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King of Prussia Transit Oriented Community Study
By : Stantec
GRANDS PRIX DU DESIGN – 16th edition
Discipline : Landscape & Territories
Categories : Urban Design / TOD Project : Silver Certification
The King of Prussia (KOP) TOD plan is based on an understanding of current real estate market demand in the context of the implementation of 5 new stations on the Norristown train line as part of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) system, the local transit agency for the Philadelphia metropolitan area in the state of Pennsylvania, USA. The extension of the rail system offers a unique potential in preserving the community while anticipating the evolution of spaces near the stations that would be subject to redevelopment over time.
Three guiding principles influenced the plan: urban form, mobility, and land use. The use of a variety of building types promotes human scale in TOD areas and creates an accessible and connected environment that provides different transportation options for citizens. The plan maximizes the development potential of strategic areas while encouraging mixed use and enhancing the pedestrian experience in TOD areas.
In this context, Stantec\’s mandate was to understand the housing demand and its integration in TOD areas, anticipate some of the public realm development considerations to facilitate access to stations along the transportation corridor, propose solutions for better integration of stations with urban environments and suggest regulatory changes to create transit-oriented living environments.
The project vision was to create a living environment that emphasizes multi-modal connections, amenities for all, and housing, retail, and office opportunities that reflect national trends and market demand. The vision calls for growth around the new train line and in areas immediately adjacent to the stations, which means that existing residential neighborhoods would be preserved and not changed without a long-term vision.
The planned growth around the station areas is intended to absorb this need while being part of a common vision and consistent guiding principles. The extension of KOP\’s rail network has a unique potential to preserve a community character while anticipating the evolution of spaces near station areas that would be likely to redevelop over time based on the history of land use and the natural evolution of communities like KOP.
Overall, the project highlighted the following benefits: housing choice and affordability, human-scale development, access to nature, small business growth, access to employment opportunities, and resiliency.
Collaboration
