Los Angeles Union Station, CA Sustainable Neighborhood Assessment April 22-23, 2014
Sustainable Neighborhood Assessment Through the Sustainable Neighborhood Assessment Tool developed by Global future development in their communities to achieve high levels of environmental, a means to evaluate existing conditions and plans for Union Station, in order to identify opportunities to augment current revitalization efforts and develop recommendations to increase the neighborhood s overall level of sustainability. Assessment Team + Funding Global Green USA
Contents: p.04 Neighborhood p.06 Recommendations p.08 Assessment p.18 Appendix p.22
C California 11 0 Fr ee w ay 10 es 1 Fr ee w ay a
Study Area C ha ve za ve LA R iver. Alameda St. ar Union Station 1st St.
The goal of the Sustainable Neighborhood Assessment process is to identify sustainable urban development over the short and long term. The objective Global Green USA utilizes the Sustainable Neighborhood Assessment Tool, the degree that it correlates to regional or local policy priorities, regulatory This initial assessment serves as the point of departure for the Global Green incorporate the team s visual observations and the contextual issues raised by This assessment process then enables the team to identify a series of neighborhood s sustainability. Recommendations also cover policy, planning, and sources of funding. Sustainable Neighborhood Assessment: Los Angeles, CA
Neighborhood Assets 1. 2. 3. 4. Historic architecture 4. 5
terminal building, rail yards and platforms. The Union Station property is located in surroundings. For the purposes of this assessment, Global Green expanded the study area to include the neighborhoods surrounding the station to the north, south and Speed Rail. These updates include accessibility and programmatic improvements system is ready. higher levels of service and passenger comfort, Union Station s success as a regional Sustainable Neighborhood Assessment: Los Angeles, CA
Neighborhood Challenges 1. 2. 3. 4. Station is surrounded by challenging infrastructure and vacant parcels 5.
Recommendation Approach and Strategy health of the river, and ensure that the highest level of green building techniques are employed. through careful study of regional and local planning documents, city staff and neighborhoods and revisit land use needs and designations in the area around Union Station that is poised for dramatic transformation. As the character of north and support increased ridership. highlights the fact that for Metro to achieve its vision of Union Station as a vital neighborhood asset, conditions. As pedestrian and cyclist facilities improve, Union Station s local recognizes the river as a underutilized asset in the community capitalizes on the improvements to Union Station and its surrounding buildings to improve the environmental performance of individual structures, and combine infrastructural Sustainable Neighborhood Assessment: Los Angeles, CA
Recommendations 1 Update Alameda 3 River Connections 2 Neighborhood Connectivity 4 Construction 9
1 Recommendation surrounding neighborhoods. In light of this transformation, and in order for Union and zoning for the industrial areas to the east and south, determine community encourage compact, connected, and complete communities through a variety of its vision for the area, Union Station can be better connected to its surrounding these areas that supports transit ridership. NPD credits 9 and 10 - Access to Civic and Public Spaces and Access to Recreation Facilities highlight the importance of opportunities for passive and active interaction amongst residents. Current efforts Metro to connect Union Station passengers and visitors to this underutilized natural asset. Credit 3, Mixed-Use Neighborhood Centers encourages the development throughout and surrounding Union Station property. Sustainable Neighborhood Assessment: Los Angeles, CA
Action Items 1 1. st Street. 2. land use designations for the areas east and south of Union Station so that the Station is increasingly connected to its surroundings to help it become a 3. in the area, there is a commensurate need for neighborhood amenities such parcels surrounding Union Station should incorporate these community needs to solidify Union Station s role in the neighborhood. the Alameda to include surrounding community cohesion and facilitate development decisions. 11
2 Neighborhood Connectivity Recommendation station largely operates as an island unto itself. This isolation is the cumulative result discourages cyclists from incorporating Union Station s facilities and services into their commuting patterns. automobiles. Neighborhood Pattern and Design (NPD) prerequisites 1, 2 and 3 work in concert to support this vision by requiring Walkable Streets, Compact Development and Connected and Open Communities quality retail and services such as a grocery store so that residents can complete Smart Location and Linkage (SLL) credit 4, Bicycle Network and Storage, any improvements or introductions of Sustainable Neighborhood Assessment: Los Angeles, CA curb cuts and large garage entrances automobiles and pedestrians and discourage
Action Items 2 1. Union Station to provide connections to surrounding communities and foster 2. : Introduce cycling accommodations in the area immediately property to provided secure, enclosed storage for residential buildings 3. Station are very large and present challenges to neighborhood connectivity The introduction intersections surrounding Union Station could improve connectivity neighborhoods and facilitate cycling and area 13
3 River Connections Recommendation near the Station. Recent planning, engineering and design efforts have begun its efforts to use this catalytic project as a means to provide river access from Union these improvements in health, function and accessibility, including the River as part and a space for passive and active recreation. Finally, Green Infrastructure and explored in depth. Sustainable Neighborhood Assessment: Los Angeles, CA River as it passes by Union Station
Action Items 3 1. options to provide access under or over the existing rail lines. 2. found on Metro property and its immediate vicinity. In addition to integrating 3. : Recent development pressures compounded by Union Station s underscores the River s potential to be a neighborhood asset for both passive management and native planting strategies on all development projects. Angeles River is effectively inaccessible near and around Union Station 15
4 Recommendation recently built and planned residential, commercial and civic structures. As part of the historic station and adjacent structures on the property, Metro s commitment set standards for substantive reductions over baseline conditions that should be on the River. Sustainable Neighborhood Assessment: Los Angeles, CA
Action Items 4 1. 2. 3. capturing rainfall from the 80 th percentile or greater storm and the reuse of Union Station s Historic terminal building presents an opportunity to integrate green preservation
Sustainability Assessment baseline conditions. Additional analysis has been done based on local planning into an overall assessment of sustainable neighborhood performance. overall level of sustainable neighborhood performance for Union Station. Many estimate of the neighborhood s potential level of future achievement. It should be noted that this is a rough measure of performance and not an exact representation recognizing these constraints, the categories generated through the assessment Total Current Conditions 9 8 44 21 15 29 6 15 100 36 39 Sustainable Neighborhood Assessment: Los Angeles, CA
Sustainability Assessment LEED for Neighborhood Development: Project Assessment Checklist Baseline Conditions Local/Regional Planning Priority Regulatory Support Technical feasibility Market Support Neighborhood Need/ Stakeholder Input Legend Achieved Unkown Not Achieved Does not exist/ NA Explicit support/ no technical issues Lack of explicit support/ minor technical issues Opposition/ signficant technical issues Not Applicable Smart Location & Linkage P 1 Smart Location P 2 Imperiled Species and Ecological Communities P 3 Wetland and Water Body Conservation P 4 Agricultural Land Conservation P 5 Floodplain Avoidance C 1 Preferred Locations C 2 Brownfield Redevelopment C 3 Locations with Reduced Automobile Dependence C 4 Bicycle Network Total Points C 4 Bicycle Storage C 5 Housing and Jobs Proximity C 6 Steep Slope Protection C 7 Site Design for Habitat or Wetland and Water Body Conservation C 8 Restoration of Habitat or Wetlands and Water Bodies C 9 Long-Term Conservation Management of Habitat or Wetlands an Total 0 impact sensitive habitats and transit access is outstanding. 19
Sustainability Assessment LEED for Neighborhood Development: Project Assessment Checklist Baseline Conditions Local/Regional Planning Priority Regulatory Support Technical feasibility Market Support Neighborhood Need/ Stakeholder Input Legend Achieved Unkown Not Achieved Does not exist/ NA Explicit support/ no technical issues Lack of explicit support/ minor technical issues Opposition/ signficant technical issues Not Applicable Neighborhood Pattern & Design P 1 Walkable Streets- Principal Entries P 1 Walkable Streets- Building Height to Street Width Ratio P 1 Walkable Streets-Continuous Sidewalks P 1 Walkable Streets-Garage and Service Bays P 2 Compact Development P 3 Connected and Open Community C 1a Walkable Streets : Facades and Entries C 1b Walkable Streets: Ground-Level Use and Parking C 1c Walkable Streets:Design Speed for Safe Ped and Bike Travel C 1d Walkable Streets: Sidewalk Intrusions C 2 Compact Development C 3 Mixed-Use Neighborhood Centers C 4 Mixed-Income C 4 Diverse Communities C 5 Reduced Parking Footprint C 6 Street Network C 7 Transit Facilities C 8 Transportation Demand Management C 9 Access to Civic and Public Spaces C 10 Access to Recreation Facilities C 11 Visitability and Universal Design C 12 Community Outreach and Involvement C 13 Local Food Production C 14 Tree-Lined and Shaded Streets C 15 Neighborhood Schools streets. 2 11/20/2 Sustainable Neighborhood Assessment: Los Angeles, CA
Sustainability Assessment LEED for Neighborhood Development: Project Assessment Checklist Baseline Conditions Local/Regional Planning Priority Regulatory Support Technical feasibility Market Support Neighborhood Need/ Stakeholder Input Legend Achieved Unkown Not Achieved Does not exist/ NA Explicit support/ no technical issues Lack of explicit support/ minor technical issues Opposition/ signficant technical issues Not Applicable Green Infrastructure & Buildings P 1 Certified Green Building P 2 Minimum Building Energy Efficiency P 3 Minimum Building Water Efficiency P 4 Construction Activity Pollution Prevention C 1 Certified Green Buildings C 2 Building Energy Efficiency C 3 Building Water Efficiency C 4 Water-Efficient Landscaping C 5 Existing Building Use C 6 Historic Resource Preservation and Adaptive Reuse C 7 Minimized Site Disturbance in Design and Construction C 8 Stormwater Management C 9 Heat Island Reduction C 10 Solar Orientation C 11 On-Site Renewable Energy Sources C 12 District Heating and Cooling C 13 Infrastructure Energy Efficiency C 14 Wastewater Management C 15 Recycled Content in Infrastructure C 16 Solid Waste Management Infrastructure C 17 Light Pollution Reduction Project Totals (Certification estimates) Certified: 40-49 points, Silver: 50-59 points, Gold: 60-79 points, Platinum: 80+ points Station s surrounding grounds. 3 11/20/ 21
Appendix A. transportation options and sites that have been previously developed or are immediately adjacent to existing development. through minimum thresholds for density, internal and external connectivity, and management, recycled content in infrastructure such as roadbeds and energy Sustainable Neighborhood Assessment: Los Angeles, CA
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