The Owners' Manual | Issue 13 | Summer 2018

FACTORS

DRIVING THE TREND TOWARD TOD • • Rapidly growing, mind-numbing traffic

congestion nation-wide • • Growing distaste for suburbia and fry-pit strip development • • Growing desire for quality urban lifestyle • • Growing desire for more walkable lifestyles away from traffic • • Changes in family

Milford charming downtown filled with restaurants, shopping and an iconic center green that is very active during the summer due to the harbor front area being a short walk away. However, this downtown core is utilized less during the other seasons and does not feel ideally integrated into the train station center and its users. The Milford Train Station is a heavily utilized station along the Metro-North Rail line and represents a major opportunity to better connect train users to the surrounding area and the downtown. Our project considered many options to enhance the experience from the train station to downtown and vice versa. These enhancements were categorized as key gateways and connections, streetscape improvements and placemaking enhancements. All proposed enhancements are intended to develop a strong circulation network for all user groups (pedestrian, car, train, bus, bike, etc) throughout the TOD district. The project’s study area included the train station and much of the downtown area as mentioned, but our team also focused on developing a concept plan for multiple key parcels north of the train station. These City-owned parcels are primed for redevelopment and are sitting at the “front door” of the train station. Following the TOD principles and strategies has a

developed by our team for the project, we were able to create a creative, prudent and feasible TOD concept plan that included a mix of residential, commercial, and office space. The concept plan is highlighted by a multi-story (3-5 stories) mixed-use building with retail/ restaurant/office space on the first floor with the upper floors being designated for residential use. The proposed multi-story building wraps around serve the new development but also has the potential to serve the train station and the downtown area. In addition to this proposed signature mixed-use building for downtown, the concept plan also included a variety of residential townhouse options that would convert a surface parking lot into an attractive street lined with architectural style, trees, sidewalks, lighting, etc. Over an approximately two- year period, BL Companies met with City Staff, elected officials, stakeholders, business owners and hundreds of residents to develop a TOD Plan and Strategy appropriate for the City of Milford. After delivering our reports and presentations, the City of Milford has adopted the TOD Principles and Strategies developed as part of this project and is actively pursuing the redevelopment of at least one of the key parcels identified in the study

structures: more singles, empty-nesters, etc •

• Growing national support for Smart Growth • • New focus of Federal p