RETROFITTING OLDER COMMERCIAL STRIPS
Presentation to City of Edmonton Planning and Development Department
May 9, 2006
SMART CHOICES PROGRAM
1. Neighbourhood Reinvestment
2. Residential Infill
3. Walkability
4. Redevelopment of Older Commercial(And Industrial) Lands
The Revitalization of Older Neighbourhood Commercial StripsAchieves 4 Program Objectives:
HISTORICAL EVOLUTION OF COMMERCIAL STRIPS
• Developed along Streetcar Routes• Former Main Entrances into City• Superceded by Ring Roads and
Bypasses• New Trends in Retailing (Power
Centres, Mega Strips)
TYPICAL PROBLEMS WITH OLDER COMMERCIAL STRIPS
• Oversupply of Commercial Space: High Vacancy Rates; Marginal Tenants
• Unattractive Buildings, Signs• Discontinuity• Pedestrian Safety• Traffic Congestion; Poor Flow Due
to Multiple Access Points• Low Density / Inefficient Use of
Land
REASONS FOR PERSISTENCE OF OLDER COMMERCIAL
STRIPS• Market and Land Use Inertia
• Retail’s Enduring Preference for Visibility and Access
• Opportunity for Independent Business
• Standard Practice of Applying Commercial Zoning to Arterials
• Change Requires Leadership and $$$
TRADITIONAL APPROACH TO STRIP REVITALIZATION
1. Streetscape Improvements
2. Mixed Use Zoning: Add apartments above Commercial
PROBLEMS WITH TRADITIONAL APPROACH TO REVITALIZATION
• Does not address underlying economic structural problems (lipstick on a corpse)
• Mixed use development is complicated
THE CHALLENGES OF MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT
• Residential Image• Security• Nuisance Impacts from Businesses• Parking Conflicts (customers vs tenants)• Higher Construction Costs (separate services,
different structural modules)• Financing• Insurance Risks
GRAND BOULEVARD / MANSION APARTMENT NEIGHBOURHOOD CENTRE MODEL
Mansion Apartment Prototype
WHY MANSIONS?
Small apartment buildings (8-20 units)
• attractive to small builders (less capitalization)
• attractive to small investors (easier to manage)
• allows incremental redevelopment (large land assembly not required)
• prestigious residential image• neighbourly housing, not “ware-housing”
RETROFITTING PROCESS
1. Preliminary Assessment of Potential for Change
2. Market Analysis Study – how much retail can be supported?
3. Land Development Economics Study: retail vs. housing
RETROFITTING PROCESS
5. Land Use Plan: Restructuring commercial strip to evenly spaced neighbourhood centres with intervening residential segments
6. Building Prototypes / Designs
7. Streetscape Improvements
8. Incremental Redevelopment and Rezoning
ADVANTAGES OFNEW APPROACH
For Business
• Accommodates the market’s preference for retail concentrations at major crossroads.
• Improves viability of remaining neighbourhood commercial
• Increased residential population = more disposable income within catchment area
For Property-Owners• More profitable development
option
For Community • Commercial blight removed• More housing choice• Improved neighbourhood image
ADVANTAGES OFNEW APPROACH
For further information
Michael FreedmanFreedman, Tung & Bottomley47 Kearney StreetSuite 500San Francisco, CA 94108Tel. (415) 291-9455
Project: Highway 111, Cathedral City, CA