access and livability: transit village planning and design, trinity lane

ACCESS AND LIVABILITYTransit Village Planning & Design: Trinity Lane

ACCESS AND LIVABILITY

A REPORT CREATED BY THE NASHVILLE CIVIC DESIGN CENTER

TRANSIT VILLAGE PLANNING & DESIGN

This book was designed and written by Bryan Obara, Design Fellow.

This book was edited by Julia Fry Landstreet, Executive Director and Gary Gaston, Design Director, Nashville Civic Design Center; as well as Michael Skipper, Executive Director and Mary Beth Ikard, Communications Director, Nashville Area MPO.

The Nashville Civic Design Center would like to give special thanks to contributing author TK Davis, Associate Professor at UTK CoAD, and participating students, for the work featured in this publication.

The mission of the Nashville Civic Design Center is to elevate the quality of Nashville’s built environment and to promote public participation in the creation of a more beautiful and functional city for all. Towards this end, the Nashville Civic Design Center:

Promotes the Ten Principles of The Plan of Nashville, a vision for growth and development, created and endorsed by the citizens of Nashville;

Educates the public about civic design through lectures by prominent speakers and workshops;

Provides professional staff and highly-qualified design interns to consult on civic and other community development projects;

Facilitates public dialogue about civic design and its impact through the Urban Design Forum. The Forum meets monthly at the Civic Design Center, provides events, lectures and an open forum for the debate of ideas and issues of interest to its members;

Researches and publishes reports on various civic design issues.

www.civicdesigncenter.org

October 2013

INTRODUCTION Transit-Supported Quality Growth

Publication Objectives

WHAT IS TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT (TOD)?Why TOD Makes Sense

Scales of TODElements of TOD

PRECEDENTS Clarendon Urban Village (Arlington, VA)

East 4th Neighborhood (Cleveland, OH)Orenco Station (Portland, OR)

MOVING TOD FORWARD IN NASHVILLE Regional Transportation Plan

Nashville’s TOD PublicationsTransit Corridor Plans

Northeast Corridor Transit-Oriented Development

TRINITY STATION Site InventoryAlternative AAlternative BAlternative CAlternative D

NASHVILLE CASE STUDIESHamilton Springs TOD

Greensboro North Transit Ready Development (TRD)The AMP

The GulchRolling Mill Hill

TOOLBOXNCDC TOD PublicationsStreetscape Typologies

Building StandardsOpen Spaces

Lowering Vehicle Miles TravelledTOD Self-Assessment

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

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Source: Bruce Cain (2012), Elevated Lens, ElevatedLens.com4 - ACCESS AND LIVABILITY

INTRODUCTION - 5

PUBLICATION OBJECTIVES1. Communicate the role of transit-oriented development (TOD) in

supporting Nashville’s quality growth objectives.

2. Evaluate successful TOD precedents in the context of transit corridors. Denote their specific transit village design features.

3. Chart Nashville’s progress on implementation of the 2035 Regional Transportation Plan.

4. Exhibit University of Tennessee, Knoxville student proposals for a transit village at Trinity Station.

5. Feature Nashville’s existing projects that achieve goals of compact, mixed-use development within a half-mile of transit stations.

6. Develop a tool box for TOD planning and design decision-making.

INTRODUCTIONTRANSIT SUPPORTED QUALITY GROWTH

“By guiding growth in a quality way, we can keep and enhance our region’s unique assets and competitive position. We all gain from our region’s continuing economic development success. We now know that we don’t have to destroy our uniqueness as we grow and prosper.” - Excerpt from Creating Quality Growth in the Cumberland Region Tomorrow, 2003: Cumberland Region Tomorrow.

Quality growth presents a shared vision to achieve population and economic growth without compromising quality of life. The greater-Nashville area is forecast to gain one million additional residents by the year 2035, making the ten-county regional population of Nashville equivalent to that of Denver in 2012. This presents challenges for the region’s existing transportation infrastructure, already burdened with traffic congestion. A quality growth response to this looming future population growth envisions urban, suburban, and rural communities complete with housing and transportation choices near jobs, shops, and schools.

In order to accommodate future growth, Nashville’s planners, designers, and politicians are beginning to invest in mass transit and transit-oriented development (TOD). Since 1990, Nashville has seen a 25% increase in transit ridership (Nashville Transit Ridership Trends, 1990–2009, Nashville MPO) and Lebanon broke ground on its first TOD, Hamilton Springs, along the Music City Star commuter-rail line. Upcoming developments include the AMP bus rapid transit (BRT) line, the Northeast Corridor BRT line, and a transit-ready development (TRD), Greensboro North.

A next-step in achieving access and livability for all of Nashville’s citizens will be the planning and design of transit villages – the distinct neighborhoods surrounding future transit stations. The village serves as an integral building block to establishing quality growth within the greater-metropolitan area. By concentrating on the development of local community connections and thoughtful planning and design, we can assure that Nashville grows with more accessible and livable neighborhoods.

2035 BUILT LAND

2008 BUILT LAND

1965 BUILT LAND10-COUNTY MIDDLE TENNESSEE REGION

Source: 2035 Regional Transportation Plan (2010), Nashville Area MPO

(Inefficient land use leads to increased infrastructure costs and loss in open space.)

WHAT IS TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT?Transit-oriented development (TOD) is defined as compact, mixed-use development within a half-mile of a transit station. TODs create walkable, sustainable communities for people of all ages and incomes.

These developments can exist in city-center or suburban contexts, both sharing a reduction in need for automobile use. Residential and job density may change with the context, but serve to create communities where residents have convenient access to employment, shopping, and leisure destinations.

Source: Better Transportation=Healthier Lives (2012), Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

6 - ACCESS AND LIVABILITY

COMPACT

MIXED-USE

1/2 MILE ACCESS TO MASS TRANSIT

WHY TOD MAKES SENSE

PUBLIC HEALTH

ENERGY COST

QUALITY OF LIFE

Source: Public Transportation Graphic (2012), creditdonkey.com

TOD planning efforts must also consider where major employment centers are located or planned, so that transit can adequately connect job-centers with walkable neighborhoods.

SCALES OF TOD - 7

TRANSIT VILLAGE A TOD is composed of multiple Transit Villages –the smaller neighborhoods within a half-mile radius of a transit station. A transit village supports the overall TOD vision of compact and mixed-use development, but design details help to create a unique sense of community.

TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT

TRANSIT CORRIDOR Transit corridors coordinate with the regional vision for mass transit and where transit stations will be located. With stations identified, TOD planning and design strategies may begin to support transit ridership.

SCALES OF TOD

TOD planning addresses the economic incentives, zoning, and transit frequency, while TOD design envisions how to shape buildings, streets, and public spaces and their relationships to each other.


ELEMENTS OF TOD

COMPACT

MIXED-USE

ACCESS TO MASS TRANSIT

Residential and employment density is required to support different levels of transit service. It is well-established that TOD generally requires at least six units per acre in residential areas and 25 employees per acre in commercial centers. Appropriate densities support a sustainable transit ridership and cost-effectiveness, while supporting the vitality of walkable, mixed-use, neighborhoods.

Traditional zoning practice separated uses in order to prevent the nuisance of industrial and residential properties being too close in proximity. In turn, this has made frequent driving necessary for routine trips. Mixed-use allows for businesses, restaurants, and residences to locate on the same block, resulting in neighborhoods where people can walk to where they live, work, and play. Planners commonly use form-based code to promote mixed-use, walkable communities. This emphasizes building form, and their relation to each other over the particular building uses.

Developing walkable neighborhoods aids in increasing transit ridership. TOD planning should concentrate development within a half-mile of transit stations. This is the average distance most individuals are willing to walk to transit (10 minutes at a rate of 3 mph).

Source: Ontario Ministry of Transportation (2009), mtogove.on.ca

Source: Katz, Peter. The New Urbanism Toward an Architecture of Community (2006)


ELEMENTS OF TOD - 9

PRECEDENTS

The suburban village with rapid rail access to the city.

ORENCO STATION (PORTLAND, OR)

The bull’s eye concept for density around transit stations.

CLARENDON URBAN VILLAGE (ARLINGTON, VA)

The neighborhood where you can live, work, and play.

EAST 4TH NEIGHBORHOOD (CLEVELAND, OH)

Source: Ontario Ministry of Transportation (2009), mtogove.on.ca


Source: East 4th Street, Greater Cleveland Life, GreaterClevelandLife.com

Source: Orenco Station (2008), SitePhocus

Source: M.V. Jantzen (2008), Corridor, Flickr.com


CLARENDON URBAN VILLAGEARLINGTON, VA

Clarendon is one of five metro stations along the Rosslyn-Ballston Corridor, connecting to the rapidly-growing core of Washington D.C. TOD planning began in the late 1960s when it was decided that the Metro Orange line, a rapid rail transit line, would operate along Wilson Boulevard and Fairfax Drive (commercial corridors), as opposed to Interstate 66. The “Bull’s Eye Concept” has been followed since its inception, with density concentrated around station areas and tapered down where it meets existing neighborhoods. Each station has its own detailed sector plan, for which Clarendon’s historical commercial focus has led to an “urban village” concept.

This is the vision statement from Clarendon’s sector plan:

In Clarendon’s urban village, people of all income levels, ages and household make-ups can walk to home, work, shop and play. Clarendon’s superior physical environment also attracts tourists, shoppers and other visitors, who are encouraged to leave their cars or arrive by Metro or bicycle...Clarendon’s older buildings provide a sense of continuity and honor the time when Clarendon was Arlington’s first downtown. The integrity of surrounding low-density residential neighborhoods is protected, and higher-density development tapers up from neighborhoods toward Clarendon’s core.

The entire Rosslyn-Ballston Corridor has supported an additional 27 million square feet of development, including 30,000 housing units, while still managing to decrease local traffic volumes. This is because planning policy has allowed for: maximum density levels, elimination of an additional 1.0 FAR incentive for residential uses, and ten more prime office sites – all of which are immediately accessible to the Metro station. Clarendon represents a well-planned balance in regional and local growth.

Source: Clarendon Sector Plan (2006), Arlington County, Virginia

PRECEDENTS -11Source: Market Common Clarendon (2010), SitePhocus

Source: Market Common Clarendon (2010), SitePhocus

Source: Clarendon Sector Plan (2006), Arlington County, Virginia


EAST 4TH NEIGHBORHOODCLEVELAND, OH

The East 4th Neighborhood is just one of many corridor redevelopment areas along Cleveland’s new bus rapid transit (BRT), the Healthline. Euclid Avenue was once considered “Millionaire’s Row,” home to founders of Standard Oil and General Electric, but the downtown has since seen many building vacancies, as commercial companies and residents moved out of the area.

Recent revitalization is likely to be closely attributable to the Healthline, which began operating in 2008, connecting the city’s two primary economic hubs, The Public Square and University Circle. Private support is evident through the naming-rights purchase by Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals of Cleveland, as well as an overall $5.5 billion in new investment along the corridor. A 30-minute commute between University Circle and Public Square is cut down to 20 minutes by way of dedicated bus lanes, off-vehicle fare collection, and raised station platforms that match the height of the bus floor – all contributing to increased efficiency of the line.

The East 4th Neighborhood is part of the Gateway District, Cleveland’s largest geographic area of adaptive reuse and historic preservation. The Arcade across from East 4th Street, built in 1890 as America’s first great indoor shopping center and restored along with the 5th Street Arcades, offers services such as barber, watch and jewelry shops, and an artist’s cooperative. East 4th Street was saved from demolition in the 1980s and has since been revitalized by MRN Developers with plans for a BRT station at 6th Avenue. It has become one of downtown Cleveland’s most lively streets, filled with a plethora of restaurants offering outdoor dining, a bowling alley, a comedy club, and 322 apartments.

6th Street Station

Source: Downtown Cleveland, Bing Maps, Bing.com/maps

Source: Cleveland Euclid Avenue Healthline BRT, Sasaki Associates, Inc., Sasaki.com

EAST 4TH NEIGHBORHOOD

Cleveland Medical Mart and Convention Center$465 million

Avenue District$300 million

CSU Master Plan$300 million

Public SquareDowntown Bus Terminal

4th Street Entertainment District$110 million

Horshoe Casino$350 million

Schofield Building$44 million

Residences at 668$65 million

PRECEDENTS - 13

Source: Cleveland Euclid Avenue Healthline BRT, Sasaki Associates, Inc., sasaki.com

Source: East 4th Street, Greater Cleveland Life, GreaterClevelandLife.com


Source: Orenco, Oregon, Google Maps, GoogleMaps.com

ORENCO STATIONPORTLAND, OR

Orenco Station is an outgrowth of a bankrupt nursery site, turned illegal dumping ground, adjacent to Portland’s Maxi light-rail line. This suburban neighborhood is a 30-minute commute into downtown (15 miles west of Portland), with a higher comparative density of 10.4 units per acre. Several transit villages are located within a half-mile of the rail station, including Orenco Town Center, Club 1201, Arbor Gardens, and Sunset Downs.

In 1999, the National Home Builders Association recognized Orenco Station with the gold award for “Master Planned Community of the Year,” and it has since been a prime TOD case-study. Common measures for successful TOD neighborhoods include increased transit ridership; sixty-nine percent of Orenco Station residents surveyed had reported using transit more frequently. The diversity of housing choices, especially unique live-work townhomes equipped with first-floor office space, supports an inclusive community with economic and ethnic diversity levels nearer that of a more urban context. This housing and demographics diversity is explained by a 2002 Lewis and Clark University study, wherein high levels of resident satisfaction and “social cohesion” were revealed.

As a pioneering example of TOD, Orenco Station’s developers have learned some lessons along the way. Several lots immediately surrounding the rail station still remain undeveloped as a result of selling the property rights early on, even though the community would benefit from development there. Also, despite investments in pedestrian and bicycle amenities, a large percentage of residents still drive to the light-rail station. Along with the availability of a free park-and-ride, this is because most of the housing stock is located further than a half-mile of the station area.

Source: Orenco Station Development Plan (2009), Villebois Village Center, Flickr.com

Source: Dill, Jennifer (2008). Transportation Use at Transit-Oriented Developments in Portland, Oregon.

PRECEDENTS -15Source: Orenco Station (2008), SitePhocus


MOVING TOD FORWARD IN NASHVILLE

REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLANThe 2035 Regional Transportation Plan is a short, mid, and long-term transportation vision for Middle Tennessee, structured around a mix of transit options to help greater-Nashville compete in a global economy and improve upon quality-of-life. The following describes the various transit service-types recommended by the 2035 Plan:

Rapid Transit: Support the most densely-populated and fastest-growing regional corridors with high-frequency service such as light-rail transit or dedicated-lane bus rapid transit – both of which would operate at speeds that compete with automobile travel.

Commuter Rail: Service from metropolitan center to suburban areas with limited stops along existing freight railroad tracks, operating at peak-commuter travel times (morning and evening). Middle Tennessee’s current commuter-rail line is the Music City Star, connecting downtown Nashville with Lebanon (Wilson County).

Express Coach Service: Corridors with high volumes of commuters, but with limited traffic congestion, may be serviced by stress-free, express coach bus service (limited stops or using Interstate right-of-way) to and from employment centers.

Urban Fixed-Route Service: Dense urban areas are serviced with high-frequency, local buses. Within downtown Nashville, MTA operates a free circulator service, the Music City Circuit, on three routes to popular destinations for residents and tourists.

Suburban and Commuter Circulators: Neighborhood circulators that connect to main-line transit provide enhanced access to regional hubs, without the frequency or quantity of routes typically found in urban fixed-route systems.

Vanpool and Car-Shares: Ride-sharing programs have been growing in popularity among long-distance commuters. These are comprised of company-owned vanpools and/or car-loaning services like ZipCar.

Review the highlights of the MPO’s 2035 Regional Transportation Plan: NashvilleMPO.org/2035

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URBAN INFILL CONCEPTSURBAN INFILL CONCEPTSALONG NA SH V I L L E ’ S E A S T -WES T CONNEC TOR CORR I DORA LONG NA SH V I L L E ’ S E A S T -WES T CONNEC TOR CORR I DOR

Urban Infill Concepts illustrates the benefits of reclaiming vacant or under-utilized land, especially along Nashville’s East-West Corridor – the “Main Street” identified for modernization of transit service. The report highlights best practices, draws upon academic research and student-design concepts, and includes real-world precedents as well as existing infill development examples in Nashville.

Moving Tennessee Forward: Models for Connecting Communities contains 100+ illustrations addressing innovations in transportation, development, infrastructure, and public space. The book is a tool to help visually convey ideas as presented in the 2035 Regional Transportation Plan. It also depicts global precedents and how they can be applied to future metro-area development in Tennessee.

NASHVILLE’S TOD PUBLICATIONS: Visit www.civicdesigncenter.org for more information.

NASHVILLE’S REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION - 17

TRANSIT CORRIDOR PLANSThe AMP’s route, when completed, will connect East Nashville’s Five Points to Downtown and then out to West Nashville’s White Bridge Road. The transit line will operate as traditional bus rapid transit within its own dedicated lanes.

The AMP

The Southeast Corridor (30 miles) connects downtown Nashville with Murfeesboro (Rutherford County). The Nashville Southeast Corridor High-Performance Transit Alternatives Study (2007) suggested transit improvements for this area of the region. In 2013, the MPO launched a major planning study on transportation and land use for this subregion (NashvilleMPO.org/southeast).

SOUTHEAST CORRIDOR

The Music City Star is a commuter-rail line between downtown Nashville and the region’s eastern corridor, with a terminus in Lebanon. A commuter-rail line is also anticipated for the northwest corridor, connecting Nashville with Clarksville (Montgomery County).

MUSIC CITY STAR

The Northeast Corridor (30 miles) connects downtown Nashville with Gallatin (Sumner County). The Northeast Corridor Mobility Study suggested BRT to run north along Ellington Parkway and then east via Vietnam Veterans Boulevard with the possibility for conversion to light-rail transit (LRT).

NORTHEAST CORRIDOR

NASHVILLE’S TOD PUBLICATIONS: Visit www.civicdesigncenter.org for more information.

The MPO’s ten-county vision for regional transit was created via public and stakeholder involvement, as well as feasibility studies for specific corridors identified in the 2035 Regional Transportation Plan. Completed transit studies include the Northeast, Northwest, and Southeast corridors. The Music City Star commuter rail has been in service since 2006 and the AMP is planned for operation by 2016. The Nashville Civic Design Center (NCDC) has partnered with the Nashville Area MPO and the University of Tennessee-Knoxville to provide research and on-the-ground graphic visualizations for how these transit corridors could take shape in reality. Examples of this work may be found through the NCDC website, www.CivicDesignCenter.org.


NORTHEAST CORRIDOR TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT

Northeast Corridor Mobility Study website:

NashvilleMPO.org/northeast

The Northeast Corridor Mobility Study was produced by the Nashville Area MPO, in partnership with AECOM, so that its recommendations might be incorporated into Middle Tennessee’s 2035 Regional Transportation Plan. As described in the study, the future vision for the region’s northeast corridor “features a variety of housing choices, including mixed-use communities supported by transit, as well as more traditional suburban and small-town communities.”

The study identifies current mobility challenges and investigates solutions to increasing traffic congestion by adjusting future land-use patterns and providing facilities for multiple modes. Public engagement was critical to the study, with five distinct districts as areas-of-focus along the corridor. Stakeholders weighed in on their preferences for development typology and urban design, as well as charrette mapping exercises to hone in on specific location concerns or proposals.

The Nashville Civic Design Center and University of Tennessee-Knoxville partnered with the MPO to provide plans and design details for potential TODs along the corridor. Many of these project details are found in Moving Tennessee Forward and on the following pages here.

As part of the Northeast Corridor Mobility Study, area citizens were asked to identify their preference for desired visual characteristics of development along the proposed transit route, by way of a survey using

sample images (right).

Source: Nashville Area MPO (2011

Access and Livability (page 24)NCDC and UT, Knoxville

TRINITY

NASHVILLE’S REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION - 19

Re-establishing Urban FabricNCDC and UT, Knoxville

“SPAGHETTI JUNCTION”Moving Tennessee Forward (page 150)Nashville MPO and AECOM

SAUNDERSVILLE

Moving Tennessee Forward (page 43)NCDC and UT, Knoxville

GALLATIN

Moving Tennessee Forward (page 116)NCDC and UT, Knoxville

HENDERSONVILLE

Access and Livability (page 38)Lose and Associates, Inc.

GREENSBORO NORTH


TRINITY STATION

With the drafting of its 2035 RTP, the Nashville Area’s MPO began spearheading a major push to increase the availability of mass transit in Middle Tennessee. The plan identified the Northeast Corridor as a priority corridor for Bus Rapid Transit in the near-future, with thirteen stops between Nashville and Gallatin. The MPO partnered with the University of Tennessee-Knoxville’s College of Architecture & Design to study a site with potential for a future transit village: the intersection of Trinity Lane and Ellington Parkway. Architecture students presented four scenarios to assist in envisioning the urban-design implications of transit access at Trinity Station, through a very specific program as determined by an international project consulting firm.

UT-Knoxville architecture students (four teams of two students each) studied transit-villiage options through urban-design master plans, architectural standards for buildings, and programming for public spaces.

As a mixed-use development site, Trinity Lane represented a design challenge in that it is bisected by a sunken parkway and flanked by a mainline railroad, restricting possible connections to the adjacent eastern neighborhood. Further, its western and southern boundaries have one story of low-to-moderate-income housing, lacking in sidewalks and landscaping. Existing buildings found on the site are one-story, pre-manufactured structures used for light industry or warehousing. The site’s primary virtue is that almost all the land is in public hands, owned by the Metropolitan Government of Nashville-Davidson County.

-T.K. Davis, Associate Professor, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, College of Architecture and Design

A. RESIDENTIAL VIEW TO DOWNTOWN B. INDUSTRIAL WAREHOUSE C. EAST TRINITY LANE ON-RAMP TO PARKWAY

NORTHEAST CORRIDOR TRANSIT VILLAGE

TRINITY STATION - 21

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATIONSITE FOOTPRINT

ZONING OPEN SPACE

SITE INVENTORY

Residential

Commercial

Institution

Industrial


ALTERNATIVE A

TRANSIT STATION SECTION

A 6-story commercial offices

A

A

B Pedestrian bridge

BD

D Market plaza

C

C BRT station and plaza

E

FG

E 6-story mixed-use building (residential, office, and retail)

F Public park

G Recreational fields

BC

E

TRINITY STATION - 23GROUND FLOOR - RETAIL

2ND FLOOR OFFICE

FLOORS 3-6 RESIDENTIAL

Trinity Station is conceived here as a distinct district along downtown Nashville’s Northeast Corridor. Commercial office structures flank the parkway as an immediate commuter connection, supported by a plinth of parking. Ground floors offer lively streetscapes for residents and visitors through a mix of uses (retail, office, residential). The district connects to adjacent, existing neighborhoods through a Complete Street network, as well as shared garden and park amenities.

A typical residential block is six stories in height, with ground-level commercial space, second-level office space, and residential lobbies lining two levels of parking decks. These parking decks are topped with green roofs to form a semi-private courtyard surrounded by housing. Flex units allow two-bedroom apartments to be conveniently adapted into a one-bedroom apartment and studio.

LOCAL CIRCULATOR BUS ROUTES

PROPOSED LAND USE

ELLINGTON PARKWAY

The Bus Rapid Transit station is an integral component, effortlessly connecting residents to their destinations without the need for a private automobile. Trinity Station residents can walk, bike, or take a local transit circulator to the BRT station plaza. As a gateway to the district, the plaza serves as a central gathering space, day and night. Ground floors of buildings surrounding the plaza are occupied by restaurants and retail businesses. Transit passengers access the station by escalator, from the plaza to the BRT line that runs adjacent to Ellington Parkway. For those that drive to the BRT station area, two-stories of underground parking lie beneath the plaza with direct access.



A walkable urban street is encouraged by 12’ deep, double-height arcades that line the sidewalks. Street and mezzanine level retail/office space activates the perimeter block with a mix of uses. Access to raised courtyards occurs at block corners with transparent gates.

ALTERNATIVE B

CROSS PARKWAY SECTION26 - ACCESS AND LIVABILITY

A

B

C

D

EF

G

A Moderate density neighborhood (townhomes and detached homes)

B Transit station and plaza

D Greenway boulevard

C 10-story office building with first story retail, and 22-story residential above

E 5-story residential building with some retail on the first floor

F 2-story residential building

G Amphitheater park

CROSS PARKWAY SECTIONTRINITY STATION - 27

TRANSIT STATION SECTION

Trinity Station is supported by multiple neighborhoods with ten varieties of housing choices, and land uses that respond to the context of the existing site. The transit station serves as a central community gateway through two iconic high-rise, mixed-use buildings, a direct connection to the BRT for the majority of residents. Building heights step down as you move away from the main transit station, to fit in with the surrounding single-story residences. Trinity Station and its associated neighborhoods are also interconnected through a north-to-south greenway.

ALTERNATIVE C

6-STORY RESIDENTIAL SECTION


A 6-story office buildings with first-floor retail

A

B

C

D

E

B Pedestrian bridge

C Plaza connection to the BRT station

D Central courtyard atop 2-story parking structure

E Open space

F

F 2-story apartments and townhomes

D

TRINITY STATION - 29DETAILED PLAN

Wide, tree-lined boulevards become the primary open-space corridors, quickly connecting residents to retail, a lively streetscape, and the central transportation hub. A rectangular grid allows for easy access to the primary boulevards running north to south. Parking is accessed behind residences, with the first floor of these buildings largely featuring residential façades and retail directed towards the corners. Squares of public space run along the buildings’ north and south façades, providing natural interior light and serving as common gathering spaces for adjacent residents.

ALTERNATIVE D


A Ellington Parkway Tunnel

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

B 16-story office and retail building

C Courtyard atop of parking deck roof

D Residential with limited ground level retail

E 4-story manufacturing and retail building

F BRT station

G 2-story townhomes


RESIDENTIAL BLOCK

Alternative D vertically layers urban systems to concentrate development around the transit line to conserve and create additional open space. The sunken nature of Ellington Parkway allows for the development of parking decks above, as well as a complete grid of streets to connect to the existing roadways. Rooftops of the parking decks are programmed as courtyards –central public spaces for the surrounding mid-rise residential buildings.

BRT STATION

1ST FLOOR PLAN

4TH FLOOR PLAN

NASHVILLE CASE STUDIES


HAMILTON SPRINGS TOD

THE AMP

THE GULCH

ROLLING MILL HILL

GREENSBORO NORTH TRD

Tennessee’s first transit-oriented development.

Tennessee’s first transit ready development.

East to West Nashville via bus rapid transit.

An all inclusive mixed-income community.

Nashville’s sustainable mixed-use community.

NASHVILLE CASE STUDIES - 33


HAMILTON SPRINGS TOD

SUBURBAN NEIGHBORHOOD DESIGN

URBAN NEIGHBORHOOD DESIGN

A

B

A

B

MASTER PLAN

Hamilton Springs is the first community in Middle Tennessee to be planned, designed, and constructed as a “neighborhood village”, with residences and businesses centered around a train station serviced by the Music City Star. Its design emphasizes the use of transportation modes other than cars. Hamilton Springs is located in west Lebanon on 220+/- acres, fronted along Highway 70 and extending to Old Horn Springs Road.

The TOD master plan was developed by the Nashville landscape architecture firm Lose & Associates, and awarded the Outstanding Planning Award for a Green Development in the small community category by the Tennessee Chapter of the American Planning Association (TAPA) in 2011. The first phase for this landmark TOD project broke ground in May of 2012. The Nashville Area MPO completed a rapid Health Impact Assessment on a proposed school site within Hamilton Springs, available for review at NashvilleMPO.org

Source: Lose and Associates, Inc., LoseAssoc.com

NASHVILLE CASE STUDIES- 37

GREENSBORO NORTH TRDThe Greensboro North Transit Ready Development (TRD) is envisioned as a walkable village that capitalizes upon its location as one of the thirteen stations along the BRT line between Nashville and Gallatin, as recommended by the MPO’s Northeast Corridor Mobility Study. The land use and design principles follow TOD practices, but is considered TRD because the transit line infrastructure is not yet in place.

A Nashville landscape architecture firm, Lose & Associates, created the framework for village character within the Greensboro North Specific Plan. The Greensboro North project was awarded the Outstanding Planning Award for a Green Development in the small community category by Tennessee chapter of the American Planning Association (2012). A

BC

D

EF

G

A Village center

B Village

C Village edge

HI

D Pocket park

E Public square

F Tree-lined boulevard

G Urban plaza

H Bioswale – water filtration

I Natural area

L

M

N

J Dedicated bike lane

K Sidewalk

O

P

Q

J K

L GreenLea Boulevard

M Avenue

N 62' Street

O Parkside lane

P 51' Street

Q AlleySource: Lose and Associates, Inc., LoseAssoc.com


The Amp

Source: East-West Connector (2013), Nashville MTA, EastWestConnector.org

The Amp is slated to serve as greater-Nashville’s Main Street artery, connecting East to West Nashville through bus rapid transit. More than any other corridor in the area, it brings together universities, hospitals, businesses, tourist and cultural attractions, key residential areas, and centers of federal, state and local government. The East-West corridor would best serve Nashville’s expanding population of residents and businesses through rapid mass transit. It will also serve as an efficient connector to regional transit service from Nashville’s surrounding areas.

By 2035, the region’s population is expected to be 2.6 million – an increase of approximately one million people. With increased population comes additional traffic congestion. The BRT is expected to save 11 minutes of travel time in comparison to traveling by car between Saint Thomas Hospital and Bridgestone Arena.

Source: The Gulch (2007), SitePhocus, SitePhocus.com40 - ACCESS AND LIVABILITY


THE GULCHIn 2009, The Gulch became the first neighborhood in the Southeast to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification for Neighborhood Development (ND) – recognition of outstanding communities in smart growth, urbanism, and green building design. Residents have since been flooding into the area to live in a variety of different housing options, from luxury apartments and condominiums, to affordable studio apartments. The primary draw for residents is a neighborhood with plenty of restaurants and shopping, and easy access to the remainder of downtown Nashville.

Over 1.5 million square feet of commercial office space, and more than a half-million square feet in retail and restaurant, provides options for employment, dining, and shopping in one’s own neighborhood.

Gulch residents, visitors, and workers have car-free access to destinations throughout downtown via the free transit circulator, the Music City Circuit (green line), as well as a bike-share program.

Source: The Gulch (2011), Market Street Enterprises and Smith Gee Studio

Source: Young Urbanist Bike Tour (2012), NCDC


ROLLING MILL HILL

ROLLING MILL HILL MASTER PLAN

NANCE PLACE

RYMAN LOFTS

Consistent with the vision for Rolling Mill Hill as a mixed-use, mixed-income neighborhood, MDHA constructed Nance Place, a loft-style property with 109 units of workforce housing. In 2011, it was recognized by the Tennessee Housing Development Agency with a “Tennessee’s Best” Award. Nance Place is the first multi-family project in Nashville to achieve a LEED Platinum rating from the U.S. Green Building Council, the highest rating possible for sustainable development.

-Excerpt from “Rolling Mill Hill”; Metropolitan Development and Housing Agency (MDHA)

The Ryman Lofts consist of sixty one- and three-bedroom, affordable rental units in the heart of downtown. The apartments feature unconventional floor plans, easy-maintenance surfaces, and spaces to display artwork on each floor. In order to be a resident of the Ryman Lofts, one must be a working artist. This is meant to support an entrepreneurial and creative community with access to all of the downtown amenities that can help support an artistic way of life.

Rolling Mill Hill is a neighborhood that occupies 34 acres in downtown Nashville and has begun its transformation into a mixed-use community. Mixed-income residents are integrated with a variety of quality housing options. The Ryman Lofts and Nance Place offer affordable housing and the downtown-living amenities for individuals who receive 60 percent below the average median income. Some of the historic structures have been preserved and adapted for re-use, including The Art Deco, Victorian, and Trolley Barns. The Trolley Barns support commercial and office space, while the Art Deco and Victorian have been converted into residential units. More development is planned for this site.


OPEN SPACES

STREETSCAPE TYPOLOGIES

BUILDING STANDARDS

• Boulevard

• Avenue

• Street

• Alley

• Village center

• Village

• Village edge

• Squares

• Plaza

• Courtyard

• Pocket parks & playgrounds

• Natural areas

• Bioswale

TOOL BOX

SIDEWALK FURNISHING

HEIGHT FRONTAGE

SEATING ART

The following toolbox components illustrate the planning and design decisions that make each place unique. Within a TOD, these factors should be explored in relation to streetscape typology, building standards, and open space. The following pages describe each tool in further detail.

TOOLBOX - 45

PARKING PLANTING STRIP TRAFFIC LANES

BUILD TO ZONE MATERIALS PARKING

PROGRAMMING LANDSCAPING ACCESS

Streets are considered walkable, low-speed thoroughfares that move people, not just cars. Some mixed-use along streets is common in more urbanized areas, but they tend to be primarily residential in less dense areas, connecting neighborhoods. A pedestrian-friendly experience should be critically emphasized here, acting as the primary collector for residents through tree-lined sidewalks and bike-friendly roadways.

STREET

ALLEYAlleys are service roads with shared property access. Vehicle use is permitted only at very low speeds. Urban areas commonly utilize alleys as pedestrian corridors with the opportunity for building frontage if pedestrian volumes are high enough. Residential areas primarily use alleys as a means of garage access and waste management.

Boulevards accommodate high levels of both pedestrian and vehicular traffic. Residential, retail, restaurant, and office uses line the sidewalks with amenities between the first-floor building fasade and sidewalk. Wide sidewalks accommodate outdoor dining, retail displays, seating, and vendors. Street trees create a comfortable pedestrian experience and allow for stormwater filtration, shading both the pedestrian and the motorist right-of-way.

BOULEVARD

AVENUE

STREETSCAPE TYPOLOGIES


Avenues have moderate levels of both pedestrian and vehicular traffic. The land use may still be mixed, but can be more residential in character. Buildings create a continuous fasade along the street by limiting the build-to-zone or the space between the street and building. Sidewalks are wide with street trees creating a boundary between pedestrians and vehicular traffic.

TOOLBOX - 47

Benjamin Franklin ParkwayPhiladelphia, Penn.

Harbor DriveSan Diego, Calif.

10th AvenuePortland, Ore.

11th AvenuePortland, Ore.

Street in Village of ProvidenceHuntsville, Ala.

Pine StreetPhiladelphia, Penn.

Cadys AlleyWashington, D.C.

Service Alley in New TownSt. Charles, Mo.

BUILDING STANDARDS


The Village is located between a 1/4 and 1/2 mile radius of the transit station. This district is characterized by mixed-use zones, but with a greater emphasis on varying residential typologies.

VILLAGE EDGE

VILLAGE CENTER

VILLAGE

The Village Edge is located nearer to a 1/2-mile away from the transit station and is also the least dense. The land use is concentrated on residential, but should feature a smooth transition with the surrounding land uses and typology.

The Village Center is characterized by the greatest density of residential and commercial development. This district is located entirely within a 1/4-mile of a transit station, with concentrated bike and pedestrian facilities available. First floors of buildings create an enjoyable walking experience by programming retail activity in close proximity to sidewalks along building frontage.

TOOLBOX - 49

Rockville Town CenterRockville, Md.

Downtown PortlandPortland, Ore.

BelmarLakewood, Colo.

12th Ave SouthNashville, Tenn.

Carothers CrossingNolensville, Tenn.

Lenox VillageNashville, Tenn.

Used for unstructured recreational or civic uses. Landscaping consists of lawns and trees formally composed.

SQUARE

Used for unstructured civic and/or commercial purposes. A plaza is spatially defined by building frontages.

PLAZA

Spatially defined by one or more buildings and is generally enclosed partially or wholly by a building.

COURTYARD

Accessible from the street and used for structured and unstructured recreation, gardening, or other community uses.

POCKET PARK & PLAYGROUND

Uses a natural water feature and/or native vegetation to provide low-impact trails and passive recreation such as hiking or jogging.

NATURAL AREA

Linear planting follows natural drainage channels adjacent to paved areas. They can be an amenity as well as a tool to improve water quality.

BIOSWALE

The standardized definition for TOD (compact, mixed-use development within a half-mile of a transit station)does not fully capture the importance of open space. Despite increased density, TOD also provides for investment in public space, making streets walkable and connected to open space for a healthier community.

OPEN SPACES


TOOLBOX - 51

Orenco Public SquareOrenco, Ore.

Castro Commons PlazaSan Francisco, Calif.

Carothers CrossingNolensville, Tenn.

Bradburn VillageWestminster, Colo.

Shelby Bottoms GreenwayNashville, Tenn.

Deaderick Street BioswaleNashville, Tenn.


PERFORMANCE-BASED TOD TYPOLOGY

Transit-oriented developments are not all built the same. TOD typology groups different transit zones that share a common set of characteristics –in this case vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and land use intensity (workers vs. residents). The Center for Transit-Oriented Development (CTOD) uses VMT as a performance measure since lower VMT equates to more walking, bicycling, and transit: all goals of TOD. Land-use intensity varies between commercial, residential, and mixed-use neighborhoods.

The identification of place-types acknowledges that there is no “one size fits all” solution to TOD and assists stakeholders in assessing the expected levels of performance for transit station. CTOD utilizes this tool to answer some of the following questions: What economic, environmental, and social outcomes can we expect from investments in transit and TOD? What differentiates transit-oriented development from transit-adjacent development? What standards should be utilized in evaluating zoning for TOD or other policy interventions?

Performance-Based TOD Typology can bring together stakeholders to discuss the complexity of issues associated with transportation planning, economic and community development, and urban design. The following page provides a template for assessing any TOD. The information required to complete the survey may be found through the TOD Database (TODdata.cnt.org) and H+T Affordability Index (HTAindex.cnt.org).

Orenco Station (Portland, OR)

Clarendon Urban Village (Arlington, VA)

East 4th Neighborhood (Cleveland, OH)

TOOLBOX - TOD EVALUATIONLOWERING VMT – PRECEDENT STUDIES (pages 11-17)

TOOLBOX - 53

Self-Assessment Tool

November 2010 / Page 1Pl

ac

e

Ty

pe

C

as

e

St

ud

ie

s Metric [Insert Transit Zone here.] Compared to Normative Metric

Average VMT per Household*

Residential vs Employment Mix

What factors can lower VMT in [insert transit zone here]?

Lower VMT

Higher VMT

HigherLower

How does [insert transit zone here] compare to the norm on other transportation performance metrics?Metric [Insert Transit Zone here.] Compared to Normative Metric

Avg Household Transportation Costs*

Nonauto Commute From Transit Zone

Nonauto Commute To Transit Zone

Avg Autos per Household

Metric [Insert Transit Zone here.] Compared to Normative Metric

Average Block Size

Residential Density

Employment Proximity*

Transit Access Index*

Who lives and works in [insert transit zone here]?Metric [Insert Transit Zone here.] Compared to Normative Metric

Total Transit zone Population

Total Residents

Total Workers

Median Household Income $23,500 per year

Average Household Size 1.75 people/household

HigherLower

HigherLower

HigherLower

Copy this page or download from full report: Performance-Based Transit-Oriented Development Typology Guidebook. Available at: ReconnectingAmerica.org

Nashvi l le Civ ic Design Center

The mission of the Nashville Civic Design Center is to elevate the quality of Nashville’s built environment and to promote public participation in the creation of a more beautiful and functional city for all.

Nashville Civic Design Center Staff:

Julia Fry Landstreet, Executive DirectorGary Gaston, Design DirectorStephanie McCullough, Communications + Community OutreachRon Yearwood, Urban Designer

www.CivicDesignCenter.org

A Publ ic–Pr ivate Par tnership

Access and Livability: Transit Village Design in Nashville is a project of the Nashville Civic Design Center, in partnership with the Nashville Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, College of Architecture and Design. This study was funded in part by the Nashville Area MPO with grant funds provided by the Tennessee Department of Transportation and the United States Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration.

Nashvi l le Area Metropol i tan Planning Organizat ion

The Nashville Area MPO is the regional transportation, policy, planning and programming authority for Davidson, Rutherford, Sumner, Williamson, Wilson and parts of Maury and Robertson counties. The MPO is committed to providing leadership in the planning, funding, and development of a regional multi–modal transportation system.

Nashville Area MPO Staff:

Michael Skipper, AICP, Executive DirectorLou Edwards, Administrative AssistantJeffrey Leach, Finance OfficerMary Beth Ikard, APR, Communications DirectorFélix G. Castrodad, Principal Transportation PlannerLeslie A. Meehan, AICP, Director of Healthy CommunitiesMax Baker, Senior PlannerChin-Cheng Chen, Engineering AssociateNicholas Lindeman, Economic & Systems Data AnalystJosie Bass, Title VI & ADA Coordinator

NashvilleMPO.org

The Universi t y of Tennessee, Knoxvi l le,Col lege of Archi tecture and Design

For nearly twenty years, the College of Architecture and Design has been helping to envision the future of Nashville. Architecture students annually participate in pertinent real-world concerns through an academic rigor that results in visionary design solutions for Nashville’s neighborhoods. Some of the student’s most recent works include a boat house along the Cumberland River and micro-apartment housing for Downtown.

Thomas K. Davis, Associate Professor

archdesign.utk.edu

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS


ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS - 55

LIVABILITY • PROSPERITY • SUSTAINABILITY • DIVERSITY

access and livability: transit village planning and design, trinity lane

Documents

design director

various civic design

design fellow

urban design forum

qualified design interns

tod planning

introduction transit

role of transit