu- Chatham County - Savannah Metropoli- tan Planning Commission nity for 2012. URBAN PARTNERS HHHHH WWWWW PPPPP OOOOOBBBBBOOOOOKKKKKEEEEENNNNN AAAAATTTTTEEEEERRRRRFFFFFRRRRROOOOONNNNNTTTTT LLLLLAAAAANNNNN Hoboken, NJ T he Hoboken Waterfront Corporation was formed in early 1992 by Hoboken’s Mayor and City Council for the purpose of creating a waterfront development program for the City. After two decades of fruitless effort and two public referenda defeating public waterfront develop- ment plans, the Corporation was created to ex- amine and plan the waterfront as a whole, from the Jersey City boundary to the south, to the Weehauken boundary to the north. The area involved in this planning and imple- mentation project included a largely vacant pier and various industrial properties intended to be reused for office, hotel, residential and retail development. Urban Partners was retained as economic and implementation analyst to the Wa- terfront Concept Plan effort. Our role was to assess the economic benefits of various devel- opment alternatives and of specific activities, to participate in the intensive community par- ticipation process through which alternative de- velopment strategies were evaluated and a pre- ferred strategy selected, to assess the costs of public improvements — such as pier stabilization, street and utility construction and park and esplanade construction — necessary to support the recommended waterfront improvements and to structure a Request for Qualifications process to attract potential developers. The plan reserves over 60 percent of the waterfront for public open space and focuses development on portions of the site closest to Hoboken’s traditional commercial core -- thus maintaining and sup- porting the existing Washington Street retail district. This project re- ceived the 2002 New Jersey Smart Growth Award. CCCCCllllliiiiieeeeennnnnttttt RRRRReeeeefffffeeeeerrrrreeeeennnnnccccceeeee::::: Hoboken Waterfront Corporation UUUUURRRRRBBBBBAAAAANNNNN PPPPPAAAAARRRRRTTTTTNNNNNEEEEERRRRRSSSSS D M M D P OWNTOWN ANSFIELD UNICIPAL EVELOPMENT LAN Storrs, CT U rban Partners participated in a consultant team led by Looney Ricks Kiss Architects in the completion of the Downtown Mansfield Municipal Development Plan. Retained by the Mansfield Downtown Partnership -- a non-profit agency representing public, private and University of Connecticut interests -- the team was charged with developing a town center plan for a 15-acre University- owned site that that would serve both institutional and community purposes. Urban Partners’ role in this project was to identify mar- ket characteristics for a full range of residential, re- tail, commercial, entertainment and hotel uses and to assist the design team in developing community con- sensus about desired uses and their appropriate place- ment and massing. The project will be distinguished by a town square, small parks and terraces and an adjacent 30-acre conservation area -- made possible by the creation of a new mixed-use zoning classification that allows for a variety of civic and community spaces and higher density de- velopment within the town center. Overall, the Storrs Center will in- clude 200-300 units of market rate rental housing, 400-500 units of market rate sales housing, up to 200,000 SF of retal space, up to 75,000 SF of commercial space and up to 25,000 SF of community- programmed civic space. Urban Partners also assessed the economic and fis- cal impacts of the proposed development program to provide the clients with information about attributable tax revenues and public service costs. The Mansfield Downtown Partnership has moved for- ward with our team’s recommendations. In May 2006, the University of Connecticut’s Board of Trustees ap- proved the sale of the 15-acre town center and 30- acre conservation area to the selected developer. The first phase of mixed-use development is anticipated to be tenanted in Fall 2012. Client Reference: Downtown Mansfield Partnership URBAN PARTNERS HHHHH SSSSS HHHHH SSSSS MMMMM PPPPP AAAAAVVVVVEEEEERRRRRFFFFFOOOOORRRRRDDDDD TTTTTAAAAATTTTTEEEEE OOOOOSSSSSPPPPPIIIIITTTTTAAAAALLLLL IIIIITTTTTEEEEE AAAAASSSSSTTTTTEEEEERRRRR LLLLLAAAAANNNNN Haverford, PA U rban Partners recently participated in a multidisciplinary team retained to develop a master plan for the former Haverford State Hospital. The Haverford State Hospital facility was closed in 1998 by the Commonwealth of Pennsyl- vania after operating for nearly 40 years. The 212-acre parcel includes approximately 150 acres of undevel- oped open space, constituting the last remaining un- developed land in Haverford Township. The parcel is the largest available single natural land tract in Delaware County and is a significant open space opportunity for the community. Our role in the project was to determine the feasibility of potential reuse options for the Hospital facilities and grounds that would help support the preservation of much of the site’s valuable open space. We examined market conditions for passive and recreational uses; market rate, age- restricted and assisted living residential uses; office development; enter- tainment and catering facilities and municipal and community service functions. For each use, we identified the feasible scale and pricing of development, the appropriate placement of development on the site and the impacts of development on the surrounding area as well as deter- mined the estimated net fiscal impact of development to Township resi- dents. Based on our analysis, the Township negotiated transfer of the property from the state and selected a master developer, which purchased 40 acres of the site for residential development. The first of 198 age-restricted condominiums and 100 carriages homes were occupied in Fall 2009 and proceeds of the sale have financed the development and maintenance of four multi-use lighted playing fields and walking trails on 120 acres of publicly-accessible land. CCCCCllllliiiiieeeeennnnnttttt::::: Haverford Township, PA UUUUURRRRRBBBBBAAAAANNNNN PPPPPAAAAARRRRRTTTTTNNNNNEEEEERRRRRSSSSS www.urbanpartners.us B M O T R P AYONNE ILITARY CEAN ERMINAL EUSE ROGRAM Bayonne, NJ U rban Partners was retained by the Bayonne Local Redevelop- ment Authority (BLRAP to assist in developing a reuse pro- gram for the Military Ocean Terminal of Bayonne (MOTBY). Urban Partners assessed the site’s capactiy to contribute to long-term job creation, additional tax rateables, and mixed use activites to enhance Bayonne’s quality of life. The study focused on the feasibility of developing commercial, residential, hotel, marina, entertainment, and waterfront-related uses at the site through 2025 and recommended appropriate pricing, scale, and phasing of development. The initial analysis identified comparable development projects involving each of the uses being considered for the MOTBY site, examined the region’s demographic trends and considered accessibility issues affect- ing the site. Urban Partners identified total development demand through 2025, which includes 7,500 housing units, five million square feet of commercial space and a 250-slip marina. Further analysis assessed the ecoUnomic benefits of each development program considered (including tax rev- enues, revenues from ground leases and/or sale pro- . ceeds and employment impacts); compared the costs of infrastructure investments required for each development alternative, and identified financing and investment re- quirements and potential sources of funding for each potential use. Since transfer of the property from the U.S. Army, BLRA has negotiated the sale and lease of a significant portion of the property that advances the preferred development approach. Already developed projects include the Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines’ Cape Liberty Cruise Port and the 544-unit Alexan at Bayonne Bay rental residential property. Sale and lease agreements for future residential and mixed use development have also been negotiated. CCCCCllllliiiiieeeeennnnnttttt RRRRReeeeefffffeeeeerrrrreeeeennnnnccccceeeee::::: Bayonne Local Redevelopment Authority UUUUURRRRRBBBBBAAAAANNNNN PPPPPAAAAARRRRRTTTTTNNNNNEEEEERRRRRSSSSS www.urbanpartners.us N B R P EUWEILER REWERY EUSE LAN Allentown, PA T he Neuweiler Brewery in Allentown, PA is an historic property located in the city’s waterfront district. Opened in 1913, the plant featured state- of-the-art technology in brewing German style beer, porter, and ale. Succumbing to national shifts in beer manufacturing and distributing, the Neuweiler Brewery ceased operations in late 1960’s. Rehabilitating this facility is a major piece of the City’s redevelopment plans for the entire waterfront area. In 2012, Urban Partners was retained by the City of Allentown as part of a consultant team that examined the reuse plan for the facility. Our role in this project was to examine the fi nancial feasibility of the various alternative development programs. As part of that analysis, Urban Partners assessed the market conditions for potential uses, including residential, offi ce, retail, and entertainment. In the reuse analysis report, we undertook the fi nancial feasibility assessment of fi ve redevelopment alternatives and examined the cost of initial development, income/expense analysis for operations, and fi nancing sources. Additionally, we examined the fi scal impact the various redevelopment alternatives would have on the local and state economies. Client Reference: City of Allentown EEEEE DDDDD MMMMM PPPPP &&&&& RRRRRIIIIIEEEEE OOOOOWWWWWNNNNNTTTTTOOOOOWWWWWNNNNN AAAAASSSSSTTTTTEEEEERRRRR LLLLLAAAAANNNNN BBBBB RRRRR MMMMM AAAAA UUUUUIIIIILLLLLDDDDDIIIIINNNNNGGGGG EEEEEUUUUUSSSSSEEEEE AAAAARRRRRKKKKKEEEEETTTTT NNNNNAAAAALLLLLYYYYYSSSSSIIIIISSSSS Erie, PA D owntown Erie, like many rust belt cities, has, for decades, wit- nessed the loss of commercial and residential investment to nearby suburban communities. Early efforts to compete with sub- urban forces involved mall-like cosmetic makeovers to some of the downtown’s historic buildings and the demotion of others to create large surface parking lots. The resulting destruction of the downtown’s historic urban fabric further harmed its ability to successfully attract residential and business tenants. In recent years, public and pri- vate investments in Downtown Erie — resulting in a new wa- terfront Convention Center, a growing University, attractive museums and performing arts venues and a successful ballpark and hockey arena – have begun the process of downtown revival. To guide fu- ture revitalization efforts, the Erie Downtown Improvement District, the Erie Redevelopment Authority and the City of Erie, recently joined forces to develop a master plan. The Erie Downtown Master Plan, developed by Urban Partners and Kise Straw & Kolodner, provides a framework for rebuilding the 70-block down- town area as an active residential and commercial center, while enhanc- ing its role as the region’s premier office district. Our work included retail, office and housing market analysis, economic development analysis, and rec- ommendations on development strategies and implementation. The result- ing strategy emphasized renovation of loft buildings for mixed use, new hous- ing development, office development, and retail expansion in four concen- trated areas of the Downtown. Since completion of the plan, the City agencies have moved forward on many of our recommendations. A key redevelopment project is the reuse of the Mercantile Building funded in part through the Pennsylvania Housing Fi- nance Agency’s Mixed Use Facility Financing Initiative (MUFFI). Urban Part- ners prepared the market analysis for that MUFFI application. Additionally, an CCCCCllllliiiiieeeeennnnnttttt RRRRReeeeefffffeeeeerrrrreeeeennnnnccccceeeeesssss::::: Erie Downtown Improvement District/ intense design charrette has outlined the first $55 million of development in Erie Redevelopment Authority the vicinity of Griswold Park and Plaza. UUUUURRRRRBBBBBAAAAANNNNN PPPPPAAAAARRRRRTTTTTNNNNNEEEEERRRRRSSSSS M B S A R P ILLBOURNE OROUGH TATION REA EDEVELOPMENT LAN Millbourne, PA L ocated in the eastcentral section of Delaware County that borders the City of Philadelphia, the Borough of Millbourne is a a community of 1,159 residents in 416 housing units. The most prominent property in the Borough is the former Sears Department Store site, which is an 18-acre site that’s been vacant since 1988 when the store relocated to Upper Darby. Funded by a grant from the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, the Borough of Millbourne retained Urban Partners to engage in a planning process that culminated in the Station Area Redevelopment Plan. Working closely with a project steering committee that consisted of borough offi cials, business leaders, county planners, and local residents, we developed a redevelopment plan that, when implemented, would result in signifi cant increase in tax revenue for the Borough. As a crucial part of developing a feasible plan, Urban Partners also worked closely with the owner of the property to assess site constraints and costs for new infrastructure systems. Once the fi nal site plan was completed, Urban Partners represented the Borough in negotiating with the property owner on a cost-sharing plan that would involve the developer, the Borough, and the County. Client Reference: Borough of Millbourne