The story of the Los Angeles River is almost as long as its 51-mile span across its namesake city and county. Once flowing freely through Los Angeles, its route is now imprisoned within a concrete channel built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to reduce flooding and contain wastewater. For almost fifty years, most of the river has remained disconnected from surrounding communities and inaccessible to the public – but residents, along with the local elected officials, and particularly Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, want their river back and are planning for its long-delayed renaissance. However, the river’s path also serves as a major commercial rail corridor that carries freight from the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles, the most active port complex in the United States. In a new report Paths to Partnership: Nurturing LA’s River & Rail Vitality, Paul Silvern, a Partner in HR&A’s Los Angeles office, together with staff and other members of the Urban Land Institute of Los Angeles, examined the challenges and opportunities of coordinating the interests of revitalizationists and railway operators and owners to create open spaces along the river, while continuing to enable the efficient movement of freight.

In order to successfully revitalize the river and make it an accessible, urban amenity – residents, industry, and local government leadership must determine how to create a critical open space amenity that also restores its ecological benefits and fosters economic development. The Paths to Partnership report identified challenges to access, strategies from other successful revitalization projects, and opportunities for cooperation throughout each phase of planning. This report catalyzed all parties to consider the possibilities of collaboration and discuss potential outcomes and co-benefits at a recent meeting of over 20 stakeholders.

HR&A is also working with the Los Angeles River Revitalization Corporation (LARRC) to build its capacity to effectively implement its core initiatives, like Greenway 2020, and participate effectively in the regional effort to revitalize the LA River. Since, 2009 the LARRC has been successful at fundraising and outreach, but requires a strategic, phased approach as well as business planning support to achieve the realization of revitalization. HR&A conducted a series of meetings with LARRC staff, board members and key metro area stakeholders, including representatives from Mayor Garcetti’s office, to assess current organizational and fundraising capacity and to formulate viable strategy recommendations for the LARRC and these stakeholders.

Many parts of the revitalization process are already underway: the Los Angeles River Revitalization Corporation was established in 2009 to facilitate the development of Greenway 2020 along the entire length of the restored river; in 2010 the EPA declared the river “a traditional navigable water,” allowing for public boating opportunities; in 2014 the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers selected a plan for ecosystem restoration along 11 miles of the river immediately adjacent to downtown Los Angeles; Mayor Eric Garcetti’s administration is lobbying the Congress to appropriate the estimated $1 billion in funds required to achieve this transformational restoration, as well as working to identify sources for the City’s local funding match; and local entrepreneurs and community organizations are beginning to advance specific projects that will help convert the river from an afterthought to a highly amenitized and accessible focus of city life.

by Shuprotim Bhaumik

 
Third Track used to be a controversial word on Long Island. But today, support for a Third Track on the Main Line of the Long Island Rail Road is growing rapidly with a broad coalition of business groups, labor leaders, and educational /medical institutions. Why? Because it is clear that the Third Track is critical to Long Island’s economic future.

Have you tried getting from New York City to Long Island during rush hour on the LIRR? Has your train been delayed for hours on end because of a service disruption on a system that lacks flexibility? Can we expect companies to locate here when they can’t access potential employees? Can we expect young professionals to stay here when they can’t find good upwardly mobile jobs?

Adding a Third Track would increase regional mobility; it would create additional capacity on the congested Main Line, which several branches feed into. (Note: the two existing tracks were laid in 1844 when the population was less than 2% of what it is today.) This capacity would allow LIRR to run more trains, particularly in the reverse commute direction, and would also improve reliability for existing riders. Third Track has the potential to revitalize Long Island’s job market by attracting high-quality professional services and tech jobs, stem the outflow of young workers, generate new tax revenues, and encourage new transit-oriented housing.

A report by the Long Island Index, completed by HR&A Advisors, shows that investing in Third Track would be nothing short of transformative for the region. As a longtime resident of Syosset and a graduate of Stony Brook University, I was especially pleased to author the report. By 2035, Long Island would have 14,000 more jobs and over 35,000 new residents resulting in an additional $5.6 Billion in GRP and $3.0 Billion in personal income every year. An initial investment of approximately $1 Billion would result in, $40 million in additional sales tax revenue and $103 Million in additional property tax revenue every year to Long Island’s counties, towns, and villages.

We can stand idly by while jobs and young professionals move to other suburban regions that are better connected to New York City and the rest of the metro area. Or, we can invest in Third Track, a project that will pay huge dividends for Long Island. Learn more at: http://www.liindex.org

HR&A Senior Principal Jamie Torres Springer traveled to Bonn, Germany, to present on innovations in post-Sandy resiliency efforts at Resilient Cities 2015: The 6th Global Forum on Urban Resilience & Adaptation, June 8-10. The annual Resilient Cities Series, launched in 2010, is an effort by ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI, originally the “International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives”), the World Mayors Council on Climate Change (WMCCC), and the City of Bonn, Germany. ICLEI and WMCCC bring together world localities to advocate for global sustainability. Bonn, a member of ICLEI and WMCCC, is the only German member city of the United Nations and a hub for international diplomacy and thought leadership for sustainable development.

HR&A is proud to have been able to present the New York City resiliency story as one of only three “Cities in Focus,” selected by the Congress to model local case studies for larger resiliency and climate change adaptation applications. Jamie’s sessions provided key takeaways from resiliency initiatives by New York City, New York State, and the federal government following Superstorm Sandy in 2012.

Jamie participated in the Day 2 Opening Panel about “financing resilience,” a major theme shaping the day and linking other “Finance Forum” sessions throughout the conference. During his segment, “Incentivizing innovation and improving financeability for flood protection in New York City,” Jamie discussed the economic lens with which local government and partner organizations must consider resiliency efforts in order to transform the focus of policy and planning from recovery to future disaster preparedness. Joining Jamie on the panel were the World Bank’s Urban Resilience Senior Advisor; ICLEI’s Secretary General; delegates from Copenhagen, Denmark and Nacala-Porto, Mozambique; Cities Development Initiative for Asia; Global Infrastructure Basel Foundation; Agence Française de Développement; and Global Environment Facility.

Jamie also led a ninety-minute “Reality Check Workshop” session, “Planning for Resilience During Post-Disaster Recovery in New York City.” The workshop format encouraged participants to examine City, State, and federal strategies as well as provide feedback as international experts in urban development and climate adaptation. Jamie facilitated a group of participants, observers, and members of the press.

HR&A is grateful to the Congress co-hosts and organizers for providing a meaningful opportunity for collaboration among global resiliency professionals.

• ICLEI’s reviews of the panel discussion and Jamie’s remarks can be found within its CityTalk blog and News Center.
• A video of Congress highlights features Jamie’s panel beginning at 0:18.
• Jamie’s workshop materials will also become available on the conference website shortly to continue to inform practitioners.

Image courtesy of ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability on Flickr, credit Barbara Frommann https://flic.kr/p/uaHLSp

Jamie is featured introducing New York City, New York State, and federal approaches to resiliency financing. Image courtesy of ICLEI.

Images courtesy of Sasaki Associates

HR&A is pleased to announce that The Lawn on D, a flexible, vibrant, and temporary open space in Boston, was recently recognized by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the Boston Society of Landscape Architects (BSLA) as a catalyst for innovative placemaking, neighborhood revitalization, and design excellence. The AIA National Small Project Award, which celebrates design excellence from projects under $1,500,000 in construction costs, praised The Lawn on D for its “simple interventions such as color, furniture, and lighting [which] completely transformed the site into one that engages the community and is alive.” The BSLA recognized The Lawn on D with an Honor Award for Design, placing it in the top tier of design projects recognized by the organization this year.

HR&A, in partnership with the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority (MCCA), and with support from Chris Wangro, has played a pivotal role in developing and implementing comprehensive public programming on behalf of the MCCA, providing program design, business planning, budget management, and program administration services for the project. The Lawn on D, which was designed by Sasaki Associates, has become a lively gathering space for the Fort Point, South Boston, and Innovation District neighborhoods. Located on D Street at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, the 2.7-acre space uses innovative programming, including free public festivals and events unique to The Lawn on D, as well as lawn games, food and beverage options, public art exhibitions and cultural offerings, and free Wi-Fi to attract diverse audiences to the Innovation District and strengthen the connection of the BCEC to the surrounding urban fabric.

HR&A congratulates The Lawn on D team for their creativity and recognition of their work. We look forward to continuing this summer’s successful season of exciting programming, which began with a three-day opening festival, a giant inflatable maze, and a rock concert. For upcoming events, visit the website here.

HR&A is a proud sponsor of CityAge Los Angeles and is honored to take part in the conference hosted in LA. On May 28th and 29th, more than two hundred attendees will convene in Los Angeles, CA to explore and discuss urban investment opportunities, innovation hubs, capital planning for infrastructure, transit-oriented development, downtown core revitalization, mobile and data technologies, and talent attraction in cities.

On Thursday May 28th, HR&A Chairman, John Alschuler, will moderate a forty-five minute panel titled “Resilient Cities: Managing energy, water and new technologies for the sustainable city,” and will be joined by Patrick Otellini, San Francisco’s Chief Resilience Officer; Mary Leslie, President of the Los Angeles Business Council; and Guy Lipa, Chief of Staff of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power Panel. Panelists will consider opportunities for Los Angeles and other cities to innovate with technologies and data methods for energy and water management, including stormwater capture, in the next decade and century, particularly in light of California’s severe drought but also for global application of best practices.

HR&A’s LA office, which recently moved to downtown, continues to support economic development and public policy goals in California and nationally. We are currently involved in several public interest projects throughout the Los Angeles region including the renovation of the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium as the anchor for a new mixed-use cultural campus, analyzing the economics of a proposed freeway cap park in Glendale, as well as the revitalization Los Angeles River.

The Union Station Redevelopment Corporation, together with its partners Amtrak and Akridge, have commissioned Beyer Blinder Belle Architects & Planners LLP and Grimshaw Architects to create the Master Development Plan for Washington, DC’s Union Station. HR&A is excited to have been selected as part of the Master Development Plan team. Building on the initial vision presented in Amtrak’s 2012 Washington Union Terminal Master Plan, the Master Development Plan for Union Station’s 2nd Century is the next major milestone in the process and will encompass comprehensive planning, public engagement, and an environmental assessment.

Union Station is one of the busiest stations along the Northeast Corridor, and situated at the center of a rapidly revitalizing area of the District. The Master Development Plan will position Union Station to accommodate significance future multimodal use, and be a key transformational project in the city.

HR&A is the lead economic advisor for the Plan, providing market and financial analyses, development guidance, and a retail strategy throughout expanded passenger and visitor spaces. This project further demonstrates HR&A’s expertise in providing rail station master planning projects with unique visions and implementable solutions. Similar to our prior experience selecting a master lessee for the new Fulton Center transit hub, delivering a redevelopment strategy for the historic Union Depot in downtown St. Paul, and our current work on the 30th Street Station District Master Plan in Philadelphia, HR&A will support a comprehensive strategy that enhances passenger experience and contributes to the economic vitality of the city.

For more information about the Master Development Plan, see the Union Station Redevelopment Corporation, and featured articles in the New York Times and Washington Post.

As America charts its recovery from the Great Recession, certain regions throughout the country are experiencing astounding waves of growth. In Texas, home to seven of the 15 fastest growing cities in America, this positive trend is increasingly evident as cities and towns prepare to accommodate the influx of new residents and jobs with infrastructure improvements; increased housing and commercial real estate options; and attractive public amenities that add community and cultural benefits.

This week, HR&A staff will travel across Texas to contribute to an important dialogue on the state’s future; drawing on our experience within the region and expertise in real estate development and economic development advisory.

• On Thursday, May 14th, Chairman John Alschuler and Director Elissa Hoagland Izmailyan will speak at the Dallas Confab Conference hosted by the Dallas Parks Foundation and North Central Texas Council of Governments. As Keynote, Elissa will discuss the economic value of the Dallas Park System, and John Alschuler will discuss the High Line’s transformation as a template for City Building with lessons for Dallas.
• On Friday, May 15th, HR&A Principal Kaye Matheny will participate on panel at the San Antonio Housing Policy Conference. She will discuss the city’s emphasis on public realm investments and policies to spur residential growth in Downtown San Antonio.
• On May 13th and 14th HR&A Partners Eric Rothman and Cary Hirschstein will be attending the ULI Spring Conference in Houston, where they will each participate on respective Product Councils including the Public-Private-Partnership Council and the Redevelopment & Reuse Council Council.

This surge of activity presents a number of opportunities to reimagine active, engaging places for people that embed real economic benefits for communities in Texas. HR&A has worked with cities, municipalities, and organizations throughout the state to help create vibrant spaces that produce sustainable economic activity including but not limited to:

• In San Antonio, HR&A created the Strategic Framework Plan to revitalize Center City and served as a financial and implementation advisor for the redevelopment of HemisFair Park. Additionally, HR&A is currently crafting strategies to support economic development in San Antonio’s East Side Promise Zone.
• In Houston, HR&A is advising on the Menil Collection’s plan to execute a comprehensive neighborhood restoration and revitalization plan to “provide a neighborhood of art” in Central Houston.
• HR&A has also worked in Austin, where the staff contributed to the creation and implementation of the Downtown Austin Plan, which includes a plan for affordable housing development and the transformation of Downtown’s parks.
• In the Dallas-Fort Worth Region, HR&A supported the City of Grapevine’s development of a land use vision for an entertainment and hospitality anchored mixed-use district, and is currently conducting an analysis of the economic value of the City’s park system.

HR&A is delighted to have the opportunity to work on a wide range of projects throughout the state, and we look forward to continuing to support clients throughout Texas and the southwest.

HR&A Senior Principal Jamie Torres Springer participated in two recent panel discussions exploring the future of cities given the need for climate adaptation. On May 5, 2015, Jamie spoke at a panel on “Financing Resiliency” in coordination with the Boston Living With Water International Design Competition, initiated by the City of Boston in collaboration with the Boston Redevelopment Authority, the Boston Society of Architects, and The Boston Harbor Association with support from the Barr Foundation and Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management. Jamie, along with representatives of MassDevelopment, Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts, and the city’s Clippership Wharf development, debated the means of and parties responsible for investing in Boston’s future resiliency to climate-related risks, particularly given the multitude of solutions generated from the competition. Jamie explained the need for coastal city resiliency funding to derive from a combination of “project financing” from new cash flow or avoided costs, and public capital investments made based on important public policy considerations, including protection of vulnerable populations and environmental quality. See the full panel here

Jamie also moderated a panel at the 2015 Waterfront Conference hosted by the New York City-based Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance (MWA) on May 7 aboard the Hornblower Infinity ship at Pier 40 in Hudson River Park. The program, themed “Shaping Your 21st Century Waterfront,” featured speakers and panelists from academia, design firms, nonprofits, and local and federal government and cut across a broad spectrum of topics relevant to the City’s relationship with the water for transit, industry, climate change, sustainability, and design. The conference examined climate change adaptation and resiliency through different lenses such as long-term recovery, greener shorelines, community engagement and capital planning, and new development. See the full presentation here.

The conference also included a presentation on the NYC Economic Development Corporation’s Coney Island Creek Tidal Barrier and Wetlands Feasibility Study, in which HR&A is currently involved. HR&A Principal, Jee Mee Kim, helped facilitate a strategy session among the participants during the presentation.

HR&A was pleased to sponsor the conference and grateful for the unique opportunity to participate in the MWA’s creative programming.

HR&A works with public, private, and nonprofit leaders to address physical, social, and economic resiliency with a focus on implementable solutions. HR&A Advisors has led resiliency planning in the Northeastern United States in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, including Jamie’s role in the Special Initiative for Rebuilding and Resiliency, our work managing NY Rising Community Reconstruction Program efforts for New York State, and participation in the innovative HUD Rebuild by Design Competition. We are proud to be working with the Rockefeller Foundation on its 100 Resilient Cities initiative to develop resilience strategies around the world and to be program managing Rockefeller’s Capacity Building Initiative in support of the HUD National Disaster Resilience Competition. We have provided key economic framework guidance for resiliency efforts and a public-private approach to implementation that draws on project value for funding. In the months and years ahead, HR&A is committed to working with partners across all sectors to learn from our common experiences and to design and implement strategies that promote resiliency in urban places over the long-term.

“Boston is home to the world’s most innovative thinkers – in science and technology, and in business, art, and architecture. Our City’s built environment should reflect this culture of imagination. Too often, in recent decades, new buildings have been merely functional. I believe Boston can do better.” – Mayor Martin J. Walsh

The IDeAS: Innovative Design Alternatives Summit emerged in response to a challenge Mayor Martin J. Walsh issued in his December speech to the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce. He encouraged developers and designers to “reach beyond your comfort zone” and “take design to a new level” to build inspiration into Boston’s landscape.

On May 6th and 7th, the City of Boston, the Boston Redevelopment Authority, and the Boston Society of Architects will bring together designers, community leaders, developers, city officials, and academics to jumpstart the conversation about enhancing design and architecture in Boston through an inclusive, interactive visioning process.

HR&A Chairman, John Alschuler, will be joining designers and policy leaders in a panel on May 7th at 1:45 titled “How We Share Resources”. As we engage diverse communities in design, we must consider how alternative financing mechanisms, regionalization, and new infrastructure needs can foster equitable access to economic development benefits. In this panel, John will explore how we can assess and finance community and cultural benefit through design interventions.

All panels are free and open to the public, and interested attendees are encouraged to register for one or both days