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PROJECT TECHNICAL APPROACH THE CHALLENGE AND THE OPPORTUNITY America cities such as South Bend stand at a critical juncture in their evolution. Having languished for decades with the decline of the manufacturing economy, these communities lost population, jobs, and capital. However, today an intersection of three overarching phenomenon presents a unique opportunity to transform these communities into the Next American Frontier for community building and economic development: 1. The Great Migration People young and old are migrating towards walkable urban areas in droves. Recent research done by Chris Leinberger and others shows how walkable urban places are consistently outperforming their suburban counterparts in property values, overall health and wealth generation per capita. As the era of individual automobile comes to a slow end, bikeshares, zipcars and an emphasis on walkability is redefining how we gauge mobility. WalkScore is the new indicator of prosperity. This provides an immense opportunity for South Bend to capitalize on a fast growing market share. Large portions of the city were conceived prior to the automobile dominated planning era and are naturally built on a well- connected and walkable framework. Along with its historic building stock and culturally significant institutions and open spaces, South Bend is well poised to deliver a great quality of life for current and future residents at an affordable price tag. 2. The New Techno Mobility Every wave of frontier development has been throttled by advances in new technologies that have facilitated the movement of people, goods and services in ways that were previously considered impossible. Westward expansion hinged on railroads. The suburban sprawl was aided by the proliferation of the automobile. Today, we are observing the rapid integration of a new type of engine: The Internet. Online tools have completely reorganized how we access information, conduct business and interact socially. For entrepreneurs, this has meant the ability to look at places previously considered inaccessible due to lack of jobs and opportunities. South Bend, with its strategic location straddles major communication and data networks criss- crossing the country. By integrating South Bend into the global digital network, we can compete with larger cities to attract new residents and talent, who can relocate without having to look for newjobs. Coupled with South Bend's rich cultural heritage, university presence, historic built environment and proximity to parks, rivers and farmlands, we can create the ideal atmosphere to attract today's growing Creative Class. 3. The Great Reset Emerging from the settling dust of the Great Recession, American cities are indeed looking for ways to significantly rethink their overburdened housing, financing, transportation, energy, and government mechanisms. South Bend is no exception. Under its new leadership, South Bend has taken a number of steps to change the direction of public investment and development and compete in the new market place. We must build upon the ongoing momentum generated by success stories such as the adaptive reuse of Union Station, ongoing efforts to tackle abandoned housing and refurbish the old Studebaker factory as well as recent studies conducted to improve traffic patterns in the downtown area. We must engage old and new residents and generate a public discourse about the future of South Bend. We believe South Bend has the right mix of heritage, innovation and leadership to transform itself into a new model for mid -size, post - industrial cities. We believe South Bend has the ability to become a 21 st century American city, open to ideas, business and change. IDEAS AND GOALS Working within these larger phenomena unfolding in South Bend, the following represent ideas and goals that our team aims to deliver in order to create a transformative and implementable West Side Corridors Masterplan. These are intended to spark conversations and will be amended as directed through city and community input. • involve the community and the City in the design process and deliver a masterplan consistent with the community's goals and aspirations for the Study Area. • Create a Land Use Plan consistent with the market realities and industry standards for real estate development, financing, and construction. • Calibrate a strategic mix of housing, employment and retail uses to ensure a "jobs- housing balance" for future development in the Study Area. "� WESTS /DE CORRIDORS MARKET ANALYSIS AND MASTER PLAN d , TORTI GALLAS AND PARTNERS i'd ■o ■■ Architects of Sustainable Community