DRAFT 171ST STUDY 04-27-2009 - Laserfiche WebLink

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TRENDS AND CASE STUDIES e 0 V 0 0 a x,. --- y~: ' 0 17131. CN2IlU@ Focused Area STudy Housing Shi f t According to the Metropolitan Institute at Virginia Tech, a surplus of zz million traditional homes (houses built on a sixth of an acre or more) is forecast by zoz5, roughly 40% of the traditional homes in existence today. This suggests more and more homeowners are looking for less traditional single family development, and leaning toward smaller lots and stacked or attached housing where more time can be devoted to their busy lifestyles rather than home repair and maintenance. Additionally, 50% of the buildings that Americans will live in by zo3o do not even exist yet, meaning new development will need to match the current demands in the market place for green or more sustainable development and the construction of more energy efficient buildings. Work Flexibility An estimated 4o million employed Americans will work from home by zoio (compared to z3.5 million in zoo3) according to the The International Telework Association and Council (ITAC.) More and more people are looking for ways to reduce commuting times either by living closer to major transportation corridors or utilizing mass transit. The availability of faster and more flexible communication resources such as fiber optic and high speed Internet access combined with wireless communication allow for the flexibility and lifestyle amenities people are looking for in today's working world. The availability of the Northstar commuter rail transit and high speed communications infrastructure are assets for the i7ist Avenue FAST. Carbon Reduction The ever growing "green" movement has become a mainstream philosophy for many. Today more and more people are demanding green development practices, mass transit, walkable and bikeable communities and are becoming proactive in setting policies for local sustainability all with the goal of reducing carbon footprints and consuming less energy. On-site renewable energy generation, recycling programs and more compact, denser living and mixed-use development are becoming more popular. The FAST area is positioned well to capitalize on this trend with the Northstar line and the energy potential from GRE and the RDF plant. CASE STUDIES While no individual project directly correlates to the i7ist Avenue FAST, a range of case studies with similar elements were examined to understand success and pitfalls of the relative aspects in each project. Five case studies looked at various components of transit and development combinations that are reflective of the conditions surrounding the FAST project ranging from a traditional transit oriented development, a retail town center, a transit oriented office and technology park, a traditional business park and an eco-industrial concept. Housing shift suggest less demand for traditional single family housing Work flexibility suggests that more people will be working from home Proactive policies for sustainable practices are pushing communities to reduce carbon footprints