LA River Revitalization Effort Assessment Implementation Opportunities December 17, 2014
HR&A is at the leading edge of civic engagement to fund, design, operate, and program new urban open space. Design & Phased Planning Complete Construction Implementation Waterfront Toronto Cincy Fountain Sq. Seattle Waterfront MSP Green Line Fort Mason Center MOA Peavey Plaza Boston RK G’way NYC The High Line OK City Ctri Pk Mem. Shelby Farms B’klyn Bridge Park NYC Battery Park 2 HR&A Advisors, Inc. LA River Revitalization Opportunity Assessment |2
The current wave of (re)investment in great urban open space has many of the same goals as previous waves. USERS NEIGHBORHOOD CITY/REGION Property Value Enjoyment Tourism Premiums New Business and Real Spending and Public Health Estate Development Multiplier Impacts Resident & Business Air & Water Quality Attraction Public Safety “Brand” HR&A Advisors, Inc. LA River Revitalization Opportunity Assessment |3 3
You asked us to convene three series of meetings to assess the LA River Revitalization effort and recommend next steps. • Meeting Series 1: Stakeholder Engagement – July • Meetings Series 2: Board Committee Workshop – December • Meeting Series 3: Presentation to Convened Leaders – TBD 4 HR&A Advisors, Inc. LA River Revitalization Opportunity Assessment |4
You asked us to convene three series of meetings to assess the LA River Revitalization effort and recommend next steps. • Meeting Series 1: Stakeholder Engagement – July Private/Non-Profit Sector LARRC Board Members • Meetings Series 2: Board Committee Workshop – December Lewis McAdams, Friends of the LA Brian Moore River Bruce Saito • Meeting Series 3: Presentation to Convened Leaders – TBD Tori Kjer, The Trust for Public Land Allan Abshez Nancy Steel, Council for Watershed Cynthia Hirschhorn Health Jordan Kerner Eric Bruins, LA County Bike Coalition Chris Rising Veronica Padilla and Max Podemski, Pacoima Beautiful Miguel Luna, Urban Semillas/DakeLuna Amy Lethbridge and Joseph Edmiston, the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy 5 HR&A Advisors, Inc. LA River Revitalization Opportunity Assessment |5
You asked us to convene three series of meetings to assess the LA River Revitalization effort and recommend next steps. • Meeting Series 1: Stakeholder Engagement – July Public Sector • Meetings Series 2: Board Committee Workshop – December Terri Grant and Gary Hildebrand, LA County Watershed Diego Cardosa and Eric Carlson, Metro • Meeting Series 3: Presentation to Convened Leaders – TBD Enrique Zalvidar, LA City Bureau of Sanitation Gary Moore, City Engineer of the City of LA Michael Shull, LA City Department of Recreation and Parks Christine Peters, Office of Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell Greg Good, Ted Bardacke, and staffers at the Mayor’s Office Barbara Romero, City of LA Department of Public Works Commissioner 6 HR&A Advisors, Inc. LA River Revitalization Opportunity Assessment |6
Opportunities and Challenges What has happened so far? Where can we go from here? HR&A Advisors, Inc. LA River Revitalization Opportunity Assessment |7
The revitalization of the LA River is an opportunity to achieve a number of objectives. Establish a signature open space in eastern LA to rival the beach and mountains of the coast. Improve Los Angeles metro’s brand as a place rich in non-car oriented public space. Continue to contribute to LA metro’s necessary water management strategy . Drive economic benefits , aspiring to a 500%+ return on public capital, as elsewhere. 8 HR&A Advisors, Inc. LA River Revitalization Opportunity Assessment |8
20 years of increasingly focused planning has been largely led by engineers. 2006 2002 The LA River Planning The Ad Hoc Unit is established in the Committee on the LA Department of City River is established by Planning City Council 2003 1996 The LA River City The County of LA River Department Task Force is Master Plan approved established and chaired by the Board of by the City Engineer Supervisors 9 HR&A Advisors, Inc. LA River Revitalization Opportunity Assessment |9
Among the most important products of that planning has been the development of various lists of viable projects. 2009 2014 The LA River Army Corps of Engineers announces Revitalization the selection of Alternative 20, the most Corporation comprehensive alternative in their is established Ecosystem Restoration Feasibility Study 2007 2013 • The LA River Revitalization The City Council adopts the Master Plan is established Cornfields Arroyo Seco and published with funding Specific Plan (CASP), which from DWP establishes new mixed-use • The LA River Project Office zoning districts River. is formed within the City Bureau of Engineering 10 HR&A Advisors, Inc. LA River Revitalization Opportunity Assessment |10
Compilation, rationalization, funding and management of those projects will require unprecedented regional cooperation. Los Angeles River LA County Flood Control Districts City of LA Council Districts Other LA River-Adjacent Cities Source: ESRI, GIS, HR&A Advisors 11 HR&A Advisors, Inc. LA River Revitalization Opportunity Assessment |11
Leaders have recently undertaken a variety of relatively small capital projects and programs. LA River Bike Path Albion Dairy Purchase 2008-2010 Source: City LA River Timeline, HR&A Advisors 12 HR&A Advisors, Inc. LA River Revitalization Opportunity Assessment |12
These initiatives are starting to generate a sense of the possible. Glendale Narrows River Walk Paddle LA Pilot LA River Bike Path North Atwater Park Albion Dairy Purchase 2011-2012 Source: City LA River Timeline, HR&A Advisors 13 HR&A Advisors, Inc. LA River Revitalization Opportunity Assessment |13
Despite little or no coordination of projects, which compete for funds, there is a growing sense that the River’s moment has come. Glendale Narrows River Walk Sunnynook River Park Paddle LA Pilot Ed. P. Reyes Greenway LA River Bike Path North Atwater Park Albion Dairy Purchase NBC Universal Path 2013-2014 Source: City LA River Timeline, HR&A Advisors 14 HR&A Advisors, Inc. LA River Revitalization Opportunity Assessment |14
As of now, no inventory of projects exists, largely because so many entities are advancing so many projects. City of LA City of LA North Mayor’s Office Bureau of East The Trust for Metro Acquisition of Engineering Trees Public Land LA River G2 Parcel Albion Park Steelhead Aliso Creek Bikeways/ Park and LA River The SM Greenway Confluence Mountains 2020 Conservancy LA River LA County DPW Pacoima The Council Revitalization Arroyo Seco Wash 8 th for Corporation Bikeway, Sign Street Park Watershed La Kretz Implementation Health U.S. Army Corps Bridge Project Watershed of Engineering Glendale Parks and Monitoring Alternative 20 Recreation Glendale Program Narrows Riverwalk Source: LA Country Department of Public Works Project Listing 15 HR&A Advisors, Inc. LA River Revitalization Opportunity Assessment |15
Achieving that level of regional collaboration will certainly require agreement on what “the LA River Project ” is. Connector of diverse communities and stakeholders Community Development Greenway 2020 51 Miles / Bike Path Catalyst of business attraction and real estate investment Revitalization Regional Economic Master Plan Development 32 Miles / 240 Projects Greening and Value Partial solution to increasingly Alternative 20 dire water shortage 11 Miles / Ecosystem Restoration Sustainability and Resilience 16 HR&A Advisors, Inc. LA River Revitalization Opportunity Assessment |16
Capturing the regional imagination will be necessary to securing the capital needed. Anacostia Waterfront Alaskan Way The Big Dig Washington, DC Seattle, WA Boston, MA $20b+ ($5b+ to date) $3.5b+ $24.3b Real estate investments Infrastructure Infrastructure realignment and industrial re-use to realignment and to reconnect the city to its fund public amenities & environmental harbor and create open environmental restoration to rebrand green space and real remediation the waterfront estate value 17 HR&A Advisors, Inc. LA River Revitalization Opportunity Assessment |17
The project will need operating dollars as well. Park elements alone will require a high level of continuing investment. Annual Per Acre O&M Costs Neighborhood Parks Regional Parks Urban Gems Passive Active Passive Active $1,000 $5,000 $12,500 $70,000 $1M+ Source: HR&A Advisors HR&A Advisors, Inc. LA River Revitalization Opportunity Assessment |18 18
Clarity of vision will permit development of a strategy capable of being revisited by successive administrations. Start of Community Current Status Organizing Initial phases BAM Late 1990s complete Ftn. Completed Square Early 2000s 2006 Initial phases Beltline Late 1990s complete 50% built by BBP Late 1980s end of 2014 Mayor Garcetti’s successor may High Final phase Late 1990s not be as river-passionate. Line open 2014 19 HR&A Advisors, Inc. LA River Revitalization Opportunity Assessment |19
HR&A’s Recommended Approach A six-step implementation strategy HR&A Advisors, Inc. LA River Revitalization Opportunity Assessment |20
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