Ucp advisory servicespanelreport_charlotte_nc_2008

AN AD VI SORY S E R V IC E S PA N E L R E P O RT

University Research Park
Charlotte, North Carolina

www.uli.org

University Research Park
Charlotte, North Carolina
Reinventing a Regional Asset

September 29–October 2, 2008
An Advisory Services Panel Report

The Urban Land Institute
1025 Thomas Jefferson Street, N.W.
Suite 500 West
Washington, D.C. 20007-5201

About ULI–the Urban Land Institute

T
he mission of the Urban Land Institute is to • Sustaining a diverse global network of local
provide leadership in the responsible use of practice and advisory efforts that address cur-
land and in creating and sustaining thriving rent and future challenges.
communities worldwide. ULI is committed to
Established in 1936, the Institute today has more
• Bringing together leaders from across the fields than 40,000 members worldwide, representing the
of real estate and land use policy to exchange entire spectrum of the land use and development
best practices and serve community needs; disciplines. Professionals represented include de-
velopers, builders, property owners, investors,
• Fostering collaboration within and beyond architects, public officials, planners, real estate
ULI’s membership through mentoring, dia- brokers, appraisers, attorneys, engineers, financiers,
logue, and problem solving; academics, students, and librarians. ULI relies
• Exploring issues of urbanization, conservation, heavily on the experience of its members. It is
regeneration, land use, capital formation, and through member involvement and information
sustainable development; resources that ULI has been able to set standards
of excellence in development practice. The Insti-
• Advancing land use policies and design prac- tute has long been recognized as one of the world’s
tices that respect the uniqueness of both built most respected and widely quoted sources of ob-
and natural environments; jective information on urban planning, growth,
and development.
• Sharing knowledge through education, applied
research, publishing, and electronic media; and

©2008 by ULI–the Urban Land Institute
Suite 500 West

All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of the whole or any
part of the contents without written permission of the copy-
right holder is prohibited.

Cover photo © Zane Segal.

2 An Advisory Services Panel Report

About ULI Advisory Services

T
he goal of ULI’s Advisory Services Pro ram
g able to make accurate assessments of a sponsor’s
is to bring the finest expertise in the real issues and to provide recommendations in a com-
estate field to bear on complex land use plan- pressed amount of time.
ning and development projects, programs,
and policies. Since 1947, this program has assem- A major strength of the program is ULI’s unique
bled well over 400 ULI-member teams to help ability to draw on the knowledge and expertise of
sponsors find creative, practical solutions for its members, including land developers and own-
issues such as downtown redevelopment, land ers, public officials, academics, representatives of
management strategies, evaluation of develop- financial institutions, and others. In fulfillment of
the mission of the Urban Land Institute, this
ment potential, growth management, community
Advisory Services panel report is intended to
revitalization, brownfields redevelopment, mili-
provide objective advice that will promote the re-
tary base reuse, provision of low-cost and afford-
sponsible use of land to enhance the environment.
able housing, and asset management strategies,
among other matters. A wide variety of public, ULI Program Staff
private, and nonprofit organizations have con-
tracted for ULI’s Advisory Services. Marta V. Goldsmith
Senior Vice President, Community/
Each panel team is composed of highly qualified Education Provost
professionals who volunteer their time to ULI.
They are chosen for their knowledge of the panel Thomas W. Eitler
Vice President, Advisory Services
topic and screened to ensure their objectivity.
ULI’s interdisciplinary panel teams provide a Matthew Rader
holistic look at development problems. A re- Manager, Advisory Services
spected ULI member who has previous panel
Caroline Dietrich
experience chairs each panel.
Panel Associate, Advisory Services
The agenda for a three-day panel assignment is Gwen McCall
intensive. It includes an in-depth briefing com- Administrative Manager, Education and Community
posed of a tour of the site and meetings with
sponsor representatives; interviews with com- Nancy H. Stewart
munity representatives; and one day for formu- Director, Book Program
lating recommendations. On the final day on site, Laura Glassman, Publications Professionals LLC
the panel makes an oral presentation of its find- Manuscript Editor
ings and conclusions to the sponsor. At the re-
quest of the sponsor, a written report is pre- Betsy VanBuskirk
pared and published. Creative Director

Because the sponsoring entities are responsible Martha Loomis
Desktop Publishing Specialist/Graphics
for significant preparation before the panel’s visit,
including sending extensive briefing materials to Craig Chapman
each member and arranging for the panel to meet Director, Publishing Operations
with key local community members and stake-
holders in the project under consideration, par-
ticipants in ULI’s five-day panel assignments are

Charlotte, North Carolina, September 29–October 2, 2008 3

Acknowledgments

O
n behalf of the Urban Land Institute, the Mary Hopper, Gary Morgan, Dikeesha Nelson,
panelists thank University City Partners Olen Smith, and Robert Wilhelm for providing a
for inviting them to explore development warm welcome, excellent briefing materials, and
opportunities for the University Research candid insight into the park’s challenges and op-
Park. The panel applauds University City Part- portunities. Finally, the panel thanks all the com-
ners, University Research Park, Inc., and the Uni- munity members who participated in interviews.
versity of North Carolina at Charlotte for their They demonstrated the community spirit that
commitment to making University City a vital makes University City a great place in which to
place to live, work, and learn. live and work.

The panel thanks Chancellor Philip L. Dubois,
Tom Flynn, Peter Franz, Seddon “Rusty” Goode,


Contents

ULI Panel and Project Staff 6

Foreword: The Panel’s Assignment 7

Market Potential 10

Planning and Development Strategies 13

Implementation 19

About the Panel 21


ULI Panel and Project Staff

Panel Chair Douette Pryce
President
Zane Segal Pryce Resources, LLC
Project Director St. Lucie West, Florida
Zane Segal Projects
Houston, Texas James T. Viviano
Associate Director
Cooper Carry, Inc.
Panel Members Atlanta, Georgia
Jennifer Ball
Vice President of Planning ULI Project Staff
Central Atlanta Progress, Inc.
Atlanta, Georgia Matthew Rader
Manager, Advisory Services
Paula Konikoff
J.D. MAI Bartly Mathews
New York, New York Intern, University of Virginia

Keith Maehlum
Vice President of Development
HAL Real Estate Investments, Inc.
Seattle, Washington


Foreword: The Panel’s Assignment

U
niversity City Partners (UCP) invited the Power Research Institute, AREVA, IBM, Mi-
panel to help create a new vision for the chelin, Polymers Center of Excellence, Speed
University Research Park (URP). The Channel, TIAA-CREF, and Wachovia. The park
URP is a 2,200-acre office and light industri- contains at least 615 undeveloped acres.
al park adjacent to Interstate 85, ten miles north-
east of uptown Charlotte. UCP is working with Specifically, UCP asked the panel to consider the
the URP’s property owners and other stakehold- following questions:
ers to revitalize the park and ensure its long-term
• What physical improvements should the URP
vitality.
undertake to establish identity, improve the
The University of North Carolina at Charlotte tenant experience, and set the stage for future
(UNC Charlotte) and the URP anchor Universi- growth?
ty City, northeast Charlotte’s largest submarket.
• What green building standards should the
University City houses more than 150,000 resi-
URP establish for new buildings and building
dents and 74,000 jobs and contributes over $8.4
retrofits, and how should the URP establish,
billion annually to the regional economy. UCP, the
incentivize, and enforce these standards?
panel’s sponsor, is a special services district that
serves University City’s commercial core. In July • What is the optimal mix of tenant types (re-
2008, the Charlotte City Council expanded UCP’s search, back office, other) for the URP? What
boundaries to include the URP. steps should the URP take to attract these ten-
The URP provides space for over 10 million ants and support the growth of tenants within
square feet of offices with more than 20,000 em- the park?
ployees. Although planned for research functions, • What additional amenities should the URP offer
the URP features a diverse mix of office, back of- to attract the desired tenant mix?
fice, and light industrial uses. The park’s 80 build-
ings house an estimated 198 occupants, includ- • Should the URP consider mixed-use develop-
ing Duke Power, EDS, Fifth Third Bank, Electric ment? If so, what other types of development

KENTUCKY VIRGINIA
Location map.

85
77 NORTH CAROLINA
95

Winston-Salem Greensboro
85
TENNESSEE High Point Durham Rocky Mount
Albemarle Sound

40
Cary Raleigh
40
Asheville 77 N ORTH CAROLINA Greenville
26

Gastonia 85

Charlotte Pamlico Sound

95
Fayetteville

Jacksonville
GEORGIA
SOUTH CAROLINA

40

Wilmington
A t l a n t i c O c e a n


VIRGINIA

85

77 NORTH CAROLINA
9

Winston-Salem Greensboro
Regional map. Create a Conservation Community
85
Durham
ALEXANDER
High Point R
IREDELL 40 The URP’s beautiful natural setting impresses ev-
Cary
ery visitor and can become the park’s greatest as-
DAVIDSON Raleigh
set, especially R O LIN A sustainability increas-
N O RTH C A as interest in
Asheville C ATAW B A 77 ROWAN
es. Future development in the URP should follow
26
LINCOLN
sustainable development principles and respect
the natural environment.
CABARRUS
85
CLEVELAND Gastonia S T A N LY

Increase Density to Enhance Sustainability
GASTON Charlotte
95
MECKLENBURG
Increased density and connectivity between uses
Fayetteville
will add value to the URP. The park’s current 0.1
floor/area ratio (FAR) means that there is only
UNION ANSON

should be considered? Where should they be one square foot of building for every ten square
feet of land, which is not efficient. Increased den- Jack
located within the park? How will mixed-use
SOUTH CAROLINA
development contribute to the park’s long-term sities will enable people to walk between more
viability? uses and drive less, consequently reducing ve-
hicle miles traveled, a key goal of sustainable
• Who should play a role in managing the URP? development.
40

What role should each organization take? How
should they be coordinated? Introduce Complimentary Uses
Wilmington
• What steps can the URP take to encourage The panel recommends diversifying the park to
development of the undeveloped parcels and include a hotel, accessory retail, limited housing,
redevelopment of underperforming properties? and other uses that support businesses and their
employees. Projects around the world show that
Summary of Recommendations the right mixed-use elements can add value to an
office park. A recent study by Battelle showed
The panel believes that UCP, University Re- that many research parks are working to provide
search Park, Inc., the URP’s property owners and internal mixed-use, walkable communities. By
tenants, UNC Charlotte, and other stakehold- helping reduce vehicle miles traveled, thereby re-
ers can work together to reinvent the URP as a ducing emissions, mixed-use development also de-
mixed-use, master-planned, conservation commu- creases the park’s overall carbon footprint.
nity with a strong business focus. Reinvention will
make the park more attractive to new buyers and Moving Ahead
occupants and will begin an ongoing process of re-
development that will help keep it vital. Effective reinvention will require organizational
and image changes that will support and promote
The panel envisions a reinvented park with excel-
the physical changes described. The panel recom-
lent buildings and sites, a stunning natural set-
ting, and a carefully planned mix of complementa- mends the following action steps to initiate the
ry uses—such as a hotel, a health club, and limited reinvention.
housing—that will attract high-quality businesses. Create a Master Plan
The reinvention will follow national trends that
see research and office parks transitioning from The panel recommends engaging all stakeholders
single-use, automobile-dominated environments in creating a master plan for the reinvented park.
into mixed-use communities. This reinvention The master plan will provide the road map for fu-
should embrace the goals discussed in the follow- ture development and will align the stakeholders
ing sections. along clear principles for future development.


Rebrand and Market the Park redevelopment. The park’s current and future
property owners and tenants must take consider-
The panel recommends creating and marketing
able leadership in the park’s future governance.
a new identity for URP that separates it from
existing perceptions. The new identity may in- Reinvention will take time. Some of the panel’s
clude a name change and should highlight the long-range recommendations may not make sense
new master plan. in the current market. The panel encourages all
stakeholders to remember that few facilities in the
Create a Collaborative Organization
park today will exist in a century. Opportunities
University Research Park, Inc., provided dedi- for development and redevelopment should re-
cated leadership through the park’s development. spond to market conditions while remaining true
For the reinvention, University Research Park, to the master plan’s core principles.
Inc., and UCP should evolve and collaborate to
provide the leadership and management needed
to manage the park’s ongoing development and


Market Potential

T
he University Research Park is a $1 billion- Charlotte’s market will likely continue its growth
plus asset that needs to be protected and en- when the national economy stabilizes. Charlotte’s
hanced. Today, the park’s occupancy and use excellent quality of life, strong employment base,
are declining. Even before the current na- relatively affordable housing at all price levels,
tional and international financial crisis, available and attractive climate will continue to attract
buildings and sites were not selling and leasing at businesses and residents during, and especially af-
market rates. The park’s large parcels, stunning
ter, the current turmoil.
natural setting, and convenient access to I-85 and
UNC Charlotte offer competitive advantages. The
panel believes the park can be reinvented to at- Alternatives to the URP
tract new attention and perform at or above mar-
A company considering locating in the URP might
ket levels.
consider four other locations in greater Charlotte.
All segments of the URP are suffering declining None is truly competitive with the URP because
occupancy and use in part because of company fail- the URP alone offers large-acreage available land
ures and mergers characteristic of national mar- parcels and a pristine parklike atmosphere. How-
kets at this time. Three major facilities illustrate ever, each alternative offers amenities to attract
this trend: the Meridian (former IBM) property, new occupants. The four top competitors are dis-
with over 1.8 million square feet of space on 183 cussed in the following sections.
acres, is in receivership; First Charter’s former
headquarters is now owned by Fifth Third Bank, North Carolina Research Campus
houses roughly one-third of its intended 900 em- Located 17 miles north of the URP in Kannapo-
ployees, and is for sale; and the Wachovia facility, lis, North Carolina Research Campus is a 350-acre
with over 10,000 employees, lacks a clear future biotech research facility currently under devel-
because of Wachovia’s recent takeover by Wells opment. The campus offers over 1 million square
Fargo. Owners of multitenant buildings also report feet of state-of-the-art lab, office, and greenhouse
reduced leasing and believe that the small-tenant space with access to several major university re-
market may be saturated at this time.
search facilities and is designed as a hub for re-
search operations.
The Charlotte Market
South Park
Historically, Charlotte’s overall market has en-
joyed continuous growth. The Chamber of Com- Located 13 miles south of the URP, the South
merce reports that population and household in- Park neighborhood offers a significant cluster of
come grew from 2007 to 2008 and will continue office space and a significant concentration of up-
their steady climb. CB Richard Ellis’s (CBRE) scale housing, retail, restaurants, and entertain-
Second Quarter 2008 Report noted that the office ment. The combination of available office space
market had remained stable, despite problems in and a vibrant residential community makes South
the national economy and the national office mar- Park a very attractive business location. South
ket. CBRE encouraged investors to watch the of- Park offers some development sites, but they are
fice market closely for the remainder of 2008 as smaller and much more expensive than those in
bank layoffs continue. the URP.


Ballantyne university coexist as neighbors and anchors for
University City. Transforming this relationship
Located 24 miles south of the URP, Ballantyne
into a dynamic partnership will benefit both insti-
offers a well-defined and branded collection of of-
fice parks, mixed-use residential communities, and tutions and the larger community.
retail centers. Ballantyne offers both higher-rise As UNC Charlotte begins to run out of land for
buildings than the URP and mixed-use amenities expansion, the URP provides a natural site for
that create vibrancy attractive to business users. further expansion because of its physical proxim-
The Ballantyne Resort is a major amenity and in-
ity and similar natural character. The URP also
cludes a hotel and a golf course. Ballantyne offers
offers a natural place for companies incubated
only rental office space.
at the Charlotte Research Institute to relocate
Uptown Charlotte and grow, first in multitenant buildings or newly
built flex space and eventually in their own fa-
Uptown, Charlotte’s city center, offers the sky-
cilities. Enhanced physical connections, includ-
scrapers, hotels, condominiums, retail, and restau-
ing the proposed bike trail and light-rail shuttles,
rants expected in an urban downtown. Uptown
will strengthen the connection between these two
does not offer large parcels appropriate for a user
seeking to control its own security, a natural set- neighbors.
ting, or access to the university.
Park Positives
The URP stands out among the competition as the
only park setting and the only place with large- The URP offers many positive features that
acreage parcels appropriate for major single us- should be preserved and can become major draws
ers. These characteristics, coupled with the park’s for new companies. The strongest positives
location near I-85, UNC Charlotte, and the af- include
fordable neighborhoods of University City are the
URP’s strongest assets. • A unique, inherently “green” physical setting:
the URP really is a park that offers stunning
University Ties natural scenery, dense woods, and gently rolling
topography.
When the URP opened in the mid-1960s, UNC
Charlotte enrolled 1,800 students and lacked any • The greenway: the park’s greenway offers an
significant research program. Today, UNC Char- amenity to users who can use it to jog, run and
lotte enrolls 23,200 students and will continue to walk through the lush natural landscape.
grow by 1,000 students per year until total enroll-
• Redundant power infrastructure: the park’s re-
ment reaches 35,000, likely in 2020.
dundant power infrastructure is not duplicated
UNC Charlotte is now a leader in university- in Charlotte and makes the park especially at-
business partnerships and hosts a nationally recog- tractive to data centers, research facilities, and
nized research program. The Charlotte Research others who rely on uninterrupted power.
Institute, UNC Charlotte’s arm for university-
business partnerships, is currently expanding its • Large contiguous tracts: the park offers both
complex on UNC Charlotte’s campus to provide vacant parcels and underused buildings that are
added research facilities and incubator space for large enough to allow users privacy and fully
small businesses. controlled security.

The panel recommends that UCP and Universi- • Excellent transportation and access: the park
ty Research Park, Inc., engage UNC Charlotte in offers extensive existing and planned links to
the park’s reinvention. Although connected by le- I-85, regional highways, and surface roads
gal agreements, the URP and UNC Charlotte do that connect the park to nearby residential
not maintain an active relationship. The park and neighborhoods.


• High-quality occupants and architecture: the
URP offers an impressive collection of high-
quality occupants often housed in complexes of
equally high-quality architecture and landscape
architecture. The list of notable occupants in-
cludes TIAA-CREF, Electric Power Research
Institute, Duke Power, and the former First
Charter headquarters.


Planning and Development
Strategies

T
he panel proposes reinventing the park into park and ultimately will lead to greater outside
a master-planned conservation community interest. The master plan may require updates to
with a business focus. Reinvention will re- the covenants and zoning to enable mixed-use de-
quire close collaboration among all stake- velopment and support the plan’s core principles
holders, including University Research Park, Inc., of conservation and connectivity.
UCP, landowners, and tenants. The reinvention
The master plan should include a comprehensive
process will include making an inventory of the
transportation component targeted at enhancing
park’s current assets, creating a master plan for
the park’s connectivity to UNC Charlotte, Uni-
the future, and managing development and rede-
versity Place, future light-rail stations, and other
velopment over time. This section of the report
neighboring activity nodes. The plan should look
outlines strategies for the proposed inventory, the
at automobile, bicycle, pedestrian, and transit ac-
master plan, and development of specific parcels.
cess to the park and create appropriate internal
and external connections for all modes. Transpor-
Inventory the Park tation planning must be integrated with the land
use and development planning.
The panel recommends creating a complete inven-
tory of the park’s land, buildings, occupants, and Master Plan Principles
undeveloped parcels. The inventory will provide
the baseline information needed to create an effec- The panel recommends adopting core principles to
tive master plan and marketing strategy. guide the master plan and future development ac-
tivities. The following principles focus on creating
a dynamic community that will make the park a
Create a Master Plan unique location in Charlotte and that exceeds the
expectations and needs of future occupants.
Following the inventory, the stakeholders should
initiate the master-planning process. The new Shape the park into a conservation community. The
master plan should take a long-term view and cre- park offers beautiful stands of hardwood trees and
ate a road map for future development, includ- a rolling landscape that do not exist in many re-
ing core business uses and complementary uses. gions throughout the United States. The beautiful
The master plan’s bottom-line goal must be to de- greenway allows individuals to enjoy a peaceful
velop a shared vision for the park’s development, environment while in the park. The panel believes
growth, and evolution and a shared understanding that future development in the park should em-
of the catalytic development projects and infra- brace the unique natural setting by adopting sus-
structure (roads, paths, parks, and so on) needed tainable development strategies and protecting
to achieve that vision. The master plan must be the existing natural settings.
collaborative and open, and it should engage all
stakeholders. Intensify land uses. The panel recommends in-
tensifying land uses in the park to create a more
The park should build on the diversity of exist- walkable community and to preserve green space.
ing occupants and should continually seek oppor- Examples of appropriate intensification include
tunities to develop and redevelop infill sites with clustering businesses in a walkable area, encour-
greater densities and uses that harmonize with aging structured parking to allow denser uses, and
the master plan. Diversifying land uses will create reducing setbacks to create synergies between
flexibility regarding what can be done within the uses. Intensification should be carefully planned to


The panel identified five
key sites for catalytic
developments. The panel
also recommends creat-
ing iconic signage at key
entrances and intersec-
tions throughout the park.

Key

Key Sites

Key Entrance or Intersection

Greenway Trail


The panel recommends
diversitying the park to
include uses complemen-
tary to business activi-
ties, such as executive
residential, a mixed-use
village, and an enhanced
greeenway. The panel
also recommends creat-
ing an iconic structure
along I-85 and branding
the water tower to raise
the park’s visibility.

Key

Iconic Structure

Key Intersection

New Boulevard


provide a consistent, natural setting throughout that the park’s stakeholders work closely with
the park. UNC Charlotte and private developers to develop
new lab space that meets the technical require-
Adopt LEED standards for new development. The
ments for research and development tenants.
park’s natural amenities already support sustain-
able development goals. The panel recommends Provide accessory retail. The panel recommends
adopting LEED (Leadership in Energy and En- creating new accessory retail to serve business-
vironmental Design) standards for future devel- es and residents within the park. Accessory re-
opment to enhance the park’s sustainability and tail should not duplicate or compete with Uni-
marketability. TIAA-CREF has already imple- versity Place.
mented LEED design and created a long-term,
sustainable development that conserves energy. Incorporate creative-class housing. Last year,
Charlotte gained more than 92,000 young, highly
Development Program educated residents who want to live close to em-
The master plan should identify appropriate loca- ployment opportunities. These residents are part
tions and development strategies for uses within of the creative class, workers who use their cre-
the park. As previously noted, the panel propos- ative ability, education, and expertise to develop
es diversifying the park’s uses to include limited new innovations in science, engineering, media,
housing, services, and other supportive uses to at- medicine, architecture, and other disciplines. Cre-
tract new occupants to the park. The panel recom- ative-class professionals generally prefer higher-
mends the master plan address the following uses: density, walkable communities. Typical creative-
class housing projects offer four to five floors of
Develop new office space. The panel recommends residential flats over a base of community retail
encouraging new office development by modifying or live/work units.
the zoning code to allow taller, more slender build-
ings that extend above the tree canopy. Allowing Consider a cultural amenity. Cultural amenities
such buildings will help increase the park’s FAR such as museums, galleries, and theaters can im-
and create many new development opportunities. prove a community’s quality of life while attract-
Increasing FAR and colocating uses fights climate ing growth and development. A cultural amenity
change by reducing vehicle miles traveled and rein the park would offer a change of pace for em-
lated vehicle emissions. ployees and could offer a catalyst for hospitali-
ty and retail uses. Additionally, a cultural ame-
Expand research and development activities. War-
ren & Associates’ University Research Park Com- nity could attract area residents to the park
petitive Analysis (December 2007) found that 60 experience.
to 100 percent of occupants in comparable parks Provide a heliport. A heliport can help differenti-
are oriented to research. The panel recommends ate the park in the marketplace by allowing high-
increasing the park’s research-oriented occupancy level executives to quickly and conveniently travel
closer to this benchmark. from the airport or neighboring communities di-
The panel recommends developing flex buildings rectly to offices in the park. A heliport may be im-
to serve research tenants. Flex buildings provide portant for an international headquarters office or
flexible space for research and development ten- even a NAS AR corporate headquarters. It could
C
ants to establish research facilities, lab facilities, be located either within the site or on a building.
offices, industrial space, and even retail opportu-
Open a sales center. The sales center should offer
nities, depending on their various needs. Develop-
a central marketing point for all properties in the
ers can easily modify flex buildings to respond to
park and should include the offices of the park’s
changing markets.
management entity. Visitors and potential occu-
Establishing high-quality lab space is essential for pants can visit the sales center to learn about
a successful research park. The panel recommends the park.


Develop a small, high-end enclave. The enclave Increase the park’s visibility on the freeway. Large
will create a core of amenities that serve execu- entrance pylons, consistent architecture, and dra-
tives and businesses located in and near the park. matic landscaping let visitors know when they ar-
The enclave’s uses will enable executives to con- rive at Ballantyne. The URP, in contrast, lacks
duct more of their business and personal activities visibility despite its prominent frontage on I-85
within the park and will make the park a mag- and W. T. Harris Boulevard. The panel recom-
net for other businesses in the Charlotte mar- mends creating a highly visible sign on I-85 and
ket. These amenities may help the park compete constructing iconic buildings on the land parcel
against other business areas with more estab- along the west side of I-85, south of W. T. Harris
lished neighborhoods and amenities: Boulevard adjacent to the Meridian site. Promi-
nent buildings and signs will make freeway travel-
• Executive villas that capitalize on the current ers aware of the park.
lack of executive housing in University City
and provide an option for executives to live and Clearly mark major intersections and entrances.
work in the park. The panel recommends implementing new, uni-
form signage throughout the park to create visual
• A lodge hotel that serves the short-term and consistency and clearly identify the park’s bound-
extended-stay needs of businesses in the park. aries. As a first step, the park should create a
The hotel could adopt a lodge aesthetic that standard design for all entrances to the park and
builds on the park’s natural setting and pro- to individual properties within the park. The new
vides a hotel experience unique in the Charlotte signage will become the backbone for a new way-
market. finding system for both pedestrians and automo-
biles in the park.
• A conference center that serves businesses in
the park. The conference center could be incor- Transportation
porated into the hotel or developed separately.
The master plan should address transportation
• A four-star restaurant/dinner club that would improvements needed to provide internal links
serve executives within and near the park. The among uses in the park and external links to
restaurant should be located centrally and take neighborhoods, transit, UNC Charlotte, and the
advantage of the park’s natural or geographic greater region. The panel recommends the follow-
features to create a special setting. ing transportation projects:

• A spa that will complement the hotel and con- Complete the missing Interstate 485 links. Al-
ference center. though the panel knows that completing the
northwestern segments of I-485 are an obvious
• A private athletic club that complements the need, the panel recommends that the park’s
existing YMCA and provides personal training, stakeholders constantly monitor and support
wellness programs, and other personal fitness this project.
services.
Improve sidewalks and bike trails. The park lacks
• A concierge service that helps businesses in the adequate sidewalks and bicycle paths, separated
park take advantage of the preceding services with landscaping, along the park’s internal roads.
and connects them to other services not pro- The panel recommends working with the North
vided in the park. Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT)
to create these facilities. The park’s stakehold-
Site Improvements
ers should also work with NCDOT to create land-
The master plan should also identify key site im- scaped medians on key roads, build center turn
provements to be implemented as part of the lanes at property entrances, and install street
park’s reinvention. The panel recommends the fol- signage and signature streetscape features along
lowing site improvements: key roads.


Identify new internal road connections. The mas- spine and would connect other internal roads.
ter plan should recommend any new internal The panel recommends developing the parcel into
road-grid connections important for the park’s a mixed-use village that transitions from high-
connectivity. density office above retail along Mallard Creek
Church Road to residential above retail to medi-
Create a shuttle bus link to future light rail. The um-density housing at the site’s southern edge.
panel recommends that the park’s stakeholders Developing the village will require rezoning to
collaborate with Charlotte Area Transit System allow mixed uses and increased density.
to coordinate bus shuttle service within the park
to serve future light rail. It is critical that shuttle Undeveloped parcels #3 and #4. These parcels are
service within the park be enhanced as the light- smaller than the others and are located in an es-
rail improvements are made to maximize the cir- tablished office area. Parcel #3 has a small connec-
culation within the park and to connect the park to tion to Mallard Creek Church Road while parcel
the light-rail system and the university. #4 has a connection to Mallard Creek Road. The
panel proposes developing these parcels for tradi-
Strategies for Undeveloped Parcels tional office uses.
The panel believes that development of five major
Undeveloped parcel #5. This is the largest un-
undeveloped parcels can catalyze the park’s rein-
developed parcel and is located in the center of
vention. This section specifically addresses strate-
the park. Mallard Creek and the greenway run
gies for these five parcels.
through this parcel. The site includes a large flood-
Undeveloped parcel #1. The panel recommends lo- plain, which makes much of the parcel unusable
cating an iconic tower and sales center on this site for buildings. The creek, greenway, and floodplain
along with mid-rise office and residential develop- can be enhanced and become the parcel’s great-
ment. The tower should capitalize on the parcel’s est assets. The panel proposes reshaping some of
great visibility from I-85 and W. T. Harris Bou- the low-lying floodplain into a water feature that
levard, high elevation, and access to the existing will complement the high-end executive enclave
creek and potential greenway. and hotel and conference center built on the site’s
higher-elevation areas. The parcel’s trails and
Undeveloped parcel #2. This relatively flat parcel greenway would focus around the water feature
includes an excellent entrance on Mallard Creek in the center of parcel. The parcel’s northern edge
that leads to a beautiful boulevard into the park. would remain as traditional office.
The panel recommends extending the existing
boulevard through to W. T. Harris oulevard and
B
possibly to the southern edge of the park. The ex-
tended boulevard could become the park’s central


Implementation

T
he panel’s proposal lays the ground work for property assessments and focuses on the econom-
transformation of the park into a thriving ic vitality, promotion and advocacy, and planning
master-planned community with a strong and study.
business focus. The park’s stakeholders must
take decisive steps to implement the panel’s vision As the park’s reinvention proceeds, both organi-
and create the park’s future. zations will evolve and take on new responsibili-
ties. UCP has already evolved by expanding the
Adopt a Positive Attitude MSD to include the URP. The panel recommends
that University Research Park, Inc., evolve into
First and foremost, the panel encourages all an organization more like a property owners asso-
stakeholders to adopt a positive attitude about the ciation (POA) to implement the master plan. The
park’s future. The stakeholders should refocus, re- POA should derive its authority from property
energize, and reengage in a collaborative effort to owners and tenants and be transparent, on the
create a successful park. Focus should be given to ground, and engaged. Both organizations will ben-
building on assets and strengths—both tangible efit from the park’s success through increased as-
and ephemeral. sessment revenue and, in turn, increased capacity.

The stakeholders should work together to shape
the existing organizational structure into one bet-
Market the Park
ter tailored to the task of establishing a forward- The master plan should help shape the park’s
looking, next-century master plan and champion- brand and marketing strategies. The panel recom-
ing its realization. With the right attitude, energy, mends creating a new marketing and communica-
and organizational horsepower, the stakehold- tion strategy that will educate target audiences
ers—in particular the property owners and ten- about the park’s reinvention. The strategy will
ants who have not before been involved in the likely use diverse channels, including traditional
park’s governance—can make rapid progress in media outreach, speakers bureaus, Web presence,
reinventing the park. advertising, events, and meetings. The panel also
recommends using new directional, entrance, and
University City has the core ingredients neces-
monument signs to carry the brand throughout
sary for transforming the park into the vibrant
the park.
mixed-use business and industry center that it is
poised to become. Essential to getting there will Marketing efforts should focus on the devel-
be leveraging the collective belief that this should opment community, including brokers, inves-
and could happen into action that will make it hap- tors, and others who will play an important role
pen. All individual stakeholders must consider in achieving the park’s development goals. The
their decisions in light of the larger community’s stakeholders could attract this audience through
goals. Owners, tenants, institutional representa- social events in the park. Engaging the develop-
tives, governmental entities, residents, and ser- ment community is key to attracting new users to
vice providers all have a role to play. Participants the park and building the park’s presence in the
must ask whether they are willing to be an advo- regional market.
cate, ambassador, champion, and visionary.
The marketing strategy should specifically fight
public perceptions about crime and demonstrate
Evolve the Management that the park is a safe place to work. Tools for ad-
University Research Park, Inc., is the not-for- dressing perceptions about crime may include
profit developer that collects maintenance as- partnerships with the police to provide real crime
sessments to maintain the rights-of-way and to statistics, better communication among private
review site plans for new development. UCP is security forces, and expansion of private security
the municipal services district (MSD) that collects resources.


The marketing strategy should also promote Take the Next Steps
the park’s excellent electricity and fiber-optic
infrastructure. The panel recommends investi- Therefore, the immediate next steps that will cre-
gating whether the park can provide a connec- ate early successes and ensure confidence in the
tion to the Lambda Network, a next-generation overall effort while demonstrating progress are
high-capacity/high-speed Internet being used by the following:
universities.
• Solicit and hire the master planning consultant
team.
Become an Economic Development
Engine • Evolve University Research Park, Inc., into a
POA to bring capacity to the table.
Marketing efforts should expand to influence
economic development activities. The stakehold- • Unveil the brand, and initiate the marketing
ers should identify a “go-to” person and place for plan through the identification of the go-to
information about the park, including land and person and place.
buildings available for sale or lease. The panel
recommends creating a sales center that includes Make Everyone a Champion
the offices of the POA/management organization.
At the sales center, any visitors should be able to The park also needs a champion. Who should it
learn about the park’s characteristics, occupants, be? The panel believes that all landowners, build-
and vision. The sales center should be visible and ing owners, and tenants have a stake in the park’s
accessible and provide models, maps, brochures, future and should become champions. The new
and copies of the master plan. POA, evolved from University Research Park,
Inc., should include all these players. The POA
The management organizations should strengthen should work in concert with UCP to ensure that
existing economic development partnerships with the park’s development complements the develop-
the city, the chamber of commerce, the region, the ment of the larger University City area.
state, and other private partners to ensure that
the park maximizes its opportunities. In particu- What happens if the park continues with busi-
lar, the park should maintain and grow important ness as usual? Without painting a picture that is
relationships with the Charlotte Research Insti- too bleak, 100 years from now one could realisti-
tute, the Ben Craig Center, and the North Caro- cally envision an overgrown tract of kudzu and de-
lina Research Center. cay, lacking any active buildings. That possibility
will not help anyone in Charlotte. The opportunity
The park must effectively communicate and exists now to reinvent the park with a long-term
market existing tools, such as subsidies and tax perspective. Usually, difficult economic times
incentives, and advocate for and secure addi- present significant opportunities. Today’s econom-
tional, new and creative tools. Targeting spe- ic crisis may well qualify as a difficult time in the
cific funding sources for specific needs, whether history of Charlotte and our nation. In that reality
to attract private investment or to invest in the lies a tremendous opportunity, and the panel in-
park’s infrastructure, will be a core activity of all vites everyone to champion this project.
stakeholders.


About the Panel

Zane Segal sory committee of Envision Houston Region, and
serves on the board of Blueprint Houston.
Panel Chair
Houston, Texas He has often spoken, written for publication, and
been quoted by the media concerning real estate,
Segal is a developer, marketing consultant, and development, urban design, and the arts. He is an
licensed real estate broker with Zane Segal Proj- avid traveler, photographer, writer, and runner.
ects. Knowledgeable in mixed-use, residential,
commercial, historic, and hospitality properties, Jennifer Ball
in both urban and resort locations, Segal has 30
years of experience in realty venture manage- Atlanta, Georgia
ment, project development, construction, broker-
Ball is vice president of planning of Central Atlan-
age, and marketing on a range of property types,
ta Progress, Inc., where she manages land use and
including development sites, lofts, townhomes,
transportation planning policy initiatives and im-
low- and mid-rise condominiums, custom homes,
plementation projects within downtown Atlanta.
apartments, hotels, retail centers, office build-
Recent notable initiatives under her direction in-
ings, subdivisions, and sports facilities, as well as
clude the development of the Imagine Downtown
mixed-use projects incorporating several uses.
vision plan, the Downtown Livability Code zoning
He received a BS in humanities from the Massa- regulation update, and the ongoing implementa-
chusetts Institute of Technology and an MFA in tion of $35 million worth of public space capital im-
cinema from the University of Southern California provements, including streetscape improvements,
and has studied graduate-level architecture and wayfinding signage, and roadway upgrades.
planning at the University of Houston. He was
first licensed as a real estate agent in 1982. She received a BS from the Georgia Institute of
Technology College of Architecture and a Master
Segal has served on the Urban Land Institute of City Planning also from Georgia Tech. She was
Houston District Council board for the past seven the recipient of the Frederick K. Bell Memorial
years as vice chair of membership, advisory ser- Fellowship and the Georgia Planning Association
vices, and urban plan. He has chaired three and Student of the Year award.
served on ten additional ULI Advisory Services
Panels across the country, as well as chaired ULI Ball began her career with John Wieland Homes
Houston’s first two Technical Assistance Program as a marketing coordinator and then as a custom
panels and served on another. He recently insti- home coordinator. Subsequently, she joined The
gated and guided ULI Houston’s first Suburban Preston Phillips Partnership (a medium-sized ar-
Marketplace, the first such conference by any dis- chitectural and engineering firm specializing in
trict council. retail projects) as a project assistant. Following
graduate school, she took a position with Robert
He is a member of the City of Houston Planning Charles Lesser & Co. as an associate and per-
Commission Mixed Use/Transit Oriented Devel- formed real estate market research and analysis
opment Committee, chaired its subcommittee on for development projects and public sector rede-
urbanization of the suburbs, served on the advi- velopment plans.


In 2004, she was named a member of the Atlanta with the growing number of investors and lenders
Business Chronicle’s “Up and Comers: 40 under whose portfolio investments in real estate are in-
40” group of promising young leaders. She has creasingly evaluated on a national and global level.
been an active member of the Urban Land Insti- This is her eighth ULI Advisory Services Panel.
tute as a founding member of the Atlanta District
Council Young Leaders Group and a member of Prior to establishing her independent real estate
the membership committee. She is also a mem- advisory practice in 1993, Konikoff was direc-
ber American Planning Association. She currently tor of National Real Estate Valuation Services at
serves as the president of Georgia Tech College of KPMG. She joined KPMG after having served as
Architecture Alumni Committee member and pre- president of The Hudson Group, a national real
viously served on the Georgia Tech Young Alum- estate consulting and appraisal firm. Previously,
ni Council. She also volunteers at the Centennial Konikoff had been an attorney in private practice
Olympic Park Visitor Center. at the Philadelphia law firm of Dilworth, Paxson,
Kalish & Kauffman, where she worked in both the
Ball has been a guest lecturer at Georgia Tech’s real estate and corporate law practice areas.
City and Regional Planning program and a pre-
senter at national and local city planning confer- An adjunct professor at New York University,
ences on topics ranging from downtown economic she has taught graduate and undergraduate-level
development and business improvements districts courses on real estate finance, real estate markets
to transportation planning and plan implementa- and real estate appraisal. She is an instructor for
tion. She has also authored an American Planning the Appraisal Foundation as well, where she con-
Association Planner’s Advisory Service Report on ducts programs on standards of appraisal practice
Street Vending. and on professional appraisal ethical rules. In ad-
dition, she develops and presents real estate valu-
Paula Konikoff ation seminars for continuing education credits for
CPAs and attorneys. Konikoff is a frequent speak-
New York, New York er, author, and instructor on appraisal and other
real property issues. She has also served as an ex-
Konikoff is vice chair of the federal Appraisal
pert witness in a variety of cases in which real es-
Standards Board and an independent professional
tate valuation and damages issues have come into
real estate consultant with 25 years of experience
dispute.
providing clients with advisory, valuation, and
other real estate consulting services. The scope Konikoff has served as a member of several Ap-
of her practice includes designing and conducting praisal Institute committees and other profession-
due diligence investigations on properties, con- al organizations. She is also a member of the Real
ducting and evaluating property appraisals, and Property Law Committee of the Association of
advising private and public institutions (both own- the Bar of the City of New York. She earned a BS
ers and lenders) in connection with the acquisition, from Temple University and a JD from Villano-
development, and disposition of their real estate va University School of Law and holds an MAI
holdings, as well as their fit within a real estate designation.
portfolio.

Konikoff has been retained to provide such ser- Keith Maehlum
vices concerning properties throughout the Unit- Seattle, Washington
ed States and abroad. Her work on any particu-
lar property or portfolio is informed by her broad Maehlum has been vice president of HAL Real
national and international experience, which en- Estate Investments, Inc., since 2004. HAL is
ables her to provide an unusually comprehensive a Seattle-based subsidiary of a $7 billion Euro-
analysis that is particularly valuable when dealing pean public company based in Monaco, www.


halrealestate.com, that has been investing in the with a BA in business administration and earned a
greater Puget Sound region of Washington state master’s in real estate and urban analysis in 2002.
since 1993. Projects include planning for mixed- Past employers include Stiles Development of
use walkable communities, multifamily develop- Fort Lauderdale; Opus South, an operating com-
ments, apartment to condominium conversions, pany of Opus Corporation, a national design/build
mixed-use urban infill condominium projects, and firm with 28 offices across the country; and Panat-
office campuses. toni Development Company, a privately held, full-
service development company that has developed
From 2002 to 2004, Maehlum was the president and managed industrial, office, and retail facilities
of his own development company, developing a in more than 150 markets.
dense, compact multifamily infill project in Kirk-
land, Washington. Previously, he was the presi- A dedicated and fast-track individual in all ven-
dent of a real estate development and manage- tures he undertakes, Pryce has been recognized
ment company in Kirkland from 1990 to 2002, with and is the recipient of the prestigious ULI 2007
more than 30 multitenant office, retail, apart- Vision Award for Young Leader of the Year and
ment, and new development properties with over is also a finalist of the South Florida Business
200 tenants. He was also an original member of Journal/Nova Southeastern University 2007 Up
the Kirkland Downtown Strategic Plan Commit- and Comers award.
tee and served on the Bellevue CBD Planning
Committee. Pryce’s professional affiliations include the Urban
Land Institute, where he is a current member of
From 1985 to 1990, Maehlum was a project man- the South Florida/Caribbean District Council’s
ager with Cabot, Cabot & Forbes in Bellevue, Executive Committee, executive membership
Washington. In addition, Maehlum created a start- chair, and former executive young leader chair.
up architectural firm in 1983 and by 1985 grew the
firm to a nine-member firm working on a variety James T. Viviano
of commercial and residential developer projects
in several jurisdictions within Washington state. Atlanta, Georgia

Viviano is an associate director with the architec-
Douette Pryce ture and design firm of Cooper Carry in Atlanta,
St. Lucie West, Florida Georgia. He has over 23 years of experience as an
architect focusing primarily on retail and mixed-
A veteran of the U.S. armed forces, Pryce has use developments. Before beginning his career
faced the challenges of his rigorous 17-year career with Cooper Carry in the Washington, D.C./
and is living what he considers the “American Alexandria office in 1989, Viviano worked for
dream”—entrepreneurship. In May 2008, he de- Skidmore, Owings & Merrill in both the Houston
veloped his firm, Pryce Resources, LLC, a real es- and Washington, D.C., offices for four years. He
tate development and investment advisory compa- left Cooper Carry in 1993 to independently prac-
ny that uses the many attributes learned through tice architecture for two years in Alexandria, Vir-
his career. His focus is on the research, develop- ginia, before accepting the position of director of
ment, and management of feasible and sustainable design for the May Department Stores Company
real estate projects. His career achievements have at the corporate headquarters in St. Louis, Mis-
honed his skills for troubleshooting a multitude souri, in 1995. He rejoined Cooper Carry in At-
of situations with a strict attention to detail and lanta in 2005.
sure-fire solutions.
Viviano’s career has allowed him to apply his ex-
Pryce graduated from the Warrington College of perience and strong design skills to many large-
Business Administration, University of Florida, scale, retail, and mixed-use projects across the


country. Most notable are Mizner Park in Boca
Raton, Florida; Bethesda Row in Maryland; and
Metropolitan at Midtown in Charlotte, North Car-
olina. He recently completed a sustainable master
plan study for a transit-oriented development at
the Scaleybark light-rail station along South Bou-
levard in Charlotte.

In addition to being an active member of the Ur-
ban Land Institute, Viviano is also involved with
the International Council of Shopping Centers,
the American Institute of Architects, and the
National Council of Architectural Registration
Boards. He is a LEED-accredited professional.


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