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Working Paper 5

BioDistrict New Orleans

VisioningDecember 2010


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2 December 2010Working Paper 5 Table of Contents

01 02

Task 5 Overview

07

Purpose of the Visioning

Workshops

07

Format of the Visioning

Workshops

Visioning Workshop

Findings

11

Workforce Development

Workshop Findings

13

Community Benefi ts

Agreement Workshop

Findings

14

Community Visioning

Workshop Findings

Section:

Table of Contents

03

Vision Statement

19

BioDistrict Vision

Statement


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3

Acknowledgement

The AECOM team would like to acknowledge

the GNOBEDD Board and staff for their input and

engagement during this Task. This report has also been

developed in coordination with the entire AECOM

team. The team includes: EDAW / AECOM, AECOM

Economics, AECOM Transportation, Bright Moments,Cannon Design, CBRE, Chester Engineers and The

Ehrhardt Group.

04

Appendix

A

Sign-In Sheets


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4 December 2010Working Paper 5 Table of Contents


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5

Section 01:

Task 5 Overview:

Visioning

Workshops


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6 December 2010Working Paper 5 Task 5 Overview

BioDistrict New Orleans. The Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans Arena and key existing and

proposed institutional developments are shown in blue.


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7

Task 5 Overview: Visioning WorkshopsPurpose of the Visioning Workshops

The purpose of Task 5, Visioning the Future, was to work

with community stakeholders to develop a long term

vision of what BioDistrict New Orleans can become

over the next 20 years. During the Week of September

13th, four visioning sessions were held with over

150 stakeholders to look at possible futures for the

BioDistrict, while considering: (1) changing needs and

relationships; (2) changing employment and needs in

training; (3) changing technology; and (4) operational andfunctional effi ciencies.

Dates, times and locations of the various meetings are

provided below.

September 14, 2010, 2-4 pm, Workforce

Development Workshop, United Way Building,

2515 Canal Street

September 14, 2010, 6-8 pm, Community Visioning

Workshop #1, Tulane University, Diboll Auditorium,

1440 Canal Street

September 15, 2010, 6-8 pm, Community Benefi ts

Agreement (CBA) Workshop, New Orleans

BioInnovation Center, 134 LaSalle Street

September 16, 2010, 6-8 pm, Community Visioning

Workshop #2, Xavier University Center, Grand

Ballroom, 1 Drexel Drive

Stakeholder sign-in sheets can be found in Appendix A.

Format of the Visioning Workshops

During each of the Visioning Workshops the following

topics were discussed: the background on BioDistrict

New Orleans, including the history of the organization,

how it was formed and its mission; a defi nition of the

term biosciences and how it directly applies to the

BioDistrict; the purpose of the BioDistrict Plan and where

we are to date in the planning process; and a summary

of the actions and fi ndings from the fi rst four tasks

of the project which comprised Phase 1 (Stakeholder

Interviews, Data Gathering, Inventory and Analysis, and

Programming).

For both the Workforce Development and CBA Visioning

Workshops, the AECOM Team developed specifi c

questions that were tailored to each of the two groups

to focus the discussion on topics specifi cally related toeducation/training and CBAs, respectively. Questions

asked and discussion summary notes for these two

sessions are found in Section 2.

For the Community Visioning Workshops, round table

breakout sessions were envisioned. However, given the

poor space layout for Workshop #1, breakout sessions

were not conducted. Rather a town hall type forum was

held with community stakeholders. The community noted

that the venue was not conducive to interactive dialogue

with the AECOM planning team, which the planning teamacknowledged. For all future meetings, the planning team

has taken extra care to ensure that venues with fi xed

seating are not used in public forums.

For the second Community Visioning Workshop, the space

allowed for the visioning breakout sessions to occur as

originally planned. The breakout sessions lasted just

over an hour and consisted of round-robin introductions,

discussions on a variety of topic areas, and report out

to the larger stakeholder group of the tables fi ndings

by a team spokesperson. Findings from the Community

Visioning Workshops are found in Section 2.


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8 December 2010Working Paper 5 Task 5 Overview

Stakeholder discussion during the Workforce Development Visioning Workshop.


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9

Section 02:

Visioning Workshop

Findings


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11

Visioning Workshop FindingsWorkforce Development VisioningWorkshop Findings

The AECOM Team had an excellent discussion with the

stakeholders participating in the Workforce Development

Visioning Workshop. To help spur the discussion, the

AECOM Team posed the questions below based on

the fact that over 22,000 bioscience related/spin-off

jobs are estimated to be created by 2030, not including

construction and non-direct job creation.

Are we ready today for the BioDistrict jobs thatwill become available in 2014? If not, what will it

take to make us ready?

How do we connect BioDistrict, City and Parish

residents with these jobs?

Do we have a comprehensive, collaborative

Placement Program? If not, how do we create

one?

Are our higher education institutions adequately

educating New Orleanians for the types of jobs

available in the future?

Do we have the right mix of programs to

train residents? If not, how do we create

a comprehensive, coordinated menu of

programs?

What would better prepare New Orleans to

compete in the 21st Century?

The following is a summary of the key points generated

during the workshop discussion.

Education:

Students coming out of public school need to be

successful. Can there be a pipeline or career

pathway created so that they can get jobs or

internships in the BioDistrict upon graduation or

during summer breaks? Can strong math and

science high school programs be established at such

schools as Warren Easton?

The success of the BioDistrict is in part dependent

on the State not reducing funding for research.

Research funding gaps should be met through

a dedicated fund (e.g. part of an endowment), so

researchers are not dependent on consistent grant

funding.

Millions in new taxes could be generated if the

bioscience industry and other research areas are

supported. However, this may require some seed

funding

Community college programs with focus on LPN not

RN slanted towards clinical trials.

Education institutions need to respond to employers

needs so that graduates can be appropriately trained

to meet the requirements of jobs available in the

BioDistrict.

There are currently not enough testing centers

in New Orleans to allow students to take the

G.E.D. exam. Most travel out of state, primarily

Mississippi, to sit for the exam. Funding the

establishment of such a facility in New Orleans

should be a top priority.

There should be no cannibalism of trained

students/workers by institutions.

Workforce / Jobs Training:

Training should be focused on excellence in multiple

areas.

If projects came online today, there could be a

workforce capacity gap requiring the importation of

workers from outside of the BioDistrict, region or

state. There is therefore a strong need to help grow

the existing workforce, especially mid-level workers.

Some training programs already exist or are in the


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12 December 2010Working Paper 5 Workshop Findings

process of being created. Recruitment programs

should also be established to help meet the need.

Need collaboration and partnership among

workforce training organizations to make it

easy for job seekers to understand the types of

jobs available and get the training they require.

The current workforce development system is

dysfunctional with little communication between

businesses, institutions, schools, job centers, or

economic development organizations.

In order to effectively place job candidates theworkforce needs to match industry needs to

acquire accurate information on the timing of

projects; and to create and maintain a centralized

site listing job opportunities. The latter could be

provided on the BioDistrict New Orleans website.

Information sharing is critical in order to prepare

the workforce for the types of jobs that are going

to be created. The Healthcare Sector Coordinator

for the region does not have information regarding

the number and types of jobs being created by the

VA and UMC hospitals.

There may be a need for an ombudsman for jobs/

workforce training for the BioDistrict.

Community Engagement:

Improve messaging to provide a clear and

consistent message of what the BioDistrict is

and what it means to the community. This will

encourage community buy-in and support.

The evolution of the BioDistrict is a dynamic,

long-term process. It will take time for everyone

to see the benefi ts of the district. BioDistrict New

Orleans needs stakeholder support and buy-in.

Offer more public involvement and education

opportunities beyond public forums.

There needs to be strong community education

regarding the BioDistrict, the biosciences and what

the potential jobs are that will be needed in the

district.

Other General Comments:

The BioDistrict should not be too narrow in focus

and should look beyond healthcare. One fi eld has

the opportunity to spin-off into 10 different fi elds.

Action Items:

Create a Unifi ed Task Force to Create an ongoingComprehensive Workforce Development Strategy

Establish a G.E.D testing center in New Orleans

Community Benefits Agreement Visioning

Sample notes taken during the Workforce Development Visioning

Workshop.


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13

Workshop Findings

As part of the Community Benefi ts Agreement (CBA)

Workshop, the AECOM Team reviewed the following

aspects of CBAs: what CBAs are, how they are created,

how they are best negotiated, how they are monitored,

their benefi ts and drawbacks, and the types of

community benefi ts that can be included.

The Planning Team then asked the following questions of

the Workshop participants:

What type/size project triggers a CBA?

What types of immediate and long-range benefi ts

do communities want?

What types of incentives can be offered to

developers?

What are the appropriate groups/agencies to

monitor BioDistrict CBAs?

Should benefi ts be limited to BioDistrict

neighborhood residents & businesses?

How do we ensure that CBAs do not deter

development?

What would a CBA between a Government entity

(state) and Community Groups look like?

The following is a summary of the key points, questions

and comments generated during the workshop

discussion.

Benefits to the Community:

CBAs enable the community to be part of the

economic development within the BioDistrict

and spurs investment in the intellectual capital of

those living within the district.

Community needs to advocate for CBAs as

they can provide critical benefi ts to community

residents living and working within the BioDistrict.

Ongoing Education Regarding CBAs:

Education is required both before and after a CBA is

implemented

Clarify the role of the BioDistrict in the creation of

CBAs

Community needs to understand that CBAs are a

contract between Mid-City and/or Gert Town and

potential Developers, not BioDistrict New Orleans.

BioDistrict New Orleans can help advocate for a

community in the right forums.

Implementation of a CBA should not be a tax burden

to residents in the BioDistrict

BioDistrict New Orleans stated that it has a draft

budget for helping to work on a CBA

Need to defi ne the criterion where CBAs could be

used including size and/or type of project

Need to identify who is organizing the community to

enter into a CBA.

BioDistrict New Orleans does not need to be

involved in all CBAs in the BioDistrict.

In order to begin the CBA process, the community

should:

1. Realize that it can be diffi cult for developers to

start the conversation with the community;

2. Have a draft document in hand before meeting

with a developer; and,

3. Be realistic in the asks of the developer.

Potential Opportunities for CBAs:

For the VA Hospital project, its likely too late for

a CBA to be negotiated. However, there may be

an opportunity with UMC and the Charity Hospital

rehabilitation, but this requires getting the right


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players at the table now.

Communication with the Community:

Need ongoing clear communication with the

community, so that the process to begin drafting a

CBA starts on the right foot

There is currently little trust within the community

regarding current and future development.

The community is also not convinced of the

employer numbers and quality of jobs provided

by the future VA and UMC hospitals and other

biotech related developments.

Action Items:

Create a CBA Task Force.

Facilitate Development of CBAs for the BioDistrict.

Help identify appropriate people in community for

developers to speak with.

Develop a slide show to educate the community

about CBAs and where they have beensuccessfully used (e.g. Best Practices).

Community Visioning Workshop 1 and 2Findings

Prior to the onset of the visioning process, the AECOM

Team established that success of the BioDistrict is

dependent upon success in these four core areas:

Economic Development

Jobs and Training

Community Building

Civic Leadership

Under the guise of these four themes, feedback from the

community was solicited on the following topics:

Jobs

Education

Housing & Neighborhoods

Community Serving Facilities

Character & Identity

Parks & Recreation Traffi c, Parking, Walking and Transit

Community Engagement

By collecting and sharing diverse input from key

stakeholders during the workshops, the AECOM Team

was able to (1) align common themes into guiding

principles and (2) identify BioDistrict specifi c infrastructure

actions and outcomes. These are found below.

Jobs:

Prioritize hiring for those living in and adjacent to the

BioDistrict

Use local labor and contractors for rebuilding efforts

Need jobs in a variety of areas (medical,digital

media, construction, other community serving

industries)

Stakeholder discussion during the Community Benefi ts Agreements

Visioning Workshop.


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Need to have training that matches the types of

jobs that will be here

Need high paying jobs in order to meet basic living

costs (rent is very expensive)

Education:

Rebuild schools closed due to storm

Create an education pipeline career pathway

for children and adults

Establish after school programs focused on math& science

Create opportunities for lifelong learning

(continuing adult education programs)

Establish summer school programs, internships

and other enrichment programs for children

Educational Institutions should respond to

employers needs (i.e. provide training for available

jobs)

Housing & Neighborhoods: Housing is too expensive Affordable housing is

needed

Encourage mixed-use buildings along Tulane

Avenue & Earhart Boulevard and neighborhood

commercial/small businesses along Canal Street

Residential areas of Mid-City and Gert Town

should not be impacted without input from

residents. Should the BioDistrict include these

residential areas? Some residents would like to

see the district boundaries redrawn to removethese areas from the BioDistrict.

Help protect residents from being priced-out of

their neighborhoods

Blight and drainage are serious issues

Incorporate green building and design techniques

into the planning and development process (e.g.

green roofs, permeable pavers, stormwater

management techniques)

Reuse existing buildings where feasible. What are

the options for the reuse of the Charity Hospital

complex? Can it be reused as a private hospital

and if not, what are the other potential uses that

could be incorporated into the building, so that the

building can be saved and the downtown core can

be strengthened?

Focus new development in downtown area

Preserve historic character of the neighborhoods

Community Serving Facilities:

The following facilities are desired in the BioDistrict:

Grocery (improved access to healthy foods)

Library (larger and with better resources than what

currently exists)

Community Center (a safe place for kids to hang out)

More retail opportunities

Church to serve the Gert Town area

Movie theater (The Theatre at Canal Place is one

venue, but other national chain movie theatres dont

exist directly in the BioDistrict)

Character & Identity:

Nodes of activity (retail, entertainment, etc)

should be located every 6-8 blocks.

Develop fl exible design guidelines that refl ect the

character of New Orleans (We dont want to be

Miami or St. Louis)

The BioDistrict should be safe, walkable, bikable

with a vibrant streetscape

Street and Pedestrian lighting needs to be improved


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Find opportunities to refl ect the cultural history of

the BioDistrict

Encourage taller buildings in specifi c areas to

encourage more green space.

Pursue LEED Neighborhood Development (ND)

certifi cation or incorporate strong sustainability

practices for new and renovation projects within

the BioDistrict.

Parks & Recreation:

Increase access to parks and open space

Desired park features:

o Water features

o More playgrounds

o Basketball courts

o Pool to replace closed Gert Town Pool

o Paid staff to oversee recreation areas

o Variety of activities for kids

Traffic, Parking, Walking, Transit:

Improved bus service is needed especially in the

Gert Town area

Limit the amount of surface parking that is

developed in the future

Encourage development of a streetcar on Tulane

Ave

Streets and sidewalks need to be repaired

I-10 needs to be redesigned to unite

neighborhoods

Community Engagement:

Ensure an inclusive and transparent planning

process with the community

Use various techniques to communicate updates

and meeting notices to the community (internet,

mail, door hangers, yard signs, etc.)

Provide different ways for the community to give

feedback to BioDistrict New Orleans

Encourage participation from small businesses as

well as residents

Encourage the use of Community Benefi t

Agreements (CBAs) to help ensure that new

developments in the BioDistrict give back to the

community

Engage with the City on their Place-Based Planning

efforts.

Action Items:

Several action items emerged from the visioning session

with the community. These are to:

Establish Ongoing Dialogue with Community and

Stakeholder Groups

Commitment to Provide Better Notifi cation of Future

Public Meetings

Present fi ndings from Visioning Workshops at Future

Public Meetings

BioDistrict New Orleans and the AECOM Planning Team

are committed to meeting each of these action items.

Stakeholder discussion during the Community Visioning Workshop.


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17

Section 03:

BioDistrict Vision

Statement


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December 2010Working Paper 5 Vision Statement18

In 2030,

BioDistrict New Orleans is a thriving cultural, business,

science and health destination, regarded throughout

the city as a district of choice: a walkable community

with excellent schools and services, vibrant

commercial areas, rich historic neighborhoods, andaccessible open space and transit.

A mix of existing, new and affordable single-family

and higher-density housing retains and attracts a

diverse community, including many institutional

faculty and staff who choose to live and work in theBioDistrict.

The presence of excellent colleges, universities and

hospitals is leveraged into resources for improving

the area: technical assistance for job training and

small businesses; institutional research translated into

successful businesses; improved K-12 schools; andsupporting families living in the BioDistrict.


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19

BioDistrict Vision StatementBased on the hundreds of comments made during the visioning workshops around each of the eight topic areas, as

well as general comments about the project, the AECOM Team has identifi ed the following goals for BioDistrict New

Orleans:

Training for and Creation of JOBS

First-Rate Schools

Protect, Strengthen Neighborhood Character and Quality

Vibrant, Community Serving Business and Retail

New and Renovated Sustainable Developments

Safe, Attractive, Walkable Neighborhoods

Abundant, Accessible Parks and Recreation

Excellent Roadways, Utilities and Infrastructure

Safe, Abundant, Accessible Transportation

Using these eight goals as a starting point, the AECOM Team developed a vision statement for the BioDistrict which

tries to capture the essence of all the ideas, questions and comments that arose during our discussions with the

community. The goal of this vision statement is to present a vivid idealized description of a desired future for the

BioDistrict that inspires, energizes and helps the community support the creation of the future district. The draft

vision statement is found on the previous page and will be presented to the community for feedback during the week

of physical planning workshops scheduled for the week of November 1, 2010.


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20 December 2010Working Paper 5 Appendices20

Appendix A:

Stakeholder Sign-In

Sheets


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21

City Visioning

September 7, 2010


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City Visioning

September 7, 2010


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City Visioning

September 7, 2010


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City Visioning

September 7, 2010


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Charity Hospital Visioning

September 8, 2010


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Public Visioning Session I

September 14, 2010


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Public Visioning Session I

September 14, 2010


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Public Visioning Session ISeptember 14, 2010


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Public Visioning Session ISeptember 14, 2010


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Work Force Visioning

September 14, 2010


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Work Force VisioningSeptember 14, 2010


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CBA Visioning

September 15, 2010


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CBA VisioningSeptember 15, 2010


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Public Visioning Session 2

September 16, 2010


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September 16, 2010


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September 16, 2010


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September 16, 2010


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Public Visioning Session 2September 16, 2010


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Public Visioning Session 2September 16, 2010

working paper v

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