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2013, Smith The New Normal: Creating Neighborhoods of Opportunity May 1, 2013 Table of Contents I. Acknowledgements………………………………………………………………..3 II. Executive Summary……………………………………………………………….4 III. Introduction………………………………………………………………………..5 IV. Project Description…………………………………………………………….......8 V. Site…………………………………………………………………………………11 VI. I-Quilt Corridor…………………………………………………………………..13 VII. Community Solutions…………………………………………………………….16 VIII. Program…………………………………………………………………………..19 IX. Legal & Social Issues…………………………………………………….……….27 X. Making the Case……………………………………….…………….…………..30 XI. Funding Options……………………………………………………...………….35 XII. Financing………………………………………………………………………...39 XIII. Conclusion………………………………….……………………………………42 XIV. Citations………………………………………………………………………….44 XV. Appendix…………………………………………………………………………48 Tulane School of Architecture: Master’s of Sustainable Real Estate Development 2 Candidate, MSRED LaQuanda Smith The New Normal: Creating Neighborhoods of Opportunity May 1, 2013 Acknowledgements First, I would like to thank God for this opportunity and giving me the ability to complete this task. If it had not been for You, I don’t know how I would have made it! Words cannot express the amount of gratitude and appreciation I have for the people who have been supportive during this journey. All the commutes from Baton Rouge to New Orleans, late nights, and trips on the LaSwift bus have taught me a lot of life lessons. To my family, thank you for the encouragement, support, and jokes that kept me laughing through the tough times. Thank you, to my mentor Angela O’Byrne for believing in me and giving me an opportunity. Thank you Steven J. Massicot and Perez, APC family, I am excited and looking forward to working with your team. It was not easy, but you kept me on my toes!! Thank you, Casius Peeler for being patient. Thank you Cornelius Payne for the great advice!! To my new extended family, Dr. Marilu, Sam Robinson and Camille Robinson thank you for opening your home to me. Tulane School of Architecture: Master’s of Sustainable Real Estate Development 3 Candidate, MSRED LaQuanda Smith The New Normal: Creating Neighborhoods of Opportunity May 1, 2013 Executive Summary: This Master’s thesis explores the social ramifications of community development and revitalization efforts in low-income communities. The purpose of this thesis is to examine mixed-use artist housing as a positive change agent for development in low-income communities, particularly Hartford, Connecticut. Community Solutions, a national not-for-profit organization has created a plan to increase the number of downtown residents to support economic development investments in the I-Quilt corridor. It will link and reinforce the I-Quilt plan to connect downtown Hartford’s arts, culture and historical assets. It is their goal to create an attractive option for individuals with special needs wishing to live in a vibrant mixed income environment. Community Solutions will build on its team’s experience to transform 370 Asylum Street into a mixed-use arts and innovative business center, providing a hub and platform for the development of Hartford’s creative economy. Their plan includes art uses for the community and commercial offerings on the street level to help increase pedestrian traffic on the north side of Bushnell Park; thus reinforcing the I-Quilt revitalization efforts. This thesis will analyze the concept for 370 Asylum Street as a qualatitative measure to examine social capital as a catalyst for revitalization; and providing insight on how the arts industry can be a leader in the transformation of communities. This thesis will also analyze case studies, literature and contain suggestions about the development of such a strategy taking into consideration all the elements susceptible to have an influence on its effectiveness. Concept Proposal: The concept is to restore 370 Asylum Street into a mixed-use facility with 65 affordable artist apartments, and 18 units will be dedicated to persons with autism. There will also be spaces for display and performance arts, affordable work spaces for innovative small businesses, shared services for the community, and capitalizing on Low- Income Housing Tax Credits. Support Hartford’s arts community by providing affordable, well-located housing for Hartford’s arts and performing arts community Add jobs in construction, building operations, retail and the arts. Tulane School of Architecture: Master’s of Sustainable Real Estate Development 4 Candidate, MSRED LaQuanda Smith The New Normal: Creating Neighborhoods of Opportunity May 1, 2013 Community Solutions has teamed up with St. Joseph University to setup criteria for housing eligibility for individuals with autism. The residential program will accept “independent” autism individuals only. There will be a full-time employee/graduate student hired by the University of St. Joseph in case of emergency. Tulane School of Architecture: Master’s of Sustainable Real Estate Development 5 Candidate, MSRED LaQuanda Smith The New Normal: Creating Neighborhoods of Opportunity May 1, 2013 Introduction: During July 2011 the Obama Administration created a neighborhood revitalization initiative to tackle issues of high poverty communities. One of the key strategies of the White House was to transform distressed neighborhoods through programs and policies to address poverty across the United States. “The report illustrates how communities can think creatively about integrating funding streams within a comprehensive plan and sustainable flexible funding from diverse sources to catalyze and drive a core set of results for revitalizing neighborhoods. The report also shows ways that the federal government can better align its programs to act as a catalyst for change in communities.”1 President Obama based his entire campaign in 2012 on the “Change” slogan, so it’s no surprise that the theory of change would be integrated into this initiative. He also used this slogan in the precedent 2008 campaign in which he won and became the first African American president. During the time of uncertainty, global warming, and economic turmoil many people are trying to find ways to adapt to change. For some change is not easy. In the past 10 years, the global market has seen a financial meltdown, ongoing wars, and a heightened threat of terrorism, and natural disasters. In the midst of this rapid change, political leaders and residents were in a frenzy trying to find solutions to the housing crisis. According to the Gallup Management Journal (GMJ) in an interview with co-authors Geoffrey Brewer and Barb Sanford, “everything changed with 9/11. In the decade that followed, there were multiple wars, the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression, natural disasters - it seemed that if something could go wrong, it did. There were profound business, leadership, and executive implications to these changes, which were felt everywhere.”2 Brewer and Sanford 1 The White House Neighborhood- Revitalization Initiative Report, July 2011, pp. 1 2 Managing in Times of Uncertainty-The Gallop Management Journal Interviewed by Jennifer Robison Tulane School of Architecture: Master’s of Sustainable Real Estate Development 6 Candidate, MSRED LaQuanda Smith The New Normal: Creating Neighborhoods of Opportunity May 1, 2013 wrote a symposium called a “Decade of Change: Managing in Times of Uncertainty” about the last ten years and how it changed our economy. The book discussed the tumultuous decade, why they chose them, and the actionable insights they offer executives. “Most importantly, they wanted “Decade of Change” to be more than a look backward; they wanted it to be a roadmap for what lies ahead.” As discussed in their book, the first decade of the 21st century was just a prelude. Rapid change is inevitable and constant, so leaders should be prepared for managing in chaos. Thankfully, the U.S. has seen a resurgence of economic rebirth throughout the country. During February 2013, President Obama visited the Linamar factory in Asheville, North Carolina to reassure the American public on the rebirth of the economy. "The good news is what's happening here is happening all around the country. Just as it's becoming more and more expensive to do business in places like China, America is getting more competitive and more productive," he said. "After shedding jobs for more than 10 years, our manufacturers have now added about 500,000 jobs over the past three years.”3 Progress has also been made through the Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative with grants, partnerships, programs, and federal funds. “To create deep and lasting change in a community, high-quality interventions must be linked to address interrelated problems. This requires the development of strategic partnerships to achieve identified goals, as well as shared accountability for the intended outcomes. Some key elements for effective partnerships are clearly defined roles and agreement upon a common vision, theory of the change, and theory of action.”4 The U.S. economy is officially in recovery, but some states are still struggling. 3 President Obama Address to the American Public-February 2013 transcript 4 White House Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative Report- pp.6 Tulane School of Architecture: Master’s of Sustainable Real Estate Development 7 Candidate, MSRED LaQuanda Smith The New Normal: Creating Neighborhoods of Opportunity May 1, 2013 Like Asheville, North Carolina, the I-Quilt corridor in Hartford, Connecticut is experiencing the same rebirth

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