What Works To Make Transit-Oriented Development Equitable Here in The New Urban DTMesa?

Transit Transforms Communities. But Not All by Itself.

by Richard Manson, Program Vice President, LISC.

In  a recent story from LISC what makes this work demands

focus, money and determination on the part of communities and their leaders.
Your MesaZona blogger recently sent an email to the Public Information Office of Mayor John Giles asking for a follow-up quote to a couple of lines in an earliest post about a grant from State Farm
"In Arizona, funding will advance a corridor redevelopment plan in Tempe and commercial revitalization work along Main Street in Mesa.

Mesa Mayor John Giles, among other city, state, and national leaders working in public-private partnerships, has been a strong supporter for transit-oriented development to regenerate the New Urban Downtown Mesa.
He was a part of the on-site visit here last summer by SF Fed Reserve Bank President John Williams to encourage investment in Creative Place Making."

Quite surprisingly, this arrived in the inbox quite fast

Hi Tim,

Here is a quote from Mayor Giles.

 “I’m excited for all of the opportunities that transit oriented development can bring to downtown Mesa. From arts and education to housing and nightlife, I can’t wait to see what’s next.”

Thanks,

Melissa Randazzo
Public Information
Office of the Mayor

This blog started out just one year ago writing and publishing about transit-oriented development here in The New Urban Downtown Mesa, having attracted some interest with over 21,000 views.

"We know mass transit can link a neighborhood to the world: it’s an affordable conduit between home, school, work, shopping and cultural life. But making transit-oriented development equitable demands focus, money and determination on the part of communities and their leaders, writes LISC’s Richard Manson in a blog for the U.S. Department of Transportation. 

. . . When I talk to people about the inherent opportunities in mass transit, there are really only two things I want them to remember.First, in low-income communities, public transportation can be an economic engine with lasting implications for housing, jobs, schools, safety, and health. And second, those gains aren’t happenstance. Local officials and neighborhood nonprofits need to aggressively go after transit-oriented (TOD) investment dollars if they want to leverage bus and rail lines to transform struggling areas.

Encore on First

To date, the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) [external link] has invested more than $400 million in TOD projects.  We’ve learned that the difference between success and failure, often, is an intentional effort to bring TOD dollars to places starving for new capital.  It takes strong collaborations among city leaders, community groups, and residents to make that happen. And, when it does, the impact is significant.
[Blogger's note: for example this Real Estate Design Award 2014 for Encore On First seen in the image to the left - the first public/private investment here in over 30 years. Mayor John Giles and Councilmember Dave Richins recently visited this property to take a look at the second project by developers Charles Huellmantel and Todd Marshall, Encore On First West that will have new residents moving in this month]

Today, Phoenix, Mesa, and Tempe are benefitting from more than $8 billion in public and private TOD investments for residential and business development —much of it in places that might not typically attract interest from developers.  That includes hundreds of new, affordable apartments near the light rail in downtown Phoenix —ensuring that people on limited incomes can still live close to good transit. And it encompasses a range of services, like a new Financial Opportunity Center in Mesa just steps from a rail stop that opened last fall.  The Center is part of a LISC network that helps low-income families find good jobs and grow their incomes. It opened in a TOD project that includes new affordable housing, a Head Start program, and health care. . .
It makes sense that transit is a catalyst for growth. People want to live near good public transportation because it connects them with jobs, schools, businesses, and services well beyond the boundaries of their neighborhood. That’s particularly important for low-income people reaching for new opportunities.
But it’s easy to overlook the additional benefits within a community when transit is part of a comprehensive strategy for change.  Better housing is built.  Businesses set up shop.  Streets become safer.  Each gain builds on the others, and people have a real chance to live better.
Transit investments lay the groundwork.  The rest is up to us.

[Originally published as:"Transit fuels transformation in struggling neighborhoods"
Fast Lane, the official blog of the U.S. Department of Transportation]

2016 Commercial Real Estate Outlook – Spotlight on Mesa for Future Office, Industrial & Transit-Oriented Growth

Posted on January 19, 2016January 19, 2016 by JD Beatty

[Blogger's note: image to the left is from yesterday's EDAB meeting where JD Beatty gave an update to members of the economic development advisory board on Mesa's Strategic Plan - that's the back of his head]

We feel the recent expansion of the light rail further into Mesa will be a significant draw for new employers and developers who are looking to take advantage of transit-oriented locations and developments.
“Along the light rail corridor, Mesa is pushing for vertical integration of mixed-use development that will encompass residential, office and retail development, said Mesa Economic Development Director William Jabjiniak. Also, as some of the submarkets become built out, they become land-locked, making Mesa an affordable alternative, Jabjiniak added.”
We are excited for 2016, and will continue working to make Mesa an attractive place to develop & invest, to start & grow a business, and to live/work/play. #NextMesa