Jordan Downs Los Angeles,California
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AN ADVISORY SERVICES PANEL REPORT Jordan Downs Los Angeles,California www.uli.org Q09257 JD Cover 3 5/18/09 3:01 PM Jordan Downs Los Angeles, California A Catalytic Transformation of a Public Housing Project February 8–13, 2009 An Advisory Services Panel Report Urban Land Institute 1025 Thomas Jefferson Street, N.W. Suite 500 West Washington, D.C. 20007-5201 About the Urban Land Institute he mission of the Urban Land Institute is Established in 1936, the Institute today has more to provide leadership in the responsible than 38,000 members worldwide, representing use of land and in creating and sustaining the entire spectrum of the land use and develop- T thriving communities worldwide. ULI is ment disciplines. Professionals represented committed to include developers, builders, property own ers, investors, architects, public officials, plan ners, • Bringing together leaders from across the real estate brokers, appraisers, attorneys, engi- fields of real estate and land use policy to neers, financiers, academics, students, and exchange best practices and serve community librarians. needs; ULI relies heavily on the experience of its • Fostering collaboration within and beyond members. It is through member involvement ULI’s membership through mentoring, and information resources that ULI has dialogue, and problem solving; been able to set standards of excellence in • Exploring issues of urbanization, conservation, de velopment prac tice. The Institute has long regeneration, land use, capital formation, and been recognized as one of the world’s most sustainable development; respected and widely quoted sources of objec- tive information on urban planning, growth, • Advancing land use policies and design and development. practices that respect the uniqueness of both built and natural environments; • Sharing knowledge through education, applied research, publishing, and electronic media; and • Sustaining a diverse global network of local practice and advisory efforts that address current and future challenges. ©2009 by the Urban Land Institute 1025 Thomas Jefferson Street, N.W. Suite 500 West Washington, D.C. 20007-5201 All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of the whole or any part of the contents without written permission of the copyright holder is prohibited. Cover photo by Patrick Pontius 2 An Advisory Services Panel Report About ULI Advisory Services he goal of ULI’s Advisory Services Pro- stakeholders in the project under consideration, gram is to bring the finest expertise in participants in ULI’s five-day panel assignments the real estate field to bear on complex are able to make accurate assessments of a spon- T land use planning and development sor’s issues and to provide recommendations in a projects, programs, and policies. Since 1947, compressed amount of time. this program has assembled well over 400 ULI–member teams to help sponsors find A major strength of the program is ULI’s unique creative, practical solutions for issues such as ability to draw on the knowledge and expertise downtown redevelopment, land management of its members, including land developers and strategies, evaluation of development potential, owners, public officials, academics, representa- growth management, community revitaliza- tives of financial institutions, and others. In tion, brownfields redevelopment, military base fulfillment of the mission of the Urban Land reuse, provision of low-cost and affordable Institute, this Advisory Services panel report is housing, and asset management strategies, intended to pro vide objective advice that will among other matters. A wide variety of public, promote the re spon sible use of land to enhance private, and nonprofit organizations have the environment. contracted for ULI’s Advisory Services. Each panel team is composed of highly qualified ULI Program Staff professionals who volunteer their time to ULI. Marta V. Goldsmith They are chosen for their knowledge of the panel Senior Vice President, Community/ topic and screened to ensure their objectivity. Education Provost ULI’s interdisciplinary panel teams provide a holistic look at development problems. A Thomas W. Eitler re spected ULI member who has previous panel Vice President, Advisory Services experience chairs each panel. Matthew Rader Manager, Advisory Services The agenda for a five-day panel assignment is in tensive. It includes an in-depth briefing day Caroline Dietrich composed of a tour of the site and meetings with Panel Coordinator, Advisory Services spon sor representatives; a day of hour-long Gwen McCall interviews of typically 50 to 75 key community Senior Administrative Manager, Community representatives; and two days of formulating James A. Mulligan recommendations. Long nights of discussion precede the panel’s conclusions. On the final Managing Editor day on site, the panel makes an oral presentation Laura Glassman, Publications Professionals LLC of its findings and conclusions to the sponsor. Manuscript Editor A written re port is pre pared and published. Betsy VanBuskirk Because the sponsoring entities are responsible Creative Director for significant preparation before the panel’s vis- Susan S. Teachey, ON-Q Design, Inc. it, including sending extensive briefing materials Desktop Publishing Specialist/Graphics to each member and arranging for the panel to Craig Chapman meet with key local community members and Director, Publishing Operations Jordan Downs, Los Angeles, California, February 8–13, 2009 3 Acknowledgments he panel wishes to thank Mayor Antonio Special thanks also go to Jasper Williams, from Villaraigosa for his vision for reinventing the mayor’s office, who provided the panel an public housing in the city of Los Angeles accurate and optimistic view of Watts and the T and his focus on the Watts community. myriad issues affecting it and Jordan Downs. The panel also wishes to thank Rudy Montiel, president and chief executive officer of the The panel also wishes to thank Katherine Perez, Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles executive director of ULI Los Angeles, as well (HACLA). Rudy and his staff at HACLA did a as Michael Banner, Wayne Raktovich, and Alex wonderful job preparing the briefing materials, Rose, trustees of the Urban Land Institute. The conducting the tour, and providing the infor- information, insight, and support provided by mation and data that made this panel a success. these individuals was comprehensive, poignant, Thanks go to Helmi Hisserich, deputy mayor of and truly helpful to the panel. Los Angeles, for her participation in this panel. Finally, the panel wishes to thank the more Thanks also go to Larry Goings, Lourdes Castro- than 100 people who took part in the community Ramirez, Carlos Van Natter, Sandford Riggs, meetings, reception, and interviews while the Dorian Jenkins, and all the others on the HACLA panel was on site. This personal and meaningful staff who participated in this panel. Special community input is the single most useful and thanks go to Jennifer Thomas from HACLA for enlightening part of the ULI panel process. her tireless and brilliant coordination of the background materials and guidance during the entire panel process. 4 An Advisory Services Panel Report Contents ULI Panel and Project Staff 6 Foreword: The Panel’s Assignment 7 The Vision 11 Market Potential 17 Development, Planning, and Design 25 Implementation 37 Conclusion 43 Appendix: HACLA’s Seven Questions 44 About the Panel 46 Jordan Downs, Los Angeles, California, February 8–13, 2009 5 ULI Panel and Project Staff Panel Chair Michael J. Maxwell President John McIlwain Maxwell + Partners LLC Senior Resident Fellow and ULI/ Miami Shores, Florida J. Ronald Terwilliger Chair for Housing Urban Land Institute Ralph L. Núñez Washington, D.C. President/Design Principal DesignTeam Limited Southfield, Michigan Panel Members John Ramirez Vice President Richie Butler Chicanos por la Causa Partner Phoenix, Arizona CityView Dallas, Texas Vicki Davis ULI Project Staff President Urban Atlantic Development Thomas W. Eitler Bethesda, Maryland Vice President, Advisory Services Richard J. Dishnica Caroline Dietrich President Associate, Advisory Services The Dishnica Company LLC Patrick Pontius Point Richmond, California Senior Research Associate, Center for Balanced E. Peter Elzi, Jr. Development in the West Principal and Senior Economist THK Associates, Inc. Aurora, Colorado Marty Jones President Corcoran Jennison Companies Boston, Massachusetts Stanley A. Lowe Managing Partner Fourth River Development Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 6 An Advisory Services Panel Report Foreword: The Panel’s Assignment os Angeles boosters often refer to their Location map. city as the capital of the Pacific Rim, the Entertainment Capital of the World, and L the greatest manufacturing center in CALIFORNIA North America, among countless other titles. Less sanguine commentators accuse the city of NEVADA promulgating sprawl, asphalt, and smog, while Sacramento others cite greater Los Angeles as having the highest density and being one of the greenest of San Francisco San Jose any urbanized metropolitan area in the United Fresno States. Glitz or grit? Green or greenhouse gases? Who is right? Catchy titles and appellations, both positive and negative, fail to pinpoint Bakersfield the essence of Los Angeles. The city and its broader metropolitan area encompass so much diversity—economically, demographically, and PACIFIC OCEANLos Angeles Watts Long Beach Irvine environmentally—that the urban and rural ag- A glomeration that constitutes Greater Los Ange-