Post on 10-Apr-2018
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LARKSPUR FARM
PREPARED BY:
KUTH | RANIERI ARCHITE
An opportunity to create an urban farm in downtown Larkspur
Seeking investors to share this vision and participate in the bidding process
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LARKSPUR FARM
September 2010
One touch of nature makes the whole world kin. - John Muir
Try to imagine an urban farm right in the heart of downtown Larkspur a farm that is supportedby the community and benefits Marin residents of all ages and backgrounds for generations tocome.
Its something that Ive imagined for almost 15 years as Ive driven, almost daily, by the aban-doned Niven Nursery on Doherty Drive adjacent to Redwood High School. Every time I drive bythis neglected property, I imagine a thriving farm with crops that are tended by people of all ageswho are working and learning together and connected to the earth.
Imagine my surprise and delight when I learned that a few weeks ago, all 16.8 acres of this unde-veloped land was put on the market - creating a rare opportunity to bring this vision to life.
Many people look at this land and see dirt thats ripe for development. In fact, the land has re-ceived most of the permitting for a 91-unit housing development (Master Plan included).
I have a vision thats a little bit different. My vision is to transform this property into somethingthat is more aligned with the values of the residents of Marin County and that strikes a balancebetween for-profit and non-profit interests. Specifically, I envision using a portion of the land tar-geted for development to create an urban farm dedicated to reconnecting people to food, the landand each other. While some of land would still be available for development, it would be balancedby a beautiful urban farm that would benefit the community in countless ways.
This urban farm would:
produce an abundance of local, organic food that is sold on-site, to nearby schools, restau-rants and CSAs, and donated to those in need within the community;
feature a Grange Hall with classrooms, a cafe, a demonstration kitchen, and a large openhall that would act as the nucleus for this growing and learning environment;
educate adults and children about sustainability, farm to table curriculum, water conserva-tion, hyponic growing and other environmental and agricultural practices;
create dozens of green jobs;
conserve this land for sustainable purposes and help Marin County produce more of its ownfood, thereby adding to community resilience; and
collaborate with other related organizations invested in sustainability, local organic farmingand education.
As a fellow resident of Marin County I hope you will consider helping to make this exciting visioncome alive - to create a lasting legacy that combines community, environment, education andsustainability.
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LARKSPUR FARM
Specifically, I am seeking investors to purchase this land that would be privately held, but used for
public good. I am looking for investors who are committed to sustainability, who want to be goodstewards of the land in Marin, and who are interested in making a positive impact on our beautifularea now and for future generations.
The great challenge we face is that TRI Commercial Real Estate will close the bidding for theproperty on September 30, 2010 just days away. So timing is critical.
If this vision speaks to your imagination, then please consider meeting with me to talk about howyour investment can help bring this idea of a thriving urban farm to life.
With high hopes,
Betsy DeRuffMarin County resident
(415) 309-5943P.O. 5128Larkpsur, CA 94977
betsyderuff@comcast.net
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Vision Statement
Existing Conditions
- Overview
- Maps
- Site Photos
Developers Plan
- Overview
- Proposal Documents
- Drawings
A New Vision:
Larkspur Farm
- Project Proposal
- Site Plan
- Plans
Appendix
- Marins Legacy
- Precedent Projects
Contributors
LARKSPUR FARM
Building community by reconnecting people
to food, the land and each other.
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Description of Site
The Niven Nursery site consists of 16.8 acres of undeveloped land and is located at 2 Ward
Street adjacent to downtown Larkspur, approximately 15 miles north of San Francisco.
Bordering the property to the south and east is Larkspur Creek. The property is also surrounded
by a shopping center to the west, Doherty Drive to the north, single-family residences to the south
and southwest and Redwood High School. There are two other schools within walking distance
to the site Tamiscal High School and Hall Middle School.
The property has not been maintained for many years and consists mainly of overgrown weeds
and many abandoned greenhouses. There is also an abandoned barn on the property.
EXISTING CONDITIONS
Compelling photograph of site.
Vision Statement
Existing Conditions
- Overview
- Maps
- Site Photos
Developers Plan
- Overview
- Proposal Documents
- Drawings
A New Vision:
Larkspur Farm
- Project Proposal
- Site Plan
- Plans
Appendix
- Marins Legacy
- Precedent Projects
Contributors
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Vision Statement
Existing Conditions
- Overview
- Maps
- Site Photos
Developers Plan
- Overview
- Proposal Documents
- Drawings
A New Vision:
Larkspur Farm
- Project Proposal
- Site Plan
- Plans
Appendix
- Marins Legacy
- Precedent Projects
Contributors
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COMMUNITY EDUCATION CORRIDOR Vision Statement
Existing Conditions
- Overview
- Maps
- Site Photos
Developers Plan
- Overview
- Proposal Documents
- Drawings
A New Vision:
Larkspur Farm
- Project Proposal
- Site Plan
- Plans
Appendix
- Marins Legacy
- Precedent Projects
Contributors
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existing barn building
existing greenhouses
view to Mt Tam
Vision Statement
Existing Conditions
- Overview
- Maps
- Site Photos
Developers Plan
- Overview
- Proposal Documents
- Drawings
A New Vision:
Larkspur Farm
- Project Proposal
- Site Plan
- Plans
Appendix
- Marins Legacy
- Precedent Projects
Contributors
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DEVELOPERS PLAN:THE ROSE GARDEN PROPOSAL
Developers Statement
The Rose Garden project would involve the construction of 85 dwelling units and six second
units. The housing mix includes six cottage-style homes, 29 single-family homes, and 50
senior units (42 multifamily units and eight cottage units). The overall proposed density for
the 16.8-acre property is 5.0 dwelling units per gross acre as allowed in the CLASP (Central
Larkspur Specific Plan) for Subarea 3. A land donation or dedication of 2.79 acres would be
used for a community facility or park site.
Vision Statement
Existing Conditions
- Overview
- Maps
- Site Photos
Developers Plan
- Overview
- Proposal Documents
- Drawings
A New Vision:
Larkspur Farm
- Project Proposal
- Site Plan
- Plans
Appendix
- Marins Legacy
- Precedent Projects
Contributors
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DEVELOPERS PLAN:THE ROSE GARDEN PROPOSAL
teaser page 1
teaser page 2
Call for Offers Date: September 21, 2010
GARY COHEN
Principal
Tel ^ 415.268.2259g c o h e n @ t r i c o mm e r c i a l . c o m
DRE: 00831936
ANTON QIU
Principal
Tel ^ 415.268.2223a q i u @ t r i c o mm e r c i a l . c o m
DRE: 00995312
For further inquiries or to schedule a tour,please contact sellers exclusive agents:
Tel^
415.268.2200
Fax ^ 415.268.2299
www.tricommercial.com
One California Street
Suite 200
San Francisco, CA. 94111
The information above was obtained fr om sources we deem reliable; however, no warranty or representatio n,expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy of the information contained herein.
NIVEN NURSERY SITE
2 WARD STREET, LARKSPUR, CA
RARE ENTITLED RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT IN PRIME SOUTHERNMARIN COUNTY, NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
RARE ENTITLED RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT IN PRIME SOUTHERNMARIN COUNTY, NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
Project Highlights:16.8 acre entitled site adjacent to downtown Larkspur
Site is entitled for up to 91 residential units
Approved for 29-SFR, 42-multifamily, 14-cottages and 6-second units
Estimated median house or condo value in 2008: $1,100,836, and thereis a shortage of supply for new residential construction in SouthernMarin County
Larkspur is one of the most affluent areas in Northern California and isconsistently ranked as one of the best cities in California to live, forquality of life and favorable climate
Highly sought after school district ranked in top 10% of public schools inCalifornia
Within 2 miles of regional shopping centers with national and regionaltenants; and Marin General Hospital
15 miles North of San Francisco, Larkspur has one of the main Golden GateFerry Portals with direct service to downtown San Francisco (20 min.) and
AT&T Park (home of the SF Giants)
Tel^
415.268.2200
Fax^
415.268.2299
www.tricommercial.com
One California Street
Suite 200
San Francisco, CA. 941112 WARD STREET, LARKSPUR, CA
NIVEN NURSERY SITE
Subject Property
City Hall
Fire Department
P i p e r P a r k
DEMOGRAPHICS3 MilesPopulation: 84,546Average Household Income: $138,7215 MilesPopulation: 145,955Average Household Income: $139,918
Vision Statement
Existing Conditions
- Overview
- Maps
- Site Photos
Developers Plan
- Overview
- Proposal Documents
- Drawings
A New Vision:
Larkspur Farm
- Project Proposal
- Site Plan
- Plans
Appendix
- Marins Legacy
- Precedent Projects
Contributors
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Vision Statement
Existing Conditions
- Overview
- Maps
- Site Photos
Developers Plan
- Overview
- Proposal Documents
- Drawings
A New Vision:
Larkspur Farm
- Project Proposal
- Site Plan
- Plans
Appendix
- Marins Legacy
- Precedent Projects
Contributors
DEVELOPERS PROPOSED MASTER PLAN(PENDING APPROVAL FROM THE CITY OF LARKSPUR)
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A NEW VISION:LARKSPUR FARM
Vision Statement
Existing Conditions
- Overview
- Maps
- Site Photos
Developers Plan
- Overview
- Proposal Documents
- Drawings
A New Vision:
Larkspur Farm
- Project Proposal
- Site Plan
- Plans
Appendix
- Marins Legacy
- Precedent Projects
Contributors
image courtesy of Kuth Ranieri Architects
LARKSPUR FARM
Building community by reconnecting people
to food, the land and each other.
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PROJECT PROPOSAL: SITE PLAN
The Niven Nursery Site, Re-imagined
The new proposal marks an adaptation of the proposed developers plan, retaining many parts
of the original development while setting aside parcels for the Community Grange Hall and the
agricultural fields. It leaves the senior housing and senior cottages untouched, and rearranges
the homes on the east side of the lot in order to make space for farmland.
Some of the single-family residences are removed from the original plan, and the cottages areshifted from their position on Doherty Drive to a newly-formed block in the center of the devel-
opment, where they are supplemented by four additional cottages. The cottages, which would
likely be used as starter homes by young families and farm affiliates, are positioned so that they
all face green space. This increase in the number of cottage homes - and the accompanying
increase in the number of young professionals - would be an asset both to Larkspur Farm and
to the Larkspur community.
Vision Statement
Existing Conditions
- Overview
- Maps
- Site Photos
Developers Plan
- Overview
- Proposal Documents
- Drawings
A New Vision:
Larkspur Farm
- Project Proposal
- Site Plan
- Plans
Appendix
- Marins Legacy
- Precedent Projects
Contributors
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PROJECT PROPOSAL: PLAN Vision Statement
Existing Conditions
- Overview
- Maps
- Site Photos
Developers Plan
- Overview
- Proposal Documents
- Drawings
A New Vision:
Larkspur Farm
- Project Proposal
- Site Plan
- Plans
Appendix
- Marins Legacy
- Precedent Projects
Contributors
imageco
urtesyof
KuthRan
ieriArchit
ects
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Vision Statement
Existing Conditions
- Overview
- Maps
- Site Photos
Developers Plan
- Overview
- Proposal Documents
- Drawings
A New Vision:
Larkspur Farm
- Project Proposal
- Site Plan
- Plans
Appendix
- Marins Legacy
- Precedent Projects
Contributors
imagecou
rtesyofKuthRa
nieriArch
itects
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In every walk with nature one receives far more than one seeks. - John Muir
Land conservation and philanthropy can be personified in the life and legacy of William Kent
(1864-1928), Marin County resident and California Congressman. Kent saw the land as a trea-
sure and together with his wife, Elizabeth Thacher Kent, purchased 611 acres of one the last
remaining stands of coast redwoods along Redwood Creek north of San Francisco Bay. To pro-
tect this redwood grove from development, he donated 295 acres to the federal government.
President Theodore Roosevelt declared the area a national monument in 1908 and suggested
naming the monument after Kent. Kent demurred and suggested the grove be named Muir
Woods National Monument, after naturalist John Muir, an environmental pioneer who helped
develop the national park system. More than 100 years later, the wonders of this beautiful
monument are enjoyed year-round by locals and tourists from around the world who flock to
this jewel of Marin County.
Kent once said, I cannot refrain from faintly hoping and earnestly praying that San Francisco
may continue to be habitable, and if land owners are going to continue to reap profits out of the
sky, they may be compelled to divide with those whose feet cannot find room on the ground.
All these years later, Kents words continue to echo the values of conservation so strongly
reflected in Marin County.
Agriculture has also been an important part of Marin culture since the mid 19th century. The
Gold Rush of 1849 helped launch the dairy industry in California. In the 1850s, a San Francis-
co law firm owned most of the Point Reyes peninsula and established several very successful
tenant ranches. These types of dairy ranches, owned by absentee landowners, were also set
up in Sausalito and produced not only dairy products, but huge crops of fruit.
Ross Landing in Kentfield became one of the busiest shipping ports for all types of agricultural
products produced in Marin - potatoes, grains, clams, dairy products, wheat, barley, vegeta-
bles, salt, and hay.
By 1862, Marin provided a quarter of Californias butter and by 1868 boasted 4,000 acres of
potatoes, 11,000 acres of grass hay, 750 acres of beets and 4,360 apple trees. At one timeMarin County also had 875 acres of dry farmed artichoke fields, 2,000 acres of peas and a
flourishing cut flower industry.
Sources: UC Davis, Agriculture and Natural Resources webpage, Wikipedia, Biography of Wil-liam Kent by Elizabeth Thacher Kent 1950.
MARINS LEGACY OF CONSERVATION,PHILANTHROPY, AND AGRICULTURE
Vision Statement
Existing Conditions
- Overview
- Maps
- Site Photos
Developers Plan
- Overview
- Proposal Documents
- Drawings
A New Vision:
Larkspur Farm
- Project Proposal
- Site Plan
- Plans
Appendix
- Marins Legacy
- Precedent Projects
Contributors
Between 1949 and 198
about 783,000 acres
or roughly one-quarte
of the Bay Areas farm
land, was lost. Sinc
1959 Marin has los32,000 acres of agricu
tural lands. Today, 27
ranches remain in Mari
County compared t
1,800 ranches in 194
(according to 1944 cen
sus figures).
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Jones Valley Urban FarmBirmingham, Alabama
http://jvuf.org/
Located on a 3.5-acre block in Birminghams South-
side neighborhood, the Jones Valley Urban Farm(JVUF) has emerged as the face of fresh food in
Birmingham.
The JVUF, which is a non-profit organization, sellsover $100,000 a year in produce and flowers. It
grows fresh food for 50 CSA members, 37 com-
munity gardens, 28 local restaurants, and pro-vides farm and food programming to 5,000 youth
and adults. Additionally, the JVUF has evolved to
become an informal community event space, fre-quently hosting weddings and harvest dinners.
Growing Power,Inc.Milwaukee, Wisconsinhttp://www.growingpower.org/
Growing Power, a Milwaukee-based organizationheaded by farmer-cum-innovator Will Allen, pro-
vides healthy food to 10,000 city residents through
an on-site retail market, in schools and local res-taurants, at farmers markets and in affordable mar-
ket baskets delivered to neighborhood distribution
centers.
The inner-city farm complex, which was founded in
1993, has made valuable contributions to the good-
food movement in its development of worm com-posting and aquaponic technologies.
Green Youth FarmChicago, Illinois
http://www.chicago-botanic.org/greenyouthfarm/
Founded in 2003, the Green Youth Farm is a youth
leadership program for middle and high school stu-dents in North Chicago thats dedicated to sustain-able food systems and healthy eating. Students
grow fresh produce, herbs, and flowers, and are
required to develop a business and marketing plan,
sell produce a local farmers markets, and manageU-pick days at the farm.
Vision Statement
Existing Conditions
- Overview
- Maps
- Site Photos
Developers Plan
- Overview
- Proposal Documents
- Drawings
A New Vision:
Larkspur Farm
- Project Proposal
- Site Plan
- Plans
Appendix
- Marins Legacy
- Precedent Projects
Contributors
PRECEDENT PROJECTS
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CONTRIBUTORS
Betsy DeRuff
Betsy DeRuff, a longtime resident of Marin County, is mar-
ried and the mother of three children. She is also an ordained
Episcopal priest and in 2006 co-founded The Macrina Com-
munity, the first new Episcopal church in Marin County in 65years and based on the principles of individual and collective
spiritual growth. She previously served for eight years as an
intern and on staff at St. Gregory of Nyssa Episcopal Church
in San Francisco. Betsy earned her Masters in Divinity from
the Church Divinity School of the Pacific and has an under-
graduate business degree from the University of Southern
California. Following graduation she moved to New York City
where she worked for McKinsey and Company and Chemical
Bank. Betsy is published in the area of children and worship,
enjoys cycling and is a competitive swimmer. She is also an
avid gardener and enjoys creating healthy and delicious mealsfrom the abundance of fruits and vegetables she grows in her
backyard. Every year Betsy gets a little closer to her dream of
becoming fluent in Italian.
Vision Statement
Existing Conditions
- Overview
- Maps
- Site Photos
Developers Plan
- Overview
- Proposal Documents
- Drawings
A New Vision:
Larkspur Farm
- Project Proposal
- Site Plan
- Plans
Appendix
- Marins Legacy
- Precedent Projects
Contributors
Kuth|Ranieri Architects
Kuth/Ranieri Architects was established in 1990 by Byron Kuth, FAIA, LEED AP and Elizabeth
Ranieri, FAIA, LEED AP. In addition to the two founding principals, the KR team consists of
seven staff architects and designers. We have earned a regional and national reputation for our
innovative works that integrate current cultural discourse with contemporary issues of design,
technology and environmental awareness.
Kuth/Ranieris projects have been consistently recognized and awarded by the American Insti-
tute of Architects: Regional, State, and National Honors; I.D. Magazines 39th. 45th, 47th and
53rd Annual Awards; and the Architecture League of New York. Our work is represented in
periodicals: DWELL, Domus, I.D. Magazine, and Architectural Record; in publications: Rizzoli,
Thames and Hudson, the Whitney Library of Design and in their recent monograph published
by Princeton Architectural Press; and displayed in commercial, university and museum galler-
ies throughout the country. Kuth/Ranieri offers a broad range of industry experience including:
commercial, residential, institutional, medical and non-profit projects at a variety of scales and
budgets.
Additional thanks to:
David DeRuff, Sally M. Jacobs, Jocelyn Knight Photography, Nancy Kent Danielson, who inspired me with
her grandfathers story and lives his values daily, Joe Stewart, and Brian Stromquist.
Betsys photo