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City Council Meeting: June 14, 2011
Agenda Item: ~-' ~
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Eileen P. Fogarty, Planning and Community Development Director
Subject: Update on the Bergamot Area Plan progress, community outreach and
arts integration
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council review the work to date on the Bergamot Area
Plan and provide input on work completed and next steps.
Executive Summary
The adoption of the Land Use and Circulation Element (LUCE) marked a decisive shift
in City policy towards sustainable planning practices that emphasize complete
neighborhoods, enhanced connectivity and access, and use of alternative modes of
travel like walking, biking and the Exposition Light Rail. The LUCE establishes ,the
framework for this transformation through a comprehensive vision supported by specific
goals and policies. A primary goal is to move forward with creating ahigh-quality
mixed-use creative arts-based transit village at the new light rail station at Bergamot by
preparing an area plan with the community. The Area Plan will establish the planning.
tools to move forward with new streets, shared parking, active ground floor uses, open
space, housing, creative arts and transportation demand management envisioned in the
LUCE.
Recognizing the role that Bergamot Arts Center plays as a community gathering place
and activity center, as well as a regional cultural destination, the plan will support
increased access and visibility for it to continue as a focal point of community activities
and cultural events. As the plan creates a framework for urban design, land use and
circulation, the location and programming for open spaces and the careful design of
streets, pathways and shared parking will give shape and character to the
neighborhood. At the same time, direct connections and new walkable streets will bring
vibrant life to the area and encourage walking, bicycling and transit use that is key to
achieving the goal of No Net' New PM Peak trips and the quality of life and healthy
alternatives desired by the community.
Creating the new sustainable neighborhood envisioned in the LUCE for Bergamot is a
collaborative effort of property owners, non-profits, residents, artists, decision-makers
and many others. In setting the framework for the neighborhood, the Area Plan will
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facilitate achieving the vision over several deliberate phases and recommended
implementation actions. In doing so it will tackle the area's future development issues
relating to shared parking, circulation and access, walkability, land use, and community
open space by creating the regulatory environment to aid transformation that results in
vibrant places for existing and new populations.
Since initiating the area plan process, staff has moved quickly through the first phase of
data collection and assessment by completing three inter-related efforts:
(1) Defining a Santa Monica "Urban Transit Village": the desired characteristics and
components of a vibrant urban village were identified during a community
workshop in February attended by over 150 people, including being pedestrian-
oriented, human-scale, accessible and a center of community life.
(2) Circulation and Connectivity Analysis: an analysis of optimal locations and design
for proposed hew roads, pathways, and pedestrian crossings was completed to
facilitate. the creation of a walkable and powerfully connected new urban
neighborhood.
(3) Stakeholder Interviews: informative meetings were initiated with stakeholders in
the Bergamot Transit Village to raise awareness, share information, and begin
the process of collaboration.
The purpose of this report is to provide additional detail on these activities, and to
preview the next phase of planning that will involve a variety of technical studies,
community and stakeholder participation, and an exploration of methods for preserving
and enhancing the art community both at Bergamot and within the larger planning area.
The Bergamot Area Plan is largely funded by a United States Housing and Urban
Development Department (HUD) Community Challenge grant for planning sustainable
communities to ensure that this "urban transit village" looks, feels and functions as an
integral neighborhood within Santa Monica's urban fabric.
Background
The Bergamot Area Plan is a detailed planning effort called for in the LUCE (LUCE Goal
D2.2) to facilitate the vision for a walkable, sustainable district within the 140 acres
surrounding the planned Expo station. Encompassing the Bergamot Transit Village and
Mixed-Use Creative Districts, the Bergamot Area Plan is tasked with guiding the
transformation of this former industrial area into a compact, mixed-use and transit-
oriented "complete neighborhood." It is also an opportunity to support the City's creative
and cultural art industries, and bring high-quality transit to the area's wide range of
production and post-production studios, music editing facilities; web and digital media
companies, and other creative sector businesses. The area is also home to the
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Bergamot Arts Center, a regional magnet for fine art galleries, and an international
destination for visitors and art professionals from around the globe.
Historically isolated from the rest of the City by busy roads, the freeway and an irregular
roadway pattern, the Bergamot Area is scheduled to undergo a dramatic and catalyzing
change with the arrival of the Exposition Light Rail, which will be operational at
Bergamot Station in 2015. During the development of the LUCE and early planning for
the Exposition Light Rail, a growing sentiment about the future of the industrial lands led
staff and the community to explore breaking down long-standing obstacles, such as
limited roadways and points of access, extra-large parcels with no connectivity to
neighboring areas, traffic congestion, and increasing speculative development which did
not address cohesive urban design. Community workshops on the Industrial Lands and
subsequent Council discussions gave shape to a new vision for a high quality mixed-
use neighborhood centered on transit that:
(1) Provides local serving retail and services for employees and residents;
(2) Introduces the City's finer-grained street grid into existing large parcels;
(3) Expands and enhances pedestrian and bicycling opportunities, and
(4) Utilizes shared parking resources to allow the removal and reuse of existing on-
grade parking lots.
To this end, the adoption of the LUCE in 2010 re-classified the basic land use
designations around Bergamot from industrial to mixed-use. The Bergamot Area Plan
is one of several planning efforts being conducted near Expo stations to implement the
LUCE vision.
The Bergamot Area planning process is being conducted in three integrated phases for
the purpose of thoroughly exploring the range of issues inherent in each sub-area. The
three sub-areas and their respective goals are:
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Phase 1: Bergamot Transit Village -
Creating an "Urban Transit Village"
featuring new roads, pathways and green
connections, as well as a mix of services
and amenities including jobs, housing,
retail and entertainment. The LUCE land
use targets for this area are 60% creative
commercial and 40% residential.
Phase 2: The Arts Center -Enhancing
the existing Arts Center and outlining new
opportunities to create an economically
and culturally sustainable cultural art-
based community that will expand into
nearby areas, like the Mixed-Use Creative
District.
Phase 3: Mixed-Use Creative District -
Creating new mixed-use housing (or
adaptively reusing existing structures)
enlivened-with dining, retail, open space,
creative uses and entertainment
opportunities. The LUCE land use targets
for this area are 50% creative commercial
and 50% residential.
The Bergamot Area Plan is being conducted in
three phases to provide specific guidance on the
creation of walkable, vibrant and complete
neighborhoods.
In February 2011, a Planning Commission sponsored community workshop was held to
identify essential components for the Bergamot Transit Village, such as the desired mix
of uses, the scale and character of buildings, the ability to walk and bike, and the ability
to access the Expo station and the Bergamot Arts Center. The Principles generated by
this event will serve as the criteria for evaluating future projects in the planning area.
The Bergamot Area Plan was selected by the United States Department of Housing and
Urban Development (HUD) to receive ahighly-competitive planning. grant. to advance
the urban sustainability goals of the LUCE and the Federal Government's Community
Challenge program that emphasize integrated land use and transportation planning to
reduce vehicle trips and greenhouse gas emissions. In its first year, HUD's "Partnership
for Sustainable Communities" is a pilot program that showcases visionary and leading
planning efforts around the country that provide replicable models for sustainable
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development. The Bergamot Area Plan was one of two Community Challenge grants
awarded in the State of California. On June 2, HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan visited
the site to support the correlation between the LUCE vision and Federal goals for
integrated housing, land use and circulation planning.
Discussion
The Exposition Light Rail provides a rare opportunity to tie new uses to transit through
mixed-use planning that emphasizes Bergamot's existing assets while enriching the
area with new housing, jobs, public open space and retail/entertainment offerings. The
purpose of the Bergamot Area Plan is to provide context for the anticipated
transformation of this area by addressing these issues and implementing the vision of
the LUCE for the Bergamot Transit Village (including the Arts Center) and Mixed-Use
Creative Districts. The Bergamot Area Plan will address:
• Creation of a Vibrant Place for Social Interaction and Gathering
• Integration and coordination of private property development
• Identification of a long-term sustainable vision for the future of the arts center
• Area-wide circulation and transit access
• Shared parking district formation
Creation of a Vibrant Place for Social Interaction and Gathering
The City's industrial lands pose an
opportunity for stakeholders to work
together in shaping a positive outcome for
the area as a whole. The LUCE seeks to
create a unique and transit-oriented new
neighborhood centered on the Expo Station
that is distinctly Santa Monican, and which
evokes a sense of place and belonging
among neighbors, employees and visitors
alike. This new walkable urban area
envisioned by the LUCE has awell-connected mix of residential, creative office, and
5
local-serving retail uses on smaller blocks established by new roads, pedestrian and
bicycle paths that break up the superblocks and fos#er a tight-knit, walkable, sustainable
and vibrant neighborhood.
The Bergamot Transit Village land use designation described in the LUCE creates the
parameters is to encourage amixed-use pattern of development where physical, social,
and economic attributes come together to create a complete neighborhood or "village"
whose spaces are enlivened by a diversity of uses, quality walking, biking and transit
connections, and a sense of community ownership. District-wide shared parking
facilities, enhanced district-wide TDM programs, and the introduction of the city-scaled
street grid will provide the mechanisms to ensure that the. area's evolution is balanced
to accommodate new populations in a measured, organic, and sustainable fashion.
Four necessary ingredients were identified by the community as necessary for the
implementation of Bergamot Transit Village:
1. A Pedestrian-Oriented Neighborhood: a comfortable, enticing walking
environment that features active visually interesting ground floor uses, wide
sidewalks and streetscape amenities, and clearly legible connections to transit.
2. A Center of Community Life and Activity: a variety of public spaces to
accommodate daytime workers and residents, nighttime visitors, and weekend
visitors.
3. Human-Scale Design: a range of textures, materials, and architectural designs
to create authenticity and to reduce perception of mass.
4. An Accessible, Interconnected Neighborhood: an extended Santa Monica
grid pattern (new roads and pathways) through large superblocks to establish a
positive pedestrian environment.
On February 17, 2011, staff conducted a community workshop at Pier 59 Studios that
engaged over 150 community members in a discussion about these characteristics
(Attachment A), and about the necessary circulation system that would support
anticipated new patterns of walking, biking and transit use in the area. Leading up to
the workshop, staff worked with the Expo Construction Authority, as well as urban
design and transportation planning professionals to recalibrate the LUCE street map
(LUCE 4.0-53) for increased connectivity and access, and for optimal site development
that provided retail frontages along key corridors throughout the area. This preliminary
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circulation plan was presented to workshop participants, and -was paired with a
discussion on the types of uses and community benefits that would enliven this area as
it evolves from a former industrial center to amixed-use neighborhood anchored by the
new Expo Bergamot transit station.
Audience participation was overwhelmingly supportive of focusing on key connections
to shared parking and the Expo station, prioritizing community benefits and the
appropriate mix of land uses that would make the area a success, and defining ways to
mitigate perception of mass and scale through architectural design. Significantly,
workshop participants also articulated a vision of an "urban village" that was composed
of social spaces that provide a sense of community identity, safety and security, and
physical spaces that are compact, at human-scale and designed to accommodate a
range of formal and informal activities.
The overarching themes that emerged from the workshop were
• Support for buildings designed to relate to human-scale
• Desire for a mix of ground floor uses like restaurants, retail, and public gathering
places to enliven the street and provide activity throughout the day
• Interest in quality connections from the Bergamot Transit Village to the Expo and
Arts Center at Bergamot
• Need for new community gathering and open spaces to foster social interaction
and sense of community spirit, and
• Support for fine-grained connections within the area and across Olympic
Boulevard to facilitate a pedestrian and bicycle oriented environment.
These themes were cohsistent with and supportive of the community's Placemaking
Principles established during the LUCE process whereby the City does not review and
approve buildings as objects unto themselves, but rather looks to buildings to create
community places. Going forward, the principles expressed by the community will be
further refined into guidelines and standards, and will be included in the final Bergamot
Area Plan as the criteria from which to evaluate future development proposals.
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Arts Center & Opportunities for Area-Wide Creative and Cultural Art Facilities: A Long-
Term Sustainable Vision
The Bergamot Arts Center is a respected and internationally recognized fine art nucleus
at the City's eastern edge, and is an important feature in the cultural tapestry of Santa
Monica. Located on the site of a former Red Car station, Bergamot is slated to receive
a new Expo Light Rail station in 2015 which is expected to increase in visibility and
activity in this gallery and creative art cluster that is presently tucked-away behind
Olympic Boulevard.
The Bergamot Area Plan is tasked with retaining and enhancing the Arts Center as a
focal point of community activity and cultural programming through efforts that provide
artist and gallery spaces with the necessary endowment to remain sustainable as
adjacent or nearby land uses may increase in value. Additionally, the Bergamot Area
Plan will identify opportunities and financial mechanisms to integrate arts programming
into new and redeveloped parcels within the Bergamot Transit Village and Mixed-Use
Creative Districts. Working collaboratively with staff from Community and Cultural
Services' (CCS) Cultural Affairs division, Strategic & Transportation Planning staff is
currently evaluating national precedents of "cultural districts" in order to understand how
these places were created, are operated and continue to thrive in the face of an
increasingly difficult economic reality. Therefore expanding the character of the larger
area which would create additional art opportunities that would strengthen the existing
community.
These exploratory efforts will form the background for the next community workshop to
be held this July to engage the community, the neighborhoods, key stakeholders and
local artists in defining an economically sustainable future for the Arts Center. While still
in development, this workshop will be geared to identify:
• Art/cultural uses could add to the vitality of the existing art center
• Other uses are compatible and could potentially provide revenue to support the
center and endow critical art/cultural facilities and operations
• Existing precedents that could serve as a model for Bergamot Arts Center
8
Using the information generated from .this workshop, staff and the community will
identify where consensus and feasibility overlap, and will match the community's
expectations for expanding the presence of the creative arts with the LUCE vision for a
high-quality, mixed-use creative arts/entertainment village centered around the Expo
Light Rail station.
Integration and coordination of private property development
During the LUCE process, participants cited speculative and piecemeal development as
a key issue eroding the character of the industrial lands. Large projects leveraging
existing development standards for affordable housing were seen to be bypassing the
public review process, and as a result were providing extremely limited amenities and
services for the area's population. The LUCE Tier structure now provides for all
projects above a 32' base height to be processed as discretionary projects, and to
contribute to a menu of community benefits. The recently approved Agensys project is
a -prescient example of how the new LUCE development process works to provide
essential benefits like new pedestrian access to the Arts Center and future Expo LRT
Station.
A strategic goal of the Bergamot Area
Plan is to coordinate the
redevelopment of the district in such a
way that community benefits are
brought online in a consistent and
predictable fashion, and in an order
that targets highest priority. benefits,
like new roads, first. Staff met with
individual property owners or their
representatives in the Bergamot Transit
Village to inform them about the vision
expressed in the City's General Plan
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update and to discuss their participation in shaping the area's future. These meetings
stimulated an important discussion about the key components of the plan area and the
phasing concepts to bring them to fruition.
An important factor in nurturing Bergamot partnerships has been the ability to highlight
the City's recent success in coordinating three adjacent development agreement
projects proposed in the Mixed-Use Creative District (Village Trailer Park, Roberts
Center and Lions Gate). In this example, through aCity-initiated process, the three
property owners were able to work together to propose providing right-of-way access for
the extension of Pennsylvania Avenue, as well as a street connecting Colorado Avenue
with Pennsylvania Avenue (with the potential to extend further south). Current and
ongoing discussions are focused on coordinating overall urban form.
The recent and ongoing Bergamot Transit Village interviews are intended to inform the
potential for the formation of similar partnerships, and to provide key stakeholders with
information about the community's expectations for redevelopment. As the Bergamot
Area Plan progresses to planning solutions that involve shared parking, open space and
art integration programs, staff will continue to work with the property owners and other
stakeholders to create an implementation strategy that will result in a new, urban transit
village consistent with the goals and policies adopted by the Council in the LUCE. An
important task will be achieving a fair and equitable sharing of the costs and rewards
between the owner/developers over the anticipated multi-year implementation.
Area-Wide Circulation and Transit Access
Bergamot Station is within a 5-10 minute walk of concentrated employment centers like
the Water Gardens, Yahoo! Center, and the Arboretum. It is also within walking or
biking distance from the Mid-City and Pico neighborhoods, but because of limited
roadway connections, it is difficult and time-consuming to access the future station site.
Internally, the Bergamot Transit Village District is comprised of large parcels that create
lengthy super-blocks which discourage and/or prohibit walking as a form of travel to the
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station and daily needs and services. Successful circulation improvements and shared
parking will be the keys to the implementation of LUCE policies targeting trip reduction
and an integrated land use and transportation network.
Expo Station Configuration and Access
Recent circulation planning has
focused on maximizing the potential
benefits of the Expo LRT Station. This
work includes developing a more
efficient, rider-friendly side-platform
configuration to enhance access to the
station and promote its integration into
the larger transit village concept: As
seen in the diagram, the side-platform
station allows for improved pedestrian
access from Olympic Boulevard and
the Arts Center, and provides a critical
connection to/from the Bergamot Transit Village while also .creating a much needed
"front door" for the Arts Center. Staff is continuing to refine the side-platform concept in
coordination with the operations of the Big Blue Bus and Expo, as well as with the
designers of the Expo Regional Bike Path, which also needs to be accommodated at
this critical transit location.
Crossings and Vehicle Flows
The circulation concept has addressed critical new intersection locations on Olympic
Boulevard, and seeks to modify Olympic Boulevard from its historic role as a highway to
an urban boulevard or parkway in this area. The new intersections, in addition to
enhancing vehicular access, facilitate the expected increase in pedestrians traversing
between their residences, jobs and the Expo station. In some cases, circulation
analysis has evaluated converting existing one-way traffic flows to allow for two-way
movement. Preliminary transportation modeling and simulation analysis confirms that
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Determining optimal access points to Expo and an
appropriate plalfiorm configuration that encourages
station use has been a key focus of circulation analysis.
11
these connections are feasible and show results consistent with the circulation
anticipated in the LUCE 2030 model.
Streets
Carrying forward the circulation vision from the
LUCE for complete streets and amulti-modal
transportation network, significant attention has
been paid to identifying and refining the grid of
streets and pedestrian/bicycle pathways in the
Bergamot Area to provide connections to existing
neighborhoods and the Expo station. Over the
past several months, the proposed locations of
future streets and pathways have been carefully
analyzed to ensure maximum permeability,
access, retail frontage opportunity, and
connectivity to key destinations like the Expo
station and potential shared parking locations.
The proposed locations for streets typically are coincident with existing on-grade
parking lots on private property. Surface parking could be shifted to shared parking
facilities created through a public, private or public/private parking district, and existing
surface parking could be converted to streets, pedestrian ways and open space. This
process would allow private parcels to be redeveloped over time, consistent with the
real estate market.
Shared Parking District Formation
The ability for new residents, employees and visitors to the Bergamot Area to park once
in a centra( parking resource is a fundamental tenet of the LUCE vision, and one that is
critical to the successful realization of a sustainable, mixed-use center. Shared parking
allows for properties to redevelop without providing all parking on-site, which is costly
and often difficult to fit. within the constraints of existing parcel dimensions. Shared
12
parking provides an additional advantage in the form of promoting pedestrian activity
that supports and stimulates retail and entertainment environments, much like in the
City's Downtown.
Currently, in the Bergamot Transit Village alone, over 1,200 surface parking spaces
account for nearly 50% of total land area - a statistic that speaks to the area's auto-
oriented pattern of development and near saturation in terms of site coverage and
development. For example, properties such as the existing Red Bull facility cannot
accommodate any more onsite parking without resorting to costly structural changes in
their existing building configurations. As a result, the shared parking provisions of the
Bergamot Area Plan may be crucial to maintaining existing uses while allowing for new
opportunities. As called for in the LUCE< a shared parking district is being explored to
serve new and existing uses, along with evaluating appropriate shared parking
standards adjacent to the light rail that also helps to achieve trip reduction community
goals.
The next step will be to analyze shared parking district financing and operational models
that will equitably allow for the sharing of parking costs and benefits and identifying
methods to phase the implementation of the shared parking program. This work will be
ongoing during the summer and fall of 2011.
Next Steps
Staff is moving into the planned second phase of the Bergamot Area Plan, which seeks
to develop a policy framework informed by a number of technical and analytic studies.
Upcoming efforts include:
. Preservation and Enhancement of the Arts: Bergamot Art Center Workshop and
exploration of financial mechanisms to support artist spaces district-wide.
• Shared Parking and TDM: evaluation of shared parking strategies, including
financing options, and the creation of a Transportation Demand Management
district.
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• Market Demand Studies: economic analysis on potential uses and community
benefits, including housing, artist spaces, creative office, open space, and
infrastructure.
. Infrastructure and Utilities: analysis of future infrastructure and utilities
requirements, like water, sewer, gas, electric and fiber optic.
• Open Space: identification of priority locations for new public gathering spaces
and how they relate to streets and buildings
• Design Guidelines and Standards: initiate design guideline development based
on Urban Village principles that emphasize human-scale and quality urban
design
. Expo Coordination: ongoing Expo coordination to achieve best possible station
access and design.
Over the next several months, -staff and the consultant team will to meet with property
owners and key stakeholders in the Mixed-Use Creative District. Working with partners
in the CCS Department and at HUD, staff will continue to give shape to the LUCE vision
for a compact, mixed-use and transit-oriented neighborhood that blends a creative and
cultural art focus with best management practices in urban sustainability. Attachment B
provides the Council with a process graphic that describes the timeline for the Bergamot
Area Plan. Additional materials and summaries from past and future workshops will be
posted to the project's website (www.bergamotplan.com) and will be shared with the
Council in a future study session.
City Council Direction
Staff seeks the City Council's feedback on staff's planning activities in the formulation of
the Bergamot Area Plan.
14
Financial Impacts and Budget Actions
There are no financial impacts based on the recommendations in this report.
Prepared By: Peter D. James, Senior Planner, Strategic &Transportation Planning
Approved:
Forwarded to Council:
Eileen P. F a Rod Gould
Director, Planning and Community City Manager
Development Department
15
Attachment A
Workshop Summary
16
The Bergamot Area Plan
Workshop #1: Bergamot Transit Village
faviv fiesiev'
Pier 59 Studios
Bergamot Station
Thursday, Feb. 17tH
6:30PM - 9:30 PM
The Bergamot Area Plan was initiated right after adoption of the award-winning LUCE.
The plan will refine and implement the adopted community vision to transform this
formerly industrial area into a vibrant, creative and cultural arts-focused mixed-use and
transit-oriented district. As part of a special Planning Commission meeting on
Thursday, February 17th, the first public workshop attracted over 150 community
members interested in identifying characteristics of a transit village that would look, feel
and function like Santa Monica, and how to connect with the Exposition Light Rail,
which will be operational in 2015 and will include a station at the existing Bergamot Arts
Center.
Following is a synopsis of the workshop's presentation and a summary of the ideas from
participants in group discussions breakout sessions that reflect the values and visions of
the .community for future development of the Transit Village. To download the entire
staff presentation, click HERE.
Quick facts about the Bergamot Area Plan:
• It's a focused planning effort to
coordinate the transformation of
the former industrial lands into
the LUCE vision for a compact,
mixed-use transit village.
• The Plan encompasses a 140
acre planning area that includes
the Bergamot Transit Village,
Bergamot Art Center, and Mixed-
Use Creative District.
• It's supported by a Sustainable
Communities grant for
integrated transit-oriented
neighborhoods.
• It will be created with an
inclusive process involving
residents, property owners,
artists, businesses and other
key stakeholders.
PROGRAM AGENDA
Bergamot Transit Village Workshop
February 17, 2011
The workshop was convened as a Planning Commission meeting with Commissioners
Parry, Koning, Winterer, and Kennedy and acting Chair Newbold. present. Eileen
Fogarty welcomed participants and kicked off the workshop presentation, and
introduced City staff and the consultant team including Daniel lacofano, Principal of
MIG, Jeff Tumlin Principal of Nelson/Nygaard Associates, John Kaliski Principal of
Urban Studio, and Bob Odermatt Principal of The Odermatt Group.
PRESENTATION
The presentation kicked off with
a brief overview of the adopted
LUCE recommendations for the
Bergamot Transit Village, Mixed-
Use Creative and Bergamot Arts
Center. These were developed
over 6 years of public outreach
and with input from thousands of
Santa Monicans and the
recommendations would
transform the Bergamot Area into
a vibrant, mixed-use and transit-
oriented neighborhood village that
WHAT THE LUCE SAYS ABOUT THE
BERGAMOT AREA... ,
includes housing, local-serving ~
uses, creative arts/entertainment, and has 17 hour/ 7 day a week activity. The new
neighborhood would introduce uses that provide for existing and future populations, and
creative and cultural spaces that ensure the survival and perseverance of the arts in
Santa Monica.
1. The Bergamot Area -LUCE Vision. Opportunities and Challenges
Bergamot and fhe Exposition Light Rail
The Exposition Light Rail station
at Bergamot Art Center is an
opportunity for the Bergamot area
to evolve into a new compact and
sustainable .urban neighborhood
by reinvigorating it with a balance
of housing and creative jobs,
retail and open space. Expo will
have 3 stations in Santa Monica,
with a key station a Bergamot
estimated to have 3,500 users
daily (with the whole line having a
Page 2
Bergamot Transit Village Workshop
...~.,..~.. February 17, 2011
daily ridership of 62,000 people). This infusion of transit provides a unique opportunity
to link land use and transportation to create a vibrant place and a sustainable new
neighborhood. Key to this vision is designing the new station for transit integration,
pedestrian and bicycle connections and an array of amenities and uses to serve daily
needs. This approach is a fundamental principle of the LUCE to promote sustainability
by decreasing reliance on the automobile and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
The Bergamot Area Plan: A LUCE Implementation Tool
The Bergamot Area Plan will provide Guiding Principles,
Standards, Design Guidelines and Implementation Strategies
that bridge the broad community vision of the LUCE and the
rigid standards of the zoning ordinance. Over the course of the
planning effort, the Bergamot Area Plan will tackle a range of
issues including circulation; community benefits, preservation of
the creative and cultural arts, mix of land uses, and shared
parking opportunities. The Plan will also devise strategies for
upgrading the infrastructure network with new roads and
sidewalks, and will make recommendations for community open
spaces -two identified areas of deficiency within the Bergamot
Area.
Bergamot Area Issues
The LUCE dialogue surrounding the industrial lands identified issues to be addressed
during the Area Planning process. The Plan will seek major improvements in the
roadway network by creating new
roads and pedestrian pathways in
locations that ensure maximum
connectivity both to existing and
future neighborhoods, as well as
to the planned Expo station. The
Plan will also address residents'
concerns to coordinate
development projects to achieve
human scaled and pedestrian-
friendly environment and amenity
to the area, and preserve the
existing character while creating a
"complete neighborhood" served
by a wide array of new land uses.
The Area Plan will provide the framework to guide new projects into a model of transit-
oriented design that provides transit demand management programs and to reduces
new trips and helps achieve the community's broader goal of "no net new trips." This,
coupled with strong measures and incentives to help preserve and enhance the creative
and cultural arts make up the central elements of the Bergamot Area Plan, and respond
directly to the concerns expressed during the LUCE planning process.
Page 3
Bergamot Transit Village Workshop
February 17, 201.1.
The Area Plan will also provide a
cohesive and coordinated
response to the area-wide
development pressures in a way
that ensures long-lasting and
meaningful community benefits to
serve existing and future
populations. The community's
role in shaping the content of the
Area Plan will be facilitated
through a series of public
workshops and events that
examine each of the critical
planning issue included within the
Plan's boundaries. The following
is a rough schedule for upcoming
community events on the
Bergamot Area Plan:
1. February: Bergamot Transit
Village workshop
2. Summer: Bergamot Art
Center workshop
3. Fall: Mixed-Use Creative
District workshop
2. What makes a Village?
PRO-ACTIVE PLANNING i.,,nm:erv-~aa~,a
ACHIEVES COMMUNITY BENEFIT "'"'""""""
a~aab~m,~n.
• MeaningPol connecGOns to Expo sladon
= Coordinated response to development
interests
• Manage Roatlwaysantl address eongesdon
• Retluca vehitle Mps Nrough tmnsponadon
demand management
• Create sharetl Parking
. Ensure that transit village benefita the
surrounding existing neighbarhoctls ~;
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• Earty remmunity Input '
• Supportformalntaining rreadve ans _
• Create aHOrdabie &wodcforce housing
• ProWde rannecticns
• Public open space and amenities
19 ku~.,~kw.
A Center of Community
Life 8 Activity Strategy
77 hours per tlay,7dayse
week; a safe & secure
WO('Ui1Ve EnVlfOnment
/Sense of vitality, life and
community spirit
/A sense of °ownershlp
= MOS7IMPORTANT-Mix of
commercial and residentlal
uses fos7edng sidewalk and
puNic space activity
Petlesaianplares
The presentation included a discussion on "what is a village" that identified a village as
a place in which a community of people is bound together by a variety of social and
physical ties.
Village Social Space creates:
• A feeling of safety and security
• A sense of community identity
and ownership
• Neighbor helping neighbor
• Family and friends and
acquaintances
The Village Physical Space is:
• Compact
• Human-scale
• A source of goods and services
for daily life
• Places for formal and informal
interaction, and special events
Villages cannot exist without both elements. The built environment provides the space
for both public and private life, and creates the framework for social interaction,
gathering, commerce, and daily life. Historically, a village is created around a
crossroads, a landmark, or a place of worship and attracts people based on both the
social and physical qualities of place, which are often implemented over time,
e
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Page 4
w mi one mvrt~ne
e
-Bergamot Transit Village Workshop
•........ February 17, 2011
organically, and within the context of neighboring buildings, land uses and public
gathering spaces.
The basic components necessary to create a "center for community life" include a rich
mix of uses and work environments and a variety of housing choices that oversee the
Village activities to provide "eyes on the street." A Village should be animated by ground
level uses that attract local residents and workers, like restaurants and retail stores.
Importantly for Bergamot, the Village should include cultural facilities that extend from
the Art Center to the north side of Olympic Boulevard that reflect the uniqueness of the
Bergamot area and the generations of artisans who have helped shape its identity.
Public spaces, too, should be integrated into the Village to accommodate daytime
workers and residents, nighttime visitors and weekend pedestrians strolling over from
the surrounding neighborhoods. The public facilities will attract people who will in turn
support the viability of the Village's. retail and service providers.
3. Village Design Components and Strategies
Architect and Urban Designer,
John Kaliski, discussed successful
ways to design Village spaces that
are human-scaled, contextually
appropriate, and which provide a
quality walking environment that is
rich with visual interest and detail.
The design of a building's ground
floor level or the "base" of the
building coupled with the design of
the adjacent sidewalks and open
spaces is key to developing this
comfortable, enticing walking
environment, as the building base
anchors the building while accommodating the menu of uses that relate directly to the
pedestrians. The ground floor provides the opportunity to incorporate building elements
and materials that provide a human scale to the building as well as provide durability to
withstand the human contact.
Page 5
Pedesfrian Amenities
A building's base should be
enhanced with streetscape
features to create a comfortable
and -safe walking environment.
This includes streetscape
amenities such as wide sidewalks
that allow groups of people to
walk side-by-side, can
accommodate sidewalk dining and
street furniture, and can
ocassionally allow for festival
space.
Bergamot Transit Village Workshop
February 17, 2011
Lighting, canopies, operable
awnings, umbrellas, trees are also
important elements of the
streetscape to control the ambient environment -sun on cool days and shade on warm
days- and they enhance day and evening use of the public realm and create a sense of
safety and security. It is important that pedestrian amenities be scaled appropriately
and are designed to be used.
Scale and Transparency
The building base must be tall
enough to accommodate the ~ ""
A walkable Neighborhootl Strategy ~ ~~ ~ ~. -
variety of uses that require pedestrian Scaletl Retail antl ~ ~; "~~
ground floor visibility and access Storefronts '~
while accommodating a variety of ' crountl"°°reeili"9neiyn,~eP°r°~a`e`°°~
/ 15'- 20' -local retail
storefront configurations and /2o.-chal"r~t~l
designs consistent with the
myriad of uses. For example, a ~~~~ `= ~F
grocery store is a use that ,-~ ~ ~' ~'
requires high ceilings on the `' ~*" ~t, ~'
ground. floor, a broad open floor a
Y
plan, and a centralized point of __-~ r
entry to control- ingress and am.~~, ling ~ergMa for smaller uses UrOeiceill"B rwippbl u~.. ~~
egress. A smaller retail store,
however, is best accommodated in a space that has a lower ceiling height, a smaller
floorplan or footprint, and large display windows to advertise goods and products. Both
uses provide daily needs and services; but have distinct spatial requirements. This
same concept applies to a range of land uses that form the retail, entertainment, service
and commercial offerings within a community, or an urban transit village.
Another important consideration in developing an interesting building base is creating a
rythym and sequencing of storefront entries. This can be accomplished through facade
modulation, storefronts design to incorporate a variety of widths, and the provision of
continuous display windows to allow for transparency into interior spaces. Below are
Page 6
Bergamot Transit Village Workshop
~w•~• ~~••~•• February 17, 2011
several points about storefronts that were highlighted in Mr. Kaliski's presentation on the
building base.
Building entries should be oriented to key streets and public spaces
Store fronts should be located in designated locations -should be of
different widths
• Transparency should be encouraged for retail space -limit blank walls
• Typically, the most successful walkable environments have activities on two
sides of a street, a "mall" or a public space.
Perceived Building Mass -Strategies to Reduce Bulk and Scale
Building mass and scale are
frequently discussed in the
context of compatibility with
adjacent buildings, the local
neighborhood character, or the
larger citywide identity. Mr.
Kaliski presented a number of
architectural strategies that could
be employed to reduce the
perceived size and volume of new
buildings. These strategies,
which include stepbacks and
setbacks, building plane
modulation and projections are
illustrated in the graphic to the right. Taken together, these architectural techniques
can significantly reduce how an individual perceives building mass.
Similarly, building materials play an important role in how a building is perceived at
human scale. A variety of window sizes and heights can break up the monotony of a
building's fenestration, and create an interesting sequence of void and visually
accessible spaces. Well-considered changes in materials -metal, brick, wood, stucco,
glass, and concrete -result in a finer grain, more detailed building that reads as a
series of spaces rather than a single structure. Finally, changes in the wall plane and
floor heights allow for building forms that are fluid, dynamic and yield interesting shade
patterns that accentuate the quality of the pedestrian experience at ground level.
Where the Building Meets the
Sky
The final portion of Mr. Kaliski's
presentation dealt with the often
difficult and understated value of
designing a building architecture
that not only created a quality
base for pedestrians, but also an
interesting top to create skyline
variety and diversity. Pulling
Page 7
Bergamot Transit Village Workshop
w.,.,..~.. February 17. 2011
from a range of classical and contemporary examples, Mr. Kaliski demonstrated the
range of architectural tools available to the designer; such as cornices, projections, and
"eyebrows," as well as more substantive techniques such as variation in roofline
heights, roof types and materials.
4. Circulation and Access
Circulation in the Bergamot area is a significant issue that must be resolved in order to
facilitate the creation of a "complete" and legible neighborhood. Two main forces are at
play: 1) the Exposition Light Rail station at Bergamot Station, and 2) an existing
roadway network and parcelization pattern that limits connectivity and permeability. The
presentation addressed ways to improve area-wide circulation and create a legible and
direct access to the transportation node at Bergamot Station.
txpo station c:onngurauon, ana ~ ~, ~ ,~ b ~ -
`~„r ~ ~t
DirectAccess to Transit Village `-~'~°~ ~~`.-.~,~~' Ehr
Configuration of the Bergamot Light Rail fl
1. f -~,. --~ ~ ~'~
station. sets the foundation for transd ~ '_- - sa RAP '"` `~~~ ~~~
~ " JJ RarnP ~~,~ 3~ m=, cSK.ywc.
access and usability. In July 2010 the :~~,~
City Council endorsed aCity-preferred _w ~~, ~ ~ ~ '
layout of the station with platforms on ~ ~ ~~~ ° -- ~ ~~ ,
each side of the tracks and pedestrian = ~' ~' ,~, „~,~~, , „ ~ ~
entrances at both the eastern and f ~ ~~ s ,~` ° a~ ~ ~~
western ends of the platforms. This ~,- ~ ° ^~ .~ _ _~§.;
layout better serves users from all A dual platform at Bergamot would provide a "front
directions than the design proposed by d eoTra~rsit Village. enter, and direct access to/from
the Expo Construction Authority in its
Final Environmental Impact Report. In addition to improved access, the City-preferred
design could enable a northern pedestrian access point into the Bergamot Arts
Complex, and critical direct access to/from Bergamot Transit Village. This immediate
and clear connection between the train and the new jobs .and housing units in the
Village cluster is necessary to create the type of transit-oriented environment that the
City seeks for this area to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and vehicle dependence.
The location of the City-preferred street is based on a number of technical and urban
design factors:
A new road in this location would create signal spacing similar to
Downtown blocks, which is appropriately scaled to City urban conditions.
This creates signal timing and queuing that is known to provide the
efficient movement of vehicles, pedestrians, and. cyclists.
Based on the high likelihood of a pedestrian and bicycle entrance across
the tracks into Bergamot Arts Center at the east side of the station, a
signalized pedestrian crossing that provides the closest and more direct
access from the east side of the station platform to the transit village
enhances pedestrian visibility and safety
Anew road in this location would combine pedestrian and vehicle
movements in one crossing.
Page 8
Bergamot Transit Village Workshop
...~...,., February 17, 2011
The preferred road location would open up the potential for connections to
properties north of the project site, providing a clear visual and physical
linkage between the entire Bergamot Transit Village and the Expo station
For a more in-depth analysis of the City-preferred station configuration and alignment
please view the staff presentation to Council made on July 13th, 2010.
Reconnecting the Grid
Even with adual-platform at the
Expo station, Bergamot's industrial
road network and extra-large parcel
sizes, or "superblocks," remain
incongruent or incompatible with the
typical Santa Monica street grid.
The combination of these two
features limits connectivity and the
integration of the area with the rest
of the city fabric, and it is generally
recognized that the intensity and
concentration of employment
centers (Water Gardens, Yahoo
Center, the Arboretum) combine
with the area's lack of circulation to
produce severe traffic congestion,
particularly in the morning and
evening rush periods.
Shared Parking and Parking Management Strategies
The LUCE recommends that the Bergamot Plan address methodologies for managing
and coordinating parking resources to promote a complete community. A key objective
is to create shared parking resources to use by business and residents, as well as
visitors to the area. In centralizing parking into a single or series of shared structures,
development may be able to provide reduced on-site parking, and instead pay into a
shared parking program based on the square footage of the site. This, in turn, would
reduce the financial impact of providing on-site parking - a savings that could be
passed down to buyers of housing units, potentially achieving workforce housing goals.
Page 9
Bergamot Transit Village Workshop
~••~• •• •• February 17, 2011
Shared parking would also promote the "park once" philosophy, which allows for drivers
to park within walking distance of daily needs and services, thereby reducing the need
to make multiple car trips for food, retail or entertainment purchases.
For more information on the industrial lands and the history of the LUCE public
participation process please follow these links to view staff presentations and video
archives.
Industrial Lands community workshop#1 July 21St, 2007
• Presentation
• Video
• Workshop Summary
Industrial Lands community workshop #2 October 25th, 2007
• Presentation
• Video
• Workshop Summary
VI. Small Group Discussions: What Makes a Transit Village in Santa Monica?
The small group participants were
invited to share their ideas and
visions for Bergamot Transit
Village. A series of questions
helped to focus discussion from a
general to specific level.
A PCD staff member facilitated the
45 minute session and comments
were captured by a dedicated
recorder. Participants were also
encouraged to write or draw their
ideas for land uses and roadway
connections directly on the large
36" X 48" base map of the study
area. The following questions were
following pages and summaries.
posed to participants and are recorded in the
1. What are the elements, features and uses you would want to see to make this
a unique Santa Monica transit village?
2. What would draw you to this area?
3. What makes buildings interesting and creates human scale?
4. Are these the appropriate right street connections? What new bicycle and
pedestrian connections are needed?
5. As a neighbor, what are your priorities for community benefits?
6. Did you see anything else in the presentation that you particularly liked?
Page 10
Bergamot Transit Village Workshop
•~• •• •• February 17, 2011
Table 1
• The Bergamot Arts Center should be a larger
campus for the community.
• The Bergamot Arts Center needs parking for
larger communal events.
• If shared parking is included in the Bergamot
Transit Village, there must be a concrete plan in
place to assure that new development uses it.
This would allow for existing surface parking to
convert to new roads and pathways.
• New trees and wide sidewalks are desirable.
• .Outdoor dining is desirable (like the Ford Filling
Station in Culver City). Small mom and pop uses
that add street life are also desirable.
• Bars, nightclubs with an Art focus
• Bergamot Arts Center needs a front door. Needs
more entrances for cars, and pedestrians.
• New roads will enhance neighborhood
circulation
• One size doesn't fit all. New development needs
to be handcrafted.
• Taller heights are OK if buildings are
accompanied by community benefits like parks,
art spaces and adaptive reuse.
• Bergamot Transit Village can become a "jewel
within the community!"
Page 11
Bergamot Transit Village Workshop
February 17. 2011
Table 2
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Question 1
• Learn lessons from the Promenade and make sure
that BN does not become saturated with Chain
Stores, and ensure that a meaningful Community
Center is included.
• Appreciate Bergamot Art Center as a Community
Center and find ways to keep the strong sense of
gathering and community life there. Find a Permanent
home for the Santa Monica Museum.
• Introduce a green space in the transit village. .
• Strengthen linkages to other transit -Expo will be
meaningful, but also need other transit to support the
area like Big Blue Bus and Metro Bus. Also look at
good transit connections to the North and South: 26th
Street, or Cloverfield.
• Make sure there is a strong connection across
Olympic AT-GRADE to Bergamot Arts Center.
• Create dedicated transit facilities:
• A dedicated bus lane on 26th street
• Close 26th to passenger vehicles and convert it to a
taxi/shuttle/bus drop-off and pick-up street linked to
Bergamot.
• Create a Gateway and a strong sense of arrival -the
area lacks a sense of arrival and visibility.
• Create concentrations of restaurants/services/retail:
suggested locations near the SMC AET campus, on
the surface lots behind MN, and on 26th Street.
Question 2
• Move theater
• Restaurants/Bars
• Hotels
Question 3
• Use stepbacks at upper levels.
• You can have height into 5-6-7 stories, but it must be
stepped back.
..
urn' ' - Ground level is the most important for the
s:
` feeling/impression of the building.
• Height is needed to get affordable housing and other
community benefits.
• Allow more density along the transit stops.
Question 3 Continued
Page 12
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Bergamot Transit Village Workshop
February 17, 2011
• Concern that over 3-4 stories it will feel less like a
village.
• The architecture and design needs to communicate a
village -ground level design.
• Need affordable housing for a diversity of people.
• Make trees a signature for the area -like in the
residential zones, differentiate each street with a
unique tree.
• Have neighborhood-friendly and neighborhood-
serving stores..
• Make Olympic Boulevard more walkable.
Question 4
• Have a dedicated bicycle facility that runs N/S with
the lanes next to each other (not split into the same
direction as cars).
• Crookedlmisaligned streets build character- so don't
do a traditional street grid. (design for people not a
grid for cars). Avoid the corridor/canyon effects on
facades with smaller; unusual streets and building
design.
• Don't need to align all the streets with outside streets
-that will preserve some of the village character of
the interior streets.
• Create a central square or place of orientation (some
place where you know you have "arrived" in the
village). Could have streets radiating out from the
central square.
• Have frequent pedestrian connections.
• Have smaller street and smaller blocks.
• Allow the architecture and uses to define the
roadways and connections.
Question 5
• Childcare facilities
• Link Village to Bergamot through the ARTS
• Park space
• Affordable Housing
• Permanent home for Santa Monica Museum
• Do additional financial analysis to make sure that it is
possible to get community benefits with projects.
Page 13
. ~.~
Bergamot Transit Village Workshop
February 17, 2011
Table 3
C~{?pUP 3
a~- ~. ~.
as=~~
• Connectivity
• There should be dedicated walking trails/paths
throughout the village
• Easy access to the village as well as to and from the
new expo station
• Connection of open spaces/parks with existing open
spaces/parks, e.g. Water Garden
• Make Olympic Blvd safe for pedestrians to cross; slow
down traffic and/or provide direct access from Expo
station, e.g. underpass
• Safe bike paths throughout the village with
connections beyond
• Pedestrian tunnels under the I-10 to bring other
residents to the village
• BBB service extended to late hours to provide service
to and from the village.
• Elements, features and uses
• Just as a real village it should include and
accommodate a diverse group of people seniors,
children, residents, employees etc.
• Parking for residents should be a priority
• The village should have good restaurants,
entertainment, independent film venues, non-chain
stores that are unique to Santa Monica
• Createfiamily friendly center that can accommodate
entertainment; programs for kids as one of the
community benefits provided by developers
Pw.q,:e~. Ju
a3 = q" ,~"" ~
• Balance between employees and residents so it will
_ ,,,~, ~W. ~~,,..Y.,,~;,. not become a ghost town at night
• Diverse and variety of housing including senior
;~.ru,x,~-,c~+,.;,~
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,
;Y ~• ~ Papermate site is a good location for shared parking
,~~,,
~~`°°""'°"~'°'"~"~'` (underground) and park & ride parking for residents
• Village should have smaller stores/markets (not a 7-
11), neighborhood serving uses that also create jobs.
Page 14
Bergamot Transit Village Workshop
•~• ••~•• February 17, 2011
• Every village has an inn or a bed & breakfast; this one should too
Building design
Page 15
Mostly agree with the presentation regarding the building design
Buildings should have rooftop gardens
Make area and streets pleasant for employees that come in during the day by
providing restaurants and other services
,.".~ a~~„~. ~ , .~..~ y c~ K~
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the spaces
~
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Meruado
,
vendors
• Surrounded by housing, tuck parking by alley
• Bike share/rental
• Some areas have to be quiet
• No mega destination retail
Bergamot Transit Village Workshop
- February 17, 2011
Table 4
• "Village," a commercial term Destination ~ (i.e. The
Grove)
• Less-> Better, more residential < Commercial
• Bergamot a place for neighborhood uses, not a place
to spend the entire day/ regional destination
• Expo is infrastructure that should have been in place
earlier
• Mega retail center =Problem
• Mom n Pop stores ok, local/non-chain stores
• This area doesn't feel like a neighborhood
• People will still choose to drive to a developed
Bergamot
• Art area should stay significantly for the Arts
• Cost/benefit analysis
• Amenity for elderly/ disabled housing @ ground floor
• If it's not broke; don't fix it
• Entertainment arts vs. Fine arts friendly area, will it
evolvelchange?
Page 16
~._,___
Walkabili , Ideas
• Multiple overhead bridges
• Under crossings
• Sidewalks/lighting/shade
• Town square/plaza/ "zocalo"
Bergamot Transit Village Workshop
February 17, 2011
Page 17
Bergamot Transit Vittage Workshop
februarv 17, 2011
Table 5
Question #1
• Creating such a human scale (with trees, paths,
sidewalk cafes, and a pedestrian friendly environment
with farmer's markets on weekends) cannot be done
anywhere else in the city.
• The group wanted the street grid ideas for streets and
walkways presented in the PowerPoint presentation
to be "guaranteed," and these streets/walkways
should be wide (room for more than just cars) with
green parkways and room for sidewalk cafes, and
they should connect to parks, plazas, and fountains.
• Visibility and access with wide openings into public
open spaces; Water Garden gives the sense that it is
private space.
Question #2
• Art Center
• VARIETY of local businesses and services for
everyday life (shoe repair); Affordable retail to be
encouraged as a community benefit
• Non-destination uses (uses that do not bring more car
traffic)
• Events to draw people in, but neighborhood events,
not events that would draw regional traffic and
congestion
• Park space and playgrounds
• Meandering Walkways (Old Quebec meanders, not
gridlike)
• Change character of Olympic Blvd to be less of a
speedway; needs to be more inviting for pedestrians
Question #3
• There was a consensus that the group wants to
connect to bike path.
• Should divert bike path north at Stewart (at a signal)
because it will not fit on south side of Olympic next to
the LRT Line.
• And/or put the bike path on the median if it is possible
to do so without losing the Coral Trees.
• Agensys has a bike path through it although people
will have to walk their bikes through it.
• .Breakup the large parcels with the proposed grid and
provide more access
Page 18
Bergamot Transit Vitfage Workshop
February 17, 2011
• Concerned about Pennsylvania becoming too busy
east of Stewart; Instead, create a new street south of
Pennsylvania east of Stewart
Question #4
• Someone in the group did not like the example used
to describe base, middle, and top
• Variety of textures, materials, .glass, wood
• The group agreed that it is difficult to list why they like
buildings, but they could tell us what buildings they
like and don't like if shown pictures. They needed to
see more examples of things to identify what they like;
someone suggested field trips such as State Street in
Santa Barbara (he likes the pedestrian environment of
State Street but not the file roof and Spanish style);
the building at 2nd and Colorado, with McDonalds,
was noted by the same person as a good building
• Good Architecture is hard to describe. Some
buildings can have all of the "right" elements and still
not be good architecture.
• Public Art makes buildings better
• Styles that are inviting in a residential setting
• Small Scale buildings (Old Quebec) and lower
building heights
Question #5
• Walkable Mix of small uses close to the neighborhood
• Connection to Stewart Park neighborhood
• Open Space/Green Space
Q#6
• Human Scale Buildings
• Congestion Management
• Balance of Development: Not too much, not too little;
and retail commercial needs to be balanced with
office commercial and residential
• Smaller scale than the Water Garden
Table 6
Uses
Need to require a mixture of building sizes and
formats that can accommodate a variety of uses from
the larger grocery store to the smaller size that can
only house. smaller mom and pop shops and uses
Page 19
g
Bergamot Transit Village Workshop
February 17, 2011
such as cafes and bakeries.
• -Need uses that will synergize with retail uses such as
live theater and movie theaters. QUESTION: is the
policy that restricts movie theater uses to Bayside
District going to be modified to allow theaters in the
new districts?
• Housing should be located throughout the district.
There needs to be a mix of housing types that fit all
income levels -possibly smaller for sale units that
allow young professionals a chance at home
ownership in Santa Monica.
• Area should have a large amount of outdoor dining.
• There should be a medical clinic and other health
services.
• Prohibit chain stores
Open Space/Plaza
• The area should have a plaza or a centralized "town
square" that doesn't necessarily have to be park
space, but could accommodate farmers/flea markets,
outdoor performances and other community
gatherings.
• The main plaza should be connected to other smaller
gathering places (pocket parks, playgrounds, etc.)
through a rietwork of ped/bike paths.
• Plaza Design -the Transit station should open up to
Olympic with and there should be open space on the
north side that encourages people to cross the street
and visit the area. The open space on the north side
of Olympic should have a pathway that draws people
northeast to the Plaza/Square..
• There should be pathways that connect to 26th Street
and an area that is reconfigured to draw people
across the street to the Water Gardens to utilize the
existing open space of that site.
• Buildings Design -Buildings surrounding the plaza
should be designed to create a relationship between
the built and open space that creates a highly usable
space.
• There should be picnic tables and benches in parks
along with playground equipment and outdoor
exercise equipment - possibly an outdoor trail for
jogging.
• It would be a good idea to have a developer provide a
senior recreation center, similar to the one located in
Palisades Park, as a public benefit.
Page 20
Bergamot Transit Village Workshop
February 17, 2011
Circulation
• No centralized parking -bikes only (one participant's
vision).
• The majority saw advantages to centralized parking
such as having the parking shared amongst various
uses and not having it spread out throughout the
district..
® Need state of the art bicycle hub near transit station to
encourage biking and curbing dependence on cars.
Bike station should provide showers, changing rooms,
bike repair, eta
• Need to restrict parking and price to incentivize
alternate modes of transportation.
Other Concerns
Half wanted to restrict/cap density and half wanted
increase density for this area.
Need an over or underpass to get across Stewart and
Olympic.
Ingress/Egress to site needs to be designed to not
slow down traffic on Olympic Blvd.
Page 21
C RG 4~ ~7
Bergamot Transit Village Workshop
February 17,2011
Table 7
• Better bike connections & access
• Lighting
• Open space is critical -open space to the public
• Services like sidewalk cafes
• Uses need to face out & be visible to pedestrian traffic
• Street
• Trees & seating available
• Wider sidewalk to make them more inviting
• Providing housing in the area
• Mix of uses - i.e. having a farmer's market (week-
ends)
• Providing food
• Staggering business hours
• Different building heights
• Unbundled parking & residential parking
• Good bike share programs
• Providing amini-bus line
• Making the new uptown the downtown
• Reaching out to visitors
• Providing retail & restaurants & bars
• Providing~stepback to buildings for outdoor space (i.e.
dining areas)
• Providing a bonus for having balcony
• Using TDRs in order to obtain open space
• Change in the zoning code to be less descriptive in
order to attract the mixed uses
• Wrapping the building in terms of its design to make it
more inviting to pedestrian & vehicular traffic & rt
center parking lot parking lot needs to be more
inviting to attract more people
• More restaurants in the art center
• Services that serve the neighborhood
• Bergamot should stay the same
• Have more restaurants
• Have permeability/access =community benefits
• Keeping old construction & activating the ground floor
for new construction
• Better lighting & provide more open space
• Providing more services like cafes
• Providing housing for mixed uses & the services to go
along with it
Table 8
• Size of retail, keep it small +/- 5000sf increments
Page 22
Bergamot Transit Village Workshop
February 17.2011
• City Yard to allow bike path (Myrna)
• Retail
o Food
o Bars (nightlife)
o LEED
o BikeParking(HUGE)-secure
o Base, middle, top model works
o More variety
• Pedestrian scramble (26th & Olympic)
• Uses:
o Create business incubator spaces
o Museums (adults, children)
o Specialty, neighborhood serving
o More green space
o Artisan [small/artsy mom/pop businesses: Mrs.
Winston's, Santa Monica Farm]
o Movie Theater (on Papermate site? Or in area)
• Neighborhood serving, unique ground floor retail
• Buildings closer to street to accommodate pedestrian
compatibility
• Keep arts theme throughout area
• Kids: make area kid friendly
• Business as creative as the arts @ Bergamot Station
• "Artisanal" unique creative artistic quality
• Shared bike facilities -bike rentals
• Way finding signage along 26th Street
1. Design Guidelines: Performance not prescriptive
o Connections, pedestrian & street grid
o Maintenance
o Build-ability
o Destination
2. Character:.
o character *wider sidewalks
o ground floor
o promote flexibility
3. Public Benefits:
o Street grid
o First responders
o Bike path network, off-street bike parking, kiss
& ride drop-off
O Arts
Table 9
• Concern about how big the development will be
• Don't want regional commercial uses because these
uses will create trips from out of town
Page 23
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Bergamot Transit Village Workshop
February 17. 2011
• Want neighborhood serving uses such as shoe repair
shops and local retail shops
• Want development to be primarily residential (90
percent residential and 10 percent commercial)
• Bergamot art center business owners are concerned
about keeping the character of the Art Center intact
• Art Center businesses want to focus to be on arts;
retain the Art Center
• Don't want another Grove in Los Angeles
• Also don't want it to become another 3rd Street
Promenade; prefer development to have a feel of
small town main street with town square
• Volume of traffic is a concern; Olympic is already
congested enough already
• Art Center businesses clientele are not the type of
people to use the rail
• How is parking going to work? Need to provide
parking for the Art Center clientele
• Would like to utilize shared parking opportunities
• Would like to see a mix of restaurants and
microbrewery
• How will the Papermate development affect parking in
the area?
• Would like the Village to have restaurants, nightlife,
movie theater
• Don't want a Playa Vista because that development is
too sterile
• Development should be similar to the Helms Bakery
redevelopment in Culver City -some nightlife but not
too much high activity
• Design a place with plenty of open space and arts
elements (such as sculptures)
• A place with live bands, nightlife, small concerts, open
space, athletic fields, playgrounds for kids to ride their
bikes
• Establish aphysical/pedestrian connection to the.
Water Garden -integrate Water Garden with new
development ;Draw in the office uses from the Water
Garden
• Crossings at Olympic should be a pedestrian bridge
or tunnel
• Need more north-south buses and public transit
• Should design with pedestrian/bicycle facilities,
athletic fields, pool,
• Provide a mix of jobs on the site; provide incentives
Page 24
Bergamot Transit Village Workshop
February 17, 2011
for people to live and work in the same area (e.g.,
discounted/affordable housing for those who work in
Bergamot Village)
Parking should be free and underground
Security measures should be in place
Don't like the term "transit village" -people don't want
to live at a train station. Prefer to call it "the Village"
or something else
Page 25
Bergamot Transit Village Workshop
February 17. 2011
Tables 10 & 11
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UNIQUE SM TRANSIT VILLAGE
• Less development
• Less height, density, traffic
• Connections across Olympic
• Access to Bergamot
• Better flow
• Enhance for artist, housing, low-income, getting out of
car
• Like that Bergamot has succeeded on its own
• Access, alternative transportation
WHAT WOULD BE THE DRAW?
• Restaurants
• Place for kids to run around
• Don't want more people to travel here
• Expo Station
• Station will draw development
• Arts
• Place for coffee, place not too big, colortul, trees, bike
access
• Walk through ample parking for bikes
• Amenity + neighborhood destination for residents &
Bergamot
• Connection from train to jobs
• Movie theater
• Emphasize arts
• Something to hold high-tech workers @ lunch & after
work
• Traffic, traffic, traffic
WHAT SHOULD IT LOOK LIKE?
• Kiosk
• Very LARGE open space with many trees
• Something artistic to look at
• Not surface parking
• Shared parking
• Ample parking
• Parking close to station for riders
• Trolley, circulator
• Art district
• Everything presented too high, would be 2 stories
• Lots of small buildings so it's a village
• Housing on top
Page 26
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Bergamot Transit Village Workshop
February 17, 2011
• Need scale of buildings that supports underground
parking
STREET NETWORK
• Bicycle path not part of street
• Bicycles not a good fit for Stewart/28th s/o Olympic
• Need sidewalk on Olympic
• Bikes shouldn't ride with peds
• New roads for cars should have bike lanes
• Wide streets LOTS OF TREES
• Connect Village cycle network to Expo Bike Path
• Underground parking w/ open space on top (Pershing
Square)
• Connect between Colorado & Olympic
• Bus connections to train from neighborhoods
• Underground parking w/ safety
• H2O & sewage
WHAT ELSE DID YOU LIKE IN PRESENTATION?
• Wide sidewalks
• Bike connections
• Benches
• Wide sidewalks
• Lot of trees
• Park space
• More bike parking
• ?name to Bergamot parking
AGREEMENT
• Restaurants
• Lots of trees & open space -park?
• 'Better connections
• More bicycling
• Connection to Expo Station (inc. bus service)
• Movie theater -art house style
• Emphasis on arts
DISAGREE
• Should be no development
• Different heights: 2 stories vs. more
• Traffic is inevitable
Page 27
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February 17, 2011
Table 12
1. Bergamot Transit Village should have a mix of uses
o Participants favored a mix of creative office and
entertainment uses with retail uses.
o Most participants were excited about new
residential opportunities in proximity to existing
workplaces.
o Participants favored a mix of uses throughout the
village, but thought retail uses should be clustered
to create synergies.
o One participant stated that.a mix of residential and
office uses within one block would be impractical.
2. Bergamot Transit Village should be an active local
destination
o Participants generally supported the idea of day
and evening activity. Cafes, bars, and restaurants
would be a good addition to existing creative and
entertainment uses.
o Participants agreed that the area currently felt
unsafe and barren at night.
o Some participants encouraged building upon the
existing activity generated by a cluster of food
trucks congregating on Pennsylvania Avenue. This
could be connection across 26th Street to ground
floor uses at the Water Gardens and connected to
the proposed Bergamot Station with a new street.
o Participants were excited about diverse retail uses
encouraging active street use. In particular
bakeries, small-scale produce vendors, and cafes
were mentioned.
3. Bergamot Transit Village should be connected
o Participants agreed that the existing traffic on the
surrounding streets was heavy. They generally
preferred the vision of alocal-serving destination
with alternate means of getting there.
o Participants stressed that the Transit Village should
be connected to the residential neighborhoods to
the north and south. In particular bike paths,
pedestrian paths, and shuttle buses were
mentioned as ways of avoiding existing traffic.
o One participant recommended allowing a shuttle
system or shared mini-cabs as flexible means of
making short trips to the Transit Village without
using the personal car.
o Participants stressed the importance of
Pennsylvania as a local east-west axis and the
need for a connection from Pennsylvania to the
Page 28
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Bergamot Transit Village Workshop
February 17, 2011
Light Rail Station. Some participants suggested
that one of the proposed north-south connections
could prioritize pedestrians while another could
serve automobile traffic within the Transit Village.
o Participants pointed out the lack of local street
connections across Colorado Avenue.
o Participants stressed the importance of bike
parking at residences and the station.
4. Bergamot Transit Village should provide housing
opportunities
o Participants thought housing opportunities for
people who worked in Santa Monica were, very
important.
o Some participants suggested regimes to prioritize
housing for people working in Santa Monica..
o Younger participants stated that they didn't mind
small studio units.
o One participant stated that currently vacant houses
in Santa Monica make the development of new
housing questionable.
5. Bergamot Transit Village should focus on the street
experience
o Participants were very excited about the prospect
of active street life in the Transit Village.
o Younger participants stated a preference for
contemporary "background" buildings that focus
attention on the sidewalk experience. Overly active
facades and skyline modulation would create visual
clutter, distract from the ground floor experience,
and lessen the sense of unity and cohesion within
the Transit Village.
6. Concerns about the proposed Transit Village
o While most participants were excited about a
vibrant, mixed-use, and local-serving Transit
Village vision, one participant in particular was
concerned about the anticipated negative impacts
of high-density development.
o Generally concerns focused on the inability of the
existing infrastructure to accommodate traffic and
electricity demand.
Page 29
Bergamot Transit Village Workshop
February 17.2011
Table 13
What Makes a Village?
Connectivity
• Ease of getting around
• Walking/biking without traffic
• Make streets more bike and pedestrian friendly
• Don't add many more car streets
• Add multiple streets through Papermate for
pedestrians, bikes and vehicles
• 1 ped/bike entryway every 300 feet
More Open Spaces
• Plazas
• Public gathering spaces
• Un-programmed space
Housing
• Transit-oriented for people who don't need a car
• Mixed-use use, housing above 1St floor
• Handmade feel
Uses
• Farmers markets
• Arts and Music
• Small businesses
• Lower housing costs like workforce housing
• Scale
Human Scale
• Wide sidewalks
• Stepbacks above 2"d/3`d/ floor
• Green spaces
Community Benefits
• Plazas
• Ice rink
• Bike connections
• Clean air, sustainable grounds
• Lots of trees
• Food options
• Workforce Housing
• Pedestrian orientation
• Good design
Page 30
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§§~~„„ ti~ February 2011
y-~-
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June 14, 2011
Its/ I I
The
Bergamot Area Plan
bergamot Transit Village
• Preview upcoming phase: Art Center,
planning studies/analysis and community
outreach
® Lack of a street grid.
Large super blocks
inhibit circulation and
access
® Piecemeal
development eroding
character of area
® Large scale proposals
- not transit oriented,
.and include no open
space or retail
® Lack of neighborhood
environment - no
community amenities
® Increased speculative
development pressure
~` ~~
' ~.
Create ahigh-quality, .mixed-use
creative arts/entertainment transit
village centered around the new Expo
Light Rail station
® Transform-from industrial to mixed-
use.
® Reduce Congestion by creating
connections for pedestrians,
bicyclists and vehicles -new roads
and pathways
® Focus on the Arts and enhancing
the creative economy
® Enhance Expo Station Access
® Create a complete neighborhood
and establish an urban transit
village
LUCE Vision for the Bergamot Area
p Coma FS .3 ~v .. w
T'he Creation of an Urban Transit Village
Land Uses -location and mix of residential,
commercial, retail., entertainment open
space, creative
Circulation -create walkable blocks for
pedestrians, bicycles, vehicles and transit
Publicly accessible open space
Urban Form and Scale -
Streetwalls/Facades, Stepbacks,
Articulation, Skyline Variety, Ground Floor
Quality
..Implementing the LUCE
d ~ ~ 6'~
~.~ m
Area wide parking district -consolidated
and shared parking facilities to encourage
"park once" environment
® Community benefits -priorities to
enhance the existing and new
neighborhoods and the Village
Area wide infrastructure planning -
location of roads, cost responsibilities,
maintenance
Coordinated Implementation -
Sequencing for balanced public/private
creation of transportation, amenities and
infrastructure
Bergamot Area Plan
r ~ ~ ~ ~~ Maximizing the Opportunity of the Expo Light
Rail
TI"IE EXPO IS RRI~iING AT
BERGAMOT STATION IN 20'15
- rj t 11
1 er!
® Opportunity: convert auto trips
into. transit use. Move toward
No Net New Trips goal
Responsibility: reduce
greenhouse gas emissions
Potential model for sustainable
land use and transportation
planning
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Innovative: recognized by Housing
and Urban Development Department
(HUD) as a replicable model for
sustainable, integrated planning.
Awarded coveted grant funding.
Grant linked to National
Endowment for the Arts -focus on
building the Creative Economy
Collaborative Effort: PCD and CCS
Partners in grant writing and
planning process for area's
creative and cultural future
Bergamot Area Plan
Includes three sub-areas for
planning purposes
The Bergamot Transit
Village
Bergamot rt Center an
a ew Creative Economy
The fixed-Use Creative
District
Winter2010
Bergamot Transit Village
'' Confirm
Work Plan with
:'.HUD-
Prepare Rase '.
Maps ',,
Prepare Expo
plan w/Side '. -•~ Refine the nrculatidn options
Platforms - _<. ~ ~~
~~
AREA prepare Initia l
p~,
Refine/document the
PLAN Circulation ~
,~
dreulation options yye,
Concepts
ldennfy Ownership. ~ Interview Key
BTV/MUCAD -:Land Owners
Send Letters -..--_....... .....
ARSS CENTER AND ART cENTE
CREATIVEECONOMY nLTEi
Common
Worksho{
OUTREACH ~
.Stakeholder"
Outreach
DESIGN GUIDLINE DEVELOPMENT FINALIZE DESIGN
Design guidelines, street-scope, stepbadks, rmm~ mrac
• tterme connegnans to expo.-
• Refine Access to Transit Village
PARKING DEMAND STUDY Market
• Ezistirig parking inventory 'Demand
•.Additional Parking to; Studies
accammodatefuture growth ~~"'~"~
• Alt. parking District formats
• Options far shared parking pit Integration
• TOD Parking Polraes
Community-. Community'
Workshop 2 Workshop 3 - '
PREPARE DRAFT
BERGAMOT AREA.
PLAN
• Circulation
• Land Use
• Design GUidelmes
Develop Plan Infrastructure FINALIZE
Alternatives Requirements BERGAMOT
•. Affordable
Noosing strategy AREA PLAN
• TOD Parking
Policies
• Use Mix
• Finan<ing
~ Strategies
Council:
...p Adopt Plan
~~
~d~~
® Over 160 residents, artists, stakeholders
and members of the business community
® Discussion on key elements to support an
"Urban Transit Village"
® Strong Community support for:
® Social: a sense of place and
authenticity, opportunities for gathering
and interaction, a feeling of safety and
communal support.
® Physical: walkable blocks,
connections, compact and human-
scale development, high-quality design
with Santa Monica flavor.
A Pedestrian-Oriented eighborhood: diversity
of ground floor uses, wide sidewalks and street
furnishings, good connections
® Comfortable and safe walking environment
® Active pedestrian scaled retail and
storefronts
® A center of Community Life and Activity:
public open spaces and points of community
focus
® Community public spaces and meeting
places
® Unique uses compatible with Bergamot's
character
® IVlix of resident, employee and visitor uses
~ ~ ~ .. ~~~
STRONG COMMUNITY SUPPORT
® Reduce perception of mass and scale
® People-scaled buildings and environments
® Walkable block sizes: block lengths
consistent with typical Santa Monica grid
® Connections. and pathways to key
destinations
® Complete Green Streets: designed for all
users, landscaped and water-wise
Urban Village Principles will serve as basis
for design guidelines and standards, and for
evaluating future development proposals.
T~
I
50% of Transit Village Land Area is
Surface Parking
® Approximately 1200 surface
parking spaces cover about 8
acres
owing parking into
centralized facility permits for
new. streets -with or without
redevelopment
Access -direct pedestrian and
bicycle connections to Expo
Walkable Blocks -reduces
large industrial superblocks
Value Creation -New frontage
creates visibility and access
which enhances the value
®isperses l'raffic
u
Critical new intersection locations for
pedestrians and
Address increase in pedestrians
bicyclists using new streets
Provide "front door" to Bergamot
Art Center and new Expo station
Walkable urban block size and
vehicle flows to/from Olympic
Green Streets -living rooms of
the City. Safe, walkable and
bikeable
® Flexible Public Spaces -
adaptable to special events like
festivals and farmers markets
Community Places -design
buildings and streets around
open space
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Initial meetings with Bergamot
Transit Village property owners
and/or representatives to:
® Discuss the LUCE and its
vision for the District
Generate interest in
participating in shaping the
area's future
® Evaluate potential for shared
parking, open space new
roads, and other community
benefits
® Very positive reaction to
change in land use
designation
® Interest in centralized
shared parking facilities
® Willingness to move
forward with City and the
community to shape the
area's future
~'
® Assess Future Parking Need and
Requirements for Transit Village
® Identify Shared Parking Locations
® Identify Management Options for
Parking District: Public, Private or
Public/Private
~ ~~
Side Platform -access to Bergamot Art
Center
® Coordinate, private development to
ensure optimal access to transit
® Refine Urban Village principles into
guidelines and standards for Bergamot
Transit Village and Mixed-Use Creative
~~
~~
® Determine cost, constructions
responsibility and ownership of new roads,
pathways and sidewalks
® Assess area-wide requirements for water,
sewer, gas, electric and fiber optic
® Determine location for utilities and how
they are managed
~~
. a
® Housing and Creative ®ffice: determine
market absorption
® Integration of the Arts: identify tools to
subsidize or endow artist spaces throughout
entire planning area.
® Community Benefits: pro forma analysis
on priority benefits fair share fees for
infrastructure enhancements
UPC I ~E : Defining a vision for the Creative Economy centered at Bergamot
y
® 6.9 total acres. Combination of public
and private ownership
® City-owned portion purchased with rail
reserve funds in 1989
® Managed by master leases
(private)
® So, Cal's largest art gallery complex
and the center of Santa Monica's
creative base
® 30+ fine art galleries
® Santa Monica Museum of Art
® 500,000+ Annual Visitors
® SITE OF FUTURE EXPOSITION
LIGHT RAIL STATION -anew "front
door" for bergamot
U~ I G P ASE ® Defining a vision for the Creative Economy centered at Bergamot
® INCREASING LAND VALUE: rising land values
with Expo implementation
® ISOLATED AND VUNERABLE: encroachment of
incompatible `higher-rent' land uses. Only
accessible from Michigan and 26t" (one way)
~~
® Art Center: reaffirm as important component of
City's cultural landscape.
® Define economically sustainable future
® Consider other uses to subsidize BAC -
® Planning Area: build off of Bergamot Art Centers
success to infuse Transit Village and Mixed-Use
Creative District with similar uses
PC I G PHASE ® Defining a vision for the Creative Economy centered at Bergamot
~ ~~~~ ..
® Torpedo Factory: former munitions
factory and storage. Purchased by City
of Alexandria and renovated into
successful art center. 500K+ annual.
visitors.
® The Tannery: live/work artist
development in Santa Cruz. Ground
lease to non-profit Art Center developer.
® Liberty Station: former naval training.
center, now mixed-use community. City
of San Diego-led RFP process for
redevelopment of 361 acre site.
® Granville Island: former Vancouver
industrial site, now art and commercial
center attracting millions of visitors.
UPC I P sE : Defining a vision for the Creative Economy centered at Bergamot
~ ~ ~ ~~
^ Define art/cultural uses that add to
the vitality of the existing art center,
and which could provide revenue to
endow critical art/cultural facilities
and operations
® Explore national and international
precedents that could serve as a
model for the Bergamot Arts Center
® Examine methods to enhance
presence of the creative sector in the
Bergamot Transit Village and Mixed-
Use Creative Districts
End of Presentation