Welcome drinks in the Tasman Light Gallery at the National Maritime Museum.

Consolidate governance

Sydney Harbour is the city’s largest and most important physical asset. Over the past 40 years, there has already been a lot of change in how the harbour has been used, and this will continue into the future. We need a consolidated governance body that can plan for the harbour with input from the community. Hong Kong, for example, created a Harbourfront Enhancement Committee. After extensive consultation, this committee issued a research document that became the basis for the Harbourfront Planning Principles. An NGO called the Harbour Business Forum also represents the views of businesses in relation to Victoria Harbour and recommended the Hong Kong Harbourfront Commission, which has been created. Many people in Hong Kong want to set up an authority with executive powers. The commission has examined London and New York as models of how an authority could be structured to help eliminate the many silos that exist across government departments.

Sean Chiao, Asia Pacific 0resident, ArchTam welcoming guests.

Connect the harbour

The natural and cultural value of Sydney’s harbour benefits residents and attracts tourists, investors, and international talent. At present, however, too much land is not accessible or well connected. Some of the most desirable cities in the world, including New York and London, have better access to their waterfronts, and people can walk the length of them, which is not possible in Sydney. More needs to be done in Sydney to make the foreshore more accessible, both by foot and by transit.

Doug Ferguson, chairman, Asia Society, welcoming guests.

Prepare for more tourists

Australia receives over 8 million visitors per year. Tourism is one of the country’s largest industries, employing one in 13 Australians. Out of the 8 million annual visitors, 3.5 million come through Sydney, many arriving via the 311 cruise ships that dock here each year. But can Sydney’s current infrastructure absorb projected increases? The new airport at Badgery’s Creek alone is expected to handle 10 million passengers by 2025 and up to 84 million by 2060. What additional infrastructure does Sydney require to meet future demands?

Nicholas Brooke, chairman, Hong Kong Harbourfront Commission, presenting keynote address.

Join a city region

Panellists felt quite strongly that to compete globally, Sydney needed to be better connected with its neighbours in a ‘city region’. This would encompass, at a minimum, Newcastle and Wollongong, and potentially Melbourne or even Brisbane and Canberra. In response to intense competition between Hong Kong and Shenzhen and Shanghai, China’s Great Bay Initiative is connecting nine cities in the Pearl River Delta to the two Special Administrative Regions, Hong Kong and Macau, via high-speed rail. This will connect 67 million people to Hong Kong within a travelling time of only 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Panel discussion being led by James Rosenwax, market sector director – cities, ArchTam. Panellists from left to right: Dr Stephanie Fahey – Austrade; Joe James – NSW Port Authority; Dr. Sarah Pearson – University of Newcastle; David Pitchford – The Right Pitch Consulting; and Nicholas Brooke – Hong Kong Harbourfront Commission.

Engage the youth 

By 2060, the millennial generation will have been in charge for over 20 years, so today’s young people need to be involved in the conversations around future uses of the harbour. As the average age in Sydney’s planning department seems to be between 50 and 56, we need real inclusion, not tokenism, to understand young people’s perspectives and priorities. We heard the example of an architecture class participating in discussions about how to redevelop The Bays Precinct in Sydney for the better part of a year, which led to wonderful ideas being shared.

Improve affordability

For all its strengths, one weakness of Sydney is its widespread reputation as being very expensive. This is a real concern, as poor affordability discourages workers from living in a city, which curtails investment, especially from start-up entrepreneurs and small businesses. Connecting Sydney to neighbouring cities by high-speed rail could reduce the housing pressure and make the city more competitive. We also need to attract venture capitalists and experienced entrepreneurs to act as mentors to start-up entrepreneurs, and improved affordability will help in this regard.

Protect environment and heritage

Sydney Harbour faces challenges to its environment, including global warming and loss of biodiversity. Marine infrastructure must be developed to protect and enhance biodiversity. Heritage buildings should be preserved and repurposed and could help solve the challenge of affordability. Heritage buildings are often given a new lease of life by being renovated to host start-up companies and business incubators, which often value them for their aesthetic appeal and relative affordability.

By 2060, Sydney’s population is anticipated to exceed 8 million. This enormous growth needs a healthy framework if Sydney is to maintain its authenticity. As Sean Chiao, ArchTam’s president of Asia Pacific, said at the event, “The real complexity of cities comes from the people who inhabit them, not just from their physical environments. We need to think about building cities for future generations and to think of them as being about places to live, to create culture and to conduct business, whilst respecting the environment.”

The post Exploring the future of Sydney Harbour appeared first on Blog.

Brilliant exudes character and confidence. Brilliant works across boundaries in support of a greater vision. Brilliant finds the common ground between private and public to close funding gaps. Brilliant performs technically while achieving broader social and economic benefits. Brilliant overcomes obstacles to get essential projects delivered.

Cities can explore eight steps to capitalize on their strengths, address their weaknesses, and achieve brilliance:

Start at the end

Secure a legacy with strategic planning

What will your city be like in 50 years? Understanding where your city is headed—and how you want to shape its future—should guide how projects and infrastructure are prioritized today. Smart long-term planning anticipates social, economic and environmental changes and builds the strategic direction to secure a positive legacy, for cities and leaders.

Draw a crowd

Energize the center through compact urban design

People come to cities to be near other people. Cities need places where people can come together, places that resonate, inspire and excite; a waterfront promenade or central park, a distinctive district or event center, a signature tower or downtown area. A well-planned project can turn the tide and change a city’s fortune. Cities that work to boost business and celebrate life are positioned to compete and succeed.

Renovations at LAX will help Angelinos and world travelers ‘get there together.’

Get there together

Upgrade transportation to move people and business faster

A city’s economy moves at the pace of its transportation network. Efficient transportation speeds the flow of people, ideas and commerce. Airports and seaports are global gateways. Roads and rail establish regional connections. Bike and walking routes make mobility healthy, inexpensive, and fun. In a great city, access is built into the fabric.

Change the flow

Get more from innovative energy and water infrastructure

We depend upon civil infrastructure to meet our daily needs, but the investments we make for these essential functions can yield wider value when we take new approaches. Stormwater managed naturally can improve the urban landscape, increase property values and protect our waterways. Recycled wastewater can green our parks and neighborhoods. Solid waste treated organically can reduce landfill and produce energy for homes.

The restoration of Echo Park Lake is helping LA ‘change the flow.’

Make green pay

Take environmental action that provides an economic boost Investments in the environment can yield financial and social dividends. As cities take measures to mitigate and adapt to climate change, remediate contamination, and protect and restore natural environments, they are finding a wealth of benefits, from energy savings and cleaner air to rising real estate values and healthier people. It creates a better climate for business and community.

Ignore borders

Collaborate across agencies and boundaries for bigger results

Challenges do not follow the boundaries of departments and municipalities. Neither should solutions. To compete at a global level, cities need to advance in step with their supporting regions. This means collaborating across disciplines and jurisdictions, and cooperating and planning at the regional level, to see the bigger picture, connect better ideas and find smarter solutions.

Act now

Identify and address physical and cyber vulnerability

Buildings and bridges are joining the internet of things. This increases the need for cyber security, along with security against physical attacks, violent weather, earthquakes, and decay over time. Proactive solutions begin with a comprehensive vulnerability assessment. Anticipating the most likely points of attack or failure lets a city know where to invest to prevent or mitigate disaster before it strikes.

A public-private partnership for the Gov. George Deukmejian Courthouse helped Long Beach ‘finish ahead.’

Finish ahead

Get projects funded, built and operating sooner

Public budgets are stretched. Roads, bridges, water systems, hospitals, schools and courthouses need maintenance or new structures, but there are new ways around old obstacles. Partnering the public and private sectors and linking the phases of a project’s life cycle can speed construction, reduce cost, increase performance and manage risk. It’s time to take advantage of the alternatives.

Stephen Engblom (Stephen.engblom@archtam.com) is an urban planner and designer, and global director of ArchTam Cities.

The post Eight steps to a brilliant city appeared first on Blog.

With over half the world’s population, two-thirds of the world’s energy consumption, and 80% of the world’s GDP, cities not only have direct influence over greenhouse gas emissions, but also face the greatest concentration of physical, social and economic risks associated with climate change.

CDP (formerly Carbon Disclosure Project) is an international, not-for-profit organization providing a global system for companies and cities to measure, disclose, manage and share vital environmental information. This year, 308 cities have reported to CDP, with a focus on the mode of electricity generation – clean versus fossil fuel. Electricity generation is the single largest source of carbon emissions globally, generating 12.6 gigatons of CO₂ (2015).

Analysis of the CDP 2015 data shows that of the participating cities, Latin American cities average 76% of their electricity from clean sources. European cities in the study average 59%. Participating cities in the Asia Pacific region collectively receive 15% of their electricity from non-fossil fuel sources. Overall, cities are making great strides in the shift away from fossil fuels toward the adoption of clean energy: with 35% of cities getting three quarters of their electricity from non-fossil fuel sources.

Cities leading the transition to a lower carbon model include Aspen, Basel, Santa Monica, San Francisco and Stockholm. All of these cities have targets for 100% non-fossil fuel electricity. Ninety-six cities are already taking actions to de-carbonize their energy supply. And these cities understand the business case for doing so: 86% of them say they see economic opportunities from efforts to tackle climate change.

A faster move away from fossil fuel dependency could be accelerated with more private sector support. Many cities cite a need for public finance to help realize their ambitions for low-carbon growth, and more than half of the projects seeking support are located in the developing world, mainly in Latin America and Africa.

The 2015 results from CDP’s cities program are released in an infographic hosted on cdp.net, and city electricity generation mixes can be found here. The disclosures from all cities participating publicly in CDP’s cities program can be found here.

A look back at recent years’ reports:

2014 | 207 cities reported | The report spotlighted cities disclosing that climate change presents a physical risk to their businesses, and that this is serving as a driver for local governments to take action in response.

2013 | 110 cities reported | The report highlighted how climate change action is giving us healthier, wealthier cities. Cities reported annual energy savings of up to US$13 million, and their residents benefitting from healthier living and better business environments.

2012 | 73 cities reported | The report flagged that economic opportunity was a principal motivator for action on climate change.

Ben Smith (ben.smith@archtam.com) is director of sustainable development in ArchTam’s London office and is part of the ArchTam CDP team that has partnered with CDP since 2012, volunteering expertise to provide data analysis, communications and visualization techniques. ArchTam’s full CDP team can be viewed here.

The post How clean is your city’s electricity: CDP Cities Report 2015 appeared first on Blog.

Tomorrow, New Orleans, the Gulf Coast, and the nation will mark the 10^th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. All this week, people from around the world have been gathering in New Orleans to talk not about “The Storm” as it is known locally, but about recovery and resilience. ArchTam has been part of that recovery and is building a more resilient New Orleans and region with major projects and support across the Gulf Coast.

I am honored to have been invited by the City and the Rockefeller Foundation to participate in the events this week. In launching their new Resilient New Orleans strategic agenda, Mayor Mitch Landrieu said that they are not rebuilding the city as it was, but as they imagined it could be.  President Obama, who visited yesterday, told us that New Orleans has shown the nation and the world what resilience means.  He even mentioned several of the projects ArchTam had a major role in from our levee work and ecosystems restoration for the US Army Corps of Engineers to the support of FEMA to drive recovery in this region.

As I walked around the city and met with local residents, city and state officials, and our local office staff, one thing that was abundantly clear is the love these people have for this city and the region. In the face of adversity and hard work, people on the Gulf Coast never give up. FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate said that resilience does not mean natural disasters will not occur, but that cities and communities will survive, recover and prosper.

At ArchTam, we support that mission every day.  Our staff work with public and private sector clients to design, build, finance, and operate infrastructure that will last and is ready for the changes in weather, population, and technology.  But we also drive resilience in our internal operations and facilities through our corporate Global Resilience Group to ensure all of ArchTam’s people and assets are prepared for whatever comes our way.

Back in New Orleans, recovery comes with a side of jambalaya, a cold drink, and some hot jazz.  We are proud of the work ArchTam and especially our local team, many storm survivors themselves, have done right here in this wonderful place.

Josh Sawislak (josh.sawislak@archtam.com) is global director of resilience for ArchTam.

The post New Orleans: A story of survival and resilience appeared first on Blog.

But perhaps more important, greenery helps relieve anxiety disorders (stress) and depression, common afflictions associated with our harried urban lives. As one study puts it, “Support for this possibility comes from epidemiological studies which find that individuals living in the greenest urban areas tend to have better mental health than those in the least green areas.”¹

The social cost of anxiety and depression is significant. One report states that “Workplace stress costs U.S. employers an estimated $200 billion per year in absenteeism, lower productivity, staff turnover, workers’ compensation, medical insurance and other stress-related expenses”.² And a study by the American Psychological Association indicates that ¾ of the nation’s medical bill is associated with chronic illnesses, a malady that is driven by stress.³

From the perspective of pubic health there is every reason to invest in a greener urban landscape—especially when such greenery can also perform vital infrastructural functions related to, say, stormwater management and energy conservation.

But there is more to the health benefits of greenery than the relief of anxiety and depression. Little discussed in academia or professional associations, and hardly ever proposed in practice, is the spiritual dimension of the landscape. And yet access to natural areas is proven to elicit transcendent reactions that can postively affect our well-being. It has been well documented, for example, that hospital patients who can see greenery from their windows recover more quickly than those who don’t.⁴  There is latent healing potential in the design of any landscape, a matter that is confirmed by the biophylic effects of healing gardens.

As suggested by a weed growing out of a sewer inlet (above), nature’s quest for life and regeneration is as opportunistic as it is boundless. Nature is simply life-affirming—relentlessly so. How can the human spirit not be lifted by such power when our health is on the line? But why wait until a health crisis arises? The places in which we live and work should constitute fitness-inducing, stress-mitigating and life-affirming environments to start with. Like a green view from a nation-sized window, our collective wellbeing depends on it.

Cities, like pristine natural areas, are structured entities. At the scale of the region there are networks of open space that satisfy large-scale needs, such as flood protection, transportation and resource-based recreation. At the community scale there are streets, plazas and parks that provide for active mobility, organized play and social exchange. And at the dwelling scale, such as Friedensrech Hundertwasser’s apartment house in Viena (top), there are dense developments that, like a garden, afford personal and intimate access to foliage, flowers and birdsong (that it is also art will be the subject of a different blog!).

Within such a tiered schema urban greenery must be integrated systematically, not as afterthought but as forethought toward the creation of a healthy environment. To this pursuit the role of Landscape Architecture is not peripheral but central: It is the agency by which cities can become health havens—for the body, for the mind and for the spirit, from the scale of the region to that of discrete buildings and places. Why not regard cities as landscape, communities as park, and buildings as garden? ⁵

Ignacio F. Bunster-Ossa leads ArchTam’s landscape architecture practice in the Americas.

NOTES:

1. http://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/es403688w
2. http://www.fdu.edu/newspubs/magazine/99su/stress.html
3. http://www.apa.org/monitor/2012/03/stress.aspx
4. http://www.metropolismag.com/Point-of-View/November-2011/Frontiers-of-Design-Science-Biophilia/
5. For a discussion on these three scales of design see “Reconsidering Ian MHarg: the Future of Urban Ecology, Chapter 9; Ignacio F. Bunster-Ossa, Planners Press, 2014.

The post A greener city is a healthier city appeared first on Blog.

Now, suddenly, the advent of big data and new technology, along with shifting social and environmental priorities is fundamentally changing how we prefer to travel, what a car is, how we use it, and what supporting infrastructure is necessary to support it. We have the potential to create a more equitable platform that provides greater opportunities to all sectors of the population.

Big data is enabling us to more accurately predict demand and understand travel patterns, enabling more efficient infrastructure choices and uses, potentially reducing costs, and enabling the concurrent reprogramming of scarce funds to meet more pressing needs.

With the sharing economy including cars and bikes, you no longer have to be able to afford the whole vehicle, and can pay as you go, purchasing only the part that you need to use, perhaps enabling access to employment that was not previously accessible.

If everyone doesn’t need their own car (and the average personal car sits idle 22 hours a day) – do we need all that parking? What else could that land be used for? Affordable housing? Economic development?

If people don’t have to buy the whole vehicle, and just the part they need – aside from having more employment opportunities – how might they invest in themselves and their families differently with the savings of not having to own a car? Better education? Better housing?

For elderly populations, driverless vehicles represent an opportunity for more lifestyle choices, while providing relief and flexibility to their caretakers (perhaps enabling them to retain a job they might otherwise have to give up).

Shifting cultural preferences to both the sharing economy and the increasing interest in active transportation are driving the pursuit of “complete streets” – using the public right of way not just for automobiles, but rethinking design standards to  incorporate all users including transit riders, cyclists and pedestrians in a safe environment.

Linkages between health/wellness and active transportation are increasing the demand for active transportation facilities to promote healthier communities and reduce healthcare costs.

Uber is changing the standards for customer service and convenience, and affording income opportunities.

Real time pathfinding based on traffic conditions provided by Waze is optimizing the use of the entire street network to accommodate peak period travel.

The net results of the disruption: improved efficiency, more opportunity, increased affordability, enhanced health, greater equity. All of these are essential ingredients for sustainable communities and enhanced quality of life. Just remember, people thought the horse could never be replaced by the car. In the end, it did not take very long for that to happen at all.

Diana Mendes is senior vice president and director of Americas transit at ArchTam.

The post Disrupting the transportation paradigm appeared first on Blog.

The Agenda-Setting Workshop, as it’s known, marked the first step towards greater resilience for Sydney and recognised the work already underway. Lord Mayor Clover Moore welcomed participants, with Elizabeth Yee, vice president, strategic partnerships and solutions, and Nicola Thomson, associate director, representing 100RC.

Mara Bun chairs the panel.

Participants were encouraged to explore the meaning of resilience, debate the city’s current strengths and weaknesses and thus help set the agenda for the future resilience strategy to be drawn up over coming months.

Run by ArchTam as workshop partners, the event was hosted by the City of Sydney on behalf of the whole of Metropolitan Sydney, where there are 41 local councils and strong State Government interest. However, so successful was the workshop that 40 of the 41 councils attended with an equally strong State Government presence. Others participating in a very broad spectrum of stakeholders were from the banking and the insurance industry, social sustainability groups, environmental and food security advocates and indigenous representatives.

Norma Shankie-Wiliams at the City Resilience Framework (CRF) wheel, an expression of the interrelated elements of city resilience.

As part of membership of the 100RC network, Sydney will receive:

• Financial and logistical assistance to establish a chief resilience officer (CRO), who will be recruited into the City of Sydney Council and who will lead the resilience strategy for Sydney and the wider metropolitan region
• Support for the CRO in leading the development of a resilience strategy
• Access to a platform of innovative organisations, from the private, public and not-for profit sectors, which provide services and tools to help design and implement the resilience strategy.
• Sharing of information between cities to foster best practice solutions and address problems collectively.

ArchTam are already involved in resilience work for other 100RC cities around the world including Melbourne, Christchurch, San Francisco, Bangkok and Wellington, and as Workshop Partners in Sydney, played a critical role in the success of the event.

Suzanna Remmerswaal populates the CRF.

Led by me, with five senior ArchTam people involved in facilitation on the day, the event was an unqualified success in achieving its outcomes. Playing a key role in facilitation were Jacinta McCann, Stephen Callaghan, Justine Kinch, Roger Swinbourne, Victoria Chantra and Lester Partridge. There was tireless support from Suzanna Remmerswaal and Rachelle Newman as the ArchTam team supported City of Sydney staff throughout the day.

Ongoing stakeholder consultation will form a key part of developing the resilience strategy for Sydney, and all participants of the Workshop, together with those unable to attend and newly identified stakeholders, will be invited to participate as the journey continues.

ArchTam is hoping to build on the success of the Sydney Workshop to support Sydney as a strategy partner going forward.

Norma Shankie-Williams is a technical director with ArchTam in Sydney.

The post Sydney embarks on the 100 Resilient Cities journey appeared first on Blog.

The day the U.S.-Australian Exchange spent in Dallas kicked off with a presentation that covered the history of Dallas and its entrepreneurial spirit, which has been the cornerstone of the city’s development. As a planning professional who has worked in the Dallas community for more than 20 years, I have seen how business and civic leaders collaborate with local government to facilitate change. For example, the great flood of 1908 spawned the development of the Trinity Floodway System that exists today. Through the business community purchasing and developing the newly protected land, one of the most productive and influential industrial and market areas in the United States was created — with redevelopment along the Trinity River continuing to this day.

The exchange offered me a unique opportunity to not only showcase the work ArchTam has completed within the Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) metropolitan area, but how that work, subsequent development, and the Dallas philanthropic community continue to elevate the quality of life for all residents.

Dallas is the largest urban center of the DFW metropolitan area. The city’s economy, which has diversified over the last thirty years, significantly drives the region’s productivity. DFW is the sixth largest metropolitan economy in the United States, and Dallas is home to the third-largest concentration of Fortune 500 companies, the recently constructed world-class arts district, and the largest light rail system in the country.

Dallas’ multifaceted environment made the city a fitting location for discussions about the exchange’s focus on multi-party partnerships and how philanthropic contributions and cultural precincts can help stimulate, renew and revitalize a city.

The first stop on the tour took us to the offices of Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART). DART operates more than 90 miles of light rail across the region. Additionally, they provide bus, streetcar, commuter rail and paratransit services. DART is known for its innovative approach to leveraging local dollars to maximize federal funding for its capital expansion projects. DART’s conservative, long-term approach constantly balances its operating costs and liabilities with growth plans, which has resulted in DART being recognized as a successful, fiscally sound model transit agency. ArchTam has played an integral role in the development and optimization of DART’s system for more than 20 years.

In 1996, DART opened Mockingbird Station, a world-renowned, urban transit-oriented development that provides a unique concentration of retail, residential and commercial development. Developers and transit professionals from around the world continue to visit Dallas to learn from the success of DART and potentially implement similar projects within their home communities.

Our tour also included a visit to the City of Plano, a suburb of Dallas, to highlight successful redevelopment efforts directly tied to existing light rail service. Through city-based incentives and innovative development strategies, the Downtown Plano Station serves as the foundation on which city planners, investors and developers have built to create livable communities. These types of efforts have resulted in the City of Plano importing more jobs than it exports.

Our final destination highlighted the Dallas Arts District, a multi-venue center for music, opera, theater and dance. ArchTam served as the engineer-of-record on the award winning project and collaborated with four Pritzker architects to create the AT&T Performing Arts Center. The Center serves as the heart of the district and was conceived, designed and constructed through the efforts of philanthropic leaders. More than 40 families gave gifts of at least US$1 million to the project.

Klyde Warren Park, a five-acre deck park over a depressed highway, connects the revitalized uptown area to downtown. The green space, which serves as a gateway to the Dallas Arts District, also was conceived and designed by the business community. Funding for this project included philanthropic donations, the City of Dallas, the Texas Department of Transportation and federal stimulus funding. These recent and significant investments in the City’s cultural assets have induced development and created a highly desired location to live, work and play.

The Australian contingent was impressed with the amount of influence the business and civic community have on growth and development, and the speed at which change can occur. They recognize that public-private partnerships in infrastructure investment can significantly impact all aspects of the community from transportation to arts and culture. Dallas was the third leg of their four-city tour, and it is clear that their enthusiasm will affect positive change in their communities.

Jerry Smiley (jerry.smiley@archtam.com) is transit and environmental services business unit leader – Dallas/Fort Worth in ArchTam’s Dallas office.

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The City of Chicago is a good representation of what the Future Cities Collaborative calls an “outstanding example of a sustainability and livability transformation.” Being a native of Chicago, I was particularly excited to help provide the exchange participants with a local perspective on contextual knowledge needed for a successful exploration of the Windy City.

Prior to my 10 years at ArchTam, I served the City of Chicago in several capacities, starting as a project manager in the Department of Transportation. After several infrastructure projects, I was tapped to be First Deputy at the Department of Buildings. My last position with the city was commissioner of planning and development under the Daley administration, where I dealt directly with special services areas (SSA), tax increment financing (TIF) and other entitlement programs.

Today, Chicago is recognized as a leading global city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network and the Global Cities Index. Chicago is an international hub for finance, commerce and industry, and is a world leader in innovation and technology. While our city’s preeminent position today is anchored by critical transportation infrastructure assets, we cannot forget that our city’s current modern capacity is entirely linked to a number of major infrastructure decisions over the past 120 years.

The exchange in Chicago started off with team introductions on Daley Plaza, followed quickly by our first interview at City Hall. Over the next four hours, our conversations with city staff examined city-led redevelopments and the financing and funding approaches used, including TIF and SSA. The discussion explored how the city funded maintenance and beautification work, auto and bike transit projects and economic developments through local tax initiatives, supported in part by enabling legislation.

ArchTam then led the group on a tour from City Hall through downtown Chicago, walking through numerous infill projects such as Block 37 and Millennium Park — an award-winning sustainable park that offers free cultural programs to those in the Chicago area.  Millennium Park is an example of how joint partnerships, additional commercial development and a new tax base can be leveraged to finance infrastructure. On the tour we held important discussions around tangible examples to aid the knowledge transfer to the Australian context.

We ended the day with two presentations, one on innovation and smart cities initiatives from the City of Chicago’s Department of Innovation and Technology (DoIT), and the other from David Stone, who works in the ArchTam Chicago office and serves on the board of the Old Town SSA on the north side of Chicago.

The DoIT presentation summarized analytics tools used to evaluate an ever-growing amount of data the City of Chicago collects on a day-to-day basis. The presentation reinforced the many ways in which the city is using analytics to enhance service delivery and reduce costs. The SSA presentation focused on the framing and day-to-day realities of how an SSA functions by discussing issues such as the role of contracted services, governance and budgeting.

David’s presentation also placed the Wells Street SSA in context, framing the nature of commercial activity along with what is a vibrant commercial corridor today. The presentation focused on the importance of enabling legislation and creating programs that can allow for the creation of special benefit districts, such as SSA.

Denise Casalino (Denise.Casalino@archtam.com) is senior vice president, Chicago Metro area manager, in ArchTam’s Chicago office.

The post Funding Chicago’s urban infrastructure: AUS-US exchange appeared first on Blog.

I was happy to be part of the team that welcomed the U.S.-Australian City Exchange participants on their first stop in Los Angeles. As a transportation and land use planner in the Los Angeles office with an academic background in international development, it was fascinating to hear the infrastructure and development financing challenges faced by local government officials in Australia. Many of the issues faced in Australia around financing redevelopment and revitalization are similar to those in Los Angeles. It was great to share how tools that I have worked on, such as community facilities financing districts and state and local grant programs, could apply to help local communities around the world.

Los Angeles was chosen as the first stop because it is a leading global city, with strengths in business, international trade, entertainment, culture, media, fashion, science, sports, technology, education, medicine and research; and it was particularly interesting to the delegates as an example of a leading global city due to LA’s status of being ranked sixth in the Global Cities Index and 13th in the Global Power City Index.

Our focus in Los Angeles was transit-oriented development and the use of rail connectivity to add value to the surrounding areas. Participants took part in presentations and site visits to see how federal funding for transit and housing has been combined with private investment and local funding sources to enable catalytic projects that have transformed neighborhoods.

On Sunday, Edward Blakely, chair, Future Cities Collaborative, and honorary professor in Urban Planning, United States Studies Centre, hosted a walk-and-talk for the Australian city leaders that toured the Santa Monica Pier and 3rd St Promenade. He used these sites as examples of municipal financing and strategic urban design in redevelopment.

On Monday, our opening workshop discussed the governance and project delivery process, as well as the mature development around Hollywood/Vine and how local transit station redevelopments, transit infrastructure and the accompanying developments were funded. (Above, City Exchange participants view new transit-oriented development at the heart of Hollywood at the Hollywood/Vine light rail station. The project combines an upscale hotel with retail and residential uses.)

Another workshop focused on One Santa Fe, a new downtown apartment and retail development financed from public-private partnerships. One Santa Fe is expected to contribute to the ongoing invigoration of downtown LA and lead to additional investment in the Arts District. One of the newest and largest developments in the Arts District, One Santa Fe is significant in its iconic architecture, provision of affordable housing units, and public-private partnership delivery mechanism. The project was developed by a private partner, with an 80-year land lease from the public sector on a former parking and maintenance site.

We also visited Pasadena, where we examined mixed-density and mixed-use developments, including retail and entertainment along Colorado Boulevard. One of the highlights was learning about the Business Improvement District (BID) model and downtown revitalization, including the innovative methods the city has used to leverage value from their parking structures to finance redevelopment. A formerly blighted area, Old Town Pasadena was transformed by the BID to provide safety, public information and marketing, branding, and cleaning to the District. The BID is largely funded by an assessment fee that property owners have voted to charge themselves, as well as revenue from parking meters and structures throughout the district.

The case studies viewed in Los Angeles had significant parallels to the issues faced by Australian mayors, such as transforming aging and underutilized industrial areas, providing mobility and access via transit, and leveraging adjacent natural resources such as open space and riverfronts. By seeing how government has incentivized and partnered with the private sector, as well as how local private entities have organized themselves to revitalize neighborhoods and realize catalytic new projects, the delegates will return to their home cities at the end of this week with an expanded infrastructure financing tool-box — inclusive of some of the significant lessons learned from LA — to tackle their most pressing issues.

Veronica Siranosian (veronica.siranosian@archtam.com) is transportation & land use planning manager in ArchTam’s Los Angeles office.

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