TORTI GALLAS and partners, inc

How to Retrofit Your Suburb to

Make a Downtown

April, 2010

Where to Start

TORTI GALLAS and partners, inc

What should the Town

look like?

How do I attract new

residents, businesses and
visitors?

How can we leverage

greater economic
development?

?
How do we make sure
our vision is realized?

Should we preserve
our heritage?

How can we recognize

our assets?

TORTI GALLAS and partners, inc

Know what has been said (and done)

One Year Action Plan 2009
Five Year Action Plan 2005-2009
2007 Annual Report on Comprehensive Plan
2006 Comprehensive Plan
2009-2018 Capital Improvements Budget Draft Plan
1990 NB Downtown Master Plan
Existing Land Use
Future Land Use
Open Space Master Plan
Strategic Parks and Recreation Master Plan (Draft 2008)
Restricted Zone Changes
Signage Ordinance
Development Standards
Design Standards
Zoning Districts Map
Zoning Ordinance
List of Ordinances that may be applicable to new development
Subdivision Ordinance
Platting Ordinance
Sign Ordinance
FEMA website for Floodplains & GIS
Bikeway and Trail Master Plan
County Thoroughfare Plan (2005)
City Thoroughfare Plan (2005)
TX DOT Plan
Road Impact Fee Requirements

Austin-San Antonio Commuter Rail Project (2004

Feasibility Update)
Comal River Water Recreation Are Parking and
Circulation Study & McKenna Hospital Area
Parking Study
Summary of Events and Initiatives Related to
Prince Solms Parking Lots
Walnut Avenue Reconstruction Project
Segments 1, 2, 3
Economic Development Marketing Strategy for
2008-10
Retail Community Profile
NB Convention Center Info
Chamber of Commerce Business Directory
Tourism Statistics
List of Bed and Breakfast
Benchmark Survey
Comal Tourism Study
Town Creek Market Strategy
The Impact of Tourism in Comal County
Master Plan for Wurstfest
Chamber of Commerce Marketing Materials
New Braunfels Historic Resources Survey
(January 2009)
TX Historical Commission Preserving Our
Heritage A Statewide Plan for Texas
Main Street Association

TORTI GALLAS and partners, inc

Know what has been said (and done)

Understand the Economic Strategy

Know Your Assets

TORTI GALLAS and partners, inc

Historic?
Regional Employer?
Tourist Attraction?
Interstate Highway?
Active Citizens?
Artist Enclaves?

TORTI GALLAS and partners, inc

Understand the Economic Strategy

Focus Energy Rather than Dispersing it

TORTI GALLAS and partners, inc

Focus on Branding & Signage

A Brand is:
Compelling
Repeatable
Identifiable
Supportable (Authentic)
Turns lemons into lemonade
-Why go to [your town]
-Why shop, live, work, play or stay in [your town]
-

TORTI GALLAS and partners, inc

Tie Early Phase Development to Land Values

Supportable Rents or Sales Prices

TORTI GALLAS and partners, inc

3
Create a Compelling Vision

TORTI GALLAS and partners, inc

3
Create a Compelling Vision

TORTI GALLAS and partners, inc

3
Create a Compelling Vision

TORTI GALLAS and partners, inc

3
Create a Compelling Vision

TORTI GALLAS and partners, inc

3
Create a Compelling Vision

TORTI GALLAS and partners, inc

3
Create a Compelling Vision

TORTI GALLAS and partners, inc

3
Create a Compelling Vision

TORTI GALLAS and partners, inc

4
Make Great Streets

TORTI GALLAS and partners, inc

Consider on-street parking as flex space

TORTI GALLAS and partners, inc

Consider on-street parking as flex space

TORTI GALLAS and partners, inc

4
Make New Connections

TORTI GALLAS and partners, inc

Make it safe (and inviting) to walk

TORTI GALLAS and partners, inc

Make it safe (and inviting) to walk

TORTI GALLAS and partners, inc

4
Design for Slower Traffic

TORTI GALLAS and partners, inc

4
Put Your Road on a Diet

TORTI GALLAS and partners, inc

4
Put Your Road on a Diet

TORTI GALLAS and partners, inc

Mix your uses, densities, & building types

Single Family Home

Mixed-use Tower

Mix pedestrian-friendly frontages

TORTI GALLAS and partners, inc

Arcade

Awning

Gallery

Shopfronts

Activate a Mix of Open Spaces

TORTI GALLAS and partners, inc

Ampitheater

Pocket Park

TORTI GALLAS and partners, inc

Use a Form-Based Code

Tool for regulating development to achieve a specific urban form.

Creates a predictable public realm by controlling physical form (less focus on land use).
Addresses the relationship between building facades and the public realm.
Addresses the form and mass of buildings.
Addresses the scale and types of streets and blocks.
Regulatory not advisory.

TORTI GALLAS and partners, inc

Reform parking Seven Strategies

Charge the Right Price for Curb Parking

Return Meter Revenue to the Neighborhoods
Invest Parking Revenues in Better Transit
Universal Transit Passes
Unbundle Parking Costs
Share Parking
Remove or Reduce Minimum Parking Requirements

Reform parking Toolkit

Park-once strategy
Shared parking

TORTI GALLAS and partners, inc

Enforce / Introduce on-street parking time limits

Establish Parking Review Board
Create Downtown Parking Benefits District

Price on-street (curb) parking

Provide Downtown employees with discount to Park-once garages
In lieu fees for developers.
Update minimum parking requirements to reflect trip generation
Reduce parking requirements for desired development.

Lavish attention on implementation

Five Key Areas

TORTI GALLAS and partners, inc

Prioritize Actions
Streamline the Regulatory Framework

Create Public/Private Partnerships

Incentivize Development
Identify Funding Sources and Mechanisms
Establish a Downtown Champion to Carry the Plan Forward

TORTI GALLAS and partners, inc

Reform parking = Increased Land Value

TORTI GALLAS and partners, inc

Establish a Set of Critical Success Factors

TORTI GALLAS and partners, inc

Link Success Factors to Policy Changes

TORTI GALLAS and partners, inc

Assign Responsibility, Timeline & Funding

TORTI GALLAS and partners, inc

Fix Your Downtown

Know Your History
Inventory the Market
Create a Compelling Vision
Make Great Streets
Mix your uses and building types
Reform Parking
Lavish attention on implementation