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Mixed Use -Buildings

Definition

Mixed use development is the use of a building or set of buildings for more than one
purpose. Instead of single use development that can only serve one purpose, mixed use
development can combine commercial, industrial, and residential uses on one property. To
supplement this very simple definition, the policies of the Comprehensive Plan and the standards for
the mixed use zones spell out a number of qualities that are essential to mixed use development. They
include good pedestrian orientation and connectivity, the accommodation of all modes of travel, the
inclusion of residential development in the mix, and the physical and functional integration of uses
through careful site layout and the design of buildings and streets. These qualities distinguish mixed use
from multi-use developments which may locate different uses in proximity to one another, but which do
not provide viable pedestrian connections, or coherent layout and design, and rely primarily on
automobiles to get between uses. Mixed use can be developed in a variety of ways, either horizontally
in multiple buildings, or vertically in the same building, or through a combination of the two.

Uses of mixed use buildings

Mixed use areas can bring a number of benefits. They have the potential to become a
town center and truly revitalize part of a city. Mixed use buildings are also more
sustainable and efficient structures. Because mixed used buildings combine several uses,
consumers may save time and travel expenses by satisfying multiple needs in a single
location. Building tenants also benefit from reduced costs due to shared utilities and more
customers due to increased walking traffic.
However, it can be difficult to attract developers to mixed use zoning projects because
of higher development costs attributable to many factors. Planning costs are higher
because of the complexity of a structure that incorporates many uses. Builders may also
need multiple approvals from local authorities for each use. Also, land that is suited for
mixed use is typically sold at a higher price than single use land.1 Hence, such development
has the greatest impact when it includes a residential component.
Mixed buildings are usually constructed in urban areas where transportation is easily
accessible; this is ideal, as it makes the property most efficient. Benefits of high density
development include, “reductions in energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, and traffic
congestion that flow from lower car usage”.By increasing density, municipalities can save
on infrastructure costs; this is because mixed buildings attract more of the population into
the city where utility infrastructure and resources already exist. Mixed use development
can also attract residents to the places where resources can be used most easily. This can
aid municipalities that are concerned with sustainability.

Cities are also attracted to the idea of mixed zoning from a fiscal perspective. Higher
density not only means that utilities are being used efficiently, it can also ensure an optimal
level of tax revenue from land use. Since multiple services are occupying one space, tax
revenue can be raised from many sources on one property.

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Thus, mixed use zoning makes sense from a fiscal standpoint as well as a sustainability
and efficiency perspective. One of the biggest challenges for mixed use development is
parking. A mixed use building that serves many purposes is likely to attract many people
living working, and visiting it daily. Thus, supplying sufficient parking is an important part
of planning for a mixed use building. A downfall of constructing parking facilities is the cost,
which can be discouraging to many investors. Zoning code requirements can also make
development difficult.
The Smart Growth Leadership Institute examined a California case study and came up
with a few recommendations. First, it recommended cities conduct financial feasibility
analyses to determine whether the project will make economic sense for developers. It also
stressed a marketing plan and fee waivers to attract high‐quality developers to the
property. The Smart Growth Leadership Institute further encouraged cities to consider
financial assistance for affordable housing for the workforce. Moreover, it advised cities to
have predetermined and strict requirements for developers to meet so that authorities do
not have to review each case individually. The study predicts that this will result in an
easier process for both developers and the municipality. However, as discussed earlier,
planning and permit costs are already high for developers. Thus, the creation of strict

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standards is something that should be carefully considered by the municipality and it
should ensure that those standards are not overwhelming for developers who are already
facing challenges.

Strategies/How to

When planning a mixed use project, it is essential to pick a team that has experience
with these types of developments. The team should be a group of people that first gather
information from a variety of sources, such as, leasing agents, property managers, market
experts, financial analysts, capital providers, marketing consultants, major tenants,
development partners, construction contractors, public officials, and surrounding
community members. It is also very important that both financial and non‐financial goals
are clearly identified from the initiation of the project so the team has guidelines and a
structure to follow. It is equally important that the team conducts a market analysis of the
project since different geographies and market areas vary. Likewise, each use must be
analyzed with regard to its own supply and demand situation and should be able to attract
sufficient market demand to make it financially possible in its own right. Furthermore, the
developer should consider the potential market synergies from on‐site support. The first
type of market synergy is derived from direct on‐site market support; this would include
residents, office workers, and hotel guests frequenting the retail and restaurant
components of the project. The second type of synergy involves the indirect benefits that
the users provide to each other as amenities. Finally, the third kind of synergy is the impact
the new development will have on the place as a result of the new destination within the
urban landscape.
Additionally, a successful strategy often requires several alternative programs to be
developed before the best fit is found. This is so because the program must be marketable,
feasible, and finance‐able, and must also be able to receive public approval. Public approval
is very important because it may affect the final project. The development strategy also
must measure the phasing and timing of each component of the project because, as the
saying goes, “time is money.” This requires a thorough understanding of the market for
each use and also a solid familiarity with the construction process and local building
regulations. Again, that is why it is necessary to get additional input from different sources.
Project phasing also requires close coordination with architects and engineers, as the
building design often affects the ability to phase the delivery of project components. While
it is impossible to predict exactly how much costs and revenues will vary on any given
project, it is better to acknowledge and take into consideration that there exists a greater
likelihood of economic miscalculations; hence, incorporating larger contingency funds into
the budget is often vital to a mixed‐use project’s financial success. As previously mentioned,
parking is a crucial component of mix‐use developments. Estimating total demand for
parking is much more complex for mixed‐use projects, given the different activity cycles for
each use. However, shared parking is often an option that can be financially and logistically
appealing, if designed properly. Additionally, a pedestrian network is necessary for a well‐
designed central open space. Whether it is a main street, central plaza, or some other type

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of public space, it is important to establish clear streets, paths, and open spaces that branch
out from the central open space to create visual interest and draw people into the different
areas of the development.11 It is also very important to take into consideration the
different uses of the mix‐use development and how the closeness between uses will impact
the other when devising the project. Depending on the project’s different uses,
considerations may include a noise abatement to provide sound proofing between uses,
separate residential and commercial parking areas, screen loading and dock areas,
implement odor suppression and ventilation for restaurants, and separate access for
residential and office users from retail customers for both security and privacy reasons.

Organization and Overview

The Mixed Use Development Design Manual is organized into four major parts. Following
this introduction, there is a description of the various ways in which the manual can be
used by citizens, neighborhoods, developers, property owners, planners, designers,
engineers, and decision makers to plan, design, review, and approve mixed use
developments. The next section presents the mixed use zone districts, including a
description of each of the three mixed use zones, procedures for establishing them, and
their uses. The heart of the manual is the section on design standards and guidelines. That
section is broken out into the following features:

􀂃 Dimensional Standards
􀂃 Blocks, Buildings, and Street Network
􀂃 Pedestrian Circulation, Access, and Connections
􀂃 On-site Amenities
􀂃 Parking
􀂃 Landscaping
􀂃 Contexts and Transitions
This is followed by specific standards and guidelines, including street cross sections, for

􀂃 Streets
􀂃 Utilities
􀂃 Stormwater Drainage

B. Blocks, Buildings and Street

Networks

The single most important element

in the physical and functional
integration of mixed use
development is

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pedestrian orientation. The overall layout of a mixed use project is built around a viable pedestrian
realm
that includes the pedestrian-friendly improvements necessary to generate a high level of pedestrian
activity.
The framework for a pedestrian-oriented layout has three main components:
1) a block structure that reflects a walkable arrangement and positioning of uses,
2) building placement, orientation, and design to enhance the pedestrian environment and streetscape
within that structure, and
3) a street network to define the block edges, create continuous pedestrian connections, and integrate
pedestrian travel with other modes of transportation.

Purpose
This part is intended to provide
pedestrian-oriented
development by establishing
well-defined pattern of
walkable blocks and
intersecting streets, by
ensuring that building facades
and streetscapes are designed
to be human-scaled and
pedestrian friendly, by ensuring that buildings relate appropriately to surrounding development, by
creating a heightened sense of place, by providing safe, efficient and convenient vehicular access and
circulation patterns, and by promoting pedestrian-friendly new development in
MU zone districts.

Blocks
Standards
1 . Block standards shall apply to all development that contains four (4) acres or more of gross land
area.
2 . All development shall be arranged in a pattern of interconnecting streets and blocks, while
maintaining respect for the natural landscape and floodplain.
3. Each block face shall range between a minimum of two hundred (200) feet and a maximum of six
hundred (600)
4. The average block face across each development site and the entire MU zone district shall be a
maximum of five hundred (500) feet.
5. For block faces that exceed four hundred shall be provided connecting opposite sides of block faces.
6. An applicant may submit alternative block standards, provided that such alternative achieves the
intent of the above standards and the procedures and criteria of § 7.3.708(C) – Alternative Compliance.

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1. An enhanced drive aisle should be used to frame block frontages that consist entirely of surface
parking areas.
2. For blocks that contain non-residential uses, midblock through-alleys are encouraged to enable
secondary vehicle access.
3. A block is defined as a tract of land bounded by streets, or a combination of streets and public parks,
cemeteries, railroad right of way, shorelines of waterways, or boundary lines of municipalities.

Building Entrance Orientation

Standard

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All buildings shall have at least one building en oriented toward an abutting internal or perimeter street
with on-street parking, or toward an on-site pedestrian walkway connected to a public sidewalk.

Guidelines
1. The primary public e ntry to the building should be visually obvious and emphasized through the use
of such architectural treatments as differing colors or materials, arches or arcades.
2. A building adjacent to on-street parking should have an entry on that side.
3. A building adjacent to an internal street or perimeter street with a sidewalk should have an entry on
that side.
4. Other building entrances may face other streets, off-street parking areas, or loading areas.
5. Building entrances should provide shade from the sun and weather protection for pedestrians. This
may involve overhangs that are at least 48 inches deep, arcades, roofs, porches, alcoves, porticos,
awnings, or any combination of these featur.
6. When a building has frontage on more than one street, it should have an entrance on each frontage;
7. When a building is located on the corner of a block, it should have an entry at the corresponding
corner of the structure

Site Design For

Multiple
Building
Developments
Standard
All buildings
shall be
arranged and
grouped so that
their primary
orientation
complements
adjacent,
existing
development,
as applicable,
and is
consistent with
one of the
following site
layouts:
• Buildings orient toward, frame and enclose a main pedestrian and/or vehicle access corridor within
the development site, including an entry/ spine street or
• Buildings orient toward, frame and enclose on at least three sides, parking areas, public spaces or
other on-site amenities or
• Buildings orient toward and frame the corner of a perimeter or internal street intersection or
• Buildings orient to adjoining development, respecting adjoining exterior street alignment(s)

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An applicant
may submit an
alternative site
layout and
building
orientation
pattern,
provided such
pattern
achieves the
intent of the
above
standards.
Strictly linear or
strip commercial development pattern share prohibited.

Building And Streetscape Design

Standards

1. Building Design: All building facades that face a public street other than an alley, or face a
plaza or other public space, or contain the building’s primary customer or user entrance, shall be
designed according to the following standards. As applicable, such features shall be applied, at a
minimum, to the first fifteen (15) vertical feet of building façade.

a. For every thirty feet (30’) of building façade length, the building shall incorporate modulated and
articulated building wall planes through use of:
b. • Projections, recesses and reveals expressing structural bays or other aspects of the façade, with
minimum change of plane of six inches (6”); and
• Changes in color or graphical patterns, changes in texture, or changes in building material.
c. A continuous pedestrian walkway extending across the full length of the building façade shall be
provided. Walkways shall be at least six feet (6’) wide.
2. Building Entrance Design: The primary public entry to the building shall be clearly defined, and
building entrances shall incorporate elements that provide shade from the sun and weather protection
for pedestrians.

Guidelines

1. Site Layout & Building Orientation: Buildings should be arranged and grouped so that their
primary orientation complements adjacent, existing development, where applicable.
The pattern of building location should be consistent with one of the following site layouts. The site
layouts below are stated in preferential order when proposed for the new and developing contextual
area of the city:

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 • Buildings should
orient toward and
frame, or enclose a
main pedestrian
and/or vehicle acces
corridor within the
development site
(such as an Entry or
Spine Street)
• Buildings should
orient toward,
frame and enclose
on at least three
sides, parking areas,
public
spaces, or other on-
site amenities;
• Buildings orient toward and frame the corner(s) where a perimeter street intersects with an Entry or
Spine Street.

2. Build-to-Lines: To encourage pedestrian-friendly streets by bringing buildings close to pedestrian

sidewalks and ways, the City encourages principal, nonresidential buildings to be built to the back edge
of
the public sidewalk (0 foot build-to line) except as necessary to allow room for outdoor seating and
service areas, outdoor sales and displays, landscaping, entryways, and similar pedestrian and customer
amenities. The build-to area between the front property line and the front building wall of residential
structures may be used to provide space for privacy, landscaping, private courtyards/open
areas/entryways, and similar amenities.
3. “T” Intersections: The terminus of an intersecting internal street or the main enhanced drive
aisle

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through a parking area that meets a block at a “T” intersection should be located at approximately
thmid-point of the block. It should create a focal point.

Buildings
Guidelines
1. Visual Interest and Compatibility: New buildings should create visual interest in ways that are
compatible with the architectural character of the surrounding area. This may be accomplished through
the use of such elements as similar rooflines, materials, colors, fenestration, and other architectural
details.
Figure IV.15– Terminus
Figure IV.17– Pedestrian-friendly facade
2. Texture and Relief: All buildings should create texture and relief in facades and should avoid large,
flat, unbroken, wall planes (Figure IV.16). They should take advantage of the sun to highlight changes in
plane, material, and detail, using light and shadow.
3. Human Scale Detailing: Facades of buildings that face the street should incorporate human-scale
detailing through the use of reveals, belt courses, cornices, expression of structural or architectural bays,
recessed windows or doors, material or material module changes, color and/or texture differences, or
strongly expressed mullions.
4. Weather protection elements should be complementary to the building’s design and the design of
contiguous weather protection elements on adjoining buildings. Materials and design should be durable
and permanent.
5. The horizontal length of the façade of the ground floor of buildings should include awnings,
transparent display windows, entry awnings, or other similar pedestrian-
friendly features .
6. Each building housing a principal nonresidential use should incorporate at least two (2) of the
following additional features on all building facades facing a public street, public plaza, or public open
space:

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 • Arcades;
• Arbors;
• Contrasting building materials or textures;
• Incorporation of street furniture at the ground floor;
• Incorporation of outdoor eating or seating areas at the ground floor;
• Variations in rooflines along a single block face; or
• Transparent windows that allow views into and out of the building; black, mirrored, o

Large Format Buildings

1. Any large-format building should incorporate either an on-site amenity (e.g., a plaza or public art
installation), a visually interesting architectural feature (e.g., a fountain or clock tower), or some other
similarly visually interesting feature or building element.
2. A large-format building should be located at approximately the mid-block at the street terminus
point.
3. A “wrap” of smaller-scale retail, service, or other commercial uses around at least one side of the
large-format building’s ground floor exterior is encouraged. Mid-Block Pedestrian Pass through

Guidelines
1. A mid-block pedestrian pass through or galleria, for blocks larger than 400’, should be lighted and
designed to be safe and visually interesting for pedestrians, incorporating
such features as display windows or artwork.
2. Mid-block pedestrian pass through should be designed so they cannot be enclosed or locked.
3. The pedestrian pass through should be used to connect separate buildings, or link customer parking
to the front of buildings Street System Design Purpose
This part is intended to provide safe, efficient, and convenient vehicular access and circulation for all
development in MU zone districts, and to ensure that streets in MU zone districts have a high level of
connectivity, both within the development and with adjacent
street systems. Street systems will be designed to accommodate pedestrians, bicycles, and transit
facilities, as well as vehicles by providing safe access via entry streets and driveways, circulation and
connectivity through internal streets and blocks, connection
Figure IV.18– Mid-block passthrough
Summary

Mixed use areas can bring a number of benefits. They have the potential to become a
town center and truly revitalize part of a city. Mixed use buildings are also more
sustainable and efficient structures. Because mixed used buildings combine several uses,
consumers may save time and travel expenses by satisfying multiple needs in a single
location. Building tenants also benefit from reduced costs due to shared utilities and more
customers due to increased walking traffic.
However, it can be difficult to attract developers to mixed use zoning projects because
of higher development costs attributable to many factors. Planning costs are higher
because of the complexity of a structure that incorporates many uses. Builders may also
need multiple approvals from local authorities for each use. Also, land that is suited for
mixed use is typically sold at a higher price than single use land.1 Hence, such development
has the greatest impact when it includes a residential component.

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Mixed buildings are usually constructed in urban areas where transportation is easily
accessible; this is ideal, as it makes the property most efficient. Benefits of high density
development include, “reductions in energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, and traffic
congestion that flow from lower car usage”.2 By increasing density, municipalities can save
on infrastructure costs; this is because mixed buildings attract more of the population into
the city where utility infrastructure and resources already exist. Mixed use development
can also attract residents to the places where resources can be used most easily. This can
aid municipalities that are concerned with sustainability.
Cities are also attracted to the idea of mixed zoning from a fiscal perspective. Higher
density not only means that utilities are being used efficiently, it can also ensure an optimal
level of tax revenue from land use. Since multiple services are occupying one space, tax
revenue can be raised from many sources on one property.

Joseph Minicozzi of Urban3, LLC gave examples from his research in Asheville, North
Carolina, where his firm compared the property tax generated by a Super Wal‐Mart on
the edge of the city with a typical acre of mixed‐use development in Asheville’s
downtown district. The Wal‐Mart consumed 34.0 acres and generated property taxes of
$47,500 per acre, while the mixed‐use development consumed only 0.2 acres and
generated $634,000 in property taxes per acre. A sample set of 15 cities from Montana
to Florida provided similar results, underlining the economic potential of creating mixeduse
developments on Main Streets, vibrant neighborhood hubs, or central business
districts in communities across the nation.3

Thus, mixed use zoning makes sense from a fiscal standpoint as well as a sustainability
and efficiency perspective. One of the biggest challenges for mixed use development is
parking. A mixed use building that serves many purposes is likely to attract many people
living working, and visiting it daily. Thus, supplying sufficient parking is an important part
of planning for a mixed use building. A downfall of constructing parking facilities is the cost,
which can be discouraging to many investors. Zoning code requirements can also make
development difficult.

The Smart Growth Leadership Institute examined a California case study and came up
with a few recommendations. First, it recommended cities conduct financial feasibility
analyses to determine whether the project will make economic sense for developers. It also
stressed a marketing plan and fee waivers to attract high‐quality developers to the
property. The Smart Growth Leadership Institute further encouraged cities to consider
financial assistance for "Affordable, compact and well‐located housing is critical to
achieving the nation’s transportation policy objectives. "Mixed‐Use Development Makes
More Cents for Cities : Center for Neighborhood Technology.

Sustainable Communities Attainable Result, 17 May 2012. Web. 19 Apr. 2013. affordable
housing for the workforce.4 Moreover, it advised cities to have predetermined and strict
requirements for developers to meet so that authorities do not have to review each case
individually. The study predicts that this will result in an easier process for both developers

13
and the municipality. However, as discussed earlier, planning and permit costs are already
high for developers. Thus, the creation of strict standards is something that should be
carefully considered by the municipality and it should ensure that those standards are not
overwhelming for developers who are already facing challenges.

content page number

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 WOLAITA SODO UNIVIRSITY

DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE

INTEGRATED DESIGN I

Literature on mixed use buildings

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BY EYUEL .B SUB- TO MR ANDUALEM
SIMEGN
ABDULAHAD
AMANUEL
Id eng/r/1013/07

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