A new look for proposed LaVilla Daily's gas station

[thelakelander]

The "resubmitted(?)" rendering above, with the outdoor seating and the second building is mine.

Here is the actual Daily's plan that was deferred a few weeks back at the request of Councilman Peluso.



The main problems are (1) its suburban, (2) includes a surface parking lot on a prominent corner (Broad and Forsyth) and (3) has no pedestrian interaction on the site, outside of the two entry doors into the gas station convenience store.

[marcuscnelson]

^I think the JTA project across the street is worse but it (Daily's) is an example of the struggle we face in building a vibrant downtown.

This stuff (urban site planning and downtown revitalization) isn't rocket science. It's actually pretty easy with that becomes the primary focus. Unfortunately, we've set a precedent where its a struggle just to get the basics right.

While I'd expect this with some of the development teams (most know better, but just do what their client tells them to or they get fired), the failure in the past has been on the public end, as we've helped facilitate poor urban development practices, just for the sake of getting something done and/or political pressures (sometimes for very petty reasons). I'm really hopeful that the recent council and mayoral administration changes will ultimately result in better standards from COJ to guide proper development.

It's objectively hilarious that JTA, the organization tasked with encouraging and planning TOD, is building a surface lot and shack less than a block away from a Skyway and 'BRT' station.

Just for context, I thought I'd pull the U2C TOD Study pages on Jefferson Station:

[thelakelander]

I've never understood why locally, we look at privately owned land as a TOD "weakness or challenge." We need JTA to run reliable transit, not play a leading role in real estate development. We can put the policies in place, but we should let the experts develop real estate and real TOD.

[marcuscnelson]

I've never understood why locally, we look at privately owned land as a TOD "weakness or challenge." We need JTA to run reliable transit, not play a leading role in real estate development. We can put the policies in place, but we should let the experts develop real estate and real TOD.

In theory, it'd help provide long-term transit funding. Agencies across the country are facing serious shortfalls as federal COVID funding runs out and ridership hasn't completely returned, and in a number of cases are requiring state and local governments to seriously step up their funding or allow service reductions and fare increases.

TOD can contribute riders but more importantly provide operational funding through ground lease agreements or funding districts or Payments In Lieu Of Taxes (PILOTs). Transit agencies around the world (famously in Asia) use development they own to provide funding for service. I assume JTA wants some of that. I don't think it's a bad idea in theory, but so far they have three studies, a charter school, and an apartment building with more parking than units to show for it. A lot of these ideas would probably make more progress sooner with administrative rezonings that simply permit density and eliminate parking near transit stations. The underutilized parcels are literally determinable from space, so making it easy for developers to build good things in good places should at least provide the riders.

JTA can certainly help open the door to real estate development around its stations (encourage those rezonings and get out of the way), but more importantly (like the agencies in Asia) needs to provide those stations with fast, useful transit that people can rely on. No longer wasting time and money with the U2C and getting the Flyer back down to 10-15 minute service would do a lot of that work.

[thelakelander]

^They can start with the existing Skyway stations in downtown. Unfortunately, the Skyway is pretty filthy and unreliable these days.

[marcuscnelson]

^They can start with the existing Skyway stations in downtown. Unfortunately, the Skyway is pretty filthy and unreliable these days.

A simple Skyway Modernization Program would be very different from the "innovation program" they've embarked on with the U2C, that's for sure. The city just needs the courage to say what it wants.