Pope to Urban Planners: Build Better Cities By Anna Clark, Next City, June 19, 2015

Pope Francis called for an extraordinary global response to climate change this week in his much-anticipated encyclical. But the first pope from the developing world also has a message for urban planners: Build better neighborhoods for the poor. And while you’re at it, find a way to integrate the natural world in city design. “We were not meant to be inundated by cement, asphalt, glass and metal, and deprived of physical contact with nature,” he writes in Laudato Si. It’s subtitled “Our Care for Our Common Home.”

Cities have become unhealthy places for human beings — not only because of toxic emissions, but also because of poor transportation, visual pollution, congestion, social exclusion, violence, noise and even “the loss of identity.” And inequality looms over it all.

"In some places, rural and urban alike, the privatization of certain spaces has restricted people’s access to places of particular beauty,” Francis writes. “In others, ‘ecological’ neighbourhoods have been created which are closed to outsiders in order to ensure an artificial tranquility. Frequently, we find beautiful and carefully manicured green spaces in so-called ‘safer’ areas of cities, but not in the more hidden areas where the disposable of society live.” . . .

The Pope understands the role of quality of life in urban planning, a factor that is especially important in a planned community such as Reston.

Why can't our County leaders, starting with the Board of Supervisors, but including planning, parks, transportation, education, and more, grasp this need and plan and build accordingly?

For the rest of Anna Clark's excellent article, click here.

Letter: Reston the destination, Damian Sinclair, Fairfax Times, December 21, 2012

Reston has a unique opportunity to position itself as the heart of a vibrant Northern Virginia region and become the number one destination for visitors outside our region. However, the work required to make that happen has to occur now. . .

Cultural tourism will be the cornerstone of any destination marketing effort. The Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival is one of the top-rated events of its kind in the country and has the potential to continue to grow in prominence. Our Oktoberfest Reston and Taste of Reston, produced by the Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce, and the Multicultural Festival, produced by the Reston Community Center, draw tens of thousands of people into our community.

We are surrounded by a wealth of public art in our backyard thanks in part to the vision of our founder, Robert E. Simon Jr. and the efforts of our Initiative for Public Art — Reston. We have a budding regional event in the Washington West Film Festival, performances at CenterStage that rival those at Washington D.C.’s largest institutions, galleries showing some of the region’s best art and a multitude of other cultural assets that people outside our community need to see.

Reston has the opportunity to market these assets to the region and beyond and capitalize on the opportunity Metro’s Silver Line will bring. . . .

The author of this letter is the executive director for the Greater Reston Arts Center located in Reston.   Click here to read the rest of Mr. Sinclair's letter. 

What makes cities successful? Carol Coletta, September 2012

This 18-minute video provides an insightful and provocative look at what makes successful cities and communities by Carol Coletta, former head of CEOs for Cities.  In this speech at the Business Innovation Factory in Providence, RI, she notes that 64% of college graduates first choose a city to live in, and then look for a job, so their must be strong attractants.  A Knight Foundation study, she said, found that attachment to a community is most closely related to how accepting a community is of diversity, its wealth of social offerings, and its aesthetics. She argues that some communities have become too interchangeable and highlights that even the Champs d'Elysees is becoming "more like nowhere because we find the same thing as everywhere."  She adds that "home"--even among multi-home owners--is most clearly defined by connections, distinctiveness, and agency (ability to influence the community's future).  

Is this what Reston possesses?  Is this what the future will be if development around its Metro stations proceeds as currently planned?  Good questions to consider as you watch this presentation.

Please click on "full screen" icon on far right to view the presentation.  

Video: Fun, Beauty, Fantasy: Reston's Public Art

Summary: Reston Task Force Meeting, March 27, 2012

                                     R. Rogers

                                        28 March 2012

Highlights: 27 March 2012 Reston Master Planning Task Force Meeting

Summary and Comment:  The meeting focused on parks and recreation needs in the RCIG area.  Based on the presentation by parks personnel and comments from the Task Force, much remains to be done.  In particular, the connection of this subject to Phase II of the planning effort was emphasized.

Parks Recreation and Culture

     Several people were involved in the presentation.

     Anna Betley from the FC Parks Authority (FCPA) Staff, the main presenter.

     Sandy Stallman, FCPA head of planning.

     Larry Butler, RA Recreation Director

     Leila Gordon, RCC

(The presentation was a coordinated effort of this group.)

Needs

     An important 11 point table of needs is on the county website and should be reviewed.  In addition, some useful maps show existing facilities, virtually none of which are in the TOD areas.

     The “needs assessment” appeared to be based on FCPA parks standards. (Comment: Some of the Task Force sub-groups, particularly the RTC sub-com, critically questioned the applicability or the standards to the Reston TOD areas.)

     Of note was a call for 54 acres of open space and small park facilities and approximately 60 acres of major play fields. (Comment: None of the sub-committees appear close to meeting the assessed needs and some task force groups have explicitly said that major fields should be outside the TOD areas.)

Major Facilities

     The assessment called for one indoor aquatics facility and an indoor tennis facility.  It also called for an indoor performance center.

     One TF member called for a major recreation facility that might incorporate some of the above, perhaps at a Village Center. John Carter also raised the issue of a how a major university center might fit into the picture.

     Peter Otteni of Boston Properties (BP) said that the 20 acre BP site adjacent to TC station might be considered for a major performance center, but pointedly commented that BP could not be expected to carry this load by itself. John Carter noted the Strathmore facility in MD cost $90 million. Leila Gordon said she was thinking of $50 million.

Connectivity

     The presentation stressed the need for North-South connectivity into adjacent RA facilities and the need for east-west connectivity, particularly on the south side (the WOD trail already provides some on the North side). The presentation map contained  a walkway along Sunrise Valley.  Paul Thomas said a connection along the Dulles Toll road might be more appropriate (his Wiehle subcom had called for using existing parking and landscaped areas along the toll road for such a link).

Phase II

       Bob Simon strongly criticized the presentation for focusing only on the RCIG and not the relationship to the surrounding PRC area.  He called the presentation an“academic analysis.” Comment: Other comments focused on potential Phase II issue such as the relationship of needs to Lake Fairfax Park and the role of RA (FCPA said again it sees obstacles to better park connectivity to Reston) and RA implied that underutilized RA aquatic facilities could play a role). It is difficult to see how the full needs assessment could be fulfilled without reference to the PRC and even adjacent areas to Reston.

Next Steps and Implementation

     The presenter said that the next steps would involve finalizing the list of needs, refining recommendations and the submission of a “memorandum”. Some TF members noted the linkage of park issues to the subject of implementation. The issue of governance was not discussed although Leila Gordon said she presumed the RCIG area would become part of RA. (Comment: There seemed to be a significant disconnect between the needs presentation and what has been developed by the sub-committees.  The presenter said the sub-com reports had been taken into account, but this was not immediately apparent. Whether this can be bridged by plan language remains to be seen.)

Cryptic Comments by the Presenters

• Anna noted that Reston Town Center North offers a “particular opportunity” because so much of it is county land.

• Larry Butler commented that future developments might depend on “where they draw the stable neighborhood lines” in Phase II.

Next TF Meetings

     Heidi Merkel said the next TF meeting on 17 April would focus on the real estate market trends and an update on revised George Mason figures.

     A meeting on 24 April will involve a presentation on the scope and metrics of the transportation study (not the results) and may include a public safety presentation.

Sculptor to create new Reston landmark, Fairfax Times, March 28, 2012

Second major project of Initiative for Public Art -Reston

by Janet Rems, Special to The Times

 

Photo by Janet Rems Paper model of large abstract sculpture by artist Mary Ann Mears planned for a site between Reston Parkway and the Hyatt Regency Reston Hotel in Reston Town Center.

A bold new work of public art will rise about 19 feet above a prominent Reston site in the summer of 2013. Created by Baltimore-based sculptor Mary Ann Mears, the large-scale abstract sculpture, the second major public art project originated by the Initiative for Public Art-Reston (IPAR), will be located on a strip of green space between Reston Parkway and the Hyatt Regency Reston Hotel in Reston Town Center. . . .

 Click here for the rest of this article.

Living in a Well-Planned TOD Community: Articles by David Dixon, Goody Clancy

Last year, David Dixon, FAIA, Principal-in-Charge of Planning and Urban Design at Goody Clancy, a Boston urban planning, architecture, and preservation consulting company, wrote a series of articles that appeared in Reconnecting America's "Half-Mile Circles" blog about the importance of dense residential development in TOD areas.  Reconnecting America is a national nonprofit that advises civic and community leaders on how to overcome community development challenges to create better communities for all.  Its major partners are the University of Maryland's Center for Transit-Oriented Development (CTOD) and Transportation America.   Its "Half-Mile Circles" blog presents timely research from urban planning experts on a variety of related topics. 

All of these articles focus on why a substantial residential  presence is vital to creating a successful urban planning environment and why resistance to those efforts is frequent.   Where these doubts have been overcome, development and re-development have created lively, lovely, and successful urban neighborhoods. 

This post presents the final of these six articles--an overview of the five earlier reports--and summaries and links to the remaining posts by Mr. Dixon. 

Creating places that people love

January 27, 2010

Opponents of density often argue that communities oppose denser development. However, Goody Clancy has consistently found more complex attitudes toward density. While neighborhood residents want, with good reason, to preserve the scale and character of their own residential blocks, they increasingly embrace lively, mixed-use, redevelopment of older shopping centers, industrial corridors, and similar places that represent the real opportunities for growth in the urban core.

When asked what qualities they would seek in higher-density redevelopment, participants in recent planning and urban design charrettes led by Goody Clancy in downtown Ashville (NC), at the edge of Atlanta, in suburban Dublin (Ohio), and elsewhere have articulated a consistent vision. They talk about replacing acres of surface parking and former truck yards with tree-lined streets that have shops and restaurants at street level and new neighbors living above. They ask that development meet existing residents’ needs with both neighborhood- and regional-serving shops and services and public parks and squares that foster vibrant community life. Rather than formal public spaces, they prefer places animated by cafés and amenities like fountains and public art that engage the human senses. They make clear that “mixed use” implies genuinely public activities like libraries and community centers in addition to private development.

Participants in these charrettes are fully aware of the challenges of density. They ask that the height of buildings step down to demonstrate visible respect for the scale of the traditional neighborhoods around them. They worry about traffic and ask that mixed-use development include both jobs and housing to promote walk-to-work opportunities for new and existing residents and workers and that traffic patterns be planned to avoid neighborhood streets. They understand that increased density can require additional parking but ask that it be located in structures that are lined with housing or other uses to shield them from public view.

These attitudes cross lines of age, race, class and other differences. In recent years residents in one of the poorest and in one of the wealthiest communities in the Midwest have told us the same thing: while they might not yet love the word “density,” they did love the benefits they envisioned in well planned and designed density.

Part 1: Density deficits

This article highlights the demographics of the residential real estate market over the next couple of decades, noting the relatively high percentage of younger and much older households who want high-density urban housing.  "Demand for higher-density housing and related amenities—shops, parks and, increasingly, jobs—within walking distance is transforming real estate markets. Chris Leinberger, a developer working with the Brookings Institution, reports that mixed-use, walkable developments now claim a premium of as much as 40% per square foot over single-use developments in the same community. Carol Coletta, who heads CEOs for Cities, reports that for every one point increase in “Walkability Score,”  housing values in 24 metropolitan areas increased by up to $6,000. During the current recession, suburban real estate values have suffered far more than urban counterparts."   The market described here fits nicely into the need for smaller, more affordable homes Graham Fuller, Director, GMU's Center for Regional Analysis sees in the Metro region over the next two decades.

Part 2: Restoring personal choices

This article highlights the residential density required to support a vibrant Main Street.  "A study by Goody Clancy and Byrne McKinney Associates determined that between 1,000 and 2,000 housing units within a half-mile radius are required to support a block of Main Street retail (20,000-30,000SF). This number corresponds to neighborhoods with gross densities (not counting streets and parks) of 15 to 30 units per acre, a density that translates, for example, as a mix of narrow-lot detached single-family houses, row houses, and low-rise lofts. Reaching 4,000 or more housing units—a density of roughly 60 units per acre, characteristically found in admired neighborhoods like Boston’s Back Bay—by adding mid- and high-rise housing, unlocks the opportunity to attract a neighborhood grocery store."  RCA proposed achieving 15 housing units per acre--at the low end of this continuum--within the next 20 years in Reston's three TOD areas with a longer term view to achieving on the order of 50-60 housing units per acre in 40-50 years.

Part 3: Building community in the midst of diversity

 This article discusses the role high-density urban housing can play in meeting the needs of a diversity community, a core principle of both Reston's new and old Master Plans.   "Building the foundation for communities that bridge economic differences often requires greater densities. These densities, for example, allow the transformation of public housing developments into mixed-income neighborhoods with sufficient housing to welcome back long-term lower-income residents and draw new higher-income neighbors. High housing values in affluent neighborhoods mean that some of the value of market-rate housing can be used to subsidize affordable stock—a critical advantage in creating mixed-income developments during an era of scarce public resources."

Part 4: Fostering public health

Improved public health--generated largely by urban neighborhood walkability-- has long been a known benefit of dense residential development in urban areas.   "At the same time, rising housing values in walkable central cities are pushing lower-income households to car-dependent outer suburbs where housing is cheaper, as Chris Leinberger noted in the March 2008 Atlantic Monthly. As a result, these Americans could face higher rates of obesity, diabetes, and other conditions kept in check by physical activity."  Greater residential density in Reston's TOD areas will improve the residents health, and could improve the health of a broader Reston population willing to walk, bike, or take transit there. 

Part 5: Enhancing sustainability

 This article--like several recent RCA Reston 2020 articles--highlights the reduced fuel consumption and consequent environmental improvements from dense urban living near public transit.  "Such analyses make a convincing case that significant reductions in energy consumption, carbon footprints, and comparable sustainability benchmarks will require development patterns that focus growth toward infill of established urban areas rather than outlying greenfield sites." 

Part 6: Creating places that people love  (see above)

Agenda: RA Board Administrative Committee Meeting, 7 PM, RA Headquarters, May 9, 2011

Tonight's RA Board Administrative Committee (BAC) meeting has several agenda items important to a broad cross-section of Restonians.

For your background, the BAC meeting is a precursor to the upcoming RA Board meeting.  The BAC meeting is used to discuss in some depth and hopefully resolve any issues concerning the RA Board's prospective position on motions to be made and approved at the upcoming Board meeting.  It is , in effect, the "real" RA Board meeting--away from the TV cameras and usually away from the public.  Nonetheless, the public has an opportunity to comment at these meetings, just like at the Board meetings.

The agenda and background documents provided below include discussion and action on at least three topics of broad interest to Restonians:

• The public art program, which may or may not include art in natural areas, such as Sunrise Valley Wetlands Park (see pp. 8-40)
• A $16 million set of bond proposals, including $7 million for an indoor pool and $3.8 million for an indoor tennis facility (pp. 41-43)
• Dulles Metrorail issues affecting the community--an open discussion.

If you want to be heard--or at least understand--what the RA Board is planning, this evening is the time.  The meeting is at 7PM at RA headquarters.


BAC Packet for 050911

Reston TOD Redux: The Reston Transit Charette--2002

You never know what Google will turn up as it churns through the worldwide web.  Today, it grabbed the presentation below entitled, "Reston Charette:  Transit," from July 2002. 

As it describes in the opening viewgraphs, it is the product of a multi-day citizens' symposium (charette) to garner citizen support for Metrorail and to look at what Reston citizens thought would be desirable for transit and transit station areas around Wiehle and Reston Parkway.  It's an interesting read now as we go through the Reston Task Force effort to look at the transit-oriented development (TOD) around Reston's (still) prospective Metrorail stations. 

A couple of observations:

• It highlights "common ground" facilities at Reston Parkway Station, including air rights, a 700-seat performance hall, county and community facilities, and some other amenities at a cost between $105-119 million.  (See p. 7.)  Wow!  What a bargain!  Why now are these facilities considered too expensive?  (Also, see p. 24, which graphically displays "common ground" at Reston Parkway station.  The concept, including redevelopment south of the station, is similar to that presented by Reston 2020 to the Reston Task Force within the last month.)
• It encourages more residential development in the TOD areas, noting "out of balance in massing more and more office volumes."  (p. 10)
• As the Task Force has just recommended, the Metro stations should have the word "Reston" in their title.  They should also include public art, good bike facilities, rideshare coordinator, and other features recommended by Reston 2020 in its working papers.  (p. 32)
• There is no discussion of Town Center North as being part of or linked to the Reston Parkway Station TOD area.
• In general, the development proposed for the two TOD areas is MUCH less than that now on the table for either station area.  Why?

 Reston Charette Transit 07 2002
Plus ca change, plus le meme chose!

Planning World-Class Transit-Oriented Development in Reston Town Center: The Community's Alternative Vision, RCA's Reston 2020 Committee, November 24, 2010

Reston Town Center Alternative Vision Report--Final

Notes from the RTF Wiehle Committee Meeting, September 8, 2010

People and process. Van Foster returned to resume his secretarial role. Dick Kennedy said he will be out for the next three mtgs. Bill Penniman was in the chair.

Minutes for late August meetings were approved and presumably will be on county website soon.

Next meeting will focus on draft outline ideas on land bays.


Substance

The meeting continued discussion of the 8/31 draft detailed outline. (This is on the county site under 1 Sept mtg)

Open space: Some rehashing of previous week's discussion on how best to lay out open space guidelines. Mark Looney was commissioned to do material on expectations re open space and recreation for each land bay for discussion next week.

Cooperation: Continued discussion about how to encourage cooperation between than many landowners in the Wiehle area. Some brief discussion of using density and FAR bonuses to do this (Comment: The committee has decided to defer all discussion of density till latter, leaving many issues like this in abeyance.)

Mark Looney suggested breaking expectations into two categories:
--on site enhancements that come with a particular site (immediate open space, etc)
--large scale infrastructure that might require a community effort (a CDA he suggested) such as Soapstone extension and a circulator bus system.

Basic issue re Wiehle: Discussion of the paper's section on comparison with Town Center (Wiehle would be less dense) unleashed continued debate on the committee about what Wiehle should look like. Mike Corrigan again raised his concerns that the committee should not go much beyond the current plan (he again cited traffic congestion and the big county parking garage as discouraging TOD development). Mike said he thought TOD development was not acceptable to the larger Reston community which drew several demurrals.

The DPZ staffer present noted that the hope was to vet the various committee work with transportation experts as well as looking at broader parks and schools issues latter in the year.

The upshot of a vigorous discussion was that most Committee members viewed TOD development as important but that the paper should have stronger wording on the need to resolve transportation infrastructure problems. Although the chair was leaning toward a formal vote this was not taken.

Residential-Commercial balance: The Committee discussed this and seemed to be using a 1/1 sq ft relationship as its starting point. Some discussion as to how to encourage residential in view of the commercial orientation of the current RCIG. But no specific discussion of density bonuses for residential. (I had raised Mark Looney's Town Center Committee paper earlier re relaxing county requirements on such things as workforce housing and parking. Mark said he would like to discuss this next week.)

Some discussion about the right language to use relating to phasing in of residential development. Point is to avoid commercial building with promise of eventual residential construction that never comes about. Mark Looney urged flexibility to accommodate the market rather than firm enforceable guidelines.

Other issues raised but not resolved was about the character wanted for Wiehle, Sunrise and Sunset--through routes or neighborhood streets?

County noise standards along the Dulles Toll Road were noted as antiquated by modern building/window technology.

The need for rental apartments was raised.

Public art consistent with the Reston IPAR initiative was endorsed.

Next week: Chairman noted that he hoped that discussion of North side would envision an Arlington Courthouse area while the Southside would be "sleepier". (Comment: In view of Southside property owners interest in big FARs/density/commercial this will be an interesting discussion.)

RA Letter to RTF Regarding Reston's Essential Elements, July 13 2010

071210 Reston Assn. Letter to Task Force re Reston's Essential Elements

Town Center North Draft Committee Report, June 8, 2010

TCN Draft Committee Report

Proposed Planning Principles, Dick Kennedy, RTF Member, June 2010

Vision

Reston will continue to be a welcoming community where, at each stage in their lives, families and individuals can live, work and play in an attractive, human-scale setting. The primary Planning goal is to preserve these essential, special and unique characteristics of Reston while continuing to build and redevelop in a sustainable fashion to address the new opportunities on the 21st century including transit-oriented development. Further development must respect and enhance Reston’s existing neighborhoods, Villages and Town Center utilizing the following principles:

Ensure high excellence in planning, urban design, and architecture integrating the built and natural environment

Promote public art

Concentrate most new development as transit-oriented, mixed-use development at the three new metro rail stations

Maintain and enhance the Town Center and surrounding area as Reston’s Center

Augment and enhance the Village centers

Maintain and protect existing residential areas

Establish and implement a comprehensive intermodal transportation plan with special support for safe and effective pedestrian and cycle use

Provide abundant and high quality usable open public space, both active and natural

Provide adequate housing opportunities for all ages, incomes and life stages

Ensure economic and environmental sustainability throughout Reston

Promote and support a vibrant business environment for local, national and international companies of all sizes.

Ensure the commitment of the necessary infrastructure, particularly for transportation to support new development.

An Art Park Sprouts (for Now) Where New Buildings Were to Grow, New York Times, September 17, 2009

By ERIC KONIGSBERG

On Friday morning, in what might be seen as evidence that tough economic times can be good for art, a new 37,000-square-foot outdoor exhibition and performance space will open in Lower Manhattan.

Occupying an irregularly shaped city block at the northwest corner of Canal and Sullivan Streets, it will be both a park and a showcase for established and newer artists, open from 7 a.m. till dusk daily, except in January, February and part of March. Appropriately — given that the lot is on loan for about three years from developers who had hoped to build there by now — the project will be called LentSpace. . . .

Click here for the rest of this article.

For a slideshow of the LentSpace site, please click here.