Archive for Revitalization
November 11, 2009 · Filed under Creative Cities, Place branding, Revitalization
Through a unique methodology of Engagement Place Branding, one of Canada’s most neglected inner city communities (East Village) is an example of how to brand a community in ways that result in buy-in, without spending any advertising dollars by allowing the community itself to help build the brand. The nucleus of the program was creating a magazine that told the story of East Village from the year 2020 (an alternative to a traditional “vision” document that sits on shelves and collects dust, (the magazine has been subscribed to by the public and carried across the world by the city Mayor).
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Popularity: 28% [?]
November 11, 2009 · Filed under Creative Cities, Density, Economics, Infrastructure, Investment, Real Estate, Revitalization, Shrinking Cities, Urban Agriculture
The troubles of Detroit are well-publicized. Its economy is in free fall, people are streaming for the exits, it has the worst racial polarization and city-suburb divide in America, its government is feckless and corrupt (though I should hasten to add that new Mayor Bing seems like a basically good guy and we ought to give him a chance), and its civic boosters, even ones that are extremely knowledgeable, refuse to acknowledge the depth of the problems, instead ginning up stats and anecdotes to prove all is not so bad.
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Popularity: 46% [?]
November 3, 2009 · Filed under Architecture, Economics, Investment, Planning, Real Estate, Revitalization
Over the past seven years, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg has presided over a historic re-envisioning of New York City, one that loosened the reins on development across the boroughs and pushed more than 100 rezoning measures through a City Council that stamped them all into law.
His administration poured $16 billion into financing to foster commercial development and affordable housing and created quasi-local organizations to promote its initiatives and blunt neighborhood opposition.
And when the economy was burning white hot, as it did for several years, the mayor’s plan appeared to be bold and forward-looking, a prescient decision to remake portions of the city in order to lure companies, create jobs and increase economic vitality.
But that vitality is missing in some sections of New York today, where developments spurred in part by easy credit and in part by city initiatives are now stalled or in danger of collapse.
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Popularity: 28% [?]
November 3, 2009 · Filed under Climate Change, Creative Cities, EcoCities, Economics, Revitalization
U.N. Habitat recently released a report showing that the pace of urbanization is increasing, with “200,000 new dwellers flooding into the world cities and towns each day.” That’s like a new city the size of Seattle, Washington D.C. or Copenhagen springing up every three days. And while it is true that in the Global North, some industrial areas have become home to shrinking cities and others are in line for massive climate troubles, the trends suggest that most cities that are growing today are going to see long sustained booms in population.
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Popularity: 23% [?]
October 28, 2009 · Filed under Cities from Scratch, EcoCities, Revitalization, Urban Design
Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM) was recently awarded the contract to create a stunning new Central Business District in Beijing. The project will integrate into the existing downtown urban district and will improve transportation infrastructure while introducing energy-efficient buildings green public space. The plan also provides a framework for new sustainable growth that would result in eliminating 215,000 tons of CO2 per year, which is the equivalent of planting 14 million adult trees.
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Popularity: 24% [?]
October 5, 2009 · Filed under Creative Cities, Economics, Grassroots, Revitalization, Urban Actions
Now is a moment that argues for enterprise at the heart of collective, local urban action. This is not about being soppy or seditious – but simply sensible business practice. But it is about doing, not studying; commissioning action, not a feasibility study; choreography, not simply invention. It involves a degree of serendipity. And in urban development, it issues a fatwa on geographers and sociologists obsessing with dicing people in to creative and non-creative classes.
What should we call it?
It’s not exactly “American Idol” but we could start with “Venture Urbanism” – and find something sexier a bit later.
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Popularity: 21% [?]
October 2, 2009 · Filed under Creative Cities, Density, Economics, Revitalization, Urban Structure
The 21st century will see ever increasing levels of urbanization. This ABC radio program looks at the way we engage with the city. What do we need to take into account to ensure greater harmony between our future needs as individuals and the needs of the metropolis?
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Popularity: 16% [?]
October 1, 2009 · Filed under Active Transportation, Aging, Revitalization, Suburbs
The nation’s sprawling suburbs may have been a good place to grow up, but they’re a tough place to grow old. Here’s how towns are beginning to ‘retrofit’ their neighborhoods—and what your community might look like in the future.
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Popularity: 15% [?]
September 30, 2009 · Filed under Artificial Landscapes, EcoCities, Infrastructure, Landscape, Revitalization, Urban Structure
Greenwich Street would be the “spine” of a more accessible neighborhood the Downtown Alliance calls Greenwich South. A vision of the future for an area would include green rooftops meant to be wildlife habitats.
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Popularity: 26% [?]
September 30, 2009 · Filed under Creative Cities, Diversity, Economics, Revitalization, Shrinking Cities
If Detroit had been savaged by a hurricane and submerged by a ravenous flood, we’d know a lot more about it. If drought and carelessness had spread brush fires across the city, we’d see it on the evening news every night. Earthquake, tornadoes, you name it — if natural disaster had devastated the city that was once the living proof of American prosperity, the rest of the country might take notice.
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Popularity: 19% [?]
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