Mixed Use Development Proposal - Arlingtonva
May 13, 2015 Case Study: Arlington Mill Community Center Jennifer Smith, Columbia Pike Revitalization Coordinator, Department of Community Planning, Housing & Development
Presentation Outline
• Background • Initial Development Proposal (2002 – 2005) • Mixed Use Proposal (2005 – 2009) • Final Project (2009 – 2013) • Lessons Learned
2
Background 1996: County purchases vacant Safeway site at Dinwiddie Street and Columbia Pike • Acquisition cost: $2.35M • Renovation cost: $1.66M 1998: County leases 63% of building to APS • APS programs intended to move to old Shirlington Library site after 5 years 3
Initial Development Proposal • APS and County decide to jointly fund and build a shared facility at Arlington Mill • Community Center • Continuing education high school • Arlington Education and Employment Program (REEP)
• Allocation of space within facility approximately 50/50 County/School programs
4
Initial Development Proposal • March 2002: County adopts Columbia Pike Initiative – A Revitalization Plan • Arlington Mill site designated for a “civic building”
• 2002 – 2003: Work team consisting of County and APS staff, community members, and design team develop overall vision for building and programs • Included public forums and work sessions with program and service providers • More diverse set of services than typically offered at County community centers • Much larger facility than other County Community Centers
5
Initial Development Proposal • 2004: Arlington Mill Steering Committee established • Work with APS & County staff and architect to develop schematic design, using 2003 Community Process Report as benchmark • Provide input on materials, landscape, Four Mile Run buffers, parking strategies
• Early 2005: Design work begins on project • September 2005: County and APS decide to proceed independently on respective programs • APS interest in moving ahead with a shorter timeline at an alternate site • County interest in pursuing public-private partnership to help finance community center • Columbia Pike Revitalization Plan and its 2005 update emphasized mixed-use development and affordable housing 6
Mixed Use Development Proposal • Winter 2005-06: County finalizes community center program, including community preference for larger gym and flexible classrooms • Summer/Fall 2006: County issues Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for private development partner • Responses indicate multi-family housing as an additional use
7
Mixed Use Development Proposal • November 2006: Voters approve $26M bond funding to construct community center • May 2007: County selects Public Private Alliances as joint development partner • 2007 – 2008: Arlington Mill Review Committee meetings, and frequent Community Update meetings with Steering Committee allow for public input on development proposal
8
Mixed Use Development Proposal • County/PPA Form-Based Code proposal: • 6-story mixed use community center/retail/residential building • 5-story residential building • 3 stories of below-grade parking • Public plaza • Residential component: 192 apartments (131 market rate and 61 affordable) • Affordable component financed in part by Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) Image source: PPA
9
Mixed Use Development Proposal • June 2008: County Board approves use permit for project • PPA unable to secure financing for market rate portion of development due to recession
10
Final Mixed Use Project • December 2009: County Board directs staff to proceed with modified, phased plan for community center and plaza, including parking structure • Decision eliminates residential portion of community center building • Board commits to development of at least 61 affordable units on remainder of site
• June 2010: County gives initial consideration to relocating Columbia Pike Library to Arlington Mill site • County Manager withdraws proposal due to strong community support for keeping library at existing location
11
Final Mixed Use Project • June 2010: County issues Request for Proposals for a new development partner for residential component • September 2010: County Board approves Use Permit Amendment • Separates project into two phases for community center and residential building • Community center building height changes from approved 6 stories (3 community center + 3 housing) to 5 stories (all for community center uses with ground floor retail)
• October 2010: County selects Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing (APAH) as new development partner
12
Final Mixed Use Project • APAH Proposal for Arlington Mill Residences: • Approved residential building reduced to 122 units; height reduced to 4 stories • Addressed community concerns • Reduced construction costs per unit • Shortened construction time • 100% committed affordable units, including 13 permanent supportive housing units and units for lower-income households (30, 50, and 60% of the Area Median Income) • County offered below-market rate ground lease, built parking garage for entire site at one time (APAH purchased its share of common garage) • Co-location with community center reduced costs by $75,000 per unit 13
2013: Community Center Opens
2014: Residences Completed
Lessons Learned • County seized the opportunity to acquire an available site without a definite long term program plan • Later community engagement process and broader Columbia Pike planning led to vision of a mixed-use project to anchor revitalization efforts • Form-Based Code anticipated civic buildings along corridor • Prescriptive set of design standards, allowed for more streamlined process • Community embraced code; helped build community support for mixed-use development
16
Lessons Learned • Neighborhood Steering Committee was critical to site programming and design • Persistence – keep working the deal • County maximized height and building space of community center at time of construction • Portions of building left unfinished to allow for future program expansion as County grows • Less costly to build upfront than to add on later 17
Lessons Learned • Constructing parking garage upfront saved on total project costs versus separate garages for each phase and caused less disruption to the neighborhood • Community center retail space not yet occupied – difficulties of locating in a public building • Form-Based Code approval process allowed housing to meet ambitious timeline without delaying community center construction 18
Lessons Learned • Affordable housing can be a good partner in public land • Reduced land costs allowed APAH to leverage LIHTC equity and provide housing at lower income tiers • Meets County goals of locating affordable housing near transit and providing community center programs and amenities to residents
19
Presentation Outline
• Background • Initial Development Proposal (2002 – 2005) • Mixed Use Proposal (2005 – 2009) • Final Project (2009 – 2013) • Lessons Learned
2
Background 1996: County purchases vacant Safeway site at Dinwiddie Street and Columbia Pike • Acquisition cost: $2.35M • Renovation cost: $1.66M 1998: County leases 63% of building to APS • APS programs intended to move to old Shirlington Library site after 5 years 3
Initial Development Proposal • APS and County decide to jointly fund and build a shared facility at Arlington Mill • Community Center • Continuing education high school • Arlington Education and Employment Program (REEP)
• Allocation of space within facility approximately 50/50 County/School programs
4
Initial Development Proposal • March 2002: County adopts Columbia Pike Initiative – A Revitalization Plan • Arlington Mill site designated for a “civic building”
• 2002 – 2003: Work team consisting of County and APS staff, community members, and design team develop overall vision for building and programs • Included public forums and work sessions with program and service providers • More diverse set of services than typically offered at County community centers • Much larger facility than other County Community Centers
5
Initial Development Proposal • 2004: Arlington Mill Steering Committee established • Work with APS & County staff and architect to develop schematic design, using 2003 Community Process Report as benchmark • Provide input on materials, landscape, Four Mile Run buffers, parking strategies
• Early 2005: Design work begins on project • September 2005: County and APS decide to proceed independently on respective programs • APS interest in moving ahead with a shorter timeline at an alternate site • County interest in pursuing public-private partnership to help finance community center • Columbia Pike Revitalization Plan and its 2005 update emphasized mixed-use development and affordable housing 6
Mixed Use Development Proposal • Winter 2005-06: County finalizes community center program, including community preference for larger gym and flexible classrooms • Summer/Fall 2006: County issues Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for private development partner • Responses indicate multi-family housing as an additional use
7
Mixed Use Development Proposal • November 2006: Voters approve $26M bond funding to construct community center • May 2007: County selects Public Private Alliances as joint development partner • 2007 – 2008: Arlington Mill Review Committee meetings, and frequent Community Update meetings with Steering Committee allow for public input on development proposal
8
Mixed Use Development Proposal • County/PPA Form-Based Code proposal: • 6-story mixed use community center/retail/residential building • 5-story residential building • 3 stories of below-grade parking • Public plaza • Residential component: 192 apartments (131 market rate and 61 affordable) • Affordable component financed in part by Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) Image source: PPA
9
Mixed Use Development Proposal • June 2008: County Board approves use permit for project • PPA unable to secure financing for market rate portion of development due to recession
10
Final Mixed Use Project • December 2009: County Board directs staff to proceed with modified, phased plan for community center and plaza, including parking structure • Decision eliminates residential portion of community center building • Board commits to development of at least 61 affordable units on remainder of site
• June 2010: County gives initial consideration to relocating Columbia Pike Library to Arlington Mill site • County Manager withdraws proposal due to strong community support for keeping library at existing location
11
Final Mixed Use Project • June 2010: County issues Request for Proposals for a new development partner for residential component • September 2010: County Board approves Use Permit Amendment • Separates project into two phases for community center and residential building • Community center building height changes from approved 6 stories (3 community center + 3 housing) to 5 stories (all for community center uses with ground floor retail)
• October 2010: County selects Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing (APAH) as new development partner
12
Final Mixed Use Project • APAH Proposal for Arlington Mill Residences: • Approved residential building reduced to 122 units; height reduced to 4 stories • Addressed community concerns • Reduced construction costs per unit • Shortened construction time • 100% committed affordable units, including 13 permanent supportive housing units and units for lower-income households (30, 50, and 60% of the Area Median Income) • County offered below-market rate ground lease, built parking garage for entire site at one time (APAH purchased its share of common garage) • Co-location with community center reduced costs by $75,000 per unit 13
2013: Community Center Opens
2014: Residences Completed
Lessons Learned • County seized the opportunity to acquire an available site without a definite long term program plan • Later community engagement process and broader Columbia Pike planning led to vision of a mixed-use project to anchor revitalization efforts • Form-Based Code anticipated civic buildings along corridor • Prescriptive set of design standards, allowed for more streamlined process • Community embraced code; helped build community support for mixed-use development
16
Lessons Learned • Neighborhood Steering Committee was critical to site programming and design • Persistence – keep working the deal • County maximized height and building space of community center at time of construction • Portions of building left unfinished to allow for future program expansion as County grows • Less costly to build upfront than to add on later 17
Lessons Learned • Constructing parking garage upfront saved on total project costs versus separate garages for each phase and caused less disruption to the neighborhood • Community center retail space not yet occupied – difficulties of locating in a public building • Form-Based Code approval process allowed housing to meet ambitious timeline without delaying community center construction 18
Lessons Learned • Affordable housing can be a good partner in public land • Reduced land costs allowed APAH to leverage LIHTC equity and provide housing at lower income tiers • Meets County goals of locating affordable housing near transit and providing community center programs and amenities to residents
19
