Mike Rothmeyer’s Post

Happy New Year from River Point District, La Crosse, Wisconsin. River Point District, La Crosse’s largest current urban redevelopment effort, continues to offer a remarkable story of public private partnerships to implement a compelling community vision while addressing today’s municipal opportunities and challenges. 2023 saw the development of infrastructure including the first three blocks of River Bend Drive, utilities, tree cells and curb and gutter installed, setting the stage for the groundbreaking of the City’s partner; MSP’s Driftless Apartment’s project, which will offer striking architecture with 68 1-bedroom units, 32 2-Bedroom Units and 20 3-bedroom townhouse units for a total of 120 new housing units. Several developers are anticipating construction starts in the spring of 2024 including F Street and War Eagle on parcels 2 and 1 respectively. The total anticipated housing units currently planned under current option agreements throughout the development exceeds 900, with an anticipated construction value of nearly $300M. The City’s Economic and Community Development Commission has also been a great partner, executing several Tax Incremental Financing agreements with developers. Additionally, the City’s Parks Department is looking at park planning in 2025 to address the linear parkway features along the Black River and southern borders of the site after holding public engagement sessions throughout 2023. Currently, all but three parcels are under option agreements between the RDA and various developers, representing nearly 80% of River Point District. Two of these three parcels still available represent exciting waterfront sites designated for civic, entertainment, commercial and potential mixed-use concepts. For information, please contact Jason Gilman, AICP, JBG Planning LLC at jbgplanning@outlook.com.

With less prime riverfront land and high housing costs in major US cities, how can real estate firms and developers make riverfronts more equitable? Building more #affordablehousing, ensuring residents have access to riverfronts, and creating accessible public spaces such as riverwalks and parks are several ways that make the riverfront more inclusive. A great example of riverfront equity is the work completed by BKV Group, a holistic architecture firm that has completed several mixed-use projects around Minneapolis, including an affordable 150-unit apartment building, along with a senior living facility, and a massive retail space. In addition, the group transformed riverfront land in Champlin, a Minneapolis suburb— adding a pavilion, 600-person open-air amphitheater, playground, recreation area, and boat landing. Read more about these riverfront developments and the challenges the industry faces, as well as other examples of current #downtown projects that will reshape the riverfronts. #equitabledevelopment https://lnkd.in/eqKVdpHt

Brownfield Success Story: Block 96 Flats, a new downtown housing community in Anchorage is welcoming its first tenants. Anchorage Community Development (ACDA) and Debenham Properties created a historic public-private partnership to develop the first 100% market rate apartment community in the Park Strip North district of downtown Anchorage, Alaska in more than 40 years, thanks in part to the help of EPA brownfield grants. The .48-acre site was used for residential purposes from approximately 1950 to 2012 when the residential structures were demolished. After demolition of the residences the property was home to the former K Street East food truck pod. The property benefitted from the Municipality of Anchorage's FY2017 and FY2019 EPA Community Wide Assessment (CWA) Coalition Grants, which funded Phase II ESA and further investigation after isolated contamination was found, most likely from accidental releases from parked vehicles. No further investigation was needed and in late March, Block 96 Flats officially opened to residents. “Having a vibrant population living downtown means restaurants stay open later, small businesses have more foot traffic and the streets stay alive after five” according to Andrew Halcro Executive Director of ACDA. “Beyond the immediate benefits of Block 96 Flats, we believe ACDA has finally solved the economic equation for getting more new housing built downtown,” he added. Read more: https://loom.ly/B7Z_7rM

Addressing housing affordability in #CentralOhio is the top priority of The Robert Weiler Company in 2024. Exciting news! We're actively involved in multiple #commercialrealestate projects, set to introduce thousands of new apartments to the region. Dive into the details in the insightful article below. Together, let's positively impact our community's housing landscape!

Plans have been submitted to transform a 1960s brutalist multi-storey car park into over 100 flats in Newcastle-Under-Lyme. Developer Capital&Centric aims to create one-to-three bed flats with a social hub, gym, mini-cine, and lounge space, revitalizing key town center spaces. These innovative plans for the Midway car park are part of a larger project with the Council, backed by over £35m of investment from the Government’s Future High Street Fund and Town Deal Fund. John Moffat, joint managing director at Capital&Centric, emphasises the importance of bold and creative approaches to brownfield land development, providing much-needed homes in a prime town center location. Councillor Simon Tagg, Leader of Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council, commends the proposal for repurposing the Midway site, avoiding wasteful demolition, and contributing to the town's regeneration alongside other key projects. With the forthcoming transformation of the Castle car park and other sites, the town is on a positive trajectory towards a vibrant future. Read more: [https://lnkd.in/ew9C9P9F] Construction Enquirer #NewcastleUnderLyme #TownRegeneration #FutureDevelopment #CommunityTransformation

Happy to see Diti Kohli's piece highlighting how Boston's broken development process & zoning code negatively impacts our communities. With insight from C2C Impact Engine, Northeastern University Advisor & Northeastern University School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs Professor Ted Landsmark: “No matter what you do, there will always be some community group — even if it’s two or three people who may not be abutters — that will declare, ‘This development will ruin the neighborhood”. As one community member in the article highlights: "Development is happening with or without the community." The currently onerous and combative development process can easily stop smaller, community-oriented projects in their tracks, leaving it so only large well-funded real estate developers can afford to build anything.

Pennley Park Apartments was a moderately-priced residential “superblock” created as part of the sweeping urban renewal redevelopment that reshaped East Liberty in the 1960s. By the late 90s, the building had deteriorated and became widely perceived as unsafe and undesirable. That’s when ELDI and long-time East Liberty developer and property manager The Community Builders stepped in to work with the community to reverse the decline and set a new standard for mixed-income residential development in the neighborhood. Today, the Pennley apartments are getting another makeover. The Community Builders plans to begin renovations on New Pennley Place I and II and Pennley Commons senior housing in 2024. But the story of these properties goes deeper than their physical upgrades. If we rewind the clock, the Pennley buildings reveal a great deal about East Liberty’s transformation and the value of a community-driven approach. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gcuu_c_a #communitydevelopment #pittsburghrealestate #cdc

Finally, a housing project which looks like it has the potential for a lot of social interaction between residents: 1. Balconies, or personal outdoor spaces, from which you can say hello to neighbors or watch your kids play outside 2. Spaces for social interaction at different scales, including a large park 3. Not too tall, meaning not too far from visually interacting with others or from seeing plants/vegetation which is relaxing It probably came out this way because the community was involved in the design. The only thing I would change is to make the street running through the development pedestrian-only. I can see a lot of kids getting hit by cars crossing from one side to the other to meet their friends, etc. The article comments that “the architecture isn’t formally cutting edge...”, but that it true of 99% of housing developments :). (You can go to town painting murals on it, changing the paint colors, and/or doing interesting graphic paint design to push it artistically at low cost.) Here, more importantly, we have “cutting edge” social design. It would be great if designers could concentrate more on this aspect, instead of expensive finishes and interesting morphing shapes, etc: Build livable buildings instead of photographable buildings. #housing #housingcrisis #socialdesign #architecture #urbanism #southLA #losangeles

🌟 “Revitalizing Lonsdale Avenue: A Great Street Ahead!” 🌟 🏙️ City of North Vancouver economic strategy just got a boost! The Lonsdale “great street” project takes center stage, with a fresh budget infusion to fuel its next phase. What’s the buzz? Let’s break it down: 🎆 Visionary Transformation: Imagine Central Lonsdale Avenue as a vibrant, history-infused “great street.” 🌆 The plan aims to revitalize aesthetics, enhance walkability, and support commercial activity. 🛍️ 🎇 Health Cluster Buzz: Nearby, the health and life sciences cluster (think Lions Gate Hospital Foundation) gets some love too. 🏥 Supporting health services and businesses is part of the game plan. 💙 🏆 Business Resilience: Despite challenges, local businesses are committed to staying put. 💪 The economic strategy charts a course for prosperity within our community. 🌟 So, North Van, get ready for a street that’s not just great—it’s legendary! 🎉🚀 #LonsdaleGreatStreet #NorthVancouverEconomy. 🌟 #canada https://lnkd.in/ge6M24T6

Dear Property Owners, Developers, and Community Members, I'm pleased to inform you that after six years of meticulous planning and collaboration, the Boston Zoning Commission has officially approved the Boston Planning and Development Agency's recommendation to overhaul Article 53 of the Boston Zoning Code, specifically tailored to East Boston. This monumental decision marks a significant milestone in the evolution of East Boston's urban landscape, ushering in a new era of growth, sustainability, and community development. The approved amendments to Article 53 introduce a comprehensive array of map and text revisions, effectively modernizing zoning regulations that have governed the East Boston neighborhood for over three decades. These changes are poised to deliver tangible benefits to property owners, developers, and the community at large, fostering predictability and facilitating strategic planning for sustainable neighborhood growth. Key highlights of the approved amendments include: - Establishment of new zoning districts to accommodate an increased number of residential units per lot, promoting densification and addressing housing needs. - Adjustment or elimination of maximum floor/area ratios (FAR) across various neighborhoods, allowing for more efficient utilization of space and fostering vibrant mixed-use developments. - Removal of minimum lot size and lot frontage requirements, offering greater flexibility for property development and adaptive reuse projects. - Elevation of allowable building heights in designated squares and corridors, unlocking opportunities for iconic skyline developments while preserving neighborhood character. - Mandates for enhanced site permeability and restrictions on building lot coverage, promoting sustainable design practices and mitigating environmental impact. - Reductions, and in certain instances, elimination of minimum off-street parking requirements, aligning with contemporary urban mobility trends and reducing reliance on automobile infrastructure. These changes herald a new chapter in East Boston's development narrative, empowering stakeholders to embrace innovative approaches to urban living, while safeguarding the unique identity and resilience of our community. If you seek guidance on navigating these amendments or wish to explore how these changes may impact your property or future projects, please don't hesitate to reach out. Together, we can seize the opportunities presented by this transformative zoning overhaul and shape a more vibrant and inclusive East Boston. #Development #EastBoston