Redevelopment of older neighborhoods, brownfields and sprawling suburban areas is a reality across North America. These projects provide exciting test cases for large-scale TOD and integrated land use planning. Explore three large-scale TOD redevelopment projects that are transforming their communities. Hear about innovative sustainable development approaches being deployed: complete streets, reduced commercial and residential parking, custom zoning and integrated stormwater management. Study the design of high-quality public realms including urban agriculture areas, parks and open spaces. Take home tangible strategies for balancing the needs of a sustainable, multimodal transportation network with the needs of redevelopment.
Moderator: Steve Granson, Transit Project Manager, HDR, Chicago, Illinois
Katherine Youngbluth, AICP, Commercial Development Specialist, Real Estate Development Group, Arlington County Government, Arlington, Virginia
Tom Young, AICP, Associate - Community Development, Stantec Consulting Ltd., Edmonton, Alberta
Merrill St. Leger-Demian, AICP, LEED AP, Principal, SmithGroup/JJR, Washington, DC
David Kirschner, Capital Projects Management Coordinator, Environmental Services, Arlington County, Arlington, Virginia
5. Blatchford Redevelopment
Landowner/Developer: City of Edmonton
Overall Plan: 500+ acres, 2 miles north of downtown
15,000 residential units
1,000,000 sf office space
300,000 sf retail
20-25 year build-out
Stage 1: Construction began Aug 2015
16 acres
~400 townhouse and apartment units
LRT Service: 1/2 mile walk from Stage 1
24. Custom Design: TOD and Active Living
New Street Types
• Active and Quiet streets
replace traditional Collector
and Local street
classifications
• Dedicated cycling
infrastructure
• Some blocks pedestrian-only
Parking Regulations
• Reductions to reflect
pedestrian character and
LRT service
• 30% reductions for
• residential uses
• 50% reduction for
commercial uses
• Most parking underground
25. Custom Design: Active Green Community
Urban Agriculture
• Community gardens, greenhouses
and rainwater capture and reuse
in park spaces
• Farmers markets and rooftop
gardens permitted
Stormwater Management
• Comprehensive approach to
stormwater management
• Naturalized wetland, bioswales
and rain gardens part of first stage
and throughout Blatchford
• Rainwater capture for urban
agriculture purposes
26. Custom Zoning: Focus on Design
• Highly urban built form
• Townhouse and stacked townhouse,
low-rise and mid-rise mixed use
• Strong focus on pedestrian oriented
character and building relationship
to streets and public spaces
• Focus on safety, natural surveillance
and animation of public and semi-
public space
• Design direction for attractive
architecture and diverse streetscapes
27. Custom Zoning: Innovative Built Forms
Mixed Uses
• Zones structured specifically with
mixed uses in mind
• Intended for small-scale, local-
serving retail, restaurants and
services
• No auto-oriented uses permitted
Suites in Townhouses
• Garage or basement suites
permitted for fee simple
townhouses
• Increases density and activates
alleyways
• Affordable housing option and
mortgage-helper for homeowners
30. Lessons Learned
• Major urban sites such as
former airports are once in a
generation opportunities for
city-building.
• Custom design takes time and
energy but is worth the effort
to have form follow function
and create a strong sense of
place.
• Having high quality transit in
place prior to development is
a huge advantage for high
density, multi-modal planning.