ORLANDO, FL, (May 6, 2014) – on March 18, 2014, a strategic vision plan created by VHB for an East Town Center District in central Florida was adopted. FRA member VHB, a national planning, design and engineering firm, has its Southeast headquarters in Orlando.
The East Town Center Strategic Vision Plan study area is 47 percent commercial, 28 percent residential and 5 percent institutional. A focus of the Vision Plan is the 120 acres surrounding the new Altamonte Springs SunRail commuter rail station including the vacant, land east of the station.
A key element was the transit oriented development surrounding the SunRail commuter rail station, with expected ridership at 1,100 trips per day by 2016. Drawing on a deep history of planning Transit Oriented Development projects along the east coast, VHB’s East Town Center Strategic Vision Plan ensures the city’s SunRail commuter rail station will be the nexus of activity and not just another drop-off and pick-up site. To this end, the Strategic Vision Plan proposes a dense, pedestrian oriented, urban area with safe and accessible pedestrian facilities, reduced parking to foster transit use and mixed housing.
“The city has stepped in as master developer and is adding urban streets, a park and a master stormwater system to accommodate future development,” said Jim Hall, planning and design studio director at VHB. “This sets up a ‘catalyst site’ to encourage economically sustainable development while being good stewards to the natural, social and cultural resources of this growing area. VHB has recently been ranked by Engineering News-Record as 78th of the Top 500 U.S. Design Firms and among the Top 50 Transportation Firms in the Nation.