High-rise commercial buildings

Sub Markets

Property Sectors

Topics

California CRE News In Your Inbox.

Sign up for Connect emails to stay informed with CRE stories that are 150 words or less.

New call-to-action
California  | 

3 CRE Q&A: ULI LA Discusses Transit-Oriented Trends

By Dennis Kaiser

ULI Los Angeles is hosting Transit Oriented Los Angeles 2016: Planning for Transit on October 4 in DTLA. The event features leaders in the transportation, planning and CRE development community offering the latest tools, opportunities and case studies. Connect Media asked Killefer Flammang Architects’ Jonathan Watts, AIA, who chairs ULI LA’s Building Healthy Places initiative, to share why transit-oriented projects are emerging as a central focus in L.A.’s development activity.

Q: What’s driving the trend toward L.A. becoming more transit-oriented?

A: Great question. L.A. is becoming more transit-oriented because it has to. The driver has been the decision three decades ago to build a robust light rail system.  The outcome now is that, finally, development is catching up and creating a real opportunity to live, work and play without a car. Now, there is a noticeable trend to ditch the car and not sit in traffic. Moving forward, if the trend is driven by certain age groups and occupations, can it spread to other demographics, ages, neighborhoods to be the prevalent form of development and, therefore, place-making?

Q: What is the CRE sector’s expected role in helping advance transit-oriented projects?

A: Push for zoning changes. Take bold steps in land acquisition at stations. Provide for bike parking, and stop over-providing car parking. Create space for people to socialize and connect….be generous.

Q: How are transit-oriented projects reshaping the region? What do you see on the horizon?

A: This is a chicken and egg issue, unfortunately. The transit lines have been planned to serve existing areas of commercial and residential density. While that’s a good thing, it’s not creating radical change in urban forms. However, it is creating incremental change, which is good. There are more and more developments, and community-making developments which are changing neighborhoods. We have to focus on each project responding to transit, and push. What can happen is an inter-connected city with great opportunity.

Killefer Flammang Architects’ Jonathan Watts, AIA

Killefer Flammang Architects’ Jonathan Watts, AIA

For comments, questions or concerns, please contact Dennis Kaiser

Connect

Inside The Story

Read More at ULI LA ToLAConnect with KFA’s Watts

About Dennis Kaiser

Dennis Kaiser is Vice President of Public Relations and Communications for Connect Creative. Dennis is a communications leader with more than 40 years of experience including as a journalist and in corporate and agency marketing communications roles. He is responsible for Connect Creative’s agency client services and is involved in a range of initiatives ranging from public relations and content strategy, communications and message development, copywriting, media relations, social media and content marketing services. Prior to joining Connect Media in 2015, his most recent corporate communications roles involved leading a regional public relations effort across Southern California for CBRE, playing a key marketing role on JLL’s national retail team, and directing the global public relations effort at ValleyCrest (BrightView), the nation’s largest commercial landscape services company. He has worked on marketing communications assignments for such CRE companies as Blackstone/Equity Office, Carlyle, Caruso, Disney Resorts, GE Capital, Irvine Company, Hines, Howard Hughes Corp., Jeffries, Lennar, MGM, Marcus & Millichap, Prologis, Raleigh Studios, Simon, Starwood, Trammell Crow Company, Transamerica, UBS and Wynn Resorts. Dennis has also worked on communications and launch strategies for a number of consumer electronic, media and tech brands including SlingMedia, Channel Master, Deluxe Media Entertainment, BeIn Sports, EchoStar and Sprint. Dennis’s agency background included firms such as Off Madison Ave., Idea Hall and Macy + Associates. He has earned an outstanding reputation with organization leaders as a trusted advisor, strategic program implementer, consensus builder and exceptional collaborator. Dennis has developed and managed national communications programs for Fortune 500 companies to start-ups, both public and private. He’s successfully worked with journalists across the globe representing clients involved in major-breaking news stories, product launches, media tours, and company news announcements. Dennis has been involved in a host of charitable and community organizations including the American Cancer Society, Easter Seals, Boy Scouts, Chrysalis Foundation, Freedom For Life, HOLA, L.A.’s BEST, Reach Out and Read, Super Bowl Host Committee, and the Thunderbirds Charities.

  • ◦Development
New call-to-action
New call-to-action
New call-to-action