Riverwest Johnson Controls Property A 24-unit Traditional Neighborhood Development Milwaukee, Wisconsin The following is an excerpt from General Capital’s response to the City’s RFP. Submitted by General Capital Group c/o Sigurd Strautmanis 10532 North Port Washington Road Mequon, WI 53092 (414) 240-4605
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TND WITH A TWIST: TRADITIONAL DESIGN MEETS SUSTAINABILITY  Modern architecture is appealing. We often associate (and perhaps confuse) modern design with “cutting edge” technology. Modern design is appropriate in its context, however, we feel strongly that this particular site is not such a place. This block offers an opportunity to re-weave the neighborhood fabric and create a seamless addition to a well established development pattern. In the most literal sense, this is an “infill” site. While some will view this site as the ideal opportunity to take an entire city block and impose a new and innovative design on the community, we take the opposite approach. Our design builds on the existing vocabulary of the neighborhood and demonstrates that sustainable design does not have to be foreign. It can look and feel familiar. From this perspective, we feel our design offers the best opportunity to showcase sustainable technology in the context of a traditional Milwaukee home. Our project reflects a “Traditional Neighborhood Development” approach, described by the following design attributes:
SUSTAINABLE SITE DESIGN: STORMWATER MANAGEMENT, STORMWATER QUALITY AND LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE General Capital will team with National Survey and Engineering, a division of R.A. Smith & Associates to serve as lead civil engineer for our project. National Survey is one of Wisconsin’s leading civil engineering firms, with in-depth expertise across disciplines including LEEDTM certified professionals. The National Survey team of landscape architects, land development engineers, planners and technical staff will design, engineer and supervise the implementation of a cutting edge sustainable site design for our project. The Madison Environmental Group, our Green Development consultant, will also contribute to the final site design. From a technical perspective, our approach to sustainable site design includes three elements: stormwater management, stormwater quality and landscape architecture. STORMWATER MANAGEMENT Sound stormwater management is critical both during construction and throughout the life of the development. As a site located in the City of Milwaukee, the 2.8 acre parcel must comply with Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) stormwater run-off regulations as well as City of Milwaukee stormwater quality regulations. The development must also be designed to comply with federal and state stormwater pollution prevention rules (NR 216 and NR 151 are applicable sections of the Wisconsin Administrative Code that cover Construction Site Stormwater Discharge Permits through the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources). We will use a series of Best Management Practices (BMPs) to create an effective stromwater management plan for this site. We will integrate BMPs to reduce erosion and sedimentation in runoff during construction. In addition, we will address long-term considerations for maintaining stormwater quality in a post-construction plan. Ongoing stortmwater management will include the use of devices such as bio-infiltration, reduction of impervious areas and underground detention. Techniques to be applied during construction include:
Working in concert with ARCADIS on the environmental side, our team will explore the following techniques to address stromwater runoff on an ongoing basis:
STORMWATER QUALITY Effective stormwater quality is a site design priority. Milwaukee stormwater quality regulations state, “For redevelopment, by design, reduce the maximum extent practicable, the total suspended solids (TSS) load by 40%, based on an average annual rainfall.” There are multiple devices available that can achieve this TSS removal rate including: below-ground sedimentation traps, mechanical devises (typically known as stormceptors) and bioretention devices. While all of these options will be considered, a bioretention devise is our preferred method to achieve a sustainable site. A bioretention system consists of a soil bed planted with native vegetation above a sand layer. Stormwater run-off entering the system is filtered first through the vegetation and then the soil/sand layers before being conveyed downstream through an underdrain system. These systems are designed to hold a shallow pool of water to allow for infiltration over time. Small overflow systems are often installed to limit ponding depth during large storm events. This design allows us to retain water on site while recognizing that environmental conditions may not allow us to practically install underground detention systems. A possible location for bioretention systems would be along property lines between the garages. Run-off from the rear two-thirds of each parcel, along with roof drains, would be directed into these areas. The alley could be crowned in the middle and designed to direct runoff into these systems. An underdrain system would be constructed to convey the treated water parallel to the alley way and into an underground detention facility, if ultimately installed. We recognize that an in-depth study of the most effective location and configuration must be performed. It is likely that the final design will involve a hybrid of systems, offering a higher degree of water quality assurance than a traditional system, but recognizing that a contaminated site offers its own challenges. LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE National Survey’s landscape architect will work closely with the civil engineer to ensure appropriate plant species are specified to achieve the project’s sustainability goals. For the initial construction, appropriate grass mixtures (low water mixes such as blue gamma, fescue and “no mow”) will be specified for all disturbed areas. Working in concert with ARCADIS and the Madison Environmental Group, the landscape architect will also specify appropriate species for all permanent features such as the bioretention system and phytoremediation zone shown on the site plan. In addition, to ensure continuity after the sale, a prototypical landscape plan and a list of preferred plant species will be developed and distributed to property owners. This plan will encourage the use of sustainable landscaping and establish the following:
Taken as a whole, our approach to site design will produce a high-quality, sustainable development that will serve as an excellent example and prototype for the City, JCI and the Riverwest neighborhood. APPROACH TO ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION:
Our design addresses this issue by eliminating development on the most contaminated portion of the property (southwest corner) and creating a phytoremediation zone along the alley (see appendix). Soils excavated from the development areas will be placed on the reserve quadrant, which already contains the highest concentrations of constituents. This area will then be used as a small public pocket park with raised planting beds, a community tool sharing facility and additional phytoremediation area. |
SUMMARY RECOMMENDATION While detailed study and analysis must occur, ARCADIS has suggested the following plan for initial discussion purposes: 
In summary, the environmental conditions can be managed under either a traditional or innovative residential site plan. However, the use of our innovative plan will provide opportunities to reduce the cost associated with the environmental conditions while still allowing the development to fit well into the Riverwest neighborhood. We are prepared to handle the Remedial Action Plan and necessary documentation through case closure in concert with JCI. Given our previous experience with brownfield redevelopment, Johnson Controls and the City can be assured that they will be working with a responsive, professional counter party that has done this before. We are committed to working with JCI to minimize the ongoing environmental liabilities associated with this site. GREEN DEVELOPMENT PRINCIPLES: THE GREEN BUILT HOME AND BEYOND Green building, eco-home, earth-friendly, sustainable. All compelling catch phrases. While the green building movement continues to catch on in Wisconsin, it should be clearly understood that “sustainable development” means different things to different people. Importing expensive recycled materials from Italy may appear “green,” but is certainly not sustainable. Our intent is to examine our project from as many angles as possible, then make responsible and sustainable choices. We will look at the project’s site design, solar orientation, building materials, building systems, construction process, ongoing lifestyles of the residents and ultimately how the project can contribute to Riverwest as a neighborhood. As a point of departure, we are committing to producing homes that will, at a minimum, receive the Green Built Home stamp of approval. This program, currently implemented by the Wisconsin Environmental Initiative and the Madison Area Builders Association, produces a baseline certification program specifically targeting residential development. Unlike LEED, the Green Built Home initiative is relatively simple to track, provides specific checklists relevant to residential construction and produces a certification that pushes the sustainable building and energy standards of new construction. We have included the checklist in the appendix of this document. To maximize the sustainable objectives of our project, Madison Environmental Group, Inc., will provide green development consulting services throughout the process. The following framework will be used to finalize civil and architectural plans, create construction documents and build a “guide book” for future residents of our project:
Our goal is to create a model development for JCI and the City of Milwaukee. We believe that this project can raise environmental and community awareness on a number of levels. We are committed to working with the City to further enhance our green development strategy as appropriate. |
 GENERAL CAPITAL GROUP – DEVELOPER WITH A PROVEN TRACK RECORD General Capital has assembled a highly competent team to implement our project. While many residential developers can “build houses,” few have successfully converted a contaminated brownfield or negotiated a Remedial Action Plan with the DNR or worked through the details of complex municipal agreements. This project represents a hybrid and requires a special team of development professionals to get it off the ground and ultimately bring it closure. General Capital has the relevant experience to successfully complete a project with the environmental complexities and development nuances of this property. We have hand selected a group of partners and consultants to make this project run smoothly. General Capital will develop our Riverwest project using a proven development / construction management approach. On the development side, General Capital will manage every aspect of the project including initial discussion/negotiation, environmental remediation consultant(s), schematic and final architectural and civil design, sustainable development initiatives, municipal approvals, construction financing and purchase contracts. We will also be responsible for marketing, sales and initial post construction property management. Throughout this process, we will engage an experienced construction manager to hard bid, value engineer and implement our green development objectives. Ultimately, our construction manager will also oversee construction and serve as owner’s representative during bidding and negotiation. This process has yielded excellent results and has kept our projects on time and on budget. While this project is not as large as others we have developed, the project is relatively complex. To ensure a successful outcome, we will apply the same disciplined approach that has worked for us before. We would like the City and Johnson Controls to fully appreciate that we have done this before. While the details of our developments differ, our process is much the same. Over the last several years, General Capital has successfully negotiated the following public-private partnerships and/or environmental remediation efforts:
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SUMMARY OF GENERAL CAPITAL RESPONSE TO RFP
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WE HAVE DONE THIS BEFORE General Capital will team with ARCADIS, a nationally recognized leader in environmental remediation and brownfield redevelopment, to address the environmental impacts of the project site. General Capital and ARCADIS have successfully engineered practical, implementable solutions for a variety of contaminated sites including the Washington Square Mall in Germantown, for which we received a “Friend of the Environment” award from the Wisconsin Environmental Working Group. We have successfully teamed with municipalities to administer public funds for brownfield projects, including creating one of Wisconsin’s first Environmental Remediation TIF’s (ERTIF) for the redevelopment of the former Shores nursing home at the southwest corner of Port Washington and Green Tree Roads in Glendale. This site received closure from the DNR within months after our remedial work was complete and is now the site of an attractive new Pick ‘n Save shopping center nearing final completion. In short, General Capital has the experience to work with JCI to accomplish an effective remediation plan to ultimately prepare this site for residential development. ARCADIS has reviewed available environmental data associated with the property. The purpose of their review was to evaluate, on a preliminary basis, relevant environmental conditions and to suggest potential remedial options that would impact the project’s initial design. While it is beyond the scope of this proposal to offer a full accounting of the relevant environmental data, the following points were used as a point of departure for planning purposes: