Big Darby Accord Town Center Master Plan Consultant Proposal

Big Darby Accord Town Center 

Master Plan Consultant Proposal 

18 january 2008 

Lead Consultant 

urban design associates 

Donald K. Carter, FAIA, FAICP 

President 

31st floor, Gulf Tower 

707 Grant Street 

Pittsburgh, PA 15219

Table of Contents 


Letter of Transmittal 

i introduction 

ii executive summary 

iii statement of understanding of issues 

iv consultant team qualifications 

v references 

vi scope of services 

vii fees 

viii timeline 

ix client group services

17 January 2008 

Town Center Client Group 

c/o Prairie Township Adminstrator Tracy Hatmaker 

Prairie Township Offices 

23 Maple Drive 

Columbus, OH 43228 

Dear Mr. Hatmaker: 

Urban Design Associates (UDA) is pleased to submit fourteen (14) bound 

copies and one digital copy of our proposal for the Big Darby Accord Town 

Center Master Plan. Our team includes: 

Urban Design Associates (lead firm) 

Design Workshop 

Applied Ecological Services 

STV, Inc. 

Walter Kulash, P.E. 

Robert Charles Lesser Company 

Bricker & Eckler, LLP 

I will be the key contact for the RFP process and the principal-in-charge if our 

team is selected for the Town Center Master Plan. 

We look forward to the opportunity to present our proposal and team to you 

and the selection committee in person. 

PRINCIPALS 

donald k. carter, faia faicp 

raymond l. gindroz, faia 

barry j. long, jr., aia 

paul b. ostergaard, aia 

rob robinson, aia 

gail a. armstrong, sda 

david r. csont, asai 

donald kaliszewski, aia 

james h. morgan, aia 

eric r. osth, aia 

gulf tower 

31st floor 

707 grant street 

pittsburgh, pa 15219 

tel 412 263-5200 

fax 412 263-5202 

urbandesignassociates.com 

ASSOCIATES 

margaret m. connor 

gregory a. weimerskirch, ra adg leed ap

page 2 town center client group 17 January 2008 

Sincerely, 

Donald K. Carter, FAIA FAICP 

President 

Enclosures


i introduction 

The proposal that follows is a response to the Request for Proposals, dated 26 November 2007, 

issued by the Big Darby Accord Town Center Client Group. The purpose of the plan is “to prepare 

a detailed development plan for the Town Center within the framework of the Big Darby 

Accord.” The plan will incorporate recommendations on level and type of development, land 

use, infrastructure, storm water management, transportation, phasing, and financing. Particular 

attention to sustainable development practices, water quality, and environmental protection will 

be integral to the planning process. 

The outline of the proposal is: 

» Executive Summary 

» Statement of Understanding of the Issues 

» Consultant Team/Consultant Qualifications 

» References 

» Scope of Services 

» Fees 

» Timeline 

» Client Group Support 

The consultant team has depth and breadth of experience and has worked together on projects 

similar to the Big Darby Town Center Master Plan across the country. 

ii executive summary 

Understanding of the Issues 

As stated in the Plan document: “The Big Darby Accord Plan is intended to serve as a multijurisdictional 

guide for development and conservation. The Plan represents a long-term vision 

and general land use for the future that brings together multiple interests in an effort to protect 

and preserve the watershed while providing guidance for managed growth.” 

Dual strategies for conservation and development permeate the Plan. For instance, the Plan 

Framework, based on the “plan drivers” of by-right development and utility and site capacities, 

led to “the creation of a general land use plan that promotes a sustainable land use pattern and 

locates the highest amount of development in areas that are less sensitive and within close proximity 

of centralized sewer and regional transportation systems.” 

One of the “early action” recommendations of the Plan was to initiate a master planning process 

for the Town Center that “would establish a more specific vision for the development of the 

Town Center and would provide a detailed set of recommendations including level of development, 

infrastructure requirements, design guidelines, and phasing.”


All efforts, both conservation and development, will be guided by BMT’s (Best Management Practices) to preserve and 

protect areas that contribute to water quality and to improve the overall aquatic and bio-habitat of the Big Darby watershed, 

including a regional approach to storm water management and will utilize the Leadership in Energy and Environmental 

Design (LEED) principles and practices. 

Consultant Team and Qualifications 

The multi-disciplinary team assembled for the Big Darby Accord Town Center Master Plan includes the specific qualifications 

called for in the Request for Proposal: 

» 

» 

» 

» 

Urban Design Associates, UDA (Pittsburgh, PA) 

Lead firm, master planning, urban design, architecture, 

public process 

Design Workshop (Denver, CO) Landscape architecture, 

sustainable land design, storm water management 

Applied Ecological Services, AES (Brodhead, WI) 

Ecological and bio-habitat planning, wetland and woodland 

restoration and management 

STV, Inc. (Pittsburgh, PA) Civil engineering, public utilities, 

storm water management, transportation engineering 

Scope of Services 

The planning process will have three phases: 

Phase I Data Base and Analysis: Understanding 

Phase II Alternatives: Exploring 

Phase III Final Plan: Deciding 

Each phase will be organized around team trips to Columbus, Ohio. 

Walter Kulash, P.E. (Little Switzerland, NC) 

Transportation planning 

Robert Charles Lesser & Co., RCLCo 

(Washington, DC) Market study, development economics, 

public finance, public services 

Bricker & Eckler, LLP (Columbus, OH) Legal issues, 

Ohio land use regulations, public finance, special purpose 

districts 

Trip One in Phase I will involve collection of “hard” data, such as land use, traffic and transit data, utility and storm water 

data, ecological data, historic data, etc., as well as the collection of “soft” data from interviews, focus groups, and an initial 

public meeting with residents, property owners, business persons, major institutions, churches, conservation groups, community 

groups, government officials, and other stakeholders as may be required. 

Trip Two and Three in Phase II will involve two charrettes (working sessions) to explore and test design alternatives. The 

charrettes will each culminate in a public presentation. 

Trip Four in Phase III will include the preparation of a draft plan, and working meetings with stakeholders and a public 

meeting to review the draft plan. 

Fees 

Phase I Data Base and Analysis: Understanding $160,000 

Phase II Alternatives: Exploring $185,000 

Phase III Final Plan: Deciding $152,000 

Total $497,000 

» 

» 

» 

Timeline 

Phase I Data Base and Analysis: Understanding Months 1, 2, 3 

Phase II Alternatives: Exploring Months 3, 4, 5 

Phase III Final Plan: Deciding Months 6, 7, 8, 9


iii statement of understanding of issues 

In June 2006 the Big Darby Accord Watershed Master Plan was published after an extensive public planning effort 

begun in April 2005. The Big Darby Accord Plan was sponsored by a multi-jurisdictional body representing nine 

municipalities (City of Columbus, City of Hilliard, Grove City, Brown Township, Norwich Township, Pleasant Township, 

Prairie Township, Washington Township, Village of Harrisburg) and Franklin County. The study area is 84 square 

miles (56,000 acres) and represents 15% of the 555 square mile Big Darby watershed, one of the most biologically diverse 

aquatic systems in the Midwest. 

As stated in the Plan document: “The Big Darby Accord Plan is intended to serve as a multi-jurisdictional guide for development 

and conservation. The Plan represents a long-term vision and general land use for the future that brings together 

multiple interests in an effort to protect and preserve the watershed while providing guidance for managed growth”. 

The major recommendations of the Plan are: Plan Framework; Land Use Plan; Land Use and Development Policies; and 

Implementation. Dual strategies for conservation and development permeate the Plan. For instance, the Plan Framework, 

based on the “plan drivers” of by-right development and utility and site capacities, led to the creation of a general land use plan 

that promotes a sustainable land use pattern and locates the highest amount of development in areas that are less sensitive and 

within close proximity of centralized sewer and regional transportation systems. 

The attendant Conservation Strategy identifies three tiers of protection for 25,000 acres of land:1) Wetlands and flood 

plains; 2) Woodlands and upland areas; 3) Natural linkages and contiguous habitat or open space. The parallel Development 

Strategy projects an additional 20,000 residential units over a thirty year build-out, taking the total population in 

the Accord area to 100,000 residents. New development will be directed to specific areas: a new 2,500-acre Town Center 

located between I-70 and US Route 40; higher density development adjacent to Hilliard and Columbus; and areas of conservation 

development (cluster development) within Brown, Prairie, and Pleasant Townships. 

All efforts, both conservation and development, will be guided by BMP’s (Best Management Practices) and an ecosystem 

design approach with the preservation and protection of areas contribute to water quality and to improve the overall aquatic 

habitat of the Big Darby watershed, including a regional approach to storm water management, as well as identify the development 

suitability of the site based on habitat value/rarity, cost of development and maximizing ecosystem services with 

both financial and functional efficiency. The Plan discourages conventional subdivisions, encourages cluster development, 

and urges the application of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) principles and practices. 

One of the “early action” recommendations of the Plan was to initiate a master planning process for the Town Center that 

would establish a more specific vision for the development of the Town Center and would provide a detailed set of recommendations 

including level of development, infrastructure requirements, design guidelines, and phasing. 

The Request for Proposal issued 26 November 2007 on behalf of Prairie Township, Brown Township, Franklin County, 

and the City of Columbus identifies a scope of work including: Market Study; Development Program; Town Center Development 

Plan; Regulatory Framework, and Implementation. The Town Center Plan planning process will include public 

participation, cooperation from multiple jurisdictions, and will be driven by and consistent with the conservation and development 

strategies described in the 2006 Big Darby Accord Watershed Master Plan.

iv consultant team qualifications



Gulf Tower, 31st floor 

707 Grant Street 

Pittsburgh, PA 15219 

Contact: Donald K. Carter, FAIA, FAICP 

telephone 412.263.5200, fax 412.263.5202 

www.urbandesignassociates.com 

urban design associates (uda) is a nationally recognized leader in creating beautiful 

and successful neighborhoods, waterfronts, and downtowns for both existing and new communities. 

UDA’s designs are conceived as three-dimensional environments through the use 

of perspective drawing and modeling techniques in the early stages of conceptual design. The 

character and quality of building designs and landscape elements become part of the planning 

process when the most important decisions are made. The design process becomes a kind of 

“bandwagon” that gains support for the program as it engages people to create the vision. 

In the course of UDA’s 43-year history, in communities all across the United States and in 

Europe, the firm’s techniques have enabled it to tailor designs that respond to the history, 

character and traditions of the regions in which they are located. In the public visioning processes, 

the values and qualities which people would like to see in their community are quickly 

translated into three-dimensional images. 

We have completed over 1,800 projects for clients which include public agencies, all levels 

of government, community groups, foundations, private developers, large land holders, individual 

developers, and institutions. We are currently working on projects in 32 cities in 22 

States, plus projects in Canada, France, the United Kingdom, and Latin America. Our work 

is focused on urban projects in one of four categories: Neighborhoods; Downtowns; New 

Towns; and Vision Plans. We provide three types of service: Urban Design; Architectural 

Design through Design Development; and Design Guidelines or Pattern Books to communicate 

the concepts of a plan to those who will build it. Our projects range in size from one city 

block to entire cities. 

UDA has received over 75 awards for its work in urban design and architecture. These have 

included a Presidential Award for the transformation of a public housing project, two Progressive 

Architecture Awards for neighborhoods, four National AIA Honor Awards, three ULI 

Awards for Excellence, five Charter Awards for the Congress for the New Urbanism, and three 

national HUD Awards for Downtown work as well as neighborhood efforts. Our work is published 

regularly in professional journals and magazines. Norton Books published The Urban 

Design Handbook and The Architectural Pattern Book, both by Urban Design Associates. 

Prairie Trail Master Plan, 

Ankeny, Iowa 

East Garrison, 

Monterey County, California 

Baxter Village, Fort Mill, South Carolina 

South Pass, Fayetteville, Arkansas 

Storrs, Connecticut


donald k. carter, faia, faicp | President 

Professional Responsibilities 

Don Carter is president of Urban Design Associates. Don has led many of UDA’s most complex projects, 

drawing upon his broad and deep national experience as an architect, urban designer, and developer. 

He has helped establish public participation planning processes and design charrettes as core 

disciplines within the firm. Don uses urban design as a creative tool to develop community consensus 

and public approvals in often very difficult and contentious situations. A member of UDA since 1973, 

Don serves as principal-in-charge on a wide range of projects. Currently these consist of: 

Downtowns and waterfronts Districts and mixed-use infill Mixed-income urban neighbor- 

» Cincinnati, OH 

» Nashua, NH 

» Minneapolis, MN 

» Portland, OR 

» Pittsburgh, PA 

» South Lake Union, 

Seattle, WA 

» Oakland Strategy and 

Planning, Pittsburgh, PA 

» Birmingham, AL 

» ASU Technology Center, 

Scottsdale, AZ 

» Prairie Trail, Ankeny, IA 

» Aksarben Village, Omaha, NE 

hoods 

» Indianapolis, IN 

» Minneapolis, MN 

» Camden, NJ 

» Washington, DC 

» Jacksonville, FL 

Professional Affiliations and Service 

Don is a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects, a fellow of the American Institute of Certified 

Planners, a member of the Congress for the New Urbanism, and a member of the Urban Land 

Institute, serving nationally as Chair of the ULI Inner City Council. Previously, he served on the 

ULI Affordable Housing Forum, ULI Infill Development Forum, ULI Residential Development 

Council (Silver), and ULI Entertainment Development Council. Don is past Chair of the ULI Pittsburgh 

District Council, and past President of the Pittsburgh Chapter, AIA. 

Lectures and Publications 

Don has lectured and published internationally on urban design and architecture. Recent talks and 

articles have focused on New Urbanism, Smart Growth, Downtown Living, Inner Ring Suburbs, 

Public Participation Planning Processes, Housing in the 21st Century, Urban Entertainment Development, 

Riverfront Design, Principles of Infill Housing, Design Guidelines for HUD Home Ownership 

Zones and HOPE VI Projects, and UDA Pattern Books® for Master Planned Communities. 

Community Service 

Don serves on the board of the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership and the Andy Warhol Museum. 

Previously he served on the boards of the Pittsburgh Zoo, Leadership Pittsburgh, the Pittsburgh 

Chamber of Commerce, the Pittsburgh Public Theater, and LaRoche College Board of Regents. 

Education and Previous Experience 

Don earned a Bachelor of Architecture from Carnegie Mellon University (Pittsburgh, PA) and did 

post graduate work in urban design and regional planning at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, 

following his military service with the U.S. Army. Don also was a consultant to General Motors, 

Heinz, and Alcoa regarding the reuse of access land parcels, including their potential for mixed-use 

and residential developments.


paul ostergaard, aia | Senior Vice President 


As senior vice president for UDA, Paul Ostergaard has recently focused on strategic plans for revitalizing 

downtowns and waterfronts, by creating new mixed use precincts, districts and neighborhoods. Paul is 

also responsible for numerous traditional neighborhood projects as well as the architectural design of 

institutional buildings, university facilities, community centers, municipal buildings, and multi-family 

residential buildings. Paul’s exceptional design and perspective drawing skills enable him to translate ideas 

into three-dimensional imagery that is easily understood by clients and the public. This talent is especially 

valuable for urban design projects, where Paul's participation in on-site charrettes enables the diverse 

constituencies for these projects to readily visualize how an existing neighborhood can be transformed and 

revitalized. Prior to joining UDA, Paul was instrumental in several corporate master plan projects for clients 

including IBM, Hewlett Packard and Intel. Projects currently under his direction include: 

Downtowns and waterfronts 

» Downtown, Hampton, VA 

» Coliseum District, 

Hampton, VA 

» Fort Norfolk, Norfolk, VA 

» Central Riverfront, 

Cincinnati, OH 

» North Shore, Pittsburgh, PA 

» Historic Mills, 

Minneapolis, MN 

» South Lake Union, 

Seattle, WA 

» RoseQuarter, Portland, OR 

» Pack Square, Asheville, NC 

» West Don Lands, 

Toronto, Ontario 

UDA Pattern Books® 

» Coopers Crossing 

Pattern Book, Camden, NJ 

» Celebration Pattern Book 

Celebration, FL 

» The Ledges Pattern Book, 

Huntsville, AL 

» Baxter Pattern Book, 

Fort Mill, SC 

Neighborhoods, towns 

and villages 

» Aksarben Village, 

Omaha, NE 

» Prairie Trail, Ankeny, IA 

» Storrs, CT 

Mixed-income urban 

neighborhoods 

» Buckroe Beach Neighborhood, 

Hampton, VA 

» Kecoughtan Road Corridor, 

Hampton, VA 

» Broadway Overlook, 

Baltimore, MD 

» Freemason Harbor, 

Norfolk, VA 

» Broad Creek Renaissance, 

Norfolk, VA 

» Heritage Crossing, 

Portsmouth, VA 

» Stella Wright, Newark, NJ 

Professional Affiliations and Service 

Paul is the former president of the Pittsburgh Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. He is 

a member of the Urban Land Institute and was a design member of the Advisory Service Panel for 

the Southwest Waterfront in Washington, DC, in 1998. Paul is an active member of the Congress of 

the New Urbanism and the International Downtown Association, participating as a speaker at many 

conferences. As a member of the American Society of Architectural Perspectivists, Paul received the 

Society’s Award for Excellence in Graphic Representation of Architecture in 1995. 

Education 

Paul earned a Bachelor of Architecture degree with honors from Carnegie Mellon University (Pittsburgh, 

PA) where he serves as a visiting critic and design instructor at the Urban Lab in the Department of 

Architecture. During his senior year at CMU, Paul won the Stewardson Traveling Fellowship, enabling 

him to travel extensively, exploring urban design and architecture in Western Europe. Paul is a member 

of the national Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society.


margaret m. connor | Associate, Studio Director 


Maggie’s interest in architecture and urban design is rooted in her passion and affinity for complex 

problem solving coupled with a social mission to repair our built environment. From revitalization 

plans for depressed urban neighborhoods to military housing projects, the process-oriented approach 

she leads as a Studio Director for UDA enables us to attack clients’ design problems and objectives 

from all angles and relevant disciplines. 

Her career with UDA has encompassed a broad array of projects including downtown master plans, 

urban revitalization plans, brownfield development, corridor studies, new villages, and several UDA 

Pattern Books. Maggie’s creativity, talent, and good judgment can be seen in the built projects on 

which she has worked, among them: Westbury in Portsmouth, Virginia; Broadway Overlook in Baltimore, 

Maryland; and in UDA Pattern Book efforts in which she played an integral part, notably, East 

Beach in Norfolk, Virginia and Mason Run in Monroe, Michigan. Her more recent work includes a 

mixed-use, mixed-income development in Gilroy, California that involves the reuse of an old industrial 

site as well as repair of a piece of the downtown urban fabric. Closer to home, Maggie has been 

involved in the design of a new traditional neighborhood in Cranberry, Pennsylvania – the first new 

neighborhood of its kind in the rapidly developing region north of Pittsburgh and one which it is 

hoped will serve as a model for future development in this high-growth area. 

Education and Professional Affiliations 

Maggie earned her professional degree in Architecture from the University of Notre Dame where her 

experience was substantially influenced by her participation in the Rome Studies Program – a year’s 

architectural and urban education in one of the world’s most admired cities. Maggie is currently a 

member of the Congress of New Urbanism, the American Planning Association, and the National 

Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials.


Prairie Trail Ankeny, Iowa 

Prairie Trail is a New Urbanist community composed of pedestrian-friendly 

residential neighborhoods, a mixed-use Town Center, 

and two office parks. Building on the 2005 Concept Plan, the 

Master Plan for this new community responds to market studies 

and precedent studies of Ankeny and other historic Iowa neighborhoods 

and town squares in ways that also respect the natural 

features of the site. 

Interrelated street and open space frameworks form the 

underlying structure that weaves together Prairie Trail’s three 

precincts: the Town Center, the Campus Precinct, and Residential 

Neighborhoods. The Town Center, adjacent and connected to the 

DMACC campus, enlivens both precincts. Similarly, the streets 

and trails of the neighborhood precincts flow toward Prairie Trail’s 

Town Center (which also serves as the Town Center for Ankeny) 

– a place for civic gatherings and public celebrations. 

South Pass Fayetteville, Arkansas 

The South Pass site is comprised of nearly one thousand acres of 

farmland and forest and is located three miles from downtown 

Fayetteville. Its proximity to Fayetteville and adjacency to several 

arterial roads, including Interstate 540, make South Pass very 

accessible within the region. Much of the growth that has occurred 

in the last ten years has happened north of Fayetteville up to Bentonville. 

South Pass will balance the pattern of growth by offering 

the first large scale development south of the city. 

The site has topography that provides long views back 

to downtown Fayetteville, as well as picturesque views of the 

surrounding hills and farmland. Sixty percent of the acreage 

is covered in forest; and natural streams and farm ponds are 

found throughout. 

East Garrison Monterey County, California 

East Garrison is designed in the tradition of California historic 

settlements with a mix of uses and a fine-grained network of 

streets, blocks, parks, and open spaces surrounded by over 20,000 

acres of preserved natural habitat. Access to jobs and regional 

institutions will be a major component of this project. Close by are 

California State University at Monterey Bay and major employment 

centers. The new community will also provide a broad range 

of housing opportunities for all segments of the Monterey County 

market including, market-rate and affordable housing for the local 

workforce and qualified artist. 

A significant element in the new community is the mixed-use 

town center which includes shops, restaurants, nightlife, offices, 

residential and the arts. The arts district will feature an extensive 

array of working arts studios, performance spaces, and live/work 

studios in both historic and new buildings.


Callaway Gardens Pine Mountain, Georgia 

The new neighborhoods of Callaway Gardens have been designed 

as a series of distinct places in a village setting. Each neighborhood 

connects to the Gardens and the Preserve via an extensive network 

of trails and paths. The plan for the new village entailed extensive 

environmental analysis, landscape conservation, and dedication to 

building on the essential character of south Georgia settlements 

and Callaway Gardens. 

Design principles for the new community aim to create 

sustainable, attractive housing that respects the qualities of 

the local landscape. This focus on environmentally responsible 

design at both the community and architectural scales is a 

central theme in the key design elements, buildings, and sites 

within the neighborhoods. 

Baxter Village Fort Mill, South Carolina 

Baxter Village is the first of several villages to be built adjacent 

to 2300 acres of a nature preserve that connects each village. 

The village center is based on historic Upcounty South Carolina 

towns such as Chester and York. The design and layout of 

streets, blocks and civic spaces all relate to the most loved places 

throughout the region. 

The village center has an elementary school adjacent to the 

commercial core of over 100,000 sq.ft. of retail and office uses. 

The center is also designed to accommodate apartments, small garden 

houses and a range of single family housing types. Trail systems 

connect the village center to the surrounding neighborhoods. 

Roseland Chesterfield, Virginia 

The site is being designed as a traditional Virginia town with a 

mix of employment, service and residential uses within a series 

of connected neighborhoods woven together by a continuous system 

of trails and parks. Roseland will become a mixed-income, 

mixed-use community with a vibrant town center as the focal 

element for nearby residential neighborhoods and a regional 

corporate office address. The town will exemplify the character 

found in historic towns with small walkable streets, sidewalks, 

neighborhood parks and trails, interconnected blocks, and a great 

diversity of housing types and uses mixed together to create a 

highly desirable community.


Homestead Village Hot Springs, Virginia 

The Concept Plan for Hot Springs is designed to build a continuous 

and authentic village fabric that becomes an integral part of 

the Homestead experience. Guests and visitors will have a stronger 

sense of the historic quality of the place and setting for the resort 

once Hot Springs is fully developed as an intact village. The signature 

for the resort and the village is a new green where Route 

220 and Main Street intersect that becomes a new “front door” for 

the village. New retail and resort lodging form a center of activity 

along the resort’s most public edge. The sense of arrival for the 

resort and the village is established. 

Storrs Pattern Book Storrs, Connecticut 

Storrs Town Center will be a mixed-use development adjacent to 

the main campus of the University of Connecticut in the town 

of Storrs. The design is inspired by New England college town 

centers, providing retail, entertainment and other services for the 

town and university. Mixed use buildings are arranged around two 

squares, an undulating shopping street, and a quiet residential precinct 

with lanes and park roads, adjacent to an open space preserve. 

The design creates a variety of outdoor venues for dining, 

celebrations, festivals, markets, concerts and informal gathering. 

A variety of residential units are provided, including urban lofts, 

apartments, condominiums, and town houses. The new town center 

will orient to Storrs Road and strong pedestrian and vehicular 

connections will link directly to the university campus. 

Gibson’s Grant Easton, Maryland 

Gibson’s Grant is a new neighborhood designed in the tradition 

of the best small towns and waterfront villages found throughout 

the Eastern Shore. There is an informal quality to the neighborhood 

character with a mix of different houses. Streets will have 

an intimate feel with narrow lanes lined with porches facing front 

gardens and yards. Tree-lined streets will create a shaded, quiet 

atmosphere that transforms the neighborhood street into a shared 

“outdoor room.” Service lanes provide access to garages behind the 

houses for most of the new village. Gibson’s Grant features a series 

of neighborhood parks and squares, each with its own character 

and sense of place, many of which will be connected to a pedestrian 

path and trail system that takes advantage of the site’s natural 

features. Residents are never more than a block away from a park. 

The Pattern Book serves as a guide and resource to builders, 

homeowners and architects for designing and building houses 

in ways that reinforce the overall vision for Gibson’s Grant as an 

authentic place to live, work, and play on the Eastern Shore.


design workshop 

120 E. Main Street 

Aspen, CO 81611 

Contact: Kurt Culbertson, FASLA, AICP 

telephone 970.925.8354, fax 970.920.1387 

www.designworkshop.com 

Design Workshop is a landscape architecture, land planning, urban design and tourism planning firm. We’ve been providing 

these services for almost four decades to developers, property owners, government agencies and other clients engaged in 

improvements to the land. In our years of practice we have evolved a proprietary approach and distinct culture. 

Outstanding environments, regardless of location, use, climate, or geography have one thing in common; they are 

always planned and designed with a sensitivity that enhances the quality of the place. As a firm dedicated to creating 

the best possible environments, Design Workshop combines the many talents of skilled professionals into a practice 

with exceptional resources to address the complex issues of contemporary land use. We are landscape architects, planners, 

and urban designers focused on the planning and design of sustainable projects and properties of every type and 

size throughout the world. Our staff includes 20 LEED certified designers with an expected 40 more by year end. 

Combined with our investment in technology and the depth of our experience, we are able to create solutions that 

result in outstanding environments. Design Workshop is a firm born in the pursuit of ideas. Founded in 1969 by two 

classmates turned professors, the fledgling company developed a collaborative process labeled “design workshops.” 

These early assignments were the chance to marry the idealism of academia with development realities in a professional 

setting. Over the next 30 years we’ve had the opportunity to expand the breadth and sophistication of our firm. 

Our experience ranges from master plans for counties, planned communities, urban centers and resorts, to detailed 

design for public parks, residences and roadways. We have continuously honed the collaborative dynamics of the 

workshops and the pursuit of the ideas and ideals that result in the best solutions for every assignment. This approach 

remains the hallmark of our firm. 

Our Services 

Our range of services is comprehensive embracing all of the key disciplines necessary for our planning and design 

assignments. We also offer capabilities in areas of specialization that provide expanded ease and value for our clientele. 

Landscape Architecture, Land Planning, Urban Design, Planning Management, Strategic Services, Development 

Strategies, Graphic Communication and Design, Golf Course Design, LEED Compliance.


Education 

Master of Business 

Administration in Real Estate, 

Southern Methodist University 

Bachelor of Landscape 

Architecture, Louisiana State 

University 

Licensure 

Licensed landscape architect 

Alabama, Arizona, Florida, 

Idaho, Louisiana, Nevada, New 

Mexico, South Carolina, Texas, 

Wyoming, Utah, Virginia 

Certification 

American Institute of Certified 

Planners 

LEED Registered Designer 

Awards and Honors 

2004: Layers of the Land 

Competition, Charleston, 

South Carolina, Merit Award 

2004: Inn on Biltmore Estate, 

Asheville, North Carolina 

Chapter American Society of 

Landscape Architects, Honor 

Award 

2003: Fellow, Institute for 

Urban Design 

2003: Crown Residence, 

Aspen, Colorado Chapter 

American Society of Landscape 

Architects, Merit Award 

2002: Wexner Residence, 

Aspen, Colorado Chapter 


Architects, Honor 

Award 

RESUMES 

Kurt Culbertson, FASLA, AICP 

Principal 

Partner and Principal of the landscape architecture and 

land planning firm Design Workshop, Kurt Culbertson 

has been instrumental in the company’s success both 

nationally and internationally. His leadership role in the 

Master Planning process for Flathead County, Montana, 

and the planning and design efforts for the High Desert 

Community in Albuquerque, New Mexico, are redefining 

land use trends in the West. Culbertson has initiated 

the creation of a model “sustainable development,” a 

community that promotes stability between both the 

physical and social systems. 

A strong proponent of the profession, Kurt has been 

published numerous times and has spoken to organizations 

throughout the country. In addition to his activities within 

the industry, Culbertson contributes to the community 

at large. As past chair of the Rocky Mountain Chapter 

of Young President’s Organization, he currently serves as 

co-chair of the Cultural Landscape Foundation. 

Selected Project Experience 

Bow Canmore 

Bow Valley, Alberta, Canada 

Kurt was Principal in Charge of this award-winning assessment 

of the visual impacts of development on the Bow River Valley 

Corridor. 

Santa Fe County Visual Assessment 

Santa Fe County, New Mexico 

This comprehensive, public process driven open lands plan, led 

by Kurt as Principal in Charge, identified areas that should be 

protected versus areas that could better absorb change. 

Flathead County Master Plan 

Flathead County, Montana 

Kurt was Principal in Charge of this unique appraisal of an 

existing master plan that involved the first known privatelysponsored 

public planning process. 

Selected Publications 

“Moving to the Mountains” 

Proceedings, Power of Place 

Conference, Chicago, Illinois, 

2004. 

“Almost Heaven: Amenity 

Migration Along the Blue 

Ridge”, Amenity Migration, 

Wiley Press, 2004. 

Landschaft und Gartenkunst: 

The Germanic Influence in 

the Development of American 

Landscape Architecture, 

Center for American Places, 

2004. 

The Landscape of the 

American Renaissance - The 

Life and Work of George 

Edward Kessler, biography 

currently being reviewed for 

publication, Johns Hopkins 

University Press, 2004. 

“Low Country Landscapes: 

The Contribution of Belgian, 

Dutch, and Luxembourgers to 

the Development of Landscape 

Architecture in America,” 

Phillippe Troukens and Kurt 

Culbertson, Proceedings, The 

Clearing Conference on the 

History of the Midwestern 

Landscape, Door County, 

Wisconsin, June, 1998. 

“National Park Gateway 

Communities: Balancing 

Economic Development and 

Environmental Protection,” 

Planning Magazine, November 

1997. 

Professional Affiliations 


Architects (ASLA) 

American Planning Association 

(APA) 

National Trust for Historic 

Preservation 

Urban Land Institute, Member, 

Recreation Council 

International Association of 

Scientific Experts in Tourism


Education 

Master of Urban and Regional 

Planning, The Ohio State University 

Bachelor of Science in 

Environmental Design in Landscape 

Architecture, University 

of Minnesota 

Certification 

American Institute of Certified 

Planners 

Affiliations 


Colorado Chapters of the 


Board of Directors, Healthy 

Mountain Communities 

Speaking Engagements 

“The Renaissance of Resort 

and Tourism Communities”. 

2007 APA Colorado Chapter 

Conference. Colorado Springs, 

Colorado. 

“Healthy Communities Principles 

of Sustainability for 

Growing Mountain Towns”. 

2007 Eagle Valley Healing Arts 

and Healthy Lifestyles Show. 

Eagle, Colorado. 

“Columbus Home Arts District”. 

2006 American Planning 

Association National Conference. 

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 

Awards and Honors 

Best Overall Project- School of 

Architecture Internship Project 

Award 

RESUMES 

Anna Gagne, AICP 

Project Manager/Planner 

Anna Gagne, a community planner with Design 

Workshop, has outstanding experience planning for 

regions, counties, communities, districts, residential 

developments, tourism, corridors, and transportation 

systems. She seeks a profound understanding of the people 

that she plans for and takes a special interest in engaging 

the public in the planning and design process. Creating 

processes suited for the unique learning, participation, 

communication and decision making styles of individuals 

and groups is one of her strengths. 

Anna is a graduate of The Ohio State University College 

of Architecture and Planning where she received her 

master’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning. She 

received her Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Design 

in Landscape Architecture at the University of Minnesota, 

Twin Cities. In the four years prior to joining Design 

Workshop, Anna was a transportation planner at an Ohio 

based multidisciplinary consulting firm. This provided her 

the opportunity to manage the public participation process 

for roadway replacement projects in the Appalachia region. 

Selected Project Experience 

Avon East Town Center District Plan: Avon, CO 

Avon Town Center West Investment Plan: Avon, CO 

Avon Town Center Design Guidelines: Avon, CO 

Town of Vail Community Plan Public Process: Vail, CO 

Douglas County Comprehensive Plan: Douglas County, NV 

Snowmass Center Redevelopment Plan: Snowmass, CO 

Eagle Area Community Plan: Eagle, CO 

University Of Minnesota UMore Park Master Plan: Rosemont, MN 

I-70 Mountain Corridor Context Sensitive Solutions Manual and 

Aesthetic Guidelines: State of CO 

Nevada Department of Transportation Landscape and Aesthetics 

Corridor Plan, Phase II: State of NV 

Northfield Master Plan: Ridgeway, CO 

Schweitzer Mountain Design Guidelines: Schweitzer Mountain, ID 

Vail Community Plan 

Vail, Colorado 

Avon East District Plan 

Avon, Colorado 

DEC 

JAN 

FEB 

MAR 

APR 

MAY 

JUN 

START UP 

JUL 

AUG 

SEPT 

OCT 

NOV 

DEC 

MEETING THEMES 

SYSTEMS DIAGRAMS AND 

“DUMB PLAN” PART I 

PRINCIPLE & METRICS 

Task Force 

System Diagram 

THEME 

INFORMATION 

DECISIONS 

PLAY 

PRESENT/DISCUSSION 

DECIDE 

Draft of Policy Document 

Decision: Principals and Metrics 

Principles 

Metrics 

Draft Master Plan 

Site Analysis 

Decision: Interim Approval 

of Policy Document 

PLAY 

PRESENT 

 

DECIDE 

Initial Financial Proforma 

Initiate Plan 

University of Minnesota UMore 

Park: Rosemount, MN 

Initial Financial Proforma 

Initial Master Plan 

Interim approval 

of Master Plan 

Draft Pattern Book 

Interim approval 

of Pattern Book 

Draft Final Master Plan 

Approval of Final Master Plan


Ridge Gate Long Tree, Colorado 

RidgeGate is a 3,500-acre master planned community with the 

potential to serve as Colorado’s best example of “smart growth” 

due to its location adjacent to urbanization with immediate proximity 

to a major transportation corridor that includes light rail. 

Design Workshop created a development vision focused on a concentrated, 

high density, and integrated land use pattern to leverage 

this opportunity. 

Design Workshop led a multi-disciplinary team to achieve 

annexation and zoning of the property in a six-month time frame, 

which also included a vote of citizens to approve the annexation. 

The zoning allows for a series of highly flexible, mixed-use planning 

areas that promote integrated commercial, civic, and residential 

development. 

Kierland Commons Phoenix, Arizona 

Kierland Commons is a 38-acre mixed-use development adjacent to 

Scottsdale Road. It serves as the commercial, social and cultural heart 

of the Kierland master-planned community. The plan for Kierland 

Commons includes a 535,000-square-foot mixed-use program, which 

includes a golf museum, landmark theatre, 130-room hotel, retail and 

restaurants, offices, residential units and a town center park. 

Design Workshop created urban design concepts and proposed 

solutions that resulted in an extraordinary urban shopping 

environment unique to the Phoenix/Scottsdale area. Kierland 

Commons is designed as a pedestrian-oriented center with onstreet 

parking giving immediate access to shops and restaurants. 

A combination of design strategies has been used to create a traditional 

downtown setting with tightly spaced, high-quality retail 

destinations. Climate enhancement and a central plaza that features 

grass, palms and pop-jet fountains make Kierland Commons 

the most distinguished public destination in the region. 

Riverfront Park Denver, Colorado 

Riverfront Park has emerged from a 60-acre former rail yard 

located next to Denver’s existing downtown core. There are only 

a few “clean slates” of this size that sit next to a major downtown 

area in the country. Design Workshop prepared a master plan for 

Trillium Corporation, former owner and developer of the property 

that included over six million square feet of mixed-use development 

with residential, hotel, retail, office, and intermodal uses. 

The firm worked closely with Trillium, the City of Denver planning 

staff and a 20-person citizen task force to achieve consensus 

on the proposed plan, zoning, and design guidelines.


applied ecological services, inc. 

17921 Smith Road 

P.O. Box 256 

Brodhead, WI 53520 

Contact: Steve Apfelbaum, M.S. 

telephone 608.897.8641, fax 608.897.8486 

www.appliedeco.com 

At Applied Ecological Services, Inc. (AES) we solve real-world problems with practical approaches. By identifying 

where humans and nature are potentially in conflict, and where we can potentially cooperate, we can provide leadership 

in resolving conflicts in favor of sustainable natural systems. Good science is the foundation of our business. 

Projects that impact natural systems require sound, scientific underpinnings of precise data, accurate analysis, clear 

understanding of dynamic environmental processes and thorough familiarity with pertinent regulations. Beyond this, 

creative problem solving is needed to achieve client, stakeholder and regulatory goals. Finally, plans must be carefully 

implemented and progress monitored to ensure desired outcomes are achieved. 

We integrate natural functions with client needs. AES has undertaken complex environmental projects with exemplary 

results for more than 25 years. We’ve shown that the science of ecology can inform all land-use and property asset management 

decisions. Multiple benefits accrue from this approach, including benefits to commerce. Brownfield redevelopment, 

landfill reclamation, and industrial development or redevelopment all demonstrate positive impacts from this 

ecological approach, often at lower costs compared to traditional engineering solutions. Even globalscale issues such as 

air and water quality, soils restoration, wildlife conservation and global warming are positively impacted. 

We balance ecology, economics and society. Working with natural systems requires good science. Good science 

requires a serious commitment. At AES, we embrace that commitment for future generations. We create ecologically 

driven land use solutions that are practical, economical, and based on the best science and technology. We strive to 

inspire and enable the careful stewardship of land, life, water, soil and air. As industry leaders in science and restoration, 

Applied Ecological Services, Inc. (AES) is a broadbased ecological consulting, contracting and restoration firm 

that was founded in 1978. Our staff of experienced scientists and project managers is adept at tackling difficult and 

unique environmental problems on a variety of scales. AES has been the principal ecological consultant in many 

diverse, large-scale restoration and site remediation projects, including creative developments and beneficial reuse projects 

that have drawn national acclaim. As industry leaders in ecological science and restoration, AES scientists have 

developed state-of-the-art mitigation and restoration techniques that are now employed by ecological contracting services 

throughout the country. In addition to expertise in restoration ecology, we have extensive experience with mine 

and quarry reclamation, brownfield mitigation and ecotoxicological assessment of environmentally sensitive habitats. 

At AES, our consulting ecologists, engineers, landscape architects, planners and professional contracting staff 

approach all projects with a solid foundation in science. Informed decisions result in completed projects, satisfied clients 

and sustainable ecological systems. 

Part of the AES success story springs from our turnkey Ecological Systems Approach, used in all projects to identify 

and alleviate major obstacles before they create complex problems. This approach integrates ecological science 

with all other aspects of a project, including our numerous professional relationships with other specialist firms, to 

significantly enhance project implementation and outcomes.

Resume 

Steven I. Apfelbaum, M.S. 

President and Principal Ecologist 

EDUCATION 

Master of Ecological and 

Biological Sciences, 1978 

University of Illinois 

Bachelor of Liberal Arts and 

Sciences, 1976 

University of Illinois 

Associate in Science, 1974 

William Rainey Harper College 

AFFILIATIONS 

Ecological Society of America 

Society of Wetland Scientists 

Red River of the North Technical 

Science and Advisory Committee 

Multiple other professional 

organizations 

CERTIFICATIONS 

Certified Senior Ecologist 

Ecological Society of America 

AWARDS & APPOINTMENTS 

APA National Planning Award, 

City of Liberty, Missouri Future 

Land Use Plan 

U.S. Forest Service Appointment to 

Scientific Roundtable on Biological 

Diversity 

Multiple Awards: Prairie Crossing 

Design Team 

Wisconsin ASLA Recognition 

Award for Environmental 

Enhancement 

QUALIFICATIONS AND TEAM ASSIGNMENT 

Steven has conducted ecological research, designed award-winning 

projects, successfully navigated regulatory programs, and contributed his 

unique creative scientific expertise and enthusiasm to over 1,500 projects 

throughout North America and beyond. He is one of the leading 

ecological consultants in the U.S., providing technical restoration advice 

and win-win solutions where ecological and land development conflicts 

arise. Apfelbaum has authored hundreds of technical studies, peerreviewed 

technical papers, books, reports, ecological restoration plans, 

and regulatory monitoring and compliance reports. He promotes using 

ecological and conservation design principles in developments, industrial 

projects and parks that help clients save money while increasing ecological 

functionality, improving public perception and generating award-winning 

outcomes. Apfelbaum is also a much sought after speaker at educational 

events focusing on ecological restoration, ecosystem assessment, 

alternative stormwater management and conservation development. 

PROJECT EXPERIENCE 

Freshkills Landfill Final Closure and Restoration Planning 

Staten Island, New York City. 

Flambeau Copper Mine Design-Build Closure and Restoration 

Ladysmith, Wisconsin 

Prairie Crossing Conservation Development Design, Permitting, 

Management, Education and Construction Oversight 

Grayslake, Illinois 

Noisette Preserve 3,000-Acre Conservation Development Design 

North Charleston, South Carolina 

Kansas City Natural Resource Inventory and Conservation Plan 

Kansas City, Missouri 

Zaca Preserve Conservation Development Design 

Solvang, California 

Penterra Conservation Development & Regulatory Design 

Carlisle, Pennsylvania 

Sahbra Farms New Town Development with Greenway, 

Stormwater Utility and Water Supply Planning 

Streetsboro, Ohio 

Wild Meadows Conservation Development 

Medina, Minnesota 

Reinvestment and Redevelopment Planning 

Detroit, Louisville, Milwaukee, Toronto, Omaha and St. Paul

Jacob Blue, M.S., RLA 

Ecological Designer/ 

Landscape Architect 

EDUCATION 

M.S. in Landscape Architecture, 

University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, 

May 2000. 

Thesis: The Results of Subcanopy 

Reduction in an Oak-Hickory 

Woodland on Soil Properties and 

Regeneration of Groundlayer Flora. 

B.L.A. in Landscape Architecture, 

Pennsylvania State University, State 

College, PA, 1997. 

Emphasis in Wildlife and Fisheries 

Sciences. 

REGISTRATIONS 

Registered Landscape Architect, 

Wisconsin 

Pennsylvania 

Texas 

AFFILIATIONS 

Wild Ones: Native Plants, Natural 

Landscaping 


Architects 

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE 

Ecological Designer/Landscape 

Architect 

Director of Landscape Architecture 

Department. 

Applied Ecological Services, 17921 Smith 

Road, Brodhead, WI. 53520 

July 2003-Present. 

Associate Landscape Architect 

James C. Scott and Associates, 

Bloomfield Hills, MI. 

May 2000-July 2003. 

QUALIFICATIONS AND TEAM ASSIGNMENT 

After arriving at Applied Ecological Services (AES) Blue worked in 

the Native Landscapes Division, a design-build division of AES, 

preparing designs for residential and commercial sites and then 

working closely with the installation crew of these designs, at times 

leading and participating in the installation phase. As part of the 

Native Landscape Division Blue was able to experiment with the 

design of native plants in formal and informal settings, experience 

the growth habit of native plants in different site conditions, and 

develop a hands-on understanding of how to use native plants most 

effectively. Blue applied previous construction and landscape 

maintenance experience to the design process. In addition to 

designing, Blue often oversaw the budgets for Native Landscapes 

Division projects. 

Presently, Blue manages the landscape architecture department at 

AES. As a senior landscape architect he provides design direction 

and oversight as well as experiential expertise for large and small 

scale design and restoration projects. Because of his understanding 

of native plants and his design abilities, Blue is keenly aware of the 

public perceptions of restoration, preservation and native plants. He 

has provided key design leadership for corporate campus restoration 

plans, urban stream stabilization projects, conservation development 

projects, campus plans, and residential rain gardens. In addition he 

has led professional design charrettes, incorporating both scientific 

and design/aesthetic needs of a site. Blue is a registered Landscape 

Architect and has conducted graduate ecology research. 

Blue received his MS from the University of Wisconsin in 2000. His 

master's thesis focused on methods for controlling sugar maple in a 

south/central Illinois oak-hickory woodland and the subsequent 

effect on soil and plant regeneration. During his graduate work at the 

UW, Blue was a teaching assistant for landscape design, graphic and 

grading courses. He received his BLA from Penn State University in 

1997 where he also received a minor in wildlife and fishery sciences. 

While at Penn State, Blue was TA for the first wetland design course 

co-taught by faculty from both the landscape architecture department 

and PSU's cooperative wetland program. Blue joined the design 

team at AES in 2003 after working in a traditional landscape 

architectural design office in the Detroit metro area. He has three 

years of traditional landscape architectural design experience, and 

three years of landscape architecture instruction experience. Blue’s 

projects before joining AES included municipal, corporate, 

institutional and private residential landscapes. 

Jacob Blue, M.S., R.L.A. 1


Johnson Creek Arlington, Texas 

Applied Ecological Services, Inc. (AES) was retained to restore 

Johnson Creek, a community creek that had become extremely 

degraded throughout recent years because of development and pollution. 

The creek is on the border of the new Dallas Cowboys Stadium 

construction site and it was in danger of becoming parking 

lot until the community stepped in. 

Zona Rosa Mixed-Use 

Development & Rush Creek 

Restoration Gladstone, Missouri 

In 2001, Applied Ecological Services, Inc., was asked to assist in 

the design and installation of restoring the native ecosystems of the 

stream and riparian corridor on the 200-acre property of this proposed 

mixed-use development in Kansas City, Missouri. Following 

our analysis of over 1,950 linear feet of Rush Creek, a degraded stream 

within the property, AES designed restoration and bioengineering 

strategies for four different zones requiring various treatments. AES 

installed all aspects of this project. 

City of Toronto Lower Don 

Lands Revitalization Toronto, Canada 

Applied Ecological Services, Inc. (AES) was retained to restore 

natural systems at the mouth of the Don River which is located in 

an industrial waterfront setting in downtown Toronto. AES’s team 

(Partnered with MVVA) won an International Design Competition 

and in turn, acquired the job. AES is in the process of creating 

an overall vision for integrating the Lower Don Lands with other 

City waterfront projects. With that vision, AES will integrate biodiversity 

and ecosystem health with sustainable multi-use development 

and upgraded park and transit systems.


stv inc. 

Four Gateway Center, Suite 325 

Pittsburgh, PA 15222-1223 

Contact: Matthew E. Smith, PE 

Matthew.Smith@stvinc.com 

412-392-3500 

STV is a leading multidisciplined consulting firm providing in-house expertise in planning, site development, architecture, 

landscape design, engineering, and construction management. Corporatewide, STV employs more than 1,450 

professionals, technicians, and support staff in 30 offices. 

The local offices of STV consist of more than 300 professional and technical staff providing architecture, land planning, 

landscape design, civil engineering, transportation/traffic engineering, structural engineering, environmental, 

and surveying services. STV also offers a full complement of related services, including: master planning, site feasibility 

studies, sediment control and stormwater management design, environmental planning, infrastructure design, 

construction management and administration, and fully staffed CADD/GIS and reprographic departments. 

STV’s professional staff have provided services on diverse projects for private and local governmental clients. The 

firm has a record of reliability in fulfilling contracts within scheduled deadlines and budgetary constraints with consistently 

high standards of performance. We recognize the need for a combination of interdisciplinary professional 

experts, including architects, planners, engineers, landscape architects, environmental specialists, contractors, owners, 

and users in development of successful projects. This all-encompassing effort has resulted in a history of successful 

projects throughout the United States. 

STV has successfully completed residential, industrial, institutional, and commercial retail development projects in 

Pennsylvania and the Northeast, all of which have required community presentations, consensus building, master 

plan preparation, participation in design charrettes, and partnering with community associations and tenant council 

groups. We are quite familiar with the process of obtaining approvals for selected plans from departments of public 

works, planning departments, planning commissions, and local zoning boards. 

STV has been at the forefront of developing planning and design alternatives and solutions that build consensus 

among stakeholders. Our unmatched experience in project management provides us with the necessary sensitivity and 

background to resolve the often compelling constraints of design complexities.


matthew e. smith, p.e. | Project Manager 

Mr. Smith is a civil engineer and project manager with more than 15 years of experience on a wide assortment of site 

development projects. His technical expertise includes site design, site grading, stormwater management, erosion and sediment 

pollution control, land development, and municipal approvals and meetings. As a manager, Mr. Smith is responsible 

for business development for all engineering disciplines of existing and future clients, contract procurement, certificate of 

insurance compliance, preparing technical proposals, and managing project budgets. Additional responsibilities include staff 

management, workload projections, job accounting review, and client invoicing and payment follow-up. 

Education 

Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering Technology; 1993 

Relevant Projects 

» PA Turnpike Commission Roadway and Bridge Widening 

» West Chester University Operations and Maintenance Facility 

» WV Department of Transportation Roadway and Bridge Project 

dawn m. spence, p.e. | Civil Engineer 

Ms. Spence is a civil engineer and project manager with more than 12 years of experience on a wide assortment of site development 

projects, including commercial and residential facilities, airports, and pipelines. She has expertise in site layout, site grading, 

erosion and sediment control, sanitary sewer design, waterline design, construction stakeout, and municipal approvals. 

Education 

Masters of Business Administration, 2006; Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering, 1992 


» Bowers & Associates, Residential Utilities, Walking Trails, Wetlands 

» Buckeye Pipe Line Medford Commons Pipeline Relocation 

» Sunoco Pipeline Menards Pipeline Relocation 

» Sunoco Pipeline Dayton Terminal Dike Renovation 

» Sunoco Pipeline Hudson Pump Station Dike Renovation 

richard j. cotter, p.e. | Civil Engineer/Stormwater Management 

Mr. Cotter has over 35 years experience directing an extensive list of projects including, commercial and residential subdivision, 

public water supplies, sanitary sewer system, highways, storm water management projects and buildings. He has 

provided design services including the preparation of plans and specifications and construction management services. He 

has been the consultant to a variety of private and public clients providing presentations in many public settings, including 

acting as the professional witness. He is experienced with many computer programs Autocad, Land Development, TR-20, 

TR-55 and VTPSU/HM. 

Education 

Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering, 1968 


» Patterson-Erie Corporation Residential Subdivisions 

» Riverside Shopping Plaza, Franklin, PA – Commercial site development 

» City of Hermitage, PA – Provided review of all commercial and residential subdivisions


steven m. sottung, leed®ap | Environmental 

Mr. Sottung is an environmental scientist with more than 25 years of diversified environmental experience. He has had 

extensive involvement in media characterization for hazardous waste constituents, soil remediation design, detailed site 

investigations, ecological risk assessment, and benthic macroinvertebrate, and fish sampling methods for private and government 

clients. Mr. Sottung has managed project teams responsible for all aspects of ten NEPA Environmental Assessment 

programs at a government training facility, as well as for numerous other projects requiring hazardous waste assessments, 

wetland delineations/habitat assessments, and hazardous materials assessment and management. 

Education 

Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology; 1980 


» Overland Contracting Inc. PSE&G Substations 

» DuPage County Division of Transportation Munger Road Study 

» PA Turnpike Commission Mon/Fayette Transportation Project 

Westport Waterfront Baltimore, Maryland 

Westport Waterfront will be a new transit-oriented, waterfront 

community that will occupy 55 acres on the Middle Branch’s 

western shore in Baltimore City. The area, occupied by the Carr 

Lowrey glass manufacturing facility, Constellation Energy generating 

station, D&G Brice Concrete Company, amongst other 

industrial uses, is in various phases of demolition. The site includes 

approximately a 4,000-ft shoreline, is in close proximity to I-295, 

and adjoins a light rail station and the Gwynn Falls trail, providing 

an opportunity for a variety of transportation connections. 

Erekson Development 

Penn Hills, Pennsylvania 

Formerly the site of the Atlas Cement Factory, this 216-acre site in 

the Municipality of Penn Hills is being redeveloped to include 275 

single-family housing units, community parks, a light industrial/ 

business park, and a community retail center. STV is providing 

master planning services for the site, which is in a suburb of Pittsburgh, 

PA. The site was formerly used for the cement factory along 

the lower lying areas where Pennsylvania Railroad access is possible. 

The remaining two thirds of the site slopes up from the railroad 

as much as 145 feet, and remains wooded/undeveloped. The 

Penn Hills Zoning Map proposes to retain the industrial uses but 

allow for future residential development on the higher elevations.


walter kulash, p.e. | traffic engineer 

Walter Kulash, P.E. 

32 Blands Knob Road 

P.O. Box 252 

Little Switzerland, NC 28749 

407.843.6552 

Over 28 years of engineering experience in traffic planning for new private development, planning 

public street systems and developing public transit. Walter Kulash has focused on restoring balance to 

our streets, improving not just their performance for vehicular traffic but also their livability, appeal 

for non-motorized travel, as good environments for business, and as focal points of civic pride and 

enthusiasm. This approach, now a part of the “new urbanism” and “context sensitive” road design, has 

included the design of new communities and, the “retro-fitting” of existing damaged areas, such as 

strip commercial and early-generation shopping malls, and the addition of “missing” transportation 

elements, such as Light Rail Transit and self-propelled modes of travel, into existing streets. 

Project Areas 

» 

» 

» 

» 

» 

» 

Designing/Redesigning roads to better fit their context: Rural and town road design on Route 50 in 

Virginia; boulevard plan for a town center area on Ironbound Road, Williamsburg, Virginia, reconfiguration 

of interchanges in Norfolk. 

Repairing and reclaiming battered urban arterials: Reducing lanes on NY5 in Hamburg, New York; 

forming town centers and park areas on Route 51 in suburban Pittsburgh. 

Restoring major downtown streets as important civic areas: Second/Third Streets, forming a major 

boulevard in downtown Cincinnati; transitioning Route 22 from a strip corridor to a town center 

corridor in Monroeville, Pennsylvania; converting the road ring around Baltimore’s Inner Harbor to 

a pedestrian and visitor-friendly environment. 

Interventions in announced road plans: Route 179 through Red Rocks area in Sedona, Arizona; 

revisiting of plans for freeway through Shelby Farms in Memphis, Tennessee; expert testimony for 

the withdrawal of plans for a surface freeway through South Pasadena, California; critical review and 

alternative for the Mon-Fayette Expressway in Pittsburgh. 

Residential street design: street designs for numerous communities, including Bluffton, South Carolina; 

Centerville, Ohio; Liberty, California; Suffolk, Virginia. 

Town Center Streets: New urbanist street and block layouts in Knoxville, TN, and Winter Park, FL, 

Williamsburg, VA. 

Education 

Post-Graduate Studies, Civil Engineering (Transportation Planning and Systems Analysis), Northwestern 

University, Chicago, Illinois; Master of Business Administration, University of North Carolina, 

Chapel Hill, North Carolina (1965); Bachelor of Science, Industrial Engineering, North Carolina 

State University, Raleigh, North Carolina (1964)


robert charles lesser & co 

7200 Wisconsin Ave, 7th Floor 

Bethesda, MD 20814 

telephone 240.644.1307, fax: 240.644.1311 

www.rclco.com 

As the nation’s leading independent economic real estate advisory services firm, RCLCO helps the real estate industry and 

public sector clients make sound decisions about development, management, investment and corporate strategy issues. With 

offices in the Washington, D.C., area (Bethesda, Maryland); Los Angeles; Atlanta; and Orlando, we have extensive experience 

in virtually every real estate product type. We complete over 600 projects annually for clients that include public sector 

entities, real estate developers, financial institutions, institutional investors, private investors and Fortune 500 companies. 

Some of the services we provide for our clients include: 

» Market Analysis including site assessment, case studies of analogous projects, and supply and demand analyses to put the 

consumer research in context with the market. This includes preparing statistical demand analyses to forecast demand for 

residential, retail, office, industrial and hotel uses. 

» Consumer Research including demographic, psychographic, home-graphic, and community preference studies, to determine 

market depth from the various feeder markets, and to help our clients devise a clearly defined vision and deep 

knowledge of the target market audience to optimize the effectiveness of community and housing designs and marketing 

strategies. 

» Financial Analysis including project pro-forma and cash flow analysis, optimization analysis, and sensitivity/variance 

analysis to test and optimize the development program to maximize profit potential. This also includes fiscal impact 

analysis for public and private entities. 

» Development Services including working with public sector and non-developer private clients to move a development 

strategy from concept to implementation. 

» Transactional Services including acquisition and disposition strategies, complex financial arrangement, partnerships and 

public-private partnerships. 

For 40 years, our experienced professionals have advised clients on the strategic and tactical aspects of real estate development. 

Our work has included market analyses of residential, retail, office, industrial, hotel and mixed-use developments; 

fiscal and economic impact studies; studies of land use policy issues, including government finance and land use planning 

topics; valuations; and urban center revitalization efforts. We customize our services to address our client’s individual needs, 

supported by both quantitative analysis and creative problem solving. 

We pride ourselves on becoming an integral part of the client’s team, and work diligently and practically with land planners, 

architects, engineers, public sector agencies, environmentalists, consumer groups and other interested parties. We not only 

recommend actionable strategies, we are committed to the successful implementation of the recommendations we make. 


» Easton Town Center, Columbus, Ohio 

» Hamilton Place, Chattanooga, Tennessee 

» Cedar Park Town Center, Austin, Texas


Leonard Bogorad 

Managing Director 

TEAM BIOS 

Areas of Specialization: residential developments of all types, including large-scale mixed-use 

projects and master-planned communities, neo-traditional communities, multifamily rental 

apartment complexes, condominiums, independent living and assisted living facilities, and 

attached and detached single-family homes; metropolitan development trends; retail, office, 

and industrial projects; and fiscal and economic impact analysis. 

Leonard Bogorad is a Managing Director based in our Washington, D.C., office. 

In his 17 years at RCLCO, Len has directed hundreds of consulting engagements, including 

work on such notable projects as Downtown Silver Spring, Reston Town Center, and National 

Harbor, as well as numerous particular residential, retail, office, hotel, and mixed-use and 

master-planned community developments throughout the United States. Prior to joining RCLCO, Leonard was 

Senior Vice President and Director of the Washington office of Real Estate Research Corporation (RERC). Before 

joining RERC, Leonard served as Director of Housing and Neighborhood Development for the Metropolitan Area 

Planning Council in Boston; Senior Staff Associate for the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities; and 

development consultant for a firm in New Haven, Connecticut. 

Len graduated from Harvard University, and received a Masters in City Planning degree from the University of 

Pennsylvania. He has spoken for organizations such as the Urban Land Institute, the National Association of 

Senior Living Industries, and the Northern Virginia Building Industries Association. He has also written articles 

published in The Journal of Real Estate Development, Mortgage Banker, Corridor Real Estate Journal, Industrial 

Development, Tax Credit Advisor, The Washington Post, Real Estate Finance Journal, Urban Land, and 

Washington Business Journal. He is a full member of the Urban Land Institute and serves on the ULI Washington 

District Council Executive Committee, as well as on the Urban Land Institute Senior Housing Council. He is also 

active in the Northern Virginia Building Industries Association (NVBIA). 

Troy Palma 

Principal 

Areas of Specialization: residential, retail, mixed-use, master-planned community, resort, and 

golf. 

Troy Palma is a Principal in our Washington, D.C., office. His consulting practice focuses on real 

estate market analysis, detailed project financial analysis, fiscal and economic impact 

assessment, and strategic planning services. 

Since joining the firm in 1991, Troy has conducted consulting studies on a full range of real 

estate land uses throughout the country, including residential, office, retail, hotel/conference, 

golf, and resort. In addition, his experience includes urban mixed-use, suburban master-planned communities, 

new urbanism, and town center developments.


A graduate of Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, Troy earned a Bachelor of Business Administration 

degree with an emphasis in marketing. He is currently involved with the Northern Virginia and Maryland National 

Capital Building Industry Associations, and the Urban Land Institute. 

Christian Winkler 

Principal 

Areas of Specialization: concept development, market and financial feasibility, development 

partnership formation, development team assembly, and strategic guidance. 

Christian Winkler is based in our Washington, D.C., office. He is responsible for developing 

new business, executing engagements, and managing operations for RCLCO’s Development 

Services Group (DSG). 

During his five-year tenure with RCLCO, Christian has contributed to over one hundred 

projects nationwide – determining market and financial feasibility, optimizing the development 

program, devising the development strategy, and guiding clients through the often complex 

development process. Christian’s clients include landowners, trusts, corporations, institutions, and the public 

sector. His services include concept development, market and financial feasibility, development partner 

solicitation and partnership negotiation, development team assembly, deal structuring, entitlement assistance, 

and ongoing strategic guidance. He is presently involved with the development of a 700,000-square foot urban 

mixed-use retail and office project in St. Louis, Missouri, as well as the redevelopment of a significant commercial 

property in downtown Washington, D.C. 

Christian holds a Master of Science in Real Estate Development from Columbia University and a Bachelor of 

Science in Management from Syracuse University. He is a native speaker of German and conversant in French. 

Shyam Kannan 

Vice President – Director of Research and Development 

Areas of Specialization: 

Green buildings, urban infill development, sustainable development, urban revitalization 

strategies, mixed-use development, and urban retail development. 

Shyam Kannan is a Vice President based in our Washington, D.C., office. 

Shyam has expertise in all aspects of urban real estate development, including large-scale 

mixed-use ventures, complex infill projects, and high-rise mixed-use developments. He has 

provided his expertise in urban economic development to a variety of large and small 

municipal governments, and has advised clients on urban infill projects from New York to San Francisco. He also 

leads RCLCO’s research endeavors surrounding changing consumer preferences for residential products as well 

as trends in the green building movement. 

Shyam received a Masters in Public Policy and Urban Planning from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of 

Government and Graduate School of Design. Prior to that, Shyam earned his Bachelor's in Government, with a 

concentration in Urban and Environmental Planning, from the University of Virginia.


bricker & eckler llp 

100 South Third Street 


Contact: Price D. Finley 

telephone 614.227.4843, fax 614.227.2390 

www.bricker.com 

Bricker & Eckler is one of Ohio’s leading law firms. Located in Columbus, Cleveland and Cincinnati-Dayton, the firm 

represents individuals as well as municipalities, corporations, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, health care 

facilities and school districts. 

At Bricker & Eckler, we are dedicated to providing superior client service through our focus on the industries in which 

our clients do business. Health care, insurance, financial services, manufacturing, construction, and real estate are examples 

of the key industries we serve. In addition, our attorneys offer extensive experience in a variety of specialized practice areas, 

including municipal bonds, litigation, corporate boards and officers, public utilities, environmental issues, and tax and estate 

planning, to name a few. 

Bricker & Eckler was founded in 1944 by John W. Bricker, a three-term Ohio governor, two-term U.S. senator from 

Ohio, and a former candidate for vice president of the United States. Today, we continue our founder’s tradition of public 

service by placing our clients and our communities first. 

Over the years, Bricker & Eckler has been pleased to take part in numerous innovative and successful projects that have 

benefited citizens and assisted communities across the State of Ohio. These partnerships have allowed us to become familiar 

with the wide spectrum of legal issues and concerns that public entities face when implementing an economic development 

program. With the help of this experience, Bricker & Eckler is prepared to create the most thorough, beneficial and 

cost-effective plan to meet the specific needs of the Big Darby Accord Town Center. 

Based on the broad range of needs required for the Big Darby project, we have assembled a diverse group of lawyers and 

other professionals. 

Overall, we feel that our experience and knowledge of economic development projects make us extremely qualified to handle 

your needs. Additionally, we believe that our flexibility with regard to billings differentiates us from our competitors. Our firm is 

more than willing to negotiate in order to decide on a fee that is comfortable for our clients. We look forward to hopefully cultivating 

a partnership together, working on Town Center project, and lending our skills and services to the Big Darby Accord team. 


Concord/Scioto Community Authority – Wastewater Treatment Facility and Intergovernmental Cooperative 

Agreement 

Bricker & Eckler created a community authority encompassing over 1,000 acres in Delaware County for the primary purpose 

of facilitating the construction and financing of a wastewater treatment facility and potable water line extensions to be 

operated by Delaware County and by Del-Co Water Company. 

Stormwater Management 

Bricker & Eckler currently represents and has represented several public and private entities with respect to stormwater 

management and related issues. 

Water and Wastewater Facilities 

Bricker & Eckler currently represents and has represented several municipalities, regional sewer and water districts, and 

semi-private treatment facilities in the construction, maintenance and expansion of water and wastewater facilities.


pfinley@bricker.com 

phone 614.227.8897 

fax 614.227.2390 

Columbus Office 



PRICE D. FINLEY 

PARTNER 

VICE CHAIR, PUBLIC SECTOR INDUSTRY GROUP 

INDUSTRIES 

Public Sector 

Real Estate 

Investment Banking & Structured Finance 

AREAS OF PRACTICE 

Price Finley is a partner with Bricker & Eckler LLP and Vice-Chair of the Public Sector 

group. He is also the President of the firm's affiliate economic development consulting 

company, Argus Growth Consultants, Ltd. Price's work experience includes bond 

financing and economic development finance. He has helped communities, developers, 

and underwriters structure tax increment financings, community authorities and special 

assessment programs. Price has also assisted with the formation and structuring of joint 

economic development districts, cooperative economic development agreements, 

community improvement corporations, port authorities, regional planning commissions, 

and enterprise zone and community reinvestment area abatement programs. 

REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE 

Counsel with respect to the creation of more than fifty tax increment financing 

projects during the past five years. 

Underwriter's counsel for Ohio's first tax increment revenue bond financing 

secured by special assessment. 

Bond counsel for Ohio's first certificate of participation financing involving a 

state agency lease of a privately-owned building. 

Bond counsel for Ohio's first new community authority public offering to be 

structured without a developer letter of credit (used to finance infrastructure 

improvements such as roads, water, sewer, etc.) 

Underwriter's and special tax counsel for West Virginia's first sales tax TIF 

bond issue. 

Bond counsel for first certificate of participation financing by an Ohio school 

district under statutory procedural guidelines. 

Bond and special counsel for numerous economic development matters, 

including tax increment financing, enterprise zones, community reinvestment 

areas, community authority financing and special assessment district financing. 

EDUCATION 

Capital University (B.A., magna cum laude, 1986) 

The Ohio State University (M.B.A., 1989, emphasis in Finance) 

The Ohio State University (J.D., 1990)


fmerrill@bricker.com 

phone 614.227.8871 

fax 614.227.2390 

Columbus Office 



FRANK L. MERRILL 

PARTNER, CHAIR OF ENERGY & ENVIRONMENTAL 

PRACTICE GROUP 

INDUSTRIES 

• Manufacturing & Logistics 

• Real Estate 

• Public Sector 

AREAS OF PRACTICE 

Environmental law, emphasizing the effect of environmental law on real estate 

transactions, solid and hazardous waste representation, land use, Clean Water Act and 

Clean Air Act litigation and commercial real estate transactions. 

REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE 

• Environmental counsel for Ohio Manufacturers Association (OMA) 

• Successfully obtained and defended through administrative process operating 

permits for several solid waste disposal facilities. 

• Successfully defended hazardous waste burning facilities from various 

regulatory and citizen-group challenges. 

• Counsel hazardous waste disposal facilities and hazardous waste generators 

on compliance with RCRA, TSCA, Clean Water Act and Clean Air Act. 

• Represents lenders in numerous commercial real estate transactions. 

• Counsel real estate developers and private property owners on wetlands 

issues and regulatory takings claims. 

COMMUNITY AND PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES 

• Member, American, Ohio State and Columbus Bar Associations 

• Ohio Alliance for the Environment, Past President, Advisor to the Board of 

Directors 

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION 

• Listed in The Best Lawyers in America (environmental law) 2005-2008 

• Listed in Ohio Super Lawyers, 2008 

EDUCATION 

• Dartmouth College (B.A., 1981) 

• University of Cincinnati College of Law (J.D., 1987)


v references 

URBAN DESIGN 

ASSOCIATES 

DESIGN 

WORKSHOP 

APPLIED 

ECOLOGICAL 

SERVICES, INC. 

STV INC. 

WALTER KULASH 

ROBERT CHARLES 

LESSER & CO 

BRICKER & 

ECKLER LLP 

Carl Metzger 

City Manager 

City of Ankeny 

410 West First Street 

Ankeny, IA 50023 

515.965.6407 

Union Park 

Mayor of Las Vegas 

Mayor Oscar B. Goodman 

City Of Las Vegas 

400 Stewart Avenue 

Las Vegas, NV 89101 

702.229.6535 

Noisette Preserve 

Jim Augustin or John Knott 

Noisette Company 

1360 Truxtun Avenue 

North Charleston, SC 29405 

843.302.2100 

Jeffrey Grimm 

Assistant Vice President for Facilities 

Kutztown University 

P.O. Box 730 

Kutztown, PA 19530 

610.683.4120 

Robert Reeves 

University Circle, Inc. 

10831 Magnolia Drive 

Cleveland, OH 44106 

216.791.3900 

Yaromir Steiner 

Steiner & Associates 

4016 Townsfair Way 

Suite 201 


614.414.7300 

Carl R. Styers C.P.A. 

Finance Director 

Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission 

111 Liberty Street, Suite 100 

Columbus OH 43215 

614.233.4136 

cstyers@morpc.org 

Keith McCoy, Vice President 

Urban Community Partners, LLC. 

24571 Silver Cloud Court, Ste. 101 

Monterey, CA 93940 

831.647.2446 

keith.mccoy@ 

urbancommunitypartners.com 

Domain 

Chad Marsh, Principal 

Endeavor Real Estate Group 

221 West 6th Street, Suite 1300 

Austin, TX 78701 

512.682.5525 

cmarsh@endeavor-re.com 

Zona Rosa 

Steiner & Associates 

4016 Townsfair Way, Suite 201 


614.414.7300 

Michael Allen 816.741-5900 

James Van Trese, 

Secretary/Treasurer 

Erekson Corporation 

Penn Hills-Atlas Cement Plant 

Redevelopment 

2997 S. 3000 West 

Salt Lake City, UT 84115 

801.486.1399 

David M. Hill, 

City of Knoxville 

South Waterfront Development 

City County Building 

400 Main Street 

Knoxville, TN 37902 

865.215.3764 

dhill@cityofknoxville.org 

Barry Bennett, Executive Director 

Chattanooga-Hamilton County 

Regional Planning Agency 

1250 Market Street, Suite 2000, 

Development Resource Center 

Chattanooga, TN 37402 

423. 757.5216 

Hugh J. Dorrian C.P.A. 

City Auditor 

City of Columbus 

Room 109 

90 West Broad Street 

Columbus OH 43215 

614.645.7615 

hjdorrian@columbus.gov 

Casey Sowers 

GBS Holding, Ltd. 

507 Branchway Road 

Richmond, VA 23236 

804.794.0681 

caseysowers@aol.com 

Kendall Yards, Marshall Chesrown 

Black Rock Development CEO 

Black Rock Development, LLC 

912 Northwest Blvd. 

Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814 

208.665.2005 

marshallc@blackrockidaho.com 

Lower Don Lands Revitalization 

Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, 

Inc. 

231 Concord Avenue 

Cambridge, MA 02138 

617.864.2076 

Michael Van Valkenburgh or 

Elizabeth Silver 

Mitchell Posner, Director 

Govans Ecumenical Development 

Corporation (GEDCO) c/o 

Stadium Place 

5513 York Road 

Baltimore, MD 21212 

443.433.2442 

Jeff Welch, Director 

Knoxville Regional Transportation 

Planning Organization 

400 Main Street Suite 403 

Knoxville, TN 37902 

865.215.3790 

jeff.welch@knoxtrans.org 

Henry W. Stewart 

President 

British American Development 

Corp. 

7302 Anaqua Drive 

Austin, TX 78750 

512.345.5153 

Mr. Daniel B. Bennington Esq. 

City Attorney 

City of Delaware 

One South Sandusky Street 

Delaware OH 43015 

740.203.1014 

dbennington@delawareohio.net


vi scope of services 

Summary of the Proposed Planning Process 

All master plans of Urban Design Associates (UDA) are created in open, participatory design processes. The planning 

process for the Big Darby Accord Town Center Master Plan will include the following three phases: (1) 

“Understanding,” in which the UDA team gains a detailed understanding of the opportunities and the goals of the 

site and its stakeholders; (2) “Exploring,” in which the team uses plan and perspective drawings in charrette (working 

session) format to create and evaluate a number of possible plans; and (3) “Deciding,” in which the UDA team and 

stakeholders narrow the choices to arrive at a consensus plan. 

The three planning phases will each be organized around working trips by the consultant team to Columbus, Ohio. 

Public meetings will occur during each of the trips. 

UDA will be at the center of a multi-disciplinary planning team that includes urban designers, landscape architects, 

planners, ecologists and ecological designers, civil engineers, traffic consultants, market analysts, and attorneys. 

Assumptions 

The planning process assumes the following: 

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

6. 

The contracting client will be one of the four public entities of the “Client Group”: Prairie Township, Brown Township, 

Franklin County, or the City of Columbus. 

The Client Group will appoint a project manager who will be the day to day contact person for the consultant team. 

A representative and diverse Steering Committee will be established prior to the onset of the planning work to 

include residents, property owners, business owners, conservation groups, cultural organizations, religious groups, 

government agencies, and others as may be mutually determined. 

Although UDA will be facilitating the public participation planning process, the Client Group and the Steering 

Committee will assist in identifying, contacting, and coordinating the participation of key individuals and groups. 

UDA will have sub-consultants for landscape architecture, ecology, civil engineering, transportation planning, market 

analysis, and land use regulation. 

The objectives of the market study will be to: identify the candidate land uses for the Town Center; quantify the 

demand and development feasibility for those land uses; outline a development strategy, including phasing, absorption 

schedule, and critical success factors; and estimate the financial performance and revenue streams over a time 

period to identify public and private implementation and financial strategies. 

The Planning Process will have Three Phases 

Phase I Data Base and Analysis: Understanding 

Phase II Alternatives: Exploring 

Phase III Final Plan: Deciding 

Each phase will be organized around team trips to Columbus, Ohio.


Trip One in Phase I will involve collection of “hard” data, such as land use, traffic and transit data, utility and storm 

water data, ecological data, historic data, etc. as well as the collection of “soft” data from interviews, focus groups, and 

an initial public meeting with residents, property owners, business persons, major institutions, churches, conservation 

groups, community groups, government officials, and other stakeholders as may be required. 

Trip Two and Three in Phase II will involve two charrettes (working sessions) to explore and test design alternatives. 

The charrettes will each culminate in a public presentation. 

Trip Four in Phase III will include the preparation of a draft plan, and working meetings with stakeholders and a 

public meeting to review the draft plan. 

PHASE I: DATA AND ANALYSIS: UNDERSTANDING 

Phase I will begin with a two day trip (Trip One) to Columbus, Ohio. 

1. Meeting with Steering Committee 

UDA and the sub-consultants will discuss schedule, scope of work, planning process, and data needs. This meeting 

will be preceded by telephone and written coordination between the Town Center project manager and UDA. 

2. Interviews and Focus Groups 

Based on previous coordination with the Town Center project manager, UDA will meet with key individuals and 

focus groups to learn firsthand their perceptions of the issues, the strengths and weaknesses of the Town Center area, 

and their visions for the future. This step allows the UDA team efficiently to become immersed in the culture and 

history of the Accord area, the politics of the process, and any ideas already put forth for the Town Center area. 

3. Collect Data 

Concurrently with the interviews and focus groups, UDA and sub-consultant staff will be photographing the study 

area and environs, and collecting “hard” data, such as land use, topography, previous plans and studies, institutional 

master plans, private development plans, adjacent neighborhood plans, land ownership, utilities, storm water, woodlands, 

wetlands, historic data, demographic and market information, traffic and transit data, etc. The intention is to 

build on the work completed for the 2006 Big Darby Accord Watershed Master Plan and other previous studies. 

4. Public Meeting # 1 

The final event of Trip One will be Public Meeting # 1. The purpose of the public meeting is threefold: 

» to introduce the planning process and planning team 

» to obtain public input early in the process 

» to identify conflicts and controversial areas of concern 

Three questions will be explored: 

» assets and strengths of the Town Center area 

» liabilities and weaknesses of the Town Center area 

» 

visions for the future of the Town Center area


5. Analysis and Synthesis 

The UDA consultant team will return to their offices to prepare base drawings, diagrams called UDA X-Rays® and 

other urban design, ecological, engineering, market, and legal analyses. The team will be preparing this material 

for Trip Two, the first design charrette in Phase II, Alternatives. Critical to this phase will be the preparation of a 

development suitability plan that will evaluate the suitability of portions of the site against development types. The 

evaluation will be based on an analysis of the ecological constraints, potential ecosystem services available and the 

estimated cost of development types in different environs. This drawing is critical for the recognizing the most cost 

effective and efficient use of the site in order to achieve the most progressive charrette possible. 

PHASE II: ALTERNATIVES: DISCOVERING 

Phase II will be done primarily in Columbus over two design charrettes (working sessions). The key members of the 

UDA consultant team will travel to Columbus. The two trips will also involve working sessions with the Steering 

Committee, focus group meetings, and public meetings. The first charrette will establish planning frameworks and a 

development strategy. The second charrette will produce the master plan and implementation program. 

6. Frameworks and Development Strategy Charrette 

a. Kick-off meeting with Steering Committee 

The UDA consultant team, including sub-consultants, will present the results of the analysis and synthesis 

work to the Steering Committee. 

b. Design Charrette 

The UDA consultant team will set up shop in a publicly accessible space in the Town Center project area. 

Frameworks for roads, open space, ecosystem services, storm water management, and conservation will be 

developed and reviewed during the charrette with the Steering Committee, the Client Group, and others, 

such as the persons who were in the interviews and focus groups in Step 2 above. Also a preliminary development 

program, development strategy, and time line will be prepared. An open house will be scheduled for 

the public to observe the charrette in progress. 

The charrette process, pioneered by UDA, works very effectively when conducted by experienced master 

planners. It is UDA’s standard operating method, which has several important advantages for our clients: 

it is cost effective; it maximizes the interface between consultant team and client; it has significant public 

outreach; and it leads to solutions which are also innovative and feasible. 

c. Public Meeting # 2 

The UDA consultant team will present the analysis from Phase I and the frameworks and development 

strategy developed during the charrette at a public meeting for citizen input. 

d. Debriefing meeting with Steering Committee 

The UDA consultant team will meet with the Steering Committee to “debrief ” the charrette and the public 

meeting and to give direction for the second charrette. 

7. Team Working Sessions and Charrette Preparation 

The consultant team will build upon the work of the Frameworks and Development Strategies charrette (Step 6) to 

develop preliminary alternatives in preparation for the Master Plan charrette (Step 9).


8. Master Plan and Implementation Program Charrette 

a. Kick-off meeting with Steering Committee 

The UDA consultant team, including sub-consultants, will present the preliminary alternatives and implementation 

program to the Steering Committee. 

b. Design Charrette 

The UDA consultant team will again set up shop in a publicly accessible space in the Town Center project 

area. Master Plan alternatives will be developed, refined, and reviewed during the charrette with the Steering 

Committee, the Client Group, and others, such as the persons who were in the interviews and focus groups in 

the Frameworks and Development Strategies charrette (Step 6). Also an implementation program and phasing 

plan will be developed. An open house will be scheduled for the public to observe the charrette in progress. 

c. Public Meeting # 3 

The UDA consultant team will present the Big Darby Accord Town Center Master Plan and Implementation 

Program developed during the charrette at a public meeting for citizen input. 

d. The UDA consultant team will meet with the Steering Committee to “debrief ” the charrette and the public 

meeting and to give direction for the preparation of the draft Big Darby Accord Town Center Master Plan. 

PHASE III: DECIDING 

Phase III will begin with the consultant team preparing a draft of the Big Darby Accord Town Center Master Plan 

and will include a trip to Columbus for a working session with the Steering Committee, and Public Meeting # 4. 

The Big Darby Accord Town Center Master Plan will then be prepared. 

9. Prepare Draft Plan 

Based on the direction from Step 8, the consultant team will prepare a draft of the Big Darby Accord Town Center 

Master Plan. The Plan will include: 

Market Study and Development Program, Town Center Development Plan, Development Suitability Plan, Land 

Use Plan, Transportation Plan, Water and Wastewater Facilities Plan, Storm water Management Plan, Open 

Space Plan, Public Services and Facilities Plan, Regulatory Framework, Implementation Program 

A draft will be sent to the Steering Committee for review. 

10. Steering Committee Meeting 

The consultant team will travel to Columbus to meet with the Steering Committee to review and revise the draft 

Big Darby Accord Town Center Master Plan. 

11. Public Meeting # 4 

The draft Master Plan will be presented at a final public meeting for citizen review and input. 

12. Prepare Final Big Darby Accord Town Center Master Plan 

Based on the input from Steps 10 and 11 and ongoing discussions and coordination with the Steering Committee 

and Client Group via telephone and mail, the consultant team will prepare the final Big Darby Accord Town Center 

Master Plan.


vii fees 

We have assembled a team of national experts in all the areas of expertise called for in the Request for Proposal. 

The estimate of fee below reflects our collective best understanding of the scope of work and level of detail required. 

If selected for the project we will review the scope of services and fee with Client Group representatives and make 

adjustments to the team and budget as may be necessary. We are prepared to negotiate a fixed fee or to work on an 

hourly basis against an agreed budget. 

Consultant Phase I Fee Phase II Fee Phase III Fee Total Fee 

Urban Design Associates 45,000 90,000 50,000 185,000 

Design Workshop 25,000 25,000 20,000 70,000 

AES 20,000 20,000 20,000 60,000 

STV Inc. 25,000 25,000 20,000 70,000 

Walter Kulash 5,000 5,000 2,000 12,000 

Robert Charles Lesser & Co 35,000 10,000 25,000 70,000 

Bricker & Eckler LLP 5,000 10,000 15,000 30,000 

T O T A L 160,000 185,000 152,000 497,000 

Reimbursable expenses for travel, reproduction, and long distance communication will be in addition to the fees above 

and will be invoiced at 1.10 times cost. 

URBAN DESIGN ASSOCIATES HOURLY 

Don Carter, FAIA, FAICP President $295 

Paul Ostergaard, AIA Senior Vice President $295 

Maggie Connor Associate, Studio Director $175 

DESIGN WORKSHOP HOURLY 

Kurt Culbertson, FASLA, FICP Principal $300 

Anna Gagne, AICP Project Manager/Planner $110 

APPLIED ECOLOGICAL SERVICES HOURLY 

Steve Apfelbaum Principal Ecologist $175 

Jacob Blue Ecological Designer/Landscape Architect $110 

STV INC. HOURLY 

Matthew Smith, PE Project Manager $130 

Dawn M. Spence, PE Civil Engineer $105 

Richard Cotter, PE Civil Engineer/Stormwater Management $110 

Steven M. Sottung, PE Leed AP Environmental $155 

WALTER KULASH P.E. HOURLY 

Walter Kulash, Traffic Engineer $140 

ROBERT CHARLES LESSER & CO HOURLY 

Leonard Bogorad, Managing Director $450 

Troy Palma, Principal $300 

Christian Winkler, Principal $280 

Shyam Kannan, Vice President – Director of Real Estate and Development $210 

BRICKER & ECKLER LLP HOURLY 

Price D. Finley, Partner, Vice Chair, Public Sector Industry Group $400 

Frank L. Merrill, Partner, Chair of Energy and Environmental Practice Group $385


viii timeline 

Below is the recommended timeline. There will be flexibility to accommodate the scheduling of public meetings, the 

decision-making process of the Client Group, holiday and vacation schedules of the participants. However, a nine 

month schedule is reasonable and achievable. 

STEPS MONTH 

Meeting with Steering Committee 1 

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

6. 

7. 

8. 

9. 

10. 

11. 

12. 

Interviews and Focus Groups 1 

Collect Data 1, 2 

Public Meeting 1 

Analysis and Synthesis 1, 2, 3 

Frameworks and Development Strategy Charrette 3 

Team Working Sessions and Charrette Preparation 4, 5 

Master Plan and Implementation Program Charrette 5 

Prepare Draft Plan 6, 7 

Steering Committee Meeting 7 

Public Meeting 7 

Prepare Final Plan 8, 9 

ix client group support 

Urban Design Associates practices a collaborative planning model with regular interaction with our clients 

throughout the project, including charrettes and design workshops. Our expectations of support for the Client 

Group include: 

1. Formation of a Steering Committee. 

2. Appointment of a Project Manager. 

3. Provision of all previous plans, studies data base, drawings, plans, and other relevant material. 

4. Guidance in identifying and contacting stakeholders for interviews and focus group meetings. 

5. Liaison with local, state, and federal public entities as may be required. 

6. Attendance at key meetings. 

7. Provision of meeting spaces in the project area for Steering Committee meetings, interviews, focus group meetings, 

public meetings, and design charrettes. 

8. Publicizing public meetings. 

9. Handling local media, including press releases and invitations to events. 

10. Timely decision making.

Big Darby Accord Town Center Master Plan Consultant Proposal

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