Northwest Jacksonville Connects Green Line TOD Study

Connecting people, place, and opportunity along JTA's Green Line Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Corridor through Transit Oriented Development

Green Line TOD Study Connecting people, place, and opportunity along JTA’s Green Line Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Corridor through Transit Oriented Development (TOD) JACKSONVILLE TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY NORTHWEST JACKSONVILLE CONNECTS

FINAL REPORT February 29, 2024

Green Line corridor over Golfair station area at Kipp Academy with Gateway Mall beyond, aerial view North

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This study was made possible through funding by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Pilot Program for Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Planning. Key stakeholders include the City of Jacksonville, Jacksonville Housing Authority, University of Florida Health/Shands Hospital, Northwest Jacksonville Community Development Corporation, and other community stakeholders. JTA staff along with the consultant team members including Renaissance Planning, Acuity Design Group (ADG), and SB Friedman Development Advisors led the TOD study efforts.

Northwest Jacksonville Connects: Green Line TOD Study Final Report | Jacksonville Transit Authority

TABLE OF CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

CHAPTER 4: IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

Recommendations Overarching Corridor Objectives Matrix................................................................................ Corridor-Wide Strategies Matrix............................................................................................. Downtown Subarea Matrix................................................................................................... UF Health/Shands Hospital Subarea Matrix...................................................................... Gateway Subarea Matrix....................................................................................................... Lakeforest & Riverview Subarea Matrix.............................................................................. Capper-Armsdale Subarea Matrix....................................................................................... 100 101 102 103 104 98 99

CHAPTER 1: REINVESTING IN THE GREEN LINE CORRIDOR

Reinvesting in the Green Line Corridor TOD, the Green Line, & Northwest Jacksonville.................................................................. High Quality Transit – the First Coast Flyer System........................................................... Encouraging Changes to the Built Environment for TOD................................................... What is TOD?.............................................................................................................................. Key Design Principles of TOD.................................................................................................. 14 16 16 17 18

CHAPTER 2: THE GREEN LINE CORRIDOR: CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITIES 20

APPENDICES

Appendix A: Existing Conditions Appendix B: Market Analysis Appendix C: Engagement Summary Appendix D: TOD Goals, Targets, & Typologies Technical Memorandum

The Green Line Corridor: Challenges & Opportunities Form & Function ....................................................................................................................... Environmental Framework.................................................................................................. Transportation Networks..................................................................................................... Socio-Economics.................................................................................................................. Prototypical Settlement Patterns...................................................................................... Market Analysis ........................................................................................................................ Opportunity Sites ................................................................................................................. 22 22 25 27 28 30 32

CHAPTER 3: CORRIDOR VISION & STRATEGIES

Corridor Vision & Strategies Corridor Overview & Subarea Planning................................................................................ Downtown Subarea................................................................................................................. UF Health/Shands Hospital Subarea.................................................................................... Gateway Subarea..................................................................................................................... Lake Forest & Riverview Subarea.......................................................................................... Capper-Armsdale Subarea...................................................................................................... 36 38 46 58 72 76

Northwest Jacksonville Connects: Green Line TOD Study Final Report | Jacksonville Transit Authority

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) has developed several bus rapid transit lines that connect communities with job centers in Downtown Jacksonville. One of these bus rapid transit lines is the First Coast Flyer Green Line running nearly 10 miles from the Armsdale Park-n-Ride facility in Northwest Jacksonville to the Jacksonville Regional Transportation Center (JRTC) at LaVilla in Downtown. The Green Line consists of 18 branded stations, transit signal priority, specialty Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses, with 30 minute service 7 days a week.

The study’s vision and strategies reflect insights from a study of market conditions, an analysis of the built environment against key principles of TOD, and conversations with key community stakeholders. This revealed the following key insights: • The corridor has been left behind creating areas of concentrated poverty and growth is going elsewhere; more people and households are in distress; fewer services and amenities are locating here. • There is strong economic activity at both ends of the corridor. Downtown Jacksonville and major hospitals lie at the south end of the corridor and a logistics and retail hub lie at the north end. But there is limited growth and activity between, creating a dumbbell pattern of activity and growth along the corridor. • Better transit service is needed to best realize the potential of the corridor. The Green Line connects activities at either end of the corridor and can leverage much needed investment to the areas in-between with improved transit access. • Station areas outside of downtown need more urban, walkable patterns of development. Walkable street grids around transit stations can both enhance non-auto access along the corridor, and create a stronger, more legible framework for TOD. • Underperforming retail in the corridor with lower density patterns present notable opportunities that could encourage infill with upgraded retail and redevelopment to bring more households within walking distance of transit. • The lack of coordinated public and private investment in the corridor has left the area lagging behind other parts of the community. Catalytic investment strategies involving the coordinated efforts of public agencies, community organizations, and private firms can reverse the trend. • Strong regional housing demand can serve as a catalyst to build a diversity of new homes within the corridor. This in turn help boost additional demand for services and retail. • There are some strategically located publicly owned lands within the corridor that could be leveraged to attract new investment. • The corridor lacks a targeted strategy for job growth. Many existing residents travel elsewhere for work, yet the corridor is well positioned for continued job growth around health care, hospitality, construction trades and logistics. The issues and opportunities identified through conversations and analysis yielded a set of themes, presented on the next page, that guide the recommendations in this study and will guide future planning and TOD design efforts in the corridor. Links: Northwest Jacksonville Connects (www.jaxconnects.com), a TOD video Learn about Transit Oriented Development, and a custom video about the Green Line study efforts, JTA NW Jacksonville Connects.

The Green Line corridor is in the northwest Jacksonville area, a historically underserved community. This area has a deep African American history, culture, and current population. Despite significant regional growth in the Jacksonville area for population, jobs, and new development, this part of the city has not seen the same levels of investment and reinvestment from either the public or private sector. The purpose of the Northwest Jacksonville Connects study is to identify how the First Coast Flyer Green Line can foster sustainable growth in northwest Jacksonville through innovative Transit Oriented Development (TOD).

The TOD Study team works with residents at a public workshop at the YMCA at Baptist North Medical Center.

GREEN LINE CORRIDOR

Capper-Armsdale Subarea

JTA NW Jacksonville Connects video features local interviews and tells the story of this project.

Lake Forest & Riverview Subarea

Gateway Subarea

Key station areas, like Gateway Mall, offer significant opportunities for TOD and infill redevelopment.

UF Health/Shands Hospital Subarea

Downtown Subarea

Green Line Corridor: Northwest Jacksonville Connects TOD study area

Residents share ideas about TOD at a public workshop at the Bradham & Brooks Branch Public Library.

Northwest Jacksonville Connects: Green Line TOD Study Final Report | Jacksonville Transit Authority

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Invest in TOD

Create Corridor Coalition(s)

→ Create corridor coalition(s) of public, private, and non-profit partners to coordinate and work in concert on community betterment strategies related to neighborhood stabilization, pathways to home ownership, small business growth, and pathways to living wage employment opportunities.

→ Create a working group with JAXUSA Partnership, the Jacksonville Chamber’s nonprofit regional economic development initiative, to develop a more comprehensive strategy for targeting jobs to locate in the corridor.

→ Work with developers to update the Jacksonville Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Overlay District ordinance in ways that streamline development review and incentivize private development. → Use corridor coalition(s) to help plan for and design TOD around Green Line stations.

→ Continue green infrastructure/resiliency strategies throughout the corridor leveraging momentum from the 2023 Resilient Jacksonville plan.

Leverage Public Land

Create TOD Plans & Policies

→ Convene public agencies (JTA, JEA, JHA, and City) to comprehensively review how land they own can be used for new mixed-income housing and job generating uses to support station area vision plans.

Invest in Transit

Support Sustainable Development

→ The City of Jacksonville, Jacksonville Housing Authority (JHA), and JTA should coordinate and prioritize policies and programs to stimulate community-building and private reinvestment in the corridor. This could include adding new criteria into decision-making that prioritizes economic development incentive funding, bicycle and pedestrian improvements, infrastructure, transit operations, and community-building efforts to kick- start momentum for this corridor.

→ Invest in the Green Line to make it a BRT Gold Standard corridor. Achieving this standard will improve transit, walking and bike access to jobs and other destinations for residents in the corridor. The improved access will also stimulate private investment in the corridor. → Target station area improvements to make pedestrian access to stations safer and more attractive. Consider expansion of the transit circulator options around Gateway to better connect grocery stores and other amenities to nearby zero-car households.

→ Advance strategies that encourage pathways to home ownership, small business growth, community building events, etc. to ensure existing residents benefit from and contribute to ongoing plans and redevelopment opportunities. → Use coalition(s) to create incubator spaces at Gateway and other locations along the corridor that promote small business growth and job creation in the logistics, construction trades, hospitality, and medical industries.

Track Success

→ Establish targets and goals. → Set-up interactive, digital dashboard to track development, housing, Quality of Life statistics, and other key indicators.

The Green Line’s UF Health/Shands and VA Clinic station areas marked by pins; panoramic view to the South looking down Boulevard Street.

Northwest Jacksonville Connects: Green Line TOD Study Final Report | Jacksonville Transit Authority

Gateway Mall, aerial view North

CHAPTER

ONE O1

REINVESTING IN THE GREEN LINE CORRIDOR

CH. 1 - REINVESTING IN THE GREEN LINE CORRIDOR

REINVESTING IN THE GREEN LINE CORRIDOR - CH. 1

REINVESTING IN THE GREEN LINE CORRIDOR TOD, the Green Line, & Northwest Jacksonville

Forecasted Growth Green Line Corridor Highlighted

Despite some of the challenges in the northwest part of the city, there are a growing number of residents, elected officials, regional leaders, and other organizations focused on creating a stronger, more prosperous northside in Jacksonville. The Green Line Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridor serves a portion of the city's northside. It improves access and lowers transportation costs for residents living in the corridor. Combined with Transit Oriented Development (TOD), improving the Green Line can help attract future growth and fuel future reinvestment in the northside. It can help improve the quality of life for current residents, while also bringing new people and businesses seeking better walkability, quality transit options, and new opportunities. The goal is to leverage the Green Line BRT to not only improve accessibility along the corridor, but to spur TOD along the corridor.

The City of Jacksonville has just under a million people and continues to add more people and jobs to the region every year. In 2023, the city was named one of the nation’s top “boomtowns” reflecting the 5% population growth rate from 2019-2021. Not all areas of the city are seeing the same levels of growth. The neighborhoods and commercial areas north and northwest of Downtown are not growing at the same pace as areas to the south and east. Northwest Jacksonville is where many of the region’s historically Black neighborhoods once thrived. Many of its neighborhoods still have a strong Black majority, but also and disproportionately lower household incomes. Many of the people living in this part of Jacksonville must leave the area for jobs located outside of the Northwest corridor. The heat map on the next page shows the relative intensity of projected growth from low (sparse) to high (dense) through 2045. As the map illustrates, very little growth is anticipated in the northwest areas of the city except for Downtown and near the airport.

* Activity Unit is a simple measure that equals the sum of the number of residents plus the number of jobs. Activity Unit data is often used at the city scale or regional scale to help give a broad picture of density, population growth, and economic development.

Regional Growth forecasts through 2045

The current Golfair station area at the new Kipp JAX VOICE Academy serving K-8 established in 2012 (view North).

Northwest Jacksonville Connects: Green Line TOD Study Final Report | Jacksonville Transit Authority

corridors (green, red, orange and blue lines) across the City connecting people, jobs and other key destinations. Pre-COVID, the Greenline corridor which serves the northside of Jacksonville, was operating at headways of 15 minutes or less during peak hours and saw some of the system’s highest daily transit ridership. Restoring the Greenline to premium levels of service is a key recommendation of the study.

CH. 1 - REINVESTING IN THE GREEN LINE CORRIDOR strategy of encouraging growth around high quality transit stations. Areas adjacent to a transit stop or station are often referred to as the transit walkshed, which is about one-quarter to one-half a mile distance from a transit station. TOD often requires some level of public-policy and infrastructure investments to create centers of activity around transit where there is a strong mix of uses (housing,

REINVESTING IN THE GREEN LINE CORRIDOR - CH. 1

High Quality Transit – the First Coast Flyer System The First Coast Flyer is JTA’s regional Bus Rapid Transit or BRT system. The First Coast Flyer offers frequent, limited stop service in key corridors across the city connecting people, jobs, and key destinations. The Green Line is one of four First Coast Flyer BRT routes, shown in the map. Pre-COVID, the Green Line BRT corridor was operating at headways of 15 minutes or less during peak hours and saw some of the system’s highest daily transit ridership. Since that time, service frequency has been reduced and ridership has dropped. More is needed to realize its full potential, including capital and operational investments – but it also requires aligning local land use policies to build in strong ridership potential. That means putting more people, jobs, and daily activities within walking distance of premium transit stations and designing nearby infrastructure to make it attractive to walk and bike to and from the station. Those strategies are known as Transit Oriented Development (TOD). retail, offices, healthcare, etc.), and buildings that are compact and higher density. Intentional planning for TOD also means creating conditions where building frontages are welcoming to pedestrians, cars slow down and people on foot or on bike are given the priority for safe and convenient access to and from the station areas. TOD for the Greenline Corridor means doing all the above while also being intentional about the preservation and production of attainable and affordable housing, reducing risks of displacement for existing businesses and people, and creating opportunities for wealth creation, attracting new growth and investments in station areas that will directly benefit those people living and working near transit today and those who might locate there tomorrow. It also means developing TOD plans collaboratively with community members near each station.

What is TOD? Transit Oriented Development (TOD) i s an intentional plan for growth and development to encourage compact, mixed-use, higher density building near transit stations. The geography of TOD is the land area located within one- quarter to one-half a mile from a transit stop or station. This is known as the transit walkshed because this is the distance that most people can walk in 15 minutes or less. Locating a wide range of daily activities (work, shopping, school, recreation, social venues, etc.) near transit makes it easier and more likely for people to drive less, and walk, and use transit more. It also makes it easier for people to live car free or car-lite which can reduce the household costs for transportation. TOD is most effective when applied not only to a single transit station area, but in multiple station areas along high-quality, or premium transit corridors. When applied to an entire region, TOD becomes a growth management strategy that enables continued growth while using less land to accommodate that growth. By intentionally creating centers of activity that can be easily reached by walking, biking, and transit – a region can grow and move a greater share of people in more efficient and sustainable ways. Many historic neighborhoods in America have the key features of TOD. Places built before the advent of the automobile or built around streetcars at the turn of the

TOD: Maximizing the number of people and jobs within walking distance of transit stations

Future TOD vision for the Gateway Mall Station Area.

19th century have connected street grids, shorter length blocks, sidewalks, a mix of uses, and commercial areas with main street-like patterns where building frontages at the street edge are oriented towards pedestrians. Downtown Jacksonville has many historic neighborhoods like LaVilla, Brooklyn, Springfield, and Riverside where large segments of the historic street grid are still intact. Auto oriented suburban development patterns since the 1950s make it necessary to retrofit walkable urban development patterns along premium transit corridors, which is the case for much of Jacksonville outside Downtown and adjacent neighborhoods.

JTA's First Coast Flyer BRT Routes. Source: https://fcf.jtafla.com

Encouraging Changes to the Built Environment for TOD The existing land patterns along the Green Line corridor reflect an urban to suburban continuum. In areas such as the urban commercial core of Downtown, and the historic neighborhoods of LaVilla and Springfield, the streets already have a walkable grid pattern. There is potential for TOD in many other areas with higher density residential and high density commercial and institutional uses like UF Health. In these urban areas, a grid street pattern, most desirable for TOD, is already in place. However, there are many vacant and underutilized areas that could benefit from improving the street grid, bringing in more uses with infill and redevelopment, and more community-focused organizations to help serve and improve this corridor. Further north, just beyond these historic areas, the corridor shifts to a suburban pattern anchored by places like Gateway Mall which were designed to prioritize auto access to shopping. In these areas, the structure of the suburban plazas will need to transform to become more urban with reintroduction of street grids and a diversification of uses. Similarly, areas further north can benefit from additional transformation of the built environment to make each station area a stronger, more walkable, compact mixed-use centers of activity. https://fcf.jtafla.com

Transit Oriented Development characteristics

Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Maximizing the number of people and jobs withing walking distance of transit stations

Before Interventions

After Interventions

• Mixed-use • Compact • Higher density

• Infill and redevelopment • Walkable and bikeable • Prioritizes people and transit over cars

Green Line bus at the current UF Health/Shands Hospital bus stop.

Equitable TOD

• Mixed use • Compact • Higher density

Northwest Jacksonville Connects: Green Line TOD Study Final Report | Jacksonville Transit Authority

Safety & Security

Housing

Jobs

CH. 1 - REINVESTING IN THE GREEN LINE CORRIDOR

REINVESTING IN THE GREEN LINE CORRIDOR - CH. 1

TOD for the Green Line corridor means doing all the above while also being intentional about the preservation and production of attainable and affordable housing, reducing risks of displacement for existing businesses and people, and creating opportunities for wealth creation, attracting new

growth and investments in station areas that will directly benefit those people living and working near transit today and those who might locate there tomorrow. It also means developing TOD plans collaboratively with community members near each station.

THE BRT GOLD STANDARD

BETTER SERVICE, FEWER TRANSFERS With smart, Gold Standard-level planning, BRT is much faster than conventional bus and more versatile than rail. Multiple routes can be pulled together to run on a single BRT corridor. Vehicles can then leave that corridor to reach different destinations, reducing the need for transfers. A central control station orchestrates vehicles to keep them on schedule and avoid irritating bunch-ups. ENCLOSED, SECURE STATIONS What if bus stations no longer felt uncomfortable and vulnerable? One of the most important aspects of Gold Standard BRT is well-designed, enclosed stations. Cities around the world have built beautiful, modern BRT stations that act as landmarks and provide comfort, security, and protection from the elements. BETTER ACCESS FOR ALL Gold Standard BRT uses design approaches that ease use for people with needs of all kinds, including people with disabilities, but also across age, demographic, and group or family size. Reaching Gold Standard also means seamless integration with other ways to get around, including bikeshare systems, safe bicycle and pedestrian paths, and existing bus and rail. WHY GOLD STANDARD? There are several systems globally that have been rated as Bronze or Silver that have made major strides for their cities. In fact, the Gold Standard has only been achieved in a relatively small list of cities, and does not yet exist in the United States. But as Boston’s communities pursue Bus Rapid Transit, the BRT Study Group believes it should aim for the Gold Standard. For one, the benefits are superior, including faster travel times, a higher quality of service, and higher ridership. Gold Standard BRT also demands courageous, imaginative decisions about how to create a better transit experience. The cost-effectiveness and performance of BRT present an opportunity to provide a level of experience that is undeniably competitive with other modes, reinvigorating the public transit system serving Greater Boston. Pursuing the Gold Standard provides clear goals and criteria for doing so, guarding against backsliding on expectations, and delivering on the promise of better rapid transit.

Because the quality of BRT can vary in execution, and most cities have not experienced it at a high level, it can be difficult to clearly define. To address this, a committee of international experts developed the BRT Standard, a set of scored criteria to rate BRT corridors and celebrate the best as Bronze, Silver, or Gold. Under the BRT Standard, there are five key criteria necessary for a corridor to achieve a high rating. The 5 Essential Elements of BRT 1. Dedicated Right of Way: The core of Bus Rapid Transit is lanes fully dedicated to rapid transit vehicles, off-limits to other traffic to allow BRT to travel unimpeded much like rail lines. 2. Busway Alignment: The goal is to have busways that avoid conflict with other traffic and curb activity, minimizing delays. High-scoring configurations include median-aligned busways that sit in the center of a two-way road. 3. Off-board Fare Collection: Paying fares in advance using turnstiles slashes boarding time and eliminates the aggravation and anxiety of grappling with payment methods. 4. Intersection Treatments: Intersection wait times are the other main source of delay in conventional bus travel. There are several ways to reduce this, including prohibiting turns across the BRT lane. 5. Platform-level Boarding: Increasing comfort and ease, BRT vehicle doors glide open, flush with elevated platforms so all riders, including those with strollers, wheelchairs, or limited mobility can board quickly. BRT AT ITS BEST Gold Standard is the highest level this mode of transit can achieve, delivering transformative results in speed, capacity, and passenger experience. There are several traits that collectively elevate BRT to the Gold Standard (see the full list of criteria at the BRT Standard). A few of the crucial qualities high-ranking corridors offer are:

KEY DESIGN PRINCIPLES OF TOD Mixed Land Uses – creating both vertical (mixing of uses in the same building) and horizontal (mixing of uses on the same site) mixed-use the brings a concentration of both jobs and housing to a station area. Creating different types of TOD along corridors that enable a range of TOD placetypes from jobs-rich to more neighborhood scaled housing rich TODs. Multimodal Transportation Emphasis and Infrastructure – designing buildings and streets oriented towards the pedestrian, transit users, bicyclists, and slower speed cars. This includes grided street patterns with walkable block sizes (200’ to 500’) and low design speeds (35 mph or less). It also includes wide sidewalks (6' to 12’), crosswalks and longer pedestrian signaled cross times; bikeways (on-street and off road) and bike parking. People-oriented Building Frontages – locating building front doors and access points that are convenient for people on foot. This means minimal building setbacks, inviting sidewalks that encourage activity, and eyes on the streets (first floor windows, outdoor eating, streetlights, signage, etc.).

Efficient Parking – designing station areas with the goal of using less land to accommodate parked cars. This includes strategies that allow for shared parking, on-street parking, structured parking, and reducing parking minimums and creating parking maximums . Efficient Development – enabling higher densities in station areas that result in more development per acre. Includes locating the highest level of densities adjacent to station areas within the first 1/8 to 1/4 mile of unobstructed walk access and tapering off the further the distance from transit. Efficient Stormwater Management and Green Infrastructure – approaching stormwater management at a district (or station area) scale in lieu of site by site approaches. Also includes incorporating green infrastructure techniques that strengthen resiliency and provide people with more access to natural areas. Diversity of Housing Options – creating a wide range of higher density housing that includes smaller lot single-family, duplexes, four-plexes, eight-plexes, and multifamily buildings. Includes mixed-income options for both home ownership and rental options. Includes minimum of 20% dedicated affordable housing within the station area, but limits concentrations of permanently subsidized housing .

Northwest Jacksonville Connects: Green Line TOD Study Final Report | Jacksonville Transit Authority

Green Line corridor over Broad Street and the FSCJ Downtown station area, aerial view North

CHAPTER TWO THE GREEN LINE CORRIDOR: CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITIES

CH. 2 - CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITIES

CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITIES - CH.2

THE GREEN LINE CORRIDOR: CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITIES

Environmental Framework The main waterways of both the St. John’s and Trout Rivers and the associated McCoy’s-Hogans Creek and Trout River watersheds create a system of natural features of greenways and waterways interspersed throughout urbanized development. These features along with impervious surfaces of parking lots, roadways, rooftops, etc. create stormwater management and flood risk challenges in many parts of the corridor. Conversely, these waterways, greenways, parks, and other open spaces also provide residents with access to nature, reduce urban heat island effects, and help sustain ecosystems. Stormwater management through nature- based solutions and low-impact development with native plantings are also key strategies for more sustainable urbanization. Citywide there are several initiatives underway to restore natural systems interrupted by development. One major project in the Green Line corridor is the restoration of Hogans Creek near UF Health/Shands Hospital and Florida State College at Jacksonville. This project will transform a major portion of this part of the city, including Klutho Park, to a more natural and ecologically vibrant setting. Doing so will help to mitigate flooding, improve water quality, increase habitat for wildlife, build resilience through nature-based solutions and green infrastructure and create new opportunities for active and passive recreation. The creek restoration project is also tied to the construction of the Emerald Trail which will provide multiuse trail access across the city. This significant project will become a defining feature within the Florida State College of Jacksonville, VA Clinic, and UF Health/ Shands station areas providing a new asset for existing residents and becoming a catalyst for more residential development in the area. This project serves as a model for how natural systems can be restored within urban areas to create multiple benefits. As reinvestment and redevelopment occur in other station areas further north along the Green Line corridor, there will be additional opportunities for similar approaches in building more green and blue infrastructure to support more TOD.

The Green Line corridor connects Downtown with key destinations on the northside including Florida State College at Jacksonville (FSCJ), the Veterans Administration (VA) Clinic, University of Florida (UF) Health/Shands Hospital, Gateway Town Center, large retailers at the I-295/Lem Turner Boulevard interchange, and the Armsdale Park-n-Ride. The 9.4-mile corridor traverses the historic LaVilla and Springfield neighborhoods downtown and the northside neighborhoods of Brentwood, Norwood, Lake Forest, Riverview, and Garden City. The Armsdale Park-n-Ride is located a few miles south of Jacksonville International Airport and large warehouse portions of the Green Line run a few miles east of the historic Myrtle-Moncrief corridor which is another historically significant commercial corridor on the northside of the city. Appendix A – Existing Conditions Report – has additional technical detail. Introduction FORM & FUNCTION This study assessed the TOD strategies for the corridor through the key pillars of sustainable outcomes by focusing on economic development, jobs, housing, health, education, safety, and security. The key systems shaping the places where people live, work, learn, socialize, and play include: • Environmental framework – this includes all of the green spaces such as parks and natural areas as well as the waterways from wetlands to rivers. • Transportation framework – this includes multiuse trails, sidewalks, streets, highways, and transit systems. • Socio-Economic framework – this includes demographics, investment trends and market activity. • Settlement patterns – this includes the site features, building areas and parking lots.

The almost 10-mile-long corridor has a variety of existing environmental features, transportation infrastructure, socio-economic dynamics, and settlement patterns that reflect the continuous evolution and rich history of the city from urban, suburban, and more rural conditions. Those features create the building blocks for this plan.

Hogans Creek and Kuthlo Park (aerial view to SE)

Rendering of Hogans Creek and Kuthlo Park: Groundwork Jacksonville

Rendering of newly daylighted Hogans Creek: Groundwork Jacksonville

Green Line corridor context map with 1/2-mile station areas

Northwest Jacksonville Connects: Green Line TOD Study Final Report | Jacksonville Transit Authority

CH. 2 - CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITIES

CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITIES - CH.2

Transportation Networks T he Green Line corridor has a wide range of transportation conditions that support daily travel by different modes. The north-south Green Line BRT route runs primarily in mixed traffic from Downtown to the Armsdale Park-n- Ride. Original plans for the Green Line BRT line call for dedicated bus only lanes along many portions of the corridor, however this has not yet come to fruition. The street typologies within the Downtown station areas have slower speed streets, smaller rights of way with 2-4 lanes, and a strong grided street network that intersects with Jefferson, Broad and Boulevard Streets. The route departs Downtown at Golfair Boulevard and follows Lem Turner Boulevard north. The transportation

Another important environmental initiative impacting the Green Line corridor is the city's 2023 Climate Resilience Plan, Resilient Jacksonville . This plan is a comprehensive, data-informed environmental strategy with many recommendations for the entire Green Line corridor from the natural ecosystems, waterways, human communities, and site scale "accommodations" including potential "actions" for parcels, buildings, codes, and vacant land.

networks Downtown have the key elements of walkability, Station areas in the north reflect more suburban patterns of development with higher speed arterial roadways. The corridor intersects with the existing S-Line multiuse trail and planned segments of the city’s larger Emerald Trail network Master Plan. The city has plans for an extensive multi-use trail system that will provide significant new pathways for walking and biking across the northside. As planned, the trail system will include both on road and off-road pathways facilitating both north-south and east west movements across the neighborhoods south of the Gateway station. The Emerald Trail network presents key mode of alternative travel that can be incorporated into the station area planning.

"With more accommodations at the site scale, Jacksonville will be more resilient and well- equipped to handle increasing climate risks like heat and flooding." (pg. 123)

City of Jacksonville's Natural Water Systems map and excerpt from Resilient Jacksonville describing ways to build and accommodate new growth in a more resilient manner. www.resilientjacksonville.com

The Emerald Trail is a 30-mile bicycle/pedestrian trail and linear park system that intersects with the Green Line at the Downtown, UF Health, and Gateway station areas. It provides many multimodal connections including to 16 schools, two colleges, 21 parks, and many other destinations.

Northwest Jacksonville Connects: Green Line TOD Study Final Report | Jacksonville Transit Authority

CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITIES - CH.2 The Corridor contains several retail clusters, some of wh 5(7$,/&/867(56 The Corridor contains several retail clusters, some of wh RETAIL CLUSTERS

CH. 2 - CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITIES

Socio-Economics The neighborhood characteristics and assets, household dynamics, and employment along the Green Line corridor varies by segment. There are approximately 30,000 people living within the half mile buffer to the east and west of the Green Line BRT route and there are more than 37,000 jobs. Approximately 75% of residents living along the corridor are Black, and more than 60% are renters. This part of the city is at high risk for displacement of legacy residents living in rental households. This is due to the high percentage of renters and the escalating real estate values which increased by 24% from 2015 to 2020. There are currently no limits to rent escalation rates which can increase quickly in a strong real estate market. Conversely, the increases in housing values over the last several years have proved beneficial in terms of wealth generation opportunities for long time homeowners. Median household income of $31,000 in the corridor is almost half of the average household income citywide at $57,000. Historically, the Gateway station area served as one of the major retail and community gathering hubs for Jacksonville’s northside. However, over the last several decades it has lost its vitality. Despite many attempts and repositioning of the properties for various retail and other uses over the last several decades, many of the commercial properties remain underutilized. Additionally, the area is no longer a place where community members gather. These are many opportunities for catalytic, mixed-use redevelopment as part of the TOD strategy for the Green Line corridor. $14.04/SF $YHUDJH5HQW $14.23/SF $12.37/SF $11.04/SF

ways including on-street, shared parking, district level parking, and structured parking. As new development and redevelopment comes online in the Green Line corridor, there will be a need to incorporate creative parking management strategies, Complete Streets interventions in areas where high foot traffic is desired, and to establish the grid street pattern when there are opportunities to retrofit auto-dominated patterns.

A key design feature for creating TOD is the grid street pattern with slower speed roadways that prioritize pedestrian movement, walkability, bikability, and transit access. Cars are still accommodated in the TOD walkshed around each station, but they are slowed down to give priority to transit, walking, and biking movements. Another key goal with transportation for TOD is to reduce the amount of land consumed for parking. This means accommodating parking in creative

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Brooklyn Station

Riverside/Jackson Brooklyn Station

4.0M SF Retail Space in Corridor

8.6% Corridor Retail Vacancy Rate

$UPVGDOH .6) Wal-Mart, Home Depot

FSCJ Station Area

'XQQ/HP7XUQHU .6) Walgreens, Dollar General Source: CoStar, SB Friedman Source: CoStar, SB Friedman

Existing street cross sections along the Green Line corridor at the FSCJ Station Area.

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&HQWHU

9DFDQW6) 0 SF (0.0%)

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Armsdale

%DVVHWW /HP7XUQHU .6) Roses

'XQQ/HP7XUQHU Jacksonville Regional

132,970 SF (41.6%) 138,625 SF (37.9%)

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Gateway

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Brooklyn Station

1,400 SF (2.8%)

Lake Forest Station Area

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Existing street cross sections along the Green Line corridor at Lake Forest Station Area.

Winn-Dixie, Family Dollar, Walgreens

DEMOGRAPHICS: Jacksonville verses the corridor

MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME

% BLACK RESIDENTS

% RENTER HOUSEHOLDS

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Green Line corridor Jacksonville

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Dunn Avenue Station Area

Existing street cross sections along the Green Line corridor at Dunn Avenue Station Area.

Source: CoStar, SB Friedman

Important Retail Clusters along the Green Line corridor

Northwest Jacksonville Connects: Green Line TOD Study Final Report | Jacksonville Transit Authority

CH. 2 - CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITIES

CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITIES - CH.2

The settlement patterns of the Green Line corridor were analyzed against the desired patterns of TOD through a gap analysis approach. This resulted in the identification of five prototypical settlement patterns that reflect the different existing conditions within the corridor today and Prototypical Settlement Patterns

DOWNTOWN

provide context for how these areas could transform into more TOD-like patterns in the future. Five examples of different types of settlement patterns along the Green Line BRT corridor include: • Downtown – (FSCJ Downtown, Courthouse, LaVilla, & JRTC at LaVilla) located in a potentially high-density urban core area surrounded by very good pedestrian and transit oriented infrastructure and some urban scaled buildings. These areas require little change to the existing grid of streets and connections, but do require redevelopment and infill of more urban-scaled buildings. • UF Health/Shands Area – (UF Health/Shands, & VA Clinic) located in a potentially high-density urban area surrounded by good pedestrian and transit oriented infrastructure and some urban scaled buildings. These areas require little change to the existing grid of streets and connections, but do require redevelopment and infill of more urban-scaled buildings. • Gateway – (Gateway & Golfair) located in a moderately dense urban area with fair to good pedestrian and transit oriented infrastructure that has been interrupted by large-scale suburban development. It has potential for redevelopment. The area will require significant reintroduction of the street grid and new connections as well as redevelopment and infill of pedestrian oriented buildings. • Lake Forest & Riverview – located in a moderate to high-density suburban area with fair pedestrian and transit oriented infrastructure interrupted by small-scale suburban development. The areas have potential for redevelopment, thereby with the need to reconnect the grid and create new connections and strategically infill with more dense building footprints. • Capper-Armsdale – (Dunn Avenue) located in a potentially low to moderate-density suburban area with little to no pedestrian and transit oriented infrastructure that has been interrupted by moderately scaled suburban development with potential for redevelopment and infill, thereby requiring new connections.

FSCJ Downtown Station Area (view North)

UF HEALTH/SHANDS

UF Health/Shands Station Area (view North)

GATEWAY

Gateway Mall (view North)

LAKE FOREST & RIVERVIEW

Lake Forest Station Area (view North)

CAPPER-ARMSDALE

Dunn Avenue Station Area (view North)

Northwest Jacksonville Connects: Green Line TOD Study Final Report | Jacksonville Transit Authority

CH. 2 - CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITIES

CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITIES - CH.2

The Corridor can support a range of different uses over the next 20 years &255,'25<($5'(0$1')25(&$67 The Corridor can support a range of different uses over the next 20 years The Corridor can support a range of different uses over the next 20 years &255,'25<($5'(0$1')25(&$67

MARKET ANALYSIS Demand Projections

Single-family Residential Single-family homes account for 64% of the existing corridor housing stock and are present in all subareas outside of Downtown. There is potential for new single- family development across the corridor, but demand is strongest north of the Riverview neighborhood, where there are some larger sites that could accommodate subdivision development. Townhome developments are also likely feasible across most of the corridor. Overall, demand is projected for 680 single-family homes across the corridor. The sections of the corridor that lack large-scale sites for single-family housing can meet demand through infill development on vacant parcels. It is recommended that investments strategically concentrate on one block at a time to reconnect the urban fabric in neighborhoods with high vacancy. Retail Currently, several of the major retail centers in the corridor are significantly under-performing and require creative infill strategies. The strongest retail centers are located at the two ends of the corridor, in the Brooklyn neighborhood and near Armsdale Station, respectively. It is recommended that retail be consolidated in these centers as well as the Gateway Town Center to improve retail performance across the corridor. Smaller, weaker retail centers with high vacancy should be repositioned as smaller, convenience retail nodes and/or partially redeveloped with institutional, flex, and residential uses. Minimal demand is projected — 150,000 square feet in total — of additional retail space in the corridor. New space should concentrate in and around the well-performing retail centers on either end of the corridor. Future retail development is unlikely to occur in the near term, as any meaningful retail development must be preceded by residential growth.

The corridor market demand was analyzed by product type. The corridor has over 1,000 acres of vacant and underutilized land that could accommodate new development. Based on both the projected market demand and site capacity, the corridor could capture a significant amount of new development over the next 20 years. The 20 year forecast was developed using multiple public and private data sources, and refined with information gathered from interviewing local practitioners. Historic supply trends, population growth, planned projects, and site capacity, among other factors, were considered in preparing the total and subarea forecasts The following sections summarize 20-year demand by product type. Multifamily Residential T he Green Line corridor has a median household income of $31,000, significantly lower than that for the City of Jacksonville. This is in part due to the high concentration of deed restricted affordable housing within the corridor. While the corridor is home to about 3% of Duval County’s population, it contains 18% of the County’s income- restricted units. Both residents and developers indicated a desire for greater mixed-income and market-rate residential development within the corridor. It is projected that there is demand for 6,710 multifamily units over the next 20 years in the corridor. In particular, there is significant opportunity to increase market-rate multifamily in and around Downtown. The Brooklyn neighborhood has had several market-rate projects delivered in the last five years which have proven the market. Other Downtown-adjacent neighborhoods can build off this development momentum. LaVilla, which has many large, vacant sites, is likely to transition from mixed-income rental to market-rate rental development in the near term, due to its proximity to Brooklyn, Downtown, and planned infrastructure improvements. The Downtown subarea was allocated 5,770 multifamily units of the total demand forecast. Other subareas are each assumed to absorb one to two projects on strategic sites to meet the remaining market demand.

Continued infill, concentrate investments one block at a time Continued infill, concentrate investments one block at a time Continued infill, concentrate investments one block at a time SINGLE-FAMILY 680 UNITS SINGLE-FAMILY 680 UNITS SINGLE-FAMILY 680 UNITS

Recent mixed income projects downtown have proven the market; expand into surrounding neighborhoods MULTIFAMILY 6,710 UNITS MULTIFAMILY 6,710 UNITS MULTIFAMILY 6,710 UNITS Recent mixed income projects downtown have proven the market; expand into surrounding neighborhoods expand into surrounding neighborhoods Recent mixed income projects downtown have proven the market;

RETAIL 150,000 SQ FT RETAIL 150,000 SQ FT

OFFICE 1.9 M SQ FT OFFICE 1.9 M SQ FT

HOTEL 470 KEYS HOTEL 470 KEYS

CATALYTIC INCREASE XX* SQ FT CATALYTIC INCREASE XX* SQ FT Catalytic increase in development depends on success of large-scale redevelopments and premium level of transit (15-min headways, offboard fare collection, etc.) *Future work Catalytic increase in development depends on success of large-scale redevelopments and premium level of transit (15-min headways, offboard fare collection, etc.) *Future work

RETAIL 150,000 SQ FT

OFFICE 1.9 M SQ FT

HOTEL 470 KEYS

CATALYTIC INCREASE XX* SQ FT

Consolidate retail to improve performance of existing centers Consolidate retail to improve Consolidate retail to improve performance of existing centers performance of existing centers

Additional development beyond pipeline depends on creation of walkable mixed- use district downtown Additional development beyond pipeline depends on creation of walkable mixed- use district downtown use district downtown

Limited near-term growth due to national instability in office market, development most likely on downtown waterfront sites Limited near-term growth due to national instability in office market, development most likely on downtown waterfront sites

Additional development beyond pipeline depends on creation of walkable mixed-

Catalytic increase in development depends on success of large-scale redevelopments and premium level of transit (15-min headways, offboard fare collection, etc.) *Future work

Limited near-term growth due to national instability in office market, development most likely on downtown waterfront sites

Other Land Uses The national office market is currently weak post-COVID. As a result, there is essentially no near-term potential in the corridor for speculative office development. Even prior to the COVID recession, Downtown Jacksonville had only seen build-to-suit office development for several decades. Potential for office may increase as Downtown becomes a more vibrant, mixed-use destination. There will likely be some continued build-to-suit office development in the Downtown. The best office sites are generally located along the waterfront. There is also potential for medical office, a growing product type, in the properties surrounding UF Health/Shands. Overall, it is projected that the Downtown and UF Health subareas can accommodate 1.9 million square feet of office development in the next 20 years. There are few hotels immediately in the Downtown, but some new projects are in development pipeline. Like with office, there may be more potential for hotel development once a stronger mixed-use environment gets established. Source: Esri, SB Friedman Source: Esri, SB Friedman Source: Esri, SB Friedman

Most industrial activity in Jacksonville occurs outside the corridor. Due to the existing land uses, there is very limited potential for industrial development within the corridor, though last-mile distribution facilities, light manufacturing, and call centers are a possibility, particularly on the north end which is closer to the airport and existing industrial clusters. The trade-off between the desire for transit oriented development and job generating uses is an important policy consideration. Catalytic Development The corridor does have the potential to capture development beyond the demand projections with the right interventions. A catalytic increase in development depends on the success of large-scale redevelopments, public-private partnership opportunities, and improvement of the BRT. BRT has the potential to attract additional investment to the corridor but only when service meets key criteria including 15-minute maximum headways, offboard fare collection, level boarding, and other BRT best practices. Additional details can be found in Appendix B – Market Study.

Northwest Jacksonville Connects: Green Line TOD Study Final Report | Jacksonville Transit Authority

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