People who move into more depressed neighborhoods for revitalization have the label of “urban pioneer”, so in keeping with that terminology is what I call the “pioneer entrepreneur” who opens a quality destination in these neighborhoods. These people are absolutely crucial in the process of revitalization and really one of the most important  as a catalyst since they serve as the “face” of the neighborhood. I make it a point to patronize many of these businesses and if enough people were to do so and spread the word, that can have a real positive effect on attracting even more businesses and residents to assist in revitalizing these areas and making Columbus more vibrant and interesting.

If Columbus is ever to get a positive, widespread national and international reputation, then we need to be more than just a one-trick pony with one healthy major commercial street. These pioneer entrepreneurs have planted the seeds for that to happen. There’s really nothing new here and the list isn’t complete, but I figured this would be good to focus on.

View Larger Map

King-Lincoln has Creole Kitchen up on dilapidated, but quite intact Mt. Vernon Ave. which is no obstacle for those wanting quality Creole food (Chef Butcher is from Shreveport, LA) along with new businesses like Urban Spirit Coffee Shop over on Long St. whose owner Charity Martin-Via is very involved in improving the neighborhood and there’s the newly re-opened Lincoln Theatre on Long. Momentum in the neighborhood has built up and hopefully people will cross over the highway and check it out.

Olde Towne East has a tiny, bustling corridor on Parsons. A couple of businesses that stand out are Black Creek Bistro which quickly gained a following. Carabar draws a good-sized crowd and there’s Chop Chop Gallery. Yellow Brick Oven is now open on Oak St., which could easily compliment Parsons. It could spark a revitalized Oak St by providing an east-west stretch of businesses clustered around several intersections instead of sad-looking empty buildings. Also just spotted is Families restaurant on Oak just east of Sherman where those new condos are. There’s definitely plenty of opportunities for new businesses between the two. Further down on East Main Street is Gloria’s Soul Food which is adding a good reason to head out there.

Hal & Al’s draws visitors from all over to Parsons Avenue south of Livingston, not to negate the longstanding bright spot of Plank’s Cafe, also on the same street. Over on the other side on S High in Merion Village is the new Cavan Irish Pub which took the spot of one of the many sad-looking bars in the South Side.

Franklinton has a progressing arts scene and an already existing restaurant row anchored by a Columbus staple: Tommy’s Diner.

Linden has the Linden Cafe which is part of the Four Points development at 11th & Cleveland which has a handful of various retail spots. Island Vibes Restaurant, Ena’s Kitchen, and Shine put the neighborhood at the top of the list for  places to grab Caribbean fare. New Harvest Cafe, has a community garden and new urban arts space and various new Somali businesses including restaurants and tea joints have popped up on the northern end of Cleveland Ave.

Dirty Frank’s sits as a lone hub of bustling activity after five on any given day along the entire stretch of 4th St. Downtown, demonstrating that if you’re willing to provide a good enough reason to attract visitors they will come here and after 5.

Right on E. 5th Ave in Weinland Park is Bristol Bar, which has demonstrated you can open a swanky dance bar a short distance from High St. on a mostly rundown street and be successful. They get the benefit of being close to High, but without paying nearly as much for the space.

This last example is not a new establishment, but gets an honorary mention. Back when the Short North was more dangerous than any current day neighborhood, Rigsby’s had opened up. You can bet people thought it was crazy to open a restaurant, let alone a high-end one, in a crime-ridden, deserted area full of pawn shops, liquor stores and empty buildings that would require an unimaginable amount of work to turn around. Not only are they still here, but now you can down the street to a fancy dog bakery. You can bet that no one saw that coming, yet there you have it.

Point is, in some cases there are neighborhoods that are  off the radar and/or suffer from image problems and when someone opens a quality business there it gives people a good reason to get over their preconceptions (common sense rules still apply). While they might not be places some would want to live in right now: residents are working to varying degrees to change that and they do warrant a visit. I think the above examples plant the seeds for change in improving not only the general attitude towards these parts of our city, but encouraging more businesses to open shop and make these neighborhoods better places. If you haven’t ventured off of High St., it’s about time you got to know the other Columbus.

During the campaign I wrote about public housing residents  in Chicago who were in the freezing cold in Barack Obama’s district.   They insisted they called his office and he did nothing about it.  He claimed no knowledge of it .  THe Chicago public schools when Obama was a politician were in a shambles and still are in a shambles Aas evidenced by the many killings near and around the schools.  The strangest thing to me though is that Obama is now trying to craft a health care plan when he apparently does not care for anyone not even third term babies that he freely supported aborting.  Personally I think he seeks to destabilize health care so his friends can have some money.  What ahve the stimulus funds done.  In any event this is about my complaint my civil rights complaint that I made to the Department of Education regarding the education of my child who was not being educated and seemed to be under emotional and psychological attack at this school.  As in character the Obama administration did nothing about it and declined to investigate.   I think there were some real problems in the county school system and no one seems to care about these children.  There is a virtual academy in our state where a huge number of particpants are from the county of Dekalb County Georgia.  The system is just different and not held accountable for teaching the children.  They have been embroiled in a cheating scandal and the superintendent sent out an email saying to support the teachers and principals involved, I wonder why.  As a parent I don’t want anyone cheating for my children there is a life other than elementary and high school and they will be hrld accountable.

In any event here is my incoherent complaint to the Obama administration’s DOE  they refused to investigate.
This is a class complaint on the behalf of all of the poor minority children who have been victimized by this school

As I was registering my child for Evansdale Elementary I noticed that a lady was angrily withdrawing her child from the school.  She was a black woman and appeared to be extremely angry as she was withdrawing the child. I thought to myself how strange my child will be OK because she was a straight A student and on the honor roll all of her life.I forgot to mention I tried to enroll my child but told my child was not on the list and then a call as made to the board of education to confirm that my child was on the list. I thought it was strange that someone would think I would drive all of that way to lie about my child being on the list but continued to register her though I was slightly disturbed.  On the day of open house as I entered the building to meet the teacher a Jewish looking lady said Oh no you are not on the list and refused to allow us to precede to the normal place where people who have registered go to and directed us to the library where an Asian woman and Hispanic woman were standing saying they were on the list for the school also.  I overheard the women say if you were registered your folder would be here to the Asian woman.  I said well I preregistered and my information should be there the women from the school kept saying they could not find the name until they eventually found it and then they said oh it was in the bin all the time you’ve preregistered and directed me to the teachers room and never directed me to the cafeteria where stuff such as PTA registration was happening etc.  As I was leaving I overheard a parent say to her child no more advanced classes for you you cant handle it.  I do not know of these persons names but I do know the school board keeps a record of all students who are disenrolled from the school and if you speak to them you probably will find commonility in what I’m saying to you.

The allegations of discrimination come from what I can only describe as emotional cruelty towards a child which is designed to mess with her confidence.  My child made a 34 on a multiplication quiz that was unannounced and was forced to write it in her agenda several times.  Instead of sending the quiz home and allowing me to say you’ve got to do better the children were forced to write it several times however when she made a 92 and 90 on the same material she did not have to write it to reinforce that she had done well on her test.  My daughter than took another test and wore her glasses to school but they disappeared she does not know when.  However the teacher wrote on her grade of 80 test where are your glasses?  I found this profoundly disturbing and wrote to the principal and faxed a copy of this information he told me to discuss it with the teacher. The school has a weird system of recording work habits fro all children which is really strange they get checks when they don’t have certain items like a book.  This is OK but my daughter left her book at home and instead of the teacher allowing her to share with someone else or giving her a sheet to look at she made her sit there without a book and emailed me she did not have her book, the email was fine but to sit there and not let the child have a book or anything to look at is disgraceful and unheard of. Prior to this I had come in to speak to two of my children’s subject matter teachers one concerning the math and another because he had misgraded my child’s paper, she had gotten an 80 when she deserved a 100.  This also happened in my chidls workbook I noticed that all of her answers were correct but she self grded her paper and marked them wrong, yesterday I said honey these answers are correct she said my teacher looked at these answers and said they were wrong.  I insisted they were correct.
In any event on the day I went to see the math teacher and the science teacher about my various issues concerning them I did not see the Social Studies teacher because I had not received ANY graded papers from her “NOTHING”  well when I got home I received a call from her telling me my child had been late for two days which she had and that it may jeopardize her grade, the teacher even admits that this was the third day she had done actual work with the students THE THIRD DAY IN THREE WEEKS AND NOT ONE GRADED PAPER, I eventually called her back and she told me she had given my child many checks I said no youh ave not she does not have one check she then called for my daughter out of her class I said I hope you are not putting checks on her paper now SHE CALLED THE CHILD OUT OF CLASS and she had one check when she got home but we could not maintain a civil conversation I told her my daughter had been late to school but not as late as she was indicating I said maybe she got lost since it was a new school she said your child is not smart enough to find her way through the school after being in school for three weeks I then discontinued the conversation and made an appointment to speak with the Principal who despite the fact that I had written him a long letter of my concerns addressed none of them. Our topic of conversation was that I was aware that there was a gpa requirement for staying in the school and it appeared they were picking on my child this was not resolved. The next day coincidentally  the children were sent forms home and parents had to sign they were aware of the gpa requirements I found the timing strange.  In addition the children were given reading tests to see what level they were on which seems strange timing to me also.  The last action was an email about forgetting the book which I wrote about above. While these maybe normal incidents and coincidences I am convinced that this is a pattern of behavior that certain children have been subjected to.  My child was torn down before she got in the door and her confidence is going and gone she makes careless mistakes on her math work because of the emotional cruelty that she is subjected to.   This should not happen to any other child.

As far as age discrimination is involved the school is using strategies that are not age appropriate the kids are changing classes at fourth grade they have to carry around their stuff from class to class, when a child is late they do not have a locker to go to they have to interrupt an ongoing class and are not allowed to carry their book bags to other classes they were given excessive homework but not anymore

In addition I would like to add the case of the young child who committed suicide in Dekalb County schools to my complaint the school system totally ignored his mothers complaints that he was mistreated and they are ignoring my complaints the administrator has discounted my complaints and have not taken them seriously I know my child is being mistreated.  I am making a complaint against the whole school system for its failure to ignore the complaints of poor black children and their parents This is a class complaint and you should not allow any more children to be stunted and destroyed by this school system

This is my second attempt to file this complaint so I have several addends.

During the week of October 20, 2009 my daughter was in class and her white teacher told her to get up and move to another table and gave her an assigned seat, no other children in the class according to her have assigned seats.  My daughter says the children come in and sit where they want to sit.  I asked her had she been given some sort of warning ie. stop talking you have a behavior problem and she said no. The teacher instructed the child to go and sit with the boys this is clearly a gender based method of punishment and gender discrimination.

At the beginning of October the math teacher gave children who had missed problems on their math silent lunch.  This is not age appropriate as well as discriminates against children for the disability of not getting the problems correct.

The Social Studies teacher as opposed to using the county curriculum makes up her own tests and attaches half of the county’s mandated test to the whole test.  This discriminates based on age.  The test has 30 words or more for so far 12-15 boxes.  This is clearly not a well thought out test based upon the developmental and educational needs of fourth graders.

Instead of class work the children are required to take notes like college students.  This is clearly not age appropriate.

There are no county wide curriculum materials and requirements in place to assure that every child across the county has a comparable education.  Some teachers are making homemade tests that are awful and some are making tests that are grand, unfortunately my child has the bad test maker.

There is wide spread test manipulation and cheating in the county which makes it impossible to measure and benchmark correctly the achievements of  children.  This is evidenced by the arrest of several principals in a cheating scandal early this summer.  No one knows for sure who’s cheating and who the cheating is benefiting.  This is discrimination on several fronts based on who the beneficiaries of cheating are.

The school is being used to host activities that are marketed to students that are not accessible because of lack of income ie chess is almost two hundred dollars and drama was well over two hundred dollars these are clearly discriminatory actions  based on income and therefore race because certain races have less income and can not afford the price of entry.

Forgot to mention one teacher staples different versions of the test together like teachers may have an option of giving test b or test a she will staple half of test a to half of test b this is not what the test maker intended and not age appropriate and discriminates on age hampering the children’s ability to learn

7. Your complaint must be filed within 180 days of the discriminatory action

When did the last act of discrimination occur?

Enter the date: 11/22/09 (mm/dd/yyyy)

Are you requesting a waiver of the 180-day filing time limit for discrimination that occurred more than 180 days before the filing of this complaint?

No.

8. What would you like the institution to do as a result of your complaint – what remedy are you seeking?

In would like the county to research how many children who entered evansdale elementary school as honors students ended up receiving c’s and had test scores that went down significantly I would like to know the race, gender and the income of these children.  If a pattern of not achieving is shown because of this schools attitude I would like the county to make changed where all children have the right to a magnet education of a foreign language.

I would like to see the teachers better educated in the psychological and developmental needs of children

I would like to see some consistency regarding curriculum across the county.  My child attended a magnet before and they did use the textbooks and testing materials of the county.

Do you have written information that you think will help us understand your complaint?

Yes

As I mentioned yesterday, my new neighborhood of Fairmount here in Ft. Worth was recently named as one of the South’s Top 10 Comeback Neighborhoods by Southern Living Magazine.

It’s both exciting and scary, as I have grown to quickly love this ‘hood, and would hate to see it change dramatically by all the attention it’s getting. But, I’m also a newcomer to these parts, and I’m sure there are some who would see me as part of the problem, despite the fact my feelings are sincere.

My comments prompted an email from a long-time friend, whose family has lived in this neighborhood for over 30 years, which means he’s seen this place when it apparently wasn’t the best of places, and he’s continued to watch it as it becomes an up-and-coming neighborhood.

He talked of some of the changes he’s seen, how the location of Old Home Supply (in the photo to the right, and shown on the previous link to Southern Living)  used to be a store where he’d buy day-old donuts (personally, I love how it was also a Piggly Wiggly, as you can see the faint writing on the building to the right), how a few blocks away where there are new homes going up used to be a spot called Tiny Mart, which was his candy store as a kid.

Some of these changes are the kind of changes that just happen as an area grows. Shops go in and out of business as the neighbor complexion changes, as owners pass away or just move on, or, because it no longer makes sense for them to be in business.

And as long as the changing businesses remain locally owned and run, it’s not a bad thing. It’s when some giant company swoops in, buys up the plot of land, and suddenly, the Golden Arches loom overhead like some sort of Sword of Damocles, forever changing the complexion of an entire neighborhood, and ushering in the inevitable Burger King, Best Buy, and Wal-Mart.

It reminds me a bit of what happened several years ago in NYC’s East Village.

St. Mark's iconic punk store, Trash & Vaudeville

Long a somewhat gritty area for artists, students, barflys, and those who liked their NYC on the cutting edge of hip and cool without being overly trendy and expensive, the East Village and its unofficial entrance past  The Cube on Astor Place and onto St. Mark’s Place, was ground zero.

But then the previously unthinkable happened. A long-standing community center was razed, and in its place went a mini strip-mall type of building featuring clothing retailer The Gap. Suddenly, blocks and blocks of locally owned businesses were seemingly dwarfed by one little chain store.

Fortunately, locals balked, rarely shopped there, and within a few years, The Gap was shut down. But it forever changed the complexion of the block, as one side remained true to its gritty self, but the other was all shiny and pretty, and it was like a never-ending culture clash.

That’s my biggest fear for Fairmount. There’s a lot of buildings changing hands, and the landmark designation for much of this area oughta prevent that kind of stuff from happening, but when money changes hands, anything is possible.

Change is inevitable, but in a neighborhood such as this, it’s important – if not downright crucial to survival – for that change to retain the character of the area. Again, I’m excited to be part of the growth, change, and revitalization here, I just hope for everyone’s sake that all of that is done with thought and a solid combination of hindsight and foresight.

———————————————————————-

Just a couple of quick production notes about Under the Texan Sun.

As you’ve probably noticed, I don’t publish on the weekends. I figure it’s a good time for everyone to catch up on what they haven’t read during their busy work weeks. I also will likely not publish on Christmas Day as most people are spending it with their families, and I may not publish on New Year’s Day either, as many of us are “recovering”. But, who knows, that may make a good subject onto itself.

And finally, don’t hesitate to subscribe, via the button on the right, just under the photo of yours truly. It’s a quick way to know when there’s something new up, and you don’t have to worry about me reminding you via Facebook or Twitter. D

Have a Happy Holidays everyone, and thanks for reading!

The Sustainable Cities Collective often publishes ridiculously insightful and on-point pieces and yesterday’s post by Ariel is no exception. The article points out that, often, Transit Oriented Development (TOD) is too focused on the Development aspect and not as much on the Transit portion. Any project within 1/4 mile of transit is classified as TOD, even if the transit is not completely reliable or frequent.

An Econsult report is cited: “The value of any development is contingent upon the value of the transit service provided.” How true. And here comes the vital point (often made by RenewLV, 10,000 Friends of PA, Transportation for America, and countless other organizations working on transit and smart growth issues) that transportation and development are intricately tied to each other, and better land use planning is needed to make sure that regions grow in a smarter and more coordinated manner. We, as a society, are learning that not all development is good development. And while transit oriented development goes a long way in promoting better long-term visions, it still needs to be mindful of coordinated planning – one that promotes urban revitalization and redevelopment of the core communities.

But what are your thoughts on this?

So, there we were. Suddenly on the tree-lined streets of Sunnyside Gardens, Queens, NY. A National Historic district designed by a highly regarded architect and urban planner, a sort of oasis in a dessert of concrete and tall buildings.

For two relative newcomers to NYC, it was an oddity. Even though both of us had grown up in the suburbs in the south where trees were commonplace, seeing this tall green giants of beauty was a wonder that kept us smiling. Breathing the relatively fresh air was, well, refreshing.

And as we explored the neighborhood more fully, tons of ethnic eateries and Irish Pubs, and even a “suburban” grocery store.

For those who have never shopped in a typical NYC grocery store, it can be a miserable experience. While most of you are familiar with the giant, roomy, lots of aisle space and room for two or more carts to pass each other style grocery store like the one pictured on the right, it is a completely different experience at most grocery stores in New York City.

As cramped as you can imagine, packed high and wide with groceries both fresh and dusty, and aisles so narrow that negotiating it with one grocery cart is an effort, much less when someone comes up pushing a cart from the opposite direction and you have to figure out how you’re going to pass each other.

Imagine Central Market at its most crowded, then multiply that by about 100, and you have a typical evening or weekend at an NYC grocery store.

So, having a suburban grocery store in our neighborhood was yet another breath of fresh air.

One of the things I loved most about Sunnyside Gardens was its status as a sort of up-and-coming neighborhood. It featured older buildings – from the 20s, and residents who for the most part tried to retain – or return – the traditional character of the neighborhood.  It was cool to be part of that.

It also felt like being on the cutting edge of something special. A neighborhood that was sometimes written up as “The Next Big Nabe!” (in NYC, writing about which neighborhood will be THE NEXT BIG THING is nearly as common place as taxicabs and car horns), a 15-minute subway ride to midtown Manhattan, and again, all those tall trees, made me bustle with pride about my little undiscovered paradise.

Yuppies at rest, preparing to annoy

But, with that, also comes a certain fear. A fear that the masses, the great unwashed (aka Yuppies, and their bastard children, the previously discussed Hipsters),would descend upon my little neighborhood.

A fear that their migration would  cause prices to spiral out of control. A fear that they would change the character of the neighborhood.

And that’s a fear I have for my new neighborhood, the historical Fairmount district here in Ft. Worth.

Searching for my new home once I decided to re-settle in Ft. Worth, Fairmount screamed to me as soon as I discovered it. It let me know that this was where I was going to settle, where I was going to start my new life.

The historic homes, the character of the neighborhood, the bars and restaurants, all called my name and beckoned me, charming me in the same way Sunnyside Gardens did.

Of course, I’m a newcomer to the neighborhood. There may be long-timers here who resent *me* moving in. To them, I may be one of the “great unwashed”. I accept that, even though my excitement is genuine, and my dedication to helping preserve the character of this neighborhood is sincere.

So, it’s with a combination of excitement and fear to see that Southern Living Magazine just named Fairmount one of The South’s Top 10 Comeback Neighborhood.

Excitement, because Wow, my new ‘hood is on the cusp of something big. It’s starting to get recognized NATIONALLY for everything that is going on. That really, truly, is exciting, and something to be proud of.

Fear, though, because of the aforementioned details. I don’t want to see prices and costs spiral out of control. I don’t want my neighbors to want an indoor tennis court down the block, or a shiny glass and mirror gym where now stands a park.

It’s definitely a cauldron of mixed emotions, and tomorrow I’ll delve more into my thoughts and feelings on that in regards to my new home here in Fairmount, Ft. Worth, TX.

1. Make a list of all of the amenities that are close by in the neighborhood you are considering as your new residence.  Keep in mind what distances and routes to each of these places are acceptable and what are not.

2. Determine what the best features of the neighborhoods are.  This is especially helpful if you are deciding between a few different neighborhoods.

Are there parks nearby?
Is it scenic and visually appealing?
Are there quiet areas, streets, culs de sac?
Are the people friendly in the neighborhood?
Is the neighborhood clean?  Yards, streets, parks?
Are there nice trees and foliage?
Do the lots have large or small yards?
Are there walkways and are they easily accessible?
Is it a safe neighborhood?
What are the market values of the homes in the area?
Are there many houses for sale?
How long ago was the community developed?
What is the average age of the people in the area?
Are there families with small children in the area?
What is the proximity to schools?
Are there community events or organizations?

3. Walk around in the neighborhood.  The best way to determine the cleanliness and friendliness of the neighborhood is to walk around in it and meet its residents.

Allentown’s Riverfront development plans are coming along, as a special tax district designation will allow for the money collected from taxes to stay local. This is good news for Allentown’s mayor, Ed Pawlowski, and other city leaders, all who have been working on generating the revenue for various aspects of the development plan – including a hockey arena. The arena, which will house minor league hockey team, the Phantoms, is to be built in the district, and city officials are hopeful that other businesses will open up along the Riverfront over the course of the next few years.

The development is also aided by a grant from the Department of Transportation, as part of its Pennsylvania Community Transportation Initiative this past year. Joyce Marin, Allentown’s Director of Community and Economic Development at the time, spoke to the scope of this project at RenewLV’s brown-bag session in November. Check out our Multimedia page for the full recording of that session (along with great photos).

What sort of businesses would you like to see on the Allentown Riverfront? Personally, I’m hoping an Ethiopian restaurant opens in the area.

Communities across Pennsylvania may soon have an easier way to promote traditional neighborhood development (or TND), an approach to placemaking that emphasizes a mix of uses (housing, office, retail, education, parks), transit access and walkability.

Last week, the Senate Local Government Committee approved a bill–authored by Rep. Robert Freeman of Easton–that would allow municipalities to zone specifically for TND, thereby streamlining the process of undertaking this kind of village-style community design. Under current Pennsylvania law, a developer interested in TND has to apply to the municipality for an overlay district for the development. Rep. Freeman’s bill (HB 1609) would enable municipalities to zone certain areas for TND, meaning that a TND could be implemented there “by right”–without the need for special approvals.

“By allowing municipalities to make an outright TND designation in their zoning codes, it would be a lot easier to create TNDs,” Freeman said. “Municipalities could ensure that this more compact form of development would be utilized, rather than simply suggesting it to a developer as an alternative. With this added tool in their planning toolbox, local officials would be in a much better position to manage growth more effectively, preserve more open space and reduce people’s dependency on the automobile.” [Read the full press release.]

Next, the bill moves on to the full Senate for consideration. HB 1609 passed the House by a 195-0 vote last summer.

And, on the topic of state policy: RenewLV’s next “brown-bag” session will feature Rep. Freeman providing a preview of what’s coming up in 2010 in Harrisburg, with regard to pending legislation related to urban revitalization, smart growth, open-space preservation, and related issues. This brown-bag session will be Friday, January 15, at 12 noon in the Victory Firehouse, 205 Webster Street in South Bethlehem. Bring a lunch and join the discussion. For more information, contact us at smartgrowth@renewlv.org.

I am visiting my home town Brooklyn U.S.A.   I am in the wonderful area of Bay Ridge at my daughter’s apartment. ( I feel like Seinfeld’s parents.) Doing all the cooking, giving her advice etc.  But the best part of this visit is that it is Christmas Time in New York.  I had moved upstate several years ago, but coming back here  to visit is so nostalgic.  While my daughter is at work, my husband and I are doing our internet business.  We take a break and walk down to the avenue to get come cappuccino and pignoli cookies.  We were sitting there when a man frantically came in and asked if anyone saw his cell phone.  All the local Brooklyn people with their neighborhood spirit got together and looked everywhere under their tables.  One man called the lost phone, another had a suggestion to back track to where he was, another said to check his car.  In a matter of One Minute, there was about 20 people who just showed so much concern for this man.   It was such a beautiful experience.

Now you folks out there may think Brooklyn is a “dangerous” or awful place, but coming back I see it did not lose the spirit of the Neighborhood.  This is something you can only find here, in Brooklyn, U.S.A.   There are a blend of different cultures, some not speaking the same language.  But everyone has one thing in common – the neighborhood spirit.  I am grateful today that I was blessed to be part of this.  So folks count your blessings when they happen.  

When we pay attention to these small happenings, and are grateful for them it opens up your world and lifts your spirits.  It can make a difference in your day.  So keep your eyes ad ears open my friends to all the magic around you.  It’s Christmas time and there is many Christmas Miracles going on and special moments of people being in the spirit, so don’t miss out.

About a dozen years ago, my then-girlfriend and I (and another roommate), were living in a really nice big apartment, in a crappy neighborhood, a long chilly walk to the subway through questionable blocks in what was an unquestionable concrete jungle, in Brooklyn, NY.

Grass and trees were a distant memory. In some cases, people even tore up their green grass lawn to install what we called Brooklyn Grass. Yep, people would rip out their real lawns, pave over them, and then place artificial turf on top of that concrete.

I didn’t understand it then, I still don’t understand it now, and I probably won’t EVER understand it.

Yes, I realize that the upkeep and maintenance of artificial turf is immeasurably less than that of real grass. But really, what you save in time, you lose in aesthetic beauty, and while looks aren’t everything, when your front lawn looks…well…fake, what’s the point?

But perhaps the biggest problem with our then-neighborhood was a landlord with questionable ethics. We just weren’t comfortable being there, and we decided to find a new place. The then-girlfriend and I moved out a week earlier than the roommate, and our fears were justified when she had some things stolen in a break-in of which all signs pointed to the landlord’s son.

Anyway, in trying to find a new apartment, we trekked out to the foreign country of Queens. See, that’s what it’s like in New York City. Often, traveling to a different borough is like traveling to another country.

The Bronx feels so far north, there are times it doesn’t even seem like it’s part of NYC.

Poor Staten Island – well, I’ve discussed his red-headed stepchild status before.

And Brooklyn or Queens? Well, if you’re a Manhattanite, trekking out to those boroughs is not something you’re likely to do, unless you’re adventurous or not afraid of some of the best ethnic-food you will ever eat in your life without actually having to leave the country.

But when it comes to Brooklyn *and* Queens, there is a rivalry of which knows no end. Perhaps it’s because Manhattan is unquestionably #1 when it comes to ranking the boroughs, and Bronx and Staten Island are #4 and #5 (well, except to the residents of those boroughs – we’re #1 reigns supreme!).

But Brooklyn and Queens are in a perpetual battle for second place. For a couple decades now, Brooklyn has held down that position, but mostly because yuppies, followed by annoying hipsters, flocked into the neighborhoods where those who did not gentrify feared to tread.

Hmmm..It’s moments like this where I slip into serious digression. Moments like this, that make me seethe with anger, burn with aggravation, and begin to advocate the death penalty.

See, hipsters, in all their faux filth and anti-cool, are such a blight on society, that they are a scourge that needs eradication. Their carbon-life long expired – actually, most likely, on conception – so their continued existence and ability to survive like cockroaches galls all but the best of us.

And since MLK and Gandi are no longer with us, I’m not so sure there is anyone left in society who really likes these people, except for maybe the bar owners who take their trust fund money for the copious amounts of PBR they consume in their continued pursuit of cool.

Anyway. Enough hipster bashing. It’s kind of like shooting fish in a barrel. Besides, there’s already an entire sub-section of the internet based on that, not the least of which is the sometimes-trying-to-hard (like hipsters themselves) to the often funny site, Look at this f*cking hipster (aka latfh.com).

::sigh:: Seems like I’ve done it again. Damn that tendency to digress!

Brooklyn. Queens. Rivalry. It’s like two warring nations, separated by tiny bridges in one part, yet bound by highways in another. Moving from Brooklyn to Queens was not something people did. Queens was…so…far away…

But, that’s just what we did. After walking a couple blocks off the subway (elevated!) through what was yet another kind of scary and bleak concrete jungle, it was like the clouds parted and the sun began to shine, and there it was: Sunnyside Gardens, the neighborhood that would be my home for most of my time living in NYC.

The whole point of this entry was to compare how Sunnyside Gardens, and my new home in the Fairmount area in Ft. Worth, were and are up-and-coming neighborhoods, where there is a definite excitement in the air about the prospects of watching it all happen.

But, because of my tendency to ramble, that’s for tomorrow.  And, if I’m suffering from running-at-the-mouth disease again, then probably Wednesday too. ;o)

Michigan ranks 48th in a recent study measuring happiness in each state. Could we inch up a few places if we weren’t so dependent on automobiles. It’s certainly part of the story & perhaps the quest for more livable cities comes down to an “Urban Happiness Movement“.

There are a few things we can agree on about happiness. You need to fulfill your potential as a human being. You need to walk. You need to be with other people. Most of all, you need to not feel inferior. When you talk about these things, designing a city can be a very powerful means to generate happiness.”

– Enrique Peñalosa, former mayor of Bogota, Colombia. He is partly responsible for the city’s annual Dia Sin Carro or Car Free Day when cars are banned from city limits.

Can the design and leadership of a city contribute to your general happiness?

A few shots of The Fan from this weekend’s snow…

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2007/08/prweb545355.htm

IBT Group Announces Partnership with Blackrock to Build Project in Chicago’s West Loop

August 7, 2007

IBT Group LLC, a real estate and asset management firm and advisory client of BlackRock Inc., one of the world’s largest investment management firms, have announced a partnership that will provide capital for a new mixed-use development in Chicago’s West Loop.

“Our partnership with BlackRock represents a significant step forward in our growth,” said IBT Group President Gary Pachucki, who founded the company in 1999. “It not only secures capital for West Loop Promenade, but also provides access to Wall Street, and the capital that will allow us to pursue larger, more complex transactions.”

“We are pleased to become a capital partner to IBT Group and its West Loop Promenade development, which has already secured a lease with Robert Redford’s Sundance Cinemas,” said Erik Grabowski, BlackRock Vice President. “We view the West Loop as one of the fastest-growing areas of Chicago and are excited about the opportunity to bring a high quality retail/entertainment project to the neighborhood.”

West Loop Promenade is a $240 million retail and residential project being developed by IBT Group on Chicago’s Near West Side. Scheduled for a spring 2009 opening, it will include 285,000 square feet of retail space on three levels, including the eight-screen Sundance Cinemas theaters.

Finally, a free afternoon on a sunny day! I took the Surly out, no particular destination-my most favorite sort of ride. I decided to hit up the delightfully smooth (minus the train tracks at Press St.) St. Claude bike lane. After dodging a number of cars using the lane for its fine double parking opportunities, I finally reached the St. Bernard Parish line. I rode over to the Chalmette National Battlefield, mostly because I’ve been here before and know they’ve got a bathroom (yep, still there). The place is also absolutely beautiful. As long as you don’t look around too much. I took this picture of the main battlefield, which, according to this plaque that’s suffering severe water damage, is also the site of Fazendeville, an African American community established in 1867 by a Creole businessman who bought an old plantation that he split in to parcels and sold to recently-freed blacks right after the Civil War. The feds seized the land in 1964, via eminent domain, for this lovely spot for this memorial to this last major battle of the War of 1812. That means that Fazendeville was here for almost 100 years. That’s a really long time. The families from this neighborhood moved to the Lower Ninth Ward and restablished their community there. The sign reads, “They continued to be a social and symbolic community until Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005.” I will now commence an understatement: how odd to read about people–who are still rebuilding their lives–as an historical artifact. How odd that I’ve not heard of Fazendeville until now. And how odd that we’re all pretending that’s not a whole lot of Industry over there messing up the view, and, well, maybe some other stuff too. There’s a lot to think about here. I’ll need to ride out here quite a few more times.

I love reading articles praising redevelopment efforts in the cities of Lehigh Valley. The Express-Times editorial board published such a piece today, highlighting how far downtown Easton has improved over the last few years. The article spotlights the growing businesses in the center city district, the facade restorations on Northampton St, and the work of Lafayette College in the revitalization efforts.

The editors urge those individuals who haven’t ventured into Easton in some time to come by and take a second look, declaring that “Something is happening in downtown Easton. Something worth seeing.” And I completely agree.

I can’t exactly recall my first visit to Easton, but I fell in love with the downtown city almost instantly. I have become even more enamored with it after taking part in an Urban Land Institute tour of Easton, led by its mayor (and smart growth advocate) Sal Panto, Jr. Easton has some fantastic redevelopment projects in the works currently – such as the Silk Mill project and the Nature Nurture center – and the revitalization effort is due in large part to the mayor’s work, and the work of other key employees of the city.

I have had the pleasure of spending a few fun evenings in Easton since moving to the Lehigh Valley, and I encourage all residents of the region (and those living outside of the region) who haven’t explored Easton’s downtown to rush there as soon as possible. From the fantastic restaurants, to the amazing art galleries (such as Connexions on Northampton St), and the entertaining State Theater shows, there’s something for everyone.

We complained earlier about “the fog of plans”, resulting from too many high-level planning initiatives in Ann Arbor.  Some of these have moved along. As reported by the Ann Arbor Chronicle, the A2D2 zoning ordinance came up for a final vote and passed on November 16 (see also the Chronicle’s story on the council caucus for a very useful chronology; link to Ann Arbor City website with ordinance revisions.)  As also detailed by the Chronicle, speakers at the caucus and public comment on November 16 entreated the council to revise and pass the accompanying design guidelines, but to no avail.  (It is estimated that revised design guidelines will require 8-12 months more work.) But Council voted on December 7 to send the Area, Height and Placement study back to the Planning Commission for consideration of possible changes to reflect public comment during the summer.

The consolidated master plan (aka “City of Ann Arbor Master Plan Land Use Element”) about which we objected strenuously in the previous post was passed without dissent on November 5. But now the effort to remake completely the entire planning and zoning context of the city continues.  According to Jayne Miller, the director of Community Services,  the Phase 2 Master Plan revision is currently scheduled to begin January 2010.  Remember, the point of a consolidated master plan was to make it easier to revise?  And to help that along, the Zoning Ordinance Reorganization project launched with several presentations in December. The ZORO outline makes the agenda chillingly clear.

The City is undertaking a multi-phase initiative to consolidate and then update its land use plans
and codes.

1. First, the four area master plans have been consolidated into a single master plan, making future revisions easier.
2. Second, the zoning ordinance and other development-related ordinances will be reviewed for technical changes to improve clarity, organization, and user-friendliness, setting the stage for future amendments.
3. Third, the master plan land use element will be reviewed for relevancy and appropriateness of future land use recommendations and planning principles.
4. Fourth, and finally, the zoning and development-related ordinances will be reviewed for substantive changes to standards and regulations to reflect and implement the revised master plan land use element.

This initiative brings up several questions.  Who “ordered” all this re-examination of our planning context?  There is a clear vision here.  Whose? And what is it?  There are some indications, as we will be speculating.  But here is my diagnosis as to the intent and motivations.  (I’ll have to justify my conclusions over many posts.)

1. The intent is to bring the master plans and zoning ordinances of the city into concurrence with the land use recommendations of the Ann Arbor Transportation Plan Update.
2. The AATPU fulfills the vision of Mayor John Hieftje’s Model for Mobility and promotes the concept of Transit-Oriented Development.
3. This forecasts a much higher city population in a much denser city.
4. It also supports the business of development.

But the purpose of planning and zoning is supposed to be that it enhances the quality of life for the city in accordance with community wishes. As we said earlier, the classic model is that planners spend months working with a citizen-based committee to update a master plan, with plenty of public input, so that it captures as best as possible the wishes of the community for how it will look in the future.  This is called the “vision”.  The planners then put their skills to work fleshing out that vision in workable form.

But we have turned this model on its head.  Instead, we have a driving vision that is being fleshed out by all the technical assistance that it needs – and the public is being instructed in it after the fact. And this constant pressure is wearing on the citizens who care about the city’s future. The vision many of us share is that of the city as a neighborhood-friendly place that offers a good quality of life to its residents and a real sense of local community.   Here is the way I stated it in a campaign flyer last year.

We live in a lovely town, with green spaces and parks, historic buildiings and attractive neighborhoods.  This is home because of the community we have created here.  That sense of community is rooted in our neighborhoods as well as in the networks of interest and affiliation we create around issues like social equity, environmental stewardship, affordable housing, and the arts.  Locally owned businesses add to our sense of place and community by offering services with a human face.

The complexity and scope of the many kinds of changes now being considered require real study, and responding to them requires a great deal of time.  It means noting possible consequences of individual items or the plan as a whole, preparing careful responses, and communicating with Planning Commission, staff, and council, as well as appearing at public meetings, public hearings, and public comment (which requires signing up).  If that last sentence sounds whiny, it is not on my behalf that I say it, but in awe and admiration for the many Ann Arbor citizens who have stepped up to this task.  For example, a large committee (with the able facilitation of Ray Detter),  recently spent many evenings going over the draft design guidelines word by word, finally presenting council with a fully marked-up draft.

I was also particularly impressed with the statements that Hugh Sonk, the president of the Sloan Plaza Condominium Association, presented to council.  He was asking that the north side of Huron be zoned D2 instead of D1. His statements combined careful technical detail (such as discussion of building heights, other buildings along the corridor, traffic considerations, etc.) with heartfelt expressions of love for the city.  I’ve attached one in its entirety but here are a couple of quotes from it that I found particularly moving. First, he noted the strong attachment that both long-term residents and many UM alumni have for the city, and says, “There is a broad community concern that the character of this town is in jeopardy, and steps must be taken soon to prevent irreversible damage to the town we love.”  Then,

At Sloan Plaza we were the pioneers of downtown living, having lived here for 24 years. We respectfully request that Council take serious consideration of the long-term negative impact of excessive building heights on the quality of life downtown, and pay close attention to the recommended density limits of the Calthorpe Report, and temper those in reaction to recent construction by the University. Calthorpe was the one participant that had no vested interest in the outcome of the study. Somewhere during the implementation of the study, some of the key points and goals were lost, and the wishes of developers have overridden the recommendations of consultants, and the will of the people.

Unfortunately, after many hours of discussion, the council passed the A2D2 zoning ordinance with the D1 designation for north Huron intact.

In the next post we’ll discuss the ZORO project.

A down month for cars, partly because of the increased rain and cold. I’ll try to be more on the ball with taking photos of interesting cars. In the meantime, here are the most interesting ones I’ve seen lately, including an SUV from Hood River.

1958 Mercedes Benz 180D

1966 Plymouth Belvedere II

1959 Mercedes Benz 220SE

1962 Studebaker Lark

1959 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible

1975 International Scout II