CREJ - Office Properties Quarterly - December 2017
Like any thriving development, Meridian is keenly concerned with the quality of life for those who work here and those who call it home. The ongoing search for opportunities to improve our community led to the launch, earlier this year, of M-Bike – the first shared bicycle system in the state of Colorado dedicated to an entire office park and the first shared bicycle system installed in Douglas County. The thinking was straightforward. The Meridian Metropolitan District provides lighting for the streets, water for the people and landscaping for the parks, among other services, so why not also improve the transportation options for how employees and residents move around our 1,685-acre campus? The analysis was in-depth and deliberate. The idea was bouncing around when I began work with Meridian about a year ago, in October 2016. Soon, the idea went to the board and a consensus emerged that staff should determine what it would take to make the idea a reality. Evaluating the viability of the concept was part of an ongoing conversation our board continues to pursue: How is the quality of life and work environment in Meridian defined? What public services should the district provide? The board recognized that a status-quo approach would not keep Meridian on the cutting edge of attractive places to live and work. It’s no secret what businesses want in high-quality office space: good views, access to outdoor space, natural daylight, opportunities for fitness, access to retail and connectivity with public transit. From our perspective, it seemed like a shared bicycle program would check a number of critical boxes. • Commuting. The program would help solve the first-mile, last-mile challenge for those who commute by RTD’s FasTracks. Meridian is fortunate to be served by the Lincoln Station light-rail stop on the western boundary of our campus. A shared bicycle system could help commuters getting to the office or heading to catch a train on their way home. • Recreation. The existing bike trail system within Meridian covers 11 miles, and it connects with regional bike trails that can access much of metro Denver. In addition, guests staying at The Hilton Garden Inn or Candlewood Suites could access the system for recreational riding. • Access to retail. Meridian offers a wide range of retail and restaurant outlets predominately situated along Lincoln Avenue. For many offices, the area is too far to walk – but well within reach for a lunchtime trip on a bike. With the assistance of a consultant, we gauged interest among our existing tenants and evaluated potential vendors. (Not all shared bicycle systems are created equal.) By spring, we knew there was interest from our businesses, including several Fortune 500 companies headquartered in Meridian. We held in-depth talks with our tenants because we wanted to be sure that the system would be used by employees and residents. With sufficient enthusiasm from our businesses, we turned to selecting a partner. Again, we took our time evaluating pros and cons. We settled on Zagster for a variety of reasons. The Zagster bikes are light – 30 percent lighter than some other systems and, therefore, much more likely to be used for exercise. The Zagster system is easy to use via an online app. And the company was willing to operate and maintain the system on a lease basis. That meant Meridian did not need to purchase stations or bikes, and it provided flexibility to expand the system or move stations. The M-Bike system opened in September with 11 stations, 100 docks and 50 bicycles. In all, the district committed $90,000 for the launch of M-Bike’s first phase. We set three levels of engagement for businesses. Individuals (visitors, residents, etc.) can check out a bike on an hourly basis, of course. But our principal revenue model was that businesses would subscribe to the network – and offer the system to their employees (or residents) as a free benefit. The three levels are: 1. $2,500. Access to the system for all employees. 2. $5,000. Access to the system and corporate logo on M-Bike baskets. 3. $10,000. Access to the system, basket logo and corporate branding of a station. Among the early supporters were CH2M, the global engineering giant, and Toastmasters International, a nonprofit educational organization that teaches public speaking and leadership skills. The first 11 stations give quick access to many of Meridian’s 20,000 workers and residents. We had a hunch that employees who worked for businesses that did not immediately engage would put gentle pressure on their employers to request access to the system. There were many business owners who did not fully understand bike sharing and wanted to see it operating before making a commitment. We are extremely pleased with the initial response. Ridership is strong and there will be a phase two expansion of M-Bike that will grow the system to 20 stations, 200 docks and 100 bicycles in the spring of 2018. Already M-Bike is a success. It is adding to our sense of community and improving our quality of life, which is what we set out to do.