|
Beginning Monday, January 18, 2010, this section will feature questions asked from competing teams during the first competition stage. ULI will update this page daily throughout the two weeks of competition.
Q1. The red outline in the 2010 competition brief document shows the western boundary of the project area to be 11th avenue (page 13 of the project brief) but the discription of the project area says that the western boundary of the project area is Park Boulevard. Which is correct? A1. We apologize for our mistake. The image on page 10 of the brief has an incorrect red line on 11th that should be Park Blvd. The image in the brief is low-resolution, but the high resolution aerial with much easier to read street labels is in the GIS folder on ULI Connect, or you can access it at the CCDC Web site.
Q2. In looking at the GIS data for the development site, we noticed that there are many active fault lines that run through the parcels. Are we to avoid all active and "potentially" active fault lines within the site before considering new development? We understand that the Alquist Priolo Fault Zoning Act allows buildings built before 1972 to remain on active faults, but we are not sure if we need to avoid all the fault lines depicted on our GIS data. A2. The Alquist Priolo Act only applies to active faults. However, knowing there are potentially active faults might influence your plans for the site.
Q3. We have noticed that the GIS building shape file is missing many of the buildings in downtown San Diego, and that the streets file only marks the center lines of the roads, not the curb edges. Is there a CAD file that might be made available that includes this information? A3. CCDC confirms that the building data does not show all downtown buildings and that the street data only contains centerlines. CCDC obtains its data from SanGIS and said that this was all they could get from SanGIS.
Q4. Are teams allowed to use any additional GIS shapefiles that may enhance the analytical and visual elements of their design intervention? A4. Yes. But per Q7 and Q14, use what we have provided when it comes to what is on the parcel.
Q5. We were looking at the brief where it talked about brownfields. Is there anyway that ULI can provide the location of each brownfield within our development area and study area? A5. The GIS layers do not indicate specific brownfields by parcel, so assume that the all land within the development site would require the demo and remediation cost per sf. The reality of demolition and remediation would be quite complex, which is why we have created the simplified assumption in the brief to facilitate the competition process.
Q6. Several teams inquired about the $1.75 per sf demolition and remediation assumption. Each question basically asked whether remediation covers brownfields (see Q5) and whether that amount covers the surface area within a parcel or applies at each level if there is a multi-story building on the site. A6. The $1.75 per sf demo and remediation cost applies to the surface area coverage that you want to improve (might be parking, landscaping, a building footprint, etc.). This is not entirely realistic, but it helps facilitate the competition. So, for example, if you have a parcel you want to improve or redevelop, it does not matter if the parcel houses a two story building or just a surface parking lot or both. By paying $1.75 per sf of land within the parcel you want to redevelop, you cover all demolition and brownfield remediation costs.
Q7. Several teams also inquired about existing uses within the site and noted how the GIS layers are slightly older than images available on Bing or Google. Teams wanted to know what they should consider existing on the site. A7. Here is how our contact at CCDC who provided the files describes the GIS layers and aerial photo: "The shapefiles usually have different dates. I don’t keep track of them individually, but they are the latest and greatest we have. The reason is that some of the layers like the land use layer or FAR layers don’t change as much. However, we track parcel information (which changes frequently) and that layer is dated October 2009 and the aerial is dated 2007. Hope this helps."
As for what is considered existing, we intentionally pulled uses to remain as existing and flagged them in the competition brief as being parcels the ownership group does not own (e.g., police station, Albertson’s site, Union Square, and the planned East Village Green). In trying to reconcile the GIS layers with more current aerials, you may notice some newer buildings that we either missed, did not have GIS data for, or chose not to pull out. As a general assumption, use the GIS layers as your basis and assume that the site consists of mostly light-industrial, warehouses, and surface parking lots (e.g., if you find a new upscale residential building post-GIS, in reality you would keep this use, but pretend it’s not there since we did not flag it and it is not captured in the GIS layers). The intent of this exercise is for you to advise the owners' so that they can respond to the RFP. Given that one of the foci of the RFP is to transform East Village, we have taken an infill site and removed specific sites from the equation so that the rest presents a palate ripe for transformative redevelopment possibilities. Since the GIS layers are not 100 percent accurate with building footprints or shapes (see Q3), we are creating some leeway on parcels that have seen new development since the GIS data was acquired by CCDC.
Q8. The entire city block that contains the "Union Square" development on Broadway is shown as off-limits on the map of Page 10. It appears that the northwestern corner of that block is not part of the Union Square mixed-use development. Please answer the following two questions: Are the building on the northwest corner of the lot part of the Union Square development? If they aren't, then are they still off-limits as indicated on Page 10? A8. Regardless of whether or not the northwestern corner is part of the Union Square complex, we have treated the entire block as a whole parcel not owned by the ownership group, so please treat the entire block as off-limits as defined in the brief.
Q9. We have begun our research with the GIS layers and discovered we need access to the abbreviations that title the information columns within the attribute tables for each layer. For example, we wanted to learn more about what information was available under the "parcels" layer. Once we opened the table we could not decipher what each abbreviated title meant. Is this information embedded within the ULI Connect package somewhere? Or, is this information attainable through someone at your organization? A9. We heard back from CCDC in the following response: "Attached is the metadata for the parcel layer. Most of the data that I have sent you originated from SanGIS, so if the students need additional information they can check SanGIS website to download data or metadata."
We have uploaded the file they sent, Parcels_South_10-01-09, to the GIS folder on ULI Connect.
Q10. Regarding Competition Goal #3, are you requesting a brand identity for our specific site location (the NE section of the East Village) or, rather, the entire East Village (all the way down to Petco Park, etc.)? A10. The new identify should anchor the whole East Village, not just your development site.
Q11. For the 11x17 presentation boards, can they be laid out in the following manner: two rows of 3 11x17 sheets, oriented in portrait, flush with each other so that our drawings flow seamlessly across multiple 11x17 sheets. Or should they all be self-contained? A11. Yes, that layout is fine. If you look at the archives at past finalist teams’ submissions, you will notice that many used seamless, rather than self-contained, presentation techniques.
Q12. Although our site boundaries are defined by streets, are we allowed to develop parcels on both sides of the street? We mean parcels on both sides of the following streets: Park, C Street, Market. The brief seems to indicate that the owners only have property on one side of each of these streets, however, we feel that a better urban character could be attained if the owners actually owned property on both sides of the street. A12. Good urban design is always appreciated, but if you look at the brief, you are bound by what the owners own within the defined development site.
Q13. Several teams have asked some questions for more specific information regarding the Alquist-Priolo Act and what can or cannot be built over or next to the fault lines. Here is a response from our contact at CCDC. A13. Buildings are not permitted to cantilever into or over a known active fault zone. However, while the state Act sets a 100’ zone, it does allow local jurisdictions to reduce the size of the zone based on local seismic and soils conditions. The standard set for downtown fault zones is 50’ wide, not 100’. Also, temporary shelters or other uses where people would assemble are prohibited within the zones. However, non-occupied spaces such as fully automated mechanical parking structures are permitted within the zones.
Q14. Some teams have expressed continued confusion regarding existing uses (what buildings are on the site and if they provide any income), so please read this carefully. A14. We provided all teams with GIS layers and a large aerial photo (both from CCDC). CCDC purchases its GIS files periodically, and it usually buys individual layers at different times. Hence, the data varies by date and the files do not depict with full accuracy what currently exists on the development site. If you use Bing or Google or some other more current file that we did not provide, you will see new buildings and uses not captured in CCDC’s GIS data. For the purposes of the competition, please use the GIS files as your basis for assessing what exists on the land within the development site. As an example, census block 1024 appears as undeveloped land in the GIS files, but if you look at census block 1024 in person, you will see that the block now has many new condo buildings. Since the condos are not in the GIS files, assume they do not exist in the competition. We intentionally pulled out specific uses that the owners do not own that must remain within the development site (e.g. substation, Albertson’s, Union Square block, etc.). Please follow the directions in the brief and treat these blocks as off limits. The owners do not own these blocks, you cannot redevelop them, and if you find something else within the blocks we have defined, you cannot change it.
The data we have also does not break down each parcel based on its use. We do not have information regarding which sites are occupied and which are not. We do not know who the tenants are, the rent they pay, and how much space they rent. You can see some tenants using Google or Bing, but the data we provided does not have this information. The jury and the owners are looking for a catalytic redevelopment, so the emphasis is on transforming the site. Even thought the market is challenging, the owners do not want you to just keep the site as is and hold onto it. Any income from existing tenants is so negligible that it should not be considered in the economic model. Hence, you should focus on the site’s potential and figure out how to transform it in the best possible way.
Q15. Can the northwestern site of the block bounded by C Street to the north, 14th St to the west, 15th Street to the East and Broadway Street to the south, which is currently single-story retail uses, be demolished? A15. No, please see Q8. Q16. There appears to be a new development by the City College on the block bounded by C Street to the north, 17th Street to the east, 16th street to the west, and Broadway (88,000 SF facility). Per the instructions in the general e-mail yesterday, are we to assume that it is not there? A16. Yes, assume the new developmentat is not there if does not show up in your GIS layers. Please refer to Q7 and Q14 and yesterday's and today's general e-mails.
Q17. Are there any assumptions we should be making about income received from the development area on parcels that we leave undeveloped in early phases? A17. The general e-mail we sent today answers this question. Please see Q14.
Q18. Several teams have sent questions regarding various GIS layers, their metadata, abbreviations, sources, content, etc. Here is a general description of CCDC’s GIS files and how students can find more information. A18. The GIS files you were given were provided by CCDC. CCDC gets the vast majority of its layers from two providers—SanGIS and SANDAG—and then makes a few specific layers in house to suit any needs not covered by files from SanGIS and SANDAG. SanGIS is a joint powers agency that collects the majority of GIS data for Greater San Diego and makes them available to the public. You can create a free account at SanGIS to access its files (http://www.sangis.org/). SANDAG, the San Diego Association of Governments, also creates some of its own GIS files and makes them available to the public on its Web site (http://www.sandag.org), with no account required. For students in an academic setting, GIS classes often offer perfectly configured GIS layers that a professor has shaped and modified for ease of use in a classroom. Outside of the classroom, however, GIS files do not work so perfectly and neatly. GIS layers are not always updated on a regular basis, and the organization of a layer will vary based on the needs of the layer’s creator. If you log on to SanGIS and SANDAG, you can access the metadata to see labels, abbreviations, and other useful descriptions. However, even this detailed view does not always provide clarity. Different users create layers for various reasons, so even advanced GIS specialists will encounter layers that have codes, labels, and terminology that do not intuitively make sense. They just have to work with what they have and do their best to assess the landscape. Given that the files for the competition come from the real world and not a classroom lab, if you have questions about layers and what’s contained within them, you should first log on to SanGIS, and then SANDAG. If that still leaves you confused, please let us know and we will reach out to CCDC to see if it is a layer they created on their own.
Q19. The GIS “Parcels” file includes metadata that does not specify the date at which the file was updated, or when parts of the file were updated. There is one field called “DOCDATE” which seems to be the date at which the parcel was last recorded in the assessor’s book, and refers a user to “MPR Document Type code”, which I cannot find on the SanGIS website or through Google. Do you know if the assessed values in the Parcels file are the assessed values at the date at which the parcel was recorded (docdate), or if they represent the assessed value at some point after that date (e.g., 2007)? If the latter is the case (they are all accurate to a specific date), is there any way to determine when these assessed values were last recorded in the GIS file? What year? A19. CCDC gathered this file in October 2009, so the layer is current through that date. In looking at the file, we think the date reflects either the last date the property was assessed or the last time it sold. Per Q18, GIS files often have labels that might only make sense to the person who created the file, and it is unclear if the date reflects assessment or sale. Of note, because of Proposition 13, California can only reassess the value of a property upon transfer of ownership or if the owner requests a new valuation. Properties then incur a 1% increase each year until they are reassessed due to transfer or owner request. You will see some recent transaction dates and others such as 1985 that have not changed hands recently. This partially explains why you will see widely varying values.
Q20. We have a question regarding the police headquarters block. We were wondering if we could relocate their surface parking and replace it with open space? A20. No. The entire police headquarters block is entirely off-limits, as outlined in the brief.
Q21. Do we need to follow the Street Level Active Frontage Requirements which dictate where the retail and commercial frontages need to be placed throughout the East Village? In other words, can we locate commercial and retail frontages where we believe it’s necessary and not where Figure 3-7 indicates? A21. Are you referring to figure 3-7 in the Downtown Community Plan? If so, no you do not have to follow the plan and yes you can locate frontages where you believe it makes the best sense. Per the directions in the brief, unless we have said you have to adhere to something specific, you can come up with your own zoning and design elements that best bolster your redevelopment plans for the owners. You do not have to follow the Downtown Community Plan.
Q22. According to the CCDC Manual (CH.4), the East Village Green Space is 4.1 acres. According to the brief the correct acreage is 3.1. Which is correct? A22. You are correct in that the Downtown Community Plan cites 4.1 acres. However, that is CCDC’s plan and not the current reality. CCDC has still not finalized a deal with SDGE regarding the substation. Their 4.1 acre figure includes the substation site. Our 3.1 figure does not. Please use the assumptions we have provided in the brief regarding the park and the substation, and not what you see in the Downtown Community Plan.
Q23. In today's question and answer 13, you state that "temporary shelters or other uses where people would assemble are prohibited." How is "assemble" defined? I have done much research and have been able to find little. Is a public park or playground a place that people would "assemble"? A23. CCDC defines public assembly as any indoor or outdoor usage that actively draws crowds to the location, even if temporary. Yes, a playground is a place to assemble, but a park depends on what elements and uses it incorporates. A passive park space with no defined, formal gathering spaces (e.g., an amphitheatre) or usages (e.g., a farmers market) is permissible. See Q24.
Q24. The answer to Q13 states that "uses where people would assemble" are prohibited over fault lines. Does that prohibit uses like plazas, parks, space for a farmer's market etc. or only buildings in which people assemble. A24. Yes, uses where people would assemble includes plazas, farmers markets, and any other usage that would facilitate a gathering of people. Usage is not limited to an actual building. As for parks, it depends on whether it is active or passive. Please see Q23.
Q25. The brief states that if we close a road and build on it we need to purchase the land from the city. Does the same principle apply if we narrow the right of way and increase building footprints? What if land remains public but moves from road to pedestrian, plaza or other public use? A25. Yes, the same principle applies whenever you take away a portion of the public right of way and convert it to private use. Yes, you can swap public rights of way for other public uses, but make sure you account for any and all space that you swap.
Q26. The act concerning the faults states that we can't build on active faults-- but there appears to be discrepancies about which faults are active. Should we be using the map that CCDC has indicating faults or the GIS map? A26. Use the GIS files as your basis. The images in the Downtown Community Plan are an approximation used for illustration purposes. Per the brief, you do not need to adhere to the elements outlined in the plan.
Q27. What are the descriptions for the abbreviations in the BusinessSites GIS shapefile? A27. Please see Q18.
Q28. How big is the safety distance for the substation, if we want to build adjacent to it? Is it technically allowed to build over the substation or integrate it within another building, or is it too dangerous to do so? A28. There is no safety distance requirement so you can build directly adjacent to the substation, but you may not build over it or integrate it within another building. You can only pay to relocate the substation or you have to leave it as is.
Q29. Can we modify street grid patterns of areas around our site (East Village area as a whole), or we must assume that the way is laid out its set in stone and just focus on our 5x5 block area. The competition calls for the redevelopment of the site, but other year submittals have proposed modification on street grids outside of their development site. A29. You cannot officially modify them as you only have control over the area the owners own within the development site. However, as part of your contextual analysis of the broader neighborhood, you can definitely make urban design suggestions for East Village beyond the development site and convey these suggestions graphically.
Q30. From question 14 - For land that is listed as undeveloped in the GIS data, does that still require the $1.75 sqft rehabilitation fee? A30. Yes, that land still requires the general $1.75 demolition and remediation cost. Please also refer to Q5 as the land within the site is considered brownfield and still requires remediation even if it is currently listed as undeveloped in GIS.
Q31. Can we convert one-way streets to two-way and two-way to one-way? A31. Yes, you may convert streets from one-way to two-way or vice versa. However, as noted in Q29, you may make urban design suggestions for areas beyond the development site, but the owners do not control these areas. So, if you change a street, make sure it still functions with streets beyond the development site boundaries.
Q32. From where are you taking your reading of the Alquist-Priolo act? Our team is not seeing anything in the state or local muni code that prohibits "uses where people would assemble". All that we are seeing is language that prohibits structures. Thanks for your help. A32. We have read the act as well, and in order to provide accurate answers, we have directed all fault-related questions to our contacts at the city. Each question has been vetted by the Engineering Geologist for the city as well as the vice president of CCDC. Please adhere to the answers provided to the competition questions.
Q33. Are you allowed to build roads on the faults? A33. Yes, you may build a road on a fault. According to the Engineering Geologist with the city who handles cases involving the Alquist-Priolo Act, surface parking lots, roads, public open spaces/parks with lawns and landscaping on grade without structures would be considered acceptable land uses within a fault setback zone. Please also refer to Q23 and Q24.
Q34. In regards to Q23 and Q24, our team is wondering if a parking garage is a form of "active" assembly, and therefore not allowed to be built upon a fault line? A34. Please see Q13. A traditional parking garage in which people have to enter to access their cars is not permitted. However, a fully automated garage that people do not access is permitted. Also refer to Q33.
Q35. Does any means of transportation including trolleys, roads, cars, bikes, etc., count as a formal gathering space and therefore not be allowed on the fault line? Or are those uses acceptable? A35. The actual mode of transportation does not count as a gathering space. But, a facility such as a regular, non-automated parking garage (see Q13) or a mass transit station does count as a place of formal assembly. Please also see Q33.
Q36. Can existing buildings that are over fault lines be retrofitted and reused? A36. Not usually, and for the competition, no. Typically existing buildings over faults can continue to be occupied, but they cannot increase their occupancy. For instance, a warehouse building cannot be converted into a retail store or restaurant (thereby subjecting more people to risk). There may be some exceptions depending upon seismic upgrades to the building and specific geologic and structural analyses that are reviewed on a case-by-case basis, but there is no case-by-case review committee available for the competition.
Q37. Photo's show a grade separation where 17th intersects with F St. which makes 17th not continuous. This seems to be a part of recent development, checking the GIS file 17th is shown as intersecting with F in both directions but with an offset that makes the situation unclear. Could you please clarify what the predevelopment condition was? A37. Currently, 17th terminates at F Street where an apartment building was constructed on the north side of 17th. However, per Q14 and Q7, use what you see in the GIS files as your basis. If the GIS layer predates the apartment, then 17th likely runs through F Street.
Q38. We have several questions relating to the pro forma. How many months are in year zero? Is the assumption that there is a two year building window from year zero? A38. The months are irrelevant as we use year zero as the time you ramp up and complete your due diligence. You do not begin demolition nor break ground for new construction during year zero.
Q39. Is there a requirement for metric vs. imperial measurements? A39. No. Use whichever you are most comfortable with, but per the directions in the brief, make sure you provide a scale whenever needed.
Q40. Are we able to change the direction of the street traffic as a traffic calming measure within the boundary owned by the development group? A40. Please see Q31.
Q41. Can we alter the sidewalks and roads within the site boundary, or is this municipally controlled? A41. Yes, you may alter sidewalks and roads. Please also refer to Q31, Q29, and Q25.
Q42. In what year are the costs we are given in the brief, such as the demolition and remediation per square foot cost - in Year 0 (i.e. 2010-2011) dollars? A42. Yes, any costs we provide are for year 0. Also see Q38.
Q43. I can't access the work of last year's finalists in the ULI competition archive - the website doesn't load. If that web page indeed doesn't work, could you please repost the finalists' submissions? A43. We apologize and thank you for bringing this to our attention. Our tech team is repairing the link. We will let you know as soon they restore the connection.
Q44. What assumptions should we make about the costs of updating utilities in the streets (water and sewer in particular) for our site? We've heard that the existing infrastructure has had to be extensively replaced in most of the recent redevelopment work downtown, due to aging and leaking. A44. Please refer to assumptions 6 and 11 in the competition brief.
Q45. If we relocate the proposed park within our site, can we create several smaller parks that add up to the same area, or do we need to maintain a single large space? A45. No, you may not break up the park into smaller parks. CCDC’s plans for East Village Green constitute one large space, so you need to maintain that total size in one park if you relocate it.
Q46. The parcel located next to Albertson's appears on the GIS footprints layer, as well as in the CCDC supplemental historic analysis. Having read the previous rule clarifications, it would seem we are able to use this building, despite the fact that it no longer exists. If this is true, how are we able to include within our design schemes with no images or information on building specs/styles? A46. Yes, adhere to the GIS layer. However, we do not have specs for this building, so this site should be one you demolish and remediate for new purposes.
Q47. Should the aggregate amount of public subsidy we are asking for include the programmatic funding our project may be eligible for (for example, CCDC affordable housing loans)? Or should it only include the discretionary subsidy from CCDC? Thank you. A47. Please see pages 8 and 17 of the competition brief as you need to account for each subsidy, not just the aggregate. The jurors want a very clear presentation of all of your financing sources.
Q48. In looking at the response to question 15 about the lack of rent from existing tenants, we were wondering if we have to tear down a building and rebuild to be able to include the income from that building or if we just renovate an existing building for new use can we include the rent in our economic plan? A48. Yes, you may renovate a building if that makes the best market sense for your plan for the site. You will need to account for renovation costs and set appropriate rental rates. Once you have completed renovation, you may accrue rental income. Of note, see Q36 in case a building you wish to renovate exists in a fault zone. A49. Yes, 50 feet wide total, so 25 feet on each side of the fault center.
Q50. Like everything else, should we rely on the GIS files for the Historical Sites/Architecture? If the buildings must stay, is it possible to assign new usage or program? Also, is it possible to relocate Historical architecture? A50. Yes, rely on the GIS layers as your basis. You may relocate historical structures should you want to renovate and reuse them, and you may also demolish them as San Diego does not have strict preservation requirements for this site
Q51. For the Site Value After Redevelopment in #5a. in the briefing, are we to assume that you are able to sell off pieces of the land along the ten year period? If so, the value captured from these pre-10-yr sales would then not be reflected in the site value after redevelopment, (assuming a ten year hold), and would only be recognized in the IRR, correct? A51. Your assumption sounds logical, but it's up to you to decide whether or not to sell off parcels and how you will show the financial impact to the owners. Whatever you choose, make sure it's accounted for in your pro forma summary.
Q52. Is it possible for a bridge to span over a fault line? A52. Yes, because a bridge is treated like a road, whereas a cantilevered structure is considered a place of active assembly. Please see Q33 and Q13, among others, pertaining to the fault zone.
Q53. Q49 says 25' on each side of the fault, but in the brief it seems as if it’s 50' on each side? Q53. We apologize for the confusion. While the state suggests 50' on each side, San Diego has the right to change the width and uses 25' on each side as its requirement. 25' on each side is the absolute minimum, but you may feel free to go to the 50' width the state uses if you prefer.
Q54. For the park (East Village Green), we would like to confirm that streets can cross the park (as is shown in CCDC's plan, with the park bisected). One further point about the "contiguous" nature of the park space: is it possible to expand the park out of established blocks and still consider it contiguous if it is bisected by a street? To be considered "contiguous" the park must close any streets it crosses? Is that accurate? A54. Yes, streets may bisect the park and it will be still considered contiguous provided you do not break it up into many smaller parks that are dispersed throughout the development site (see Q45). No, you do not have to close the street off for the park to be contiguous. However, if you choose to close off a street, please adhere to assumption 5 in the brief and also see Q25.
Q55. Who's paying for the construction and maintenance of the park? Is it the city? A55. The city owns the park and will handle all costs associated with it. Please also see assumption 4 on page 12 of the competition brief.
Q56. Is the affordable housing requirement provided as a density bonus (e.g., if I was going to build 10 units, would I be required to build 10 MR and 1 AH) or a subtraction from buildable density (e.g., if I was going to build 10 units, I can build 9 MR and 1AH)? A56. Please refer to assumptions 1 and 3 on page 12 of the brief as well as the description of the problem on page 7. You do not have to adhere to what you see in the Downtown Community Plan and you devise the best zoning that will work for your plans for the site. Please also see Q21.
Q57. Per Q36, I understand that existing buildings over faults can continue to be occupied, but they cannot be converted into something else that would potentially increase risks. What about deconstructing the portion that exists on the fault line and converting it into a public street or passive public park? A57. Yes, you may demolish and convert current uses to a passive park or road. Please refer to Q32-36 and Q23-24.
Q58. Given that: 1) we can not do any demo or break ground for new construction during Year 0, 2) all land needs to be remediated, and 3) starting NOI is assumed to be negligible, this would lead to the conclusion that there will be no significant income until these construction activities are complete, most likely late in Year 2. Is this the intention of the scenario? Your thoughts? Q58. Your logic seems to make sense, but you have to make all your own financial assumptions and decisions. You should also review this with your advisers.
Q59. In the competition brief on pg 11 it states, "Although the East Village struggles, it has some interesting assets and opportunities. The blue and orange lines of the San Diego Trolley traverse Park Boulevard and have three stops within the neighborhood." Yet there is only one trolley line visible in the GIS folder. I would assume we can count on the three stops but as there have been so many questions answered with "use the GIS layer" I thought I would check. A59. Yes, assume the blue and orange lines share the track and stop three times in East Village as they do in real life and as we have stated in the brief. Since the lines traverse Park Blvd., they are not technically within the development site, but they are a part of the neighborhood and will definitely be a factor in your plans for the site.
Q60. The city has a park planned for the block between F, G, 15th, and 13th. If we elect to keep the park on this site, do we still have to a) pay for the landscaping and green space, etc.; b) pay to move the power substation? Q60. No, not for that specific park as the city handles costs associated with that park; see Q55. Per the contents of the competition brief and Q22, the city does not own the substation site, so the substation is completely separate from the park. Please also see assumptions 4 and 6 on pages 12 and 13 of the competition brief.
Q61. For open space across fault lines, are we allowed to change the topography at all on top of active fault line areas? Appreciate your help! A61. Yes, you may change the topography provided you cover the costs and do not create any active places of assembly. Please see Q32-36 and Q23-24.
Q62. As the developer for the land owners, do we need to purchase the land from the owners and include that purchase price in the pro forma? A62. No. The owners have hired your team as the master developer to help them assess both the current land value as is, as well as the potential future value based on your redevelopment proposal. Only when they have that information will they then ponder whether to sell or hold. At this point, you are working for them, not buying the land from them. Please reread the competition brief scenario carefully.
Q63. For the buildings we propose, should we be referring to the San Diego Municipal codes or to CCDC's comprehensive plan proposal? For example, for the FAR for the plots of land which we are to develop. A63. Unless we have noted otherwise, you have free rein when it comes to zoning. Please see Q56 and Q21.
Q64. For the tax base calculation, should we use either ASRvalues or the tax values shown on San Diego county tax collector website? A64. Per the competition brief, your team must complete its own due diligence and find its own numbers. There are multiple methods and sources for finding property values. Once you find them, make sure you use the property tax rate we have provided in the assumptions.
Q65. May we build over sewer lines? Or is there a buffer or some kind of space requirement that we need to maintain over the sewer lines. A65. For the purposes of the competition, yes, you may build over sewer lines, but as stated in assumption six in the competition brief, you may not move sewer infrastructure. The official City Wastewater Department policy will not allow any structures, trees, or shrubs over three feet in height to be placed within a public sewer easement or within 10 feet of any sewer line; however, you may choose to adhere to this policy or not.
Q66. Per Q55, the city will pay for East Village Green Park and anything we implement within it, correct? Will the city pay for other parks on the site or do we need to account for these costs? Will they pay, for instance, for an amphitheater within the park? Landscaping elements? Trees? Topographical changes within the park? A66. For East Village Green Park, the city will cover typical park elements within reason, and what you have listed sounds fairly normal for a public park, i.e., nothing too extravagant. However, the city is not paying for other parks. Any other parks or green spaces you wish to include in your urban design must be accounted for like any new construction would be.
Q67. Per Q28, we know we cannot build over the substation or integrate it into another building, but what about the rest of the land on the substation site? A67. No, you cannot build on or over either the actual substation structure or the larger substation land parcel. As defined in the brief, the substation refers to the entire parcel on which the substation sits, not just the substation building itself. Neither the joint owners nor CCDC own that piece of land, hence our requirement that you either acquire it from SDGE or leave it as is.
Q68. Are teams required to develop the entire development site within the 10-year hold period? In other words, must our spreadsheet account for all buildable square feet (minus any space allocated to open space) across the three phases, or can we leave out some parcels? A68. No, you do not need to develop the whole site, but yes, you need to account for the entire site. The market would very likely not absorb development of the entire site. Please reread the brief carefully as we have included language regarding parcels that you either improve minimally (pads) to prepare them for future development and/or sell them off during the ten-year hold to improve the value proposition for the owners. Whatever you decide, you need to account for it in your financial summary so that the owners and the jury know what you are doing with the development site and how you are coming up with valuations and returns to the owners.
Q69. Since we know we cannot build above the substation, what about below? For example, can an underground parking garage extend below the substation? Same thing with parkland...both the 3.1 acres the city will own as well as any additional park land added as part of our development? A69. No, you may not build beneath the substation unless you pay to relocate it and acquire the parcel. But you may definitely build underground parking under the park, provided it does not violate the Alquist-Priolo Act. You would have to pay for underground parking on your own dime, not the city’s. Q70. According to Q28 & Q67, if we make an assumption that we acquire the substation parcel from SDGE, is it possible to build over the substation or cover it? If it is possible to acquire the parcel by making a "deal" with SDGE , is it still going to be $ 40 million or can we come up with some other solutions? A70. Yes, if you pay to purchase the site and help SDGE relocate the substation, you get the parcel and you can do with the land as you wish. This assumption means you are buying the land from SDGE so they can demolish the current substation, clean the site, and obtain land elsewhere in the city to build a replacement substation. For consistency purposes for the competition, the only deal you can make with SDGE is to buy the site for $40 million. There are no partial deals for air rights, a portion of the site, etc.Q71. The brief states that we need to submit seven separate boards and label the relationship of the boards in relation to the entire assembly. We were wondering, what is the reviewing format? Meaning, should the boards be presented in a linear format, one board after the other, or will the boards be displayed in which ever form me state, in 11X17 panels (i.e. 2x3 panels, with an extra pro-forma board)? A71. There is not one set format and we will assemble the boards in whatever order you tell us to, but consider a presentation format that is easy for the jury to process (e.g., two horizontal rows, two vertical rows, among others). Please also see Q11 and read the Presentation Requirements, pages 15-18, as well as the Submission Process, pages 19-20, of the competition brief.
Q72. As long as the 10-15% minimum is met, is selling parcels of land to an affordable housing development firm/non-profit in each phase for them to develop and manage (thus we would just get the land value) an acceptable way of incorporating affordable housing into the total project? Or does the affordable housing development need to be kept within the owners’ own development management? A72. It is acceptable to sell parcels of land to an affordable housing development firm and the affordable housing development need not be kept within the owners’ management, but you must account for this clearly in your financial summary and your assumptions must be market-feasible.
Q73. The competition brief states that "San Diego requires a minimum of 10 percent of new residential product, both for-sale and rental, consist of affordable units for low to moderate-income households (up to 120 percent AMI)." Furthermore, of these affordable units 40 percent must be reserved for very low-income households (50 percent of AMI or less). If we allocate 10 percent or more of the new housing stock entirely to very low-income households (50 percent of AMI or less), do we still need to provide a separate and additional allocation for households in the moderate-income range? A73. If you allocate your entire 10% affordable housing requirement to very low-income households, that is fine. You do not need to have a separate allocation for moderate-income households.
Q74. Question 52 asked whether it is permissible to build a bridge over a fault line. Is it also permissible to build a skybridge that spans a fault line, connecting two buildings? A74. No, as a skybridge cantilevers across buildings and is considered a place of assembly and occupancy.
Q75. While all the work is our own, if the ideas are from elsewhere, for instance some of the new urbanist concepts from Andres Duany, should we include a list of references with our submission? A75. We appreciate your integrity in wanting to cite sources; however, unless you explicitly copy someone else’s work, there is no need for citations. The jurors are all well-versed in core land use concepts and terminology that professionals often reuse.
Q76. We understand that the park has to be contiguous and that streets can bisect it, but are we limited to a blocky, rectangular configuration as seen in CCDC’s Downtown Community Plan? The term village green has many different interpretations, and we wonder how much flexibility we have in terms of the configuration. A76. No, you are not limited to something blocky or rectangular. While CCDC uses Village Green as a title rather than a land use term, we realize there are many variations of the village green concept in the U.S. and the U.K. So long as your version of East Village Green remains as a cohesive, integrated, and connected park, it may have many configurations, including, but not limited to, a long linear park, a mass of diagonals, concentric circles, etc.
Q77. Are we required to use the exact RGB colors listed in the APA’s Activity-Based Classification Standards, or can we use similar colors. A legend would definitely be provided. A77. You need to stay in the same color family and shade range so it is easy for the jurors, but it does not have to be the exact color name as defined by APA. As a hypothetical example, if the APA designated sky blue for XYZ use, you could use light blue, but not dark blue, and definitely not anything outside of the blue family.
Q78. If we build a parking underground, can the ramps to access the parking flow through the Fault area? We are assuming that neither vehicle nor person will occupy this space, but rather use it as a street/ramp to get underground to access the parking area. A78. So long as the ramp functions just as a road and not a place of parking, assembly, ticket-collecting, etc., the ramp is fine. Q79. Is adaptive reuse feasible? If so does the blanket demo/remediation cost of $1.75 a square foot apply? A79. Yes, adaptive reuse is feasible and Q36 and Q50 include reuse elements. No, the $1.75 is not for reuse. That amount only covers demolition and site remediation. Should you choose to reuse a building, you need to come up with your own market-based assumptions for rehab, construction, etc.
Q80. What are the extents of the Harbor pedestrian bridge? A80. This information is very easy to find on the internet. Here’s one site with detailed information: http://www.ccdc.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/projects.pedestrian_bridge.
Q81.Is there metadata or better information to support the Park Sun Access shapefile? We were not able to find it on SANGIS. A81. We have e-mailed CCDC to see if this is a layer they created. We will let you know as soon as we hear from them, but for now, please refer to Q18.
Q82. We are relocating some of the right of ways. I was wondering if this could be accounted for as a land swap on-site, or do we still need to purchase the roads? A82. Technically this sounds feasible, but you must replace the exact amount you take or pay for what you do not swap.
Q83. We understand that the park has to be contiguous, may have streets bisect it, and need not be "blocky," however, we are still unclear as to whether or not the park could be 5 ft. wide and wrap every block. This would keep the park contiguous throughout with only streets bisecting it. Would this solution be acceptable? |
|
|
Competition Questions |