September 20 2012
September 20th, 2012Posted by Matthew Traucht
In Minneapolis, Minnesota, new design guidelines are being recognized to preserve the context and character of the historic heart of the city. Following an extensive public hearing period and intensive research, these guidelines express value systems surrounding such notions as streetscape, access to the Mississippi River, potential archaeological remains, views, and the historic integrity of [...]
September 13 2012
September 13th, 2012Posted by Alex Banuelos
Downtown Tempe is home to Hayden Flour Mill, built around 125 years ago in downtown Tempe, Arizona. It was re-established in 2010, but up until then, it was a worn-down, old building, that created an eyesore for passersby. Don’t get me wrong, I can appreciate the beauty in tarnished, historical buildings, but this building was [...]
September 04 2012
September 4th, 2012Posted by Evan Comen
Beneath the myriad accolades and honors awarded to the city of Raleigh, exists its innovative and exceptionally accessible Raleigh Urban Design Center. This past summer, pools of Raleigh’s most engaged denizens sacrificed their lunch breaks for a higher cause; the city form. On five separate occasions, the Urban Design Center hosted one-hour civic discussions on [...]
August 31 2012
August 31st, 2012Posted by Jamaal Davis
Homelessness is by in large considered both a community problem and a national problem. It is an epidemic that affects millions of Americans nationwide every day. Beyond the political battle over how to resolve the homelessness epidemic, there lies a fundamental truth about the problem. That truth is that many decision makers simply don’t know [...]
August 23 2012
August 23rd, 2012Posted by Matthew Traucht
“Whether we look closely or not, great art in public spaces improves our quality of life in Minneapolis every day,” said Mayor R.T. Rybak of the Minnesota Public Radio’s Sound Point project launched in 2011. Sound Point is an engagement of people and art, a dialogue between artist and viewer, and a multimedia experience inspired [...]
August 17 2012
August 17th, 2012Posted by Jamaal Davis
The growing housing crisis in America has had a great impact on Richmond, Virginia’s housing market. Since the beginning of the housing collapse in 2008, the wealthier 1% of the nation’s households have seen great success, while the remaining 99% of the nation have seen 1 in 667 housing units become foreclosed since June 2012. [...]
August 09 2012
August 9th, 2012Posted by Matthew Traucht
The cultural landscape of the Minneapolis-St Paul metro area in Minnesota is largely influenced by historic large-scale agriculture, but that landscape is continuing to evolve to include new forms based on traditional, small-scale farming. One of the most prevalent expressions of that is the presence of Hmong farms within the metropolitan area. The Twin Cities [...]
August 03 2012
August 3rd, 2012Posted by Jamaal Davis
Since 1996, the State of Virginia has been working with the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Southeastern High Rail Corridor project to establish high speed rail passenger connections that would connect the City of Richmond to places like Columbia, South Carolina, Savannah, Georgia, and Raleigh, North Carolina. The project is being done as a [...]
July 27 2012
July 27th, 2012Posted by Alexandria Stankovich
“Every citizen has had long associations with some part of the city, and his image is soaked in memories and meanings.” Kevin Lynch, The Image of the City (1960) Twenty-seven years later, a young Tyree Guyton reflected on his associations to the city of Detroit, Michigan. Poverty, drugs, crime, racism, and violence shaped his world. [...]
July 26 2012
July 26th, 2012Posted by Matthew Traucht
Revitalization and renewal are such commonly used buzzwords that they’ve lost some of their impact. But the urban landscape is one that will always require fresh efforts of adaptation to shifting trends. The Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St Paul, Minnesota have recently witnessed new attempts to accommodate changes in economy, transportation, and consumerism. One [...]
July 24 2012
July 24th, 2012Posted by Evan Comen
Michel Foucault (October 1926- June 1984) was a French philosopher and activist, pivotal in the conception of contemporary postmodern theory. They are bred in the suburbs, and then sent to school. They attend Duke University, North Carolina State University, and University of North Carolina- Chapel Hill. They are pumped with pertinent education, and then are [...]
July 12 2012
July 12th, 2012Posted by Matthew Traucht
Though only recently decriminalized, urban farming and beekeeping endeavors are quickly gaining a foothold in the contemporary landscape of Minneapolis, Minnesota. In order to increase the sustainability and efficiency of urban land use, while also promoting the local food system, the City of Minneapolis is currently implementing several changes: Amending zoning laws to permit market [...]
July 10 2012
July 10th, 2012Posted by Evan Comen
Lacking the time to study up on the latest New Urbanism manifesto? A visit to Raleigh City Farm, of Raleigh, North Carolina, may provide a substantially accurate visual summary. This eight-week-old, 1.3 acre “social enterprise” is picturesquely situated between Peace College and Historic Mordecai neighborhood, granting the urban farm a ten-minute walk from the heart of [...]
July 09 2012
July 9th, 2012Posted by Akua Nyame-Mensah
The City of Olympia adopted a Parks, Arts & Recreation Plan on August 10, 2010 that found “[a]s a result of population increase and urban densification, back-yards are decreasing in size. This absence of a personal piece of land has also [led] to the increased demand for community gardens. [The 10 year Parks] plan responds [...]
July 06 2012
July 6th, 2012Posted by Jamaal Davis
Those pesky Brownfield sites can create great opportunities or can be worrisome problems. In Richmond, Virginia Brownfield sites can be found in many locations throughout the city. Brownfield sites are defined as “old abandoned industrial properties where potential hazardous or unsafe materials might exist.” Over time, brownfields can infect a community with major problems like [...]
July 04 2012
July 4th, 2012Posted by Aascot Holt
The City of Spokane, Washington implemented two of their first-ever SURGE (Spokane Urban Runoff Greenways Ecosystem) projects in 2010 with AHBL: Lincoln Street on the South Hill; [Bottom] [Official Surge Report]; Broadway Street in the West Central Neighborhood. [Top] [AHBL's Presentation to the City]. Both were the first of their kind in Eastern Washington, and [...]
June 12 2012
June 12th, 2012Posted by Jordan Meerdink
Skateboarding is legally recognized as a “hazardous recreational activity.” While this categorization seems dour it is actually an interesting bit of legalese that enables cities to construct skate parks without fearing legal liabilities. Skate parks in North American cities are being constructed at a record pace. And in 2005 an organization of skaters, activists, and [...]
June 06 2012
June 6th, 2012Posted by Aascot Holt
Planning participation is a requirement in most American states, and many municipalities realize its power; a sense of ownership in the community for an initiative can be a determining factor in the success of any plan. To distribute and gather information to and from the community there are essentially three routes. Depending on the community [...]
May 23 2012
May 23rd, 2012Posted by Aascot Holt
The City of Spokane, Washington has been lagging behind culturally and economically for some time, and it seems like officials are stuck in the past. Spokane’s present mayor, Mr. David A. Condon, who was sworn in December of 2011, made his 100-day plan. The Certified Site program is of ‘preacting’ origins, and almost begs companies to [...]
May 08 2012
May 8th, 2012Posted by Patricia Kent
The Mammoth Gateway Project is an effort to elaborate on the entrance to the resort community of Mammoth Lakes, CA. Signage is crucial for travelers and Mammoth Lakes needs wayfinding markers to help tourists get around with ease, while creating memorable experiences. The Mammoth Gateway Project is the ultimate expression of Mammoth’s desire to stick [...]
