VI.3. Corridor Development Initiative (CDI) – Process and Report; Beekman 4C2:
August 3, 2015 Council Report 2015-088
Corridor Development Initiative (CDI)—Process and Report
Proposed Action
Staff recommends accepting the Hopkins Blake Road LRT Station Area Development
Guidelines with the following motion: Move to accept the Hopkins Blake Road LRT Station
Area Development Guidelines.
Overview
Between April and May, 2015, the Twin Cities Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC)/
Corridor Development Initiative (CDI) was invited by the Blake Road Corridor Collaborative
(BRCC) and the City of Hopkins to facilitate a series of four community workshops to engage
community members to explore scenarios for redevelopment near the future Blake Road LRT
station area, and provide recommendations for community and design guidelines for future
development.
The Corridor Development Initiative (CDI) offers the opportunity for the community to help
guide future development rather than simply react to specific development proposals. As the
Green Line LRT extension and the Blake Road LRT Station Area proceeds from planning to
implementation, the CDI process was identified as a way to engage the community and create a
vision for what is possible.
The sites that were selected for the CDI exercise include some aspect (or intent) of public
ownership, and are in close proximity to the Blake Road LRT Station:
A. The Joint Development site, south of the Blake Road LRT Station (proposed for a
park-and-ride and possible joint development by Metro Transit)
B. 43 Hoops Basketball Academy site and adjacent parcel to the north of the Blake
Road LRT Station (43 Hoops site is owned by the Hennepin County Rail
Authority)
C. Cold Storage site (owned by the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District)
Primary Issues to Consider
• What is the CDI Process?
• What were the outcomes of the process?
• What does it mean to accept the Hopkins Blake Road LRT Station Area Development
Guidelines?
Supporting Documents
• Hopkins Blake Road LRT Station Area Development Guidelines
• !lock Exerc.. Summ- y Sheet
Meg :e-kman
Community Development Coordinator
Analysis of the Issues
What is the CDI Process?
The CDI consisted of four community workshops held at the Blake School. Approximately 85
community members attended the workshops, aimed at gathering input on community values and
concerns, and exploring a variety of development scenarios that could meet those values. The
process involved a technical team of facilitators, designers, developers, and city staff to inform
and support participants as they considered options. Included throughout the process was
information and updates on the status of the Green Line LRT extension by Metro Transit’s
Southwest LRT Project Office. The purpose of the CDI process is to identify guidelines or
objectives for redevelopment that will advance community goals and respond to market forces.
The first workshop offered an opportunity to gather information about the Blake Road corridor,
both for the residents and also the facilitators. Presentations from the City of Hopkins, the
Southwest LRT Project Office, Minnehaha Creek Watershed District, Hennepin County, and the
Metropolitan Council helped inform residents about the context of the sites. Residents were then
asked to share both what they saw as assets for the area and their concerns about future
development.
The second workshop asked residents to create their own development scenarios using blocks
that represented various land uses and densities. Architects on hand then sketched the
development scenarios while a developer ran the scenario through a pro forma to see if it was
financially feasible. At the third workshop a developer round table was asked to provide their
input on the scenarios that were created in the second workshop. Residents then were able to ask
the developers questions regarding what might be possible around the station area in the future.
What were the outcomes of the process?
At the fourth and final workshop residents worked together to draft the Hopkins Blake Road
LRT Station Area Development Guidelines that reflected the community’s vision for the area
through consensus (see attached).
A full Summary Report and Final Recommendations can be found on the City’s website here:
http://www.hopkinsmn.com/news/2015/blake-road-lrt-workshops.php
What does it mean to accept the Hopkins Blake Road LRT Station Area Development Guidelines?
The City Council is being asked to accept the Development Guidelines that were created by the
community through the CDI process. By accepting the document the Council is acknowledging
it, and agreeing to take it into consideration as a resource as we continue to work with the
Minnehaha Creek Watershed District and others on the planning and development of the Blake
Road station area and corridor.
Requested Action
Move to Accept the Hopkins Blake Road LRT Station Area Development Guidelines
Alternatives
The Council has the following alternatives:
Accept the Hopkins Blake Road LRT Station Area Development Guidelines
Not accept the Hopkins Blake Road LRT Station Area Development Guidelines
Attachments
Hopkins Blake Road LRT Station Area Development Guidelines
Hopkins
BLAKE ROAD LRT STATION AREA
Development Guidelines
May 2015
Sponsored by:
Blake Road Corridor Collaborative
City of Hopkins
Overview
Hopkins is a dynamic community of over 17,000 residents located just 13 minutes west of the Twin Cities.
Founded rich in tradition and growth, Hopkins offers the advantages and conveniences of a large city with the
security of a small town. The residents and the business community have an enormous sense of pride and sup
-
Three of the Southwest LRT transit stations will be located in Hopkins, one of which is the Blake Road Station.
Already a mixed-use, higher density district, the transit stop will offer greater regional access to jobs and ameni
-
ties. A partnership between the City of Hopkins, Hennepin County Community Works, the Minnehaha Creek
Watershed District (MCWD) and the Met Council, is transforming Cottageville Park to increase the amount
of green space along Blake Road, improve the water quality of the Creek, and make the creek more accessible
and visible to the community. Phase one of this $3 million project will be completed in October of 2015. The
new park will include new play equipment, trails, lighting, a permanent community garden with water source
and tool shed, and extensive new landscaping. When the project is complete the park will be nearly three times
larger.
Development Guidelines
HOPKINS BLAKE ROAD LRT STATION AREA :
1
Blake Road Potential Development Sites
0100200400Feet
C
B1
B2
A
Blake_Parcels
Platforms
Roadways
Sidewalks
Tracks
Trails
Freight Rail
With the advent of the light-rail transit investment, the Blake Road Corridor Collaborative and the City of
Hopkins partnered with Twin Cities LISC / Corridor Development Initiative to lead a series of community
workshops to explore development options and scenarios for existing or proposed redevelopment sites that
include public ownership near the Blake Road LRT station area. These development objectives are the result of
the community workshops, and serve to inform the future development of the area surrounding the Blake Road
LRT Station.
redevelopment potential:
A. The Joint Development site, south of the Blake Road LRT Station (proposed for a park-and-ride and
possible joint development by Metro Transit)
B. 43 Hoops Basketball Academy site and adjacent parcel to the north of the Blake Road LRT Station (43
Hoops site is owned by the Hennepin County Rail Authority)
C. Cold Storage site (owned by the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District)
All three sites will be integrated with Blake Road and its improvements in pedestrian, bike, and vehicle access.
2 HOPKINS BLAKE ROAD LRT STATION AREA : Development Guidelines
Above: Images from Downtown Hopkins
ASSETS
The City of Hopkins offers a wonderful quality of life through:
building culture, character and common bonds;
theater, and residential components.
parks, housing and public services.
education schools.
Park, and Minnetonka.
small companies and retail businesses.
3 HOPKINS BLAKE ROAD LRT STATION AREA : Development Guidelines
Above: Sites near the Blake Road LRT Station. Clockwise from l to r: Joint Development site, 43 Hoops
Basketball Academy, Cold Storaage site, and the Cedar Lake LRT regional trail.
DEVELOPMENT GUIDELINES
The Blake Road Station has been noted for its strong redevelopment potential along the Southwest LRT
Corridor in various planning studies. Factors supporting redevelopment in the Blake station area include a large
and diverse population base, good station access, several strategic sites available for redevelopment, a number
the proposed station platform, the Hennepin County-owned 43 Hoops site presents a near-term redevelopment
opportunity for transit supportive uses. The Cold Storage site, now owned by the Minnehaha Creek Watershed
District, and several underutilized sites along Excelsior Boulevard offer additional redevelopment opportunities
near the station. A potential joint development project includes a park- and- ride ramp that may be able to be
incorporated with a mixed-use development facing Blake Road and the station platform, located just south of
the station.
The proposed for the three parcels, including the Pawn America site, immediately south
Joint Development (A)
of the Blake Road LRT Station will house a structured parking ramp (245 parking stalls) to help increase access
and ridership of the Green Line. Currently, SPO and the City of Hopkins are partnering to explore working with
a private developer to incorporate additional components to increase the functionality, value and appeal of the
site.
The Well loved by the Blake Road community,
43 Hoops Basketball Academy (B1) and adjacent site (B2)
the 43 Hoops Basketball Academy sits on a site owned by the Hennepin County Regional Railroad Authority
situated just north of the proposed Blake Road LRT Station. The parcel was purchased for potential transit
purposes, and offers the opportunity for higher density residential and other transit-related uses given its
proximity to the transit station. The adjacent site is considered to be underutilized given the future potential of
the area. The community has expressed strong desire for a community center in the area, for which 43 Hoops
has served as a surrogate.
4 HOPKINS BLAKE ROAD LRT STATION AREA : Development Guidelines
Above: Some of the many amenities Hopkins has to offer. Top: Cargill campus, Bottom r: Blake School,
Bottom l: New commercial development on Blake Road.
The was seen as the site with the greatest redevelopment potential because of its size
Cold Storage site (C)
(approximately 17 acres), proximity to natural amenities which also buffer nearby uses, and visibility and
access to Blake Road. Of critical importance on this site will be the integration of storm water management
and expansion of the Minnehaha Creek Greenway. This section of the creek is currently the worst offender for
pollutants draining into the creeks watershed. Because of the sites central location and size, attention should
be given to creating connectivity to the surrounding amenities (e.g. Minnehaha Creek, Cottageville Park, Three
Rivers Bike Trail, Blake Road LRT Station), and providing for walkable areas.
The opportunity is great to explore how transit-oriented development could further enhance the area by
addressing accessibility, livability, and strengthening the pedestrian environment for people of all ages
and abilities. It might be advantageous to move the smaller sites to the south and north of the Blake
Cold Storage site. It is important that the Blake Road Station maintain its neighborhood character,
attracting smaller scale retail and services, and utilizing public art or green space to make it memorable.
The Blake Road LRT Station offers an important opportunity to capitalize on the transit and natural
amenities in the area, strengthen the multi-modal access, and provide for a mix of housing options to
serve the needs of the community.
5 HOPKINS BLAKE ROAD LRT STATION AREA : Development Guidelines
Above: Pizza Luce located near the future Blake Road LRT station.
Recommendations for redevelopment of the site include:
Goal 1: Create stronger connections and walkability for the Blake Road area
A. Create a connected, walkable, mixed-use, sustainable neighborhood, with a pedestrian-oriented and
human-scale streetscape.
B. Greater pedestrian / bicycle safety through better signage and slowing cars on Blake Road.
C. Improve the permeability of Blake Road by creating more areas for pedestrians to cross safely.
D. Improve safety and security through partnership with the Citys Police Department, Three Rivers
Police, and Metro Transit, with strategies such as greater security presence, improved lighting, and
other practices such as CPTED (Community Policing Through Environmental Design).
E. Pursue transit-oriented design that enhances multi-modal access, and provide for bicycle
accommodations (racks, lockers, etc.) for businesses and residents.
F. Connect site / LRT station area to bike trail.
G. Pedestrian access to the Blake Road LRT Station from the north (e.g. 43 Hoops site)
H. Add green space to soften the built environment that would allow for outdoor use year-round.
J. Limit surface parking with new development encourage underground or structured parking.
K. Improve connections with the Cargill Corporate Headquarters to strengthen local businesses.
Goal 2: Preserve the neighborhood diversity
L. Maintain cultural and ethnic diversity, and the needs of those communities.
M. Provide for a range of housing types and affordability to meet the needs of all people throughout their
life and changing lifestyle needs.
innovative ways to address the dynamic and changing needs of residents.
O. Strengthen the vitality of the area through increased density and mixed commercial and residential uses.
Q. Enhance the intergenerational opportunities in the community.
R. Engage neighborhood residents in planning for redevelopment projects early in the process.
S. Promote high-quality design.
6 HOPKINS BLAKE ROAD LRT STATION AREA : Development Guidelines
Above: Bike trail near the future downtown Hopkins LRT station.
Goal 3: Improve water and environmental quality
regional storm-water management to improve water quality for Minnehaha Creek.
W. Connect the Minnehaha Creek Greenway to the newly expanded Cottageville Park and downstream trails
and open space.
X. Ensure community access to the Minnehaha Creek Greenway, the Three Rivers Park bike trail, and other
public open spaces.
Y. Reduce the areas carbon footprint.
Z. Incorporate sustainable development practices into new construction projects.
Goal 4: Strengthen residential and neighborhood-oriented retail to enhance vitality and livability
Support was expressed for:
family size (both rental and ownership options).
the area.
weaves the neighborhood together to enhance livability (see Trust for Public Lands report: Greening
the Green Line http://www.tpl.org/our-work/parks-for-people/green-line-parks-and-commons).
Kersten Elverum, Director of Economic Development & Planning
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
952-548-6340 / kelverum@hopkinsmn.com
7 HOPKINS BLAKE ROAD LRT STATION AREA : Development Guidelines
HOPKINS/BLAKE ROAD |
43 Hoops Site
Blake Road Potential Development
HCRRA parcels
1 inch = 20 ft
0204080Feet
Legend
Potential Development
Platforms
Tracks
Freight Rail
Roadways
Sidewalks/Trails
M
STATION PLATFOR
BLAKE
SCENARIO #1
DETAILS
40 Market Rate Rental Units
60 Home ownership units
Total Units: 100
Average building height: 3-4 stories
Levels of below grade parking 1
25,000 s.f. of retail
KEY IDEAS
43 Hoops would move across to the cold storage site allowing
this site to become a destination for people getting off LRT
and place to stop along the bikeway. Retail would consist of
boutiques, coffee shops, and cafes similar to ones found on Grand
Avenue. Bike trail through site to connect the two existing trails
with a central green space. Access to Pizza Luce through site.
RESULTS:
listed at $350,000; which is high for this particular area, but this
makes the assumption that the entire area around the rail stop
would increase in perceptual value.
CORRIDOR DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE: HOPKINS/BLAKE ROAD APRIL 20, 2015
HOPKINS/BLAKE ROAD |
43 Hoops Site
SCENARIO #2: HOPKINS SPORTS COMPLEX & HOTEL
DETAILS
No housing
Average building height 1-2 stories
New 25,000 s.f. building for 43 Hoops
75,000 s.f. Marriott Courtyard hotel with a skyway connection to
43 Hoops
KEY IDEAS
Rebuild the 43 Hoops building on the southern side of the site,
with an outdoor sand volleyball court. 43 Hoops would have
programs for seniors such as Silver Sneakers. The connecting
hotel will be used for guests to stay when visiting the area for
basketball tournaments.
RESULTS:
(or any other committed commercial use). In other words, a
full-blown market study would have to be done to determine
commercial feasibility.
SCENARIO #3: HOPKINS SAND VOLLEYBALL & RETAIL
DETAILS
No housing
Average building height 1-2 stories
New 25,000 s.f. building for 43 Hoops
30,000 s.f. commercial
KEY IDEAS
Rebuild the 43 Hoops building on the southern portion of site to
act as a buffer to rail corridor. Adjoining outdoor sand volleyball
court. Northern portion of site includes small retail shops. Trail
connection through site and central green space.
RESULTS:
City would also have the sports complex costs to consider.
CORRIDOR DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE: HOPKINS/BLAKE ROAD APRIL 20, 2015
HOPKINS/BLAKE ROAD |
Joint Development Site
STATION PLATFORM
BLAKE
NEW
ROAD
SCENARIO #1: SCENARIO #2:
TARGET EXPRESSCORAL COURTYARD ON BLAKE
DETAILS:DETAILS:
11 Affordable rental units30 Affordable rental units
44 Market rate rental units70 Market rate rental units
Average building height: 4 storiesAverage building height: 4 stories
Levels of below grade parking 2Levels of below grade parking 2
40,000 sf commercial50,000 sf commercial
KEY IDEASKEY IDEAS
Mixed use & housing with 4-5 bedroom options, Target Mixed use & housing with three room apartments, and a
on the cornerpocket park.
RESULTS:RESULTS:
$3 million dollar loss, but if density is pushed it could be Similar feasiblity issues as Scenario One.
feasible. However, it is highly questionable whether this
location will, or should, support so much commercial; it
SCENARIO #3:
NEIGHBORHOOD NEXT
overwhelms the developments prospects, and it is likely
DETAILS:
that a current market study would show this amount of
40 Housing units
commercial space as unfeasible on the site. Of course,
25,000 sf commercial
one major commercial user committed to the site could
KEY IDEAS
change that.
Mixed housing and commercial
RESULTS:
Although this is less commercial square footage than in
Scenario Two, the same feasibility issues apply here.
The unit density proposed is NOT enough to maximize
the sites potential, to meet the Citys expectations nor to
attract a quality developer.
CORRIDOR DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE: HOPKINS/BLAKE ROAD APRIL 20, 2015
HOPKINS/BLAKE ROAD |
Cold Storage Site
SCENARIO #1: SCENARIO #2:
HOPKINS HAVENUTOPIA
DETAILS:DETAILS:
125 affordable rental units100 affordable rental units
125 market rate rental units100 market rate rental units
125 Home ownership units50 Home ownership units
TOTAL UNITS: 375TOTAL UNITS: 250
Average building height: 3.5 storiesAverage building height: 4.5 stories
Levels of below grade parking 2Levels of below grade parking 2
20,000 s.f. retail, 60,000 s.f. hotel
: Pond in center, ring road, park
KEY IDEASKEY IDEAS
Storm water pond at low point of site and along stream.
RESULTS:
Low density along creek with high density behind.
could be a good amenity, and be gracefully connected to the
Larger units, 3+ bedrooms
creek and trail system and light rail stop.
RESULTS:
In the spreadsheet this scenario still has a big feasibility gap,
Not feasible physically, too much building for the site
and:
available, especially since a TON of parking would be
upon how a market feasibility study goes. Logically, the hotel
space when youre realistically done with the parking
actually belongs on the other side of the road nearer to the transit
situation. Two levels of underground parking is very,
stop.
very expensive, and the current market here likely does
not support that extra cost (and, there is probably a high
probably be eliminated from a development plan, unless the plan
water table here).
becomes even more dense than proposed. It wouldnt surprise
us if the water table is also high here, creating even more cost
issues with going deeper into the ground.
current market study would show feasible, unless there is a big
user who wants to be in that location.
and more interesting to a developer.
CORRIDOR DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE: HOPKINS/BLAKE ROAD APRIL 20, 2015