Southtown ASP Public Workshop July 2018 SOUTHTOWN AREA SPECIFIC - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

SOUTHTOWN AREA SPECIFIC PLAN APRIL WORKSHOPS

Southtown ASP

Public Workshop July 2018

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Let’s talk about it…

• Project overview
• What we’ve heard
• Goals & Strategies
• Recommendations
• Feedback & Next Steps

SOUTHTOWN AREA SPECIFIC PLAN APRIL WORKSHOPS

Project Overview

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Southtown includes five business areas:

• Alger Heights
• Boston Square
• Franklin and Eastern
• Madison Square
• Seymour Square

All together, these business areas make up the Southtown Corridor Improvement District (CID)

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The City of Grand Rapids created the Southtown Corridor Improvement District (CID) in 2016 to improve the health and success of business areas in southern Grand Rapids. The first step is to make an Area Specific Plan (ASP) for Southtown that provides clear and effective strategies for strengthening the business areas and district corridors.

Overall Goal:

Let’s Make Southtown the Most Successful Business District Possible!

SOUTHTOWN AREA SPECIFIC PLAN APRIL WORKSHOPS

What is the Southtown Corridor Improvement District?

• CID District was formed in 2015
• Collects a portion of tax revenue increases to reinvest

directly back into the Southtown corridor.

• CID Board comprised of business owners and

engaged community members and leaders.

• CID board charged with:
• Communicate with the business community
• Identify challenges and opportunities to strength the

CID district

• Determine how to allocate funding for implement

projects

• Champion project / program implementation

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SOUTHTOWN AREA SPECIFIC PLAN APRIL WORKSHOPS

Who is involved in the Process?

• Southtown CID Board
• Appointed board members to

provide oversight and transparency

• Southtown ASP Steering

Committee

• 12+ person committee

representing the business areas

• You!
• Business area stakeholders

(property owners, business

• wners)
• Southtown residents
• Technical Team
• City Staff
• Consulting Team

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SOUTHTOWN AREA SPECIFIC PLAN APRIL WORKSHOPS

Project Sequence

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APRIL: Community Input Workshops JULY: Strategies Workshops LISTEN + LEARN OBJECTIVES + STRATEGIES PLAN DRAFT

JAN 2018 APRIL 2018 JULY 2018

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What we’ve heard

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Engagement Methods

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• April workshop participants: 104 people
• 3 days, 3 different locations with in the

district

• 4 focus groups
• Two Business Owners Groups
• Community Organizations
• Developers
• 3 public presentations
• Survey Responses: 160 people
• Paper surveys: 103 people
• Web surveys: 32 people
• Workshop boards: approx. 25 people
• 239 Total Participants

SOUTHTOWN AREA SPECIFIC PLAN APRIL WORKSHOPS

0.00% 5.00% 10.00% 15.00% 20.00% 25.00% Alger Heights Boston Square Franklin and Eastern Madison Square Seymour Square Southside of Grand Rapids Elsewhere in Grand Rapids Outside of Grand Rapids

Where do you live?

Survey Demographics

• 74% of

respondents said they lived in the Southtown area or southside of Grand Rapids.

11 % of respondents (Total responses = 160)

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Yes 38% No 62%

Do you work in Southtown?

Survey Demographics

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Yes 86% No 14%

Do you own a car?

Yes 10% No 90%

Do you own a business in Southtown?

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What would make you feel welcomed? Safe? Valued? Celebrated?

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SOUTHTOWN AREA SPECIFIC PLAN APRIL WORKSHOPS

Critical Findings

• 1. The Southtown Community faces

a wide range of challenges.

• Grand Rapids ranked second to last

in 2015 Forbes ranking of economic conditions facing African-Americans in the top 52-largest cities in the country.

• Heightened awareness of how

public and private investments impact displacement and community fabric over time.

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SOUTHTOWN AREA SPECIFIC PLAN APRIL WORKSHOPS

Critical Findings

• 2. The success of the retail corridor

is tied to the success and stability

• f the community.

Access to capital is critical for:

• Home maintenance and

improvements

• Commercial property acquisition

and improvement

• Entrepreneurship / start-ups
• Workforce training

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SOUTHTOWN AREA SPECIFIC PLAN APRIL WORKSHOPS

Critical Findings

• 3. Institutional and implicit racism

continues to impact opportunity for economic growth.

• 4. Housing and commercial property

affordability impacts stability.

• 5. Significant concerns around policing

practices, safety, community identity and the sense of value.

• 6. Drug addiction and transitional

recovery services impact many families.

16 https://grpeopleshistory.org/2015/12/17/1991-pamphlet- demonstrates-how-red-lining-continued-in-grand-rapids-and-what-was- being-done-to-address-it-from-the-grassroots/ http://www.historygrandrapids.org/tilemap/2596/the-holc-map

1937 Redlining Map

SOUTHTOWN AREA SPECIFIC PLAN APRIL WORKSHOPS

Critical Findings

7. There is a lack of trust in working with the development community (both non- profit and for-profit) 8. The CID-focused plan can only addresses a portion of the challenges facing Southtown. 9. Need to continue to build community capacity around engagement, advocacy, technical support.

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SOUTHTOWN AREA SPECIFIC PLAN APRIL WORKSHOPS

Retail Market Study

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Types of Retail

> Inventory of existing retail and storefronts

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Retail Market Study

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228,550 SF Existing Retail

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

• Some retail space is healthy
• Many retailers are probably struggling to achieve healthy sales
• Two major reasons for this: too much retail & retail in the wrong places

> Supportable retail at healthy levels of sales

SOUTHTOWN AREA SPECIFIC PLAN APRIL WORKSHOPS

What can this planning process do for Southtown?

• Engage business owners and residents
• Study retail market and physical conditions
• Identify goals, issues, and opportunities
• Proposed strategies and best practices for

improving the success of commercial corridors

• Advocate for changes to policies that can

help the community as a whole

• Provide direction for the Southtown CID to

invest resources in ways that have a big impact

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What will make Southtown a thriving business district?

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Goals & Outcomes

aka “What we want to accomplish”

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1 Support local / minority business efforts

• Legacy business owner programs
• Local ownership of business properties
• Access to capital for job creation /

entrepreneurship

• Tax relief programs
• Community Benefits Agreements (CBAs)
• Expand Entrepreneurial Match Program

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2 Improve the retail corridor environment

• Safety & comfort
• Clean & welcoming
• Cohesive Identity

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SOUTHTOWN AREA SPECIFIC PLAN APRIL WORKSHOPS

3 Establish vibrant retail nodes

• Priority retail nodes
• Continuous retail frontage
• Establish preferred approaches to

street and building design

• Façade Improvement Programs &

Signage

• Trees, landscape and lighting
• Wayfinding, art, identity and

branding

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4 Leverage placemaking opportunities

• Gather community and add value

through open space

• Multi-use areas such as parking lots,

streetscapes and vacant lots

• Local expression and participation

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SOUTHTOWN AREA SPECIFIC PLAN APRIL WORKSHOPS

5 Expand mobility options for all users

• Align recommendations from Vital Streets.
• Transit and bus service accommodations
• Pedestrian safety
• Bicycle safety
• Prioritize the “place” value of streets in the

district over the “through” value to fast moving traffic.

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SOUTHTOWN AREA SPECIFIC PLAN APRIL WORKSHOPS

6 Grow community programs & activities

• Identify opportunities for cultural

expression

• Hold regular events aligned with each

business area

• Connect each business node with

access to healthy food

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Strategies

aka “How we will meet our goals”

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• Corridor strategies
• Business area strategies
• Mobility strategies
• Stability strategies

SOUTHTOWN AREA SPECIFIC PLAN APRIL WORKSHOPS

30 Madison Square Franklin & Eastern Seymour Square Alger Heights Boston Square

Corridor Strategies: Retail Priority Nodes

• Emphasize retail where it can be most

successful and best leverage investments.

• Areas based on:

1. Retail store frontage tied to retail demand (market analysis) 2. Retail occupancy, class of retail space (A, B, C), category of retail space (e.g. neighborhood goods & services) 3. Infill opportunities 4. Density of surrounding area 5. Neighborhood anchors (e.g. library, schools, churches, major stores) 6. Transit service, parking, mobility

SOUTHTOWN AREA SPECIFIC PLAN APRIL WORKSHOPS

Corridor Strategies: Retail Priority Nodes

How this can work

• 1. Portion of an existing TBA zone becomes a

Retail priority node (red)

• 2. Remainder of an existing TBA zone

becomes a “transition area” (purple) that allows non-retail ground floor uses (e.g. housing, office, etc.)

• Use these as a “link” between retail “hubs”
• Prioritize higher density housing along corridors
• 3. Mixed Density Corridors (blue)
• Preserve existing single-family neighborhoods by

limiting mixed density areas to primary road corridors

• This is an alternative to the current proposed 100’

(or 500’) radius around TBA for mixed-density

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Retail Priority Former TBA, Proposed Transition Zone Former TBA, Proposed Transition Zone Mixed Density Corridors

SOUTHTOWN AREA SPECIFIC PLAN APRIL WORKSHOPS

Feedback: Business Areas

• The survey respondents

are concerned with the condition of the buildings and store fronts.

• The survey respondents

are mostly not concerned with the building heights.

• The survey respondents

are somewhat concerned with the style and design of buildings.

32 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 Condition of buildings and store fronts Height of buildings Style and design of buildings Building entrances and windows

For the Southtown Business District, how concerned are you about each of the items?

Not concerned Somewhat concerned Concerned

Number of respondents (Total responses = 160)

Each response was weighed as follows:

• Not Concerned - 3
• Somewhat concerned - 2
• Concerned – 1

SOUTHTOWN AREA SPECIFIC PLAN APRIL WORKSHOPS

Feedback: Business Areas

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Love owners and food at Chinese

• restaurant. Building in disrepair.

Burton is a very narrow street with a bus line. The sidewalks are in poor condition and very close to the street. As a lot of people use the bus/walk on the sidewalks it would be nice to see larger sidewalks with improved lighting and greenspace This area is run down. I don't like the angle parking on the street either, I always feel like I am going to get in a car accident there. It would be nice to see more outside activity or gatherings in this business district The parking lot is NEVER full therefore this retail strip is not the highest and best use for this area. It would be nice to have a walkable retail/small shops here like there are in Alger Angle parking is dangerous. People have to back out directly into traffic. Heavy traffic coupled with a lot of pedestrians always makes me nervous driving through this

• intersection. Need more green-space, bigger

sidewalks, nicer bus stops & better lighting This area has more pedestrian traffic than alger heights business district and yet less pedestrian safety signage and crossings

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Business Area Strategies: Facade Improvements

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• Window Replacements
• Updated Materials
• Repairs

“Need consistent standard for building upkeep, no 10 year old faded posters, be able to see into retail establishments, repair

• f crumbling brick/concrete,

remove torn awnings and signs

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Business Area Strategies: District and Cultural Identity Building

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• Gateway elements
• Branding & Signage
• Art

SOUTHTOWN AREA SPECIFIC PLAN APRIL WORKSHOPS

Feedback: Business Areas

• The survey respondents

are generally quite comfortable with 1-3 story building heights.

• The survey respondents

are less comfortable with 4-5 story building.

36 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200 1 2 3 4 5

How comfortable are you with each of the following building heights?

Not comfortable Somewhat comfortable Comfortable

+

Number of respondents Each response was weighed as follows:

• Not comfortable - 1
• Somewhat comfortable - 2
• Comfortable – 3

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Business Area Strategies: Infill Retail and Mixed Use

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• Repurpose vacant land
• Provide retail on both sides of

the street wherever feasible

• Mixed-use buildings provide

more patrons in close proximity to support retail. “So many empty buildings decaying and adding nothing of value”

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Business Area Strategies: Street Trees and Landscape

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• Aesthetic benefits
• Shade & comfort
• Amenity zones (e.g. outdoor

dining/shopping)

• Retail spending benefits:
• Consumers have a 12% higher

willingness to pay for goods and services in retail areas that have streetscape greening such as street trees and sidewalk gardens

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Business Area Strategies: Alleyway Improvements

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• Pedestrian walks and plaza spaces
• Outdoor dining and café uses
• Space for local artwork

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Business Area Strategies: Parking Lot Enhancement & Flexibility

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• Shared parking & consolidation
• Basic improvements
• Lighting
• Signage
• Walking paths to store fronts
• Flexible parking lots
• Repurpose for community events
• Parking lot edge treatments
• Plantings
• Knee walls that match building

edges

• Screen walls adjacent to residential

areas

• Service areas / waste handling

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Feedback: Mobility

• Majority of the survey

respondents drive to each business district.

• Its important to take note

that people are also using other modes of transportation (riding the bus, biking, and walking) at moderate rates to get to each of the business districts.

• These results don’t reflect

how frequently people use each mode.

41 Alger Heights Boston Square Franklin and Eastern Madison Square Seymour Square Ride in a car 35 18 26 26 19 Drive 88 71 68 73 71 Ride the bus 20 16 19 25 14 Bike 24 16 19 22 11 Walk 41 16 29 35 15 50 100 150 200 250

When shopping or running errands, how do you get to the following Business District?

Number of respondents

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Feedback: Mobility

• 84% of the survey respondents

would like to get around more by walking and/or biking.

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32% 4% 48% 16%

Other than driving or taking the bus, how would you like to get around in the Southtown Business Districts?

Walking Biking Walking and biking Neither walking nor biking

% of respondents (Total responses = 160)

“[Need] greening of business district, more pedestrian and bike friendly”

SOUTHTOWN AREA SPECIFIC PLAN APRIL WORKSHOPS

Mobility Strategies: People-Friendly Street Design

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• Wider sidewalks for pedestrian

comfort & safety

• Provide amenity zone for outdoor

uses

• Reduce vehicle speeds and

speeding

• Safe parking configuration
• Provide quick drop-off and pick-up
• Consolidate driveways

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Mobility Strategies: Safety & Comfort

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• Pedestrian improvements
• Bump-outs at corners
• High visibility crosswalks
• Pedestrian signals
• Bollards and planters
• Frequent Mid-block crossings
• Lighting
• Pedestrian-scaled in retail

areas

• More consistent light levels

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Mobility Strategies: Bicycle Facilities

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• Separated and/or protected

bike lanes

• Bicycle parking that is safe,

close, visible, convenient

• Retail benefits:
• Bike riders often spend less per

trip, but make many more trips

• In many studies, spending per

bike rider is higher than drivers

• Closer/easier access to

storefronts – you don’t need to park far away.

SOUTHTOWN AREA SPECIFIC PLAN APRIL WORKSHOPS

Mobility Strategies: Improved transit facilities

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• Higher level stops along major transit lines
• Screen against snow/rain & splash
• Provide information, maps, time to arrival
• Adequate lighting
• Seating
• Waste receptacles

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Stability Strategies: Organizational & Community Capacity

• Identify a trusted grassroots
• rganization tasked with:
• Leading planning initiatives
• Championing public engagement,

and

• Interfacing with the City, non-

profits, funding resources, and development community

• Examine roles of existing

community organizations

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SOUTHTOWN AREA SPECIFIC PLAN APRIL WORKSHOPS

Stability Strategies: Ownership & Wealth Building

Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI’s)

• Increase access to capital,

particularly to those often considered higher risk

• Funding and tools for community

centers, early childhood development, affordable housing, and access to healthy food and wellness.

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Stability Strategies: Hiring, Housing, & Funding

Hiring practices

• Local hiring, workforce training,

minority/women owned businesses,

• etc. (Contracting Equity + Workforce

Equity) Housing Strategies

• Better calibrate affordable housing to

Southtown context (60% AMI is not affordable for many households in Southtown)

• Consider timing of new housing

construction to prioritize stabilization

• f existing residents

Other Funding Strategies & Tools

• Neighborhood Enterprise Zone

(NEZ) expansion

• Community Development Block

Grants (CDBG)

• Foundations & grant programs

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SOUTHTOWN AREA SPECIFIC PLAN APRIL WORKSHOPS

Stability Strategies: Build in Community Knowledge

Develop handbooks / resources guides

• Business owners: best practices for

starting, operating, maintaining properties

• Renters: housing guide, renters rights,

etc.

• Property owners: housing policies,

accessory dwellings, resources for repairs

• Business area / NBH associations: best

practices, model policies

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SOUTHTOWN AREA SPECIFIC PLAN APRIL WORKSHOPS

Stability Strategies: Strengthen Business Area Organizations

Establish business area associations and a governance structure.

• Identify district improvement needs and

tasks (e.g. trash pickup, cleaning, basic maintenance, signage)

• Establish a process for CID investment

Develop mentorship opportunities.

• Enable business owners to learn from
• ne another.
• Empower knowledge sharing and idea

exchange.

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Feedback & Next Steps

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Let’s work together

• Share knowledge and ideas
• Build relationships
• Establish trust
• Generate ideas
• Be inspired by one another

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SOUTHTOWN AREA SPECIFIC PLAN APRIL WORKSHOPS

Questions? Ideas to share? Issues to raise?

• Let us know if you have any

questions!

• What issues are most important

to you?

• What strategies do you like?

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SOUTHTOWN AREA SPECIFIC PLAN APRIL WORKSHOPS

Ideas for Business Areas

Feedback Stations

• Contain many

specific ideas and concepts for improving the business areas.

• Please take a look at

the boards and share your comments and thoughts with the team.

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SOUTHTOWN AREA SPECIFIC PLAN APRIL WORKSHOPS

Project Sequence & Next Steps

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APRIL: Community Input Workshops JULY: Strategies Workshops LISTEN + LEARN OBJECTIVES + STRATEGIES PLAN DRAFT

JAN 2018 APRIL 2018 JULY 2018

DRAFT DOCUMENTS For review in early fall 2018

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Thank you

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