agreement was created where the developer would provide increased residential density, going from 15 to 131 units per acre, in return for publicly funded changes to the site. The developer was obligated to donate park land, build the public street grid to city standards, and contribute to the affordable housing goals. The redevelopment activity at the Hoyt Street Yards catalyzed redevelopment of adjacent blocks. By 2006, more than 7,400 new homes and a central business district were created as a result of the initial vision plan and infrastructure investments made by the developer and the city. Lessons for Ontario Municipalities There are lessons to be learned from the spirit of collaboration demonstrated by the Charlotte, Denver and Portland projects. These examples show that transit projects can play a significant role in improving the quality of life of current and future residents, not only along the transit corridor, but across the wider community. To accomplish this, however, municipalities must be active partners in changing land uses, increasing connectivity and building infrastructure to support intensification. Municipalities will have to carefully plan hard and soft infrastructure to support increased density and compact community form. Increases in density will require bigger pipes and more wires to serve peoples’ water, gas, electricity, and communications needs. Connectivity also requires new roads. More people on less land will also influence where schools, libraries, fire halls, and neighborhood retail are located as well as how they look and function. And all this has to be done through a process that reassures residents that their quality of life and property values will not be diminished. The next few years will be exciting for Canadian municipalities as they
Jamison Square, Pearl District, Portland, Oregon in 2009. Photographs courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
begin to see design and preliminary construction activity for transit systems. Now is the time to begin thoughtfully planning beyond the transit corridors. Raj Mohabeer, MCIP, RPP, ASLA, AICP, LEED AP, co-manages the Green Communities Practice Team at Halsall Associates. Raj has worked with and led multidisciplinary teams throughout Canada and the United States to develop urban design, transportation, planning, and sustainability solutions to make communities more livable while balancing social, economic, and environmental considerations. GB
THE VANDYK GROUP OF COMPANIES Real Estate Developer & Construction Managers
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Green Building & Sustainable Strategies
spring 2012
spring 2012
Green Building & Sustainable Strategies
49