HOMEWOOD STATION TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT STUDY Delta Development Group Studio for Spatial Practice Fourth Economy Consulting Cosmos Technologies Mongalo-Winston Consulting HOMEWOOD STATION TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT STUDY ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Client Advisory Committee The Urban Redevelopment Authority Matt Barron Blyden O’Terry of Pittsburgh (URA) is the City of Office of the Mayor Point Breeze North Development Corporation Pittsburgh’s economic development Jamil Bay agency. Our goals are to create jobs, Consultant for Pittsburgh Community Justin Pizzella increase the city’s tax base, and Reinvestment Group East End Food Co-op improve the vitality of businesses, neighborhoods, and the City’s livability Marita Bradley Dennis Puko as a whole. Councilman Burgess’ Office Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Haesha Cooper Incorporated in 1946, the URA was one Development of the first redevelopment authorities Urban Innovation 21 Henry Pyatt in Pennsylvania. Organized by Melvin El Office of the Mayor, City of Pittsburgh corporate and civic leaders, the URA Representative Gainey’s Office undertook the first privately-financed Patrick Roberts Marteen Garay downtown redevelopment project in Department of City Planning the United States -- Gateway Center. Urban Innovation 21 & Homewood- Since then, the URA has constructed Brushton Business Association Chris Sandvig Pittsburgh Community Reinvestment and rehabilitated tens of thousands Elwin Green Group of homes, reclaimed thousands of Race Street Block Club acres of contaminated brownfield and Rebecca Schenck Seth Hufford riverfront sites, and assisted hundreds Urban Redevelopment Authority of Point Breeze North Development of businesses in neighborhoods Pittsburgh Corporation throughout the City of Pittsburgh. Michael Smith Jerome Jackson Today, the URA offers a variety of Pittsburgh Department of City Planning Operation Better Block programs and financing products Dianne B. Swann that range from helping low-income Kilolo Luckett Rosedale Block Cluster clients achieve homeownership, Point Breeze North Development to reclaiming brownfields for Corporation Dave Totten Southwestern Pennsylvania new development, and helping Breen Masciotra Commission communities reinvent themselves. Port Authority of Allegheny County Ted Vasser The URA’s history is a story of projects. Justin Miller Pittsburgh Board of Education It is a story of people. It is a story of Pittsburgh Department of City Planning partnership and leadership. Most of all, it Reverend John Wallace Emily Mitchell is a story of building a better Pittsburgh. Bible Center Church Urban Redevelopment Authority of Participants Pittsburgh Reverend Samuel Ware Building United of Southwestern George Moses Pennsylvania The Urban Redevelopment Authority East Liberty Family Healthcare Center of Pittsburgh would like to thank Jeff Wetzel Steve Novotny local officials and agency partners for Point Breeze North Development Pittsburgh Community Reinvestment supporting the Homewood TOD Study, Corporation and all those who participated on the Group David Wohlwill Advisory Committee by dedicating their Ann Ogoreuc Port Authority of Allegheny County time and expertise. Allegheny County Economic Development Elected Officials Representative Edward C. Gainey, Pennsylvania 24th Legislative District Mayor William Peduto, City of Pittsburgh Councilman Reverend Ricky Burgess, City of Pittsburgh This study was conducted from June 2014-June 2015. 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements 2 Table of Contents 3 Executive Summary 4 Introduction 10 Study Process 14 Current Conditions 18 Public Projects 44 Development Scenarios 64 TRID Feasibility 74 TRID Recommendations 78 Appendix 80 3 HOMEWOOD STATION TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT STUDY EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Background Homewood Station Walk Sheds Market-driven development along the 1/2 Mile Radius Martin Luther King, Jr. East Busway (East Busway) over the past decade, 10 Minute Walk most notably the $440 million Eastside development at East Liberty Station, has demonstrated the potential that transit N Homewood Ave Frankstown Ave holds to revitalize communities. Building from Eastside’s momentum, the Urban Hamilton Ave Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh (URA) commissioned a planning study to examine development potential at Homewood Station and the feasibility of Westinghouse using a statewide tool, called the Transit Park Tioga St Revitalization Investment District MLK Jr East Busway (TRID), to initiate Transit Oriented 1/4 mile radius Development (TOD) in the area around Thomas Blvd the station. This TOD Study is intended to look specifically at previous planning work and recommendations, current Penn Ave N Braddock Ave conditions, public input, potential devel- opment opportunities and land mixes, 5 Minute Walk Meade St public infrastructure to support new development, and a financial strategy, including TRID, to fund improvements at and around Homewood Station. The results of this Study are intended to be used by the URA as a mechanism to re- Frick Park vitalize Homewood and eventually other station areas along the East Busway. TRID was established by Pennsylvania ½-mile radius unless a case can be made projects, other grant sources - like the legislation in 2004 as a way to fund pub- for a contiguous expansion of the bound- Commonwealth’s Multimodal Transporta- lic projects within a half-mile radius of a ary to capture additional development tion Fund (MTF), the region’s Congestion transit station to attract mixed-use, high opportunities. A comprehensive financial Mitigation Air Quality (CMAQ) funds, density TOD. Under the TRID Act, mu- plan accompanies the public improve- and the County’s Gaming and Economic nicipalities, authorities or transit agen- ment and development programs that Development Fund (GEDF) - are needed cies can undertake a study to identify are based primarily on using incremental to supplement the TRID’s financial plan. transportation infrastructure that needs real estate taxes to borrow additional dol- Fortunately, according to the Act, mu- to be improved to attract development lars to fund elements within the TRID. nicipalities and counties that undertake while also encouraging transit riding, This process was undertaken by the URA TRID planning studies receive “priority walking and biking as principal ways to and its Consultant Team to determine consideration” for planning and imple- access new development. Private devel- whether the establishment of a TRID at mentation grants, or loan programs that opment potential is speculated, including Homewood Station would benefit the are applicable to TRID implementations. locations of future development, poten- community and help rejuvenate the sta- tial uses (residential, commercial, retail, tion area. The Study’s results demonstrate or institutional), and sizes and densities ways to improve Homewood Station area Top Map of streets surrounding Homewood Station in order to forecast incremental real es- by implementing public infrastructure with 1/4-mile (5-minute) and 1/2-mile (10-minute) tate taxes that could be generated by the walk sheds indicated. projects and facilitating development, new development. Commensurate with however, TRID is not the sole mechanism Next Page Top: The public process for the study potential development sites, a bound- focused on prioritizing the use of TRID funding that is needed to accomplish this strategy. ary designating a TRID district and to develop and advance recommendations for Because development potential within public projects, based on previous planning work; identifying the area in which real estate the proposed Homewood TRID area is Next Page Left: One of the three public meetings tax increment or value can be captured is unlikely to be intense or dense enough held as part of the study; Next Page Right: The established. The TRID boundary, accord- study built heavily on past and current community to generate sufficient real estate tax ing to guidelines, should not exceed a planning documents, such as the 2012 Bridging the increment to fund public infrastructure Busway study. 4 Executive Summary Study Process The Homewood TRID Study built on a previously-completed plan, called Bridging the Busway, which was com- missioned by the URA in partnership with community members in the Homewood and Point Breeze North neighborhoods of Pittsburgh. Bridging the Busway was a community-driven planning effort that identified a vision for TOD at Homewood Station and opportunities for redevelopment within a half-mile radius. The study focused on four target areas surrounding Homewood Station, including the area immediately adjacent to the station, referred to as the Homewood Avenue TOD Target Area. The projects recom- mended by Bridging the Busway for the TOD Area were assessed for funding and implementation as part of this TOD Study. In other words, the Homewood TOD Study started where Bridging the Busway left off. A 31-member Advisory Committee was convened to inform and direct the Study process and outcome. Members represented a cross-section of interests and agencies including, but not limited to: residents, local businesses, churches, city and state officials, the transit agen- cy, local and regional planning organi- zations, and nonprofits. The Committee met once a month for the duration of the Study, and was responsible for shar- ing information with their constituents ment at all station areas along the East cessing the Station and community, and and bringing input back from commu- enhancing