“The Municipality’s Role in Downtown Revitalization”
The Developers’ Point of View
Kim Morque, President & Director of Development Sppinnaker Real Estate Partners, LLC Norwalk, CT
April 24th, 2009 Firm Profile
• Spinnaker Real Estate Partners is a real estate developer that traces its origins to 1950 in Stamford, CT. • The Company focuses on urban redevelopment, historic preservation and owns and manages property throughout Connecticut, New York, St. Louis, Missouri and Portland, Oregon. Representative Projects Reed Putnam URP – South Norwalk
Pearl District – Portland, OR
What Should Municipalities Do to Attract Developers to Downtown?
• Vision (a Plan) & Leadership
• Goal(s) Driven & Coordinated Process
Vision (a Plan)
“Make no little pp,lans, they have no magic to stir men's blood. ... Make big plans ... remembering that a noble, logical diagram once recorded will never die, but long after we are gone will be a living thing asserting itself with ever growing consistency.”
Daniel Burnham ‐ Father of the City Beautiful Movement Survey Info
100% of respondents said that a (comprehensive) plan is necessary.
“Our experience is simple ‐ any successful redeveloping city must have a comprehensive master plan, be business friendly and have the financial resources or sources to assist with building or rebuilding its downtown.”
NtiNational DDleveloper Plan Should Take into Consideration:
• Market Research & Analysis • Demographic Trends • Growth Patterns • Linkages • Fiscal Impacts • Infrastructure Assessment • Financial & Economic Feasibility
Munis need to include builders, developers, and the business community in the pllianning process. Urban planners, architects, economists and real estate consultants may be expert and knowledgeable but don’t have skin in the game.
Leadership & Governance
“The visionary Plan of Chicago (1909) creates pictures of a City Beautiful, calls upon civic character to realize the goal, and charac teri zes Chicagoans as a peop le w ho can an d w ill ac t in the best public interest to realize the vision. Such a combination of idealism and imagination distinguishes this work of Daniel Hudson Burnham and Edward H. Bennett, and the civic-minded citizens of the Commercial Club of Chicago and the former Merchants Club who commissioned the work.” http://www.encyclopedia . chicagohistory. org Cities with Vision, Dynamic Leadership and Effective Governance have the Greatest Chance of Success with Redevelopment • New York – Giuliani, Bloomberg • Chicago – Daley • Charlestown –Joe Riley • Stamford – Dan Malloy • White Plains –Joseph Delfino • Portland OR – PDC • Minneapolis –Regional Planning Joe Riley Mayor of Charlestown, SC
• President's Award, U.S. Conference of Mayors • J.C. Nichols Prize for Visionary Urban Development, Urban Land Institute • Outstanding Mayors Award, National Urban Coalition • Municipal Leader of the Year, American City & County • South Carolinian of the Year • Keystone Award for Exemplary Leadership to Those who Use Architecture to • TfTransform the ir CitiCommunities, AAimerican AhittArchitectura l FFdtioundation • Distinguished Citizen Award, National Association of Realtors • Verner Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Arts • Thomas Jefferson Award for Exceptional Leadership, American Institute of Architects • President, U.S. Conference of Mayors 1986‐87; currently on USCM Executive Committee • Chairman, Cities Task Force of the Southern Growth Policies Board • Founder of the Mayors' Institute for City Design Goals & Coordinated Process
OK, “it’s a process”… but the process should have goals and be efficient
Survey Quote
“A municipality should foster an environment of “certainty” or “clarity” in terms of what it will and will not accept. To the extent that time is money, uncertainty has both an economic cost as well as an opportunity cost to the developer.”
John – Urban Planner and 30 year City Planning Experience Survey Info
100% of respondents indicated that a coordinated approval process is necessary. Case Study 1 Parcels 3, 5 & 6 Norwalk OiOrig inal URP: Demo his tor ic ftfactory, resi, city garage, hotel, restaurant, retail – deed in lieu ‐ city parcel for parking garage Amended URP: Adaptive reuse of historic factory, garage and resi, restaurant, retail Time: 2.5 Years (everything) Cost: $2M (Planning/Carry) Survey Quote
“Certainty in the process (need a clearly defined methodology for entitlements)… Ability to coordinate/facilitate State entitlements on an "expedited" basis… Tool Box of Financial Incentives (also well thought out and defined)”
Brownfield’s Redeveloper
“Review process track and eliminate consultants, duplication and multiple agency reviews.”
Bob, 50 year Veteran Builder/Redeveloper Case Study 2 District 95/7 (12 Ac)
Existing CMSP: Office Park 1.15 MSF New CMSP: MXD 1.15 MSF Time: 3 Years (everything) Cost: $4M (Planning/Carry)
Survey Quote
“Provide streamline/expedited approval processes… insure policy and decision makers are best informed on best practices from other municipalities and have the abblility to implement on a timely basis. “
“Having a system where the developer and municipality are jointly moving the projects through the development process is far better… I believe that municipalities that set out a framework for collaboration in the initial RFP, and stick to the approach throughout the project, will achieve more satisfying and lasting results.” Top Five Muni Should Do
• Focus on the public domain; historic preservation. • Treat ppgarking like roads, water, sewer i.e., public infrastructure investment. • Train staff, elected and appointed officials in land use, zoning and best practices. • Use muni owned land as a part of the Econ Dev strategy. • Make the “F” (()Flexible) word part of the muni culture. What a Muni Should Not Do
•Ask developer to “wait until after the election” to file, amend or bring proposal forward. • Let the vocal minority dominate the plan/discussion/dialogue. • Stay with a plan that is not working or flawed. • Tolerate: o Corruption o Mediocrity o Public officials that are not accountable
20 Marshall St, Ste 106 Norwalk, CT 06854 203‐354‐1550
www.spinrep.com