A Blueprint Guide to Successful Downtown Revitalization Item Type text; Electronic Report Authors Bratcher, Sara Ann Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. Download date 27/09/2021 17:18:51 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/190375 A Blueprint Guide to Successful Downtown Revitalization By Sara Ann Bratcher A Master’s Report Submitted to the Faculty of the PLANNING PROGRAM In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE IN PLANNING In the Graduate College THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA STATEMENT BY AUTHOR This Master’s Report has been submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for an advanced degree at The University of Arizona and is deposited in the University Library to be made available to borrowers under rules of the Library. Brief quotations from this report are allowable without special permission, provided that accurate acknowledgement of source is made. Requests for permission for extended quotation from or reproduction of this manuscript in whole or in part may be granted by the head of the major department of the Dean of the Graduate College when in his or her judgment the proposed use of the material is in the interests of scholarship. SIGNED: ______________________________ APPROVAL BY MASTER’S REPORT COMMITTEE This Master’s Report has been approved on the date shown below: ____________________________________ ______________________ Dr. Barbara Becker Date Professor of Planning ____________________________________ ______________________ Grace Evans Date Adjunct Professor of Planning ____________________________________ ________________________ Ann Vargas Date City of Tucson, Downtown Housing Planner ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would first and foremost like to thank my committee: Dr. Barbara Becker, Professor Grace Evans, and Ann Vargas for their commitment to my efforts within this report. I would also like to thank them for their continuous support and guidance throughout the researching and writing process. Thank you to my fellow graduate student colleagues who have each taught me invaluable lessons throughout the past two years. These lessons have made me a better planner and a better person, for that I will truly always be grateful. Finally, thank you to my family and friends who have been a constant support system for me. You have all been my lifelong cheerleaders and I consider myself to be incredibly lucky to have such wonderful people in my life. CHAPTER 1……………………………………………………………………….1 Revitalization……………………………………………………………………….1 Elements of Successful Revitalization……………………………………………. 2 Success as a Sense of Place…………………………………………………………8 Table 1.1: Elements of Success……………………………………..10 Reemergence of Downtowns……………………………………………………….10 Necessity of Downtown Revitalization…………………………………………… 12 CHAPTER 2………………………………………………………………………14 Methodology……………………………………………………………………….14 Figure 2.1: Revitalization Elements Analyzed……………………..15 CHAPTER 3………………………………………………………………………17 Case Study 1: El Paso, Texas...……………………………………………………17 Figure 3.1: Redevelopment District & Development Elements…...19 Table 3.1: Development Element Breakdown ……………………..20 Figure 3.2: Historic Incentive District…………………………….22 Figure 3.3:Revitalization Project Emphasis……………………….24 Case Study 2: Austin, Texas……………………………………………………….25 Figure 3.4: Austin Downtown District Map………………………..27 Figure 3.5: 2nd Street District Development Map………………….28 Figure 3.6: Downtown Austin Plans and Guidelines………………30 Figure 3.7: Austin Revitalization Project Emphasis……………….31 Case Study 3: Albuquerque, New Mexico…………………………………………32 Figure 3.8: Development Process………………………………….36 Figure 3.9: Downtown Albuquerque Project Map. ……………….37 Figure 3.10: Albuquerque Revitalization Project Emphasis………38 Comparable Revitalization Elements………………………………………………39 Figure 3.11: Similar City Elements………………………………...40 Figure 3.12: Differing City Elements………………………………42 Figure 3.13: Same Step, Different Method…………………………43 CHAPTER 4……………………………………………………………………….45 Tucson, Arizona…………………………………………………………………….45 Figure 4.1: Tucson Downtown Incentives…………………………. 48 Figure 4.2: Downtown Tucson Projects…………………………….49 Figure 4.3: Tucson Revitalization Project Emphasis……………….50 Cross Comparable Revitalization Elements………………………………………...51 Table 4.1: Elements in Correlation to Cities………………………..52 CHAPTER 5……………………………………………………………………….54 Element Recommendations…………………………………………………………54 Phasing……………………………………………………………………………... 60 Figure 5.1: Project Timeline………………………………………...61 Figure 5.2: Revitalization Elements Phasing………………………..63 Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………..64 APPENDIX…………………………………………………………………………66 A. Published Revitalization Guidelines……………………………………………. 66 Table A.1: 12 Steps to Revitalization………………………………. 66 Table A.2: Rules for Revitalization………………………………… 66 Table A.3: Guide to Successful Revitalization………………………67 B. City of Austin Projects………………………………………………………… . 68 Table B.1: Completed Commercial Projects………………………..68 Table B.2: Completed City/Government Projects…………………..69 Table B.3: Completed Mixed-Use Projects…………………………70 Table B.4: Completed Non-Profit Projects…………………………70 Table B.5: Completed Parking Structures…………………………..71 Table B.6: Completed Residential Projects…………………………71 Table B.7: Completed Transportation/Infrastructure Projects……..72 Table B.8: Completed University of Texas Projects………………..72 Table B.9: Commercial Projects in Construction…………………..72 Table B.10: City/Government Projects in Construction…………….73 Table B.11: Mixed-Use Projects in Construction………………….. 73 Table B.12: Non-Profit Projects in Construction…………………...73 Table B.13: Residential Projects in Construction…………………..74 Table B.14: Transportation/Infrastructure Projects in Construction.74 Table B.15: University of Texas Projects in Construction………….75 Table B.16: Planned Commercial Projects…………………………75 Table B.17: Planned City/Government Projects……………………76 Table B.18: Planned Mixed-Use Projects…………………………..76 Table B.19: Planned Non-Profit Projects…………………………...77 Table B.20: Planned Parking Projects………………………………77 Table B. 21: Planned Residential Projects…………………………..77 Table B.22: Planned Transportation/Infrastructure Projects……….78 Table B.23: Planned University of Texas Projects…………………..79 C. City of Albuquerque Projects……………………………………………………80 Table C.1: Completed Commercial Projects………………………..80 Table C.2: Completed City/Government Projects…………………..80 Table C.3: Completed Mixed-Use Projects…………………………80 Table C.4: Completed Non-Profit Projects…………………………80 Table C.5: Completed Parking Projects……………………………81 Table C.6: Completed Residential Projects………………………...81 Table C.7: Commercial Projects in Construction…………………. 81 Table C.8: City/Government Projects in Construction……………..81 Table C.9: Mixed-Use Projects in Construction……………………81 Table C.10: Residential Projects in Construction………………….82 Table C.11: Planned Commercial Projects………………………...82 Table C.12: Planned City/Government Projects…………………...82 Table C.13: Planned Non-Profit Projects………………………….82 Table C.14: Planned Mixed-Use Projects………………………….82 Table C.15: Planned Residential Projects………………………….83 Table C.16: Planned Transportation/Infrastructure Projects……...83 D. Tax Increment Financing……………………………………………………….84 E. City of Tucson Projects…………………………………………………………86 Table E.1: Completed Commercial Projects………………………..86 Table E.2: Completed Parking Projects……………………………86 Table E.3: Completed Residential Projects…………………………86 Table E.4: Commercial Projects in Construction…………………..86 Table E.5: Mixed-Use Projects in Construction……………………87 Table E.6: Residential Projects in Construction……………………87 Table E.7: Transportation/Infrastructure Projects in Construction..87 Table E.8: Planned Commercial Projects…………………………..87 Table E.9: Planned Mixed-Use Projects……………………………87 Table E.10: Planned Non-Profit/Cultural Projects…………………88 Table E.11: Planned Residential Projects…………………………..88 Table E.12: Planned Transportation/Infrastructure Projects……....88 REFERENCES……………………………………………………………………..89 Revitalization What is revitalization and what role does it have within the context of downtown development, is a question which has been asked time and time again. Revitalization takes many forms in different communities and the definitions of a successful project also vary based upon the needs of each individual community. By looking at what has come before, it can assist in ensuring a greater degree of success in future revitalization projects. There are many different definitions of revitalization from academics and professionals based upon each project and the goals of that project. The most basic and universal definition revolves around imparting new life to something (Merriam-Webster, 2006). All other printed materials evoke this definition within their own to a certain degree. Downtown revitalization is also used by communities to create a focal point of activity or one, which leads to an activity, which is occurring in the downtown area (Downtown Topeka Inc, 2006). Downtown revitalization is just as it states, the redesign of existing properties (Miles, 2001; Berens, 2001; Weiss, 2001), or using existing land as the basis for designing future land uses (Kelly 2000; Becker 2000). Downtown revitalization creates new life within a specific area,