Part two of my response to Fairfield Residential’s attempt to hide behind the Urban Land Institute’s report on higher-density development. [see Part 1]

Claim 2: Higher-density developments lower property values in surrounding areas.

ULI’s Opinion: No discernible difference exists in the appreciation rate of properties located near higher-density development and those that are not. Some research even shows that higher-density development can increase property values.

And some research would show that higher-density development can decrease property values. A possibility is not a fact, nor should it be for this type of claim. There is a whole world beyond “yes” and “no”. Instead, the answer should depend upon the situation.

An Example ULI gives: Haile Plantation in Gainesville, Florida.

“Haile Plantation is a Gainesville, Florida, icon. Although it is denser than surrounding communities, the values of homes in Haile Plantation are often higher than the values of houses in neighboring lower-density communities, because the traditional neighborhood design employed there makes Haile Plantation more desirable and valuable. Beginning with the master plan in 1979, Haile Plantation has been called one of the first new urbanist communities in the country. Developers .. in conjunction with the Haile Plantation Corporation developed the 1,700-acre site to include more than 2,700 units, ranging from single-family homes to townhouses and garden apartments. The sense of community has only grown with the expansion of the development to include a town center, a village green, trails, civic uses, and offices.”

1,700 acres with 2,700 units — that works out to about 1.6 units per acre. What was the original density? Perhaps it was not just the density that spurred public interest, but the “expansion of the development to include a town center, a village green, trails, civic uses, and offices.” That seems to be largely absent from Fairfield Residential’s proposal and thought processes. It seems largely improbable for the 900 Kiely Blvd area. To be fair, I would gladly agree to a 1.6 unit per acre project with a town center and other amenities. Triple the density to 5.4 units per acre — I think I could cope with the effect on my property value. But put the amenities in too. Even if you don’t give me access, Fairfield Residential.

Another Example ULI gives: Echelon at Lakeside in Plano, Texas.

“Echelon at Lakeside is the only multifamily development in an upscale, master-planned single-family suburban neighborhood of Lakeside on Preston in Plano, Texas a suburb of Dallas. Florida-based developers .. overcame initial community opposition from area residents through high-quality innovative design. The award-winning architecture blends seamlessly with the surrounding neighborhood’s traditional style. Larger-than-normal floor plans, individual entries, and attached garages combine to mirror the grand estates in the surrounding communities. Although street elevations make the buildings appear to be one single-family home, they actually house several multifamily units. Memphis-based architects .. used five building types and three building styles. All units include high-quality interior finishes; community amenities include a resort-style pool, fitness facility, clubroom, business and conference center, and full-time concierge.”

That must have been nice when it was new. Now that they have been around for a while, and changed their name to Heritage (perhaps after the developer sold it off to another company?), they garner a less-than 50% average recommendation rating with plenty of complaints . All things get older. It’s not how a development looks when it is new that we should consider, but how it will be in the long term. You can be attracted by looks, but after 20 years there had better be something more. And substantial. Fairfield Residential doesn’t seem to have anything positive other than the shape of their roofs and the undulations of their homefronts. Oh, and pretty colors. But pity that it doesn’t “blend seamlessly”.

Claim 3: Higher-density development creates more regional traffic congestion and parking problems than low-density development.

ULI’s Opinion: Higher-density development creates less traffic than low-density development per unit; it makes walking and public transit more feasible and creates opportunities for shared parking.

This is true if and only if the public transit and walkable communities exist in the first place. [Update: I recently wrote a post about this as well.] I know few companies that would be within walking distance for the majority of the renters Fairfield Residential is trying to entice. Getting there by public transit isn’t much better. To those who doubt: try it. Do it for a week until you get used to it.

An Example ULI gives: Mockingbird Station in Dallas, Texas.

“The residents of Mockingbird Station in Dallas, Texas, are far less dependent on their cars, because they have a whole host of amenities at their doorstep. Dallas developer .. partnered with Denver-based .. Group to create the ten-acre pedestrian-oriented urban village, which includes 216 loft apartments, an eight-screen film center and café, more than 90 shops and restaurants, offices, an enclosed public plaza, and parking, all directly linked to the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) light-rail system. Mockingbird Station provides direct platform access to DART trains, which offer residents an eight-minute commute to Dallas’s central business district and a single train connection to the Dallas Convention Center, Reunion Arena, and other downtown entertainment. The new village is also immediately adjacent to the campus of Southern Methodist University and within walking distance of the university’s new stadium and sports center. RTKL created architecture reminiscent of historic train stations but with a modern twist to the materials and detailing. Although only limited driving is necessary, a parking garage is provided but placed out of sight and underground. The myriad materials, architectural styles, and amenities create a vibrant transit-oriented community.”

The difference is that 900 Kiely is not a “vibrant transit-oriented community”, and Fairfield Residential’s proposal will in no way make it one. And before they tell you that they will, remember that they hold no power or authority — or even business desire — to make those kinds of promises. I will suspect that DART existed even before the Dallas project was planned. I will also suggest that a “ten-acre pedestrian-oriented urban village, which includes 216 loft apartments, an eight-screen film center and café, more than 90 shops and restaurants, offices, an enclosed public plaza, and parking” sounds more like a community than Fairfield Residential’s “~550 high-density apartments, ~220 attached town homes, ~50 single-family homes, and nothing else” proposal. And Dallas did it with less density: 216 apartments on 10 acres is only 22 units per acre.

Another Example ULI gives: Southwest Station in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

“The Southwest Metro Transit Commission is a small suburban bus system near Minneapolis that serves downtown Minneapolis and numerous other employment and recreation centers, including Minnesota Twins baseball games. The American Public Transportation Association calls it the ‘best small system in the country.’ In an effort to capitalize and expand on the success of the system, the commission has encouraged transit-oriented development at its bus stops. In Eden Prairie, Minnesota, the commission completed a bus depot and five-story parking garage on 22 acres of excess right-of-way. In 2001, it started selling land around the transit complex for retail and residential development. Restaurants, shops, and more than 250 apartments, condominiums, and townhouses soon followed. The new development generated revenue for the commission, new public transit riders, affordable convenient housing, and a suburban lifestyle with the amenities usually afforded only to city dwellers.”

Again, this development was built around the transportation. They added restaurants and shops on 22 acres, but only 250 apartments, condominiums, and townhouses. It was providing city amenities for a suburban community. There really isn’t much more to add.

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