Apr 13, 2009 - The purpose of the project is to design an Intermodal Transit Center .... Due to the lowered speed around
Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority
Main Street Landing A Proposal Concept
January 9, 2017
Table of Contents Executive Summary…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..Page 2 CARTA and the Multimodal Transportation Center Study………………………..……………………….Page 3 The CARTA System………………………………………………………………………….……….……..…….…….Page 5 Site Identification………………………………………..………………………………………..…………………….Page 6 Description of Existing Property………………….……………………………………………………………….Page 7 The Project: Main Street Landing………………..……………………………………….………………………….Page 10 Multimodal Transportation Center……………………………….………………..………………………….Page 10 Public Parking Garage……………………….……………………………….……………..……………………….Page 12 Joint Development Opportunities………….………………………….……………..….…………………….Page 13 Timeline……………………………….…………………………………….…………………………..…..………………….Page 15 Public Engagement…………………………………….………………….………………………………….……….Page 15 Environmental Review……………………………..…….…….……….……………………….………………….Page 15 Preliminary Design……………………………………………….……………………….….……………………….Page 16 Funding and Appraisal……………………………..……….………………..…………….……………………….Page 18 Attachments………………………………………………………...………….……………………….…………………….Page 19 Attachment A: Overview of Sites…..………………………………………………….……………………….Page 20 Attachment B: Site Survey………..…..………………………………………………….……………………….Page 21 Attachment C: Transportation Connections……………………………………..……………………….Page 22 Attachment D: Sample Site Plan………………..……………………………………..……………………….Page 23 Attachment E: NEPA Determination…..…………………………………………….……………………….Page 24 Attachment F: Letters of Support……….…………………………………………….……………………….Page 25
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Executive Summary In early 2016, the Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA) completed its Multimodal Transportation Center Study (MTCS) with the goal to create a new transportation center and gateway for the Chattanooga metropolitan area that would provide personal transportation choice, enhance the image and effectiveness of public transportation, and serve as a catalyst for economic development. This process and preliminary conceptual site designs are presented in the MTCS Siting Study which is available for download at www.MTCStudy.org. The MTCS team has continued to identify and evaluate potential site locations to support CARTA’s needs in providing efficient and effective service to the community. Following the publication of the MTCS Siting Study in January, 2016, a potential new site for the project was identified at 958 Windtower Drive, at the intersection of Riverfront Parkway and W Main Street. After review by the MTCS consultant team, the MTCS Steering Committee, CARTA board members and staff, and other interested stakeholders, CARTA has continued to seriously evaluate this site as a successful candidate for further development. To secure CARTA’s interest in the property, an exclusive negotiating agreement has been executed with the current property owner. While non-binding upon CARTA, this agreement provides CARTA the time and opportunity to fully present this project concept to all interested stakeholders while retaining the option to proceed if desired with a negotiated purchase of the site. With this agreement in place, CARTA is now in a position to proceed with a formal appraisal of the property to determine current market value. At the same time, CARTA will move forward to procure services for a preliminary concept design and cost estimates for a facility that would serve CARTA’s operational needs. As described in the detailed concept proposal, this site also offers CARTA the opportunity to consider associated joint development projects that would contribute to the success of the multimodal transportation center and benefit the community at large. Main Street Landing is a concept to integrate these efforts to produce an operationally and economically viable project to attract public and private investment.
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CARTA and the Multimodal Transportation Center Study Over the past decade, the Chattanooga area has recognized the growing need for a multimodal transportation center to serve existing and future transportation investments within the region. Based upon the results of the recently completed 2040 Regional Transportation Plan, the goal of the Chattanooga Multimodal Transportation Center Study (MTCS), is to create a new transportation center and gateway for the Chattanooga metropolitan area that provides personal transportation choices, enhances the image and effectiveness of public transportation, and serves as a catalyst for economic development. The Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA), established in 1973, is a public authority which operates the public transportation system providing fixed route transit services to Hamilton County, Tennessee. Additionally, CARTA operates paratransit services for people with disabilities, a Downtown Shuttle and parking system, and the Lookout Mountain Incline Railway. CARTA provides service to over three million passengers per year. With 17 primary bus routes, the majority of which originate in the downtown area, CARTA’s primary transfer points for passengers are located along Market Street, between 4th Street and 12th Street. The MTCS has evaluated CARTA’s existing route network and performance standards, seeking both near-term and longer-term opportunities for improvement. Focused on promoting transportation choice and convenience, the MTCS also considered how best to integrate a continuum of transportation solutions. This included automobile parking and car sharing, pedestrian accessibility, bicycle parking and bicycle transit, private for-hire and taxi service, regional bus connections, air, and possible future rail service. The MTCS evaluated potential locations for single or multiple transportation center locations and developed conceptual drawings for select locations. As part of this process, the MTCS assessed existing routes and other opportunities to maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of public transportation for the region. Supported by $200,000 in federal Surface Transportation Program funds through the Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA), the MTCS is guided by a steering committee comprised of invested local leaders. The MTCS was and continues to be a cooperative project including the ChattanoogaHamilton County Regional Planning Agency, providing project coordination and staff support; the Benwood Foundation, providing local match funding and marketing outreach; and the City of Chattanooga’s Transportation Department, providing technical guidance and assistance.
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The MTCS team was supported by consultant partners CDM Smith, Hedstrom Design, Ann Coulter Consulting, and McCarty Holsaple McCarty. Combined with a rigorous public involvement program, site selection and evaluation criteria were developed and refined, and over twenty sites were identified for consideration. This process and preliminary conceptual site designs are presented in the MTCS Siting Study which was completed in January 2016 and is available for download at www.MTCStudy.org.
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The CARTA System CARTA currently administers the following services: • • • • •
•
•
15 fixed route bus routes and two dial-a-ride routes that operate 15-60 minute headways throughout the day, depending upon route traveled. CARTA Care-A-Van, which provides paratransit services for people with disabilities. The Chattanooga Parking Authority, which manages the maintenance and enforcement of on street metered parking and parking lots. The Lookout Mountain Incline Railway, one of the steepest passenger railways in the world. The Downtown Electric Shuttle system that has one of the largest fleets of electric buses in the United States. The shuttle forms an integrated service with 3 parking garages operated by CARTA to allow people working or visiting downtown to park once and ride the shuttle to work, attractions, meals, and appointments. In cooperation with the City of Chattanooga's Department of Transportation and Lyndhurst Foundation funding, CARTA supported the development of the Bike Chattanooga Bicycle Transit System, a network of 37 public bike share stations throughout the urban area. In cooperation with the Tennessee Valley Authority, CARTA supported the development of public electric vehicle charging stations, solar power generation, and the launch of the Green Commuter all-electric public car share network.
As part of the MTCS project, a CARTA System Study was published in February 2016 and is also available at www.MTCStudy.org. For additional information, please visit www.gocarta.org.
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Site Identification The Multimodal Transportation Center Study identified key requirements that were especially important in selecting an appropriate site for the multimodal transportation center facility: •
A central location that allowed connections to a diverse population, community attractions, and jobs;
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A site that was large enough to fit the bus transit program for the facility;
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A site that could incorporate transit-oriented development; and
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A site that could accommodate a future light rail line.
The accompanying map, shown in Attachment A: Overview of Sites, presents the three sites selected for conceptual design consideration in context with other multi-modal routes in Downtown Chattanooga. The CARTA transit routing is current at the time of the publication of the MTCS but there are suggested route modifications in the accompanying System Study that may alter the downtown routing, if implemented by CARTA. Following the completion of the MTCS Siting Study, CARTA and the MTCS Steering Committee evaluated the newly identified Aerisyn Property at 958 Windtower Drive.
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Description of Existing Property The proposed project is located at the southwest corner of the intersection of Riverfront Parkway and West Main Street and is approximately 16.7 acres. The property is currently improved with a single-story, high-bay, warehouse-style structure constructed of masonry, steel and concrete, and occupying about 262,600 square feet. A sheet metal and concrete out building (approximately 1,000 sf) is located off the northeast corner of the main manufacturing building. Associated asphalt and concrete parking areas and drives, and gravel-covered storage yards are located in the eastern portion of the property. A chain link fence encompasses the entire property. The property is currently vacant. Currently, surrounding properties include primarily industrial facilities to the north, south, and west along Riverfront Parkway and West 19th Street, with state and municipal facilities to the east along Riverfront Parkway. During a Phase I and limited Phase II Environmental Site Assessment, the presence of petroleum related or hazardous substances in soil, groundwater, and soil gas were identified. This site is currently being remediated under the State of Tennessee’s Brownfield Redevelopment program at the owner’s expense but is not yet closed. For additional property details, please see Attachment B: Site Survey.
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Front and south end of existing building
Front and north end of existing building Page 8 Rev 01092017
Right (north) and rear (west) of existing building
Right (north) of existing building
South side of existing building
Interior area
Interior area
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The Project: Main Street Landing Multimodal Transportation Center CARTA’s proposed plan for this project is to rehabilitate the existing building to serve as the multimodal transfer center for CARTA operations. Potential demolition and reconstruction of outlying buildings may occur to serve operational or customer service purposes and to accommodate any multimodal connections, such as bike share, car share, taxi, Greyhound, or other providers. As part of the System Study that was being developed concurrently with the Siting Study, the design team and CARTA management determined that the MTC facility needed a capacity of 24 bus berths. This number includes space for the current CARTA system operation, additional berths for growth of the system and berths for 2-3 intercity bus lines, such as Greyhound and/or Megabus. Additionally, in order to test the proposed sites, three transit bay configurations that would accommodate the 24 berth requirement were examined under the following assumptions: •
The preferred operation of the facility would involve utilizing a “pulse” approach to rider transfer, meaning all buses would arrive within a 5-10 minute window and also leave the facility in a similar manner.
•
The configurations also utilize a sawtooth pattern for bus berth design, which optimizes bus movement when entering and leaving a berth.
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The configurations would utilize elevated crossings to get riders from the Station House to the Pedestrian Platforms, maximizing the safety of the riders.
This layout creates one, 24 bay platform. All of the bus circulation is one-way around the perimeter of the platform and is the most efficient and least conflicted bus routing layout. The Station House and rider access are in mid span of the platform, to minimize the length of the rider’s walk to the outermost bays. This platform design may be comfortably accommodated within the existing 168’ x 1040’ primary structure. Page 10 Rev 01092017
In addition to the primary platform, provision for employee and public parking, local ground transportation, Bike Chattanooga Bicycle Transit System stations, Green Commuter electric vehicle car share, and kiss-and-ride drop-off and pick-up will be provided. Greyhound has provided detailed facility specifications and it is anticipated that a lease agreement would be developed to provide for 6,253 square feet of operating area with an additional need for 15,579 square feet of common area. Additional space within the facility would be available for retail and concession operations. Such development is provided for under Federal Transit Administration guidance in FTA Circular 7050.1. Based upon further design analysis, it is possible that CARTA would relocate its current administrative, dispatch, operations, and maintenance from 1617 Wilcox Boulevard to this location. The Tennessee Riverpark Greenway is located adjacent to the property providing connectivity to the 21st Century Waterfront, downtown Chattanooga, and south to St. Elmo and Lookout Mountain. Additional pedestrian and bicycle access is provided with facilities along Riverfront Parkway and W Main Street. Tennessee River access is available adjacent to the property along W. 19th Street with existing mooring points and a 509-ton overhead crane system. With further development directly across the Tennessee River at the National Park Service Moccasin Bend Archaeological District, nearby residential waterfront development, and access to the 21st Century Waterfront, this location could easily provide water taxi and ferry service. Rail service is available along W 19th Street with an active rail spur. In the center of the property is an inactive rail spur which connects to an active line just east of US 27. Interstate highway access is immediately available one block east on Main Street via US 27 to I24 with additional access via TN Hwy 58 and US Hwy 41. For an overview of transportation connectivity, please see Attachment C: Transportation Connections.
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Public Parking Garage As noted, CARTA operates the Chattanooga Parking Authority and has developed and maintains three parking structures. It is intended that a multi-level parking structure of approximately 400 spaces be constructed on the proposed site to directly serve the multimodal transportation center and adjoining development. A parking study for downtown Chattanooga is currently underway which will further inform the design specifications and financials associated with this project. This facility would also serve downtown residents, workers, visitors, and the Southside Entertainment District, as well as providing additional capacity for special events at Finley Stadium and potential future venues.
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Joint Development Opportunities The perimeter of this facility and Main Street Landing as a whole could potentially also support additional joint development to include retail, restaurant, or other operations. It is this opportunity to fundamentally transform the area and its connections to the community that CARTA wishes to fully address prior to proceeding with development. The Federal Transit Administration supports the use of joint development wherever possible to maximize the utility of FTA-funded projects. FTA allows the revenue generated from an FTAfunded joint development project to be treated as program income and FTA recognizes that joint development provides multiple and varied benefits.
Recreational Ice Facility CARTA has had preliminary discussions with a developer and with the National Hockey League (NHL) Nashville Predators franchise to partner on a recreational ice facility. The Predators have expressed substantial interest in a long-term lease agreement for such a facility. CARTA and its potential partners anticipate that the ice hockey and recreational facility would draw local and regional interest to the site as well as provide transit service to disadvantaged youth in the Chattanooga area who would require a transportation option to further their participation in the sport. CARTA’s intent would be to lease the property outlined in Attachment A as a recreational ice facility to a third-party developer, who would be responsible for developing that site within the scope of guidance under FTA Circular 7050.1. The Ford Ice Center in Antioch, Tennessee, operated by the Nashville Predators, would serve as a model for this facility. The 100,000 square foot facility houses two regulation ice rinks, spectator seating, and party rooms, in addition to pro shop and concession vendors. Constructed in partnership with the City of Nashville, the site represents a $13 million investment and employs approximately 70 people. The facility draws recreational, league, and tournament players from around the southeast, and currently operates from 5:00 AM to midnight daily. The Predators lease locker room facilities and ice time to Vanderbilt University, MTSU, and the Junior Predators.
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This facility would provide direct animation and activity to the Main Street Landing complex. The NHL currently provides funding to support youth development programs and CARTA’s transit operations would provide access to the facility from around the city. The on-site parking structure would provide capacity for daily traffic as well as tournament events. The Ford Ice Center has a capacity of 1200 but the Nashville Predators recommended adding additional spectator seating to accommodate tournament visitors. Chattanooga is currently the largest market in the southeast without a public indoor ice facility and would serve as a welcome tournament site to accommodate players from Nashville, Birmingham, Huntsville, Knoxville, and Atlanta. In addition to youth, high school, league, and university hockey, the facility is available for public recreational skating as well as figure skating training and events. The space is also configurable for non-ice events as well. “Chattanooga is an underserved area for ice being just 80 miles from Atlanta and 140 miles from Nashville. Bringing two sheets of ice to your community will lead to over 60,000 new hotel night's booked per year through hockey tournament's and figure skating shows while also being an extension of the Nashville Predators and Scott Hamilton skating academy brands in Chattanooga,” Nat Harden, Senior Vice President, Sales & Youth Hockey, Nashville Predators. Please see Attachment F: Letters of Support for the complete text. The perimeter of this facility could potentially also support additional joint development to include retail or restaurant operations. Ultimately this facility would support the future development of professional minor league hockey in Chattanooga and the opportunity to promote development of a 5000+ seat arena facility.
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Timeline Public Engagement As part of CARTA’s Multimodal Transportation Center Study (MTCS), three public meetings were held to gather input on the need for a multimodal facility, what amenities would be preferred, and general location of the center. Each of these was well attended with more than 100 attendees at each meeting. In addition, specific evaluation factors were determined based on public input and were used to evaluate the sites outlined in the completed plan. The former Aerisyn property was not specifically presented to the public, however, it was vetted by the MTCS Project Leadership Team against the evaluation factors that came out of the MTCS plan and scored well. Attachment B provides an overview of the Aerisyn site relative to sites that were presented within the MTCS process. CARTA will be presenting the former Aerisyn property and Main Street Landing concept for public input at a future date in early 2017.
Environmental Review CARTA submitted a checklist to FTA Region IV to initiate the environmental review process. This project was granted a Categorical Exclusion for NEPA evaluation by the Federal Transit Administration on October 12, 2016. Please see Attachment E: NEPA Determination.
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Preliminary Design and Placemaking CARTA intends to seek proposals from qualified professionals that are knowledgeable in architectural, engineering, and design services as well as transportation planning to continue the design process. Qualifications include knowledge and experience with connections among various modes of transportation including bus (local and interstate), automobile, bicycle and pedestrian; function, layout and optimal design of an overall site and structure to serve as a multimodal transportation connection point; capital and operating cost analysis; preparation of plans, specifications, and drawings for facilities; and transit supportive development opportunities surrounding a multimodal transit transfer center. Task Order 1: The selected consultant(s) will prepare a preliminary design and budgetary cost estimates to complete the renovation of an existing manufacturing building to serve as a multimodal transportation center. Specific deliverables include: •
• • •
Transit service evaluation and plan to appropriately re-route existing service so that it has the maximum benefit to CARTA and its passengers if a transportation center were constructed at this site Conceptual drawing of the transportation center and associated parking structure Preliminary design and budgetary estimates for the completion of the project Design coordination for associated joint development on the site
This project will result in a preliminary layout that will provide covered passenger boarding areas, interior passenger amenities, connections between passenger platforms, connections to local and interstate bus service, taxis, bicycle transit, car share service, and evaluate the potential for future fixed rail connectivity. It is CARTA’s preference that once funding has been identified and the project is ready to move forward that the same firm that completes the preliminary design will complete final design and develop drawings and specifications for the construction of the multimodal transportation center. This will be issued as a separate task. Task Order 2: The selected consultant(s) will evaluate the Main Street Landing site from a marketing, economic, transportation and urban context perspective, considering the Westside and adjoining areas. Specific deliverables include: • • • •
Creating a unified vision to connect existing plans, studies, and development Strategies to strengthen multi-modal transportation systems Opportunities to preserve and celebrate the industrial heritage at the site Marketing analysis for potential retail and other operations at the site Page 16 Rev 01092017
Selection Schedule The following schedule is an estimate and may require adjustment depending on the availability of the Consultant Selection Committee and other unforeseen circumstances: Selection schedule (tentative and subject to change) Advertisement Deadline for clarification questions Final clarification question responses posted Submittal deadline
Milestone Date January 9, 2017 January 16, 2017 January 23, 2017 January 30, 2017 @ 3:00 PM ET
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Funding and Appraisal This project is eligible for FTA funding. CARTA has received a FHWA transfer of Surface Transportation Program (STP) funds for the completion of a feasibility study for a multimodal transit center and has plans to use Urbanized Area Formula Program (Section 5307) funds for preliminary engineering and design of the multimodal center. CARTA intends to apply for Department of Transportation discretionary funds for the purchase of the property and completion of renovations to an existing industrial building on the property for the multimodal transit center. This project has been included on pages 137 and 143 of the Chattanooga area’s 2040 Long Range Transportation Plan found at http://www.chcrpa.org/2040RTP.htm. Once funding for the purchase of the property and any renovation/construction has been identified, CARTA will work with the Chattanooga-Hamilton County/North Georgia Transportation Planning Organization (TPO) to amend the Transportation Improvement Program. CARTA has secured an exclusive negotiation agreement with the current property owner, Talon Properties, effective December 12, 2016. While non-binding upon CARTA, this agreement provides CARTA the time and opportunity to fully present this project concept to all interested stakeholders while retaining the option to proceed if desired with a negotiated purchase of the site. An appraisal of this site was conducted in 2014 by Integra Realty Resources with a value determined as identified below:
A potential purchase price for the property would need to be determined, subject to requirements established by the Federal Transit Administration and the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970 as amended, 42 U.S.C. §§ 4601-4655 and 49 C.F.R. part 24. As part of this process, CARTA would initiate a new appraisal for the property site, as well as conduct an appraisal review by a second independent appraisal firm. CARTA is exploring a range of public and private capital funding opportunities that could best meet the potential short-term acquisition and future long-term development of this project.
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Attachments
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Attachment A: Overview of Sites
Attachment B: Site Survey
Attachment D: Sample Site Plan Multimodal Transit Facility 30 Bay Capacity
Primary Entrance - Main Street
Tennessee Riverpark Greenway
Rail line access
Tennessee River Access 19th Street Access
Recreational Ice Facility 100,000 square feet Potential Future Development
Parking garage 400 Spaces Estimated
Attachment E: NEPA Determination
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Attachment F: Letters of Support
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Lisa Maragnano Executive Director CARTA 1617 Wilcox Blvd. Chattanooga, TN 37416 Dear Mrs. Maragnano, Thank you for your interest in the development of a two-sheet ice facility in Chattanooga. The Nashville Predators have a long term plan, the Tennessee Rink Development plan, with a goal of increasing the number of ice sheets from five to 18 by the year 2026 throughout the state. The Nashville Predators fully support your interest in helping make this goal a reality. Chattanooga is an underserved area for ice being just 80 miles from Atlanta and 140 miles from Nashville. Bringing two sheets of ice to your community will lead to over 60,000 new hotel night’s booked per year through hockey tournament’s and figure skating shows while also being an extension of the Nashville Predators and Scott Hamilton skating academy brands in Chattanooga. We are here to assist you in making this a reality for your community and look forward to working with you in the future. Sincerely,
Nat Harden SVP, Sales and Youth Hockey
