Culver City, California
As part of its Compass Blueprint Program, the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) sought to advance the planning efforts of its member jurisdictions that focused on Transit-Oriented Development (TOD). As one such jurisdiction, the City of Culver City was interested in pursuing development at catalytic project sites along the commercial corridor adjacent to a future Exposition Light Rail Transit Line (Expo Line), located north of the City’s downtown.
EPS was retained by SCAG to assist Culver City in evaluating market and financial conditions affecting the development feasibility of higher-density projects near the future Expo Line station. The evaluation of current market conditions surrounding the study area revealed the City of Culver City as an emerging market that could successfully compete in attracting future residents and regionally, if not nationally, oriented office tenants. EPS also conducted a “fatal flaw” assessment for the feasibility of redeveloping an existing Albertsons-anchored shopping center immediately adjacent to the station. The site offered the opportunity for increased density by making use of a 3-acre right-of-way owned by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
EPS combined its market and financial analysis with multi-visualization products, provided by a planning and design firm subconsultant, to further advance the planning and stakeholder outreach process. These visualization products included a three-dimensional massing model of four catalytic project sites, three “fly through” videos of the massing model, and two “before and after” photo simulations.
Finally, EPS evaluated options for multijurisdiction sales tax sharing agreements to inform the City’s options for the development of sites that included portions of property in the City of Los Angeles.