West Lake TOD Project by Farr Associates

WEST LAKE

TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT HAMMOND |

MUNSTER

September 2017

| DYER

ormative Experience You Can Count On

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority (NWIRDA) Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD) City of Hammond Town of Munster Town of Dyer

ce Making

STEERING COMMITTEE

n is one of the world’s most respected innovators in Transit Oriented Development Bill Hanna Can Count On CEO, NWIRDA RDA Experience Transformative focus is in strategically forging theYou link between transit and development to catalyze Sherrimaking. Ziller GB brings the insights COO, NWIRDA revitalization, resiliency and place and knowledge Bill Sheldrake President, PALLC (RDA Financial Advisor) om four decades of successfully shaping public policies, land use plans and transit he scale of the region, the corridor and individual Iman Ibrahim (NIRPC) sites. Planner, NIRPC Pete Novak CEO, GNIAR

iented Development

Making brings four decades of successfully forging Michael Noland President NICTD ween transportation and land use create a JohntoParsons Vice President Planning & Marketing community revitalization, sustainable development Cassandra Francis Chief Real Estate & Development Officer making. GB has directed 125+ TOD Nicoleplans Barkerand Director of Capital Investment & Implementation munities in more than 25 states and 7 countries to n their access to transit to create communities of Tysons Mayor Thomas M. McDermott, Jr. Transforming Mayor, City of Hammond Hammond e. Dean Button, PE City Engineer GB Place Making GB Arrington is one of the world’s most respected innovators in Transit Oriented Development Brian L. Poland, AICP Director of City Planning (TOD). GB’s focus is in strategically forging the link between transit and development to catalyze

esigned for Development

community revitalization, resiliency and place making. GB brings the insights and knowledge

Makinggarnered brings a four proven to help from decadespartner of successfully shapingensure public policies, land use plans and transit Dustinand Anderson Town Manager projects at the scale of the region, the corridor individual sites. Munster king transit design and city shaping. GB’s Thomas Vander Woude Planning Director king experience on transit projects balances place Transit Oriented Development GB Place Making brings four decades of successfully forging at transit, TOD, seamless community integration Lee Ann Mellon Town Council Member the link between transportation and land use to create a development to create communities that are catalyst for community revitalization, sustainable development Ben Bochnowski CEO/COO Peoples Bank New Lynn Station place making. GB has directed 125+ TOD plans and kable and and vibrant. GB has shaped transit design in helped communities in more than 25 states 7 countries to Johnand Castro Business Owner wo dozen communities spanning major capitalize on their access to transit to createevery communities of Transforming Tysons value. rapidlasting transit, streetcar, light rail, commuter rail, Tom DeGuilio Town Manager Dyer Transit Designed for Development nd high speed rail. GB Place Making brings a proven partner to help ensure Mary Tanis Town Council Member success linking transit design and city shaping. GB’s groundbreaking experience on transit projects balances place making, great transit, TOD, seamless community integration and private development to create communities that are livable, walkable and vibrant. GB has shaped transit design in more than two dozen communities spanning every major mode – bus rapid transit, streetcar, light rail, commuter rail, heavy rail, and high speed rail.

CONSULTANT TEAM

118 b@gmail.com acemaking.com/

971.282.5118 arrington.gb@gmail.com http://gbplacemaking.com/

New Lynn Station

TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 05 PART ONE: PURSUING TOD PROJECT BACKGROUND 08 WHAT IS TOD? 10 NEW STARTS COMPETITIVENESS 12 TOD TYPOLOGIES 14 STATION AREA OVERVIEWS 16 PART TWO: CREATE A LONG-TERM VISION VETTED BY THE COMMUNITY MARKET STUDY 25 STATION AREA VISION PLANS 39 MOBILITY 67 PART THREE: IMPLEMENT THE VISION TO ENSURE HIGH-QUALITY DEVELOPMENT REGULATING FRAMEWORK 79 DEVELOPMENT ANALYSIS 95 APPENDIX: ADDITIONAL INFORMATION STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEWS 106 PRELIMINARY STATION AREA PLANS 108 MOBILITY MEMO 120 PRO FORMA RESULTS AND ASSUMPTIONS 126

Figure 1. Proposed West Lake Corridor

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The West Lake Corridor Extension Project offers Northwest Indiana a catalytic opportunity to invest in strengthening its ties to the Chicago region’s economy, which is the third largest in the U.S. The essence of the West Lake TOD Project is to leverage the future commuter rail service proposed in the West Lake Corridor Project to connect Hammond, Munster, and Dyer to the Chicago Loop and spur hundreds of millions of dollars of development within walking distance of four new commuter stations. This transit-oriented development will boost the economy of Northwest Indiana and offer new, healthier lifestyle choices for Hoosiers.

low-rise, residential character by adding paired homes and pocket parks. The Munster Ridge Road station includes a variety of land uses with higher density, pedestrian-friendly infrastructure, as well as pocket parks and enhanced open spaces. The Munster / Dyer Main Street features growth of a new neighborhood with townhomes, multifamily housing, and neighborhood services. Assuming rail funding is secured in the near future, bringing the development plans from paper to life requires the public sector to “set the table” for private sector development. Attracting private developers to implement these proposed plans requires a predictable marketplace, one that reduces the approval and financing risks faced by developers. Risk reduction focuses on three topics addressed by this process and documented in this report: (1) community support, (2) regulations, and (3) infrastructure funding.

This TOD Project serves two purposes: (1) to support the funding application to build the rail facilities, and (2) to position the communities for development readiness. Securing “New Starts” funding from the Federal Transit Administration to build the rail extension is a highly competitive national process. Successive governors and the Indiana State Legislature have shown impressive leadership to position Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District’s application to be “shovel ready” on day one, a fundamental requirement for funding. However, a solid rail plan alone will not win funding. The TOD vision plans shown in Part Two and the regulating framework shown in Part Three are essential to compete successfully with the ambitious transit-oriented developments being proposed across the country.

The station area plans were developed with robust community involvement, with each plan being revised multiple times in response to feedback. As a result, the plans enjoy broad support by the community and elected officials in each municipality. The master plans include detailed design guidelines for the scale and character of each proposed development area. However, to reduce entitlement risk for the development community, these guidelines should be codified into predictable regulations such as form-based codes. Finally, timely public infrastructure investments in utilities, streets, parks, and other facilities are necessary to catalyze development in each station area. Specifically, the tools needed to fund infrastructure (e.g. tax increment financing) need to be in place and available on a prompt and predictable schedule to realize the TOD Visions set forth in this Plan.

The four station area plans each fit their unique context. The Hammond Gateway station – the most intensely developed of the four – is envisioned to be a jobs center including office, commercial, retail, and limited residential uses. The South Hammond station proposes an enhanced streetscape such as landscaping and wider sidewalks, and builds on the existing

HAMMOND MUNSTER

DYER

PART ONE: PURSUING TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT

PROJECT BACKGROUND WHY DO WE NEED THIS TOD PLANNING PROCESS?

This report focuses on one part of two concurrent and related projects. The first project, and what this report is not focused on, is referred to as the NICTD West Lake Corridor Extension Project. This refers to an engineering project lead by the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD) and the physical construction of the proposed West Lake railroad tracks, station buildings, parking lots, and any private property acquisition required to construct these rail operation facilities. The NICTD West Lake Corridor Project team is led by NICTD, and has included engineering consultants AECOM and HDR at different points in the engineering planning process. For more information on this project visit: www.nictdwestlake.com.

• NICTD is counting on funds from the

Federal Transit Administration’s Capital Investment Grant program, of which New Starts is a subset, to pay half of the design and construction costs of the estimated $615 million West Lake Corridor Extension Project.

• Cities must show that they have a longterm plan for mixed-use development near transit. The West Lake TOD Project will generate those long-term plans.

The other project, which is the focus of this report, is the West Lake TOD Project: the conceptual planning of infrastructure and real estate development around the future West Lake Train Stations. The Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority (RDA) is leading the Design Team for this project, which consists of Farr Associates (urban design, community engagement, zoning recommendations), GB Arrington (New Starts application consulting), Strategic Economics (market analysis, market accelerator strategies, feasibility study), and Sam Schwartz (mobility recommendations). Figure 2 on the right depicts the relationship between these two projects.

PURSUING TOD

Figure 2. Project relationship and timeline

Indiana State Legislature Partnership

NICTD 2014 - 2017

West Lake Corridor Extension Lead

TOD Design Team

Rail Engineering Team

Led by Farr Associates Planning & Urban Design

Led by AECOM / HDR

Supports Application

2017 - 2018

West Lake Corridor Project

West Lake TOD Project

NEW STARTS APPLICATION All funding goes toward rail construction; triggers rail construction

2019 - 2022

NWIRDA West Lake TOD Project Lead

New Starts funding grant awarded

Triggers municipal action

Municipal planning & preparation through zoning and transit development districts

Construction of West Lake rail facilities

2022 - Onward

Municipal investments to set stage for development

TOD construction and development; private investment

Rail operations begin

WEST LAKE TOD

WHAT IS TOD? TOD is a mixture of housing, office, and retail in a walkable neighborhood, located within a half-mile of quality public

Transit-oriented development (TOD) typically refers to compact, walkable development with a range of uses within half a mile of quality public transportation such as a light rail stop, commuter train stop, or Bus Rapid Transit stop. Housing, jobs, shopping, restaurants, and entertainment are a few of the uses appropriate for TOD.

transportation.

There are a range of benefits to TOD such as: • Walkable communities that accommodate

• Expanded mobility choices that reduce

more healthy and active lifestyles

dependence on the automobile and reduce transportation costs

• Potential for added value created through

• Reduced household driving, which lowers

increased and/or sustained property values where transit investments have occurred

regional congestion, air pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions

• Improved access to jobs and economic

• Increased transit ridership and

opportunity for low-income people and working families

fare revenue

Source: Calthorpe, “The Next American Metropolis,” 1993

PURSUING TOD

INTERESTING FACT:

Price premium for owner-occupied housing located near a Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Station, California

Price Premium for Ownership Housing Located Near a BART Station

16.0%

15.0%

14.0%

BART P roximity Premium

Single-Family Homes 12.0%

10.7% 9.6%

10.0%

Condominiums

10.4%

7.4%

8.0% 5.4%

6.0%

4.6%

4.0% 1.3%

2.0% 0.0%

Within 1/2 mile

1/2 t o 1 mile

1 to 2 miles

2 to 5 miles

Driving/Walking Distance t o Nearest BART Station Source: Strategic Economics, 0214, prepared for BART.

INTERESTING FACT:

The true cost of car ownership in Lake County, Indiana FUEL

TIRES MAINTENANCE

TAXES, LICENSE,

= $9,801/YEAR

REGISTRATION

INSURANCE DEPRECIATION

$815/MONTH

INTEREST/FINANCING Source: NWI RDA Comprehensive Strategic Plan, 2016 (CNT.org)

WEST LAKE TOD

NEW STARTS COMPETITIVENESS WHAT IS NEW STARTS?

THE WEST LAKE CORRIDOR APPLICATION

The Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) New Starts program is a discretionary and highly competitive grant within the FTA’s Capital Investment Grant program, which appropriates roughly $2.3 billion in funding on an annual basis. Typically this grant funds light rail, heavy rail, commuter rail, streetcar, and Bus Rapid Transit projects.

For the New Starts application to be successful, community leaders must understand the application process and how to improve the West Lake Corridor Extension Project’s chance of a high rating to ultimately secure funding. To accomplish this, Farr Associates and GB Arrington conducted a Leadership Workshop in November 2016 where key local leaders as well as the RDA and NICTD were coached on the New Starts application process and what the TOD plans should include to create a competitive application. Figure 3 illustrates the components that factor into the New Starts evaluation of the West Lake Corridor Extension application.

To be eligible for New Starts funding, the total project cost must be equal to or greater than $300 million, or the total funding request made to the FTA must equal or exceed $100 million. Additionally, the project must be a new fixed guideway system, such as light rail or commuter rail; an extension to an existing system; or a fixed guideway Bus Rapid Transit system.

The financial rating portion of the New Starts summary rating, worth 50 percent of the summary rating score, was secured by commitments from the RDA and communities. The project justification portion, constituting the other 50 percent of the summary rating score, has six subcomponents to it. Of these, the subcomponents that can be most influenced through planning and design are land use and economic development. For this reason, the West Lake TOD planning process focuses primarily on these two subcomponents.

The total project cost estimate for NICTD’s West Lake Corridor Extension Project is $605 Million. Capital costs will continue to be updated as the project and design are further refined. It is anticipated that the New Starts program will provide approximately 50 percent of the proposed West Lake Corridor Extension Project’s capital costs once the project is fully advanced through the FTA’s New Starts process. The non-New Starts costs would be covered by a combination of funding sources, including funding from the RDA, the State of Indiana, and local communities.

PURSUING TOD

NEW STARTS EVALUATION & RATING 1/3 OF PROJECT JUSTIFICATION

FIGURE 3. New Starts summary rating components

Summary Rating

Project Justification Rating

Financial Rating

Other Factors

Mobility Improvements

Environmental Benefits

Congestion Relief

Cost Effectiveness

16.66%

Land Use

16.66% Financial Capacity

Economic Development

16.66% Capital Commitment Finances of Funds

Operating Current Finances Condition

BEST CHANCE â&#x20AC;¨ Land use andTO economic development planning constitutes aRATING third of the project justification rating. IMPROVE OVERALL Source: GB Arrington

WEST LAKE TOD

TOD TYPOLOGIES STATION AREA PLACE TYPES ANALYSIS

CTOD TYPOLOGIES AND PRECEDENT PLACE TYPES

Part of planning for the potential West Lake Corridor stations is assigning place types by drawing on the Center for Transit Oriented Development (CTOD) and Reconnecting Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s publication: Station Area Planning.1 The CTOD typologies are a sorting tool and a way to show how the land uses around stations typically span a range of place types. In other words, station areas are made up of a variety of scales, intensities, uses, and building forms, and a one-size fit all strategy for station area planning will not be successful. Within each typology there is usually a large variety of place types since the development of station areas is shaped by the local context within which they sit.

Chicago Loop, IL 2.

Urban Center

Downtown Baltimore, MD 3.

Suburban Center Evanston, IL

Transit Town Center Prairie Crossing, IL

Urban Neighborhood

University City in Philadelphia, PA 6.

Transit Neighborhood

Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. 7.

Special Use/Employment District

Camden Station in Baltimore, MD

The four proposed West Lake Corridor stations generally fit into two of the eight typologies CTOD uses: transit town centers (Hammond Gateway and Munster Ridge Road), and transit neighborhoods (South Hammond and Munster / Dyer Main Street).2 There can be a variety within individual typologies since the planning for each station is a reflection of the context within which they exist, as is the case for the West Lake Corridor stations. Therefore, even though the West Lake Corridor stations fit into two of the same transit typologies, the scale, mix, and type of development envisioned for each station area can still be expected to develop differently within each typology.

Mixed Use Corridor

University Avenue in St. Paul, MN

1 See http://www.reconnectingamerica.org/assets/Uploads/tod202.pdf 2 See CTOD Typologies and Precedents

PURSUING TOD

Regional Center

THE CTOD STATION AREA PLANNING PUBLICATION DESCRIBES THE TWO TYPOLOGIES APPLICABLE TO THE WEST LAKE CORRIDOR STATIONS AS FOLLOWS:

Transit Town Centers function more as local-

Transit Neighborhoods are primarily residential

serving centers of economic and community activity than either urban or suburban centers, and they attract fewer residents from the rest of the region. A variety of transit modes serve transit town centers, and there is a mix of origin and destination trips â&#x20AC;&#x201C; primarily commuter service to jobs in the region. There is less secondary transit service than the previous place types. Secondary transit lines feed primary lines, often at intervals timed to facilitate transfers at the primary transit stations. Residential densities are usually lower than in the previous place types, but there is still a good mix of both multi-family and single-family residential, as well as a mix of retail, smallerscale employment, and civic uses. Densities are usually noticeably greater within a quarter-mile of transit stations than the half-mile radius. Examples include Prairie Crossing in Grayslake, Illinois; Suisun City in the San Francisco Bay Area, California; Roslindale Village, Winchester and other commuter neighborhoods outside Boston, Massachusetts; and Hillsboro outside Portland, Oregon.

areas that are served by rail service or high frequency bus lines that connect at one location. Densities are low to moderate and economic activity is not concentrated around stations, which may be located at the edge of two distinct neighborhoods. Secondary transit service is less frequent and less well-connected. There is often not enough residential density to support much local-serving retail, but there are often retail nodes. Transit neighborhoods are found within older urbanized areas that were developed as streetcar suburbs and in more recently developed suburban neighborhoods. Transit neighborhoods can offer significant development opportunities with the potential to provide residents with more housing, retail, employment and mobility options, similar to urban neighborhoods. Densities are usually evenly distributed in the half-mile radius around stations. Examples include OhloneChynoweth outside San Jose, California; Plano, Texas; Barrio Logan in San Diego, California; and Capitol Hill in Washington D.C.

WEST LAKE TOD

HAMMOND GATEWAY Station Area Overview TRANSIT TOWN CENTER TYPOLOGY

Envisioned as the densest station in the corridor, Hammond Gateway fits well with the transit town center typology in terms of intensity and use. The typology is characterized by a moderate-density mix of residential, commercial, employment, and civic/cultural uses. Hammond Gateway is envisioned to be the most intensely developed of the four proposed West Lake Corridor stations, and will accommodate a variety of uses including office, commercial, retail, and some residential.

LAND USE PATTERNS

Over half of the current land uses within the Hammond Gateway station area are composed of open space and public/quasi-public uses to the west, including parks and golf courses. These uses are concentrated on the Illinois side of the station area. Vacant land also constitutes approximately 12 percent of the total acreage within the halfmile station area. There is currently no convenient street access to the western and southern portions of the station area due to rail tracks.

RESOLUTIONS

The City of Hammond passed a resolution in August 2016, stating that for the West Lake Corridor Extension Project to receive any funding from the City of Hammond, the Hammond Gateway Station design must include a new train station where the existing South Shore Line would meet with the proposed West Lake Corridor Extension, in order to serve both lines with a single station. Additionally, the resolution instructed NICTD to locate all maintenance and train layover facilities west of Sheffield Ave and north of Hoffman Street. See Figure 4.

GOSTLIN STREET IMPROVEMENTS

At the outset of this planning process, the Design Team learned that the City of Hammond was engaged in a separate street reconstruction project for the segment of Gostlin Street between the state line and Sheffield Ave. After a series of meetings between the City of Hammond, NICTD West Lake Corridor Extension Project Team, and the West Lake TOD Projectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Design Team, the Gostlin Street design was modified to allow for a larger area of developable land in the Hammond Gateway station area.

PURSUING TOD

FIGURE 4. Compilation of resolutions passed by the City of Hammond related to the Hammond Gateway Station Area

A single, new station to be able to transfer between the South Shore Line & West Lake Line

JOHNSON AVE

CAMERON AVE

TOWLE AVE

HOHMAN AVE

SHEFFIELD AVE

WABASH AVE

GROVER AVE

DEARBORN AVE

CLARK AVE

HUEHN ST

GOSTLIN ST

South Shore Line

West Lake Line

Maintenance Facility to be located here

Source: City of Hammond, Farr Associates

HOHMAN AVE

SHEFFIELD AVE

HUDSON ST

CHICAGO ST

Not to scale

WEST LAKE TOD

SOUTH HAMMOND Station Area Overview

TRANSIT NEIGHBORHOOD TYPOLOGY

Envisioned as the least dense station in the corridor, South Hammond fits well with the transit neighborhood typology. This typology is characterized by a predominantly residential district organized around a transit station. The TOD working vision for the South Hammond station imagines a limited increase in intensity or change in the existing residential character. With enhanced streetscapes, wider sidewalks, multiuse paths, lighting, and easily accessible pocket parks,the South Hammond station area will be a desirable neighborhood within the City of Hammond.

LAND USE PATTERNS

The South Hammond station area is predominately residential, with housing comprising two-thirds of the station area land. The recreational Monon Trail runs through the station area, parallel to the future West Lake rail tracks. There are several churches and some automobile-oriented services along Hohman Avenue, just west of the South Hammond station area. Automobile-oriented commercial uses also line Calumet Avenue, but are largely located outside the station area. Only a small portion of the station area can be accessed within a half-mile travel distance, given the existing street network. However, a few simple connections between the proposed station and the existing street grid would greatly enhance access to and

RESOLUTIONS

The City of Hammond passed two resolutions pertaining to the South Hammond station area in 2016. These resolutions stated that the station should be located closer to 173rd Street, with 173rd Street acting as the primary/only access point to the station and parking lot. Other requirements included that the Monon Trail remain intact (or be reconstructed within the existing right-of-way to maintain separation from the West Lake rail tracks), and have a dedicated crossing at 173rd Street. Furthermore, 169th Street should not connect to the station area and no station area traffic should be diverted onto Lyman Avenue. See Figure 5.

from the station.

PURSUING TOD

FIGURE 5. Compilation of resolutions passed by the City of Hammond related to the South Hammond station area

169th St does not connect to station

169TH ST

LYMAN AVE

Traffic diverted from Lyman Ave

CALUMET AVE

HOHMAN AVE

Train Station to be located near 173rd St

173RD ST

Parking lot accessed from 173rd St

Retain Monon Trail 175TH ST I-94

Source: City of Hammond, Farr Associates

Not to scale

WEST LAKE TOD

MUNSTER RIDGE ROAD Station Area Overview TRANSIT TOWN CENTER TYPOLOGY

The TOD working vision for the Munster Ridge Road station includes a variety of land uses with higher density, pedestrian-friendly infrastructure, and new pocket parks and open spaces. Taking advantage of the intersectionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s high visibility, the intersection of Ridge Road and Manor Avenue is envisioned to transform into a vibrant mixeduse transit core with a variety of multifamily developments as well as commercial retail and services. The station fits well with the transit town center typology, which is characterized by a moderate-density mix of residential, commercial, employment, and civic/cultural uses.

LAND USE PATTERNS

Residential uses comprise nearly three-quarters of the Munster Ridge Road station area. Ridge Road and Calumet Avenue are commercial corridors with diverse mixes of eating and drinking places, neighborhood retail and services, and automobileoriented businesses. Access to and from the proposed station is somewhat constrained by limited connectivity within surrounding singlefamily neighborhoods, although the station area features excellent access to the existing

access to Ridge Road from the station parking lot should be minimized, and mature trees should be retained. Most adamantly, residents stated a preference for minimal impact on private property owners, ultimately prompting NICTD to move the station to the north side of Ridge Road.

STATION AREA MOVED

commercial uses along Ridge Road.

Due to the March 2017 resolution, the Ridge Road station was moved from south east of Ridge Road and Manor Avenue to the northeast corner of this intersection. This move alleviated the need for NICTD to acquire five private residential properties. The parking was also moved to the west side of Manor Avenue, requiring commuters to cross both Manor Avenue and the Monon Trail to access the station platform. See Figure 6.

RESOLUTIONS

The Town of Munster passed three resolutions from 2016 to 2017. These resolutions stated that rail facilities and parking lots are to be screened from sight, the Monon Trail should be retained or improved, one of the three traffic signals on Ridge Road between Manor Avenue and the south segment of Harrison Avenue should be removed,

PURSUING TOD

FIGURE 6. Compilation of resolutions passed by the Town of Munster related to the Munster Ridge Road station area

MANOR AVE

Retain Monon Trail

Provide landscape buffering around tracks Commuter parking to be located north of Ridge Road Train Station to be located north of Ridge Road; No station building

MANOR AVE

Provide safety barriers at Ridge Road and Monon Trail Intersection

Eliminate one of three consecutive traffic signals

CALUMET AVE

Limit access to Ridge Road from the station RIDGE R

Retain mature trees

Source: Town of Munster, Farr Associates

Not to scale

WEST LAKE TOD

MUNSTER / DYER MAIN STREET Station Area Overview LAND USE PATTERNS

The Munster / Dyer Main Street station area is unique in that it is split between two communities: the Town of Munster and the Town of Dyer. Furthermore, this station is the proposed "end of the line" for the West Lake Corridor Extension. Typically, this means the station will have a larger catchment area of potential commuters. The Munster / Dyer Main Street station area is largely vacant, but surrounded by growing subdivisions of single-family homes. A small retail and office node exists at the intersection of Calumet Avenue and Main Street. Street connections are currently very poor in the station area, although construction of the station will include additional streets.

TRANSIT NEIGHBORHOOD TYPOLOGY

The TOD working vision for Main Street fits well within the transit neighborhood typology. This typology is characterized by a predominantly residential district organized around a transit station. The vision for the Munster / Dyer Main Street station area features growth of a new neighborhood with townhomes, multifamily housing, and neighborhood-serving retail and services concentrated around Main Street and the new West Lake Corridor line.

The Town of Dyer passed two resolutions in 2016 that stated that no streets in Dyer are to connect to the proposed Main Street extension (west of Sheffield Avenue) or to the proposed station area parking lot. Additionally, sight line and noise from train operations should be buffered from neighboring developments, and the station area design should include bicycle infrastructure. See Figure 7.

RESOLUTIONS

The Town of Munster passed three resolutions from 2016 to 2017 stating that Margo Lane should not connect to the future station area, a sidewalk should be added on the west side of Allison Road, and future bike facilities should be considered.

PURSUING TOD

AVE MBIA COLU

Accommodate bicycle infrastructure

CALUMET AVE

Eliminate street connections to surrounding neighborhoods

Add a sidewalk to the west side of Allison Road

ALLISON RD

MARGO LN

FIGURE 7. Compilation of resolutions passed by the Towns of Munster and Dyer

MAIN ST

SHEF

FIELD

AVE

SEMINARY DR

Minimize sight lines and noise from neighboring developments

Source: Town of Munster, Town of Dyer, Farr Associates

Not to scale

WEST LAKE TOD

PART TWO: CREATE A LONG-TERM VISION VETTED BY THE COMMUNITY

MARKET ANALYSIS

WEST LAKE TOD

MARKET STUDY OVERVIEW ABOUT THE MARKET STUDY

stations; the presence or absence of development opportunity sites; and complementing the scale and character of existing buildings.

The West Lake TOD Project market study provides a roadmap for understanding the transformative, transit-oriented growth opportunities created by the introduction of the West Lake Corridor rail service. The following are key highlights from the full report, which can be located in the West Lake TOD Supplemental Studies document.

The goal of this market study is to provide insight into how the West Lake Corridor rail service will reshape the real estate markets in Hammond, Munster, and Dyer, and to provide specific direction about what uses and investments should be incorporated into the station area plans. This market basis will inform plans that are flexible, and responsive to changing market conditions, and ready to encourage development.

The market study provides a historical and regional context for understanding Northwest Indiana’s market position today, and outlines how this position will change once commuter rail access to the Chicago Loop is introduced. This approach contrasts with conventional market studies that focus on current, short-term market conditions that merely reflect “business-as-usual” conditions. This market study instead captures the dynamic, evolving economic relationship between the Lake County, Indiana and Chicago, Illinois economies – the two places that the West Lake Corridor rail service is designed to connect.

SETTING THE ECONOMIC AND MARKET CONTEXT

The introduction of West Lake Corridor rail service to Northwest Indiana is partly in response to changing conditions in the regional economy and the way that this economic transformation has played out in the real estate market. Growth trends and the changing composition of the economies in Lake County, Indiana, and Cook County, Illinois, demonstrate that Cook County has better weathered the shift from an industrialfocused economy to a service-focused economy. While industrial and manufacturing jobs have dramatically declined in both counties since the 1970s, a higher share of the growing services jobs in Cook County are in professional, office-based industry sectors; however, services jobs in Lake County are more heavily concentrated in industries meeting basic household needs rather than in innovation-focused professional and technical industries. Cook County’s economy has grown by 20 percent since 1970, versus a mere 5 percent in Lake County.

Given that the date when the West Lake Corridor rail service will commence operations is uncertain and likely years away, the market study presents a long-term perspective on the evolving economic and market conditions – for both the Corridor and the individual future station areas – through the lens of fundamental development considerations impacting future growth potential. These fundamental considerations include: the transformative value of having fast, direct transit access to the most significant employment center in the region; the availability of multimodal infrastructure (e.g., streets, sidewalks, bicycle access) connecting existing and future development directly to the West Lake Corridor

MARKET ANALYSIS

The destination station areas in the Loop alone contain 1.5 times as many jobs as in all of Lake County, and currently nine percent of employed Lake County residents work in Chicago. Given these economic trends and the West Lake Corridor’s focus on connecting households in the Corridor to job destinations in the Chicago Loop, the primary economic benefit of the rail service will accrue to current and future Lake County households with a worker whose job is in the Loop.

areas will feature unique competitive benefits that reorganize market activity at a scale beyond the immediate station area. This contrasts with a “bottom-up” approach based on local market area conditions, which tends to underestimate the impact of transit service on reorganizing regional market demand. The West Lake Corridor station areas could collectively capture latent unmet demand for approximately 2,580 TOD-compatible housing units today. By 2040, total potential TOD demand for West Lake Corridor station areas is estimated to grow to between 4,000 and 4,640 total housing units. “TOD-compatible” housing refers to townhome and multi-family housing, both of which are relatively dense compared to singlefamily homes and can be designed to support pedestrian activity. The “latent demand” estimate describes today’s Lake County households that would choose to locate in a TOD’s diverse housing types – if the option were available.

CORRIDOR-WIDE DEMAND FOR TRANSITORIENTED HOUSING, OFFICE, AND RETAIL

The West Lake Corridor rail service will provide a regionally significant commuter transit connection – comparable to many Metra-served communities – thus allowing the station areas in Hammond, Munster, and Dyer to compete throughout the county and the greater region for a wider variety of households, including those that might prefer car-free, fast, and comfortable access to jobs in Chicago. In the long run, the transit service may also influence future location decisions for businesses seeking space in Lake County. Many businesses are finding that to attract and/or retain younger workers, they need to offer multiple options for commuting to work, rather than assuming that most people will drive alone to their jobs.

Jobs in industries that are likely to cluster in transit-served, higher-density employment centers – including professional and technical services; information; and finance, insurance, and real estate – will generate demand for roughly 360,000 square feet of office space in 2040. Little short-term or existing demand for significant office development exists in the West Lake Corridor station areas due to high existing regional vacancy rates, slow countywide employment growth, and because the station areas are not wellpositioned to take advantage of existing regional transportation access or local amenities.

Strategic Economics estimated short-term and long-term demand for transit-oriented residential, office, and retail uses at the regional- and corridorwide scale. Demand was measured using a “topdown” approach, in which the countywide pool of demand was measured, followed by the corridor’s potential to capture this demand. This method recognizes that the West Lake Corridor station

The corridor can also support an additional increment of retail serving the new households

WEST LAKE TOD

near transit stations. Households associated with the housing units included in the “latent” housing estimate would generate demand for 19,000 square feet of retail likely to be captured in the station areas, while households in the 2040 estimate would generate demand for between 29,500 and 34,500 square feet of retail.

new transit access. Station area planning sends market signals to developers by showing that the community is ready for a new type of growth. Complementary investments in connective pedestrian, bicycle, and road infrastructure can indicate the public sector’s financial commitment to achieving a successful transit-oriented district. And development incentives can spur early development activity, while “proving” market appetite for new models of housing and commercial uses.

This retail demand estimate describes neighborhood-serving retail demand (e.g., drug stores, restaurants/bars, grocery stores, personal services) that would be generated by projected household growth. The station areas do not offer a significant opportunity to develop a major retail destination that attracts shoppers from a large area, since the station areas generally lack large quantities of underutilized commercial land, and/ or are not located near major regional highways.

The introduction of West Lake Corridor rail service will have an immediate impact on the housing markets in Hammond, Munster, and Dyer. The rail service will create demand for living in the station areas, given its connection to jobs in the Chicago Loop and the already residential nature of most station locations.

TIMING, PHASING, AND TYPES OF TRANSFORMATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Developers are likely to start considering slightly higher-density housing product types in the station areas as rail service becomes more of a reality (i.e., as funding is committed and construction timelines are announced). Products could include townhouses, two- to three-story multi-family housing, and limited amounts of higher-density, four- to five-story midrise housing. Housing demand will be accommodated in a variety of product types over time.

Today, the corridor communities overwhelmingly consist of low-density housing and low-density commercial development oriented to arterial streets and freeways. Recent development activity has continued this pattern. Despite this trend, the existing building stock bears little relation to what is possible in the future. The introduction of TOD in the station areas represents a completely new type of development opportunity in Lake County. The transit will allow Lake County to capture demand from households that prefer to trade space and land in favor of an easy transit commute, lower car use and ownership, and easy pedestrian access to transit and services.

In the shorter term, the service and design of the West Lake Corridor line provide little benefit for jobs in Lake County, since the proposed transit stations are not located within or immediately adjacent to existing employment concentrations. Over the long term, however, rail service will benefit office and office/flex uses, and growth in office-based jobs could create an opportunity to target commercial development near stations with the most robust commute-direction rail service.

Planning, investments, assistance, and incentives will be needed to help leverage the value of

MARKET ANALYSIS

TRANSIT AND THE TYPICAL TOD SEQUENCE The following provides an overview of when and what type of private market activity typically occurs as new rail-based transit is planned, funded, built, and operated. This sequence also provides the framework for determining how the public sector should craft strategies to accelerate private investment and development activity.

start making investments based on the future value transit will bring. In the early phases of the process, the potential future benefit can be very speculative, since the line has not been funded. As each stage in the transit planning process is completed and the reality of the transit line becomes more certain, the development opportunities become less speculative and less risky. As the level of risk declines, investment typically increases. While there is no predictive model of real estate investment along transit corridors, studies of real estate activities along recently built transit lines do indicate that there is a general pattern of investment. This “TOD market sequence” is described below and illustrated in Figure 8.

LEVERAGING NEW TRANSIT SERVICES

New well-planned transit service enhances the desirability of living or working near a station by providing consistent, convenient, and lowcost access to major destinations (primarily job centers). This improved desirability can directly translate into higher property values, sales prices, and rents, since residents and businesses are willing to pay more for this convenience. As such, the private sector typically responds to transit as a significant amenity that can yield a value premium for both existing properties and future development. However, since transit only amplifies existing market strengths, this amenity does not overcome existing market weaknesses. Therefore, to understand the benefit transit can bring to any location, the analysis must start by considering the existing market context and identifying ways to overcome as many barriers or challenges as possible. This approach ensures that transit will have a positive impact on its station areas, even in weaker market locations.

Project Development: The earliest phases in the transit planning process involve identifying a "locally preferred alternative" for the actual transit alignment, and completing the necessary environmental assessment work (including preparing an environmental impact statement [EIS]), identifying a local funding source, and adopting the proposed project into the region’s long range transportation plan. During this phase in the process, the private market primarily reacts through land speculation (i.e., acquiring properties with the expectation that they can later be developed or sold for a profit to a developer), because property values tend to be low relative to their later value after the transit line is built.

TOD MARKET SEQUENCE

Taking a new transit line from concept to operations is a multi-year process. This process is public and involves stakeholder input at many points, which gives property owners, developers, and real estate investors plenty of opportunity to become aware of a transit project and to

Engineering and Funding Agreements: Once the preferred alignment has been selected and the environmental process is completed, the transit line moves into the design and engineering phase. At this point, the project undergoes iterative

WEST LAKE TOD

review from the FTA New Starts program, which ranks the project against federal performance standards. These rankings determine if the project will eventually receive federal support. Once a project moves into the New Starts process, real estate investment along the corridor continues primarily in the form of more extensive land speculation, including more land assembly. In strong market areas, some residential construction, reinvestment in existing buildings, and adaptive reuse will start to occur in this phase.

residential construction. However, because property values are increasing, speculative activity tends to decrease and property acquisitions better reflect actual development potential rather than future opportunity. In the initial years, most development tends to favor residential products because commuters are the first to take advantage of the new transit accessibility. New office construction can be very limited and is more dependent on many market factors beyond just the new transit access.

Construction: If the transit project receives

Rail Operation: Once transit is opened and

funding through the New Starts program, then construction commences. At this point, market activity tends to accelerate with more land assembly, increased property values of existing homes and commercial space, and some new

fully operational, values of existing homes and commercial properties, property assembly, and new construction of residential and commercial uses continue to increase over time based on underlying market cycles.

Figure 8. New transit and the TOD market sequence West Lake Corridor Approx. Timeline

2014-2017

2017-?

Completed ~2022

Ongoing

Speculative property acquisition Increasing property assemblage Some new residential construction in strong market areas Adaptive reuse for housing and small office Increasing values for existing homes/commercial spaces Some new office construction in strong market areas Source: Strategic Economics, 2017

MARKET ANALYSIS

Size corresponds to magnitude of investment activity

STEPS MUNICIPALITIES CAN TAKE TO ACCELERATE TOD MARKET POTENTIAL STEP 1: ASSESS EXISTING ASSETS/STRENGTHS

The TOD market sequence described in the prior section should be considered the “average” or normative sequence for market response to new transit service. However, the reality is that the pace and magnitude of TOD growth and investment activity at any specific transit station are largely determined by the underlying market strength and existing land use context within the particular neighborhood into which transit is introduced. A community can take proactive steps to “get the ball rolling” on attracting TOD by reducing barriers and risk to private investment, and by leveraging local assets to create value. This section describes the steps for crafting and implementing “market accelerator” strategies that address market issues, including short-term activities and long-term public investments.

The first step is to understand existing market assets, strengths, and other opportunities that can be leveraged to overcome barriers to unlocking private market potential for fulfilling a TOD vision. These assets should represent ways to easily and quickly enhance investment potential without requiring large amounts of public investment, and can also provide important context for the community visioning process and an early indication of potential implementation strategies. The West Lake TOD Project covers much of this step for the future station areas in the market study, which showed that the West Lake Corridor represents a unique opportunity for corridor communities to build on their existing assets. Among these assets, the recreational Monon Trail provides a link to improve connections between housing and transit. Additionally, all four stations have a significant amount of underutilized and vacant property that could be potentially developed over time for TOD housing, some office, and neighborhood-serving retail and services.

The following steps can assist local planning practitioners, transit agencies, community members, and other stakeholders in determining an approach to leveraging public sector activities and investments to attract, shape, and accelerate private investment. Each step of the process is focused on working with existing market forces, making strategic incremental investments, and reducing risk while creating value for developers. The steps identify actions that should be accomplished as part of the early planning process for incentivizing and managing TOD investment, and are directly applicable to the future West Lake Corridor station areas. Note, however, that these steps may be somewhat general and require further refinement prior to each community adapting its own TOD strategy; the strategies will also likely require further modification as conditions change over time.

STEP 2: ESTABLISH A VISION

A long-term vision for a TOD station area guides future growth and investment, and serves as a roadmap for determining public sector implementation activities and infrastructure investments. A strong vision allows a local government to prioritize the most critical improvements, while maintaining the flexibility to respond to changing market cycles and take advantage of new funding and other opportunities as they arise.

WEST LAKE TOD

Station area planning efforts are also a way to reflect community aspirations and build consensus around a shared vision and understanding of priorities for the future, based on a clear understanding of existing assets and strengths. This consensus sends market signals to developers, demonstrating that the community is ready for a new type of growth and investment. The vision also lowers risk and increases value for developers by providing clear direction regarding acceptable and unacceptable development types, expected development standards, and anticipated future investments.

Market accelerator strategies include removing regulatory barriers; creating easily-implemented incentives; and implementing low-cost, ongoing projects and programs. Higher-cost, later-phase actions include investments in major capital projects â&#x20AC;&#x201C; including significant infrastructure â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and investments in catalyst projects such as constructing new public facilities.

STEP 4: INVOLVE KEY PARTNERS AND PARTNERSHIPS

TOD and infill strategies can involve many players in implementation, including various local government departments, transit agencies, regional planning agencies, state and federal agencies, and private developers. Effective strategies consider which public agencies and private entities will play a role in implementation, and which will take the lead in implementing each project.

This step was completed as part of the West Lake TOD Project. The TOD planning process helps to generate shared consensus around visions for the station areas, which can then be used to guide future policy and investment decisions.

STEP 3: IDENTIFY IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES

Market accelerator strategies constitute a comprehensive, multi-jurisdictional set of incremental actions that seek to reduce barriers to private market investment, build value, and direct investment in TOD. Market accelerator strategies should represent early, relatively lowcost, high-impact investments and actions to lay the groundwork in an area, rather than focusing on implementing the biggest and most complex projects immediately. These efforts should incorporate communication and outreach activities to publicize changes. By starting with small steps and moving forward incrementally, local governments can help build market confidence, attract private investment, and create value, opening up future opportunities to fund larger and more expensive catalytic investments.

MARKET ANALYSIS

Implementing a TOD plan is not just about writing the document, taking an adoption vote, and then waiting for market forces to deliver. The best and most transformational plans all have strong support from elected officials and strong leadership from municipal staff. Implementation will require mutual collaboration between jurisdictions and municipal departments, and sometimes the greatest impact can come not from spending large amounts of money, but from small, strategic actions. In addition, while any municipality has a critical role in implementing a plan, many implementation activities will extend beyond the municipalityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s capacity or purview. These activities, in fact, require cooperation and/or collaboration with other key partners to be realized. In some cases, implementation

responsibility and funding may need to be spread across multiple actors and funding/financing sources.

STEP 5: ESTABLISH A FUNDING AND FINANCING STRATEGY

The final step is to craft a funding and financing strategy that prioritizes and phases the necessary actions to implement the market accelerator strategies. Communities need to consider each action’s relative impact, magnitude of cost, availability and timing of funding (including relationship to development or value increases), and whether any part of each action can be phased over time. A successful funding and financing strategy will require breaking down large-scale and long-term projects into incremental steps over time. Communities rarely have sufficient funds to meet all of their infrastructure needs upfront. Instead, successful funding and financing strategies look for whatever early sources of money are available to “get the ball rolling,” as previously discussed.

MARKET ACCELERATOR STRATEGIES

A full memo of market accelerator strategies can be located in the West Lake TOD Supplemental Studies document, which explains the process of creating a funding and financing strategy for the West Lake Corridor TOD station areas. This memo also identifies potential funding tools, their timing of availability, and their applicability to station area needs.

WEST LAKE TOD

Hammond Gateway vicinity population:

HAMMOND GATEWAY

Median household income (2014 $):

The Hammond Gateway station area has limited short-term development opportunities, but there is potential for future development of office/flexbased employment uses. The Hammond Gateway station area is in a relatively undesirable market location – with low to moderate residential and commercial values – and is isolated by surrounding rail lines, natural land, and vacant land. Despite these drawbacks, the station will be located in the commute direction to/from Chicago on both the South Shore and future West Lake Corridor rail lines. The station could leverage this access, along with its proximity to Downtown Hammond, to become a secondary employment destination. Additional investments and incentives would be needed to resolve weak market demand and infrastructure needs. The station placement and design would also need to consider future development opportunities; potentially waiting for larger development opportunity sites to become available.

70%

% Employed residents taking public transit:

13%

% Employed residents working in Chicago:

•

MARKET ANALYSIS

The design and placement of the station and its parking lots will influence whether adequate contiguous land exists near the station to allow commercial development.

OPPORTUNITIES

• The intersection of the existing South Shore

•

The Hammond Gateway station area is located in a weak market area for both office and residential uses, with high office vacancy rates, low to moderate household incomes, and low to moderate home sales prices for an aging housing stock. The existing road network and barriers created by railways limit circulation within the half-mile station area, with no easy access to its western half. Due to surrounding rail lines and other connectivity challenges, currently available developable land is limited.

•

Line and future West Lake Corridor line will create excellent and fast transit access for Lake County commuters. The station is also located on the way to/from Chicago, and will therefore offer excellent commute service in both the rush hour and off-peak periods. The Hammond Gateway station area features significant underutilized or vacant land that could potentially be developed over time with office or office/flex uses if adequate transportation connections are built. Station parking lots could become future development opportunity sites (see Figure 9). Additionally, the parking lot for the existing Hammond South Shore Line may be vacated once the Hammond Gateway Station is constructed and could, therefore, open up additional land for development. Hammond’s existing central business district is less than a mile from the proposed Hammond Gateway station. The two areas could be linked with bicycle, pedestrian, and transit connections.

TOD IMPLICATIONS

• Although short-term opportunities are limited due to existing constraints, the station area could eventually emerge as an employment location with office and/or industrial/flex/

$28,931

Owner-occupied households:

CONSTRAINTS •

4,659

•

• Multimodal access (including road

research & development space. Housing opportunities are also possible, but will require public investment and creative development. The creation of an employment center in the Hammond Gateway station area will be reinforced by the housing built near other West Lake Corridor stations to the south, since these residents could easily commute via the rail service. In addition, as the Hammond Gateway station is also located on the South Shore Line, expanding access to this new employment center. Creating an employment center would further the desire for housing near stations to the south and to the east, since employment in the Hammond Gateway station area would allow the West Lake Corridor and South Shore Line to serve commutes to another destination in addition to Chicago.

•

• •

improvements) is critical for supporting the Hammond Gateway station area as an employment center, since many workers would still arrive by modes other than rail. Land supply constraints will need to be resolved, since development capacity for 300,000 to 500,000 square feet of office/flex space may be needed to attract development and business interests, and to create an employment center. The station placement and parking lot design should incorporate consideration of future development opportunities (see Figure 9). Given the weakness of the current commercial market at the station area, development activity may need to be accelerated through public investments, actions, and partnerships. Without such interventions, privately-driven development activity is likely to occur slowly at the Hammond Gateway station area.

Figure 9. Parking lots as future development sites

Source: Farr Associates, 2017

WEST LAKE TOD

South Hammond vicinity population:

SOUTH HAMMOND

Median household income (2014 $):

74%

% Employed residents taking public transit:

% Employed residents working in Chicago:

15%

• Existing commercial corridors on Hohman

CONSTRAINTS

TOD IMPLICATIONS

•

surrounding streets.

• Few major development opportunity sites •

•

• • •

or office destination in the near term.

OPPORTUNITIES

• Fifteen percent of residents in the South Hammond station area work in Chicago – the highest share among all West Lake Corridor stations. These residents do not necessarily work in the Loop, but interest in the rail service is likely to be high.

MARKET ANALYSIS

Avenue and Calumet Avenue feature underutilized sites that could potentially be developed over time. Development of underutilized sites on commercial corridors would minimize conflicts with adjacent homes, although heights and densities would still need to be limited. Additional residential units will help to support existing and future retail and services along Hohman Avenue and Calumet Avenue corridors. Relatively minor connections between the station and surrounding streets would greatly enhance pedestrian, bicycle, and automobile connectivity within the station area.

• Relatively straightforward connectivity

exist, since much of the station area is built out with single-family homes. It is challenging to develop higher-density housing in this area due to smaller lot sizes and conflicts with existing single-family homes. The station area lacks the regional accessibility and visibility to become a major regional retail

$49,339

Owner-occupied households:

The South Hammond station area could potentially accommodate small-scale residential infill development in existing residential areas, along with modest amounts of higher-intensity residential and limited retail uses along Hohman Avenue and Calumet Avenue. Infill opportunities in existing residential neighborhoods could include small-lot single-family homes, paired homes, and townhomes. The market study indicates that any future apartment/condominium buildings in the area would likely be limited to a maximum of three- to four-stories in height with surface parking (not shown in Vision Plan). Relatively straightforward connectivity improvements between the station and surrounding streets will greatly enhance the station area’s value as a TOD.

• The station currently lacks connections to

7,605

improvements between the station and surrounding streets will greatly enhance the station area’s value as a TOD. Future infill development in this station area must be sensitive to the existing context of lower-density single-family homes. Infill opportunities in existing residential neighborhoods could include small-lot singlefamily homes and townhomes. Higher-intensity housing and/or smaller increments of retail and office uses should be directed to the Hohman Avenue and Calumet Avenue corridors. Given the surrounding low-density context and likely limited market values achievable in the station area, multifamily housing is likely to be limited to a maximum of three to four stories in height, with surface parking.

MUNSTER RIDGE ROAD

Munster Ridge Road vicinity population:

7,210

Median household income (2014 $):

$50,602

Owner-occupied households:

73%

% Employed residents taking public transit:

% Employed residents working in Chicago:

• Development along Ridge Road and

The Munster Ridge Road station area could accommodate some higher-intensity housing along commercial corridors. Most housing product types should be fairly low-intensity and vary depending on proximity to existing housing; these infill product types closer to existing residential areas could potentially include townhomes and lowerdensity multifamily products. However, limited amounts of higher-intensity housing products are appropriate along Ridge Road and Calumet Avenue. These product types could potentially rise up to four stories; developers are likely to prefer surface parking to reduce construction costs. This station area is unlikely to emerge as a regional destination for retail or office uses, but some intensification of these uses is supportable on Ridge Road and Calumet Avenue.

•

TOD IMPLICATIONS

• Housing product types should be fairly low •

•

CONSTRAINTS

• Development activity will be constrained

•

by the limited availability of vacant sites; existing commercial uses along Ridge Road and Calumet Avenue generate revenue for property owners and are unlikely to redevelop in the near term. Much of the land in the station area is already built out with single-family homes.

•

OPPORTUNITIES

• The Munster Ridge Road station area is a

•

Calumet Avenue would pose fewer land use conflicts with existing single-family home neighborhoods. There is strong long-term market potential in this station area for mixed-use housing with retail, or intensification of retail on existing commercial sites.

stronger housing market area, with examples of recently-built multifamily housing projects up to four stories in height. Eventual development opportunities primarily exist along Ridge Road and Calumet Avenue, which feature larger commercial properties.

•

intensity and vary depending on proximity to existing housing. Infill product types closer to existing residential areas could potentially include townhomes and lower-density multi-family products. Limited amounts of higher-intensity housing products are appropriate along Ridge Road and Calumet Avenue. These product types could potentially rise up to four stories; developers are likely to prefer surface parking to reduce construction costs. While the station area is unlikely to emerge as a regional destination for retail or office uses, some intensification of these uses is supportable on Ridge Road and Calumet Avenue. Both streets feature good visibility, access, and high traffic volumes. Future housing growth will support demand for complementary retail. Concentrating future TOD development along Ridge Road, Calumet Avenue, and near the station will require relatively few new street and pedestrian connections. However, additional pedestrian improvements are likely to be needed.

WEST LAKE TOD

Munster / Dyer Main Street vicinity population:

MUNSTER / DYER MAIN STREET

Median household income (2014 $):

85%

% Employed residents taking public transit:

% Employed residents working in Chicago:

• Housing near the station site is desirable and •

• •

• There is potential for future vertical mixed-

• Much of the available land within the station

• •

•

MARKET ANALYSIS

attracts households with high incomes. The large amount of vacant land surrounding the station presents a variety of growth options, with opportunities to optimize future streets and land use regulations to maximize TOD potential. Land adjacent to the station is well-positioned for future housing development. The intersection of Calumet Avenue and Main Street is already a commercial node, with potential for future retail and office growth and reinvestment.

TOD IMPLICATIONS

CONSTRAINTS

area is currently expected to be developed as large-lot single-family housing, comparable to existing housing. The station area also poses major connectivity challenges for TOD, with few road connections and minimal pedestrian infrastructure. Additional infrastructure will be necessary to create safe pedestrian and bicycle connections to the intersection of Calumet Avenue and Main Street. Main Street is currently configured as a two-lane rural road with no shoulders or sidewalks. Few residents of existing nearby households currently commute to Chicago.

•

$73,079

Owner-occupied households:

OPPORTUNITIES

The Munster / Dyer Main Street station area features large amounts of vacant land, but is likely to be limited in development intensity to ensure compatibility with existing housing. There is potential for future vertical mixeduse development and/or intensification of neighborhood-serving retail and office uses at the intersection of Calumet Avenue and Main Street. Beyond that area, future housing product types should be fairly low-intensity to complement surrounding neighborhoods and match Munster and Dyer’s competitive advantages in offering larger housing options. Products near the station can potentially include townhomes and/or lowerdensity multi-family products up to three stories in height, with surface parking.

5,745

use development and/or intensification of neighborhood-serving retail and office uses at the intersection of Calumet Avenue and Main Street. Future housing product types should be fairly low intensity in order to complement surrounding neighborhoods and match Munster’s and Dyer’s competitive advantages in offering larger housing options. Products near the station can potentially include townhomes and/or lower-density multi-family products up to three stories in height, with surface parking.

STATION AREA VISION PLANS

WEST LAKE TOD

STATION AREA VISION PLANS OVERVIEW CONCEPTUAL ILLUSTRATIONS

The planned West Lake Corridor Extension Project will expand commuter rail service in Lake County, Indiana by adding a second branch line to the existing South Shore Line service. The approximately eight-mile West Lake Corridor Extension Project proposal includes four stations: Hammond Gateway, South Hammond, Munster Ridge Road, and Munster / Dyer Main Street. The introduction of the West Lake Corridor commuter rail service will create a new connection to the Chicago Loop and present new opportunities for the City of Hammond, Town of Munster, and Town of Dyer to compete for a greater share of the Chicago region’s future housing demand and economic expansion. However, capturing those opportunities requires reorienting the private real estate market to recognize the value created by the West Lake Corridor’s new, direct transportation connection to the largest job center in the region. The TOD planning process helps accomplish this goal by creating a shared vision of the future and examining strategies to accelerate private and public investment.

The land acquired by NICTD for the West Lake Corridor Extension Project for station area transit parking is intended to be used as parking. Depending on local plans adopted by city and town jurisdictions, market conditions, transit agency goals and procedures, and approval by the FTA, transit commuter parking may be redeveloped into transit supportive land uses in the future. The following station area vision plans are a conceptual illustration of how the parking areas may be redeveloped by the city and town jurisdictions. The transit use of any redeveloped property will be retained and protected and is subject to the review of the FTA.

The following pages illustrate the preferred vision for each station area. These plans are based on a combination of NICTD’s West Lake Corridor Extension plans, the West Lake TOD Project's market study analysis (see pages 25-38), and community input (see pages 42-49).

STATION AREA PLANS

FIGURE 10. Existing South Shore Line and proposed West Lake Extension line I N D I A N A

I-90

I L L I N O I S

HEGEWISCH WMI CID RECYCLING & DISPOSAL

BURNHAM WOODS GOLF COURSE

HAMMOND GATEWAY STATION

I-94 BURNHAM AVENUE

EAST CHICAGO

FOREST PRESERVE OF COOK COUNTY RIVER OAKS DRIVE

LYMAN AVENUE

SOUTH HAMMOND STATION

I-294

I-94

PURDUE UNIVERSITY

RIDGE ROAD

DD YER

ROA

INDIAANAPOLIS BLVD

GLE

CALUMET AVENUE

MANOR AVENUE

BROWNWELL WOODS

MUNSTER RIDGE ROAD STATION

MUNSTER / DYER MAIN STREET STATION

EXISTING SOUTH SHORE LINE & STATION

BRIAR RIDGE COUNTRY CLUB

PROPOSED WEST LAKE LINE & STATION N

1/2

2 MILES

WEST LAKE TOD

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT LEADERSHIP STRATEGY SESSIONS

At the center of the West Lake TOD Project lies extensive community engagement. The Design Team engaged with various stakeholders and community members that would be affected by the West Lake Corridor Extension Project and any development that would be located in the four station areas.

Two leadership strategy sessions were conducted during this planning process. The first, held in November 2016, was led by FTA New Starts consultant GB Arrington. During this meeting, the steering committee was given a presentation that outlined elements of a successful New Starts application and how, specifically, the West Lake communities could leverage their assets to make a stronger application. The steering committee was able to ask questions of GB Arrington and gain a better understanding of the New Starts process. This was critical, as these key members of their respective communities will need to guide the process forward at the conclusion of the West Lake TOD Project.

STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEWS

To kick off the engagement process, Farr Associates spent one day in each community interviewing a number of key stakeholders and elected officials. Stakeholders were primarily identified through conversations with the Design Team's point of contact in each community to ensure a broad representation of interests.

PROJECT WEBSITE

The second leadership strategy session was led by Dena Belzer, President of urban economics consulting firm Strategic Economics, based in Berkeley, California. Having completed market and feasibility analyses for numerous TOD planning projects, Dena walked the steering committee through funding and financing strategies specific to the West Lake Corridor, as well as an overview of the feasibility of proposed development in the area. This memo in its entirety can be located in the West Lake TOD Supplemental Studies document.

Farr Associates created a West Lake TOD Project website to facilitate engagement with community members who were unable to attend in-person meetings. The website acted as a hub for contacting the Design Team, reading frequently asked questions about the project, accessing previous presentations, and as a resource to participate in Online surveys about development preferences in the station areas. For more visit: westlaketod.civicpage.com.

STEERING COMMITTEE

PUBLIC WORKSHOPS

A steering committee with representatives from all three communities, the RDA, NICTD, and local West Lake interests was assembled to help guide the TOD planning process. The steering committee met at three strategic intervals over the course of this project to provide preliminary comments on proposed development schemes as well as guide the Design Team throughout the TOD Project.

STATION AREA PLANS

Three groups of workshops, for a total of seven community meetings, were held over an eight month period to gather feedback from each community on its preferences for proposed development and infrastructure improvements in the four station areas (see Figure 11). For an in-depth look at these meetings, see the following pages.

Figure 11. West Lake TOD Project public workshop schedule 2016

OCT

2017

NOV

DEC

JAN

FEB

MAR

APR

MAY

JUNE

WORKSHOP 1 3 SEPARATE MEETINGS Kickoff & Preferences

Develop 3 Alternatives per Station

WORKSHOP 2 2 SEPARATE MEETINGS Three Alternative Vision Plans

Preferred Vision Plan

WORKSHOP 3 2 SEPARATE MEETINGS Open House: Preferred Vision Plan

Source: Farr Associates, 2017

WEST LAKE TOD

PUBLIC WORKSHOP #1 In October 2016, Farr Associates conducted Public Workshop #1, which included three public meetings in the City of Hammond, the Town of Munster, and the Town of Dyer. Residents were briefed on the West Lake TOD Project’s scope and extent, as well as surveyed on their development preferences for the four station areas.

The public submitted questions during the public meetings that the communities, RDA, and NICTD helped answer at each meeting. Questions that were unable to be answered due to time constraints were collected and answered in the following months and posted to the project website, in addition to the questions answered at the meetings.

The meetings each began with a presentation by Doug Farr of Farr Associates, leading the community through an explanation of what TOD refers to and what it might look like in the West Lake Corridor. Time was also taken to explain how the West Lake TOD Project coincides with NICTD’s West Lake Corridor Extension Project, which has its own separate planning process related to the railway extension of the existing South Shore Line.

IMAGE PREFERENCE SURVEY RESULTS

While responses from the IPS varied within each community, a few results held true across all three communities:

• Townhomes are an acceptable housing type • Mixed-use development was well received • Owner-occupied housing is preferred over •

At the end of the presentation, participants were provided with a remote to participate in an image preference survey (IPS). Leading up to this workshop, Farr Associates led a steering committee meeting to gather input on the survey questions that would be asked at the public meetings. Farr Associates polled the audience on questions ranging from “What was the first place you lived after leaving home?” to “Is this building type appropriate for this TOD station area?” Participants could see the group’s aggregated results after all participants anonymously submitted their preferences. An Online version of this survey was also made available on the West Lake TOD Project website for those who were unable to attend the meetings in person.

STATION AREA PLANS

• •

rental housing However, the majority of respondents in each community lived in a rental apartment with roommates when they first moved out on their own as a young adult Communities are looking to provide for a range of family types, with an emphasis on young families There was an overwhelming desire to be able to age in place within their community

Town of Dyer

City of Hammond

Town of Dyer: Where do you Live, Work, Play?

Sample IPS survey slide

WEST LAKE TOD

PUBLIC WORKSHOP #2 In January 2017, Farr led a steering committee meeting to begin translating the results of Public Workshop #1 where residents were polled on their development and public space preferences. The steering committee was presented with three TOD vision plan alternatives for each station area, diagrammatically identifying where certain land uses, building types, parking, and public spaces might be located. Feedback from the January steering committee meeting was translated and further refined for the preliminary TOD vision plan alternatives for the West Lake corridor shown at two public meetings in February.

Small table discussion in Hammond

Public Workshop #2 was structured differently than Public Workshop #1. Public Workshop #2 included two meetings: one meeting covered the Hammond Gateway and South Hammond stations, hosted at Kenwood Elementary School; the other meeting was held at Centennial Park in Munster and covered the Munster Ridge Road and Munster / Dyer Main Street stations. At these meetings, residents watched a video produced by the RDA explaining what TOD is. Following the video, Farr Associates presented the TOD vision plan alternatives. The TOD vision plan alternatives presented at these meetings showed locations of potential buildings, potential land uses, as well as where commuter and non-commuter parking could be located. After the presentation, the public engaged in small-table discussions, writing down their preferred plans or preferred elements of different plans. At the end of the meeting, each table reported-out on what their tableâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s thoughts and preferences were for each station area.

Small table discussion in Hammond

STATION AREA PLANS

HAMMOND GATEWAY STATION

01 GATEWAY PLAZA

Rank in order of preference (1 through 3): TOD Plan east of Hohman Ave: Alternative west of Hohman: NOTES/COMMENTS:

HOHMAN AVE

GOSTLIN ST

SOUTH HAMMOND STATION 02 STATION SQUARE 01 POCKET NEIGHBORHOOD

169TH ST

Rank in order of preference (1 through 3):

Alternative west of Hohman: NOTES/COMMENTS:

LYMAN AVE

TOD Plan east of Hohman Ave:

Rank in order of preference (1 through 3): NOTES/COMMENTS: GOSTLIN ST

HOHMAN AVE

173RD ST

MUNSTER RIDGE ROAD STATION

TOD Plan east of Hohman Ave:

02 MONON PARK Rank in order of preference (1 through 3):

NOTES/COMMENTS:

169TH ST

NOTES/COMMENTS: LYMAN AVE

Alternative west of Hohman:

01 MAIN STREET Rank in order of preference (1 through 3):

MANOR AVE

03 CENTRAL PARK Rank in order of preference (1 through 3):

NOTES/COMMENTS:

RIDGE

ROAD

MUNSTER/DYER MAIN STREET STATION

GOSTLIN ST

01 MARKET SQUARE WEST

DYER

PUBLIC WORKSHOP #2 |

AVE MBIA COLU

03 SOUTH SQUARE

FEBRUARY 16, 2017

Rank in order of preference (1 through 3): 169TH ST

SHEF

Rank in order of preference (1 through 3):

NOTES/COMMENTS:

AVE

MUNSTER

FIELD

HAMMOND

NOTES/COMMENTS:

MANOR AVE

TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT

02 TOWN CENTER

SEMINARY DR

HOHMAN AVE

WEST LAKE TOD

MARGO LN

173RD ST

Rank in order of preference (1 through 3):

NOTES/COMMENTS:

ROAD

LYMAN AVE

RIDGE

MARGO LN

02 UPTOWN STATION Rank in order of173RD preference (1 through 3): ST

COLU MBIA AVE

NOTES/COMMENTS:

03 MARKET SQUARE

FEBRUARY 16, 2017

RIDGE

03 ORENCO STATION

FIELD

PUBLIC WORKSHOP #2 |

AVE

Rank in order of preference (1 through 3): NOTES/COMMENTS:

SHEF

DYER

SEMINARY DR

MUNSTER

ROAD

MARGO LN

HAMMOND

MANOR AVE

WEST LAKE TOD

TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT

Rank in order of preference (1 through 3):

COLU

MBIA

AVE

NOTES/COMMENTS:

WEST LAKE TOD

PUBLIC WORKSHOP #2 |

DYER

FEBRUARY 14, 2017 AVE

MUNSTER

SHEF

SEMINARY DR

HAMMOND

FIELD

TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT

WEST LAKE TOD

TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT

Scorecards used for small table discussions

HAMMOND

MUNSTER

DYER

PUBLIC WORKSHOP #2 |

FEBRUARY 14, 2017

WEST LAKE TOD

PUBLIC WORKSHOP #3 Public Workshop #3 was also split into two meetings: one for the Hammond Gateway and South Hammond station areas, and the other for the Munster Ridge Road and Munster / Dyer Main Street station areas. Each meeting began with a short presentation by Farr Associates to guiding residents through the proposed "preferred TOD vision plan" and recommended zoning framework for each station area. The â&#x20AC;&#x153;preferred TOD vision plansâ&#x20AC;? are a culmination of input from the public, steering committee, and community leadership collected at Public Workshop #2 and steering committee meetings. Following the presentation, the public was invited to browse presentation boards with the preferred TOD vision plans, recommended zoning framework, and supplemental information. Post-it notes and markers were supplied to collect final feedback and comments from those in attendance. This open house format allowed for in-depth, oneon-one conversations with the community and stakeholders, where the Design Team was able to hear specific insights from the public as well as answer individual questions from neighbors of the future station areas.

STATION AREA PLANS

Munster / Dyer audience for opening presentation

Munster / Dyer Open House

South Hammond Regulating Framework Poster

Munster / Dyer Preferred Vision Plan Poster

WEST LAKE TOD

HAMMOND GATEWAY TOD VISION PLAN

The area surrounding the Hammond Gateway station is intended to be the most intensely developed of the four proposed West Lake Corridor stations, and will accommodate a variety of uses including office, commercial, retail, and some residential. Multimodal access – including road improvements, enhanced streetscapes (e.g., improved sidewalks, landscaping, bicycle design, lighting, and signage), and traffic calming (i.e., measures to improve pedestrian safety in interactions with vehicles) – would support Hammond Gateway as an employment destination.

Mixed-use building

To accommodate the needs of different developers, the street pattern will be reorganized to allow for blocks that can be developed over time, including long-term opportunities to develop the existing commuter parking lot at today’s Hammond Station, and portions of the future parking lot south of the future Hammond Gateway station.

Office building

The new street blocks will also ensure safe and efficient circulation for transit riders, pedestrians, bicyclists, and drivers. Figure 12 illustrates the TOD vision plan for the Hammond Gateway station area.

Restaurant building

D Ofﬁce

Ofﬁce

Lobby

Potential Roof Amenity Space Parking Garage Upper Level Parking Garage Lower Level

Ramp to Lower Level

STATION AREA PLANS

Ofﬁce

Ofﬁce Lobby Ramp to Upper Level

TOWLE AVE

HOHMAN AVE

SHEFFIELD AVE

WABASH AVE

GROVER AVE

CLARK AVE

DEARBORN AVE

Figure 12. TOD vision plan for the Hammond Gateway station area

GOSTLIN ST

D NEW TRA

CK-ADJAC

Commuter Parking

ENT STRE

GOSTLIN ST

Kiss & Rid

HANOVER ST

Train Station and Platform

C HUDSON ST

NICTD Maintenance Facility

HOHMAN AVE

SHEFFIELD AVE

NEW STREET

CHICAGO ST

Source: Farr Associates, 2017

PROGRAM SUMMARY Office Mixed-use Commercial Restaurant NICTD Maintenance

0’

153,000 sf 90,000 sf 12,500 sf 5,500 sf 700,000 sf

200’

400’

800’

Parking is accommodated on-site at a ratio of 2.5 - 3.0 parking spaces per 1,000 sf.

WEST LAKE TOD

STREET SECTION DETAILS

Gostlin Street

Grover north of Gostlin Street is shown extended into the station area to give ample room for trees and pedestrian separation; alternatively, the sidewalks could be widened into the parkway to provide more space for sidewalk uses such as café seating, if applicable.

Gostlin Street is an east-west minor arterial street that currently carries approximately 10,600 vehicles per day on two very wide travel lanes that encourage higher speeds. As the relocation of residential along the south side of Gostlin Street allows for the expansion of the existing street right-of-way, the future Gostlin Street is envisioned as a four-lane street with two lanes in each direction divided by a landscaped median to create an inviting entry to the area and calm traffic simultaneously (see Figure 13). The median configuration will also provide the opportunity to install pedestrian refuge islands at key locations, making it easier for pedestrians to cross Gostlin Street between the neighborhood and the station. Sidewalks will be provided with a minimum fivefoot parkway to separate pedestrians from the travel/parking lane. Parking is shown on the north side of the street to provide some additional residential parking spaces. This parking can be framed byStreet curb(adjacent bulb toouts New tracks)at intersections to 3 minimize pedestrian crossing distances.

New Track-Adjacent Street

The new street that runs along the north side of the rail tracks will be a local street that is shown with a single travel lane in each direction and parking on the north side of the street, adjacent to the proposed buildings (see Figure 15). Travel lanes are shown as 11 feet wide and sidewalks are shown on both sides of the street. The rail right-ofway and platform area is also depicted for both the South Shore at-grade tracks and the elevated West Lake tracks.

A B C

Grover Avenue

Grover Avenue will be extended south of Gostlin Street into the station development area (see Figure 14). The Grover Avenue right-of-way can be maintained at 66 feet to provide a single lane of travel in each direction and a parking lane on one side. The generous parkway (11 feet) that exists on Figure 15: SECTION C - NEW TRACK-ADJACENT STREET 25’ 16.5’

P 7’

6’

8’

11’

5’

8’

10’

20’

10’

Sidewalk

Parkway

Parking

Drive Lane

Parkway

Sidewalk

South Shore Tracks

South Shore Platform

South Shore Tracks

New Track-Adjacent Street STATION AREA PLANS

Figure 13: SECTION A - GOSTLIN STREET

Grover Avenue

6’

Sidewalk Parkway

8’

11’

12’

11’

Parallel Parking

Drive Lane

Median

Drive Lane

6’

Parkway Sidewalk

Figure 14: SECTION B - GROVER AVENUE

W 7’

11’

Sidewalk

Parkway

8’

11’

7’

Parking Lane

Drive Lane

Parkway

Sidewalk

25’

11’ - 18’

16.5’

At-Grade Pedestrian Tunnel

S 35’ - 50’ Plaza

12’

10’

Elevator Transfer West Lake Point and West Lake Tracks Platform

13.5’ Plaza

Station Building

Plaza

WEST LAKE TOD

SOUTH HAMMOND TOD VISION PLAN

The TOD vision plan for the South Hammond station area features a limited increase in intensity and change in the existing residential character. Surrounding the South Hammond station will be enhanced streetscape, including wider sidewalks, multiuse paths, lighting, and easily accessible pocket parks.

Paired homes

With few major development opportunity sites, the land publicly owned as part of the rail rightof-way, as well as large private parcels located south of the station, are envisioned to incorporate infill development, such as small-lot single-family homes and paired homes.

A new north-south street located east of the station, Garfield Avenue, will create more efficient circulation and station access for both existing and future residential neighborhoods.

Small-lot single-family homes

Although the South Hammond TOD vision plan incorporates ample commuter parking, its strong pedestrian orientation, safe intersections, and inviting parks also transform the South Hammond station area into an amenity-rich, â&#x20AC;&#x153;walk and rideâ&#x20AC;? location for all residents. Figure 16 illustrates the TOD vision plan for the South Hammond station area.

Small-lot single-family homes

Note: The sample images of paired homes and small-lot single-family homes are intended to serve as an example and could be located on any block of the South Hammond station area as a private developer sees fit.

Pocket park

STATION AREA PLANS

Figure 16. TOD vision plan for the South Hammond station area 169TH ST

170TH ST

C GARFIELD AVE

171ST ST

HARRISON AVE

LYMAN AVE

172ND ST

HOHMAN AVE

D B

MONROE AVE

BEN LEVIN DR

Train Station and Platform

173RD ST

Source: Farr Associates, 2017

PROGRAM SUMMARY Paired Homes Carriage Homes Park / Open Space

0’

300’

600’

1200’

96 units 13 units 1.5 acres

Parking is accommodated on-site at a ratio of 1.0 - 1.5 parking spaces per unit.

WEST LAKE TOD

STREET SECTION DETAILS

Garfield Avenue

Garfield Avenue will be the primary access point into the station area from 173rd Street and continue north connecting to new residential development (see Figure 17). Traffic speeds should be reduced by narrow travel lanes. On-street parking should be provided north of the commuter Garﬁeld Avenue parking lots near the park and residential 4 development, which will also help to calm traffic. This particular section is shown parkside, so the sidewalk is located immediately adjacent to the street to maximize park space. Further north, the sidewalk should be separated from the street with a parkway.

D E F

Lyman Avenue

Figure 17: SECTION D - Garfield Avenue

Lyman Avenue is a north-south local road that is currently 20 to 22 feet wide. Generally, the future street section does not change and the Monon Trail will continue to be separated by a five-foot Lyman Avenue landscape buffer (see Figure 18). The new northsouth street along the east side of the tracks will provide perpendicular parking and a 26-foot drive aisle to allow for standard maneuvering dimension.

6’

10’

Drive Lane

8’

Parallel Parking

Sidewalk

Figure 18: SECTION E - LYMAN AVENUE

W 11’ Drive Lane

STATION AREA PLANS

11’ Drive Lane

5’

10’

12’

18’

22’

8.5’

Monon Trail

Landscape Buﬀer

West Lake Tracks

Landscape Buﬀer

Sidewalk

20’

26’

Commuter Parking

Drive Aisle

173rd Street

173rd Street is an east-west minor arterial street that currently provides two wide travel lanes carrying approximately 6,700 vehicles per day and parking on both sides. The future 173rd Street is envisioned with more definition that channelizes left turns, delineates the parking lanes, and narrows the through travel lanes with pavement striping to help calm traffic (see Figure 19). The curb locations, as well as the sidewalk and parkway along both sides of the street, remain as-is. This particular section is shown between Lyman Avenue and the new Garfield Avenue, where additional turning traffic will be introduced, so a center leftturn lane should be provided. 6

173rd Street

Figure 19: SECTION F - 173RD STREET

S 5’ Sidewalk

12’ Parkway

9’

12’

5’

Drive Lane

Two-Way Turn-Lane

Drive Lane

Parkway

Sidewalk

WEST LAKE TOD

MUNSTER RIDGE ROAD TOD VISION PLAN

The TOD vision plan for the Munster Ridge Road station area includes a variety of land uses with higher density, pedestrian-friendly infrastructure, pocket parks, and enhanced open spaces. Unlike todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s conditions at many existing commercial centers along Ridge Road, parking would be located behind visible street frontages to create a more appealing pedestrian environment.

Townhomes

Taking advantage of the intersectionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s high visibility, Ridge Road and Manor Avenue are envisioned to transform into a vibrant mixed-use node with a variety of multi-family developments, commercial retail, and services.

The TOD vision plan also incorporates connections to the widely used Monon Trail in order to leverage this valuable regional transportation alternative. Figure 20 illustrates the TOD vision plan for the Munster Ridge Road station area.

Mixed-use building with residential on upper floors

Restaurant with outdoor seating

STATION AREA PLANS

Figure 20. TOD vision plan for the Munster Ridge Road station area

30TH PL

HARRISON AVE

Train Shelter and Platform

JACKSON AVE

VAN BUREN AVE

HARRISON AVE

FREDERICK AVE

HIGHLAND PL

MEADOW LN

MANOR AVE

BROADMOOR AVE

RIDGE RD

SEBERGER

B HARRISON AVE

RIDGE RD

SOUTH ST

MANOR AVE

BROADMOOR AVE

Source: Farr Associates, 2017

PROGRAM SUMMARY Mixed-Use Restaurant Townhomes

0’

200’

400’

800’

92,000 sf 6,500 sf 22 units

Parking is accommodated on-site at a ratio of 1.0 - 1.5 parking spaces per unit.

WEST LAKE TOD

STREET SECTION DETAILS

Manor Avenue

Manor Avenue is a north-south minor collector street approximately 28 feet wide and unstriped. Parking is currently prohibited at all times along the east side of the street. The future Manor Avenue will allow passenger loading within a lane along the east side of the street, closest to the tracks; the two travel lanes (each 10 feet wide) will be restriped further west within the existing street section (see Figure 21). Select sections of the street could be widened into the parkway to accommodate a parking lane on portions of the west side of the street.

G H

Manor Avenue

Figure 21: SECTION G - MANOR AVENUE

Sidewalk

STATION AREA PLANS

10’ Parkway/ Parking

10’ Drive Lane

8’ Drop-oﬀ/ Pick-up

5’ Clear Space

10’ Monon Trail

5’ Clear Space

11’ Platform

West Lake Tracks

Ridge Road

Ridge Road is a minor arterial street that carries approximately 21,500 vehicles per day. It currently provides 11-foot travel lanes and a center twoway turn lane, with parking prohibited at all times. With the development of the station area, Ridge Road is shown maintaining that existing five-lane section; however, there is an opportunity to widen the sidewalk on the north side of the street to match the width of Ridge Road currently found to Ridge Road the east toward Harrison Avenue (see Figure 22).

Figure 22: SECTION H - RIDGE ROAD

16’ Sidewalk

11’ Drive Lane

11’ Turn-Lane

11’ Drive Lane

9’ Sidewalk

WEST LAKE TOD

MUNSTER / DYER MAIN STREET TOD VISION PLAN

The TOD vision plan for the Munster / Dyer Main Street station area features growth of a new neighborhood with townhomes, multi-family housing, and neighborhood services. The TOD vision plan also incorporates complementary multi-modal connections, parks and plazas, as well as new streets that will connect to Columbia/ Sheffield Avenue, creating better circulation to ensure efficient multi-modal movement around the station and to future neighborhoods.

Townhomes

Two neighborhood parks anchor the residential development on both sides of the West Lake tracks. The western park is shown framed by a range of townhomes and multistory residential buildings. Amenities such as a small gym or service uses are envisioned in the ‘L’ shaped buildings, and pictured in photo ‘D.’ The eastern park is shown programmed with two tennis courts, a small ‘tot lot’ for children, as well as landscaped, passive space.

Townhomes

Figure 23 illustrates the TOD vision plan for the Munster / Dyer Main Street station area.

Multi-unit apartment/condominium building

STATION AREA PLANS

LUCY LN

Train Station and Platform

COLU MBIA

MARGO LN

DONNA DR

A VE

Figure 23. TOD vision plan for the Munster / Dyer Main Street station area

CALUMET AVE

MAIN STREET

SHEF F

IELD

AVE

SEMINARY DR

Source: Farr Associates, 2017

PROGRAM SUMMARY Apartments Townhomes Commercial Park / Open Space

0’

558 units 199 units 10,000 sf 2.0 acres

400’

800’

1600’

Parking is accommodated on-site at a ratio of 1.0 - 1.5 parking spaces per unit.

WEST LAKE TOD

STREET SECTION DETAILS

Entry Boulevard

The entry boulevard is shown as a typical collector street section with a single travel lane in each direction and parking on both sides of the street (see Figure 24). The parking lanes could be framed by curb bulb outs at the intersections to minimize the pedestrian crossing distances; alternatively, parking could be omitted if a left-turn lane is required. Sidewalks should be separated from the street with six to eight feet of parkway.

New Residential Street

The new residential streets should be at most 30 feet wide curb-to-curb to keep speeds low and reduce pedestrian crossing distances (see Figure 25). This street section can accommodate a single travel lane in each direction and parking on one side of the street. Often, parking can even be accommodated on both sides of the street within the 30-foot width, when traffic volumes and parking demand is low. Sidewalks should be provided with a minimum five-foot parkway separation from the street.

New (Parkside) Residential Street

This residential street is a variation of the previous street section with a maximum curb-to-curb width of 30 feet to keep speeds low and reduce pedestrian crossing distances. This particular section is shown parkside so sidewalk is located immediately adjacent to the street to maximize continuous open space (see Figure 26).

STATION AREA PLANS

Figure 24: SECTION I - ENTRY BOULEVARD

New Residential Street

P 7’ Sidewalk

7’ Parkway

8’ Parking

11’ Drive Lane

7’ Parkway

8’ Parking

11’ Drive Lane

7’ Sidewalk

Figure 25: SECTION J - NEW RESIDENTIAL STREET

New Residential Street (Parkside)

W 7’ Sidewalk

5’ Parkway

11’ Drive Lane

P 11’ Drive Lane

5’

8’ Parking

Parkway

7’ Sidewalk

Figure 26: SECTION K - NEW (PARKSIDE) RESIDENTIAL STREET

N 7’

5’

Sidewalk

Parkway

P 8’

Parking

S 11’

11’

7’

Drive Lane

Sidewalk

WEST LAKE TOD

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MOBILITY

WEST LAKE TOD

MOBILITY OVERVIEW As fundamental concepts of TOD, transportation and land use should be intrinsically linked. TOD is typically defined as compact, higher-density, mixed-use development in proximity of a transit station. Within a TOD, a resident has the ability to walk, bike or take transit to work, and meet a combination of convenience and lifestyle needs within a short walk of home – making the walkability of the neighborhood essential to its success. Notwithstanding, the stations will draw vehicular traffic as people park and ride. This section looks at mobility, or how people travel to, from, and around the station areas, including walking, biking, driving, and shared mobility.

station. Having this regional trail extend along the West Lake Corridor and connect seamlessly to the stations and station areas is a tremendous asset to commuters, residents, and businesses.

STREET FRAMEWORK

The Monon Trail

The street framework for each station area plan aims to provide as complete of a grid network as possible, with sidewalks on both sides of every street. A complete street grid provides a connected and predictable pedestrian network and helps to evenly distribute traffic volumes. The West Lake TOD station area plans include new streets to connect to the existing street network in adjacent neighborhoods, and blocks at intervals complementing the pattern of surrounding development, in short, walkable intervals.

MONON TRAIL

The Monon Trail

The Monon Trail is a statewide recreational trail that has an approximately four-mile long portion between the Pennsy Greenway in Munster and the Erie Lackawanna Trailhead in downtown Hammond. It currently extends through the South Hammond and Munster Ridge Road station areas, and its extension should be considered as part of this plan southward to the Munster / Dyer Main Street station and beyond to the Dyer Amtrak

MOBILITY

CRASH ANALYSIS

Safety is also a key component to a walkable area, so a crash analysis was conducted to determine mobility improvements necessary at each station area. A crash prediction website produced by Indiana State Police and the Management and Performance Hub (MPH) maps the probability of accidents using available crash data for a 10-year

period. The half-mile area centered on the key intersection of each station area was evaluated according to the crash prediction website (see Figure 27). Accident data for each station area is summarized in the Appendix. Key findings of the crash analysis are as follows:

inclement weather as all crash risks increase in this station area when road conditions are slick. Most accidents are cited due to vehicles that follow others too closely.

Figure 27. MPH Crash Risk Map

路 Hammond Gateway - The area centered at

the intersection of Gostlin Street and Sheffield Avenue is a high crash risk area during the AM (6-9 a.m.) and PM (3-6 p.m.) peak hours. Accidents are frequently due to vehicles that follow others too closely or from failing to yield to the correct right-of-way.

路 South Hammond - The area within a half-

mile of the intersection of 173rd Street and Lyman Avenue is a medium to high crash risk area during the a.m. peak hours, and is a high crash risk area during the p.m. peak hours. Accidents are frequently due to vehicles that follow others too closely.

HAMMOND GATEWAY

Existing South Shore Line

SOUTH HAMMOND

路 Munster Ridge Road - The area centered at

MUNSTER RIDGE ROAD Proposed West Lake Corridor Extension

the intersection of Ridge Road and Manor Avenue is a high crash risk area during the a.m. and p.m. peak hours. Many accidents are due to vehicles disregarding regulatory signs or signals or from failing to yield to the correct right-of-way.

MUNSTER / DYER MAIN ST

路 Munster / Dyer Main Street - The area within

a half -mile south of the intersection of Main Street and Sheffield Avenue is a low crash risk area. The area to the north of the intersection is a medium crash risk and to the east is a high crash risk during a.m. and p.m. peak hours. Roads appear to be substantially affected by

Source: https://www.in.gov/isp/ispCrashApp/main.html

WEST LAKE TOD

LAST MILE STRATEGIES To maximize the benefits of TOD, the “last mile” connections to these stations must be oriented for pedestrians. A commuter or neighborhood resident will likely want to walk or bike that short distance to jump on the train. Planning for a street network framework that makes walking to transit easy is among the most useful and cost-effective mobility strategies. Additional strategies that were used when developing the station area plans are discussed in this section.

MARKED CROSSWALKS

Marked crosswalks designate paths where pedestrians may safely cross the street, and where drivers can expect them to cross. “Zebrastriped” crosswalks provide the highest visibility to pedestrians. At a higher cost, material options such as bricks or decorative pavers are often used as an alternative to white paint for their aesthetic benefit. At signalized intersections, the vehicular stop bar should be placed at least 10 feet before the pedestrian crossing to ensure cars do not encroach on the crosswalk. Where possible, use basic paint and stencils to make pedestrian crossings decorative, exciting, and unique.

MOBILITY

“Zebra-striped” crosswalk

ROAD DIETS For roads that experience fast-moving, heavy vehicle volumes with multiple lanes, a road diet is a low-cost solution that can benefit every mode. Typical applications convert existing four-lane roads into three-lane roads with a continuous two-way left turn lane. The reduction of lanes can dramatically reduce overall crashes and improve the operation and flow of the road. Non-motorized users will also benefit from road diets. In addition to reduced vehicle speeds, the conversion usually allocates dedicated lanes for bicyclists and/or sidewalks, further reducing conflicts. Pedestrians will benefit from the reduced vehicle speeds and the shorter and simplified crossing distances.

BEFORE

AFTER Road diet: before and after

SHARED MOBILITY As ridesharing services such as Uber and Lyft continue to grow in popularity, these services can be used to help people with last mile connections, supplement access where transit is lacking, and encourage “car-light” or “car-optional” lifestyles. When incorporating shared mobility to supplement transit stations, drop-off locations should be clearly marked and located near station entrances in lieu of parking spaces. By making ridesharing easy, single-occupancy trips, traffic, and demand for parking are all reduced. Rideshare pick-up and drop-off location sign

WEST LAKE TOD

PEDESTRIAN COUNTDOWN TIMERS A pedestrian countdown timer is an alternative to the typical pedestrian crossing signals, with the addition of numbers counting down the time remaining for pedestrians to clear the crosswalk. The pedestrian countdown timer begins in conjunction with the flashing “DON’T WALK” signal interval.

Pedestrian countdown timer

LEADING PEDESTRIAN INTERVALS A leading pedestrian interval gives pedestrians a head start into an intersection before vehicles by changing the signal timing of the intersection. This helps reduce pedestrian/vehicle conflicts caused by turning cars at intersections.

MOBILITY

PEDESTRIAN REFUGE ISLANDS A pedestrian refuge island is a protected area in the center of a multi-lane crossing that gives pedestrians a place to pause safely between traffic lanes in each direction. Pedestrian refuge islands should be at least six feet wide and should be protected by a curbed median on both sides. Detectable warnings (e.g. truncated dome surface areas), must also be installed to allow pedestrians who are visually impaired to detect the refuge island.

Pedestrian refuge island

CORNER RADIUS DESIGN Large corner curb radii, typically found in autooriented areas, create sweeping curb arcs at intersections, which increases pedestrian crossing distance across traffic lanes, and allows vehicles to turn at relatively high speeds. By minimizing corner radii, pedestrians have more room to wait at corners, crossing ramps are better aligned, pedestrian crossing distances are shortened, and vehicles are forced to slow while turning.

R = 50â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

R = 15â&#x20AC;&#x2122; A narrowed crosswalk due to a smaller corner radii (bottom)

CROSSING RAMPS AND TRUNCATED DOMES All pedestrian crossings should meet specifications of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), including slope, rise, width, and landing requirements. Ideally there should be a separate curb ramp for each crosswalk; ramps installed diagonally toward the center of an intersection serving two crosswalks are not preferred. All new crossing treatments should be outfitted with truncated dome textured ground surface indicators, which alert the visually impaired to a grade change or vehicular path.

Crossing ramp with a truncated dome surface

WEST LAKE TOD

SPEED TABLES AND RAISED CROSSWALKS A speed table and a raised intersection are essentially longer speed humps used to reduce vehicle speeds, and make pedestrians more visible by raising the crosswalk and intersection, respectively. This type of intersection treatment gives priority to the pedestrian by making a seamless sidewalk-level connection across vehicle lanes.

Speed table doubling as a raised crosswalk

LIGHTING Sidewalks and intersections should have delightful lighting installed at a pedestrian scale, and directed onto pedestrian paths. Lighting installed along a major roadway is typically positioned such that the roadway is washed with as much even lighting for vehicle lanes as possible, while sidewalks adjacent to such roadways do not have direct lighting at an appropriate height to serve pedestrians. Appropriate pedestrian scale lighting can alleviate this issue.

Pedestrian-scale lighting

MOBILITY

PLANTED CURBS AND EDGES Consistent landscaping and edge treatments can also be used to make the pedestrian environment safer and more predictable for drivers. Planting trees between sidewalks and the roadway provide physical barriers, improved aesthetics, and sound absorption. A contiguous buffer of low plants along the sidewalk edge approaching a pedestrian crossing discourages pedestrians from jaywalking, or crossing outside the crosswalk itself. During winter months, snow mounds resulting from street snow removal must be shoveled out of pedestrian ramps and sidewalk connections at intersections. In addition, efforts should be made to identify native or salt-tolerant plants for these areas.

Planted curb with pedestrian paths to access sidewalk

MULTI-USE PATHWAYS A multi-use pathway is a facility built for combined bicycle and pedestrian traffic, and is physically separated from motor vehicle traffic. Multi-use trails intended to accommodate both pedestrians and cyclists need to be wide enough and have clear sight-lines to accommodate users moving at different speeds, and should be clearly marked. The minimum width for such pathways is 10 feet to accommodate both pedestrians and bicyclists. Where possible, a minimum five-foot buffer should exist between the multi-use path and the roadway; vertical separation is preferred.

Multi-use pathway

WEST LAKE TOD

TRAFFIC SIGNALS

While traffic signals are the safest location for pedestrians to cross, certain conditions must be met at an intersection to warrant a traffic signal to be installed; considerations include traffic volumes, pedestrian volumes, and nearby conditions. The investigation of the need for a traffic signal follows criteria set forth in the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) and may warrant installation if, for example, minor street traffic volumes are consistently above 75 vehicles per hour or if, during peak hours of the day, the minor street experiences 150 vehicles in an hour. Many different conditions may warrant signal control and the MUCTD guidebook describes those conditions. Other examples that may warrant a signal include intersections where pedestrian volumes are over approximately 130 people per hour or intersections where young, elderly, and/or persons with physical or visual disabilities need special consideration. Intersections near at-grade railroad crossings may also warrant signal control if the traffic signal will help improve safety for vehicles clearing the tracks

MOBILITY

Traffic signals

ROUNDABOUTS

Intersections controlled by roundabout infrastructure have a lot of traffic capacity but accommodate it at slow speeds that are comfortable for the neighborhood. Roundabouts should be designed carefully to provide safe and defined pedestrian crossings since traffic is never under full stop control.

Roundabout

NARROW STREET AND LANE WIDTHS

Similar to corner radius design at intersections, street pavement and lane widths should be narrow to calm traffic (narrow travel lanes make vehicles go slower) and directly minimize the length of a pedestrian crossing. On-street parking is also a means to narrow apparent street width and provide a separation between the sidewalks and the travel lanes. Narrow street in Seattle, WA

WEST LAKE TOD

PART THREE: IMPLEMENT THE VISION TO ENSURE HIGH-QUALITY DEVELOPMENT

REGULATING FRAMEWORK

WEST LAKE TOD

WHAT IS A FORM-BASED CODE? A form-based code (FBC) is a land development regulation that fosters predictable built results and a high-quality public realm by using physical form (rather than separation of uses) as the organizing principle. A FBC is not merely a design guideline; it is a regulation adopted into city, town, or county law. A FBC therefore offers a powerful alternative to conventional zoning regulation. FBCs are the fundamental best practice to effectively implement mixed-use places .

Conventional zoning: doesn’t guarantee walkability

The five main elements of form-based codes are: • A regulating plan • Public standards • Building standards • Administration • Definitions

Additional elements can include architectural standards, landscaping standards, signage standards, environmental resource standards, and specific annotations.

Design guidelines: voluntary; enforced by negotiation

There are a range of ways to incorporate a FBC into a community’s development standards. Some communities opt to have the FBC comprehensively replace the current conventional zoning code. This method allows for the broadest range of quality control over future development. Alternatively, choosing a hybrid code combines FBC elements with the existing conventional zoning code (see Figure 28). Often, this results in an special district or overlay zoning.

Form-based code: supports walkable places

For more information on Form-Based Codes, visit: http://formbasedcodes.org/content/ uploads/2013/11/CMAP-GuideforCommunities.pdf

REGULATORY FRAMEWORK

Figure 28. Sample page from Bloomington-Normal, Illinoisâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; form-based code

Main Street Corridor Form-Based Code 4-11. Building Type Standards: Rowhouse alley

Alley Access.

A.3

Rear Yard Setback.

Accessory Building

A.4

Parking & Accessory Building Location. Side Yard Setback.

A.8

Impervious Coverage.

A.9 Side Property Line

Maximum Building Coverage.

Accessory Building

Principal Building

A.6

Accessory Building

Principal Building

Corner Side Build-to Zone.

Accessory Building

Principal Building

A.2

Accessory Building

Principal Building

Semi-Pervious Coverage.

street

& Accessory Building in BTZ. Corner Side Property Line

A.10 Parking

A.8

A.5

Rear Property Line

Principal Building

A.11

A.2

Unenclosed Porch, Stoop, and Stairs.

Front Build-to Zone.

Front Property Line street A.7 A.4

Min. Lot Width.

Maximum Number of Contiguous Units.

Figure 4-11.A: Building Siting.

Parking is permitted within the corner side yard Build-to Zone, but may not be located closer to the corner side property line than the principal building Facade(s). Driveways & Access. A.11 If no alley exists, one (1) driveway per cluster of up to five (5) units is permitted. A.12 If an alley exists, an additional driveway is not permitted.

Building Siting. (Refer to Figure 4-11.A)

A.10

Multiple principal buildings may be constructed on a single lot provided that each building meets all requirements in Section 4-11. Street Frontage. A.2 Front and corner side building Facades must be constructed within Build-to Zones located between five (5) and fifteen (15) feet into the site from the property lines. A.3 Unenclosed porches, stoops, and stairs are permitted to encroach to two (2) feet from the front and corner side property lines. Side & Rear Yard Setbacks. A.4 Side yard setback shall be a minimum of five (5) feet. a. A minimum of two (2) and a maximum of five (5) contiguous principal buildings are permitted without side yard setbacks. A.5 Rear yard setback shall be a minimum of five (5) feet. Buildable Area. A.6 Maximum Building Coverage shall be sixty-five (65) percent of site area. A.7 Minimum lot width is eighteen (18) feet per unit. A.8 Maximum Impervious Site Coverage shall be eighty (80) percent; an additional ten (10) percent of the site may be Semi-Pervious. Parking. A.9 Surface parking is permitted in the rear yard, behind the back Facade of the principal building. A.1

Height & Use Requirements. (Refer to Figure 4-11.B)

Building & Floor Heights. (See 4-5 Measuring Height) B.1 Principal building height shall be a minimum of one and a half (1 1/2) stories and a maximum of three (3) stories. B.2 Allowable floor height is a minimum of eight (8) feet, maximum of fourteen (14) feet. Uses B.3 Specific use information can be found in Section 3 Uses. B.4 Parking is permitted fully below grade or internally in the rear of the building with a minimum of fifteen (15) feet, measured from the front Facades, occupied by a permitted use other than parking.

City of Bloomington and Town of Normal

WEST LAKE TOD

PERMITTED BUILDING TYPES AND USES RECOMMENDED REGULATING FRAMEWORK

For any of the communities to implement and enforce a FBC, each community would have to go through its own rigorous planning process and public comment period.

The following pages provide an overview of a recommended regulating framework for a FBC for the West Lake TOD station areas. The West Lake regulating framework plans are intended to provide the public and developers with a long-term vision of how each community is looking to adapt and grow around the proposed West Lake Corridor Extension Project. As indicated in the market study, the majority of these building types are not yet feasible in the short term, but will likely be by the 2040 horizon, given successful implementation of recommendations proposed in this report. The Permitted Building Types and Uses Matrix (see Figure 29) is intended to serve as an at-a-glance reference of what building types are permitted by-right in the various use zones. For example, if a developer wanted to construct a mixed-use building, they would look for areas zoned MX-R, MX-C, MX-F, or MX-P. Alternatively, if someone owns property that has been zoned AR-2, they would see they are permitted to construct a four to eight unit residential building, a live-work building, townhomes, or paired homes. For details on the forms allowed for each of these building types, see Figure 30. The four West Lake TOD station areas each have a regulating framework plan where select parcels are colored to denote which use zone regulations should be applied to them in the future (see Figures 31-34). The intent of these regulating plans are to help municipalities control the type and quality of new development in the TOD station areas.

REGULATORY FRAMEWORK

PAIRED HOMES, & SMALL-LOT SINGLE FAMILY

TOWNHOMES, PAIRED HOMES (STACKED)

LIVE-WORK

4-8 UNIT BUILDING

MIDRISE & COURTYARD

ONE-STORY RETAIL

MIXED-USE

INSTITUTIONAL & CIVIC

BUILDING TYPE

Figure 29. Permitted Building Types and Uses Matrix for the West Lake TOD Station Areas

ZONES Mixed Use Retail Ground floor retail Non-retail: conditional use

MX-R

Mixed Use Commercial Ground floor commercial Non-commercial: conditional use

MX-C

Mixed Use Flex Flexible ground floor use Mixed Use Parking Parking as primary use, designed for future development Attached Residential

MX-F MX-P

Mid-scale density

AR-3

Attached Residential Low-scale density

AR-2

Residential Low-scale density Neighborhood Residential

R-1 NR

Areas to be considered by municipality for future opportunities

ALLOWED

Source: Farr Associates, 2017

WEST LAKE TOD

Figure 30. FBC BUILDING TYPES AND SPECIFICATIONS FOR THE WEST LAKE CORRIDOR

MIXED-USE (RETAIL, COMMERCIAL)

MIXED-USE (FLEX, RESIDENTIAL)

ONE-STORY RETAIL

MIDRISE & COURTYARD

REGULATORY FRAMEWORK

Dwelling units/acre

25-35

Lot size

Setback (front, side)

0-5’, 5’

Uses

Retail, Commercial, Office

Unit Type

Condo/apartment; soft loft

Parking requirements

2.75 sp/1,000 sf Retail, 1 sp/du

Vehicular access

From alley; if no alley exists, 1 driveway per street frontage

Dwelling units/acre

30-35

Lot size

Setback (front, side)

0-5’, 5’

Uses

Flexible, Residential

Unit Type

Condo/apartment; soft loft

Parking requirements

2.75 sp/1,000 sf Retail, 1 sp/du

Vehicular access

From alley; if no alley exists, 1 driveway per street frontage

Dwelling units/acre

Lot size

Setback (front, side)

0-5’, 5’

Uses

Retail, Office

Parking requirements

2.75 sp/1,000 sf Retail, 1 sp/du

Vehicular access

From alley; if no alley exists, 1 driveway per street frontage

Dwelling units/acre

30-35

Lot size

120’ +

Setback (front, side)

0’-10’

Uses

Residential

Parking requirements

1 sp/du

Vehicular access

From alley; if no alley exists, 1 driveway per street frontage

LIVE-WORK

4-8 UNIT BUILDING

TOWNHOME

DUPLEX / STACKED DUPLEX

Dwelling units/acre

6-8

Lot size

50’ x 110’

Setback (front, side)

5’-15’, 5’

Uses

Residential

Parking requirements

1 sp/du

Vehicular access

From alley; if no alley exists, 1 driveway per street frontage

Dwelling units/acre

20-30

Lot size

50’ x 110’

Setback (front, side)

0’-10’

Uses

Residential

Parking requirements

1 sp/du

Vehicular access

From alley; if no alley exists, 1 driveway per street frontage

Dwelling units/acre

20-30

Lot size

66’ x 110’

Setback (front, side)

5-15’, 5’

Uses

Residential

Parking requirements

1 sp/du

Vehicular access

From alley; if no alley exists, 1 driveway per street frontage

Dwelling units/acre

20-30

Lot size

50’ x 110’

Setback (front, side)

5-15’, 5’

Uses

Residential

Parking requirements

1 sp/du

Vehicular access

From alley; if no alley exists, 1 driveway per street frontage

WEST LAKE TOD

HAMMOND GATEWAY

MIXED USE RETAIL Ground floor retail Non-retail: conditional use

MIXED USE COMMERCIAL Ground floor commercial Non-commercial: conditional use

MIXED USE FLEX Flexible ground floor use

MX-R

MIXED USE PARKING Parking as primary use, designed for future development

MX-P

MX-C

ATTACHED RESIDENTIAL (MID) Mid-scale density

AR-3

MX-F

ATTACHED RESIDENTIAL (LOW) Low-scale density

AR-2

NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTIAL Areas to be considered by municipality for future opportunities

REGULATORY FRAMEWORK

HENRY AVE

JOHSNSON AVE

CAMERON AVE

TOWLE AVE

HOHMAN AVE

SHEFFIELD AVE

WABASH AVE

GROVER AVE

GOSTLIN ST MX-C

INDIANA

ILLINOIS

CLARK AVE

DEARBORN AVE

Figure 31. Regulating framework for the Hammond Gateway station area

MX-F

MX-R

GOSTLIN ST

MX-C MX-C

NEW STR

EET

MX-C

MX-F NR

MX-P MX-P

HANOVER ST MX-P

MX-F

MX-P

MX-R

MX-P

HUDSON ST

HOHMAN AVE

SHEFFIELD AVE

NEW STREET

CHICAGO ST

Source: Farr Associates, 2017

WEST LAKE TOD

SOUTH HAMMOND

MIXED USE PARKING Parking as primary use, designed for future development

MX-P

ATTACHED RESIDENTIAL (MID) Mid-scale density

AR-3

ATTACHED RESIDENTIAL (LOW) Low-scale density

RESIDENTIAL (LOW) Low-scale density

NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTIAL Areas to be considered by municipality for future opportunities

REGULATORY FRAMEWORK

AR-2

R-1

Figure 32. Regulating framework for the South Hammond station area 169TH ST

169TH ST

R-1

170TH ST THOMAS EDISON ELEMENTARY

R-1

171ST ST

172ND ST 172ND ST

MX-P

R-1

MX-P

MONROE AVE

HARRISON AVE

LYMAN AVE

HOHMAN AVE

R-1

GARFIELD AVE

INDIANA

ILLINOIS

CALUMET AVE

R-1

BEN LEVIN DR

MX-P

173RD ST

173RD ST NR

CALUMET AVE

HARRISON AVE

MONROE AVE

174TH ST MX-P

175TH ST I-94

Source: Farr Associates, 2017

WEST LAKE TOD

MUNSTER RIDGE ROAD

MIXED USE RETAIL Ground floor retail Non-retail: conditional use

MIXED USE COMMERCIAL Ground floor commercial Non-commercial: conditional use

MIXED USE FLEX Flexible ground floor use

REGULATORY FRAMEWORK

MX-R

MIXED USE PARKING Parking as primary use, designed for future development

MX-P

MX-C

ATTACHED RESIDENTIAL (MID) Mid-scale density

AR-3

MX-F

ATTACHED RESIDENTIAL (LOW) Low-scale density

AR-2

Figure 33. Regulating framework for the Munster Ridge Road station area

BROADMOOR AVE

MX-P

AR-3

AR-2

AR-3

MX-C AR-2

MX-R

HARRISON AVE

MX-R

MX-R MX-C

RIDGE RD

CALUMET AVE

HIGHLAND PL

AR-3

HARRISON AVE

FREDERICK AVE

AR-3

MX-C

MX-F MX-R

MX-R

MX-F

MX-C MX-F

MX-C RIDGE RD

MX-F SOUT

H ST

MX-C

HARRISON AVE

MANOR AVE

MX-C

BRIAR LN

Source: Farr Associates, 2017

WEST LAKE TOD

MUNSTER / DYER MAIN STREET

MIXED USE RETAIL Ground floor retail Non-retail: conditional use

MIXED USE COMMERCIAL Ground floor commercial Non-commercial: conditional use

MIXED USE FLEX Flexible ground floor use

MX-R

MIXED USE PARKING Parking as primary use, designed for future development

MX-P

MX-C

ATTACHED RESIDENTIAL (MID) Mid-scale density

AR-3

MX-F

ATTACHED RESIDENTIAL (LOW) Low-scale density

AR-2

NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTIAL Areas to be considered by municipality for future opportunities

REGULATORY FRAMEWORK

Figure 34. Regulating framework for the Munster / Dyer Main Street station area

AR-2 AR-2 AR-2

AR-3

MX-P

AR-2

MBIA MX-C MX-C

AR-2

AR-3

MX-R MX-F

AR-3

AR-2

AR-3 AR-2

AR-3

MX-R

CALUMET AVE

NICTD

MARGO LN

AR-2 AR-2

COLU

LUCY LN INDIANA

ILLINOIS

AVE

DONNA DR

MX-R MX-R

MX-C

MAIN STREET NR

AR-3

AR-2

MX-R

MX-C MX-R

NICTD

SHEF

FIELD

AR-2

AVE

SEMINARY DR

MAIN STREET

Source: Farr Associates, 2017

WEST LAKE TOD

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DEVELOPMENT ANALYSIS

WEST LAKE TOD

DEVELOPMENT ANALYSIS OVERVIEW ASSESSING THE ROLE OF PUBLIC ASSISTANCE

of, attracting growth at future station areas. This chapter builds on the findings from previous work by Strategic Economics, including the market accelerator strategy completed in July 2017 (see the West Lake TOD Supplemental Studies document).1 That memo recommended specific market accelerator strategies to enhance private market investment by leveraging local opportunities and assets described in Strategic Economics’ previously-completed market study (see market study overview, pp. 26-28).2

This chapter examines the development feasibility of various transit-oriented development (TOD) product types proposed for station areas along the West Lake Corridor Project, and describes the impact of transit and complementary public investments on enhancing the financial feasibility of future development. The selected development product types correspond to the buildings identified in the TOD vision plans for each future station along the planned West Lake Corridor rail extension. The pro forma analysis identifies the relative feasibility of these different product types in the West Lake Corridor station areas today based on current market area rents, sales prices, and construction costs. Though the pro formas for some building types do not appear to be financially feasible under today’s market conditions without public assistance, market conditions are very likely to improve in the station areas over time and public assistance can accelerate this progress. The findings below describe ways in which future transit investments and other public investments or actions work together to increase the relative value of the station areas over time. This “value premium” accelerates growth in attainable rents and sales prices, and shortens the time horizon for when new housing and commercial space become feasible to construct.

METHODOLOGY OVERVIEW

Six conceptual building types – referred to as development “prototypes” – prepared by Farr Associates and located, as appropriate, in the four future West Lake Corridor station areas are tested based on today's market. Table 1 describes the prototypes and the locations in which they were tested. These prototypes represent potential future residential and commercial products matching TOD vision plans developed by Farr Associates – in conjunction with community input – for the specific station areas. These prototypes do not reflect a specific or actual development project, but were instead developed to understand the general feasibility of different uses, building types, and locations in today's market. The feasibility of a specific, actual development project will vary according to a variety of factors, including the building design, site constraints, construction costs, financing costs, attainable rents and sales prices, etc., all of which are highly variable depending on broad market

This development analysis supports the larger TOD visioning and planning process led by Farr Associates that has guided planning by the communities of Hammond, Munster, and Dyer, and also supports the New Starts grant application, which seeks funding to construct the rail facility. New Starts funding criteria favor projects that include planning for, and a strategic understanding

DEVELOPMENT ANALYSIS

1 Strategic Economics, “West Lake Corridor TOD Market Accelerator and Funding Strategies Memo,” prepared for the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority, July 25, 2017. 2 Strategic Economics, “Northwest Indiana West Lake Corridor: TransitOriented Development Market Study,” prepared for the northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority, February 8, 2017.

TABLE 1. Conceptual building prototypes, by station area* location STATION AREA* PROTOTYPES

Floors

Hammond Gateway

South Hammond

Office and Retail Mixed Use

Small Lot Single Family

Munster Ridge Road Condo

Rental Apts

Munster / Dyer Main Street

Townhomes

Rental Apts and Retail Mixed-Use

Rental Apts

Condo

Townhomes

2-3

111,360

2,400

46,200

2,000

33,900

46,200

2,000

89,700

37,000

27,100

37,000

21,100

37,000

86,700

0 sf

Ground Floor Commercial

3,000

6,000

Parking Format

Split Deck

Garage (detached)

Surface

Tuck-under

Surface (shared lot)

Surface

Tuck-under

Parking Spaces

246

Dwelling Units (DU)

N/A

2,400

1,000

800

2,000

900

1,000

800

2,000

Gross Building Area (sf) Leasable Building Area by Use (sf) Residential Office

Average DU size

*The prototypes were assumed to be located within a half-mile of the future West Lake Corridor stations. Source: Farr Associates, 2017.

factors and the individual developer. Furthermore, these prototype pro formas do not assume any public assistance is provided, with the developer, therefore, required to support the full market costs of land and any project-specific and off-site infrastructure costs.

pay for the land if pursuing a given development project. The method involves the following steps: 1. Estimating all development costs (except

land cost), including “hard” costs (direct construction costs),“soft” costs (indirect costs such as architecture and engineering fees, permits and taxes, etc.), financing costs, and an expected return on investment;

Strategic Economics used a “static” pro forma model that solves for residual land value to measure feasibility. This approach compares the value of the project against the costs of building it. The residual land value is what remains when costs are subtracted from project value, indicating the estimated price a developer would be able to

2. Estimating the value of the project based on

expected revenues from unit sales or rental leases; and

WEST LAKE TOD

3. Calculating the residual land value by

sales prices are likely to increase over time in the future West Lake Corridor station areas, as rail construction is completed and with the recently developed public investments and financing tools. These increases in rent and sales prices – coupled with the price premiums associated with rail transit access, new building product types, and the emergence of additional amenities and destinations at station areas – suggest that the prototypes will become feasible over time as these complementary public investments are completed. As shown in Figure 35, the total costs currently associated with each prototype exceed current total revenues, with revenues based on current rents and sales prices found in the stations’ market areas, plus a slight premium to account for the newer product in a location that will be served by transit.

subtracting (1) from (2). The residual land value method is a widely accepted technique for testing development feasibility at a very general level. The approach recognizes that the value of land, or any given development site, is closely tied to what can be built on that site, and that this development potential is heavily influenced by location, zoning, lot size and configuration, neighborhood context, and other factors. Because the residual land value supported by a development prototype is closely related to that prototype’s economic value, this method is a useful tool for comparing relative feasibility across locations and building types. However, it is important to note that a developerdriven pro forma would include a much greater level of specificity – including more inputs – and would solve for some measure of return on capital. For the purposes of this analysis, Strategic Economics applied assumptions regarding revenues and costs based on market research, related feasibility studies conducted for the West Lake Corridor,3 and interviews with developers active in the region. These are described in more detail in the full memo in the West Lake TOD Supplemental Studies document.

The residual land value is effectively the price a developer could afford to pay for the land if he or she were to undertake the given project. Market land values, researched by KPMG for a previous feasibility analysis, were estimated at $1.25 per square foot for residentially-zoned land and $2.50 per square foot for commercially-zoned land.4 As shown in Table 2, the townhome prototype at the Munster Ridge Road station is closest to being financially feasible, supporting a land value of $0.14 per square foot. In contrast, development of the tested mixed-use office and retail prototype at the Hammond Gateway station would support a land value of negative $257 per square foot of land. Based on the supportable residual land values associated with the prototypes, additional increases in rents and sales prices over time are necessary to make the prototypes financially feasible.

PRO FORMA ANALYSIS RESULTS UNDER CURRENT MARKET CONDITIONS

The findings from this analysis indicate that, in today’s market conditions at the future West Lake Corridor station areas, and using very general assumptions about costs and revenues, additional increases in attainable rents would be required for the tested prototypes to become financially feasible. As described in the next section, rent and

4 KPMG, “Real Estate Feasibility Analysis,” prepared for the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority, April 2017.

3 KPMG, “Real Estate Feasibility Analysis,” prepared for the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority, April 2017.

DEVELOPMENT ANALYSIS

FIGURE 35. Project Valuation Compared to Total Development Cost Under Current Market Conditions, per Square Foot of Built Area

Hammond Gateway

South Hammond

Munster Ridge Road

Munster / Dyer Main Street

Source: Strategic Economics, 2017.

Townhomes and small-lot single-family homes are closest to becoming feasible in the short-term with only modest increases in attainable sales prices required; it is also possible that with minor modifications to these prototypes, unique site conditions or developer circumstances, and public investments and financing tools could allow these products to be built even sooner. Higher-density multistory apartments and condominiums may become feasible in the mid-term (perhaps 5 to 10 years, though exact timing will vary depending on market cycles). Figure 36 shows the relative percent increases in revenues required for the prototypes to be developed in today's market. The relatively strong performance of townhomes and single-family homes is driven by low construction

costs for these products and the sales prices they could likely command in Munster and Dyer. Additionally, townhomes efficiently use the land on which they are built. Among the multifamily prototypes, apartments are more likely to be feasible than condominiums in the short- to midterm, primarily because rental products perform better under current market conditions; however, this could change over time. The sole office prototype â&#x20AC;&#x201C; tested based on a location in the Hammond Gateway station area â&#x20AC;&#x201C; is infeasible as tested under current market conditions, yet also offers significant long-term potential. Under current development conditions, the tested office prototype would require

WEST LAKE TOD

TABLE 2. Supportable Residual Land Value Versus Market Land Values Stations

Hammond Gateway

South Hammond

Prototypes

Office and Retail Mixed Use

Small Lot Single Family

Residual Land Value ($/sf)

-$257

Current Market Land Value ($/sf)

$2.50

Munster Ridge Road

Munster/Dyer Main Street

Rental Apts

Townhome

Rental Apts, Retail Mixed-Use

Condo

Rental Apts

-$19.93 -$60.19 -$43.26

$0.14

-$60.91

-$63.01

-$43.26

-$2.61

$1.25

Condo

$1.25

Townhome

Sources: Market land values via KPMG, 2017; Strategic Economics, 2017.

LEVERAGING TRANSIT INVESTMENTS TO ENHANCE DEVELOPMENT FEASIBILITY

significant increases in rent to become feasible, due primarily to the higher price commanded for commercial land (thus setting a higher bar for the supportable residual land value), low office rents in the market area, and the high construction costs of high-quality office space. Although these are very real challenges, an office product could become feasible somewhat earlier than suggested by the analysis, as the Hammond Gateway station is located at the confluence of the existing South Shore Line and future West Lake Corridor making it a promising commute destination. This could sway potential office tenants to place a high value on locating near the station, perhaps including tenants interested in a build-to-suit office product (rather than the speculative development project implied by the prototype analysis). Furthermore, a real-world developer would iteratively design the most cost-efficient office building possible while still meeting land use regulations and tenant needs.

DEVELOPMENT ANALYSIS

There is potential to leverage the introduction of rail service, public financing tools, enhanced community amenities, and planned higherdensity development projects in West Lake Corridor communities, to accelerate development feasibility. The development analysis recognizes and assumes that communities along the West Lake Corridor are currently an â&#x20AC;&#x153;unprovenâ&#x20AC;? market for higher-density product types and TOD, with limited ability to attract higher rents and sales prices for a higher-density product near transit. However, current development activity and interest along the West Lake Corridor suggests early growing momentum for higher-density products in locations with multimodal access and significant amenities. Transit alone can significantly enhance development feasibility, as it can be a desirable amenity. What follows are early indicators that interest is growing in higherdensity development in the West Lake Corridor communities, followed by an explanation of the impact of transit on enhancing development feasibility.

100

DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY AND DEVELOPER INTEREST HAVE BEGUN TO “PROVE” THE MARKET FOR MORE INTENSE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT

Centennial Village’s design and amenities are similar to a TOD district – except without the transit – since it is also planned to include condominiums in a multistory building over a parking garage, and is located in a walkable mixed-use area that includes retail, restaurants, a grocery store, and a hotel. The development is also located near the popular Centennial Park. While attainable sales prices of the condominiums are unknown since the project is still being developed, Centennial Village can serve as proof of concept that, by integrating a unique housing product in the right setting, higher-density and mixed-use projects can attract buyers or renters willing to pay a premium for a walkable area with easily-accessed retail and other amenities.

Signs of a gradual market transition towards higher-density housing product types are already occurring in communities along the West Lake Corridor, as demonstrated by development activity in the area and feedback from local developers. For example, the proposed multifamily housing at Centennial Village in Munster is a four-story mixeduse retail and residential building, and is being built in a walkable urban environment. The tested multifamily prototypes at the future Munster Ridge Road and Munster / Dyer Main Street stations are similar to the Centennial Village condominiums, though the prototypes are only three stories, and only one prototype includes ground-floor retail.

FIGURE 36. Percent Revenue Increase Required to Achieve Financial Feasibility Under Current Development Market Conditions Hammond Gateway

South Hammond

Munster Ridge Road

Munster / Dyer Main Street

Source: Strategic Economics, 2017.

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WEST LAKE TOD

Developers interviewed for this study expressed strong interest in the market potential to construct more mixed-use and relatively higher-density products near future West Lake Corridor stations. This long-term perspective is based on the development community’s recognition of the success that small to midsize suburban Illinois communities on Metra commuter rail lines, such as the Village of Orland Park, the Village of Grayslake, and the Village of Glen Ellyn, have had with higher-density, mixed-use projects. Welllocated multifamily products with complementary amenities performed well near transit, even in communities that are more typically developed in a low-density, single-use pattern. However, it is important to note that “jump-starting” development of the higher-intensity multifamily housing constructed in these suburbs involved public support through a variety of mechanisms, several of which are described in the final section of this chapter.

offering will therefore enable Hammond, Munster, and Dyer to compete for a new segment of buyers and renters from throughout the region who would be drawn to living in the West Lake Corridor if such a TOD district were offered. The West Lake Corridor communities will be able to compete with Illinois communities served by Metra station areas, yet also offer Indiana’s otherwise low cost of living and high quality of life. The widened demand for living and working near future stations translates into a willingness of potential future residents and businesses to pay higher rents and sales prices to live in a TOD. A body of evidence from other communities with new transit corridors has demonstrated the existence of a value premium for new TOD locations, created as existing local residents and “in-migrants” from other parts of the region – in this case, areas closer to the central Chicagoland region – are willing to pay higher prices and rents for desirable TOD products and regional employment access. It is difficult, however, to gauge the magnitude and timing of such a value premium in the West Lake Corridor communities, since TOD and robust transit service are previously unknown in this area.

TRANSIT ENHANCES DEVELOPMENT FEASIBILITY BY EXPANDING COMPETITIVENESS FOR NEW MARKET SEGMENTS

The creation of TOD at the future West Lake Corridor stations will broaden the market segments of residents and employers for which these areas can compete. The West Lake Corridor commuter rail service will create a new, convenient connection to the Chicago Loop and its high concentration of regional jobs. The TOD vision plans also include other station area improvements – such as improved bicycle and pedestrian access, open space, and other amenities – that help to form a functioning multimodal TOD district. A place with this mix of assets has never existed along the planned West Lake Corridor. This new

DEVELOPMENT ANALYSIS

Research from the Center for Transit-Oriented Development (CTOD) describes the mechanism by which the introduction of transit can enhance the feasibility of development over time and across product types. In addition to enhancing revenues through the value premium described above, transit and other multimodal transportation options can also reduce costs by allowing developers to provide less parking.5 Before the 5 Center for Transit-Oriented Development, “Capturing the Value of Transit,” prepared for the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal

102

introduction of transit, a low-density townhome project may be the most profitable building type for a developer to construct, as this analysis has found. As shown in the generalized illustration of development feasibility in Figure 37, however, the introduction of transit service not only improves the feasibility of such lower-density products, but also opens the possibility of other housing products becoming more feasible. These products – such as multifamily apartment or condominium buildings – are more expensive to construct on a per square foot basis, but also benefit from increases in rents or sales prices by concentrating value.

surrounding the rail amenity has been fostered by the actions of the Indiana General Assembly over the past four years. In the State’s 2015-17 biennial budget, the legislature appropriated $6 million per year for 30 years to provide debt service assistance to the RDA to ensure that the State/ Local portion of the construction funding could be secured as part of the FTA’s New Starts program. The remaining balance of the financing will be supported by the RDA’s own substantial source revenues. Following this budget, in 2017 the legislature passed HEA 1144-2017, which provides the RDA with the necessary powers to serve as a “regional redevelopment commission.” These powers allow the RDA to create tax increment financing (TIF) districts in or around the station areas. These districts will capture the increases in property

PUBLIC FINANCING THROUGH THE RDA

The probability of commuter rail expansion and an accompanying appropriate level of TOD Transit Administration, 2008.

Figure 37. General Conceptual Illustration of the Impact of the “TOD Premium” on Development Feasibility for Different Housing Product Types

Sources: Center for Transit-Oriented Development, 2008; Strategic Economics, 2017.

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WEST LAKE TOD

and local income tax revenues above the base that existed at the time of adoption, and reinvest that revenue to provide needed infrastructure or engage in gap financing. The estimates of property tax revenue that could be collected within these districts and used for infrastructure investment exceeds $435 million over a 20-year period. The RDA has been directed by the State to engage in, direct, incentivize, and manage development centered around commuter rail for the next three decades and is held accountable to report to the State on its progress annually.

OTHER STRATEGIES TO ENHANCE EARLY DEVELOPMENT FEASIBILITY

Although the value premium generated by robust commuter rail service will help to improve the development feasibility of projects near future West Lake Corridor stations, a variety of other tools exist for public agencies to assist early projects that are deemed to be catalysts for future development.

APPENDIX

•

Publicize opportunities and benefits created by new rail service. A TOD marketing and outreach campaign focusing on the benefits of the West Lake Corridor’s regional job connection, tax-base growth, and new development around the stations can help developers, business owners, and the general public understand short- and long-term development opportunities at the new station areas.

•

Provide funding assistance for catalytic projects that support the TOD vision plans and create value. Funds can assist with site acquisition (e.g., discounted land), structured parking, and identifying potential publicly owned land for development and/or assisting in longer-term land banking of key sites.

•

Consider a tax abatement program to encourage early TOD. Tax abatement programs vary by place, but they typically reduce or exempt property taxes, provided the property owner meets certain criteria. As an economic incentive tool, tax abatement programs should provide benchmarks for the type of investments targeted (e.g., job creation, property investment, wage increases) and specify the length of abatement.

•

Build short-term value through subsidized and institutionally-led development by identifying funding and financing sources to pay for TOD implementation. Specific funding and financing sources are described in Strategic Economics’ July 2017 memo, which also outline a comprehensive set of “market accelerator” strategies for each station area (see the West Lake TOD Supplemental Studies document).6 Funding for off-site improvements could include streetscape improvements (e.g., sidewalks, lighting, landscaping, public furniture), bicycle infrastructure, trails and public parks, and utility upgrades. Research has shown that streetscape enhancements7, open space8, and walkability9 have a direct impact on property values. These public benefits can increase activity along the corridor and help accelerate long-term desirability for new market-rate projects in the area.

6 Strategic Economics, “West Lake Corridor TOD Market Accelerator and Funding Strategies Memo,” prepared for the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority, July 2017. 7 Wachter and Gillen, “Public Investment Strategies: How They Matter for Neighborhoods in Philadelphia,” The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, 2006. 8 Nicholls S., and J. L. Crompton. “The Impact of Greenways on Property Values: Evidence From Austin, Texas.” Journal of Leisure Research 37, No. 3: 321-34, 2005. 9 Cortright, Joe. "Walking the Walk: How Walkability Raises Home Values in U.S. Cities." CEOs for Cities, 2009.

104

APPENDIX: ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

105

WEST LAKE TOD

STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEWS SUMMARY • Allow bikes to connect to Monon Trail

HAMMOND

• Hammond Gateway would be the first thing

General

people see when they arrive in Hammond

• Schools are under capacity

• Want a small parking footprint (Hammond

• People don’t walk and transit system is poor

South Station)

• Need ample parking because people will be

coming from Illinois

MUNSTER

• Current Hammond station parking lot is at

General

100% capacity • Property acquisition and resident relocation

• Munster is a very safe community (10th safest

due to Gostlin Street reconstruction and the future Hammond Gateway station went up from 60 homes to 150 homes (home owners were compensated for home value and relocation)

in Indiana) • Has a very affluent community – many work in

Chicago, so would be supportive of a TOD • Aging population - 68% don’t have kids in

school Challenges • Area is prone to flooding

• No increase in student enrollment in schools

• Truck traffic on Chicago Street is concerning

• Egress/Ingress is a key factor for banks when

• People like and use the Monon Trail

• Don’t want Hammond Gateway station area

underwriting loans for new development (not so much parking)

competing with the Downtown area • Don’t want people parking on residential

Challenges • Residents have a poor perception of affordable housing (think of towers on the South side of Chicago)

streets (Hammond South Station) • Concerned about noise at Hammond South

Station (can it be a quiet zone?)

• People are concerned about their property

Aspirations • Create a transportation hub

values going down • If affordable housing is added, schools will

• Transportation amenities for those that are

have to add more social service programs for higher-need students

disabled • Create more job training programs

• Munster doesn’t have an identity

• TOD could attract younger families to bring

more kids in • Create a destination (central green space or

plaza) in the middle of the station area

APPENDIX

106

Aspirations • Find local talent for businesses

• Concern about train being used for crime and

• Provide housing at all scales

• Concern about noise coming from layover

drug trafficking facility

• Need sidewalks everywhere • Would like to see a walkable community

Aspirations • More landscaping and art

• Value landscaping and lighting • Cutting edge efforts (living building challenge,

• Sustainable stormwater management

LEED-ND, green buildings, permeable paving, etc.)

(permeable pavers?) • Connection between Joe Orr Road and Main

• Commercial along Ridge Ave should be

Street

evaluated in a comprehensive way

• Keep young people in Dyer by creating jobs

• Munster side would be okay connecting to

and transportation options

Dyer through development • Munster should have a town center

(Flossmoor, Ft Wayne, Carmel)

DYER

General • Haven’t seen any examples of stations with a

thriving area around them • Don’t want big box stores • How will TOD affect property values? • Young people are leaving Dyer – no jobs, no

transportation Challenges • Church intersection (45th Street and Margo Lane) is a big problem, especially on Sundays • Concern over crime in Lansing, Dalton, etc.

coming into Dyer – “keep Dyer sanitized” • There is a stigma with rental housing in Dyer

107

WEST LAKE TOD

PRELIMINARY STATION AREA PLANS

WABASH AVE

GROVER AVE

CLARK AVE

DEARBORN AVE

01 GATEWAY PLAZA

Office 10,000 sf

BENEFITS • Landscaped boulevard entry at Grover Ave • Generous and inviting underpass • Commercial development on both sides of the tracks

Office 3 stories 100,000 sf 3,000 sf commercial

CONSTRAINTS • Development potential north of the tracks constrained by commuter parking • Highest and best use of land south of tracks may be commuter parking • No new residential development

Pedestrian RUnderpass ID

GE RD

Offices around circle 80,000 sf Repurpose existing train station

Kiss & Ri

5,000 sf

HANOVER ST Train Station and Platform

Office 3-4 stories 60,000 sf

HAMMOND GATEWAY

APPENDIX

108

A conceptual illustration of potential future development of transit commuter parking areas.

JOHNSON AVE

Community Building and Public Park 20,000 sf

CAMERON AVE

NICTD Maintenance Facility

HOHMAN AVE

MARBLE ST

HUDSON ST

SHEFFIELD AVE

WABASH AVE

HANOVER ST HUDSON ST

WABASH AVE

BENEFITS • Four dense blocks of mixed-use development north of tracks • Station and Kiss & Ride north of tracks facing square • Parking south of tracks where commuters may be coming from

Mixed-Use Development 3 stories 45 units) 40,000 sf office 6,000 sf commercial

CONSTRAINTS • High quality square, but smallest public space • Narrow, long underpass is less inviting • Development on roundabout less pedestrian friendly

Kiss & Ride

Pedestrian Underpass

Train Station and Platform

Office around circle 65,000 sf

HANOVER ST

Commuter Parking

HUDSON ST

Flex/Industrial Space 45,000 sf

JOHNSON AVE

NICTD Maintenance Facility

HANOVER ST

Office 12,000 sf

HUDSON ST

HOHMAN AVE

WABASH AVE MARBLE ST

RIDGE RD

SHEFFIELD AVE

HANOVER

CAMERON AVE

Residential (90 units)

GROVER AVE

CLARK AVE

DEARBORN AVE

02 STATION SQUARE

A conceptual illustration of potential future development of transit commuter parking areas.

HAMMOND GATEWAY

109

WEST LAKE TOD

WABASH AVE

GROVER AVE

CLARK AVE

DEARBORN AVE

03 CENTRAL PARK

Townhomes (84 units)

BENEFITS • Large park creates community amenity • Commercial development around circle is a good fit • Residential development fits the scale of neighboring homes

Central Park .4 acre

CONSTRAINTS • Switchback underpass is less inviting • Market study favors commercial uses here • Park may take up too much developable land RIDGE RD

Office around circle 50,000 sf

Kiss & Ri

MARBLE ST

HANOVER ST

HUDSON ST NICTD Maintenance Facility

HAMMOND GATEWAY

APPENDIX

Alternate Commuter Parking (400)

HUDSON ST

110

New Restaurant 4,000 sf

A conceptual illustration of potential future development of transit commuter parking areas.

JOHNSON AVE

WABASH AVE

Commuter Parking

SHEFFIELD AVE

Commuter Parking

HANOVER ST

Train Station and Platform

Train station repurposed as restaurant 5,000 sf

CAMERON AVE

Commuter Parking

HOHMAN AVE

Pedestrian Underpass

MONROE AVE

JACKSON AVE

VAN BUREN AVE

HARRISON AVE

GARFIELD AVE

Residential (46 units)

Residential (50 units)

LYMAN AVE

At-grade pedestrian crossing

01 POCKET NEIGHBORHOODS

169TH ST

MONAN TRAIL

BENEFITS • Pocket neighborhoods are anchored by green space • Parking in the middle of the site is convenient for commuters • Development is easily phased

171ST ST Train Station and Platform

Commuter parking

CONSTRAINTS • Parking in the middle favors commuters over walk-to customers • Development is discontinuous

Kiss & Ride Residential (53 units)

Residential (46 units)

Commuter parking

173RD ST

174TH ST

Residential (40 units)

SOUTH HAMMOND

A conceptual illustration of potential future development of transit commuter parking areas.

111

WEST LAKE TOD

MONROE AVE

JACKSON AVE

VAN BUREN AVE

HARRISON AVE

GARFIELD AVE

LYMAN AVE

At-grade pedestrian crossing

02 MONON PARK

169TH ST

MONAN TRAIL

BENEFITS • Large park and community building serves as a destination and fills ‘park desert’ • Development north of 173rd St makes a nice place • Development south of 173rd can achieve critical mass

Commuter parking

171ST ST Train Station and Platform

Community Building and Park

Kiss & Ride

CONSTRAINTS • Parking south of 173rd separates development from station • Commuters coming from 173rd St will have further to drive • No funding identified for park

Residential (50 units)

Residential (46 units)

Commuter parking

173RD ST

174TH ST

Residential (40 units)

SOUTH HAMMOND

APPENDIX

A conceptual illustration of potential future development of transit commuter parking areas.

112

03 SOUTH SQUARE

Train Station and Platform Kiss & Ride

MONROE AVE

JACKSON AVE

VAN BUREN AVE

HARRISON AVE

At-grade pedestrian crossing

LYMAN AVE

Residential (46 units)

GARFIELD AVE

169TH ST

BENEFITS • Continuous walkable development north of 173rd St • Two parks serve both sides of the tracks (.5 acres, 1.7 acres) • Development next to at-grade pedestrian crossing is conveniently located

Residential (63 units)

171ST ST Residential (30 units)

MONAN TRAIL

CONSTRAINTS • Station location assures long commuter walk • Having all parking located south of 173rd St stresses turning movements

Residential (50 units)

Residential (46 units)

173RD ST

Commuter parking

174TH ST

SOUTH HAMMOND

A conceptual illustration of potential future development of transit commuter parking areas.

113

WEST LAKE TOD

01 MAIN STREET

Mixed-Use Development 3-4 stories (90 units) 6,000 sf commercial

HARRISON AVE

Mixed-Use Development 3-4 stories (36 units) 6,000 sf commercial

Monon Trail

HARRISON AVE

HOHMAN AVE

MANOR AVE

Residential Development (56 units)

MANOR AVE

MUNSTER RIDGE ROAD

APPENDIX

CONSTRAINTS • Ridgewood Plaza stip mall remains • Development between Ridge Rd and South St requires cooperation of all landowners

SOUTH ST

Train Station and Platform

BRIAR LN

RIDGE RD

BENEFITS • Harrison extension provides second access point • New mixed-use development enchances north side of Ridge Rd • Diverse housing types along Manor Ave strengthen the Munster housing market • Retains existing fountain at Ridge Rd • 7 acres of development

Pedestrian Underpass

BRIAR LN

114

A conceptual illustration of potential future development of transit commuter parking areas.

02 TOWN CENTER

MANOR AVE

HOHMAN AVE

Residential Development (40 units)

HARRISON AVE

Mixed-Use Development 3-4 stories (20 units) 3,000 sf commerical

Office Building 3 stories 25,000 sf

RIDGE RD HARRISON AVE

Residential and Mixed-Use Development (120 units) 8,000 sf commercial fronting Ridge Rd

RIDGE RD

Train Station and Platform

MANOR AVE

SOUTH ST

MUNSTER RIDGE ROAD BRIAR LN

Mixed-Use Development 2-3 stories (60 units) 2,000 sf commercial Pedestrian Underpass

BRIAR LN

115

BENEFITS • New street paralleling tracks provides second point of access • Redevelopment of Ridgewood Plaza transforms the corner from auto-dominated to walkable • Townhouses along Manor propose a viable housing type • Works around the existing KFC • 10 acres of development CONSTRAINTS • Development between Ridge Rd and South St turns its back on Ridge Rd • Emphasis on townhomes serves only a narrow portion of the TOD market • New street is too close to tracks to allow certain turns • Removes existing fountain on Ridge Rd A conceptual illustration of potential future development of transit commuter parking areas.

WEST LAKE TOD

03 MARKET SQUARE

Mixed-Use Development 10,000 sf commercial

Monon Trail

HARRISON AVE

HOHMAN AVE

MANOR AVE

Residential Development (56 units)

Mixed-Use Development (60 units) 8,000 sf commercial Full Redevelopment of station-adjacent parcels (60 units) 6,000 sf commercial 8,000 sf community center

HARRISON AVE

RIDGE RD

Develop Ridgewood Plaza out-lot parcels 10,000 sf commercial

MANOR AVE

MUNSTER RIDGE ROAD

APPENDIX

CONSTRAINTS • Difficult to coordinate all three landowners between Ridge Rd and South St • Difficult to coordinate landowners on north side of Ridge

SOUTH ST

Train Station and Platform

BRIAR LN

BENEFITS • Harrison extension and market square provides two additional access points • Two continuous blocks of “Main Street” along Ridge Rd • Market Square feature creates a clear place • Diverse housing types along Manor Ave strengthen the Munster housing market • 8 acres of development

Pedestrian Underpass

BRIAR LN

116

A conceptual illustration of potential future development of transit commuter parking areas.

01 MARKET SQUARE WEST

BIA A VE

DONNA DR

Potential multi-use trail

COLU M

MARGO LN

LUCY LN

FUTURE TOD DEVELOPMENT

Train Station and Platform Residential and Mixed-Use development (160 units) 5,000 sf retail

Kiss & Ride Residential Development (215 units)

NICTD PARKING (TO STATE LINE)

Office 18,000 sf

community center 12,000 sf

MAIN STREET

SEMINARY DR

New street over Main St

Pedestrian Underpass HOLD FOR PARKING (FUTURE TOD DEVELOPMENT)

Potential trail connection to Dyer bicycle network

MUNSTER / DYER MAIN STREET

IELD SHEF F

Residential Development (120 units)

AVE

NICTD LAYOVER STATION AND WELFARE BUILDING

117

BENEFITS • New street paralleling tracks over Main Street provides second point of access • Range of housing types • Efficient U-shaped pedestrian underpass • 23 acres of development CONSTRAINTS • Seminary Drive and Margo Lane do not connect to Main Street or the TOD • Requires cooperation by Seminary • No new street connection to Columbia Ave

A conceptual illustration of potential future development of transit commuter parking areas.

WEST LAKE TOD

02 UPTOWN STATION

BIA A VE

DONNA DR

Potential multi-use trail

MARGO LN

COLU M

LUCY LN

Train Station and Platform

FUTURE TOD DEVELOPMENT

Residential Development (230 units)

Residential and Mixed-Use development (150 units)

Park space NICTD PARKING (TO STATE LINE)

Kiss & Ride Pedestrian underpass with amphitheater

MAIN STREET HOLD FOR PARKING (FUTURE TOD DEVELOPMENT)

SEMINARY DR

Potential trail connection to Dyer bicycle network

MUNSTER / DYER MAIN STREET

APPENDIX

IELD SHEF F

Residential Development (110 units)

AVE

NICTD LAYOVER STATION AND WELFARE BUILDING

118

BENEFITS • New street connects Sheffield to station • Linear parks connects both sides of tracks • Underpass as amphitheater • New 1 acre park east of station • 23 acres of development

FILLMORE AVE

Pedestrian connection over Main St (both sides of tracks)

MAIN STREET

CONSTRAINTS • Large park uses prime developable location

A conceptual illustration of potential future development of transit commuter parking areas.

MARGO LN

Potential multi-use trail

Residential (250 units)

LUCY LN

COLU M

03 ORENCO STATION

BIA A VE

DONNA DR

FUTURE TOD DEVELOPMENT

Train Station and Platform

Mixed-use (50 units) 40,000 sf retail

Residential Development (180 units)

NICTD PARKING (TO STATE LINE)

New street aligned into future TOD development

Kiss & Ride Pedestrian Underpass

MAIN STREET

MAIN STREET HOLD FOR PARKING (FUTURE TOD DEVELOPMENT)

Potential trail connection to Dyer bicycle network

IELD SHEF F

MUNSTER / DYER MAIN STREET

AVE

NICTD LAYOVER STATION AND WELFARE BUILDING

Residential Development (110 units)

New street over Main St

119

FILLMORE AVE

SEMINARY DR

Large Park

BENEFITS • Terrific station access via two new streets Boulevard connects Sheffield to station New street bridging Main east of tracks • New streets connect station to future TOD on agricultral parcel • Main St and parks west of the station • New 1.2 acre park west of the station • 23 acres of development CONSTRAINTS • Indirect walking connection to agricultural parcel

A conceptual illustration of potential future development of transit commuter parking areas.

WEST LAKE TOD

MOBILITY MEMO CIRCULATION AND TRANSPORTATION RECOMMENDATIONS

used to calm traffic via lower vehicular speeds and decreased vehicle delays. • Gostlin Street should be widened to

Using the background and analyses described in the Mobility Chapter of this report, multimodal transportation standards were used and recommendations were developed and incorporated into the illustrative plans for each station area.

accommodate four 11-foot travel lanes, parking on the north side (between Clark Avenue and Wabash Avenue), and a 12-foot wide raised/planted median. The raised median can act as a pedestrian refuge at intersection locations and can be replaced by left-turn lanes if future demands change.

Hammond Gateway

• Wabash Avenue, Grover Avenue and Dearborn

In the Hammond Gateway station area, Gostlin Street is envisioned as a welcoming, landscaped boulevard. Gostlin Street will continue to be an arterial road, and the installation of a roundabout at Sheffield Avenue will allow some arterial traffic to be diverted from Hohman Avenue to Sheffield Avenue. The Hammond Gateway TOD vision plan shows the surrounding street grid extending into the station area. Commuter parking and drop-off/ pickup will be accommodated on the south side of the tracks accessed via Sheffield Avenue and Wabash Avenue. Additional commuter parking is shown east on Hanover Street. Pedestrians will be able to access both train platforms via a pedestrian tunnel from either side of the tracks and from Sheffield Avenue. The transportation improvements, including last-mile strategies, contemplated in the TOD vision plans are briefly described below:

Avenue should all be extended south of Gostlin Street into the station area to connect to the adjacent neighborhood. • Clark Avenue should terminate at Gostlin

Street, with the raised median extending through the intersection, making Clark Avenue a right-in/right-out. • A new two-way track-adjacent street should

extend along the north side of the railroad tracks and would need to intersect Sheffield Avenue with turns restricted to right-in and right-out only to prevent northbound left turns from forming a queue on the train tracks. • Sheffield Avenue should continue to carry two

lanes of traffic (one in each direction) and parking should be accommodated on both sides of the street. • Hanover Street should be one-way westbound

• Sidewalks should be provided continuously

at Sheffield Avenue to avoid turns queuing across the tracks.

along external streets, providing pedestrian access to the station entrances.

• Railroad crossings should be marked per

• High-visibility crosswalks should be provided at

Indiana DOT guidelines for Railroad-Highway Grade Crossings.

all intersections. • A single-lane roundabout at the intersection of

• Plan for a traffic signal at Gostlin Street and

Gostlin Street and Sheffield Avenue should be

APPENDIX

Grover Avenue for safe pedestrian crossings to

120

• Align new access drives on 173rd Street

and from the station area. However, it should be noted that preliminary trip generation for proposed land uses and sizes determined that a traffic signal does not appear to be warranted by traffic volumes alone.

opposite from each other to prevent conflicts between left turning vehicles. • Mark the railroad crossing along 173rd Street

pavement per Indiana DOT guidelines for Railroad-Highway Grade Crossings. • Generally, two-way traffic will be

South Hammond

accommodated in the station area, except one-way southbound traffic is recommended for pick-up/drop-off ("Kiss-N-Ride") on the north-south street just east and south of the station.

Access to and from the South Hammond station area relies on connections via 169th Street, the new Garfield Avenue, 173rd Street, and 175th Street. Though the area’s street network is not otherwise shown to extend into the neighborhoods to the east, several other streets are located such that future alignment and extension can be contemplated. Pedestrian connections should be considered even where vehicular traffic will not be allowed a connection (i.e. 169th Street , as currently shown in the TOD vision plan). Commuter parking and the "Kiss-N-Ride" area will be primarily accessed via 173rd Street and the new Garfield Avenue. Parking is shown both north and south of 173rd Street in surface lots and additional on-street parking along the east side of the tracks. Lyman Avenue and the adjacent Monon Trail will be key pedestrian and bicycle connections from the north and south to the train station and platform. The transportation improvements, including last-mile strategies, contemplated in the TOD vision plans are briefly described below:

• The "Kiss-N-Ride" should also be clearly

marked for rideshare pickup and several parking spaces should be designated for waiting vehicles. • At the intersection of 173rd Street and

Lyman Avenue, provide a center left-turn lane that would function as a two-way turn lane for vehicles turning left from 173rd Street to Lyman Avenue and vehicles turning left from 173rd Street into the proposed development. Also, provide 10-foot crosswalks to accommodate Monon Trail users at the intersection. • A traffic signal may be appropriate at the

intersection of 173rd Street and Lyman Avenue due to the proximity of the proposed commuter parking access drives (Garfield Avenue and the parking lot driveway to access parking south of 173rd Street) and the new railroad crossing. By interconnecting the traffic and railroad signals, turning traffic will operate safely across the tracks.

• Sidewalks should be provided continuously

along external streets, providing pedestrian access to the station entrances. • High-visibility crosswalks should be provided at

all intersections.

121

WEST LAKE TOD

Munster Ridge Road

to accommodate southbound pedestrians and trail users to cross Ridge Road before crossing the rail tracks to continue along the trail.

Ridge Road will continue to be a commercial corridor and Manor Avenue will become the front door of the new train station, as commuter parking will be accessed from Manor Avenue on the west side of the street. Manor Avenue and the adjacent Monon Trail will be key pedestrian and bicycle connections from the north and south to the train station and platform. The transportation improvements, including last-mile strategies, contemplated in the TOD vision plans are briefly described below: • A raised crosswalk may be appropriate on Manor Avenue between the commuter parking lot and the train platform to formalize and give priority to the frequent pedestrian crossings at that location. Pavement markings on the trail should warn cyclists of a "slow area" in the vicinity of the station due to a pedestrian commuter traffic.

• Ensure the traffic signals on Ridge Road have

pedestrian countdown timers, ADA compliant ramps, and a leading pedestrian interval to give pedestrians a head start. • Keep the existing curb-to-curb width of Manor

Avenue to maintain slow traffic speeds. Provide an 8-foot curb lane on the east side of the street to accommodate a pick-up/drop-off area in front of the station. The loading area should be designated for rideshare, as well. • Stripe pavement railroad crossing warnings

along Ridge Road per Indiana DOT guidelines for Railroad-Highway Grade Crossings. • Widen the sidewalk along the north side of

Ridge Road to a continuous 16 feet, providing ample separation for pedestrians from vehicular traffic on Ridge Road.

• The intersections of Ridge Road with Manor

Avenue and Harrison Avenue should continue to operate under traffic signal control. No new traffic signals are expected to be needed.

Munster / Dyer Main Street

Access to and from the Munster / Dyer Main Street station area relies on Columbia/Sheffield Avenue, as well as Main Street, which will be extended westward to go under the train tracks. The area’s street network is mostly shown in the TOD vision plans as an extension of the existing grid; the exception being Margo Lane, which is not shown extended into the station area due to a resolution passed by the Town of Munster, but is aligned to allow for connection in the future. Key pedestrian connections in the station area are accommodated via an underpass between the east and west sides of the tracks and a pedestrian bridge over Main Street between the train platform and commuter parking on the south side of Main Street. A Monon

• Realign Manor Avenue where it meets Ridge

Road by widening the southbound approach on the west side of the street to accommodate a left-turn lane and a shared through/rightturn lane. • Realign the Monon Trail as it approaches

Ridge Road so that it directs trail users to the crosswalk. If existing obstacles such as a traffic signal cabinet or utility poles are not movable, the vehicle stop bar and crosswalk on the east side of the intersection should be pulled back to align the crosswalk with the current ramps. Provide 10-foot wide high-visibility crosswalks

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Trail overpass is also shown separately on the west side of the tracks, as it is envisioned that the trail could be extended south to cross Sheffield Avenue at Seminary Drive and ultimately connect trail users to the Amtrak station in the Town of Dyer. The transportation improvements, including lastmile strategies, contemplated in the TOD vision plans are briefly described below:

and a leading pedestrian interval to give pedestrians a head start and avoid conflicts with turning vehicles. • New traffic signals are not expected to be

warranted at any of the proposed new streets into the station area according to a preliminary traffic volume study. However, as development occurs on the east side of Columbia/Sheffield Avenue, new streets and access drives should be aligned across the street from one another, and future traffic volumes may warrant future signalization.

• Sidewalks should be provided continuously

along external streets, providing pedestrian access to the station entrances. • High-visibility crosswalks should be provided at

all intersections. • Provide a 14-foot wide pedestrian bridge on

the east side of the tracks to connect to the commuter parking lot at the southwest corner of Main Street and Columbia/Sheffield Avenue. • If a north-south bike trail is realized west of

the train tracks, a 14-foot wide bridge on the west side of the tracks is recommended to allow trail users to cross Main Street without having to navigate through the proposed development and grade changes. • Extend Main Street westbound as a two-lane

roadway with sidewalks on both sides of the street. Sidewalks under the rail tracks viaduct should be at least 10 feet wide to provide a comfortable pedestrian experience. • The intersection of Main Street and Columbia/

Sheffield Avenue will continue to operate under traffic signal control and should provide left-turn lanes and a shared through/right-turn lane at all approaches. Ensure the intersection and traffic signal has sidewalk connections, ADA compliant ramps, high-visibility crosswalks, pedestrian countdown timers,

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Indiana State Police and the Management and Performance Hub (MPH) Accident Summary Tables

Gateway Hammond Crash Year

Peak Hours

Primary Factor Failure to Yield Right of Way Following Too Closely Following Too Closely Following Too Closely Failure to Yield Right of Way Failure to Yield Right of Way Unsafe Lane Movement Failure to Yield Right of Way Unsafe Speed Unsafe Lane Movement Following Too Closely Following Too Closely Following Too Closely Following Too Closely Following Too Closely Improper Lane Usage Failure to Yield Right of Way Improper Turning Following Too Closely Following Too Closely Failure to Yield Right of Way Failure to Yield Right of Way Disregard Signal/Regulatory Sign Following Too Closely Failure to Yield Right of Way Following Too Closely Unsafe Speed Overcorrecting/Oversteering Improper Passing Improper Passing

Injury No No No No No No No Yes Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No Yes Yes No No No Yes Yes No No

Fatality No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No Yes No No No

South Hammond Crash Year 2016 2016 2016 2016 2016 2013 2013 2011 2011 2010 2010 2009

Peak Hours AM PM PM PM PM AM PM AM AM PM PM AM

Primary Factor Following Too Closely Disregard Signal/Regulatory Sign Following Too Closely Following Too Closely Unsafe Backing Following Too Closely Following Too Closely Following Too Closely Failure to Yield Right of Way Failure to Yield Right of Way Pedestrian Action Speed Too Fast for Weather Conditions

Injury No No No No No No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Fatality No No No No No No No No No No No No

2017 2016 2016 2016 2016 2016 2015 2015 2015 2015 2015 2015 2015 2015 2015 2015 2014 2014 2013 2013 2012 2012 2012 2011 2008 2008 2008 2007 2007 2007

APPENDIX

PM AM PM PM PM PM AM AM AM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM AM PM AM PM AM PM PM AM AM AM PM AM AM AM

124

Munster Ridge Crash Year 2017 2017 2017 2016 2016 2015 2014 2014 2014 2014 2014 2013 2013 2006 2005

Peak Hours AM PM PM PM PM AM AM AM AM AM PM AM PM AM AM

Primary Factor Left of Center Improper Passing Failure to Yield Right of Way Failure to Yield Right of Way Following Too Closely Failure to Yield Right of Way Disregard Signal/Regulatory Sign Disregard Signal/Regulatory Sign Disregard Signal/Regulatory Sign Disregard Signal/Regulatory Sign Following Too Closely Following Too Closely Unsafe Speed Unsafe Speed Unsafe Speed

Injury Yes No No No No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No No No

Fatality No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No

Munster Dyer Crash Year 2017 2017 2017 2016 2016 2016 2014

Peak Hours PM PM PM AM PM PM AM

Primary Factor Failure to Yield Right of Way Following Too Closely Following Too Closely Distracted Driver Failure to Yield Right of Way Failure to Yield Right of Way Speed Too Fast for Weather Conditions Unsafe Backing Following Too Closely Animal/Object in Roadway Following Too Closely Following Too Closely Following Too Closely Following Too Closely Unsafe Backing Following Too Closely Following Too Closely Following Too Closely Following Too Closely Following Too Closely Left of Center Other (Driver) Alcohol Unsafe Backing Following Too Closely Following Too Closely

Injury No No No Yes No Yes No

Fatality No No No No No No No

No Yes No No No No No Yes No No No No No No No No No No No

No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No

2014 2014 2014 2014 2014 2014 2013 2012 2012 2012 2012 2010 2010 2009 2009 2007 2007 2007 2006

AM AM AM PM PM PM AM AM AM AM PM AM PM AM AM AM AM PM PM

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PRO FORMA RESULTS AND ASSUMPTIONS REVENUE AND COST ASSUMPTIONS

Commercial Uses – For retail and office uses,

Residential Uses – Housing prices were established

Strategic Economics based the modified gross rents on those applied in the “Real Estate Feasibility Analysis” report previously prepared by KPMG (April 2017). KPMG derived those rents from current asking rents found in West Lake Corridor communities and surrounding areas. The project values for retail and office uses were estimated using an income capitalization approach (similar to the apartment methodology).

based on a review of local market data, recent sales data provided by the Greater Northwest Indiana Association of Realtors,1 and interviews with brokers and developers. Recognizing that development adjacent to future robust transit access will benefit from enhanced desirability – especially as the commuter rail project advances – Strategic Economics applied a 20 percent premium to prices compared to recent transactions in areas surrounding the future transit stations. Evidence shows that regional transit access can help to improve the marketability of residential properties, resulting in increased property values.2

Cost estimates for the prototypes include direct construction costs (e.g., building materials, site prep, labor, and parking), soft costs (e.g., fees, permits, insurance, architecture, engineering, taxes, etc.), financing costs, and developer overhead and profit. Direct building construction cost estimates were roughly based on RS Means 20174 for product types that include more durable materials and more appealing exteriors than the most basic construction types. Developers interviewed for this analysis underscored that construction costs are highly variable due to contractor fees, interior/exterior finishes, and other factors, but corroborated the cost estimates used in this analysis. Based on developer input, the pro forma analysis assumed soft costs at 20 percent of hard costs for townhome and single family construction, and 25 percent for multifamily and commercial construction. Developer overhead and profit was estimated at 10 percent of total costs, excluding land; actual profit expectations for any given project will vary depending on specific circumstances and investment objectives.

For the rental housing prototypes, the revenues were calculated based on current market rental rates per square foot for new apartments in comparable communities in Lake County, Indiana and Cook County, Illinois. Similar to residential for-sale development, Strategic Economics applied a 20 percent boost to rents for new construction to recognize the enhanced desirability of transit accessibility and other benefits. The total project value was estimated using an income capitalization approach. This valuation approach first estimates the annual operating income of the apartment prototype, net of operating costs3 and vacancies; this net operating income (NOI) is then divided by the capitalization rate (cap rate) to derive total project value. 1 Greater Northwest Indiana Association of Realtors, Inc. Multiple Listing Service, “Residential Property Sales Statistics Hammond, Munster, Dyer.” Data provided for units built on or after 2008. 2 See, for example, Strategic Economics, Property Value and Fiscal Benefits of BART. Prepared for Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART), 2014.

4 RSMeans is a national construction cost estimating service.

3 Operating costs were calculated based on the Institute of Real Estate Management Survey of Apartment Buildings.

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126

Table A-1: Revenue Assumptions

Item

Monthly Rent Munster Ridge Road Munster/Dyer Main Street Stabilized Vacancy Rate Operating Expenses Capitalization Rate Capitalized Value

Condo

Munster Ridge Road Munster/Dyer Main Street

Townhome

Munster Ridge Road Munster/Dyer Main Street

Small Lot Single Family South Hammond

Office 1

Annual Rent Vacancy Non-Reimbursable Expenses Capitalization Rate Capitalized Value

Unit

Value

Per SF* Per SF Percent % Gross Revenue Percent Per SF

$1.40 $1.40 5% 30% 6.5% $168

Per SF Per SF

$132 $126

Per SF Per SF

$144 $139

Per SF

$120

Per SF Percent Percent Percent Per SF

$20.00 5% 35% 7.0% $171

Per SF Per SF Percent Percent Percent Per SF Per SF Per SF

$22.00 $22.50 5% 32% 7.25%

Retail 1,3

Annual Rent Hammond Gateway Munster Ridge Rd Vacancy Non-Reimbursable Expenses Capitalization Rate Capitalized Value Hammond Gateway Munster Ridge Rd

$191 $196

1 = Hammond Gateway, 2 = South Hammond, 3 = Munster Ridge Rd, 4 = Munster/Dyer Main Street *Per SF = Leasable or livable area square feet

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Table A-2: Cost Assumptions

Item

Direct Costs (a)

Multifamily Rentals and Condos 3,4 Townhomes 3,4 Small Lot Residential 2 Office 1 Retail 1,3 Tenant Improvements for Office and Retail Parking Detached Garage 2 Surface 3,4 Split Deck 1 Tuck Under/Attached Garage 3,4

Soft Costs (b)

Small lot single family 2 and townhomes 3,4 Rental Apartments 3,4, Condos 3,4, Office 1, and Retail 1,3

Developer Overhead and Profit Financing

Amount Financed Average outstanding balance Construction Loan Fee Construction Interest (annual) Term in Years Small lot single family 2 and townhomes 3,4 Rental Apartments 3,4, Condos 3,4, Office 1, and Retail 1,3

Unit

Value

Per Gross SF Per Gross SF Per Gross SF Per Gross SF Per Gross SF Per SF

$135 $94 $101 $155 $150 $20

Two Car Garage Per Gross SF Per Gross SF Two Car Garage

$30,000 $18 $65 $25,000

% of hard costs % of hard costs

20% 25%

% of total development costs

10%

% of hard + soft costs % of amount financed % of amount financed % of amount financed Years Years

65% 55% 1.50% 6.00% 0.6 1.25

Notes: 1 = Hammond Gateway, 2 = South Hammond, 3 = Munster Ridge Rd, 4 = Munster/Dyer Main Street (a) Direct costs, also known as hard costs, involve the actual physical construction of a development, which include building materials, labor, site preparation, and landscaping. (b) Soft costs are indirect costs associated with construction of a development, which include architecture and engineering, fees, permits, insurance, and taxes.

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128

Table A-3: Pro Forma Results Stations

Prototypes

Hammond Gateway

South Hammond

Office and Commercial Mixed Use

Small Lot Single Family

Munster Ridge Road

Condo

Rental Apartments

Townhomes

Munster Dyer Main Street Rental Apartments, Commercial Mixed-Use

Condo

Rental Apartments

Townhomes

Project Revenues Residential Multifamily Rental Condos Townhomes Small Lot Residential Office Retail Project Revenues, Subtotal Project Costs Direct Costs Residential Multifamily Rental Condos Townhomes Small Lot Residential Office Tenant Improvements Retail Tenant Improvements Parking Detached Garage Surface Split Deck Tuck Under/ Attached Garage Direct Costs, Subtotal

$6,216,000

$3,544,800

$4,884,000

$6,216,000 $4,662,000

$288,000

$278,400

$288,000 $14,862,857 $573,517 $15,436,374

$1,173,103 $288,000

$4,884,000

$6,216,000

$288,000

$6,237,000

$4,717,903

$4,662,000

$3,766,500

$6,237,000

$6,216,000

$278,400

$6,237,000 $6,237,000

$188,000

$242,400 $16,795,800 $1,734,000 $450,000

$900,000

$60,000

$120,000 $30,000 $513,000

$513,000

$421,200

$513,000

$5,200,000 $25,000

$25,000

$24,239,800

$272,400

$6,750,000

$213,000

$5,207,700

$6,750,000

$213,000

$6,059,950 $1,107,835

$54,480 $7,394

$1,687,500 $308,496

$42,600 $5,782

$1,301,925 $238,008

$1,687,500 $308,496

$42,600 $5,782

$3,140,758

$33,427

$874,600

$26,138

$674,763

$874,600

$26,138

$10,308,543

$95,301

$2,870,596

$74,520

$2,214,696

$2,870,596

$74,520

$15,436,374

$288,000

$4,884,000

$6,216,000

$288,000

$4,717,903

$4,662,000

$6,216,000

$278,400

$138.62 $34,548,343

$120.00 $367,701

$105.71 $9,620,596

$134.55 $9,620,596

$144.00 $287,520

$139.17 $7,422,396

$100.91 $9,620,596

$134.55 $9,620,596

$139.20 $287,520

$310.24

$153.21

$208.24

$143.76

$218.95

$208.24

$143.76

Residual Land Value Residual Land Value RLV Per SF (Land)

-$19,111,969

-$79,701

-$4,736,596

-$3,404,596

$480

-$2,704,493

-$4,958,596

-$3,404,596

-$9,120

-$256.88

-$19.93

-$60.19

-$43.26

$0.14

-$60.91

-$63.01

-$43.26

-$2.61

Current Market Land Value (KPMG)

$2.50

$1.25

Indirect Costs Soft Costs Financing Costs Developer Overhead and Profit Indirect Costs, Subtotal Total Revenues & Costs Total Project Revenues Per SF Building Total Project Costs Per SF Building

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2017 130