Innovation Question, Breaking Down Barriers to Mass Transit:The Block 225 project is part of a 5 building campus for the State of California. A portion of the response to the neighborhood in the EIR was that the State would contribute funds to the improvement of the local park, Fremont Park, for renovation and restoration. The funds are to be used for a specific function, that of restoring historic diagonal pedestrian links across the park. The benefit to the entire project, including Block 225, is that the contribution will be used to restore a connection from the project to the light rail system, thereby encouraging the use of mass transit. Without these links, a barrier to mass transit would exist.Question: Could this response to neighborhood concerns regarding open space and mass transit be considered an innovation credit?
It is possible to allocate portions of a campus project to its subservient buildings on a square foot basis. The two performance measures mentioned however are already part of the LEED Rating System, and would not constitute innovation, which can generally be taken to mean new and previously unthought of ideas. Use the open space features allocated on a square foot basis towards Credit SSc5.2 Site Preservation, Maximize Open Space, and apply for the Alternative Transportation Credit, Public Transportation Access.