Mixed Use Centers located on arterials, especially at intersections. This is the most economically efficient and productive place, also most conducive to eventual transit service.
Context is more important than the curb-to-curb of the street – and this is why LU Planners, urban designers, and Traffic Engineers must work together to create a great street.
Emphasize that simulation is one way to illustrate the integration of transportation design into the creation of a place. In this example, the goal of this community is to create a vibrant and economically vital place that has lasting value. This requires a integration of land use, urban design and transportation design, and a combination of public and private investments.
Again using simulation to show how the combination of thoroughfare design and site and building design evolve an auto-oriented context into a multi-modally oriented context, this example demonstrates how the combination can change the context zone. Current context includes low-intensity and under-utilized land and a basic divided arterial street.
Excelsior Boulevard and Natchez Avenue South St Louis Park, MN, September 1999 (dc002974) Excelsior Boulevard and Natchez Avenue South St Louis Park, MN, October 2003 (dc020319) Site seen prior to development, from the south. Excelsior is a “Regional Reliever” road (Functional class). Over 20,000 ADTs Park space, community center beyond. A few post-war cape cod homes pinched between. Look at the crossing street Park development in the background. Focus on the strip parcels along Excelsior Boulevard -auto oriented -individual smal box -multiple entries -”tired” development In 2003 Redeveloped in today’s market as a mixed use, retail and residential place -100 units per acre (net) -Retail succeeding -Residential building more. Lots of hospitals and -SUCCEEDS BY CREATING MORE COMPLEX INTER-RELATIONSHIPS WITH ITS SURROUNDINGS -pedestrian-friendly street and activity comes OFF Excelsior but still visible -Storm water accommodated in the public park as an active recreation amenity
For everyone. With good design, there is a place for everyone, and an end result that is greater than the sum of its parts.