Freedman Tung + Sasaki Urban Design - Corridors, Featured

Pomona Corridors Specific Plan

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 11:57:12 -0800

Components:
Corridor Restructuring & Revitalization, Innovative Workplace District Planning, Transit Oriented Development, Form Based Code

INTRO text:

As a mature Los Angeles-area suburb, Pomona has experienced profound demographic, economic, and physical transformations in recent years. FTS assisted the City with a General Plan update. By identifying city change areas and regional trends, FTS helped the City define a livable and sustainable City structure framework of neighborhoods, districts, and centers, and established a clear vision for “Pomona Tomorrow.” This work set the stage for a comprehensive public outreach process and preparation of a form-based code to direct instigate and guide investment along the City’s major corridors.

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BEFORE text:

The built-out city has extensive neighborhoods, excellent freeway and rail access, and planned regional transit expansions.
The community had concerns about high intensity housing on corridors.
Few anchored centers and inefficient distribution of retail have resulted in significant leakage of sales to neighboring cities.

Beach Blvd. and Edinger Ave. Corridors Specific Plan

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 14:09:44 -0800

Components:
Corridor Revitalization, Specific Plan

INTRO text:

As the major access route from I-405 to the beach and downtown, Beach Boulevard is a wide, high volume corridor, and the City’s main commercial route. Despite the importance of this corridor to the function and image of the City, it is visually unappealing and in a state of economic transition. With significant City and Community involvement, FTB prepared the Beach & Edinger Corridors Specific Plan. The Plan will assist the community to more effectively attract investment to the corridor by 1) describing the overall vision for the future corridors and identifying key opportunities for revitalization 2) establishing form based land use and development standards to replace preexisting zoning regulations 3) outlining a program of capital improvements to influence the use and appearance of the public right of way.

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BEFORE text:

Primarily conventional commercial strip development along 6.5 miles of Beach Blvd. and Edinger Avenue.
Beach Blvd. is a 7 to 9 lane state route with high traffic volumes.
Bella Terra Mall located at the confluence of Beach Blvd., Edinger Ave., and I-405 was recently renovated into a lifestyle center.

The North Area Specific Plan & Revitalization Manual and East 14th Street & MacArthur Boulevard Gateways

Tue, 01 May 2007 12:04:12 -0700

Components:
Design Guidelines, Streetscape, Gateway Landmarks

INTRO text:

Within the North Area of San Leandro, disinvestment on four north-south arterials crossing through well-kept neighborhoods had created a perception of decay. Implementation of recommended policies and capital improvements led to improved corridor appearance, increased renovation and upkeep, and new investment in housing and commercial development.

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BEFORE text:

Continuous commercial zoning along the ¾ mile lengths of San Leandro Blvd., East14th Street, Bancroft Avenue and MacArthur Blvd.in the North Area had resulted in low rents and disinvestment, and weakened the value of adjacent homes inward towards the neighborhoods
The arterials had little or no street tree planting or streetscape character

Sprague & Appleway Corridors Subarea Plan

Tue, 12 Dec 2006 11:32:53 -0800

Components:
Revitalization Strategy, Precise Plan

INTRO text:

Sprague Avenue is Spokane Valley’s primary retail area. The corridor serves as a regional destination for “medium box” retail and auto sales. However, it does not provide the City with the definable downtown district wished for by local residents. The community has a vision to create a new Downtown City Center along Sprague Avenue and to improve the image of the corridor. To this end, FTS is leading an effort to draft a Sub Area Plan to help guide future development along the corridor and instigate the new City Center.

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BEFORE text:

5 miles of continuous conventional commercial strip development along Sprague Avenue.
Extremely deep parcels, lacking access and visibility, line Sprague Avenue and constrain development.
Partially constructed Appleway Boulevard runs parallel to a portion of Sprague Avenue.
Extension of Appleway could improve access to deep parcels along Sprague Avenue and increase infill development opportunities.

Great Streets for St. Louis

Mon, 13 Nov 2006 12:17:27 -0800

Components:

INTRO text:

The East-West Gateway Council of Governments (COG) is on a mission to promote "Great Streets" in the St. Louis region. FTS was brought on as part of team to initiate this mission through a three-part project that includes a symposium, the creation of a digital design manual for arterial streets, and a series of demonstration projects in COG member jurisdictions. The goal of the project is to gain enthusiastic and committed partners and to spark enthusiasm for the idea of Great Streets, to provide resources for cities interested in pursuing these concepts, and to give COG member cities the opportunity to work with a team of experts to design their own great streets.

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BEFORE text:

COG cities want to transform large, auto-dominated streets into more interesting, attractive and functional urban environments
Cities want to address issues such as: identity, congestion, pedestrian and bicycle safety, transit access and livability
Current redevelopment strategies have been ineffective in producing sustainable benefits

Livable Boulevards Symposium

Mon, 13 Nov 2006 09:23:31 -0800

Components:

INTRO text:

The Westside Cities Council of Governments (COG), made up of Beverly Hills, Culver City, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, and West Hollywood, engaged FTS to assist the cities explore the issues related to creating Livable Boulevards and further COG members’ understanding of the connection between land use, mobility and access to enrich the quality of life on and off major arterials. Through a white paper, resource CD and symposium event, FTS provided insight on how to achieve mobility through multiple modes, increase access, ensure continued economic vitality, address housing needs, create a sense of place, look at strategic infill, and foster sustainability along large streets.

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BEFORE text:

Shared challenges in arterial improvement projects.
Few opportunities to share information or collaborate.
Community resistance to new development on arterials.
Lack of consensus about the benefits and possibilities for “Livable Boulevards”.

Victoria Avenue Corridor Plan

Wed, 08 Nov 2006 11:37:41 -0800

Components:
Corridor Plan

INTRO text:

Ventura is planning for the future of its corridors. As part of the General Plan process the community decided that its major arterial streets should be transformed into urban, walkable, mixed use portions of the city. Freedman Tung & Sasaki (FTS) was brought in to accomplish this goal for the Victoria Avenue Corridor. FTS will draft a Plan and provide a form-based development code and capital improvement plans to transform this major arterial into the type of street envisioned and direct new public and private actions to fulfill the community’s vision for the corridor.

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BEFORE text:

Many buildings setback behind parking lots or have their ‘backs turned’ to the corridor.
Eight lane thoroughfare offers very little appeal to pedestrians.
Large single-use shopping centers and workplace centers are isolated from corridor activity.
Civic center in northern segment serves as anchor for workplace district.

Cathedral City Downtown Revitalization Program and Precise Plan

Thu, 06 Apr 2006 11:51:04 -0700

Components:
Civic Center, Corridor

INTRO text:

A new city center for the Cathedral City community to be developed on the site of the historic downtown district is at the heart of this plan to bring back value and cache to this severely disinvested commercial strip. The master plan orchestrates public and private investment with coordinated development standards and focused capital improvement designs to reorganize the corridor into a mixed use "grand boulevard" with a city center district as its focus.

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BEFORE text:

Cathedral City lacked an active downtown and gathering place for the community.
The City’s historic downtown, located on Palm Canyon Drive, had become an auto-oriented strip with an unattractive appearance that was a barrier to new investment.
The corridor had no anchors to draw visitors.

Silicon Valley Rapid Transit Corridor Urban Design Recommendations

Thu, 16 Mar 2006 15:08:53 -0800

Components:
TOD, Streetscapes

INTRO text:

Access and connectivity between proposed BART stations and their surroundings were addressed by FTS in this project. FTS worked in coordination with VTA staff, the Santa Clara VTA design and engineering consultant team, city staff from the three project area cities, and workshop participants.

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BEFORE text:

At eight proposed station sites, some above-ground, some underground, a variety of existing conditions such as industrial parcels, mixed-use areas, and major downtown street corridor.

Whittier Boulevard Specific Plan and Streetscape

Thu, 16 Mar 2006 13:55:52 -0800

Components:
Specific Plan & Streetscape

INTRO text:

East-west Whittier Boulevard traverses two miles through the center of Montebello, connecting it to neighboring East Los Angeles and Pico Rivera. Freeways, shopping malls, economic decline, single-use zoning and damage from the 1971 earthquake sapped the vitality from the corridor and its downtown portion. FTS was selected to prepare a Specific Plan and subsequent streetscape improvement project. Through a public workshop process, the Plan envisioned the revitalization of Whittier Boulevard through policy changes and design improvements that define and support mixed-use residential and downtown segments along the corridor and restore it as a vital heart of the City.

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BEFORE text:

Whittier Boulevard was an unattractive, auto-oriented “strip” corridor struggling with disinvestment, yet its downtown segment was the historical and physical heart of the city.

Whittier Boulevard Specific Plan

Mon, 13 Mar 2006 09:09:47 -0800

Components:
Corridor Revitalization

INTRO text:

The Whittier Boulevard Specific Plan instigates the restructuring of one of California’s most ubiquitous street types – the commercial strip. This corridor revitalization plan transforms a seven-mile stretch of undifferentiated commercial highway into five distinct segments – each with an individual identity, a clear market focus, and compatible land uses. The plan proposes a distinct boulevard treatment that is appropriate for the envisioned land uses and building types for each corridor segment.

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BEFORE text:

Whittier Boulevard is the major east-west arterial “spine” of the city.

The corridor was over-zoned for commercial use, stretching the retail market too thinly and resulting in sporadic disinvestments, underutilized buildings and vacant properties.

Maclay, San Fernando, and Truman Corridors Specific Plan

Tue, 07 Mar 2006 17:43:19 -0800

Components:
Corridor Revitalization, TOD

INTRO text:

The Plan guides the revitalization of three primary arterial corridors that form the commercial and circulatory skeleton of the city. Its policies and public improvements will transform Truman Street, San Fernando Road, and Maclay Avenue into livable and vital places connected to Los Angeles’ Union Station and the wider region by the MTA bus and Metrolink service.

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BEFORE text:

Major arterial corridors within the fully built-out 1.5 mile square city suffering from deteriorating appearance, disinvestment, and vacancy.

Dearth of housing options for empty nesters, singles, and young parents.

Increasing population diversity with many new households of limited means.

Poor fit between housing demand and supply with respect to quantity, type and cost.

2040 Corridors & Centers Study

Tue, 07 Mar 2006 17:34:15 -0800

Components:
TOD, Streetscape

INTRO text:

FTS helped Portland Metro and its constituent localities understand the relationship between the region’s centers and corridors, how they complement and compete with each other, and what strategies can stimulate development of the land use and development patterns envisioned in the agency’s 2040 goals.

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BEFORE text:

Land Use and transportation goals expressed by regional agency without identifying strategies for implementation

Absence of coordination between State DOT programs and regional agency goals

Widespread dissatisfaction with arterial corridors without strategies to instigate change

Evelyn Avenue Corridor TOD Plan

Tue, 07 Mar 2006 17:04:58 -0800

Components:
TOD

INTRO text:

Today’s Evelyn Avenue Corridor is a fully realized transit oriented district with residential, commercial and mixed-use components as envisioned in FTS’ TOD plan. Each has easy walk access to CalTrain, light rail and buses. The area includes Mountain View’s multimodal station and links it to Castro Street, the pedestrian-focused downtown spine.

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BEFORE text:

Disinvested land along the railroad right-of-way featuring a hodge-podge of older industrial and commercial services
Unappealing edge to downtown residential neighborhood
No higher density housing or workplace uses within walking distance of transit