Reimagining Urban Centers

In the “work from home” world accelerated by the pandemic, city leaders need to reimagine urban centers to attract people downtown.

That requires bold thinking around how we live, work and commute. It can mean repurposing office space, re-thinking where and how healthcare is delivered, and repurposing parking spaces to make room for housing, green spaces, pedestrians and active mobility. Urban centers that had a broad mix of land uses, mobility choices and places to gather before the pandemic, such as San Diego’s downtown, were faster to rebound afterward.

Yet, innovation can involve risk, and redevelopment projects are too important to fail. Here are five ways to increase the likelihood of success. 

Act on the link between housing and community vitality.

Housing is the simplest and best catalyst for vitality. It also is an opportunity to build in other benefits. For example, a new vision for the Los Angeles River integrates existing public housing and proposes new affordable housing options, while incorporating pedestrian and bicycle linkages that promote active mobility.

Improved accessibility and traffic flow, including greater connections across the river, link people with opportunity to keep the economy moving. The plan also removes concrete to naturalize the water course, providing wildlife habitat and open green space for residents while better managing stormwater discharge.

On the East Coast, the Domino Sugar Refinery dominated the waterfront of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, since 1856. After the facility closed in 2004, the city seized the opportunity to redevelop the area for housing. The six-block area now includes multi-family and affordable housing units, commercial and retail spaces, a school, and public space, including a large public park, open piers on the waterfront and a historic objects tour geared towards educating visitors about the industrial roots of the site.

Help city leaders think like developers.

Municipal and county governments need to build the capacity to undertake ambitious projects. That starts with an honest assessment of strengths and gaps. It also helps to identify areas for greater collaboration across city hall – and with other stakeholders. 

For example, in Tysons Corner, Virginia, the county and land use task force came together to create an integrated strategy to enhance economic development, marrying new transit investment with development. The vision spanned all 1,600 acres of Tysons Corner, which is now supporting more than 200,000 jobs and 100,000 residents. With 95 percent of the development within an easy walk of transit, the plan promoted livability and equity while reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 16 percent per capita.

Or take nearby Alexandria, Virginia, where an analysis of green building policy helped the city identify the best trade-offs between costs and environmental improvements. A real estate analysis helped the city understand how fees impact the financial feasibility of private development in different parts of the city. The insights helped shape planning and zoning decisions and fostered better interdepartmental coordination around policies and fees.

Envision, then streamline.

Cities are more likely to realize results when they establish a clear vision for areas they want to revitalize, then match the rules to that vision.

For example, Raleigh, North Carolina, had a vision for equitable growth and affordability along future Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridors. To align the rules to the vision, the city analyzed the growth capacity of BRT corridors based on different scenarios, including potential policy incentives, projected future growth, and conditions for affordable housing and locally owned businesses. The assessment and a robust public engagement process resulted in a new toolkit of strategies that can help the city fully and equitably realize the benefits of BRT.

Miami-Dade also is focused on transit-oriented development, with six premium transit corridors in its Strategic Miami Area Rapid Transit (SMART) Plan. Detailed planning ensures that proposed stations maximize the potential for new jobs, housing, and commercial development in the surrounding areas while enhancing neighborhood character. The plan will identify areas where changes to zoning ordinances could boost development, including affordable housing, to increase bus ridership.

Coordinate infrastructure investments with areas targeted for revitalization.

For years, 50-foot-high landfills on New York City’s Jamaica Bay blocked views and access to nature – and studies showed they were leaching high levels of toxins. By the early 2000s the landfills were capped and closed.

When the city was able to direct infrastructure investment, it identified Jamaica Bay as an area in need of revitalization. The project’s success hinged on efficient coordination with a diverse group of regulatory agencies and stakeholders to develop plans that allowed for accelerated completion of this complex project. A major open space reclamation project involved importing more than 1.2 million cubic yards of clean soil, planting more than 35,000 trees and native plants, and designing miles of biking and hiking trails, picnicking sites and waterfront facilities.

In Tucson, Arizona, the four-mile Sun Link Modern Streetcar system that connects the west side and downtown to the University of Arizona demonstrates the benefits of coordinating infrastructure with an area targeted for revitalization. Since its launch in 2014, Sun Link has been credited with spurring more than $3 billion in private sector capital investment along the system route, according to City of Tucson Department of Transportation and Mobility data. Sun Link is driving the urban renaissance that Tucson government officials envisioned when feasibility planning for the project began.

Realistically assess what’s possible.

Envision bold action, then work to understand the opportunities and constraints. For example, the Colorado Department of Transportation and Denver developed a vision for re-connecting communities separated by an aging viaduct while also improving a key traffic artery.

The $1.2 billion project led by the Colorado Department of Transportation involved reconstruction of a 10-mile stretch of Interstate 70, railroad overpasses, and a new four-acre park for nearby elementary schoolers.

The project’s massive scope required alignment of the many stakeholders along the corridor as well as the city and county of Denver, three different railroad companies, and various utilities. Completed in 2023, the project wouldn’t have been possible without understanding the bold potential as well as very real constraints – from the need to keep up to 25 freight trains running through the site each day, maintain a cross-country interstate freeway, to avoiding Denver’s water table.

To reimagine urban centers that can successfully navigate the challenges of today and tomorrow, public and private developers must combine bold thinking with community-centered solutions.

Deep local partnerships will uncover key insights that can enhance redevelopment plans –– building vibrant, sustainable and resilient urban centers that not only meet today’s needs but anticipate tomorrow.

Manjeet Ranu is a senior vice president and National Planning Lead at WSP. He has more than 25 years of experience working on urban planning projects across the country.