Prioritizing People at Rice and Larpenteur

Abstract

Metro Transit’s Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Office was established to support TOD throughout the Twin Cities metropolitan region. In anticipation of an expanding regional transit system, the TOD Office sets the best TOD design standards for developers, municipalities, and communities. Managing these controls requires an understanding of land allocation in these sites. This information can help to determine whether or not current and potential developments will be successful in the future, can be used in education efforts regarding TOD, and can contribute to future TOD site selection. The objectives of this report are to understand land allocation at transit nodes throughout the region; analysis will identify the components that led to successful TOD in the region, and provide site-specific recommendations for TOD at the intersection of Rice Street and Larpenteur Avenue The Existing Conditions section examines the regional context for transit-oriented development in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. Specifically, we look at the history of TOD in the Twin Cities, identify factors contributing to a successful TOD based on qualitative and quantitative research, and explore the TOD policy in local and regional comprehensive plans. Based on the information found in these points, seven existing/proposed transit nodes in the Twin Cities region were selected. Each node’s current conditions and development potential was analyzed. Furthermore, each node’s vehicles, buildings, and people spaces were determined to create a ratio. The analysis concluded that there is no ‘golden standard’ for the land allocation. The ratio still has a purpose. The vehicle-building-people land ratio is an educational tool and conversation starter. Based on the findings from the Existing Conditions, the Action Plan proposes site-specific recommendations for the neighborhoods that meet at the Rice and Larpenteur intersection. Given that spaces for vehicles dominate the site of Rice and Larpenteur, we develop a set of action plans to sponsor a more human-centered, rejuvenated, and sustainable development in the area. Within the action plan, we developed a set of strategic goals and policies. These are broken up into the following sections: community now and the community later, transportation, and economic development.