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Twin Cities Case Study: Hiawatha Corridor

Twin Cities Case Study: Hiawatha Corridor. Twin Cities Regional Transit Vision. By 2030, region expected to grow by nearly 1 million , with 91% to 95% of new growth forecast to be located in the urban area

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Twin Cities Case Study: Hiawatha Corridor

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  1. Twin Cities Case Study:Hiawatha Corridor

  2. Twin Cities Regional Transit Vision • By 2030, region expected to grow by nearly 1 million, with 91% to 95% of new growth forecast to be located in the urban area • In a 2003 regional survey, metro area residents listed traffic congestion as the region’s top problem • Combination of Light Rail, Commuter Rail, and Busways to provide a comprehensive transit network • Encourage development and reinvestment in centers that combine transit, housing, offices, retail, services, open space and connected streets that support walking and bicycle use • Improve access to jobs and choices in housing

  3. Ridership in Transit Zones Transit Dependent: • 74% of households in transit zones own 0-1 cars, compared to 40% for the Region • 32% of workers in transit zones walk, bike or take transit to work, compared to only 7% for the region • Even before the light rail line, transit ridership, walking, and biking were substantially higher in the Hiawatha corridor than in the region Diversity of income levels • 35% of households in transit zones earn less than $20,000 per year • 57% earn less than $35,000 per year • Hiawatha median income was $31,000 in 1999 as compared to regional median of $54,000

  4. Demand for Housing Near Transit • By 2030, between 110,000 – 124,000 Twin Cities’ households will have a potential demand for living near transit (roughly 6% of region’s households) • Nationally, demand for housing near transit could double to over 15 million households. • Household size is shrinking, with singles and couples without children being the new majority. • 49% of the households with a potential demand for living near transit qualify as Low Income • 4,000-9,000 new housing units could potentially be located on underutilized sites in the Hiawatha corridor to accommodate projected future demand

  5. Snapshot of the Hiawatha Corridor • Light Rail corridor that runs 12 miles and includes 17 stops. • Connects multiple regional destinations and residential neighborhoods between downtown Minneapolis and the Mall of America in Bloomington. • Service Began in 2004, with over 30,000 riders reported in June 2006 – well exceeding forecasts. • Residents Within ½ Mile Radius • Population – 42,377, • Households – 17,870 • Residential Density: 18 Dwelling Units per Residential Acre • Median Income in 1999 • Corridor (1/2 mile radius of stops) - $30,571 • Region - $54,304 • Strong neighborhood organizations

  6. Tremendous Development Response in Last 3 Yrs. • 11,931 housing units and 1,054,436 square feet of commercial space have been built, are under construction, planned or proposed within a half mile of the 17 stations. • 7,000 units of housing have already been either proposed or built within a half mile of the Hiawatha Line since 2000. • The majority of these projects, (65 out of 108 total projects and 45 out of 72 residential and mixed use/residential projects), are within the half-mile areas surrounding the four Downtown stations • Transit investment has leveraged higher-density TOD in historic industrial areas • “Hot Market” for Downtown station areas Recent Planned and Proposed Development, since 2003

  7. Courtesy Metropolitan Council

  8. Need to Ensure Long-Term Affordability • Corridor has a median household income of $31,000, versus $54,000 for region • Only 37% of units are owner-occupied (versus 70% for the region) creating potential for displacement • Out of 72 new residential projects since 2003, only 25% (18) are affordable or mixed income Residential Development along Hiawatha since 2003

  9. Land Constraints in the Corridor • Variety of distinct land uses and development types • Civic uses (i.e. airport, VA Hospital, Fort Snelling) dominate the corridor at 54% of total land uses and limit redevelopment potential • Multiple funding sources and jurisdictions, including Federal, impede coordination

  10. Lessons & Opportunities • Little coordination of housing and transit policies have resulted in missed opportunities • 504 underutilized acres identified as potential redevelopment sites along the corridor • Many new development projects outside downtown are smaller infill projects and not the larger “catalytic” projects necessary to promote a rider-transit link

  11. Station Example: High Lake • Located roughly mid-point on the Hiawatha line, divided by transportation infrastructure, with a number of large underutilized sites. The majority of households are low-income (median income in 1999 of only $23,342) and transit-dependent. • Available sites are being bought up by speculators or developers building small projects that are not making highest and best use of property near the station. • Plans for improvements and connections are now in place or moving forward but better coordination during initial planning and design would have ensured critical development. 2001 preferred concept

  12. Moving Forward… • Market response is strong and positive • Clear need for increased coordination to link housing and transportation • Multiple jurisdictions require greater regional coordination • A variety of tools and interest exists at local, county, regional and state level – how to leverage? • Need to address infrastructure, clean-up, and pedestrian issues at future redevelopment sites • Capitalize on market strength to achieve community benefits

  13. Breadth of Policies at Work Housing • Unified Housing Policy • Inclusionary Housing Account Grants • Family Affordable Housing Program • Local Housing Incentive Account Transit Oriented Development • Livable Communities Funding • POD overlays and station area planning • Hennepin County TOD program

  14. Lessons from Other Regions for the Twin Cities • Boston – power of local community development corporations joining together to address and create corridor opportunities • Denver – power of a regional TOD framework to guide investments and change zoning • Charlotte– power of incentives to create affordable housing and infrastructure upgrades • Portland– power of large scale development sites to achieve broad community benefits Government leadership is key.

  15. To Learn More.. http://www.reconnectingamerica.org Local Resources: • The City of Minneapolis http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/cped/ • Hennepin County http://wwwa.co.hennepin.mn.us/portal/site/HCInternet • The Metropolitan Council http://www.metrocouncil.org/transportation/lrt/lrt.htm

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