HR&A Advisors serves as the retained executive team for the Rowen Foundation, orchestrating the creation of a 2,000-acre innovation community in the Atlanta Metro Region that will connect research, education, and industry across agriculture, medicine, and environmental science. As the operational leadership for this transformative project, HR&A directs all aspects of development including real estate strategy, foundation operations, tenant attraction, board governance, and public-private partnerships spanning Georgia's higher education institutions and government entities.
Following years of temporary solutions, Greater Richmond Transit Company (GRTC) engaged HR&A to lead a comprehensive site selection process and transit-oriented development study for a permanent Downtown Transfer Hub. This multi-phase approach culminated in a development concept, funding strategy, and implementation roadmap that has advanced to a formal agreement between GRTC and the City of Richmond as GRTC pursues federal grant funding for construction.
HR&A Advisors is developing a preliminary funding strategy for the Santa Monica Airport Conversion, a transformative project set to repurpose the 192-acre site when airport operations cease in 2028. Working alongside lead consultant Sasaki, HR&A's financial and implementation frameworks will position the City to maximize the site's redevelopment potential while addressing community priorities for this significant civic asset.
HR&A conducted comprehensive market feasibility and economic impact analyses for the Chicago Bears Football Club as they have sought to build a new stadium in Chicagoland, with a specific focus on building a mixed-use district anchored by a new stadium on a 326-acre site in Arlington Heights. Our assessment provided critical data that informed stakeholder outreach to local and State government officials, supporting the team's predevelopment planning and regulatory approval processes.
HR&A evaluated land value capture mechanisms for the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG), delivering a comprehensive implementation strategy and dynamic assessment tool to generate sustainable revenue for SANDAG's Regional Infrastructure Plan. Our work included financial modeling for two priority transit projects and produced an actionable roadmap that helps SANDAG and local partner agencies leverage value capture opportunities to fund critical infrastructure while supporting increased housing supply throughout the region.
HR&A developed a comprehensive funding and financing strategy for infrastructure to enable transit-oriented development (TOD) across Hawaiʻi with the goal of helping address the state's critical housing crisis. Working with the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development, we identified viable value capture tools, calculated infrastructure costs across four pilot areas, and created policy recommendations to make transit-oriented development more financially feasible statewide. Our work also supported a successful $6.6 million Pathways to Removing Obstacles to Housing (PRO) grant application.
HR&A worked with the Los Angeles County Internal Services Department (ISD) across three transformative phases to tackle the digital divide affecting over 400,000 families without reliable home internet access. Through our strategic planning and competitive solicitation process, we helped the County secure $56 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding to launch the Community Broadband Networks program, culminating in a landmark public-private partnership with WeLink Communications announced in May 2024. This breakthrough will serve over 275,000 households with one of the nation's most competitive internet plans—500/500 Mbps service for just $25 per month for low-income families—while also catalyzing significant private investment in underserved communities across Los Angeles County.
HR&A collaborated with 100 Resilient Cities and Houston's Chief Resilience Officer to develop the city's comprehensive Resilience Strategy, addressing critical challenges including stormwater management, urban heat mitigation, and equitable economic development. Working alongside the Water Institute of the Gulf, Asakura Robinson, the Kinder Institute for Urban Research, and the Rockefeller Foundation, we contributed to a strategy that earned the Gold Planning Achievement Award for Resilience from the Texas Chapter of the American Planning Association.
HR&A led real estate and economic analysis as part of a multidisciplinary team developing a master plan for Dallas' Convention Center District, reimagining the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center and surrounding area as an integrated mixed-use district with a new multi-modal transportation hub. Our feasibility analysis, equity assessment, and funding strategy helped the City of Dallas secure a projected $3.5 billion to advance this transformative project.
As a member of a multidisciplinary team led by Sasaki, HR&A developed a strategic business plan guiding the creation of Arboretum San Antonio, a new 200-acre immersive nature-based experience rooted in the city's Southside. Our market analysis, strategic planning, and revenue modeling helped ASA establish organizational direction and financial sustainability for this transformative cultural amenity and helped inform Sasaki’s Master Planning process and programmatic decisions.
HR&A conducted economic impact analysis for the Woodall Rodgers Park Foundation to support expansion of Klyde Warren Park, Dallas' acclaimed 5.2-acre deck park. Our analysis demonstrated $1.3 billion in existing park impact and projected $870 million in additional economic benefits from expansion, helping secure $30 million in public and private funding and catalyzing construction of enhanced park amenities.
HR&A managed the competitive solicitation process for Los Angeles County's $50 million Community Broadband Networks initiative, developing evaluation criteria and vendor requirements that resulted in a successful partnership providing affordable high-speed internet to over 300,000 households while ensuring quality service and community alignment.
HR&A collaborated with the Los Angeles County Internal Services Department to develop a comprehensive action plan for community wireless networks that would close the digital divide in underserved neighborhoods. Our strategic analysis of County-controlled properties and targeted site selection created a roadmap to deliver free, high-quality internet service to households in the most impacted communities across Los Angeles County.
HR&A led an interdisciplinary team to develop a transformative vision and implementation strategy for Prince George’s County’s Blue Line Corridor, a 6-mile stretch along Central Avenue in Maryland. This comprehensive plan has already secured over $450M in state funding and bonding capacity for priority capital projects including a youth sports fieldhouse, amphitheater, central library and cultural center, market hall, and multimodal infrastructure while establishing a replicable model for place-based economic development countywide.
HR&A guided the Transbay Joint Powers Authority through the procurement of a facility management and programming partner for the $2.26 billion Salesforce Transit Center in downtown San Francisco. Our strategic structuring of the public-private partnership and solicitation process led to a successful agreement with an interdisciplinary team led by Lincoln Property Company that met all of the Authority's operational and financial criteria.
HR&A developed and continues to advance a comprehensive Strategic Broadband Action Plan for Clark County, Nevada, home to 70 percent of the state's residents. Our multi-phase approach has helped the County secure over $11 million in federal funding, establish a Broadband Program Office, and position Clark County as a national leader in equitable broadband deployment and digital inclusion.
HR&A led an interdisciplinary team working with the Mayor's Office of the Chief Technology Officer to develop New York City's first Internet Master Plan, addressing the digital divide affecting nearly one-third of city households. Our comprehensive strategy established frameworks for public-private collaboration, governance, and financing that enabled the City to commit $157 million toward expanding affordable broadband access to 600,000 New Yorkers, including innovative procurement approaches that experts have praised as among the nation's boldest universal broadband initiatives.
HR&A transformed digital access for over 400,000 Los Angeles County families by designing and implementing breakthrough solutions that turned the county's digital divide challenge into a national model for affordable broadband. Working closely with the Los Angeles County Internal Services Department across multiple phases, our strategic planning, market analysis, and competitive solicitation process unlocked $56 million in federal funding and forged a groundbreaking public-private partnership that now delivers some of the nation's most affordable high-speed internet to previously underserved communities.
HR&A prepared the Syracuse region to absorb housing demand from Micron's $100 billion chip plant—the largest private investment in New York State history—through comprehensive market analysis across six counties that identified optimal growth areas and recommended strategies ensuring this transformative investment strengthens communities rather than creating displacement.
HR&A Advisors is co-leading Pittsburgh's first citywide comprehensive plan, a two-year initiative establishing policies that will guide how the city will grow and change through 2050. Working closely with the Department of City Planning and a team of local and national partners, we are helping Pittsburgh set clear goals for housing, jobs, transportation, land use, and climate resilience.
HR&A developed a roadmap for Uber Technologies to help New York City meet Mayor Adam’s Administration’s goal for zero emissions by 2030 for for-hire vehicles through coordinated infrastructure expansion. Our assessment revealed critical charging gaps and produced ten strategic recommendations uniting the City, utilities, charging companies, and mission-driven landowners to ensure equitable driver access.
HR&A positioned Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority to secure federal funding for the BART Silicon Valley Extension Phase II through comprehensive economic impact analysis. Our evaluation quantified how this critical heavy rail expansion will catalyze development around four new stations while generating broader economic benefits throughout the Bay Area.
HR&A conducted a comprehensive assessment of MARTA's transit-oriented development and affordable housing programs, providing strategic recommendations to improve program effectiveness and attract more national developers. Through analysis of regional development trends, performance benchmarking against peer agencies, and evaluation of MARTA's property portfolio, we identified key improvements that positioned the agency to enhance development partnerships and outcomes while advancing community revitalization goals.
HR&A is leading a multi-disciplinary team advising the City of Thousand Oaks on a comprehensive downtown redevelopment that includes a new City Hall, adaptive reuse of the existing City Hall, mixed-use development, and public infrastructure improvements. Our market analysis, financing strategies, and procurement support are enabling the City to transform its downtown core.
HR&A's equitable placemaking strategy is guiding how Indianapolis manages and activates its most prominent public spaces. Our work with the Department of Metropolitan Development (DMD) created programming, financial, and governance frameworks for Monument Circle, Georgia Street, Canal Walk, and Lugar Plaza that advance equity while supporting DMD's oversight of nonprofit management and South Downtown connectivity planning.
HR&A guided GoTriangle through a comprehensive joint development strategy for the Raleigh Union Station Bus Facility, from initial feasibility analysis through partner selection and deal negotiation. Working alongside Gensler and Balfour Beatty, HR&A delivered a complete implementation roadmap and successfully secured Hoffman Associates as the development partner with negotiated ground lease terms.
HR&A's comprehensive market assessment for Kingston's waterfront helped structure a $12 million World Bank loan that will transform 85 acres along Ocean Boulevard with a 1.1-mile multiuse waterfront park. Working with Archer and Associates Consultants for Sustainable Cities on behalf of the World Bank's City Resilience Program, our feasibility analysis and financial modeling positioned this project to improve public space access, foster social cohesion, and attract private investment benefiting over 700,000 residents.
HR&A is collaborating with HDR to support the Connecticut Department of Transportation in soliciting a joint development team for the redevelopment of Stamford Transportation Center, Connecticut's busiest passenger rail station. Our market analysis and stakeholder engagement process is advancing a comprehensive solicitation strategy that integrates station improvements with mixed-use development opportunities.
HR&A, in collaboration with HDR, is supporting the Connecticut Department of Transportation in planning and soliciting a development team for the 1.77-acre East Lot at New Haven Union Station. Our market analysis, financial feasibility studies, and procurement guidance are helping CTDOT structure a competitive process to redevelop this prime site adjacent to a historic station serving over 4 million passengers annually.
The Ford Foundation and Schmidt Futures engaged HR&A to develop and launch the National Broadband Resource Hub, supporting government and nonprofit leaders implementing broadband programs during unprecedented federal investment. Our platform provided curated resources, peer networking opportunities, and expert advisory services, fostering collaboration among broadband leaders nationwide before transitioning to long-term management by the Pew Charitable Trusts, the Center on Rural Innovation, and Next Century Cities.
HR&A worked with the Fairfax County Park Authority to redesign their funding model, shifting from a fee-dependent system that excluded lower-income residents to an equitable framework that prioritizes accessibility. Our analysis and recommendations will enable FCPA to serve all county residents while maintaining high-quality programming and expanding culturally competent recreation offerings.
HR&A serves as lead strategic advisor and program manager to the ConnectALL office of the Empire State Development Corporation, supporting the investment of more than $1.5 billion to close New York's digital divide. Our comprehensive support spans organizational development, stakeholder engagement, data analytics, program design, and federal grant compliance, advancing the mission of universal internet access throughout the state.
HR&A positioned Philadelphia to reconnect with its Delaware River waterfront through strategic planning for Penn's Landing spanning over a decade. Our work with the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation advanced from the 2011 Master Plan through developer selection in 2020, resulting in an 11.5-acre park and nearly 2,400 apartments that will transform this 45-acre priority site.
HR&A supported Destination Crenshaw, a community-based organization investing in public infrastructure in Los Angeles' Crenshaw District, to develop a broadband infrastructure strategy that advances digital equity in the epicenter of Black Los Angeles. Our infrastructure analysis, market sounding, and procurement support helped evaluate six vendor proposals and position the organization to select a partner aligned with community goals.
HR&A collaborated with the North Carolina Office of Digital Equity and Literacy (ODEL) to create the NC Resource Finder, consolidating over 1,000 fragmented digital equity resources into a searchable, accessible platform. Our data strategy and stakeholder engagement transformed scattered information into a user-friendly tool that enables digital navigators, librarians, and community organizations to connect North Carolinians with essential internet services and digital literacy resources.
HR&A is collaborating with HDR to support Connecticut Department of Transportation's joint development projects at New Haven Union Station and Stamford Transportation Center. Our market analysis, financial advisory, and procurement services led to selection of Gilbane as developer for New Haven's historic station serving over 4 million passengers annually, with parallel work advancing at Stamford to position CTDOT to leverage transit assets for economic development.
HR&A advised Broadway Station Partners on market-supportable development planning and public financing strategies for one of Denver's largest transit-oriented development sites, the former Gates Rubber Company plant. Our work directly contributed to the Denver City Council's unanimous approval of a $140 million public infrastructure financing package, including $90 million in tax increment financing—the second largest ever approved in the city—enabling groundbreaking in 2018.
HR&A developed and implemented the Game On! programming initiative for the Alliance for Downtown New York, transforming Lower Manhattan's Water Street Corridor from a staid financial district into an active neighborhood playground. Working with Auster Agency and 3×3 Design, we planned and executed a summer-long series of pop-up installations including mini-golf, beer gardens, and beach installations that attracted visitors aged 25-33 (37% of participants) and achieved 60% brand recognition while supporting local businesses through strategic programming and promotional partnerships.
HR&A advised the Sarasota Performing Arts Center Foundation on financial strategy for their $275M performing arts center at The Bay waterfront district. Our work delivered actionable funding scenarios, refined operating models, and comprehensive economic impact projections that strengthened the Foundation's case for public investment and philanthropic support.
HR&A developed the conceptual programming strategy and business plan for The Lawn on D, transforming a 2.7-acre space into Boston's Innovation District's most popular destination. Working with the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority, we created a catalytic programming vision that has drawn over 30,000 visitors annually and established a new model for innovative urban placemaking that has gained national recognition.
HR&A conducted a comprehensive economic and fiscal impact study for the Long Island Index analyzing the proposed LIRR Main Line Third Track project, which faced significant local opposition despite its inclusion in the MTA's capital plan. Using complex economic modeling with project modeling from Parsons Brinckerhoff, we demonstrated that the $2 billion transit investment would generate 14,000 new jobs and $5.6 billion in annual economic output by 2035, leading to Governor Cuomo's approval and current project construction.
HR&A worked with the World Bank to develop public-private partnership models for transforming the Mohakhali Bus Terminal in central Dhaka into a state-of-the-art mixed-use transportation hub. Through comprehensive market analysis and stakeholder engagement, we created feasible development scenarios and PPP structures that enable private sector investment to fund terminal operations while maximizing the eight-acre site's value, leading to consensus-building efforts between DNCC and municipal leaders for implementation.
HR&A developed an organizational roadmap for the City of Fort Worth's Park and Recreation Department to advance implementation of its 2025 Master Plan and the Mayor's Good Natured Initiative. Our strategic recommendations helped position PARD for leadership transition and informed a successful budget increase of 3.7%, including salary improvements and expanded open space funding.
HR&A positioned the Atlanta Beltline to achieve inclusive economic development through a commercial affordability strategy protecting small businesses and businesses of color. Working with Atlanta Beltline, Inc. and the Atlanta Wealth Building Initiative, our stakeholder engagement and data analysis produced actionable recommendations to preserve affordable commercial space amid the corridor's transformation.
HR&A Advisors developed an operating and funding strategy for Manresa Island Park, a proposed new park and community hub that will transform a 130+-acre brownfield site on the Connecticut coast. HR&A’s work advanced the ambitious vision of owners Austin and Allison McChord to convert the waterfront site, home to a former power plant facility, into a regional recreational, ecological, and cultural hub with commanding views of Long Island Sound.
HR&A advised The Trust for Public Land (TPL) on two strategic research initiatives that strengthened cities' abilities to leverage parks for economic development. The research illuminated the economic value of quality open spaces in five different U.S. cities and provided parks departments with implementable regulatory frameworks to secure development-driven funding, ultimately enhancing TPL's advocacy toolkit for municipal partners nationwide.
HR&A Advisors guided the Brooklyn Bridge Park Development Corporation through a comprehensive predevelopment planning process that transformed 85 acres of vacant, post-industrial piers into one of New York City's premier waterfront destinations. By creating an innovative self-sustaining funding model and facilitating complex stakeholder engagement, HR&A broke a 20-year implementation stalemate, enabling the award-winning Michael Van Valkenburgh-designed park to move from vision to reality.
HR&A advised Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) on maximizing development value and public benefits for their flagship Downtown San Jose BART station site, part of the BART Silicon Valley Phase II Extension. Our strategic planning has positioned this significant transit-oriented development (TOD) to become a model in Silicon Valley while advancing VTA's policy objectives, including affordable housing creation.
HR&A evaluated real estate value capture potential along San Diego County's 15-station Sprinter rail corridor for the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG), as a subcontractor to Sperry Capital. Our comprehensive analysis produced a data-driven prioritization framework that identified optimal stations to help realize the region’s Enhanced Infrastructure Financing Districts (EIFDs) and Community Facility Districts (CFDs), providing SANDAG with actionable strategies to fund transit-oriented development and infrastructure improvements.
HR&A supported the New Urban Mobility Alliance (NUMO) to leverage the historic influx of federal infrastructure funding as an opportunity to champion a paradigm shift in how communities approach infrastructure investment. As part of this effort, HR&A supported 15 cities to design projects that reconnect communities, led workshops on measuring and mitigating displacement, and developed the Good Start Toolkit, which offers guidance for working with communities on similar efforts across the country.
HR&A served as strategic partner and development advisor to Rice Management Company for The Ion and broader 16-acre Ion District in Houston, overseeing real estate and programmatic development. This comprehensive advisory role has successfully transformed a former Sears building into a thriving innovation hub while laying the groundwork for a 3-5 million square foot mixed-use innovation district that fosters an inclusive tech ecosystem and creates equitable economic opportunities.
HR&A conducted comprehensive economic impact analysis for the Dallas Parks and Recreation Department, demonstrating that the city's 382 parks and 145 miles of trails generate a seven-to-one return on public investment. Our analysis of community benefits including job growth, health impacts, and resiliency, along with development of a visitor count methodology, provided the foundation for a successful $262 million bond proposal that gained overwhelming voter approval in 2017.
HR&A co-led a multidisciplinary team developing an equitable transit-oriented development (ETOD) strategy for CapMetro's Project Connect, spanning 100+ station areas. Working with Austin Transit Partnership and the City of Austin, we created a comprehensive policy toolkit that minimizes displacement while maximizing economic opportunities for local residents and businesses.
HR&A worked with the City of San José from 2017 through 2021 to negotiate and structure Google's transformative Downtown West development adjacent to San José’s Diridon Station. Through our strategic advisory and direct participation in complex negotiations, we helped secure a groundbreaking $200 million community benefits package and shaped a Development Agreement that has established a new national model for equitable technology campus development, with community advocates calling it "perhaps the strongest community benefits package for a project of its kind anywhere in the country."
HR&A collaborated with LA Metro to develop program and design guidelines for the Transit-Oriented Communities Demonstration Program along the Crenshaw/LAX light rail corridor. Through market analysis, financial feasibility testing, and community engagement, we created comprehensive development guidelines that incorporated community development, economic development, and multi-modal mobility objectives, leading to successful joint development opportunities including a proposal featuring affordable housing, community-serving space, and locally-owned retail.
HR&A partnered with the Trinity Park Conservancy to develop an Equitable Development Toolkit that transforms a $150 million investment in Dallas's Harold Simmons Park into a catalyst for community opportunity. Through comprehensive analysis and stakeholder engagement, we created implementable strategies to ensure the 200-acre park connecting Downtown Dallas, West Dallas, and Oak Cliff strengthens neighborhoods while addressing systemic inequities.
HR&A guided the Moffitt Cancer Center in master planning and implementing SPEROS FL, Moffitt’s transformative 775-acre innovation campus outside of Tampa, Florida. This strategic advisory work supported Moffitt, Florida’s only National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, in expanding its clinical, research, educational, and treatment activities, directly advancing its mission of preventing and curing cancer through a cohesive, purpose-built campus environment.
