Multimodal Transportation Center Redevelopment Project TASK 4.1 – FINAL EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT FINAL June 30, 2016 Version 1.1 Prepared for: The City of White Plains Prepared by: TASK 4.1 – FINAL EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................................................. 1 1.1 PROJECT OVERVIEW ................................................................................................................................................ 1 1.2 STUDY AREA ............................................................................................................................................................... 1 1.3 REPORT PURPOSE ..................................................................................................................................................... 2 2 KEY FINDINGS OF THE BASELINE STUDIES .................................................................................................................... I 2.1 PEDESTRIAN CONDITIONS KEY FINDINGS .......................................................................................................... I 2.2 TRAFFIC AND PARKING KEY FINDINGS ...............................................................................................................VI 2.3 LAND USE, URBAN DESIGN, AND DEVELOPMENT KEY FINDINGS .............................................................. IX 2.4 MARKET CONDITIONS KEY FINDINGS ................................................................................................................ XI 3 SUMMARY ........................................................................................................................................................................ XIV APPENDIX A: EXISTING PEDESTRIAN CONDITIONS BASELINE STUDY APPENDIX B: TRAFFIC AND PARKING BASELINE STUDIES APPENDIX C: LAND USE, URBAN DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT BASELINE STUDY APPENDIX D: MARKET CONDITIONS ASSESSMENT BASELINE STUDY FIGURES FIGURE 1: STUDY AREA .............................................................................................................................................. 3 FIGURE 2:AM PEAK-HOUR TOTAL VOLUMES IN & OUT AT STATION ACCESS POINTS ........................................................... III FIGURE 3: PM PEAK-HOUR TOTAL VOLUMES IN & OUT AT STATION ACCESS POINTS ........................................................... III FIGURE 4: MODE OF ACCESS TO THE WHITE PLAINS METRO-NORTH STATION ................................................................... V FIGURE 5: PARKING UTILIZATION AT OFF-STREET PARKING FACILITIES WITHIN THE TRANSIT DISTRICT .................................. VII FIGURE 6: MAMARONECK AVENUE INVITES PEDESTRIANS WITH BROAD SIDEWALKS AND A VARIETY OF RETAIL BUSINESSES (L) HAMILTON AVENUE AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR CREATING A PEDESTRIAN PROMENADE (RIGHT) ................... IX FIGURE 7: HISTORICAL GROWTH IN PER SQUARE FOOT ASKING RATES, DOWNTOWN WHITE PLAINS AND WESTCHESTER COUNTY RESIDENTIAL RENTAL PROPERTIES, 2000-2015 ...................................................................... XII Multimodal Transportation Center Redevelopment Project June 30, 2016 | Version 1.2 i TASK 4.1 – FINAL EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT TABLES TABLE 1: PEAK HOUR STATION PEDESTRIAN VOLUMES (ARRIVAL/DEPARTURE) ................................................................... II TABLE 2: CRITICAL OFF-STREET PARKING FACILITY SURVEY – 2015 BASELINE CONDITION .................................................. VII Multimodal Transportation Center Redevelopment Project June 30, 2016 | Version 1.2 i TASK 4.1 – FINAL EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 PROJECT OVERVIEW The City of White Plains is leading a strategic planning project to redevelop and transform the area around the White Plains Metro-North station and Westchester County Bee-Line Bus Station into a gateway connected to the downtown core. The Plan will address all modes of travel, address opportunities to maximize economic development potential, and identify new and important linkages to downtown. The City received grant funding for the project though the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). The project will incorporate sustainable design principles that are protective of the environment and promote energy efficiency. The project provides an opportunity to address a pressing need for creating an integrated regional transportation hub in White Plains where BRT, commuter rail, local bus, taxis and shuttles riders can make efficient connections to and from White Plains, Yonkers, New Rochelle, Stamford, New York City and other local activity nodes. A modern, efficient and accessible public transit hub in Downtown White Plains is a critical component of a high performing regional multimodal transportation network designed to get people out of their private vehicles and onto public transit for trips between home, work, shopping, and recreation. It is anticipated that the project will drive further investment and redevelopment in the immediate station area and into the downtown core, and increase both commercial and pedestrian activity in the greater Downtown White Plains area and the surrounding street system. The City of White Plains is committed to engage and work cooperatively with the project area stakeholders and the public to develop a short- and long-term vision for the project. The final Strategic Plan, expected to be complete in Fall 2016, will assess the existing conditions in the study area, establish the need for the project, define goals and objectives, define major plan elements, identify potential funding sources, and identify a plan of implementation. 1.2 STUDY AREA The Multimodal Transportation Center Redevelopment Project Study Area is centered on the MTA White Plains Metro-North Station and the Westchester Bee-Line Bus Station. It extends approximately 0.35 miles around the Metro-North Station and includes the City of White Plains Multimodal Transportation Center Redevelopment Project June 30, 2016 | Version 1.2 1 TASK 4.1 – FINAL EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT parking garage and surface lot, the White Plains Fire Department Station No. 2, the westerly portion of the downtown business district, the easterly portion of the Battle Hill neighborhood, the southerly portion of the Ferris-Church neighborhood, the Bronx River Parkway Reservation, and the Westchester County Center (Figure 1). 1.3 REPORT PURPOSE Task 4.1 – Final Existing Conditions Report, summarizes the conclusions of the baseline studies and existing conditions analysis. This summary report will inform the development of the range of near- and long-term opportunities presented in the Final Strategic Plan. Multimodal Transportation Center Redevelopment Project 2 June 30, 2016 | Version 1.2 TASK 4.1 – FINAL EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT FIGURE 1: STUDY AREA Multimodal Transportation Center Redevelopment Project June 30, 2016 | Version 1.2 3 2 KEY FINDINGS OF THE BASELINE STUDIES The findings of each respective Existing Conditions Baseline study as completed in Task 4.1C are presented in this chapter. The full reports, identified below and contained in Appendixes A-D describe the scope, methodology, and analysis used to derive each set of findings: Appendix A: Existing Pedestrian Conditions Baseline Study Appendix B: Traffic and Parking Baseline Studies Appendix C: Land Use, Urban Design & Development Baseline Study Appendix D: Market Conditions Assessment Baseline Study 2.1 PEDESTRIAN CONDITIONS KEY FINDINGS The Pedestrian Conditions Baseline Study’s scope includes new pedestrian counts, a survey of departing passengers at the station, observations of pedestrian movements, and examination of pedestrian circulation elements in the study area. After the completion of these observations and surveys, numerous analyses of travel patterns in and around the station area were developed. A sample of the data analysis shown in Table 1, and on Figure 2 and Figure 3, indicates that most passengers enter and exit the White Plains Metro-North station from the main entrance at the foot of New Street. A significant portion of passengers also use the three stairways from the center platform down to the Mott Street tunnel, Hamilton Avenue, and Main Street. Multimodal Transportation Center Redevelopment Project June 30, 2016 | Version 1.2 i TASK 4.1 – FINAL EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT TABLE 1: PEAK HOUR STATION PEDESTRIAN VOLUMES (ARRIVAL/DEPARTURE) Location AM AM AM PM PM PM In/Up Out/Down Total In/Up Out/Down Total Stair from Center Platform to Mott 17 345 362 144 30 174 Street Tunnel North Bridge, Side Platform to 17 0 17 142 1 143 Garage Main Entrance, Ground Level to 836 220 1,056 681 165 846 Center Platform Bridge from Center Platform to 1 153 154 76 2 78 South End of Garage Bridge from Side Platform to South 76 2 78 147 4 151 end of Garage Stair from Side Platform to Surface 2 640 642 8 676 684 Stair from Center Platform to South 137 226 363 127 116 243 Side of Hamilton Ave. Stair from Center Platform to South 177 319 496 200 128 328 Side of Main Street Source: WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff Counts Nov. 2015 Multimodal Transportation Center Redevelopment Project June 30, 2016 | Version 1.2 i FIGURE 2:AM PEAK-HOUR TOTAL VOLUMES IN & OUT AT STATION ACCESS POINTS FIGURE 3: PM PEAK-HOUR TOTAL VOLUMES IN & OUT AT STATION ACCESS POINTS Multimodal Transportation Center Redevelopment Project June 30, 2016 | Version 1.2 iii TASK 4.1 – FINAL