ULI the Urban Land Institute

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ULI - the Urban Land Institute
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Fort Lauderdale Beach Advisory Services Panel

• November 10 - 15, 2002

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Special Thanks to our Primary Sponsors

• City of Fort Lauderdale
• and
• Beach Redevelopment Advisory Board (BRAB)

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What is ULI?

• Non-profit research and educational organization
• Mission to promote responsible leadership in the
  use of land to enhance the total environment
• 17,000 members representing all real
  estate-related professions worldwide

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What is the Advisory Services Program?

• An objective assessment of challenging land use
  planning and real estate development issues
• By a panel of experts who volunteer their time
• Serving non-profit, public and private sector
  sponsors
• Conducting18-20 panels each year throughout the
  U.S. and abroad

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The Teams Assignment

• The City asked
• Are we on the right track?

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Two Futures are Possible

• Benign Neglect
• or
• Affirmative Attention

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A Suggested Vision

• A Resort Community with a Beach Lifestyle
• What it includes?
• What it excludes?

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Initial Observations

• The need for an updated and coherent Master Plan
• The importance of Phasing
• The value of Leadership

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ULI Panelists

• William H. Hudnut, III (Chair) Senior Resident
  Fellow, ULI, Washington, DC
• David C. Biggs, Economic Development Director,
  City of Huntington Beach, CA
• Donald J. Bredberg, CEO, Adventure Studios, Inc.,
  Burbank, CA
• Michael R. Buchanan, (retired) Managing Director,
  Bank of America Real Estate Banking Group,
  Atlanta, GA
• Ross Tilghman, Principal, TDA Inc., Seattle, WA

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• Barbara Faga, Chair of the Board, EDAW, Inc.,
  Atlanta, GA
• Marshall Kramer, Senior VP, Walker Parking
  Consultants, Elgin, IL
• W. Thomas Lavash, Senior Associate, Economic
  Research Associates, Washington, DC
• Mark Papa, Vice President, Lee Associates,
  Washington, DC
• Tom J. Storrs, Design Principal, HNTB
  Corporation, Washington, DC

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MarketPotential
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Economic/Demographic Overview

• Population Trends
• Employment Trends
• Economic Engines
• Tourism
• Marine-related

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Hotel Market Overview

• 2002 results lower than 2001
• Market focus on domestic and drive-in visitors
• Two major opportunity areas
• Rainbow alliance
• Family audience

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Hotel Development Potential

• No new hotel rooms built in the last 10 years --
  big pipeline
• Near-term barriers to development of new rooms
• Viability of 5-star product
• Renovation/meeting space

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Condo-Hotel/Fractional Ownership

• Condo-hotel is a financing tool -- fundamentals
  apply
• Early positive results
• Timeshare has not yet demonstrated viability

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Commercial Development Opportunities
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Office Market Conditions

• Job growth fuels demand
• Weak economy vacant space
• Downtown as employment center
• Central Beach not a viable submarket
• Solid niche in marine-related office

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Office Development PotentialLive Work Play

• Opportunities for marine-related
• New housing to support professional offices
• Locations should provide visibility, parking
• Co-locate marine office space with marinas

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Retail Market Conditions

• Visitors spend 4.1 billion
• Las Olas Blvd economic success
• Substantial retail leakage only 270,000 sf of
  inventory
• Tenant turnover at Beach Place
• Street level retail limited quality

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Retail Market PotentialsCasual Sophistication

• Identify opportunities to extend visitor stay
• Support public initiatives
• Façade improvements
• High-quality destination restaurants
• New housing limited demand for convenience retail

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Residential Market Conditions

• 3,200 existing units cap of 5,500
• Strong market demand
• 800 units proposed
• 10-year build-out
• Pricing 250-375/sf

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Residential Development OpportunitiesWhat a
Place

• High-quality design is critical
• Support historic preservation in North Beach
• Public initiatives streetscape, code enforcement
• Build brand identity NoBe, Rainbow
  Alliance/CVB

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Planning and Design
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• Marina District
• Beach Entertainment District
• Mid-Beach District
• North Beach Community District
• Sunrise Lane District

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• Revitalization Plan
• Zoning Code/Guidelines
• Districts/Uses
• Destination Resort
• Preservation/Revitalization
• Regulation/Approvals
• Pedestrian Scale
• Goals Objectives

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Transportation Objectives

• Greater convenience
• Easier to understand
• More walkable
• More resort like

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Transportation System

• Street Network
• Parking
• Transit
• Walkways and bicycle routes
• Water routes
• Signs

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Street Improvements

• Need two-way traffic
• 42 scheme
• 4 lanes on Seabreeze Boulevard
• Retain 2 lanes on A1A
• Improves access, reduces peak congestion
• Better fits residential/resort setting
• Enhances pedestrian realm

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Street Improvements (contd)

• Clean up awkward intersections
• Seabreeze/A1A
• Birch Rd/Cortez
• Sebastian/Seabreeze Boulevard
• Birch Rd as a neighborhood street
• Narrow (28 feet for travel lanes)

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Parking Guidelines

• Modest additions (300-400 spaces now)
• More as development/activities increase
• Locate close to destinations (400-500 feet)
• Locate along Seabreeze Boulevard
• Understand market

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Pedestrians and Bikes

• Set pedestrian priorities in core
• 25 mph speed limits in all areas between Harbor
  Drive and Bayshore Street
• Reclaim sidewalk space from poorly located poles,
  street furniture
• Maximize sidewalk width
• Improve amenities at transit stops
• 2-way bike circulation on A1A, Seabreeze Boulevard

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Beach Circulator

• Consider high frequency route (5 to 15 minutes)
• Operate daily in peak season, weekends in
  off-peak
• Distinctive appearance and high convenience
• 440,000 operating cost per year

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Water Routes

• New destinations
• Bonnet House
• Hugh Birch Taylor State Park
• North Beach Community
• Marina/Public Market

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Signs

• New gateway
• Wayfinding
• Regulatory

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Parking
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The City of Fort Lauderdale needs to establish a
Parking Authority
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Benefits

• Increase parking revenues and profits
• Build a comprehensive parking data base
• Fulfill a parking deficit of 500 spaces
• Identify 6 parking facilities
• Establish a Parking Authority

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Benefits (contd)

• Acquire, construct, improve, maintain and operate
  parking
• Generate more profits thru leasing retail space
• Airspace above/ground space below may be sold or
  leased
• Issue bonds secured by pledge of revenue

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Benefits (contd)

• Ability to acquire site
• Establish a phased parking growth plan

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Development Strategy
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Update Master Plan Zoning

• Public participation is paramount to success
• Use photo simulation to illustrate development
  and compatibility
• Use sector plans for special locations
• Independent technical design review
• Reduce the political process
• Substitute the master plan for non-conforming use
  and compatibility provisions

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Projects

• A1A Promenade
• North Beach Community
• Sunrise Beach Village
• Palazzo
• Mid-City Garage
• Bonnet House
• Taylor Birch St Pk

• Bahia Mar
• Aquatic Hall of Fame
• Public Beach Facilities
• Public Market
• Las Olas Park/A1A
• Water Taxi/Bus

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Bahia Mar

• Must be a win for everyone
• International Boat Show central location
• Design must maintain the resort community
  ambiance
• Active street character transparent and
  accessible
• Excellent example of private public partnership

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Aquatic Hall of Fame

• Major family attraction, 50K annual room nights
• Validates the international attraction and beach
  identity
• Scheduled 25M in renovations to meet
  international standards
• Keep the Hall of Fame . . Keep the identity

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Public Beach Facilities Public Market

• The site is a natural
• The connection is complete Public Market to Las
  Olas Park to Beach and Promenade
• Wave wall--tremendous investment and iconic image
  
• Beach facilities--restrooms, concessions, police
  precinct, lifeguard facilities
• Public sector sets the quality standard

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Las Olas Park at A1ABeach Center

• Plaza with active entertaining open space and
  parking
• Interactive water feature
• Performing arts stage
• Focus development at the northwest and southwest
  corners
• Expand beachside promenade
• Assure quality design--public sector leads

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Palazzo Las Olas

• Excellent opportunity for beach gateway
• Flexibility of height vs. building forms
• Parking could be scaled back

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Resort PromenadeThe A1A Streetfront

• Design guidelines
• Encourage active streetside uses
• Cart/kiosk concessions

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North Beach CommunityA Heart for North Beach

• A place for true neighborhoods
• Preservation, adaptive reuse, new construction
• An infill opportunity
• Transit improvements

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Sunrise VillageNorth Beach Anchor

• Recommend public parking facility to allow change
• Good parking intercept location for visitors
• Adaptation of buildings constrained by parking
  limit

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Other Catalysts

• Water taxi - best ride in town
• Mid-beach garage
• Bonnet House connection
• Hugh Taylor Birch State Park
• Public beach renourishment

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Development that is responsive to a community
vision is possible with a solid strategy in place

• An updated Beach Master Plan
• Consistent approval process
• Communication of The Vision
• Best use of public funds
• Sound public intervention strategies

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Implementation
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Definitional Issues

• Redevelopment
• The big R
• The little r
• A hybrid

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Implementation Strategy Highlights

• Update Master Plan
• Review and consolidate prior studies
• Identify areas of opportunities
• Define linkages

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• Community Outreach/Public Participation Process
• Outside team of consultants
• Skilled in public facilitation
• Selected as part of RFP
• No affiliation

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• Utilize Public Intervention Tools Techniques
• Site assembly
• Marketing, promotion and special events
• Business Improvement District/Assessment District
• Economic incentives
• Public facilities and services

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• Define Public Sector Role in Private Development
  Projects
• Lack of financial motivation
• Facilitator
• Leverage with investment in infrastructure
• Certainty/ease of entitlements

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• Expand Funding Options to Accomplish Vision
• Developer Advance with project specific repayment
• City commitment of resources
• Invest in design/entitlements for capital
  projects
• Use existing public assets as leverage/catalyst
• Bond programs, grants, other public funding
  opportunities

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• Modify City Organization and Staffing
• High level champion for the beach
• Provide additional dedicated staff resources
• Elected officials mandate of support

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Private Public Sector CoordinationA Key to
Quality Redevelopment

• A Shared Vision of Reality
• Understanding the compromise of redevelopment
• Relieving stakeholder concerns through ample
  public services
• Redirecting private sector involvement

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Financial Reality in Resort Community Real Estate
Development

• Risks/Rewards and Hotel, Residential and Retail
  Development
• - Diverging Risks post recession and 9/11
• - Land use restriction and market reality
• Compromise
• Hotels CondoLower Risk
• Land as Place
• Density, Profit and certainty

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Location, Location and ..Timing

• Leadership, Compromise and a quality resort
  community

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Redevelopment Initiative Timeline

• Initiative
• Modify City Organization and Staff
• Identify and empower
• The Beach Champion
• Dedicate additional staff resources

• Timeline
• Y1 Y2 Y3 Y4 Y5

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Master Plan Update

• Timeline
• Y1 Y2 Y3 Y4 Y5

• Initiative
• Community Workshop Process
• Independent marketing and design consultant
• Concerned Participants
• Independent Consultants Report
• Significant Zoning Design and Approval Process

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Concurrent Completion of Public Initiatives

• Timeline
• Y1 Y2 Y3 Y4 Y5

Initiative Signage Street Improvements Parking
Parking Authority Market Assessment Designed
property acquisition Construction
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Concurrent Completion of Public Initiatives
Initiative Parks and Open Spaces Public
Catalyst Projects Beach Promenade Beach
Facilities Las Olas Park Core Area
Parking Public Market

• Timeline
• Y1 Y2 Y3 Y4 Y5

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Concurrent Continuation of Approved Future
Private Projects

• Timeline
• Y1 Y2 Y3 Y4 Y5

Initiative Hotels Mixed Use High Density
condominium and rental housing Retail
Driven by market demand and financial imperatives
Driven by market demand and financial imperatives
Current high demand with good financial
feasibility. Limited by state imposed maximum
Small projects or within mixed use
projects. Driven by market.
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Conclusion

• The Vision
• A Resort Community with a Beach Lifestyle

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Recommended Market Focus

• A strong economic base with tourism and marine
  related engines
• More moderately-priced family segments are a good
  fit
• Upgrade street-level retail and physical
  appearance to extend visitor stay
• Encourage revitalization of historic properties
• Identify locations for marine-related and
  professional office space

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Planning Design Recommendations

• Convert A1A to 2-way
• Eliminate disconnect between code language and
  approved projects
• Enforce guidelines to create pedestrian friendly
  environment (more water taxi-stops, better
  signage for wayfinding)

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• Regulatory environment that encourages
  development
• Develop beachfront facilities
• Enhance resort image
• Improve auto, bicycle, pedestrian circulation and
  start a beachfront circulator
• Expand parking facilities in six areas and
  establish a parking authority

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Development Strategies for the City to Follow

• Update Master Plan
• Make approval process more open and predictable
• Conduct independent design review
• Build on 14 catalytic initiatives to create a
  quality visitor, tourist and residential
  experience
• Enact PUD Ordinance

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Implementation Recommendations

• Designate aBeach Champion
• Expand special events
• Commit greater public investment
• Foster private investment
• Find workable compromises on contentious issues
• Phase-in projects

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Thank You