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• Developed along Streetcar Routes• Former Main Entrances into City• Superceded by Ring Roads and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