Daniel Island

November 12, 2015 / Comments Off on Daniel Island

HR&A led the efforts to plan, entitle, then develop the award winning plan for Daniel Island. We also managed the initial phase of development, including financing, infrastructure construction, and creation of the initial residential program, in addition to attracting a vital educational partner. The result is one of the most successful developments in the Southeast.

Working on behalf of the Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation, HR&A led Daniel Island, a tract of land spanning 4,500 acres in the center of Charleston’s busy waterways, through a comprehensive, award winning planning process, and into construction. Daniel Island became one of the largest real estate development projects ever undertaken in South Carolina. The island is currently home to almost 15,000 residents living in a mix of neighborhoods and some of the region’s top employers, both who enjoy the island’s unique coastal setting in the middle of a thriving metropolitan region. The keys to its success has been an innovative partnership with the City, a commitment to quality design, high standards of development management, and a long term approach to value creation.

HR&A led the creation of a master plan and the first phase of development of Daniel Island.

The master plan for Daniel Island aimed to strengthen connections with Charleston in the East and the suburb of Mount Pleasant in the West. Eschewing the traditional gated community, or suburban subdivisions, the plan included several interconnected residential communities, a large light industrial park, a new port facility, major new parks, and a town center, skillfully balancing environmental stewardship with private development. The plan also included a financing strategy to develop housing options for a diversity of incomes.

 

Under HR&A leadership, the successful template of a new town was developed.

  • Led the process of obtaining all land use approvals, including public outreach that was strongly supported by the community and environmental advocates;
  • Created and led the Daniel Island Development Corporation;
  • Arranged financing for the first phase of development;
  • Developed the design of the residential and commercial products;
  • Managed construction of the initial infrastructure; and
  • Managed the development of the first phase of residential construction, a new school, and the first office building.

 

To date, the Daniel Island Plan has catalyzed over $1 billion in real estate transactions.

Awards
  • The Urban Land Institute Award for Excellence in 2007 (cited internationally as the real estate and land planning industry’s most prestigious recognition); and
  • America’s Best Suburban Smart Growth Community award from the National Association of Home Builders.

CityCenterDC

November 12, 2015 / Comments Off on CityCenterDC

HR&A supported the development of the District’s Master Plan and the developer selection process for the former Washington Convention Center site.

CityCenterDC is a new mixed-used project in the heart of downtown Washington, D.C. consisting of 2.5 million square feet of office, residential, and retail space on the 10-acre site of the former Washington Convention Center.  Former District of Columbia Mayor Vincent Gray lauds CityCenterDC as “one of the most important projects … in the history of the District of Columbia.” On behalf of the District of Columbia, HR&A led the initial concept planning for the site, solicited private development partners, and assisted with negotiations resulting in selection of the current development team.

HR&A supported the District of Columbia from master planning through developer designation.

Working in partnership with Skidmore Owings & Merrill, HR&A developed a reuse plan and program to illustrate the development potential for the site, encourage widespread private interest and ensure long-term economic benefits for the public. We created a development program for the site that balanced ambitious goals for downtown revitalization with market realities and development constraints.

After successfully preparing the conceptual reuse plan, HR&A managed the District’s RFQ/RFP process to designate a Master Developer.

We drafted the solicitation on behalf of the District, setting forth development guidelines and key designation criteria. HR&A evaluated the submissions and advised the District regarding each proposal’s policy and economic implications, identified urban design and financial implications, and ranked the proposals according to a decision-making framework that was established in collaboration with the District.

 

Ultimately, HR&A supported the negotiations that resulted in a Letter of Intent with two finalists, and advised the District on its designation of the Master Developer. CityCenterDC opened in 2015.

Image Courtesy of: SOM