The roster at the top of this string was updated today with the addition of a new site for the CMHA residential tower, atop the West 25th-Ohio City station. I suspect the site is actually going to be adjacent to the station building, but possibly above the station's trackside platforms. There also is vacant land immediately west of the station platforms, where the western approach tracks for railroad passenger trains to Cleveland Union Terminal once were. Does anyone have more information on this?

 

KJP

KJP, when did that plan come in?  All I've heard was that building over the tracks was cost prohibitive...

KJP, don't you mean immediately EAST of the platform?  How viable do you sense this proposal is or will the "rich vs. poor" squabbling deep-6 this promising project?

BTW, it's interesting to note that, in a PD article today (9/11), CMHA honcho Phillips said five sites are under consideration for the Riverview Hope VI project. But Phillips "declined to identify" the fifth site....

 

http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/1126431131238770.xml&coll=2

 

KJP

This is all very interesting.  I wonder what the fate of the project will be if the deadline isn't extended?  I'd assume that they'd just have to take the loss and scale the project down with the reduced funding. 

 

I'm also curious what the 5th site will be...it could be the air rights over the RTA tracks, but that seems unlikely to me.  I've been wrong before, though!  There were loads of other potential sites mentioned at the meeting I attended, during one of the "breakout" sessions.  If they want to do infill, there are tons of spots around the near west side.  Problem is, the more sites they want to use, the harder it will be to get control/ownership of all of them.  The reason I thought the Hicks lot was a winner was that they could do the kind of high-density site that they wanted to be the cornerstone of the plan and complement it will several infill sites as well.  I just don't understand the major objection to building on the Hicks lot.  The end result would be MORE parking spaces and MORE customers living near the market!

 

hmmm...

Thanks for the update, KJP.  Living in Sun Press territory, I didn't see this article...

 

Quite frankly, even though it is a pretty, creative building, I wouldn't mind if the proposed CMHA tower deep-6-ing the W. 25-Ohio City station and having it rebuilt from scratch.  It was the 1st of the outer (from Tower City) Red Line stations to be built, and since that time, RTA has seemingly learned from it's W. 25 mistakes and rebuilt much better (w/ things like escalators, where warranted, climate controlled structures, better lighting/visibility/safety (illusion if not reality), better material, etc.  Plus, if the station was directly tied into the station (as opposed to putting it next door squeezing this rather small site, it could have exciting TOD spin-off possibilities... Either way, I won't kick so long as the tower gets built. Ohio City could use an even greater boost in population density near the Market Square locus.

 

Here's an interesting PowerPoint presentation, converted to PDF (as 400K download) ....

 

http://members.cox.net/neotrans/RTATOD11-01-2005.pdf

 

In it the presentation, there's a page with a graphic showing the West Park YMCA/Birchwood School, near the West Park Rapid station. Including this shows that some at RTA still have a ways to go to understand what TOD is. Just because it's built at or near a transit station, doesn't automatically make it a TOD design...

 

 

As promised, here's the link to "Windermere Renaissance" TOD development in East Cleveland.

 

http://www.windermererenaissance.org/index.htm

 

 

Interesting link.  The townhouses have a very 70's look to them.

 

As for the EcoVillage, there is some development going on, but I think that the reason that it isn't as much as hoped is that Detroit-Shoreway (the non-profit development sponsor) seems to have shifted its focus to the area around Gordon Square and Battery Park.  They are doing a tremendous amount of redevelopment on Detroit, especially multifamily rehabs.

well the glaring eyesore for me is "click here for DRIVING insturctions".  I don't understand sh*t like that.  It's TRANSIT oriented development, yet doesn't say how to get there by TRAIN or BUS!

 

one step forward....four step back!  :?  :?

Good find. Take them to task on it. We did the same thing with RTA, which gave directions on how to get to media events and public hearings about transit stuff, but they listed how to get there only by car! This is how you reverse one trend and start another -- by raising awareness.

From yesterday's NYT.  Interesting perspectives on other TOD.

 

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2005/11/02/business/transit.span.jpg

 

Trading the Car for the Train

By TERRY PRISTIN

PASADENA, Calif., Oct. 26 - Los Angeles may be the car capital of America, but a few Angelenos, it seems, are beginning to consider leaving their cars at home.

 

 

Now I'm hearing that a CMHA residential development is being considered for the Puritas-West 150th Rapid station site. I don't yet know if this is another site for the nomadically proposed CMHA Hope VI development originally proposed for Ohio City, or if it's something else.

^what? you could just live next to the rapid? that's popular? i had no idea!!!  :-o

 

Who knows, maybe someday it will have 1/20th the popularity as living next to a NYC subway station!

Saw some info today that rail does make up 15% of ride origination at RTA now.  This is up from 10% a few years ago - all in an anti-rail establishment.

 

also, look for a fare increase in near future.  future budgets are trending negative and there is not much "low hanging fruit" to eliminate anymore.

 

 

Nice article by David Plata in today's West Side Sun News about the Puritas station redevelopment, with a cool graphic from RTA what the west-side entrance to the station will look like. I'll see if I can get a copy to post here.

"It's got a very high elevator shaft which serves as a beacon for lights and graphics so that, from a distance, you can see the train station. "

 

this is good news.  ever since i was a kid we always used this station to go downtown and i always remember when we drove there and not realizing where the station was even at... other than the yellow... heh 

I like the design, too.

 

The last rendering, though, looks like a collaborative effort between the architect and a six-year-old. Apparently the architect comes from the East Side, somewhere along the Blue/Green lines, cuz those are the type of trains he put in his picture!

I'm sorry, but this first line just made me laugh out loud:

 

"The new Puritas RTA station, expected to cost $5 million, will replicate somewhat the look of an ancient train station. "

 

Ah yes, the ancient train stations of the great Sumerian cities!  And let's not forget that the Romans built some amazingly well preserved LRT systems in their Middle Eastern colonia as well.  Their Gaulish subways have been ravaged by time, however.

I got a chuckle from it too. That's just Dave. At least he didn't say "prehistoric"...

Thought you'd like to see some thoughts on TOD from Smart Growth America.

 

Why 2006 Matters for Smart Growth, Transit, and Transit-Oriented Development

 

by Lisa Nisenson

 

The 2005 transportation law, the Safe, Affordable, Flexible and Efficient Equity Act— A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), lays the groundwork for boosting transportation choice and its attendant benefits. The passage of SAFETEA-LU into law was not the last step, but the first, in improving the evaluation process used by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA).  FTA will spend the bulk of 2006 taking comments from stakeholders and folding them into regulations that will guide its updated evaluation process for new transit projects.  This article highlights some of the key issue areas, and why the views, experience, and opinions of smart growth practitioners are critical for getting a process that results in transportation choice, transit performance, and successful community investment.

 

For convenience, the term TOD is used throughout this summary to describe the intersection of transit investments and smart growth.  However, the benefits that arise from this intersection are varied and can spread across the landscape in ways that go beyond the "5-minute walk-shed" around a station.

 

What Drives Good TOD?

Before examining FTA's process, it is helpful to review what factors help shape high-performing transit-oriented development (TOD).  First, the measures of TOD are not limited to transit ridership, but include factors such as local and regional economic development, community design, support for multi-modal trips, and connections among neighborhood services and amenities.  Successful TOD benefits not only riders, but the community as a whole.  Secondly, the policy and design choices for TOD are highly interwoven and interdependent. The following list is not exhaustive, but is a summary of commonly-identified aspects for establishing successful TOD:

1) Neighborhood Form. In most cases in the future, TOD will be about transforming auto-oriented neighborhoods and corridors into compact urban neighborhoods.  In general, the transformation will require turning loose, one-story, dispersed single-use areas into compact, mixed, and vertical formats with a high intensity of activity.

2) Connectivity. Street, sidewalk, and path connections are essential for good TOD.  This not only facilitates the walk trip to the transit station, but allows convenient walk trips among all uses in and around the transit stop.

3) Mixed Use. The use mix is also fundamental for several reasons.  First, the use mix allows shoppers, residents, workers, and visitors to fulfill many trips at once.  Because these potential car trips are swapped out for walk trips, the higher density does not translate into the same number of car trips as would otherwise occur with conventional development.  Secondly, the use mix can help establish transit demand in both directions.

4) Mixed Use Format. Different uses are more sensitive to distance from the station than others.  Retail uses need to be situated where there is high customer traffic (in this case mainly on foot).  Office uses are thought to be more sensitive to distance than residential uses. The location of parking, a necessary part of TOD, can strengthen or dilute the performance of TOD.

5) Policies to Support the Mix and Form - Policies often included in a TOD strategy include parking strategies, economic incentives, transportation demand measures (such as transit passes and employer incentive strategies), and public investments in streetscapes.

 

What Improvements Are Included in SAFETEALU for Successful TOD?

First, it is helpful to review how FTA has traditionally evaluated projects that eventually get built with federal funding through the "New Starts" process.  FTA receives many more requests for funding than is available, thus a strong evaluation system is needed to support funding decisions. Localities and their partner transit agencies typically submit initial designs to FTA, whereupon they enter an extensive, iterative process that results in a full funding grant agreement, or "FFGA."  The process is used to fine-tune issues such as alignments, station area planning, and the transit type (heavy rail, light rail, streetcar, or bus rapid transit). As the process leads to more concrete details and commitments, projects must be justified based on a comprehensive review of mobility benefits, environmental benefits, cost-effectiveness, operating efficiencies, transit supportive land use policies, as well as other factors.  Beginning in 2008, FTA and its stakeholders anticipate changes in the evaluation process.  New language in SAFETEALU elevates the role of land use and economic development among the various factors to be considered.  The expected changes will begin by exploring what development changes are likely to occur in an area identified for transit service and stations.  What constitutes "development changes" is still loosely defined, but includes:

 

Development potential. Development potential looks at credits or demerits based on development and redevelopment opportunities; barriers to development (e.g., land assembly, clean-up); and existing uses.

Transit-Supportive Plans, Policies, and Actions Undertaken. This review would examine existing and proposed plans; agency commitment to station area planning and joint development; plans and policies for pedestrian access, urban design, parking and density; and past performance.

Development Climate. The climate refers to economic indicators of economy, station area market study, approvals for development, rents and occupancy rates, employment and population growth projections.

The challenge over the next year will be to help FTA develop strong evaluation criteria for land use and economic development based on the list above.

 

Asking the Right Questions to Get to the Right Measures

FTA and transit stakeholders have launched an intensive effort to first ask the right questions before determining how to implement SAFETEA-LU through the official regulation development process.  Some of these questions include:

 

Which land use and economic development indicators are the most important for evaluating transit proposals?

 

Should the measures and weighting system for land use and economic development be the same for smaller transit projects (e.g., streetcars) as for heavy rail and subways?

 

SAFETEA-LU also includes the ability to look at a subarea, rather than a discrete corridor.  How should subareas be mapped, defined, and measured?

 

Many developers say that the "right" zoning for TOD is whatever matches their development project, which is not always the zoning in place.  For example a lot may be zoned for "high-density residential," while the TOD plan requires a mix of zoning categories for residential and retail. On the other hand, land use plans are often regarded as too soft of a commitment to TOD.  How should the "on the ground" commitment be defined?

 

Land use and economic development measures often overlap. Is "double counting" a potential problem, or an essential element of economic and transportation performance?

 

The environmental and transportation performance of TOD projects is often compared to an analysis of how the same level of development intensity would be accommodated elsewhere in the region (e.g., in greenfields sites).  Where does this analysis fit within the evaluation process for FTA?  How should the National Environmental Protection Act (or NEPA) process be used throughout the entire evaluation process?

 

Why 2006?

Over the course of the next year, FTA will be gathering comments through listening sessions and official "notice and comment" procedures through the Federal Register.  You will see notices given for both the "New Starts" and "Small Starts" programs.  "Small starts" are projects for which federal funding requests are less than $250 million, and typically describe streetcars or smaller extensions.

 

Upcoming Listening Sessions

January 27, 2006, in Denver, Colorado, at the New Partners for Smart Growth conference (www.newpartners.org)

February 15 and 16 in San Francisco

March 1 and 2 in Dallas

March 9 and 10 in Washington, D.C.

 

Any stakeholder or interested person can submit formal, written comments to FTA. A rough timeline for the regulatory process is as follows:

New Starts/Small Starts Regulations

Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for Small Starts (ANPRM) - January 2006

Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) - Summer 2006

Final Rule - Summer 2007

 

To follow the process, the following Web sites will be helpful:

The Federal Transit Administration's Web site: http://www.fta.dot.gov/

Reconnecting America: http://www.reconnectingamerica.org/index.htm

The American Public Transportation Association: http://www.apta.com/

 

Lisa Nisenson is a staff member in the Office of Policy, Economic and Innovation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

http://icma.org/sgn/newsdetail.cfm?nfid=2094&id=#autoID

So, resident transit experts, this sounds like progress on the federal level that could help persuade local transit agencies to work towards TOD by offering more dollars to those projects that follow more of the TOD guidelines.  Am I reading this correctly?

 

 

Thanks for posting the Puritas article, KJP!  I didn't get to see the images until finding them here.

 

As far as the TOD elements of the Puritas proposal, it looks like we've got a couple and are lacking a few.  The strengths are the neighborhood form/context and the connectivity to existing land uses.  However, the latter three elements (mixed-use, mixed use format and policies) appear to be missing. 

 

I was surprised to hear that there are almost 600 parking spaces on-site at present.  Though, I've never been to the station, so I guess I wouldn't know.  In redesigning the station, it sounds like they will be making a larger, more functional and more attractive building.  This is good.  However, the remaining parking spaces will still add up to nearly 500, which I'm assuming are all on a surface lot.  This, much like the case at the Brookpark Station, seems highly inefficient.

 

Now, I'm curious about what RTA is thinking and I'm hoping that you transit experts out there have some insider knowledge about this.  It seems to me that the RTA is doing a good job of rebuilding their stations, from W. 117th to E. 55th and so on.  But they're not doing a lot to create these mixed-use sites on their property.  I know there was talk of this at Brookpark and the W. 65th Street station has room for a police substation and a possible cafe, but what about the rest? 

 

The optimist in me says that they are taking step one to make the stations themselves better...which I agree is issue #1.  But a very close #2 is utilizing the land adjacent to the station to promote more transit ridership and more functional, active, sustainable neighborhood.  Understanding that most of the riders at Puritas probably drive to the station at this point (correct me if I'm wrong!), that would probably necessitate building a garage before developing the site.  This may be cost-prohibitive at present, but I wonder if they're even exploring this option.  You know, selling or leasing the remaining land to developers in order to pay for the garage?  I hope that they are just working on "step one"s throughout the system right now and keeping an eye on the market and interested developers for when the time comes to develop their many parking lots. 

Since RTA has no staff dedicated to TOD and their planning department's continued budget/employment levels aren't tied to their success of implementing TOD, there is little staff time or motivation to make it more of a priority. Hence, my NEO-TOD Inc. proposal.

I'm about to check that out, but wouldn't the federal funding scheme, let alone the development potential, be a big impetus for the RTA to create this position/department?

^ One would hope! If they don't, then maybe the city or the port authority should consider creating such an entity.

So, resident transit experts, this sounds like progress on the federal level that could help persuade local transit agencies to work towards TOD by offering more dollars to those projects that follow more of the TOD guidelines.  Am I reading this correctly?

 

Partly. It could even mean that new or extended fixed guideways which have a strong TOD component are more likely to receive funding. Those lacking TOD components could receive less, or no funding. But for agencies like GCRTA, which have no new fixed guideway projects in the planning pipeline, it won't light a fire under them to put more of their budget into TOD activities. The federal policy doesn't do anything for existing fixed guideway transit.

Note the second item on next week's agenda....

_______________

 

CLEVELAND -- The Board of Trustees of the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA) will meet in Committee at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 7, at RTA's Main Office, 1240 W. Sixth St.

 

Planning & Development Committee

 

•  Euclid Corridor Transportation Project: Update on project design, construction and real estate activities.

 

•  Joint Development: Discuss potential joint development projects near rail stations at West 25th St. in Ohio City, and Windermere in East Cleveland.

Fantastic!  Now, are these developments that we already know about or are they new?  Or do we just have to wait and see what they talk about at the meeting?  Is it open to the public?

I was hoping someone could tell me what they mean. I could always call down there, but dammit, I'm on vacation -- or at least I was! I go back to the ball and chain on Monday.....

:bang:

Fantastic!  Now, are these developments that we already know about or are they new? 

 

The West 25th station development is the CMHA mixed-residential project (part of the Hope VI plan). There will be an article in tomorrow's West Side Sun News by David Plata about this station-area project.

 

The Windermere station project is a joint effort by Huron Road Hospital and Windermere Renaissance Inc., which will build a community health center and and some residential (something like 50 units). See http://www.windermererenaissance.org/index.htm

 

Both of these are unsolicited projects to RTA, and will be built on RTA-owned property. In the case of the Windermere project, RTA acquired the land and demolished buildings to make the land more marketable for development. RTA has to give public notice of these properties being available for development and that proposals have been submitted for the use of these properties. If no other potential user presents a more attractive proposal to RTA within a certain time frame, RTA will proceed with the proposals which have already been submitted.

^  :clap:  :clap:  :clap:

KJP, that's excellent news!

Some good news..... 

 

This Friday NOACA staff will present to the Transportation Advisory Committee of the NOACA Governing Board its list of projects recommended for approval under its Transportation for Livable Communities Initiative ( http://www.noaca.org/tlci.html ).

 

Included in the 16 successful (so far) projects (9 projects didn't make

the cut), are the following (the original 25 can be seen at http://www.noaca.org/fy07tlciapps.pdf ): 

 

1) E. 120th Rapid Transit Area Development Plan (RTA sponsor, Little

Italy co-sponsor)

 

2) Lee/Van Aken TOD Plannning Study (City of Shaker Hts. sponsor, RTA

co-sponsor)

 

These grant requests are on top of two other NOACA TLC grants awarded last year...

 

GCRTA/Bellaire-Puritas Development Corp. -- $70,000 -- Puritas Rapid Transit Station Area Plan;  Land-use analysis of the rapid transit site and continous commercial corridor at West 150th Street and Puritas Avenue with the goals of innovative design, enhanced pedestrian amenities, improved access, public safety, and exploring ancillary development options.

 

GCRTA -- $50,000 -- Transit Oriented Development Implementation

Strategy;  The project will create a set of guidelines for Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) that GCRTA, developers, and stakeholders can use to implement TOD opportunities.

 

To fulfill the second project (noted immediately above), RTA late last week interviewed consultants to assist in the preparation of the updated TOD guidelines. My understanding is the teams that came in were well-qualified.

More good news!

_________________

 

Contacts: Sarah Grady 202-232-1616 ext. 214

Greg LeRoy 202-232-1616 ext. 211

Zoe Lane 202-232-1616 ext. 210

 

 

Cleveland EcoVillage Development Project

Cited in Best-Practice Report

 

Washington, DC — Good Jobs First today cited the Cleveland EcoVillage as exemplary in a national survey of transit-oriented development (TOD) projects that benefit working families.

 

The national study features 25 TOD projects which provide increased transit access, good jobs, and affordable housing to low and moderate-income people, including many who cannot afford to own a car.

 

“These projects fill a gap in the landscape of common transit-oriented development projects by creating tangible benefits for people with limited means,” said Sarah Grady, author of the study. “Our heroes are community development corporations, community-labor coalitions, and private developers who are passionate and intentional.”

 

“We believe that economic development subsidies for job creation – if they are serious about reducing poverty – must be better integrated with public transit,” said Greg LeRoy, executive director of Good Jobs First. “These projects demonstrate many ways that localities are making that connection.” An earlier Good Jobs First study, Missing the Bus, found that all 50 states’ incentive codes are officially indifferent to linking jobs with transit.

 

The Cleveland EcoVillage, developed by the Detroit Shoreway Community Development Organization, EcoCity Cleveland, and the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority was cited for its environmentally friendly rail station, townhouses, and pedestrian pathways in the low and moderate-income Detroit-Shoreway neighborhood.

 

The complete study is visible at www.goodjobsfirst.org/pdf/makingtheconnection.pdf

 

Good Jobs First is a non-profit, non-partisan resource center promoting smart growth for working families. Its polemic on the sad state of economic development, The Great American Jobs Scam, was published in 2005 by Berrett-Koehler.

 

-30-

It is a great development, but it needs to keep growing!  There are a few projects in the Eco Village that seem to have come to a state of prolonged pause.  Also, the parcels fronting Lorain need to get moving in order to create a fitting gateway into the neighborhood.  Oh, and safety issues obviously need to be addressed.  I hope the attention being given to the Zone rec center and surrounding park land will spill over into the immediate surroundings.

 

Still, this recognition is great news!  And the other news that KJP reported on is perhaps even more exciting!  Good work vacationer!

^agreed.  It would be optimal is the mini-mart/alcohol supplier across the street could be purchased and turned into housing.  As is, the street serves as a pathway for scruffy-looking men and their brown-bag beverage holders.  That is intimidating to some homebuyers.

UPDATE PLEASE:  what's going on with the planned Brookpark Rapid hotel/retail/parking TOD proposal of a few years ago.  I know it was held up because of a dispute last year, but I understood it was settled and that construction should begin this year... Well, upon my visual inspection passing through during an airport trip last week, it seems that the crumbling old station and the pre-fab aluminum "temporary" one have not been touched and that nothing is going on.

 

What's the deal?

^ Intersting talks about the old hospital, I wonder if it would involve demolition of it. Square location would be nicer, there is a large parking lots behind the buildings on the square. I don't understand how it could connect to the greenway corridor it's about 1/4 mile away from either site. At least they seem to be thinking outside the box when it comes to suburban development.

Can we please ban the term "lifestyle center"?  I happen to live in a lifestyle center--it's called a "neighborhood" (how quaint!).

 

 

Just thought I would pass this on.

The same group had one last month. There was plenty of good discussion

 

 

FREE TOD WEBCAST ON TUESDAY, APRIL 4

 

TOD: Connecting Neighbors to Neighborhoods and Communities to Regions

 

Are you convinced that accessible, convenient transit is a key to community vitality, but unclear about how to take advantage of transit opportunities? Join Local Initiatives Support Corporation, Smart Growth America, and Reconnecting America for a webcast series about the ins and outs of Transit-Oriented Development (TOD). Explore TOD as a tool that can spur planning and development, enhance housing and jobs, expand economic activity, and positively change neighborhood dynamics. Learn about transit finance, and hear on-the-ground best practices from small and large places across the country. For more information, visit the LISC website.

http://www.lisc.org/content/calendar/detail/1292/

 

UPCOMING SESSIONS:

 

April 4, 2006, 2:00 p.m. ET. TOD: Key to Neighborhood Revitalization and Affordable Housing.

This session examines how TOD can be pivotal in place-based economic recovery. TOD can revitalize neighborhoods for people of all income levels, as households living near transit sometimes save up to $5,000 per year on transportation costs. Presenters will highlight policies, strategies, and tools to include housing as part of mixed-income, mixed-use neighborhood revitalization efforts. Learn more about integrating TOD into neighborhood redevelopment and engaging community partners to ensure affordability, accessibility, and vibrancy. Sign into the webcast here. http://support.smartgrowthamerica.org/site/R?i=GMZhdZlk0W_kU75C53NSTg..

If there are any problems, please email [email protected].

 

May 3, 2006, 2:00 p.m. ET. TOD in Real Communities: Walking the Walk and Talking the Talk.

This final session features examples of TOD in active communities across the nation and the lessons learned from their experience. Three cities - suburban, core city, and small town - illustrate practical application of TOD - from conceptualization to building, from planning to marketing, from strategies to punchlist, from leadership building to problem solving. Participants will engage in an interactive conversation with local stakeholders who are at the forefront of successful developments.

 

Sponsored by Smart Growth America, Local Initiatives Support Corporation, and Reconnecting America

Note the highlighted text in red below. This is an update of the message I posted on March 13 in this string in which RTA will establish a systemwide strategy for seeking and implementing TOD.

___________________

 

Friday, March 31, 2006                           MEDIA CONTACT: Jerry Masek

216.566.5211

 

Posted at rideRTA.com

Media Advisory

 

RTA Board Committees meet April 4

 

CLEVELAND -- The Board of Trustees of the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA) will meet in Committee at 9 a.m. Tuesday, April 4, at RTA's Main Office, 1240 W. Sixth St.

 

Planning & Development Committee

 

Euclid Corridor Transportation Project: Update on project design, construction, private utilities and real estate activities.

 

New cab signaling: Discuss an invitation to bid procurement to upgrade the Red Line cab signaling system, from the Brookpark Rapid Station to Hopkins International Airport.

 

Transit-Oriented Development: Discuss a request for proposals (RFP) procurement for the development of a transit-oriented development strategy.

 

Finance Committee

 

Corporate Marketing Services: Discuss a request for proposals (RFP) procurement to develop a revenue-generating corporate sponsorship marketing program.

 

Benefits consultant: Discuss a contract for benefit consultant services.

 

Executive Committee

 

Affirmative Action: Review and approve 2006 goals.

 

The regular Board meeting will be held April 18.

 

You'll be pleased to learn that the RTA Board of Trustees Planning & Development Committee today recommended to the full board approval of the TOD consultant contract, not to exceed $60,000.  Funded in part with NOACA TLCI dollars, the consultant TR Advisors, will assist RTA in developing a set of modern TOD guidelines.  The contract will include advising RTA on forthcoming TOD/Joint Development proposals for E66th & Euclid, W. 25th St. and Windermere as well as conducting TOD workshops.  It was clear from comments by RTA  Trustee Bev Burtzlaff, that the intent was to institutionalize TOD by educating the region's development community and expanding on RTA's ability to become incorporated in development projects.

 

And as mentioned before on this site, TOD/Station Planning will proceed this year at the E. 120th-Euclid and Lee-Van Aken stations.

 

By the way, here is a link to a PowerPoint presentation (saved as a PDF) that was given at today's RTA meeting....

 

http://members.cox.net/kenatsun/RTATOD04042006.pdf

Good news, indeed... thanks.

RTA turns to real estate, sponsorships to rev revenues

By JAY MILLER

6:00 am, April 17, 2006

 

RTA is getting entrepreneurial.

 

With fuel costs rising and sales tax receipts — a major revenue source — slipping, the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority is looking for ways to raise revenue beyond the fare increase now under consideration.

 

More at:

http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20060417/SUB/60414017

http://www.globest.com/news/521_521/global/144971-1.html

 

RTA Taps TRA for Transit-Based Strategy

By Brian K. Miller

Last updated: April 20, 2006  07:41am

 

CLEVELAND-The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority has tapped TR Advisors of Boston to create a transit-oriented development plan for the region. The goal is to create livable and walkable communities centered on the city’s commuter train systems, which have a service area of 458 square miles that generates 55.5 million passenger trips annually.

 

 

TR Advisors' parent firm, Transit Realty Associates, was formed in 1996 to be

.........

RTA tapped TRA for its TOD RFP's? 

And they did it PDQ. I'll still treat you like a VIP, OK?

Whoops, here's another RFP...er, RFQ. And this one is a big one!

 

Shaker Heights on April 10 issued a request for qualifications from developers interested in the 60-acre redevelopment zone at the east end of the Blue Line at Van Aken, Warrensville, Northfield and Chagrin.

 

Here's is link to the 11-page RFQ from the city....

 

http://www.shakeronline.com/Media/PDFs/Uploader/413200694237WvA_RFQEmail.pdf

^ Great news!  I've always hoped that some development could be done in that area.