Latest news with #Lafayette-based
San Francisco Chronicle
3 days ago
- Business
- San Francisco Chronicle
Developers have a new plan for the heart of a Bay Area mountain after facing opposition
A developer no longer plans to build a giant warehouse on the site of an aging quarry on San Bruno Mountain – but the revised proposal includes a data center and advanced manufacturing facility instead. Orchard Partners LLC unveiled the downsized plan at a community meeting in Brisbane this week in an effort to appease environmentalists who raised concerns about noise, traffic and adverse impacts on the mountain's endangered butterfly species. Instead of the 1.3-million-square-foot, three-story warehouse proposed last October, the developer is now proposing a pair of two-story industrial buildings totaling about 900,000 square feet. One building would house the data center, while the other would host a combination of warehouse space and advanced manufacturing. 'We came back with something that's materially smaller and has materially fewer truck trips,' said Don Little, a partner at the Lafayette-based real estate company. 'I think in all respects we've touched on and addressed the key issues that we were told about.' But some environmentalists say the revisions are just fiddling around the margins of what they see as a fundamentally flawed project, and they have vowed to keep fighting it. 'To us, it's not really as much about the type of industrial use — it's that there will be an industrial use in a place that has potential to be a mountain again,' said Ariel Cherbowsky Corkidi, executive director at environmental nonprofit San Bruno Mountain Watch. He also said the downsized proposal is 'still a really massive project that's inappropriate for the site.' The project would retain the planned 62-acre footprint, with 36 additional acres annexed to Brisbane and protected under a conservation easement, and another 46 acres offered to San Mateo County as conserved habitat. The semi-idle Guadalupe Quarry, which since 1895 has supplied stone for construction projects including San Francisco International Airport, would be permanently shut down to make way for the facility. Developers say the new proposal cuts back disruptive truck traffic while offering Brisbane just as many benefits as the original project; both projects, they said, would create more than 1,000 jobs and generate around $1 million in annual tax revenue for the city of roughly 5,000. Orchard Partners would also contribute $1.8 million to the San Bruno Mountain Habitat Conservation Plan, which funds efforts to manage habitat for the mountain's endangered butterfly species. With the swap from warehousing to data farming and advanced manufacturing, the expected jobs created would be 'distinctly different and probably more modern, maybe more in keeping with the Bay Area,' Little said. Developers say the switch responds to acute demand for the facilities on the Peninsula, and to residents' desire to create more high-skilled jobs than a warehouse would. But environmentalists say the switch to manufacturing raises fresh concerns. 'I don't know what they're going to produce or what kind of pollution that would entail,' said Del Schembari, a co-founder of local group Mountain Butterfly Collective, who has been rallying Brisbane residents against the project. Developers said they can't speculate on what types of manufacturing might be sited in the facility because tenants have not been identified yet. Orchard Partners had hoped the project would go before the Brisbane City Council early next year, but that timeline will now be pushed back, Little said. The firm plans to formally withdraw the original proposal and submit the new one in the coming months. Then, the city will determine if the proposal warrants a new environmental impact report, a process that would take months, said Brisbane community development director John Swiecke. City staff were in the process of reviewing more than 400 pages of public comment attached to the original report, but they paused the work after Orchard Partners said it might change course. Environmentalists contend that the first report was itself deficient and failed to consider a range of negative impacts. Little said the proposal has changed substantially enough that conducting a fresh report would be 'likely.' The developer would also need to secure a range of county, state and federal permits, all of which are pending, he said. Some environmentalists raised concerns that the revised project could be exempt from environmental review under the reforms state legislators passed this week to the California Environmental Quality Act, which include waivers for advanced manufacturing. Swiecke said he could not say whether the project would be exempt until city staff reviewed the CEQA reforms carefully and until they have the developer's formal proposal in hand. Developers said the possibility for a CEQA exemption did not factor into the decision to switch to advanced manufacturing. When presenting the new proposal at Monday's meeting, Little said, he wasn't sure how community members would react, but he came away 'with some new optimism.' 'What we got, and what we have now, is a lot of authentic open channels with the community,' Little said, 'and we're going to absolutely continue this level of exchange all the way through.' Environmentalists showed no signs of backing down. Corkidi, who called the new plan 'a humorous letdown,' said his ultimate goal is to end all industrial activity on the mountain and allow a 'true recovery' of the quarry. That would require a land trust or other entity to purchase the site, since it's privately owned. Corkidi said he did not yet know how that would happen, but that he hoped successfully blocking the redevelopment project would 'change the dynamic' and encourage developers to sell the land. 'Our current aim,' he said, 'is to prevent this inappropriate project from happening and keep the opportunity alive for something different to happen.'
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
New company to provide bus travel around Purdue's campus starting in fall, replacing CityBus
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — After 25 years of using Lafayette-based CityBus to move students and staff around campus, Purdue trustees have approved a $7.8 million, three-year contract with a new campus transportation provider beginning in the fall. Jessica Robertson, associate vice president of auxiliary services for Purdue, told trustees at their meeting Friday morning that the new company, SP+, based out of Chicago, will offer more flexibility and be focused on campus needs. "SP+ brings decades of experience in bringing transit services to higher education and corporate clients and bring an elevated experience to our campus," she said, emphasizing the company's use of technology, including artificial intelligence and an app for students, staff and faculty to use in navigating campus. Several student groups were involved in narrowing the eight proposals, she said; SP+ is able to call on vehicles of various sizes, increase frequency and be more adaptable. Trustees approved the contract unanimously. Steven Poulsen, SP+ national director of transportation, said his company has operated not only on other college campuses, but also provided transportation for hospital campuses, the NFL and the last 23 Super Bowls. The company's fleet, which he said would be dedicated solely to the university's needs, can encompass 15 to an average of 65 vehicles. "We've had a lot of communication with different groups on campus. We've spent a lot of time literally driving around campus looking at what's going on," he said. "I'm not here to throw anyone literally under the proverbial bus, but things can be improved, and we're very excited about the opportunity." The company is looking at using technology to allow students to schedule their transportation, which would be free to anyone with a Purdue ID. The number of vehicles and routes can adjust based on need, Poulsen said. The company has two potential local sites in mind at which to store its fleet, ideally no more than 10 minutes from campus. Now that the contract has been approved, those decisions can be finalized between now and when service officially begins Aug. 25. "Hopefully, the difference is, 'Wow, it's on time!' 'Wow, it's comfy!' 'Wow, it looks great!'" Poulsen said of current bus service and what his company intends to offer. Students living off campus, though, would have free transportation on campus, but what the transportation options are for those forced to live off campus is murky. The SP+ contract does not include off-campus transportation. 'We appreciate the many years of collaboration with Purdue University and the opportunity to have served generations of students,' CityBus CEO Bryan Smith said in a release after Friday's meeting. 'CityBus will continue to provide reliable, safe, and accessible transit options for all members of our community, including those affiliated with Purdue University.' Campus Loop service routes 13C Silver Loop, 14C Black Loop, 15C Tower Acres and the 16C Bronze Loop will be discontinued, CityBus said, but the public transportation authority will continue providing "essential mobility options for Purdue affiliates" to provide connections between campus and the broader community. "CityBus' existing route network throughout West Lafayette will continue to serve key areas of campus, allowing Purdue affiliates to access residential areas, shopping centers, medical facilities, and employment hubs with ease," the release said. "Additionally, route 23 The Connector will remain a fare-free option for all connecting campus and the downtown districts, supporting local businesses and ensuring mobility." CityBus will remain open to future partnership opportunities with Purdue, the release said. "Transportation is usually the first thing someone interacts with," Poulsen told the trustees, "and it's the last." Reporter Jillian Ellison contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Purdue trustees OK $7.8M contract for new campus bus company in fall
Associated Press
19-03-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Reaching for the Sky
Lafayette-based FlyGuys uses AI to match drone operators with reality data clients across the nation. LAFAYETTE, LOUISIANA / ACCESS Newswire / March 18, 2025 / As AI continues to evolve, Louisiana tech investor Joe Stough is leading the way with FlyGuys, which uses proprietary software to match supply and demand for drones. With a managed online marketplace business model, FlyGuys brings together over 14,000 Federal Aviation Administration-licensed drone pilots nationwide to assist clients and software companies in need of reality data. FlyGuys' clients work in various industries, performing tasks such as studying the productivity of a solar panel, inspecting utility poles, assessing the status of a commercial parking lot, or even modeling a cell tower. What unites them is a shared goal: easily finding and engaging drone operators to do work that would otherwise be difficult or dangerous for humans. 'Our drone operators are capable of delivering inspection reports quickly and with more precision than a human looking with their naked eye,' says Stough, CEO. Stough's extensive history as a global software creator and tech investor-with a focus on operational excellence-has given him valuable insight into the industry. He came to FlyGuys after successfully investing in the food delivery app Waitr, a company he eventually ran and took public. When common investors between Waitr and FlyGuys asked Stough to serve as a coach to the FlyGuys founder, he became an investor and was named Board Chairman. In 2022, Stough shifted gears and became CEO with the goal of elevating FlyGuys to a new level by bringing operational excellence processes to an already promising business model. How It Works Engaging FlyGuys is simple. Once clients submit an order for data capture using FlyGuys' proprietary cloud-based software, the AI platform sources the appropriate drone pilot based on location and experience, obtains a commitment from the pilot through a micro-contract, and coordinates the mission. Drone operators then confirm the job by a specified check-in confirmation date, ensuring no customer commitments fall through the cracks. 'Other companies deliver a similar service, but most narrow their focus to one or two vertical markets,' says Stough. 'FlyGuys is AI-agnostic by design, so there's no limit to the vertical markets we can access.' As partners to AI software companies and drone pilots or service providers, FlyGuys' pure horizontal focus makes it unique. The company also prides itself on delivering quality services however big it grows. Market response has been exceptional. After a significant investment in cloud-based software, FlyGuys' revenue exploded from $3.9 million in 2023 to $10 million in 2024. By 2025, the company is projected to grow an additional 100%, and over the next five years its annual revenue is on track to reach $100 million. 'But even that,' says Stough, 'is nowhere near the limit of FlyGuys' potential. 'The total market for these reality data-gathering products is in the billions,' he continues. 'It's a highly disruptive technology in a sizable but fragmented market with very little competition. And it's exactly the kind of technology that clients nationwide will need to grow into the future.'
