Not of it.

Transit Citizen Leadership Academy - 15th Class

2019-02-06T12:13:00.002-06:00

The 15th class of the Transit Citizen Leadership Academy, organized through the Transit Alliance of Middle Tennessee, begins tonight. The Transit Alliance of Middle Tennessee builds support for funding regional transit by mobilizing community leadership in the Middle Tennessee region. I'm thankful to have been accepted into the upcoming class, and plan to summarize and reflect on the six class sessions in the following weeks.

The Transit Citizen Leadership Academy is "designed to equip private and public sector leaders
across Middle Tennessee with the personal and group tools to lead conversations about the value of multimodal transit across the region and about the emerging mass transit options that can address our mobility needs." I'm excited to learn more about funding specifics, especially the relation between federal funding and local acceptance.

Here in Middle Tennessee where many communities are growing at historically high rates, transit, transportation and mobility are perennially topics of heightened interest. With Nashville's failed transit referendum in 2018, it will be important that transit and transportation continue to be something that is advocated by residents and local leaders.

Over our six weeks, we will take an overall look at:

1) transportation in the United States and Tennessee
2) the current transit climate of Middle Tennessee and what the next steps for the region will be
3) the new technologies, incentives and creative solutions
4) the exploration of the growth to be expected in the Nashville region and a look at what other mobility systems are, or could be put in place
5) the experience or transit systems by traveling on Nashville's WeGo public transit and the Music City Star commuter rail, and
6) how to continue to advocate for transit in our communities in Middle Tennessee and beyond

Check back for updates and thoughts from each class. I'm excited to learn more, and to be able to better support transportation and transit related issues, especially from a municipal land use perspective.

Carpool Karaoke and Sense of Place

2019-01-03T16:36:00.000-06:00

I'm late to the game on this one. As we wrapped up 2018, a number of "best-of" articles cycled through our social media feeds. One in particular caught my attention. Given the darkness and gloom that seems to be pervading popular culture, The Gospel Coalition's "18 Pieces of Goodness in 2018 Pop Culture" by Brett McCracken provoked a click.

The article highlighted the story of Crazy Rich Asians, the reconciliation between Dan Crenshaw and Pete Davidson on Saturday Night Live, the much needed civility of the Great British Baking Show, the story of foster parenting as told through Instant Family, the sheer talent demonstrated by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper as they sing "Shallow" in A Star Is Born, and the story of Mr. Rogers in Won’t You Be My Neighbor?, among others. Of everything included, James Corden's Carpool Karaoke with Paul McCartney stood out.

Again, I'm late in watching this segment, as it originally aired in June of 2018, but the interaction and commentary in the segment provoked some deeper thought. The segment made me think about the connections that the music of Paul McCartney and the Beatles had to their hometown of Liverpool, and how those type of connections were facilitated by the build environment and a sense of place. As an urban planner and lover of cities and memorable places, this is a concept called topophilia, a love for a place. McCracken wrote about the segment back in June 2018, highlighting the joyful longing that is prevalent as McCartney goes site to site through Liverpool:

Throughout the clip, McCartney describes what he remembers about Liverpool, about the contexts of the songs. He points out the room in his childhood home where he wrote “She Loves You” with John Lennon, and recalls how the house inspired lyrics in later songs like “A Day in the Life.” Driving on the literal Penny Lane (while singing the song), he points out the church—St. Barnabas—where he was once a choir boy. He stops by the barbershop made famous by the song.

“Penny Lane is in my ears and in my eyes,” he sings. And while most of us don’t have Penny Lane (or any other Liverpool site) in our ears and eyes, we can relate to the way that places shape us and stay with us.

It's hard to imagine what the music of The Beatles would have been had they not had the experience of place to inform their music and lyrics. Without a local barbershop on Penny Lane, they might be singing about a fast food place on a stroad. But, I shouldn't be too quick to dismiss other places. Surely, you can have meaningful connections with places that aren't like Liverpool, or like the towns and cities we all revere and love to visit, and in turn make many memories. You can sing about your grandmother's backyard, lakes and rivers, or a county fair. Country music is ripe with songs about corn fields, rivers, mixed use developments (okay, it's a stretch...) and Walmart parking lots. People certainly have meaningful connections to fairly mundane places, and there's not a loss of dignity in living somewhere without the richness of idyllic cities and towns.

But, I'd argue that rich places can give us a finer palate of memories and observations. These fine grained places evoke memories that can't be replicated anywhere else. That was part of McCracken's thoughts about the segment back in June:

Thinking of these childhood experiences brings me joy, not because I want to replicate them but because they cannot be. The joy is in the longing for these things, their irretrievability.

I don't remember the feeling I had when walking into the produce section in a Walmart in Virginia, where I lived for a while after college. But I do remember what it was like walking into the Ferry Building in San Francisco, and walking through their farmer's market. There's not another Ferry Building, but there are thousands of Walmarts, and they typically all look the same. While this is probably an extreme example, it's emblematic of why many city planners and architects strive to create places that aren't cookie cutter in style or design, and that facilitate human interaction. What's more is that rich places often attract people and allow us to use our senses.

There's a difference in the experience one has within a city or neighborhood on foot and within a particular radius of your home or a destination compared to what which you might have as you drive in a car fixed behind a windshield. Eric Jacobsen summarizes this well in his book, The Space Between, in that "the accelerated speeds in which cars propel our bodies through the environment means that we receive limited sensory input from the landscape outside of our cars." In addressing exurban areas, Jacobsen continues: "The exurban environment is not only engineered for the convenience of automobiles but also usually fails to accommodate this kind of sensory exploratory delight that we seek while walking."

Proximity matters in this discussion. It's why we're prone to forget what places look like as we sit in our car, but are probably more likely to remember places as we walk them. That's what we saw in Paul McCartney as he recounted his old neighborhood; the barbershop that inspired lyrics for Penny Lane, the church where he sang in the choir, or his childhood house at 20 Forthlin Road. Now, I know you're thinking, "But this whole discussion is related to driving through a city." Yes, but the memories being discussed are cultivated from something different, not the car rides (lifts?) that Paul, John, Ringo and George might have shared in Liverpool.

Generations can certainly be thankful for The Beatles and their music. But we can thank the planners, architects and city builders in Liverpool for giving four young lads an interesting landscape to base their songs. The sense of place for Paul McCartney offered him a way to connect with others, but also as Jacobsen writes, "temporarily with those who have preceded us and those who will succeed us through holding memories." The resultant music does much the same.

Best Book of 2018 - "The Color of Law"

2019-01-02T11:59:00.003-06:00

"I read a book! 368 pages. -Jim Gaffigan",
Chris Andrews

It has been a while since I had read a book cover to cover, especially anything that was purely for leisure reading. But, in a new place, with a bit less commute time and a toddler that's not as demanding as a newborn, I found a bit of time to squeeze in a good read. (Thankfully, I finished right before our second child was born at the end of September.) I had heard a good deal about Richard Rothstein's The Color of Law, and decided to give it a read myself. I was perusing the local library's section of city-related books and noticed it on the shelf, so I grabbed it and began to read.

I'd recommend that anyone interested in city planning, real estate or development, or anyone that cares about social justice and equity, add this book to the top of whatever reading list they might have. Rothstein's work lays out what many planners and urbanists already know, in that the housing policies at the beginning of the 20th century were terribly segregating and racist, and have had a lasting impact on our city neighborhoods and the generational wealth of countless families. But, for many, the understanding of how that segregation and development pattern persisted for so long is rather unknown.

Rothstein covers the segregating effects of zoning ordinances in many cities, which aimed to provide separate living areas for black and white families" (p 44). These are examples of de jure segregation, legally recognized by some sort of governing body. Rothstein also covers the historic and continued application of de facto segregation, segregation as a matter of fact, in many housing and development practices. As a younger planner, the reality of segregating private agreements was foreign until reading many of the deed restrictions for subdivisions in Houston. Houston's Oak Forest was one of the first subdivisions financed by the Federal Housing Administration and Veterans Affairs (p 72). Seeing such plain language in deed restrictions preventing others of different races from living in a particular subdivision was quite eye opening, and is something that any planning student should be exposed to during their education. These forms of restrictions have had too great an impact on our cities to only learn about them once on the job.

The chapter of "Local Tactics" was eye opening, showing what efforts municipalities undertook in order to segregate development. Increasing minimum lot sizes, rezoning of adjacent properties to desirable or undesirable uses, condemnation of land, and slum clearance were all popular tactics. However, highway building has likely had the greatest impact on cities and non-white neighborhoods. The scars of deep cuts into cities are still present today, slowly being repaired by planners who have recognized errors of past generations.

If you read any two chapters of The Color of Law, make them chapters 11 and 12. "Looking Forward, Looking Back" offers perspective of the impacts that policies have had on generations, especially the impact of those who are more likely to live in poor neighborhoods, and the impact of our nation's transportation system. Children growing up in poor neighborhoods face a compounding set of disadvantages, and those who have been displaced during the process, due to any number of reasons, often find themselves in places undeserved by public transportation, and tied to the costs of private automobile ownership.

"Considering Fixes" gives us a look at some of the ways leaders and residents alike can move for change in consideration of the effects the policies described in the book have had on neighborhoods and their residents.

While it's not a technical handbook that planners can flip to on a regular basis, it can serve as a constant reminder to planners of the economic, social and personal impacts that development practices, both de jure and de facto, have on people. Having a shared understanding of the history that is highlighted by Rothstein can help us all to make more conscious decisions in the future that will allow cities to be places for everyone.

Campus Planning and Design: Locating the Brad D. Smith Center for Business and Innovation at Marshall University

2018-12-04T21:33:00.002-06:00

Earlier last month Marshall University alumnus and Intuit Chairman and CEO Brad D. Smith and his wife, Alys Smith, made a $25 million gift to Marshall's Lewis College of Business.

Brad Smith graduated from Marshall in 1986 with a business administration degree and then went on to work for a number of companies before being named Intuit's president and chief executive officer in January 2008. He recently announced he would be stepping down as CEO, but will remain as Intuit's executive chairman.

The news is fantastic for Marshall's business school, allowing the school to "rework its business curriculum and build new facilities." In the university's announcement, Dr. Avinandan “Avi” Mukherjee, dean of the Lewis College of Business, said, “In addition to redesigning our programs through experiential learning and close industry-academic partnerships, we will build new facilities with spaces to nurture collaboration, creativity and entrepreneurship. In appreciation for the Smiths’ vote of confidence, we will name our new business building the Brad D. Smith Center for Business and Innovation.”

With the announcement, it brings to question where the new business building will be located. Currently, the (now named) Brad D. Smith Schools of Business is housed within Corbly Hall, a fairly nondescript building on Marshall's southeast portion of campus. It's without question that there will be a new building for the business schools, but where would it best be located?

It would be helpful at this juncture to reference the University's 2014 Campus Master Plan. The plan designates a number of locations on campus that are proposed for expansion, with designations given to each. New residential halls, a recreation field (as an alumnus, I can attest it is sorely needed!), and even a mixed use/residential building are all proposed in the plan. And, it's important to remember now, this is just a plan. Plans change, and they should. We make plans with the best information we have available at the time we have it available to us, in response to current demands and perspectives. Well, a $25 million donation can help change whatever might be planned.

Marshall University campus expansion plans

Marshall's campus is fairly compact, spanning about 20 total blocks in the middle of Huntington, West Virginia. There aren't a ton of locations on campus where a new building can be built without tearing down an existing building, which, wouldn't be the worst thing for campus. But, Marshall's internal campus is already fairly built up, and maintaining some green corridors and open spaces in its interior should continue to be supported.

If the center of campus isn't ideal, let's look to the periphery. From a city planning perspective, Huntington has a pretty good urban fabric. The central part of the city is laid out on a grid, all of Marshall's campus included. The Marshall Board of Governors owns a healthy number of properties immediately adjacent to campus, including parking lots, vacant parcels, and a few commercial buildings. (As a student, I was unaware that the university owned the building that houses Husson's Pizza across from Old Main at 329 Hal Greer Boulevard.) In recent years, Marshall has added the Brad D. Smith Foundation Hall, the Arthur Weisberg Family Applied Engineering Complex and Engineering Laboratories, the Chris Cline Athletic Complex, the Veterans Memorial Soccer Complex, and the Marshall Visual Arts Center in Downtown Huntington.

So, in adding a new business building, what are some options considering the property Marshall already owns?

329 Hal Greer
Let's start with the small lot across from Old Main at the corner of 4th Avenue and Hal Greer, at 329 Hal Greer Boulevard. It's certainly the most "urban" site, and would give the university another space that helps to continue the town and gown relationship with Downtown Huntington that has been growing stronger over the last decade or so. The site is very small, and likely wouldn't accommodate the type of building Marshall has added in recent years. But, the property is located in the city's C-3 zoning district, which allows for a broad range of uses, has no parking requirements, and has no height limit. This could be a spot that allows for a new signature campus building, helping to continue to enliven the area west of campus. This is also one of the best locations for pedestrians given the surrounding roadway design, speeds and crossings. This is probably my favorite site given the possibilities of going up with a building, and for continuing to focus buildings along more-walkable streets.

Within the campus master plan the lot is designated to be residential and mixed use, but again, a new signature business school building could change that plan.

1610 3rd Avenue
Another close-by property owned by the university is a parking lot at 1610 3rd Avenue, adjacent to the Arthur Weisberg Family Applied Engineering Complex and Engineering Laboratories. This is an attractive site, given the ease of scraping the lot without the need to remove any existing buildings. The site is a bit larger, at about an acre, and is located within the C-2 District. The C-2 District is dubbed the Highway-Commercial District, and allows for buildings up to 150 feet. Other Marshall University buildings are within this zone, and are located along the north side of 3rd Avenue.

3rd Avenue is a major arterial that is a one-way state highway, with 5th Avenue as the other one-way highway that moves in the opposite direction. Unfortunately, both 3rd and 5th Avenue are not the most conducive to a campus feel. One way traffic with wide lanes induces travel speeds higher than posted or assumed. Unfortunately, the wide asphalt roadway is also unappealing, in a city that already lacks street trees in many parts. More on that later.

This site is located on a corner, allowing any perspective building to serve as a monument building, especially entering Huntington from Hal Greer Boulevard. Unfortunately, immediately across the street to the west, a recent commercial strip center was built, with deep setbacks, and a parking lot adjacent to the street. This is emblematic of the conventional development pattern along wide commercial corridors, but really is in contrast to much of what is built surrounding the site. It's unfortunate that Huntington's ordinances don't allow a maximum building setback for this area, especially given the prevailing development pattern in the lots surrounding the site, its adjacency to campus, and its designation as a lot within the "Downtown Transition" area in Huntington's long range land use plan.

While the site would be easily developed considering its current use as a parking lot, I would imagine there would be some challenge to the fact that parking spaces would be taken away in the process. While this might sound alarming, I have a difficult time believing that these spaces wouldn't be able to be absorbed by others throughout campus. The building of a new landmark campus building is far more important than preserving a surface parking lot.

Within the campus master plan this property is designated as an expansion to the science and technology research corridor. It certainly makes sense to continue the current uses along the north side of 3rd Avenue, but again, it's only a plan.

1700 Block of 5th Avenue / City National Bank
On Marshall's southern campus boundary, the 5th Avenue corridor includes a number of underutilized parcels. This includes a vacant lot just to the east of the Harless Dining Hall on the south side of 5th Avenue. The university owned site is smaller than the property on 3rd Avenue, but with the inclusion of the City National Bank property, it makes the site much more feasible for redevelopment. This would be an interesting place for an additional campus building, filling in a gap between Harless, the Marshall Commons dormitories, and the Marshall University Public Safety Building and Myers Hall.

It's really surprising that the City National Bank site has survived as long as it has, given its adjacency to campus. This would be an opportune time for the university to explore the acquisition of the property, perhaps working on an agreement with National City Bank as a partner in the business college, and allowing the bank to secure a long term lease in exchange for acquisition of the land. The large drive through currently on the property is a bit out of character for a college campus, and something that seems like could be scaled back, with a potential building design that would still allow a drive through taking access and exiting onto 18th Street. (If the West Virginia DOT is anything like other DOTs across the country, they'll be interested in limiting any new access points along a major thoroughfare.

This site could also be attractive in that it continues to expand campus to the south, while also avoiding cutting into the current parking lots Marshall owns, although, this isn't a bad idea.

The campus master plan shows an additional residence hall being constructed adjacent to the City National Bank site, situated with its front to the open space next to the Harless Dining Hall. Given the amount of land that Marshall owns on the southern portion of campus, this is probably the most fluid portion of campus, and something that shouldn't be as firmly held to. The positioning of a signature building is probably best suited to front one of the campus major corridors. More on those corridors again in just a bit.

Any surface parking lot owned by Marshall University
Next, any surface parking lot owned by Marshall University should be considered. Like I said earlier, I have a difficult time believing that these spaces wouldn't be able to be absorbed by others throughout campus, and the introduction of a new landmark campus building is far more important than preserving a surface parking lot. The lots on the south side of 3rd Avenue leave plenty of room for parking, but would likely make any buildings there feel a bit out of place, and a bit isolated.

Other Considerations:

With the recent relocation of the university's College of Art and Design program to the Visual Arts Center in Downtown Huntington, it marks the university's willingness to try something a bit different, and focus some campus facilities in the middle of the central business district. It's a compelling argument, and something that should also be considered. The Visual Arts Center is located at 927 3rd Avenue, in the former Anderson-Newcomb Co. dry goods store. It was remarkably restored after being vacant for decades. The university recognizes the benefit of adaptive reuse, that "the downtown location of the VAC also allows occupants to walk or bike from campus and to nearby restaurants and other services, which reduces the need for automobile transportation and lowers pollution", and that no parking was needed to be accommodated for, given three nearby parking structures.

Marshall does not designate any additional land to be acquired within Downtown Huntington, but there could be properties worth pursuing for something the size of a business college. It's not probable, and I'd recommend a campus location, but I do like the idea of having even more students visiting Downtown Huntington.

Streetscape Improvements

In Marshall University's campus master plan, one of the more refreshing elements was the recognition of the need to enhance the environment along both 3rd Avenue and 5th Avenue. If there is nothing else that Marshall chooses to try to do for campus, this would be where I would start.

The campus master plan shows a decrease in the number of lanes, down to three travel lanes in each direction. There are currently four on each avenue, with 3rd Avenue having an additional lane for parking on each side, for a total of six lanes. This is not ideal for a college campus setting. (2010 WVDOT maps indicate approximately 15,000 ADT on 3rd Avenue, with about a 105' ROW as depicted below.)

3rd Avenue

5th Avenue

I am sure that WVDOT is weighing heavily in the consideration of the roadway design, but a consideration that might be better than what is currently proposed is opening both streets back to two-way traffic. (As they are in Downtown Huntington.) This is much safer and efficient for traffic and especially pedestrians. Two lanes in each direction for each avenue look to be able to be accommodated, while still having enough right of way for a parking lane and bike lane flanking each side of the street. Even allowing one lane of travel and one lane of parking in the opposite direction on each street (3rd Avenue could still have two lanes travelling west, and 5th Avenue with two lanes travelling east) could help provide increased circulation, and cut down on travel speeds. The issue of left turns would still need to be addressed, but including the one-lane of travel in the opposite direction toward the interior of campus may allow for more efficient travel. It's not an ideal situation, but the benefits of allowing travel in both directions on both 3rd Avenue and 5th Avenue extend to Huntington as a whole, not simply campus.

The width of the travel lanes could also be narrowed just a bit from the proposed 12', as wide lane widths increase travel speed, something that should be lowered by any measure through campus.

As an enhanced streetscape is able to be built through campus, the siting of buildings facing such a setting would be tremendous. It would certainly be an asset to have, and an enhancement to how students and visitors experience campus. By creating a friendlier streetscape along both avenues, you can continue to build a more cohesive and connected campus. As enrollment grows and the educational reach of Marshall continues to grow, the campus setting will have to change to allow campus to reach beyond 3rd Avenue and 5th Avenue and still feel connected as a whole.

Possible two-way traffic design for 3rd and 5th Avenues

Some final thoughts to consider as the location of the new Brad D. Smith Center for Business and Innovation:

1. The building's relationship to the street and other campus buildings
The building should address the street or interior of campus and offer students the ability to easily walk to it. Some of Marshall's recent additions to campus have missed this mark, while others have done fairly well, considering the possible improvements to both 3rd and 5th Avenue as recommended in the campus master plan.

2. The building's ability to connect or fill in other campus
The new building should not stand alone. Connecting campus or other parts of Huntington are important, a goal reflected in the campus master plan.

3. Do not to consider the loss of a parking lot
Surface parking is so abundant in Huntington, and especially on campus. Using a surface parking lot to build additional campus buildings is a necessary approach. Any inconvenience from the loss of a limited number of parking spots will easily be offset by the addition of a signature campus building.

I look forward to learning more about the Brad D. Smith Center for Business and Innovation discussion, and hope that there is some sort of dialogue among faculty, students and the community about its placement and design. My time spent in Huntington was terrific, and I enjoyed campus thoroughly. But, as the administration recognizes, there are some shortcomings, and I hope the university uses this opportunity to guide further campus development in the future. I'm a city planner right now, but campus planning is so much fun too, in that universities act as their own cities and towns. It's also a lot of fun to discuss when it's your own alma mater.

Go Herd!

Remembering Houston Planning Director Patrick Walsh

2018-11-26T16:31:00.001-06:00

Late last week I was sad to hear of the passing of Patrick Walsh, the City of Houston's Planning and Development Director. Pat, as he was better known, had been on leave since being diagnosed with a brain tumor earlier this spring. He died on Friday, November 23rd, reportedly peacefully, and surrounded by his family.

It's been a few months since I left the City of Houston, but I've managed to stay in touch with many colleagues, and never got the impression Pat's diagnosis was terminal, or this quickly terminal. It's all a bit of a shock, especially because of the energy and vitality that Pat brought to the office, and to life in general. Nonetheless, Pat's passing is a tremendous loss for the City of Houston. His leadership helped bring a number of new programs and disciplines to the Planning and Development Department and fostered increasing coordination between departments, especially with the Public Works and Engineering Department. Pat's background in civil engineering made that possible. In a city that has generally shunned more coordinated planning efforts, Pat did a tremendous amount to change that course. Houston's future will be better for all of his efforts.

Pat certainly got more than he probably originally bargained for, originally being hired as an assistant director, when, only a few days later, the Planning and Development Director at the time announced their resignation. Pat was promoted to Interim Director, then appointed by Mayor Annise Parker and the Houston City Council in 2014. I certainly didn't have a close personal relationship with Pat, but as an employee of the Planning and Development Department, his influence was undeniable. I've written a few thoughts to help remember Pat's influence.

Family Atmosphere
Pat's leadership in the department translated into an immediate boost in employee morale. He was steadfast in providing increased department communication and employee appreciation.
Every year, Pat and his wife hosted department employees and their families around the holidays, opening their home for a few hours, and providing a welcomed time for employees to get to enjoy each other outside the workplace. He certainly fostered a family atmosphere, something for which I was continually thankful.

Leadership
One of Pat's first big responsibilities was leading the process of Plan Houston, Houston's first general plan. Pat also led the efforts behind other initiatives like the Houston Bike Plan, the Walkable Places Committee, and other efforts, like those to allow a decrease in parking minimums in certain parts of the city. Pat also provided support for Mayor Turner's memorable speech before the Texas Transportation Commission, calling for a paradigm change in transportation in Texas. Before working for the City of Houston, Pat led the Paws on Patios campaign, which effectively worked to allow dogs in outdoor dining areas within the city.

Break room chats
Without question, the hardest part of Pat's passing is the growing family he left behind. He became a father in early 2017, and it was a joy to see him share that process with colleagues. I was normally in the office just before 8AM, and would regularly run into Pat in the break room while he was getting his coffee. As a recent father myself at the time, it was fun to ask how fatherhood was progressing, and pass along anything I had been learning at the time. His accessibility provided a climate of learning and dialogue, especially for us less-seasoned staff to be able to share ideas, whether about our department, or about development in general.

Complete Communities
Of all my interactions with Pat, the most memorable came through the work of our department in the Complete Communities initiative. This is Mayor Sylvester Turner's hallmark program for neighborhood improvement in Houston. Having provided leadership for one of the neighborhoods in the program's initial round of the program, I was part of a group that regularly met to provide updates on our progress to the mayor. It was fun to see Pat prepare and work his way through the briefings. It was certainly no easy task for him, providing updates and asking for feedback from Mayor Turner. I appreciated Pat's willingness during the process to consult with us as employees, even those with a bit less experience.

My work in Houston's Near Northside neighborhood included a community kick off meeting which was scheduled on November 2, 2017, a day after the Houston Astros won the 2017 World Series. With everyone in Houston (especially in the year of Hurricane Harvey) excited about the big win, Pat wore an Astros hat to do his introduction for our meeting. It's one of the small things I'll remember about Pat, but it's something that was so emblematic of his approach to his job, and his joy for life and his hometown. It's something that made him approachable and relateable, especially as a department director for one of our countries largest cities.

Exit Interview
My last interaction with Pat as an employee in the Planning and Development Department was my exit interview in March of this year. With a busy schedule and a lot of other things to consider, Pat took about an hour of time to meet with me. Instead of sitting in his office or a conference room, Pat insisted on taking a walk through Downtown Houston. That was his style, and is something I greatly appreciated. I enjoyed being able to have that time to talk about my experience in Houston, why I decided to pursue a different opportunity, and where I could see the department grow as an employee. Pat was intent on learning how to continuously improve the department, especially for its employees.
We walked over to the Corner Bakery at Main and McKinney and each got bottle of milk and a huge chocolate cupcake. It will be an experience and exercise that I hope to carry as I continue my career. Pat's influence will certainly live on through many employees, and Houston's future will certainly be affected for the better because of his work.

Walmart Reimagined

2018-11-01T22:15:00.000-05:00

Walmart Reimagined is a terrific initiative for a landowner that has thousands of parcels of incredibly underutilized land. The prospect of turning vast amounts of parking lots and underutilized land into more urban town centers peaked my interest.

A major general merchandising retailer transforming their development model is something to peak the interest of any urbanist or city planner. It would also be a commitment to helping build productive spaces for cities, both in terms of social capital and revenue for cities. But, I fear Walmart's efforts fall a bit short of the actions taken by some other retailers, including Target, Whole Foods or Publix, that have made efforts to introduce a greater urban form as anchor tenants in new developments.

Walmart Reimagined seems more like a consciousness of Walmart that the company has some incredibly wasted land that has a ton of potential which could end up being a great benefit to the company if developed. For that, they should be commended.

In their 'Reimagined Centers", Walmart focuses on adding the categories of Food, Beverage, Wellness, Entertainment and Essential Services. There is added focus on food halls and food trucks, the updating of in-store tenants, container parks, and "Pads and Parks", the open spaces and amenities of each reimagined center. In a time where craft eateries and food halls are all the rage, especially among millennials and wealthier Americans, it's no wonder America's largest retailer is fighting to gain any edge they can. Walmart has seen a drop in its generally moderate income customer base over the past few years, so it's no surprise a move like adding food halls, container parks and craft breweries is intended to attract a key demographic currently underrepresented in Walmart's stores right now. These physical store changes are just one of the reflections of Walmart's larger philosophical changes. So, when "urban" and "authentic" are all the rage, it's too easy and exciting to just add some of it to your stores.

But it's not as exciting as it sounds, at least when considering an example in Garland, Texas.

The land proposed for the "Reimagined" parcel in Garland is currently a vacant field adjacent to Walmart's existing Supercenter. So, it's nothing more than a new real estate development going in next door. Perhaps I expected too much, and that the "Walmart Reimagined" initiative title is too convincing or hopeful.

But let's look a bit more closely at the Garland site. There seem to be a great deal of missed opportunities to really connect the center to its surroundings. Walmart boasts that some stores (not necessarily Garland) will have a "Mobility Hub", connecting the site to its community.

Garland, TX Walmart

Garland, TX Walmart, "Reimagined"

Perhaps this first analysis of the Garland site is too critical, but they've already missed out on creating a connection to an existing dense residential development to the north, as well as a DART transit center. This is a missed Transit Oriented Development opportunity by Walmart, a missed opportunity to connect its new retail center with a site that will inevitably see hundreds or thousands of commuters each day. The website even boasts that:

"Garland is second only to the City of Dallas in Dallas County by population and has easy access to downtown Dallas via public transportation, including two Dart Blue line stations and buses."

Now, I know there's far more that goes into being able to make connections to adjacent existing developments, but those are the types of efforts and actions that would really set a precedent for reimagined retail center development.

The same goes for the Neighborhood Market in Gresham, Oregon. A small housing development adjacent to the store is certainly a nice element, but smaller details, such as a connection to the city's Springwater Corridor Trail, are missing.

Gresham, OR Walmart

Gresham, OR Walmart "Reimagined"

While the design of their centers may be a step up from typical shopping centers, calling these "town centers" is generous at best, and largely misleading. There are internal site layout considerations that seem to be overlooked, while many of the reimagined centers fail to connect to surrounding areas, especially through the use of sidewalks or existing trails, and the design of parking lots or drive aisles. It makes sense that this would be the case, as most of Walmart's developable land is in the middle of parking lots. Building "town centers" in the middle of parking lots is hardly typical of traditional town centers. Some of this could be mitigated through some better design elements, like more intentionally designed drive aisles that mimic downtown streets, as opposed to head-in parking immediately bordering gathering spaces.

Long Beach, CA "Reimagined Walmart" - The site could be improved with intentionally designed drive aisles to mimic actual streets.

One question that I would ask is whether these sites will have applied the same sort of dark store restrictions that are seen in areas like Michigan. It's an assumption that Walmart will continue to serve as the landlord and developer of the site, but what it that changes? Will the flexibility seen in traditional towns be experienced in these "town centers"? I would assume not.

Walmart is essentially just positioning itself as a more diversified real estate developer, which is great for their business. That's a smart move. There are some elements included in their reimagined plans that are much better than is found in the typical shopping center. See them all for yourself at the Walmart Reimagined website. But, while this is a great move for Walmart in utilizing wasted property, this is certainly a let down considering the opportunities that exist to do far more with their current Supercenters and parking lots. As long as all this reimagining doesn't affect the ability to park an RV overnight in the future, we're cool.

CityBuilding Express - A Whirlwind Tour From Memphis to Savannah

2018-09-12T16:34:00.002-05:00

A few months ago I had the opportunity to attend the City Building Express Tour, organized by Nathan Norris and others as part of the City Building Exchange, a precursor to the Congress of New Urbanism CNU 26 conference that was held in Savannah, Georgia. I had anticipated writing this far sooner than I did, but I'd rather get my thoughts into a post than leave them on a pad of paper. Approximately 55 city planners, architects, urban strategists, developers and city-loving folks made our way from Memphis, Tennessee to Savannah, Georgia over a four-day period.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time on the trip. I was able to learn a great deal that I hope can help influence decisions made in my career and benefit communities where I work. The exposure to different ideas and approaches is a tremendous help in being able to communicate the benefit of particular types of neighborhood design and offers some perspective to be able to say, "See, this is how it was done here, and it is working out great!" On the flip side, I may be able to say "This is how they did this here, and it didn't really work well."

While not a exclusive focus of the trip, a number of stops along the way included traditional neighborhood developments (TNDs), which are neighborhoods inspired by the pattern of urban development that largely occurred prior to World War II, and were answers to the conventional suburban sprawl that has been the predominant development pattern in the United States for the past number of decades.

We started in Memphis and weaved our way though parts of Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina. There wasn't much of a wasted moment on the trip, which made for long days. If we weren't walking and touring a development or neighborhood, we were riding on the bus, having a group conversation about what we had seen, what lessons were learned, and how things might have been done differently. Some of the designers and architects of the places we visited were on our trip, providing an experience for candid reflection. The trip is tiring (if you have any serious medical conditions, be sure you're physically able to walk for miles, withstand the summer heat, and spend prolonged days on your feet!), but at the same time refreshing and encouraging to be able to learn from champions of cities that provide examples for us public servants, planners, architects, designers, builders, developers or city-lovers who are striving to create quality places. I hope that some of these anecdotes are helpful, and might even convince you to take a tour in the future. Next year, the tour is tentatively scheduled to weave through the southern plains and midwest just in time to reach Louisville, Kentucky for CNU27.

A constant theme that was presented by tour leader Nathan Norris was the notion that all developments are autobiographical. Each development, whether suburban or urban, well-done or an abject failure, tells the story of its developer or group of developers in some form of fashion. That was the lens for which we attempted to view each place we visited.

Day One - Saturday, May 12, 2018

Memphis

Harbor Town (Map)
The first leg of the City Building Express took us through Memphis. We started our time in Memphis at Harbor Town, an early traditional neighborhood development on the banks of the Mississippi River. Tommy Pacello of the Memphis Medical District Collaborative and Frank Ricks of LRK served as our tour guides. Frank Ricks commented that "None of this was legal when we proposed it." This will be a familiar trend in many TNDs, as municipalities have largely adopted suburban-style development regulations, not allowing the skinnier streets, smaller setbacks and overall development pattern seen in TNDs. Also noted was the challenge that developers posed to the fire department when the width of streets and turning radius of streets was questioned with regard to fire truck access. Harbor Town developers modeled the street pattern with cones, and challenged the fire department to maneuver their trucks through the simulated streets. It must have been a success, as streets in Harbor Town are certainly smaller than others in Memphis.

Harbor Town's development came with some challenges, including on the architectural and design side, where town planners developed easy to read pattern books for builders, simplifying desired designs with green "Yes" and red "No" notations. Developers also grappled with site design as the town was built, and chose to add houses where there were previously parking spaces, at he far eastern edge of the development, adjacent to the harbor. Now, a series of townhouses lines the edge of the harbor, providing excellent views of Downtown Memphis.

One last note about Harbor Town in relation to the market, Miss Cordelia's, that is within the town: Normally, locating a grocer, especially on a smaller scale, is a difficult sell in a new development. Harbor Town developer Henry Turley took matters into his own hands, financing the store himself, naming it after his mother. From the Miss Cordelia's website: "Harbor Town’s founder wanted a grocery that would be a short walk away, a place where neighbors could gather, a place that could be be the center of town without distracting from the town itself." Turley also took to stocking items at the request of residents, galvanizing the local feel.

Uptown
We then made our way through Uptown, viewing one of the larger scattered site affordable housing developments in the country, coordinated by Uptown Memphis and the Memphis Housing Authority.

Crosstown Concourse (Map)

We explored the 1.3 million square foot Crosstown Concourse redevelopment, where a former Sears distribution center has been redeveloped into a vertical urban village, opening in 2015. The redevelopment of the site was initiated by current University of Memphis professor of European Renaissance Art, Dr. Todd Richardson. The building, which opened in 1927, ceased operations in 1993, and stayed vacant until 2010, when Richardson and others began to activate the building using tactical urbanism and other temporary installations and events. The financing of the redevelopment came down to the last possible day of negotiations, when finally over 30 sources came together to finalize a deal. Decisions about the building and its redevelopment were made through consensus, which led to long meetings and a thorough process. Honestly, this might have been one of the underlying reasons of its success, as nothing was rushed, and details were thoroughly considered.

This was a most impressive building transformation that includes eight restaurants, a farm-to-table grocery, 40 medical, office and retail tenants, a performing arts center, artist space, a YMCA, healthcare services, a 400-student charter high school and 265 apartments. This development got the Crosstown area back on people's mental map in Memphis, and new development in the surround neighborhood is following right behind.

The physical transformation of the former Sears building is nothing short of amazing. What's more amazing is that it was done all at once, not in phases. The videos of the site work and construction are phenomenal. Manipulating a 1.5 million square foot building to allow natural light to spread throughout it proved to be a daunting task. Developers cut large holes in each of the floors to allow light to enter the center of the building, giving the Crosstown Concourse its distinctive atrium, as well as natural light wells for its Parcels apartments.

During the renovation of the building crews recycled over 54 million pounds of concrete, 10 million pounds of steel, and reused a number of mechanical elements and machinery from the Sears processing facility. The large sorting machines can be seen in the building's atrium, rolling conveyors serve as counter tops in the atrium restaurants, original flatbed carts serve as carts for the Parcels apartment residents, and sorting bins serve as planter boxes throughout the building. The material reuse of the site was thoughtful and connective to the building's former life. Residents and visitors are continually reminded of how radical of a transformation occurred.

As impressive as the physical transformation of the building was, the lasting legacy, I hope, will be the detail with which the services and tenants of Crosstown Concourse serve the surrounding neighborhoods. There was an awareness of the services needed, especially healthcare, and those became the focal point of the building. If the developers had to do it over again, they noted a desire to have been able to purchase a greater number of surrounding parcels in order to help soften and control the level of change adjacent to Crosstown Concourse.

Memphis Medical District (Map)
We finished our time in Memphis in the Medical District, where Tommy Pacello presented the work of the Memphis Medical District Collaborative, their goals and mission for the coming years, and the methods, like tactical urbanism and incremental development, that have helped to begin the rebuilding of the area. At he time of our visit Memphis was gearing up for the launch of the Explore Bike Share, in what is likely a welcomed added mobility component for a city that has a modest transit system. The street car system in Memphis is beginning to roll back online, but currently, the Main Street line is the only one of three lines in operation. (Memphis is the largest transit agency in the country without a dedicated funding source, which makes it all even more impressive.) Memphis is also taking a more proactive approach to disruptive transportation, as evidenced by their recent action to allow Bird scooters. In many ways, Memphis is ahead of the curve when compared to other cities, Nashville included.

This discussion of mobility in Memphis is important, especially in the Memphis Medical District, where 97% of employees drive to work alone. This is where the district is helping encourage bicycle and transit usage. And as medical groups improve and expand their campuses, the district is providing alternative perspectives for development, encouraging the addition of housing and public spaces, and helping to apply design principles that reverse the insulating nature of the current buildings.

Memphis was in many ways the highlight of the trip. It felt as if the city was the most relateable of any we visited, perhaps due to my Midwestern upbringing. Memphis in many ways felt like more of a Midwestern city, a city that somehow personified the American experience. The sites we saw in Memphis were also the most relateable due to their demographic variety. While most of the other developments on the tour were exceptional in their design, the philanthropic mission of Crosstown Concourse and the work within the Memphis Medical District seemed to have the most direct positive impact on the surrounding neighborhoods.

There still is a lot of work to do, including better connecting Downtown Memphis to the Memphis Medical District and other neighborhoods. The construction of highways around the core of Memphis certainly has inhibited those connections.

Downtown Huntsville, Alabama (Map)
We made our way to Huntsville, Alabama, sharing our observations about the morning and afternoon on the bus. Arriving in Huntsville, Chad Emerson of Downtown Huntsville led us on a walking tour of Downtown Huntsville. Huntsville is a city that has undergone a tremendous amount of investment in the past decade, with much more planned. It started off as a sleepy town, but grew when NASA brought their US Space and Rocket Center to town. It boasts one of the highest counts of PhDs per capita, meaning that much of life is measured by efficiency and engineered thought, not by beauty, which can sometimes hamper city building. It can also hamper a city's ability to attract talent that is considering coastal cities like Boston, New York, Chicago or California's Bay Area.

Huntsville, and namely its employers, have been attempting to compete with coastal cities for young, academic talent. Huntsville is not the picturesque city that some other cities might be, but that's what I actually enjoyed about it. It was the least polished place we visited on the entire trip, aside from parts of Atlanta. I was pleasantly surprised with the cleanliness of the downtown, and the mix of people enjoying it. Chad organized a band to be playing while we visited and walked the streets, perhaps unfairly heightening our image of Huntsville. Well, it worked Chad.

Our first stop in Huntsville was the Downtown Huntsville offices, then through Washington Park, an alley that leads out to Clinton Avenue, across from the Central City Parking Garage. With the help of Downtown Huntsville, the Central City Parking Garage only lost 18 parking spaces and added five commercial spaces, including a boutique, a men's clothing store, and a Frio's. Huntsville displayed a great example of incremental development, with Downtown Huntsville leading the charge of transforming both the Central City Parking Garage and an adjacent storage facility's ground floors into more productive retail, enlivening the city's streetscape, as well as adding additional businesses onto the city's tax rolls.

We walked on toward the Big Spring International Park, a terrific park that seems to play the main gathering point in Huntsville. It felt like an outdoor room given its change of elevation from other parts of downtown. The range of ages, ethnicities and walks of life was evident in the park, a measure of its success. Kids (and kids at heart) stopped to feed ducks, and couples sat on benches chatting. We then walked a block down Church Street, and saw the electrical outlets that had been installed by the city to accommodate mobile food vendors, who regularly line the street during special events.

As continued evidence of Huntsville's semi-laissez-faire / incremental approach to strengthening its downtown area, the city allows patrons to purchase purple plastic cups at participating establishments, which can be taken anywhere within the boundary of the Huntsville Arts and Entertainment District. We were there on a Saturday evening and saw a few cups in the hands of visitors.

Our final stretch through Downtown Huntsville was along the Spragins Street cycletrack, a recently completed cycletrack that is a part of a larger effort to connect Huntsville's parks and public spaces. Alta Planning has some great coverage of the opening of the cycletrack, which is Alabama's first protected bike lane. It had already been a long day (leaving Franklin, Tennessee for Memphis at 5:00 AM), so I left it to others to explore Campus 805 to conclude our first day. Campus 805 is a former middle school that has been redeveloped into multiple breweries, restaurants and entertainment venues.

Downtown Huntsville was a great example of an incremental approach to development and revitalization, especially evidenced by the transition of storage units into commercial and retail spaces. By starting with those small changes, leaders were able to step into recommending the development of retail spaces in the city's parking garage. Huntsville used "singles and doubles" to run up the score of their downtown spaces, resulting in a win for the district. Downtown Huntsville is the Houston Astros of downtown redevelopment.

Day Two - Sunday, May 13, 2018

The Village of Providence, Huntsville, Alabama (Map)
We started the day in Huntsville, Alabama, touring the Village of Providence, a commercial town center west of Downtown Huntsville. Our group stayed at the hotels within the town center, and were able to get a feel of the weekend nightlife of the space the night before. Patios were filled with patrons, families were walking around, and music from patio entertainers brought more life to the space.

For as much as the district functions on its own, there was little connection to the rest of Huntsville. The district has a number of services, however, lacks a grocery/drug store, so I made a quick hike to CVS, about a quarter mile down the road. Thankfully, the road was equipped with a sidewalk, but no lighting. I had contemplated staying at Campus 805 to have a drink, but without any sort of transportation between the two points (aside from Uber and Lyft, which are both present), I opted to head to Providence.

To begin our second day, developer of the Village at Providence, Todd Slyman, led us on a walking tour. He explained the vision of the village, beginning with a 2002 charrette, which was held in Downtown Huntsville. He noted the involvement of Duany Plater-Zybek in the design of the village, and gave an account of the increased coordination of all involved, on account of the location of utilities. The village, when completed, will have about 1500 residences over 306 acres. The village actually sees more visitors during the week due to business travel, likely a product of having newer hotels and a variety of accessible dining.

What was unique about the village was the fact that its development occurred on both sides of a public thoroughfare. As far as further design was concerned, developers recruited as many “everyday services” as possible. It’s evident in the variety of retailers. The building heights vary, but are on average with those of Downtown Huntsville. At the time of the development, Slyman noted that nothing had met local codes. I can assume he meant the plethora of rules that cities continued to introduce that formed suburban style development, and generally prohibited the further development of traditionally-designed cities.

The housing within the Village at Providence varied in size and style, and were built at different times. Slyman noted that they were trying to include a greater number of smaller homes, and that those had become more popular than the larger homes originally planned in the development. Some homes included Charleston side yard porches.

When asked what developers would change if they had the chance to do things over again, Slyman noted the inclusion of more live-work units. The timing of the development was also not the best, and developers noted that it would still be a home run today, though perhaps they were a bit ahead of the curve in terms of the popularity of traditional neighborhood developments, at least in Alabama. There were also some design elements that were out of proportion, including the leaked space of the village’s central green. It felt a bit large for the setting and had too small of sidewalks around its perimeter. Some infrastructure placement throughout the rest of the village, like utility boxes along sidewalks and gas meters in alleys, was also questionable. Some members of our group questioned the depth and height of porches (is 6' or 8' the best for depth?), and others debated the role that a greenway, stream and park played in the village, and whether those spaces should have been kept unimproved.

But, for as questionable as those details were, there was a lot that Providence did well, especially the inclusion of live-work units, which were popular with small business owners, especially insurance agents. There was a variety of housing, and the outdoor dining areas were well-utilized. Another nice touch were the personalized manhole covers and sewer grates. Finally, the wreath game was incredibly strong. (Insert: flexing arm emoji.) If you find yourself in Huntsville for any reason, stop through.

Gorham's Bluff, Alabama (Map)

After our walking tour we departed for Gorham's Bluff, a fairly secluded village on the top of Sand Mountain, Alabama, offering stunning views of the Tennessee River Valley. Gorham's Bluff followed the New Urbanism popularity of the 1980s and early 1990s, and its visionaries loved Seaside. The problem was, they didn't necessarily like what it took to build Seaside. This led to a mixed history of the village. The developers knew the cost of traditional neighborhood development, but not the value of it done well. Skimping on details and being a bit too ambitious to start, contributed to the development's lack of success. I won't say Gorham's Bluff was a failure, but it was not met with the success it was intended. Only a fraction (37) of the hundreds of homes (600?) once planned have been built. A second round of planning happened in the early 2000s, but not much has happened since.

The centerpiece of Gorham's Bluff is the six-bedroom lodge that overlooks the Tennessee River. The original lodge-keeper of the property quit soon after opening, leaving the lodge-keeping and overall development of the property to be the responsibility of the developer's daughter. While homes were slow to be built, the Gorham's Bluff Institute continued to promote the artistry of northeast Alabama, and offered a setting for arts festivals, meetings, and performances. The biggest partner for Gorham's Bluff to date is the Alabama Ballet, which hosts a week-long summer dance residency at the property.

Gorham's Bluff sought to incorporate educational opportunities into the village, evidenced by the neo-classical structure that sits on the far eastern side of the development. The building was once a high school that was located in Pisgah. The Jackson County Board of Education asked the town founders whether they wanted to reuse any of the materials from the school, but in realizing the condition of the building, they agreed to take the entire thing. With a new roof and brick exterior, the building now sits awaiting a time to be more utilized within Gorham's Bluff.

As soon as you pull into Gorham's Bluff, it's evident there are a number of things that were not done well, or with an attention to detail. There are limited, disconnected sidewalks (which, you could argue you don't need because of the planned character of the village), roadways that have been partially completed, and a bunch of open space that was intended to be developed with homes that lies fallow. The bluff also posed a bit of a challenge for children (or, really the parents of children) who might get too close or be a bit too curious. I ventured to the edge, and it was a loooooong way down. No one is making it back up if they fall down the bluff. But, for as much as its unreached potential is evident, there are a few things Gorham's Bluff has done. It's been a laboratory for what not to do, in how to have restraint, patience and more refined execution of a development. It also has facilitated serendipitous conversations that have guided the development of other TNDs. The informal meetings of planners in the lodge library have surely played a role in the successes of other developments across the country. So, for that, there's some success.

One final thought to consider that was brought up on our trip related to Gorham's Bluff was this: when is it time to walk away from your vision, and let it be someone else's vision? The original vision is clearly not happening, so when do you walk away from what you've had as a goal or vision? It's a difficult consideration, as it's something a developer has crafted and is attached to, especially when it includes multiple family members. In the case of Gorham's Bluff, there might not be a ton to bring the vision to reality anytime soon. That was a great question, and something that's not considered much in urban development. Often times, whether with plans, ordinances or visions, we're too stubborn to let go and give someone else an opportunity.

If you get a chance to visit Gorham's Bluff or stay at the lodge, do it. The fried chicken and banana pudding, not to mention the view, are probably worth the price of your stay.

Chattanooga, Tennessee (Map)
From Gorham's Bluff, we made our way to Chattanooga. Unfortunately, there was a traffic jam on I-59 and we resorted to taking the scenic route past the accident, cutting into our time to explore the Scenic City. We planned to visit both the north and south sides of the waterfront, but were left to visit only the south side near the city's aquarium and Riverfront Park. (We were teased by pulling into Coolidge Park on the north side of the Tennessee River, only to find out we probably didn't have enough time to get out, walk across the river, and still visit the city's Southside neighborhood.) We were joined by Eric Meyers, Executive Director of the Chattanooga Design Studio, a group dedicated to enhancing the built environment in Chattanooga. He addressed the history of the city, how it's grown in past decades, and the role that private-public partnerships have played in enhancing the city's public realm.

Chattanooga had a bit of an Austin vibe, located on a river, with a bunch of outdoor opportunities. People were on their stand up paddle boards, and cyclists were on the streets. One area that was a challenge is the Riverfront Parkway, a state route that is located between downtown and the riverfront. It's wide, and is a bit of a barrier for the cohesion of the Innovation District (downtown) with the riverfront. An open lot sits unused between the river and downtown, while other surface parking lots dot downtown. There's still quite a bit of capacity to build in Chattanooga.

The majority of our time was spent in the city's Southside neighborhood, around East 17th Street and Market Street. We were joined by Bob McNutt, a planner and real estate developer in Chattanooga, who leads the Chattanooga Neighborhood Enterprise, an organization specializing in providing financial loans, counseling, building homes and revitalizing neighborhoods in historically under served parts of the city.

The group focused their efforts in the Southside neighborhood, building missing middle type housing on vacant lots, and using infill, incremental development in other locations. The neighborhood was a pleasant mix of housing types and styles. They all blended together just fine, in part due to the attention to detail of the streetscape. Streets were lined with trees, helping to break up any objection to the potpourri of building styles. It reminded me a bit of Houston, with townhouses, single family residences, apartments and lofts converted from former industrial buildings, all within the same area. It worked well and was an area I hope to go back and explore a bit more.

McNutt commented on his experience in the neighborhood, noting that they had to "bend the rules to get what we wanted." The result spoke for itself. He also made note of the fact that this was a neighborhood that allowed people to express themselves, and that with too many rules, it stifled creativity. Now, this variety of building styles is not for everyone, but it was incredibly mitigated through street trees and the public realm.

We were set to take off to Atlanta to eat dinner upon arrival, but our hotel location would have provided limited dining options, so the group elected to spend another few hours in Chattanooga, with the chance to walk to a variety of dining along Market Street, and East and West Main Street. The Chattanooga Choo Choo Hotel was a focal point of the neighborhood, lodged in the former Terminal Station. (All the NUMTOTs out there can take a trip to Chattanooga and sleep in an outfitted Pullman train car.) Market Street, adjacent to the station, functions as a bit of a shared space / woonerf, lined with restaurants and bars.

I chose to walk down East Main Street, and landed at Slick's Burgers for a burger and a cider. The highlight of my walk was seeing Play. Wash. Pint., a private dog park slash dog daycare slash beer garden that allows dog owners to let their dogs play while sipping on some local beer. This idea has legs, and honestly, I'm surprised these aren't more common. Chattanooga is a city I'd like to learn more about, and reminds me most of Houston thus far, at least in its variety of building styles and land uses, something that provides for a great urban experience. I'm hoping to get into some of their neighborhoods at some point, and gain a better understanding of the city.

One thing to watch for in the coming months / years is the possible relocation of AT&T Field, home of the Chattanooga Lookouts, the AA affiliate of the Minnesota Twins. Reports earlier this summer discussed the potential of a new stadium to be built south of downtown on a former foundry site. This would certainly give downtown and the River City Company added options in redeveloping a few sites between downtown and the Tennessee River. But, removing the stadium also removes the 70 or so games that bring fans into your district each summer. A new stadium can also put added pressure on the development of adjacent communities, like Southside, and something city leaders will undoubtedly be watchful of.

I'm also fascinated with Chattanooga because of their embracing of technology and other quirky things, like form based code and the fact that the city has its own font; Chatype.

Day Three - Monday, May 14, 2018

Serenbe - Chattahoochee Hills, Georgia (Map)
For our third day, we set off early to Chattahoochee Hills, Georgia, the location of Serenbe. Chattahoochee Hills is a young city in terms of existence, having formed in 2007 as Chattahoochee Hill Country, incorporating itself from Fulton County.

The city's mayor, Tom Reed, joined us for the ride from our hotel into Serenbe, the 1,000-acre development that sits just to the southwest of Atlanta. (Tom Reed is also the founder of DPM Fragrances, now called Curio, which produces the Capri Blue and Aspen Bay Candles, and the popular volcano-scented candles, that you can find at retailers like Anthropologie, Urban Outfitters, West Elm, Crate and Barrel.) Reed gave some anecdotes about developing codes and processes for the newly formed city, and brought up the fact they had managed to pass parking maximums for the city, primarily in the hamlet, village and town zoning classifications. Reed asked something refreshing, in that "have you ever been to an interesting place without a bit of a parking problem?" No, and Serenbe is no exception.

He gave us a bit more of a summary about the vision of Serenbe, and led us through three of the development's four hamlets. Steve Nygren, Serenbe's developer, aimed to preserve 70 percent of his land, and dedicate the other 30 percent to the build environment, fairly dense hamlets.

The entrance to Serenbe is pretty unceremonious. They wanted it that way. No tacky "New Homes from the 400s" banners or signs, just a small, understated metal "Serenbe" sign visible from the road. Rolling into the development, there's an easing into each hamlet center. Each has its own small downtown feeling, with service retail and a mix of flats, town houses and single family dwellings.

The variety of architecture and building types is a refreshing change from other developments that boast similar or identical architectural styles. Serenbe chose to focus on scale, massing and quality materials, not necessarily style. They worked with topography and embraced it in some cases. The attention to detail of the sidewalks, crosswalks and paths between hamlets provide for unity among the variety of uses and styles. It all works together quite well. The oxbow street pattern makes driving more difficult than it needs to be, but paths connecting the hamlets make walking easy.

Some odd details about Serenbe included trash receptacles that are located in the front of homes. This allows trash bags to be stored in an underground tube, so that trash cans aren't strewn about the hamlets on collection day. The same went for water or gas connections for homes, which were hidden underground with access through what looked like a storm shelter door. There are also the each-one-is-one-of-a-kind street lamps in the public realm, which solidified Serenbe's approach of artistic infrastructure.

Serenbe is definitely an attractive place. It's well-designed, and there's a terrific attention to detail. The preservation and enhancement of the vegetative environment is to be commended and repeated. My favorite detail was the blueberry bushes that lined the streets. I'm not one to scoff at foraging, and it'd be all too easy in Serenbe. Need some rosemary for those rosemary-garlic mashed potatoes tonight? Grab some from the right of way... So, it is a bit utopic.

Perhaps though, if we built more places like this, or allowed more places like Serenbe to be development, they wouldn't seem so utopic. Mimi Kirk at CityLab wrote a thoughtful piece about her trip to Serenbe earlier this year, so I won't repeat it all here, but some may cast a critical eye on the idea and execution of Serenbe. As Kirk notes, Serenbe is similar to the settlements that were established at the turn of the 20th century, known as garden cities. Serenbe hasn't made affordable housing a component of its development, but it has offered a variety of housing options, something that master planned communities are sometimes hesitant to include. The isolation of the development may also feel as if the developers are just retreating from the Atlanta metro. Which, may be correct in some sense, however, Mayor Tom Reed noted that Chattahoochee Hills has been proactive in dedicating 600' of right of way for transit to connect to the region as the city's villages and towns are built along its corridors. (He was insistent on rail, but BRT seems like a cheaper and better option.) There are many things that Serenbe does well which would serve as great standards to uphold in all developments. Unfortunately, many cities don't find those standards palatable. Remember, all developments are biographical in nature, and Serenbe is no exception. The vision of Steve Nygren is upheld and maintained through the buildout of the development, and probably functions more, as someone on the tour put it, as a preservation tool, as opposed to a development tool.

Glenwood Park, Atlanta, Georgia (Map)
We left Serenbe and headed to Atlanta's Glenwood Park neighborhood. Glenwood Park is located just east of Downtown Atlanta, adjacent to Interstate 20. It is an infill Traditional Neighborhood Development, designed by Dover Kohl and developed by Green Street Properties of Atlanta. (It's interesting that Novare Group was also a partner in developing the mixed use buildings along the thoroughfares of the neighborhood. Novare Group is the company responsible for the development of the Skyhouse brand of apartment towers that are found in many major cities, including Atlanta, Houston, Charlotte, Dallas, here in Nashville, and in a few other cities across the country.)

The 28-acre neighborhood was once an industrial site strewn with tires and a whole bunch of concrete. (And, the real oddity, the site included 40,000 cubic yards of wood chips that had been buried underground and had to be removed, and were used as fuel at a power plant in Alabama.) The vision for the neighborhood began in 2001 with a charrette, while construction began in 2003. Glenwood Park positioned itself to offer a variety of housing types (425 housing units, as a mix of apartments, condos, townhouses and traditional single family homes) in a walkable neighborhood, which walkability was really viewed as an amenity at the time. Developer Charles Brewer wrote the following on the Glenwood Park website to describe the processes that his group went through in order to build the type of place he and others envisioned:

In order to build the neighborhood that we envision, we need to provide streets that will be great places for pedestrians and cyclists – places where cars will move slowly, and where the design will maximize pedestrian safety and comfort. This meant getting permission to build streets with narrower widths and tighter corners than has been the normal recent practice.

This is another reminder, just like Harbor Town in Memphis, or The Village at Providence in Huntsville, cities do not readily allow Traditional Neighborhood Development. But, in this case, it's helpful to know that the process went smoothly, and that all involved saw a benefit to constructing in a more traditional form. I don't know that anyone could argue against the efforts of the developers if you were to visit the neighborhood. It's a great example of infill TND in a large city that connects very well to surrounding neighborhoods and districts. A more detailed summary of Glenwood Park's development can be found here at Terrain.org. One challenge planners will be facing (or are already planning, but totally haven't solved) is how the BeltLine will connect through the Glenwood Park neighborhood. The BeltLine exists to the north and to the south, but is cut off by a rail yard and Interstate 20. The BeltLine is connected now by Bill Kennedy Way, a former state maintained street, which was acquired by the City of Atlanta to allow a deviation of design standards, reflective of the slower, context sensitive design (sidewalks, bike lanes, setbacks close to the street) that you would normally find in traditional neighborhood developments. While it allows for connection, it's a deviation from the vision of the BeltLine as a seamless path around and through Atlanta.

Some of the most striking features of Glenwood Park were the pedestrian pathways that connected the neighborhood. Pathways weaved from street to street behind homes, leading to the large, central park, aptly named Glenwood Park, which doubles as a detention pond during periods of heavy rain.

One of the last interesting notes about Glenwood Park was that the site was financed through a small group of "insiders", which allowed them ultimate flexibility in design, something that traditionally financed projects don't allow.

Krog Street Market (Map) / Atlanta BeltLine / Ponce City Market (Map)
From Glenwood Park our group traveled to Krog Street Market for lunch. The former Atlanta Stove Works building was once home to Tyler Perry's "Tyler Perry Studios", but now serves as one of the country's premier food halls. I had never had a bao before, so I visited Suzy Siu's Baos for pork belly and Korean barbecue baos. (I'd defintiely recommend them.) After eating and regathering, we headed toward Ponce City Market, via the Atlanta BeltLine, the brainchild of planner Ryan Gravels. Gravels thought of the Atlanta BeltLine as a student at Georgia Tech, and you can find a great summary about its development in his book, Where We Want To Live, which will help give planners, engineers, government leaders and anyone interested in city building, a lesson in how to reclaim our infrastructure for more efficient use.

One of the challenges of the BeltLine was the question of "who is this for?" Many saw the BeltLine as a catalyst to gentrification or displacement. As evidenced by the intense development occurring just along the small section that we walked, developers have undoubtedly realized the benefit of the active transportation corridor, which will also incorporate light rail, to an undetermined extent at this point. The BeltLine featured some fantastic views of Atlanta, and offered a canvas for public art and informal open spaces. It was great to see people outside using the buffering spaces to sit down and eat, sit down and read, play with their dogs, work out, sell some artwork, or even play some catch with water balloons. I appreciated the those chance encounters the most of anything during our walk. The ability to facilitate social interaction, without a ton of programming, is the hallmark of a great public space. We really don't have enough of these types of spaces within our cities. The diversity of users along the BeltLine stood out as well. It was all ages, abilities and colors. People ran, walked, rode bikes, and electric scooters. (And, you know what, it all worked out just fine!) San Diego-based planner Howard Blackson was the first to grab a scooter and make his way down the BeltLine. He's got a great piece on his website about embracing the scooter, urging cities to be more open in considering how they can integrate scooters into the entire transportation network.

It was difficult to know the pattern or timing of the development along the BeltLine, but it was apparent that everyone wanted to be connected to it in some way. Apartment complexes or business complexes all had their own connections or sidewalks, which is evidence of how valued this connection is for transportation and recreation.

Our walk ended at Ponce City Market, the second former Sears distribution center that we saw on our trip. Ponce City Market was a great contrast to what we saw in Memphis in the development of the Crosstown Concourse. Ponce City Market was remarkable, mostly though because of its scale. It is massive, and very good looking. There were some contrasts though. Crosstown Concourse had large open atrium spaces with natural light, spaces dedicated to the public, and a variety of services oriented toward community health and wellness. Ponce City Market was darker, with little natural light, a lot of tucked away spaces, and a lot of national retail.

But, Ponce City Market is essentially just a large mall. Most tenants were national upscale chains. And, that certainly serves a purpose and can create an enjoyable setting and experience. The dynamics of the neighborhood surrounding Crosstown Concourse in Memphis could have been far different from those in Atlanta, but again, it's a reminder of the autobiographical nature of developers, and what their goal is in redeveloping a site.

Something also to consider is the cycle of coolness. There was some discussion on the bus afterward about the pressures that "cool" places face in the height of their "coolness". This was a possible cause of the national chains that were so prevalent within Ponce City Market. Whether it's a redeveloping main street, a shopping center, or a redeveloped factory or warehouse, there is a change that these developments see as they become more popular. Unfortunately, the pioneering people and businesses that put a place on the map so to speak, are often victims of their own success. We engaged in a conversation about how to help stop that from happening.

Greenville, South Carolina (Map)
We then made our way to Greenville, South Carolina. We got stuck in some major traffic outside of Atlanta, delaying our arrival in Greenville and altering our plans. We essentially did a brisk walk through Downtown Greenville, and spared about a half hour at the end to be able to grab something to eat on the bus ride to West Columbia, South Carolina, where our hotel for the night was located.

We began our walk along North Main Street at the entrance of Springwood Cemetery and strolled south toward Falls Park and the Reedy River. There wasn't much that I picked up on from our tour guide, but there were some undeniable great planning practices being employed throughout Downtown Greenville.

In the late 1970s Downtown Greenville undertook a streetscape plan, narrowing Main Street from four to two lanes and adding street trees. Lots of street trees! Sidewalks were widened, angled parking was added, and amenities like benches and tables were added. The City of Greenville has a fantastic timeline of the growth of Downtown Greensville, Downtown Reborn, that gives a more in depth look at the major anchor developments throughout the city, as well as the strategy that officials took in the rebirth of the downtown area.

As we walked, it was easy to see how so many people felt comfortable downtown. It was very clean. The provision of street trees added needed shade and protection, benches and tables allowed people to sit down and linger, wayfinding signage and distance markers kept pedestrians aware of their position downtown, wide sidewalks allowed for outdoor dining at restaurants, and public amenities, like drinking fountains kept people comfortable in the heat of early summer. These provisions make cities more comfortable for all, including loiterers, which, were definitely present in Downtown Greensville, the first place we experienced them on our trip. Now, these folks are harmless and didn't bother anyone, but their mere presence is sometimes too much for some cities to take. In his book, The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces, William Whyte wrote "The biggest single obstacle to the provision of better public space is the undesirables problem. They are themselves not too much of a problem. It is the actions taken to combat them that is the problem." Reactions to loiterers include removing benches and gathering spaces, leaving districts and streets to feel inhumane and sterile. Thankfully, Greenville hasn't taken that approach.

I was also thankful to see the provision of public restrooms. These were probably the thing that stuck out the most, only because so many cities hesitate to provide them due to their liability of loitering and maintenance. But, again, it's an incredibly humane addition to a district, and likely something that local business owners (especially hotels) are thankful for, in that it reduces the public's need to find restrooms in their properties.

Another streetscape design element that was noticeable was the mid-block crossing. There were street crossings at each of the midpoints of major blocks in Greenville, allowing for easy pedestrian access and connectivity to the opposite side of the street. The Court Square shared street section was a great example of using a change of materials and roadway width to address roadway speed, and to create a more unified public space.

As we walked along Main Street, it was surprising to see the amount of approachable national chain retailers present. It was an example of a street that was terrific in terms of streetscape design, but that hasn't been totally choked out of more approachable retail. All too often, as I mentioned previously with regard to Ponce City Market, when a place becomes popular or includes in-demand urban amenities, retail becomes a bit less approachable. Not the case in Greenville. I'm not certain of the economic dynamics taking place in Greenville to allow this, but it was refreshing to be in a downtown with more approachable retail, and not the same slate of hip retail offerings, although, there's nothing wrong with them. Also, even though many of the buildings within Greenville were not anything architecturally spectacular, their orientation to the street, their facades, and the streetscape itself created an interesting and lively place. Greenville felt as though they weren't caught up in building for Instagram-worthy pictures, but rather designing for the human scale.

The walk into Falls Park and the Reedy River area was impressive. The TD Stage and Peace Center Wyche Pavilion were great public spaces in what felt like an outdoor room. The waterfalls on the Reedy River were not viewed as an amenity in past decades, but the addition of trails, park space and the Liberty Bridge have transformed the river into the main attraction and public space in Greenville.

The public-private partnerships and sponsorship of spaces was very well documented, and something that I'm glad to see Greenville didn't hide or shy away from. The type of transformation that has taken place in the city is not possible through only public entities. It's clear that the private entities in Greenville have understood the benefits of high quality public spaces.

Greenville is a city that is well ahead of many others in making improvements to its downtown. This might pose a problem for some in that there are seemingly few problems to solve. I'd argue against that, but with a place that is so successful and lively, that can certainly seem true. Due to its streetscape improvements, old and new blend well together, and building intensity and height wasn't imposing or damaging to older parts of the downtown. These are particularly good examples and testaments to cities that fear the loss of character due to potential taller buildings. If you get the streetscape done correctly, there's far less to be worried about with regard to building type and variety. So, given that Greenville is a bit ahead of other cities, it's an unfair comparison for other cities, but instead, a peer to admire and seek for future growth, a bit like still being in college and visiting friends that are a few years ahead of you and a bit more grown up.

As we're comparing cities, it's important to remember that we need to have a longer perspective than instant comparison. Cities change far less quickly than we imagine they do, so having a 30 to 40 year perspective is important. These changes take time and persistence. Our quick trip through Greenville was a great experience, and again, is a city I hope I can get back to soon and explore a bit more.

Day Four - Tuesday, May 15, 2018

Nexton, South Carolina (Map)
This might have been the most surprising and refreshing tour stop, especially as someone in local government who regularly reviews new residential subdivisions. Nexton is a development just outside of Summerville, South Carolina that is being built by national home builders like Pulte. This is a destination (sorry, no Google Street View images yet) that can be used by any planner who is faced with a company that says "we can't build that." Chances are, the big national home builders have a copy of a plan that would fit into a TND.

This is an approachable TND, which at times does skimp on some things. Smaller details were sacrificed for affordability. But, by in large, there were many great examples for greenfield TND design and construction.

Nexton did some great things well, such as its utility scaling and "housing for the everyman." In this case, greater design wasn't sacrificed, and many TND principles were maintained. It's an attainable TND partly due to its location (it's not in a thriving area, but a greenfield outside of Charleston, SC), but also the bulk of materials used in the home construction and the functional layout of homes. The home builders, for the most part, made boxy, tract housing much more interesting than decades past.

There were some things that Nexton could have improved. First, the public spaces within the development almost seemed too large. What worked in other TNDs on our tour was the framing of open spaces by residences or other buildings. This wasn't the case at Nexton, which leaked a lot of space around its open spaces. Second, Nexton has a number of homes that aren't in TND style, leading with front facing garages. The focal point of traditional neighborhoods was never the two car garage. So, while efforts were made to add more craftsman design, this renders these homes not much different from suburban tract housing. Adding alleys and allowing garages to take access from the alleys in the rear would have helped other parts of the development.

Nexton also seemed to have been completely clear cut before being built. The developers threw away a ton of value in the mature trees that likely dotted the landscape. Utilizing a more intentional design might have cost more, and therefore, it was easier to simply cut everything and plant new. The only issue here is that the trees planted now will take decades to mature and give as much definition to the neighborhood as it could have had by preserving some specimen trees.

Sidewalks in Nexton were a bit odd too. There were some designs that were built to, I assume, add visual interest, but were a bit overdone. The other striking issue was the street design. This is where Nexton could have added value and intent to its design. Streets were typical suburban sections, with multiple, wide travel lanes. Some differentiation of materials for crosswalks, bumpouts and dedicated parking, and smaller curb radii could have made things feel a bit different. But, each of those could have added cost to the development, and were likely sacrifices that were made by the developer. Also, local codes may not have allowed particular deviations, something that is evidence that some codes and rules detract from the design of cities.

It's a bit unfair to have comparisons to other TNDs, as there's not the patina on Nexton as there is on I'On, the next TND on our tour.

I'On - Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina (Map)
I'On was another fairly quick trip for our group, but we did manage to get a fairly comprehensive tour of the neighborhood. I'On is not a beloved development in Mt. Pleasant, as other residents believe that it is too dense. It's quite beautiful though, and is not as dense as one would think. However, original plans were scaled back, and the development's entitlements were not what was originally envisioned. I'On experienced some difficulty during the economic downtown in 2008, but was able to change its plans up a bit, even if it meant eating into its entitlements for the number of homes it would be allowed. On one lot facing one of the lakes, two homes were built where one was planned. To the untrained eye, it was not even noticeable. (To the trained eye, it wasn't noticeable either.) Perhaps this is continued support for showing that gently increasing density within neighborhoods isn't a bad thing, and can actually work well.

This was probably the most active neighborhood that we saw on our trip, except for the locations of our stops in Atlanta. The "public drama" was well displayed, with people getting their mail, walking their dogs, exercising, and other services, like carpet cleaning or deliveries being made. What made some of this possible is the width of streets and the orientation of buildings to the street. There were some great narrow streets, as well as some fantastic open spaces and pathways. Landscaping was terrific, including my favorite, a palm tree covered in jasmine, as well as many fruit trees. (Shoutout to whoever had the loquat tree. The loquats were delicious.)

One of the issues with narrow streets though is the perceived challenge of emergency vehicles accessing a residence, or mobility in general. Thankfully, the designers were able to move forward with a more narrow street through the use of a rollover curb on some streets. We even witnessed a number of delivery trucks perfectly making their deliveries. Traffic wasn't impeded, aside from some residents needing to slow down and give way from time to time. But, like these TNDs seem to show us, slowing down is good for us.

I'On's defining features were its two large lakes, which were actually used as quarries for building materials, and now are used for storm water management, and a dramatic enhancement to the view of homes from the opposite side. The lakes are joined together by two canals with adjacent footpaths. They're a shortcut if traveling by foot, and provide an opportunity to slow down and view the aquatic life. They're far more decorative than utilitarian, but they're a great feature nonetheless.

Now, it may be a bit unsettling when a group of camera toting, tourist looking planners and architects get off a bus and start snapping pictures of everything in sight, but we're on foot and very friendly. So, it was a bit odd when at I'On we had a sole experience where residents were not comfortable with anyone taking a picture of their home. (I don't want to disappoint them, but wait until they learn about Google Street View. Insert "Ron Swanson Throwing Computer.gif".) This interaction led to a discussion about the evolution of TNDs, or more so, the evolution of residents within TNDs. There is a disconnect between the first buyers and last buyers, those who buy into the vision of a development, and those who buy into the investment of a house within a development. An effort could be made of TNDs to educating home buyers in the spirit and intent of this sort of development, explaining the benefits of TNDs and their design. An educational note or class for a buyer during the closing period or through the home owners association could help to level the expectations of new residents.

After seeing I'On, we took a short ride to downtown Charleston for a quick walk through the city. (If you've ever in Mt. Pleasant and find yourself in I'On, head to the Square Onion for lunch. The Goose sandwich with a Mary Hope side salad was probably the best thing I ate the entire trip.)

Charleston, South Carolina
We took a quick trip through Charleston, South Carolina, mainly just to take in some of the historic neighborhoods. We did not have a formal agenda or discussion planned, but we briskly walked to look at the architecture and enjoy the city.

Habersham, Beaufort, South Carolina (Map)
The place I had the least expectation for, likely because I, like many people, had never heard of it, was Habersham. Just outside of Beaufort, South Carolina, Habersham begins in the middle of what seems like a typical low lying South Carolina field. The contrast between this view of a field, and this view of Habersham's Market Street, is astounding, and a matter of turning your head about 90 degrees. It was a greenfield development, but unlike Nexton which we had visited earlier in the day, developers came up with a town plan that was "intricately laid amidst the delicate natural landscape with particular attention given to the outdoor public realm of parks and greenways for residents to inhabit and enjoy surrounding the homes." It was a stark contrast to Nexton in terms of tree preservation. As evidenced through the construction of some homes and streets, tree preservation was incredibly important, as roofs were built around trees, and streets deviated in course or width here and there.

Due to the low laying land of Habersham, construction was a low impact as possible, beginning with preserving landscape, but also influencing other materials, such as gravel alleys.

There was probably no other place we visited where the term "transect" was use more than in Habersham. The progression of land use intensity and building types graduated as we moved further from Habersham's market area to the banks of the Broad River. It was a terrific example of a greenfield development that worked at adding a variety of housing styles and price points. Initially, like with most TNDs, homes started modest to allow a lower price point. As time has gone on, the popularity of Habersham, and other developments like it, have seen high home values.

In all, this was a fantastic trip. It was intensive and tiring, but it was fun, and we got to see a bunch of examples of city building practices that have worked, and a few that haven't. It was a great time to meet other planners, designers, architects and developers from around the country, and around the world. If you get a chance to head on the tour next year, do it. The tour will likely reach Louisville, Kentucky a day before the beginning of CNU27, so it could provide a great extension and precursor to conversation at the congress.

The Voices of Public Transit

2018-07-26T23:24:00.002-05:00

Earlier this morning actor Seth Rogan announced that he would be the voice for Vancouver's public transit system, TransLink. The video, posted by Rogan, shows a Twitter conversation between he and Vancouver's TransLink, the city's transportation network, which serves "residents and visitors with public transit, major roads, bridges and Trip Planning." Vancouver journalist Stephanie Ip made the suggestion to TransLink back at the end of May when the transit provider originally announced that Morgan Freeman had been selected to provide train announcements in partnership with Visa. The Vancouver Sun reported that Freeman's voice would be used in announcements of the partnership, and for transit etiquette, but not for individual stop announcements. Freeman, just a few days later, was pulled from the project after allegations of sexual harassment. Others questioned why a Canadian celebrity couldn't do the announcements. (Freeman is/was the voice of Visa.)

I’M GONNA BE THE VOICE ON PUBLIC TRANSIT IN MY HOMETOWN OF VANCOUVER. pic.twitter.com/JduvqtqU3o
— Seth Rogen (@Sethrogen) July 26, 2018

Ip's suggestion of Rogan came to fruition today. Rogan, who grew up in Vancouver, is shown in the video announcing "Any opportunity to enrich the lives of the Canadian people is an opportunity I will take." Rogan will make announcements about etiquette, with one sample from the video reading "I know your bag is probably very nice, and you care deeply for it, but, that doesn't mean it needs its own seat." Another read "Those are very nice sneakers, but kind of a horror show of a sole. So get those feet off the seat. My momma might be sitting there one day, come on!"

So, if you're in Vancouver anytime soon, listen for Rogan's voice on your next transit trip. This will undoubtedly raise the awareness of public transit in Vancouver, and I think we can expect other agencies to follow suit. I can imagine (and recommend!) Houston's METRO including announcements from Beyonce, or from local athletes JJ Watt or Jose Altuve. Again, this would be a great marketing approach for any local transit agency, and something that would be quite fun, and educational.

It's doubtful that there will be any long-term influence solely through the use of celebrity transit announcements, but it may be something that entices people to ride transit (maybe just once, just to hear a voice!) that might not otherwise consider it.

Voices of Public Transit

Four years ago I wrote a post chronicling the voices of a variety of transit systems throughout the United States. (It was also posted on the Motherboard website.) It began with my curiosity of the announcements I heard each day riding Houston's METRO buses.

There was a woman who greeted thousands of transit riders per day in Houston. She never missed a day, and was consistent in her delivery. She greeted riders every morning with the same reminder: "Please tap your Q Card as you enter the bus." She read our route numbers and crossroads, and pointed to key destinations along the way. She even thanked you for riding METRO.

Courtesy: METRO

If you ride Houston's light rail system she will remind you of each station, and what side the car doors will open when arriving at the station. There are also notices in Spanish for stations and door opening directions. So, that begs to ask, is the METRO Lady bilingual? Really, who is she? Does she live in Houston? Does she herself use public transit? Does she have to listen to herself each morning on her commute? What are her hobbies?... Okay, that's getting carried away. But in all curiosity, it's a voice Houstonians hear every day. So, METRO, who is the METRO Lady that reads our travel destinations each day? Does she have a name? If not, maybe we could give her an official name.

After a bit of searching, I was able to find out who provided METRO's announcements. I also found out who provided the voices of many other systems. Thankfully, Bernie Wagenblast, a transportation communications expert in New Jersey, has been helping provide updated information about transit systems and their voices over the past few years. It's a fitting time to make sure that this list is updated.

But in all curiosity, announcements are something that urban denizens hear every day if they utilize public transit. Riders can probably find themselves remembering phrases throughout their routes, sometimes throughout the rest of their day. You may find yourself associating a particular place or intersection with the announcement on your route. We've seen the woman behind the voice of Apple's Siri and the voice behind AOL's iconic "You've Got Mail", now let's shed some light on the voices of those who accompany riders on some of America's largest public transit and rail systems.

New York City - Metropolitan Transportation Authority of the State of New York (MTA) / The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PATH)

Charlie Pellett

New York City's transit system has many voices. One of the voices for announcements in stations and on trains is provided by Charlie Pellett, a veteran news anchor and reporter for Bloomberg Radio.

Carolyn Hopkins

Another voice in New York City MTA stations is provided by Carolyn Hopkins. Hopkins lives in Maine, and has recorded subway announcements for about 15 years. Oddly enough, this article from the New York Times City Room blog gives light to the fact that Hopkins herself has only ridden in a subway once, back in 1957! Here's another article that explains how Hopkins and colleague Jack Fox have come to be the voices of 110 airports (I'm sure you'll recognize her voice!), as well as the New York City subway system.

Bernie Wagenblast

Bernie Wagenblast, a transportation communicator, is yet another voice of New York City's subway system. He can be heard in subway stations throughout the city, providing updates on the one through six trains. Wagenblast records his announcements from the desk of his New Jersey home office.

The New York Times City Room blog had some fun with Wagenblast back in 2012, calling for fantasy subway announcements. Wagenblast recorded a selection, which can be found on the City Room blog. They included "Watch the gap, and by the way, you look marvelous, simply marvelous!", and "Wake up everybody, it's time for volleyball!" There was even a subway rap (Spitting Mad 411 Remix) submitted by Christopher Bonewitz, to which Wagenblast performed like the subway MC he is.

Here's another great clip of Wagenblast chatting with local access broadcaster Paul DeRienzo about his recordings, as well as his other radio and transportation related activities.

PATH trains in New Jersey seem to still employ manual announcements on some trains, and some conductors have especially smooth deliveries, including this announcement on a train as it terminates at Journal Square in New Jersey (system map). Other PATH announcements are still delivered by recording.

New York's subway system hasn't been exempt from mocking either. The Gothamist reported that the MTA found that only 17 percent of their station's platform announcements were audible. And, even SNL took to making fun of the issue in a January 1993 skit where Harvey Keitel and the SNL cast made an entire skit surrounding the premise of inaudible station announcements. (I've looked for the skit, and can't seem to find it anywhere online.)

Washington DC - Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA / METRO)

Randi Miller

In 2006 Washington DC's, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority announced a competition to find the voice of their subway system. Just as in New York City, transit riders had complained about the inaudibility of announcements. The competition's winner was occasional transit rider Randi Miller, who was working at a Lexus dealership at the time of the competition. Miller was selected from 1,259 contestants, and as a result has been routinely recognized throughout Washington DC. Station announcements on trains are still given manually on DC's Metro.

Chicago / Chicago Transit Authority (CTA)

Lee Crooks

For Chicago transit riders, Lee Crooks is a name that not many know, but whose voice they recognize and hear every day. Crooks is the voice of Chicago's CTA announcements.

Crooks records the announcements for the system's L-trains and buses. Crooks, a professional voiceover artist, has done work for some of the country's largest corporations, including McDonalds, Wrangler, Beltone, Coors, Sears, John Deere and Walgreens, among others. He auditioned for the CTA's announcement role in 1997 after imitating the announcer's voice on Walt Disney World's Monorail. In an interview Crooks shed some light to the fact that he and the CTA try to follow up to make sure that pronunciations are consistent with local dialects, and understands the impact that his announcements may have on the identification of a street or station. Riders of Chicago's L have even dedicated websites to local station announcements.

Boston / Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA)

Frank Oglesby, Jr.

In Boston, baritone Frank Oglesby, Jr. greets riders on the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's trains each day. Oglesby is MBTA's deputy director of customer service for operations, and landed his transit announcement job by accident. Oglesby explains how he landed the job as he worked in the system's communications department. In this Boston University article, Oglesby recalls how MBTA decided to transition from manual announcements to recorded announcements to comply with Federal Transit Administration standards. MBTA needed a voice, and Oglesby has had the job ever since. You can hear all of his Red Line announcements in this video, as a recent train decided to cycle through all its station announcements at one time.

San Fran / OAK / (Bay Area Rapid Transit) BART

George and Gracie

In 2009 the San Francisco and Oakland area's Bay Area Rapid Transit system announced new voices for their transit system. However, instead of actually having a human record announcements, digitally created announcements were introduced. BART named George and Gracie, the new synthesized voices of BART.
BART relied on human, conductor-given announcements on its trains, but made the decision to move to an automated system in the late 1990's. BART concluded that "with dozens of stations and thousands of train arrivals every day, real live human beings just couldn’t keep up with the job of voicing all those announcements."

"BART chose a text-to-speech (TTS) system from Lucent Technologies, based on the long history of Lucent’s Bell Labs Division in developing TTS products. Lucent called its male voice John and its female voice Grace; at BART, they came to be called George and Gracie. The announcements alternate between the male and female voices on odd- and even-numbered platforms."

Riders of BART may argue that the system's announcements lack the same intimacy or connection that other major systems have, knowing that there is not an actual person associated with their transit announcements. George and Gracie sound more like robots than station guides.

Philadelphia / Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA)

Alvin Elliott

Riders in the Philadelphia area will recognize the voice of Alvin Elliott, one of the eight rail announcers that SEPTA uses to relay travel information to passengers. And, like all systems, SEPTA has instituted changes to their destination names to keep them current with the built environment. Elliott was a station attendant and when SEPTA transitioned to automatic announcements around 2000, he became the voice of SEPTA. There's even an imitator on YouTube that is quite caught up by Elliott's station announcements.

Atlanta / Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA)

Michele Torres

In Atlanta, Michele Torres is the voice of MARTA. She's also now a model. She has had a very tough last few years, battling breast cancer, as well as the loss of her brother. Skip to the 2:48 mark of this story to see her MARTA announcement.

Los Angeles / Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro)

Metro instituted automatic announcements on their gold and green lines in 2004, with its blue line following in 2006. There are variations in voices among different lines within the system, but there appears to be no identifiable voice. You can listen to some of the announcements yourself here. A recent review of Metro's Los Angeles rail system compared it to Washington DC's Metro. Among other things, the reviewer noticed that announcements in Los Angeles were made automatically, while those in Washington DC are still made manually aboard trains.

Mathew Fleming of the Los Angeles Register recalls:

An automated voice informs riders what the next destination is in L.A., but in D.C., this job is done live, and no two drivers are the same. Some talk really fast, some have a broken mic, some are peppy, some sound sad. Occasionally, you get one that’s not afraid to show some spunk.

One might be led to think that with the entertainment industry in Hollywood that there might be a famous voice behind the station announcements. Like Houston, this one is still a mystery.

Portland / TriMet MAX Light Rail

Enrique Andrade

In Portland, Enrique Andrade works as a courtroom interpreter, but moonlights providing TriMet's MAX Light Rail Spanish announcements. In a recent Oregonian story by Joseph Rose, we are given an update on a 2006 story, which highlights how Andrade became the Spanish voice of MAX announcements. Andrade, like many other transit voices, has lent his voice to local media outlets, and is represented by a voiceover talent agency.

Jodi Lorimer

Jodi Lorimer is the female voice to Portland's MAX English announcements, pointing riders to stations and the door side for each stop. Lorimer's voice "welcomes you aboard, advises to use caution when crossing track and gives a polite reminder to move for seniors and people with disabilities", as noted by Joseph Rose. More of Lorimer's credits are listed on this Portland MAX blog.

Orlando / Walt Disney World Resort Monorail

Tom Kane

Finally, what public transit list would be complete without the Walt Disney World Resort monorail? In 2012, Walt Disney World Resort decided to change the voice of their monorail announcement. Orlando native and voice actor Joe Hursh had been the voice of the monorail announcements since 2004. Disney did not change the recognizable "Please Stand Clear of the Doors. Por favor manténganse alejado de las puertas." These were the words of Jack Wagner, a former voice actor who passed away in 1995, and was the monorail's first announcer when it opened in 1971. The new voice of the monorail is Tom Kane, a voice actor who has played to role of Yoda in Star Wars: The Clone Wars.

Hong Kong / MTR (Mass Transit Railway)

Cheri Chan Yu-yan

In Hong Kong, Cheri Chan provides the voice for city's trains and stations. She has been the voice of the MTR since 1992, beating out five other candidates for the position. She continues to provide announcement updates for new stations as well as re-worded announcements. Her voice provided standardized announcements, which replaced the often incomprehensible announcements made by individual drivers.

Minneapolis - St. Paul / Metro Transit

Kathleen Humphrey

Actress and singer Kathleen Humphrey lends her voice to her hometown Metro Transit Authority in the Twin Cities. She regularly sings in front of orchestra and opera audiences, but her biggest audience is the 60,000 people per day that ride Metro Transit's light rail system. Humphrey "won the part of the voice of light rail through an audition process in which both men and women applied. The goal is a voice that's 'warm, sort of neutral, authoritative, calm, reassuring.'"

Philadelphia, PA, Camden, NJ / PATCO

Bernie Wagenblast

PATCO, the Port Authority Transit Corporation of the Delaware River Port Authority, recently revealed the agency's "'next generation' train cars -- refurbished cars with upgraded interiors, as well as communication and operating systems" according to Greg Adomaitis of NJ.com. Based on the agency's social media accounts, they began operating their refurbished train cars during the first week of June 2015.

The refurbishment of PATCO's train cars features new interiors, security and mechanical improvements, as well as upgraded communication systems, including clear station announcements. Riders of New York's subway line may find the voice familiar. It is none other than Bernie Wagenblast, most noted for his "Next Train Arriving" announcements for New York City's 1-6 subway lines. In this sample of the new PATCO announcements, you can hear Wagenblast announce "Westmont Station next, Westmont". Riders seem to enjoy the new announcements, as Adomaitis described them as being "crystal clear".

Mobile Users: Tap to Hear the Audio (Shout)

New York City - Metropolitan Transportation Authority of the State of New York (MTA) - Lexington Avenue Line (4, 5, and 6 Trains)

Jessica Ettinger

Jessica Ettinger is the Today Show radio anchor for Sirius XM, but is also the voice of subway announcements that passengers hear on New York's Lexington Avenue subway line. New York's NBC 4 said in a recent story that "Fifteen years ago, Ettinger lent the MTA her voice while working at Bloomberg News. They had her record "the next stop is" just once, and then she recorded the names of all the stops on the line." It seems her recordings are a bit too long for station stops, and the MTA is considering replacing her announcements with shorter ones given the record number of subways riders, which results in increased frequency of trains.

London - Transport for London (TfL) bus, and London Overground rail

Emma Hignett

The Guardian Cities features Emma Hignett, the voice of London's bus and London Overground rail system. Until 2005 London's transit announcements were made manually by bus and train drivers, when they were replaced by pre-recorded messages. Guardian Cities asks whether this shift will "kill personality on the morning commute." While the personality of driver-led announcements provides some charm and flexibility, the article is quick to point to the benefit of consistency, and the ability to readily provide announcements in multiple languages (as evidenced in Cape Town, South Africa).

Toronto - Toronto Transit Commission - TTC

Danny Nicholson

Danny Nicholson has provided his voice for Toronto's TTC announcements for nearly 20 years, but has now retired. Nicholson served as a radio announcer for many years before returning to school to study corporate communications, and eventually landing a position with the TTC. He became the voice for system announcements after a coworker suggested he audition for the job. Brad Ross, TTC executive director, corporate communications, offered, "Danny’s familiar and friendly, but authoritative voice, has been a mainstay in the subway for the last 16 years. If you didn’t know to stand back of the yellow line, mind the gap or not smoke on TTC property, you soon did after hearing one of the many public service announcements Danny recorded over the years."

Nicholson's voice will now be replaced with a professional female announcer.

Andrea Rooz

It hasn't taken long, but it appears that Toronto's TTC has chosen to use Andrea Rooz to be the voice of their transit announcements. Rooz notes that she grew up mimicking the TTC's announcements, but now she gets to record them for real according to Toronto's Metro News. Rooz says "nothing is as satisfying as being able to help the thousands of commuters who take the TTC every day."

Ottawa - OC Transpo

Julian Doucet

Julian Doucet lends his voice to Ottawa, Canada's city buses and certain train lines. Doucet's experience in becoming the voice of OC Transpo is chronicled by the Megan Gillis in the Ottawa Citizen. As opposed to other Voices of Public Transit that auditioned for the role, Doucet's voice was picked from a bank of voice talents, and he competed with three women for the voice role, and he notes that "it was like American Idol but for bus stops."

Milwaukee - Milwaukee County Transit System

Maria Lopez and Tom Pantaleo

In 2017 the Milwaukee County Transit System announced that Maria Lopez and Tom Pantaleo, both personal voiceover artists, would be providing system announcements. Mass Transit reports that "Maria can be heard announcing all route names, bus stops, landmarks and transfers, while Tom is responsible for letting riders know about important rider messages."

Salt Lake City - Utah Transit Authority / FrontRunner

Ananda Alles

In Utah, Ananda Alles has quite the story. The 66-year old once-retired native Sri Lankan is now an engineer for the UTA's FrontRunner commuter trains. Alles's voice can also be heard by riders in recorded safety messages. Alles retired and relocated to Utah after one of his sons and his family decided to stay in Utah after attending college at the University of Utah. Alles grew up riding trains in Sri Lanka, and recalled his enjoyment of them. He answered an advertisement in the newspaper for UTA, and has been working as a train engineer for the past few years.

Alles says "I’m lucky. I found something I love. If you have a good day and a nice train, what could be better than that?"

Denver - Denver International Airport Train

Alan Roach and Kim Christiansen

In early 2018, 75,000 Denver residents voted to continue to hear the voice of local sports announcer Alan Roach, and to include the voice of news anchor Kim Christiansen, in Denver International Airport's train announcements. 10 local media members were selected from 60 nominees, allowing the public to vote from those 10. Roach and Christiansen were selected, and now inform travelers of information surrounding the operation of the airport's train when travelling between terminals.

San Francisco - SFMTA / Muni

Erica Kato

In July 2018, the San Francisco Examiner brought us the story of Erica Kato, a SFMTA employee and former television reporter, who is now providing announcements on the city's transit system, as well as other media content for news related to the SFMTA. While Kato isn't providing announcements for all routes and stops, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez reports that she will be 'the voice for spot announcements, like the warning to “Please hold on,” or to “please” give seats to seniors and people with disabilities.'

Kato was able to provide SFMTA with announcements on the fly, which is important, considering transit conditions change quickly. This is a difficulty of contracting for voice actors. What also makes Kato's involvement interesting is her familiarity with the city, and with the transit system. Rodriguez notes that SFMTA has been criticized in the last few decades for providing inaccurate announcements for street names, a result of using a voice actor (and Texan) to pronounce local street names.

Local transit agencies have a variety of choices for announcements, but it's continuing to prove worthwhile to look for talent within your own city. And for that matter, maybe even someone within your own organization, or who regularly rides your system.

For travelers or riders of public transit, these are some of the familiar voices that greet us each day. We know their voices, but at least now we've got some faces to go with them.

CityBuilding Express - 2018 - Day 1 - Memphis and Huntsville

2018-05-12T23:38:00.000-05:00

This morning on the City Building Express, we visited Memphis. We started our time in Memphis at
HarborTown, an early traditional neighborhood development on the banks of the Mississippi River.
Tommy Pacello of the Memphis Medical District Collaborative and Frank Ricks of LRK served as our tour guides. We then made our way through Uptown, viewing one of the larger scattered site affordable housing developments in the country, all provided by Uptown Memphis and the Memphis Housing Authority.

We explored the 1.5 million square foot Crosstown Concourse redevelopment, where a former Sears distribution center has been redeveloped into a vertical urban village. This was a most impressive building transformation that includes retail, office, artist space, a YMCA, healthcare services and apartments. This development got the Crosstown area back on people's mental map in Memphis, and new development is following.

We finished our time in Memphis in the Medical District, where Tommy Pacello presented the work of the Memphis Medical District Collaborative, their goals and mission for the coming years, and the methods, like tactical urbanism and incremental development, that have helped to begin the rebuilding of the area.

We made our way to Huntsville, Alabama, sharing our observations about the morning and afternoon on the bus. Arriving in Huntsville, Chad Emerson of Downtown Huntsville led us on a walking tour of Downtown Huntsville. Huntsville is a city that has undergone a tremendous amount of investment in the past decade, with more planned.

CityBuilding Express - 2018

2018-05-11T16:05:00.001-05:00

Next week, I'll have the opportunity to join the CityBuilding Express Tour, traversing through the southeast from Memphis to Savannah; From the banks of the Mississippi to the shore of the Atlantic.

A few of our staff will be joining other city-building professionals from around the US, and a few folks from other countries including Russia, Australia, Poland, Mexico and Canada.

I'll be posting thoughts from each day's trip, highlights, lessons learned, and of course, pictures.

Follow along on Twitter at @chrisandrewscda.

What Nashville Can Learn from Houston Regarding Transit

2018-05-01T00:00:00.000-05:00

Today's a big day for transit in Nashville. Nashvillians will decide whether to approve the Let's Move Nashville transit plan.

I've been in Middle Tennessee for a few weeks now, and without a doubt, the transit referendum is the most important thing being talked about. Well, that's probably not true. It's playoff time, and the Predators are without a doubt the most talked about item in Nashville right now. They just melted the Avalanche in the first round, and are tied one game apiece in their second round series against the Winnipeg Jets.

But back to transit. The referendum to enact the proposed Let's Move Nashville plan has been covered by every media outlet and debated by many across the city.

At times, the debate has completely lacked civility and perpetuated misconceptions. Outside interests have been politicking and encouraging Nashvillians to vote against the referendum. It's been weird. Other conversations have been much more enjoyable, and have done a great job pointing to the issues on both sides of the discussion. Last week the Nashville Scene podcast had a great summary of the plan, and took a look at some of the arguments for and against the plan. Over the weekend the Nashville Sounding Board Podcast, hosted by Benjamin Eagles, featured Nashville City Council Members Angie Henderson (against the referendum) and Freddie O'Connell (for the referendum). This was probably the most in depth, helpful debate I've heard thus far, with compelling arguments for and against the presented Let's Move Nashville plan. Both council members are champions for walkability and bikeability in Nashville, and are likely Nashville's most visible representatives in terms of planning and city building.

Nashville is a growing city that has a short history when it comes to funding public transit. Early in the 1990s and again just a few years ago, attempts to add dedicated funding for transit in Nashville floundered. Nashville voters chose to do nothing about their traffic and transportation woes, and now the cost is greater. Again, voters will decide whether to approve this plan (as imperfect as it may be to some), or again, punt action for at least another year until a new referendum can be brought for a vote. While inaction may be fine for some, the cost of doing nothing is growing greater, and continued road and highway expansions can only alleviate traffic levels for so long.

Many of those against the proposed plan have touted the plan's high costs, or insistence on using light rail when buses could be used. These are certainly valid criticisms and worthy of dialogue. When looking further into details, there are challenges to using bus rapid transit, such as the banning of dedicated transit lanes on state highways, even if projects are not recipients of state funding, unless the Tennessee legislature approves of the measure. Plan opposition has sometimes also been labelled as wanting to wait for a "unicorn", a plan that will perfectly rectify and satisfy every criticism. This is certainly a challenge, and not reasonable, as every plan will likely have something that is disagreed upon, or something that could be improved. In this case, it's important to remember technical elements, such as the legislative approval needed for projects on state roads.

Those opposed to the current plan also have raised concern about voters feeling forced into supporting the plan as supporters warn that this may be Nashville's only chance at establishing a larger transit system. It certainly would not be a fatal outcome, but if history is any indication, it may not be something that is back to the polls anytime soon. Opponents who have criticized the merits of the current plan, but still support growing transit in Nashville, had best be preparing alternative plans, and beginning to develop strategies that will continue to garner support while transit is still on everyone's minds. A "strike while the iron is hot" sort of mentality. In this case, it seems as if the cost of doing nothing would be outweighing the cost of the plan. With changes in administration at the federal level, a much smaller amount of funding is being dedicated to public transit, and Nashville will likely not be the only city in coming years relying on local taxes to fund transit infrastructure.

Again, I'm new to the Middle Tennessee, so I don't have the intimate knowledge of Nashville's bus routes and ridership that locals in the debate might have. (And unfortunately, I don't have a vote in Davidson County.) But, coming from Houston, I think there are some transferable experiences related to possible light rail and transit in Nashville. Past and recent comparisons have taken a look at both Seattle and Austin. Houston might be a better fit for comparison.

Houston is a sprawling city, much like Nashville, and opponents to light rail in Houston had many of the same fears. Houston has grown tremendously in the last 25 years, not only on its periphery, but also in core neighborhoods, much like the pattern of Nashville. In 2003, Houston voters approved a METRO referendum allowing for the construction of five light rail routes. As of today, three of the lines have been built (Red, Green and Purple lines), while the Uptown Line has now become a bus rapid transit (BRT) line which is near to having buses ordered and will be beginning construction soon, and the University Line has effectively been, well, derailed, for the time being. The Red Line is the backbone of the system, with 6-minute frequencies during the week, connecting parts north of the North 610-Loop through Downtown Houston, through the Midtown and Museum District neighborhoods, into the Texas Medical Center, and to the NRG Stadium and Astrodome area. The Green Line extends into Houston's EaDo and Second Ward neighborhoods, while the Purple Line extends into EaDo, turning down into the Third Ward neighborhoods, connecting to the University of Houston and Texas Southern University campuses.

During my six years in Houston, I almost exclusively rode local buses (from the Houston Heights neighborhood), rode the Red Line (connecting to local bus service after METRO's System Reimagining), or rode my bike to work, into Downtown Houston.

The impact of transit, and especially light rail, on construction in the city is undeniable. This didn't happen overnight, but things are beginning to take shape, and higher density developments are being completed along rail lines and frequent bus routes. METRO has published their own Transit Oriented Development studies and plans, but in a city without zoning, there is a bit less that the agency can do in mandating coordinated or complementary development around transit infrastructure. The City of Houston has a number of transit corridor development options, and is currently working on additional regulation and design criteria through its Walkable Places Committee.

Here are a few off the cuff perspectives:

Affordable Housing Has Followed Rail Lines
Nashville would be wise to take note of the amount of workforce or affordable housing that has been built, or is in the works, along Houston's light rail corridors. Houston's housing and community development agencies were quick to place housing along rail corridors. Avenue CDC built the Avenue Station apartments in Houston's Near Northside along METRO's Red Line, a few blocks south of Quitman Station. Avenue CDC also built the Fulton Gardens senior apartments near the Moody Park Station. While these projects are completed and occupied, there are others interested in building in the Near Northside. The Residences at Hardy Yards, a mixed-rate apartment complex, is adjacent to the Burnett Transit Center and should be opening sometime in late 2018.

Just over a year ago, New Hope Housing expressed interest in locating a housing complex near the Near Northside's Burnett Transit Center. The location would have been close to Downtown Houston, and blocks away from Casa de Amigos, a Harris County and City of Houston health center. Ultimately, New Hope Housing elected not to build in this location due to resident outcry, as the Near Northside had recently faced the death of 11 year old Josue Flores.

New Hope Housing's Harrisburg apartments (GSMA Architects)

New Hope Housing recently opened their new Harrisburg housing facility, which will also house their headquarters, in Houston's Second Ward along METRO's Green Line. Another New Hope Housing site, the Canal Apartments, sit just a few blocks away. Both are well served by transit.

Downtown has Benefitted from Light Rail
If you look at a map of recent developments in Downtown Houston, there are a number of them situated adjacent to, or near one of the light rail lines. Hotels, apartment towers, business towers and street level retail have all positioned themselves along Houston's Main Street. Hotels like the JW Marriott and the forthcoming AC Hotel are adjacent the Red Line, providing visitors a quick trip to Midtown Houston or Houston's Museum District, Houston Zoo, NRG Stadium or Hermann Park. Apartments like Skyhouse, The Star and Aris Market Square are along the Red Line. The 300 block of Main Street is Downtown Houston's block of bars, while food halls like Conservatory are steps away from the Red Line.

There may not be direct causation between the existence of light rail and increase in apartments, offices or restaurants, but it speaks to the concentration made of assuring that light rail corridors, especially in Downtown Houston, serve as places for people to visit and linger. The improved streetscape lends itself to attracting visitors.

This perceived improvement has been backed up by scholars at Texas Southern University and Texas A&M.

Light Rail has Served College Campuses / Transit Centers
In Houston the University of Houston-Downtown, The University of Houston, Texas Southern University, and Rice University are each served by light rail. In METRO's monthly ridership reports, you can see a greater number of boardings at each school. Also, transit centers along each of the lines serve as transfer points to local buses, allowing Houston's New Bus Network to shine. (Even this past March, there was a 1 percent increase in local bus ridership compared to this time in 2017.) The same would be the hope for Nashville, where residents would be able to transfer to different lines, or be able to park their cars, augmenting some travel distance.

Ridership is High in Crosstown Routes
When Houston implemented its New Bus Network in 2015, the results were pretty instant. Ridership rose with a reallocation of resources and concentration on a more grid-like system, rather than a hub and spoke configuration. Having a strong north-south rail route, as well as east-west routes, travel times improved for a majority of riders. (I believe the number was near 90% of all riders were forecast to see travel time improvements.)

The Jury is Out on Airport Connections
Some opponents to the proposed system in Nashville still see the merit of an airport connection using light rail. I've wondered why support for an airport connection still exists when BRT can support the connection in the same way. One challenge in using BRT for a line that would heavily rely on visitors traveling from Nashville's airport may be the unfamiliarity of buses, and what BRT is. Prospective riders may be more apt to ride light rail, as opposed to a bus. For too long buses have been stigmatized, but when BRT is done right, there's hardly a difference.

I will note, that when new rail lines are discussed in Houston, there is inevitably mention of the need to connect both Houston's Hobby and Bush Intercontinental Airport to downtown by light rail. Currently, a METRO bus route connects the two airports to Downtown.

While groups are right to point out possible negative effects of increased mobility and transit infrastructure in an area, one thing that won't change for Nashvillians is proximity. It's likely that many new Nashvillians, and many moving to other cities, desire to be as close to a city's center as possible. That proximity and the challenges and benefits it brings, unfortunately, is a condition that stretches far beyond the components of a transit referendum, and will require continued cooperation not only from Nashville's governmental agencies, but from for-profit and non-profit agencies.

Nashville has a big decision to make today. One that can effectively help move more people around the city. While other cities like Portland, Seattle and Austin have provided lessons about ridership and land use related to transit, don't forget to look to Houston, often overlooked for planning and development wisdom. Houston's light rail has had a challenging past, but the benefits for the city have been unmistakable. I'd like to think the same can happen in Nashville.

Alleys in Houston and Elsewhere

2018-03-04T00:13:00.002-06:00

I haven't written in a while. A la Celine Dion, it's all coming back to me now. When I blog post like this, and blog post like that, it's all coming back to me now. Okay, enough of that...

Here's a likely unpopular perspective: There aren't enough alleys in Houston. No, not bowling alleys. (Although, I'd agree with that argument too. Bowling is a ton of fun, and coming from Michigan, which has the highest per capita amount of bowling alleys in the country, it seems like Houston is a bowling alley desert. A few years ago Palace Lanes in Bellaire fell in the gutter, so to speak. But, that's another story for another time.) I'm talking about the oft-forgotten neighborhood design element of alleys between two streets. They're a greatly underutilized neighborhood design element today, but something that was once a staple in neighborhood design, especially when neighborhoods were designed in the classic grid pattern. Our country's love for suburban cul-de-sacs and the blocking of any sort of through traffic has eroded the utility of the grid in urban design.

An alley in the Houston Heights

For a bit more about alleys, let's look to Chicago. Chicago is arguably America's alley capital, with over 1,900 miles of alleys throughout the city. WBEZ took a look at what made Chicago America's alley capital. Alleys are noted as being more than utilitarian for garage access or garbage pickup; they're a social amenity too. Alley-facing garages can allow for different social interactions than those on the street, with people working on cars or doing chores in their garages. Alley expert and Iowa State University landscape architecture professor Michael Martin also notes the dark and grimy reputation of alleys, serving as areas to disposed of waste or deliver coal, long before we had more efficient sanitation and energy delivery technologies.

Houston's original plat surprisingly didn't include alleys, even though this was the norm for cities in the middle to late 1800s, including Chicago. Houston's relatively short 250' block lengths were the similar to other cities, but those early Houstonians (much like some of today's) weren't ones to simply emulate what other cities did, even at the inclusion of alleys. (If anyone can point me to why Downtown Houston didn't have alleys, I'd love to know. The Bordens and Moses Lapham must not have been moved to waste any precious real estate space on alleys.)

Other cities around the country are seeing renewed interest in keeping up neighborhood alleys, including Phoenix. (Typical Phoenix alley.) Detroit has seen a growth in revitalized alleys, including many in the last decade. Revitalization efforts have ranged from neighborhood driven, like the case of The Alley Project, or in partnership with developers, like the case of The Belt, a partnership with Bedrock. (One part of Southwest Detroit includes alleys in an orientation where alleys come to a T at the end of the block, with lots on the short blockface of either end also benefitting from alley access.) Finally, here is a site containing a number of alley photos and diagrams from cities around the country, and the world for that matter, describing what is called "Tight Urbanism". Daniel Toole, provided an interview with CityLab, expanding on his "Tight Urbanism" thoughts, giving his experience with alleys.

In Toronto, The Laneway Project (laneway sounds so much classier than alley, doesn't it?!) is aimed at turning the city's laneways into areas that have the potential to thrive and facilitate community interaction. The project aims to 1) initiate and implement community-driven demonstration projects to improve and activate laneways throughout Toronto, 2) work with the City of Toronto and other stakeholders to create laneway friendly policies and procedures, and 3) develop resources to inspire and support residents, community groups, businesses and other stakeholders in improving and making better use of laneways. The group's "Laneway No-Brainers" document lays out eight benefits of activating laneways, including for infill development access, and for improved sanitation efficiency.

An improved alley in Houston

You don't see them in new subdivisions because of our segregation of land uses and design of front-loading, attached, single family home garages. Canin Associates out of Orlando, Florida lays out some of reasons that led to the demise of alleys as a neighborhood amenity. The segregation of land uses through zoning, and the increased status of the automobile are chief among them. This last point is most compelling though. As the prestige of owning an automobile grew, home design changed to accommodate front-loading garages. This shift in design is evident in so many of our country's suburban areas, with great deals of space being wasted in concrete driveways a large front yards.

Now to Houston. If you head over to the Houston Architecture and Information Forum, you can join the short discussion about whether people think homes with alley access are more likely to be burglarized than others. Interestingly enough, no one seems to think so, and residents with alley access actually boast about the space it saves on their lot (not having a large driveway), and the overall benefit of the amenity. (It's interesting that we now think of alleys as amenities, when they were once commonplace in neighborhood design.)

Here in Houston, there are many areas that would be well-served by alleys, but there isn't much desire to create new alleys, as the city does not maintain most long-existing alleys. Based on documents from Public Works and Engineering, the City of Houston only maintains about six and a half miles of alleys throughout the city. Now, there are far more alleys, just not maintained by the city. To learn a bit more about how the City of Houston considers alleys, check out "The Ins and Outs of Alleys", a presentation from PWE. Other nearby cities have alleys, including La Porte (original plat) and Bellaire (original plat).

Some neighborhoods have embraced alleys, such as Houston's Southampton neighborhood. "Southampton's system of alleys permits more expansive front yards, green space for trees, and more on-street parking for guests." Those are points difficult to disagree with. (Although, there have been some legal challenges to the enforcement of alleyway restrictions within the neighborhood.) Other neighborhoods like Denver Harbor have alleys, but haven't used them for access, although, someone readily could use them if they were to be improved.

An unkept alley in the Denver Harbor subdivision

Riverside Terrace has some alleys, and this Swamplot comment helps communicate the lack of knowledge about who alleys belong to in Houston (the city), and who is responsible for maintaining them (property owners). The robust conversation that follows again points to the benefits of alleys, but some of the difficulties of improving alleys in order to give them into City of Houston maintenance. There are strict construction and drainage requirements for alleys, which makes them more expensive than property owners would like, but something that many agree makes a neighborhood more desirable and effective.

The Houston Heights neighborhood includes alleys (original plat), but not without past dispute. The Heights has a large number of alleys (which were present on the original Houston Heights subdivision plat), but those disputes about alleys began almost immediately. Some people (including those within the City of Houston) once believed that the alleys were private property and could be adversely possessed.

In 1907 Oscar Martin Carter, the founder of the Houston Heights subdivision, sued N.H Jones, an enterprising prospective utility provider. (Read the brief of the case here.) Carter sought to block Jones, and anyone else for that matter, from providing utilities in the easements of the newly created City of Houston Heights. Carter and the Omaha and South Texas Land Company had reserved to themselves all of the streets and alleys as their own private property. In 1905, Jones was awarded a franchise to construct and operate a light plant to supply electric lighting to the new Houston Heights. Immediately, Carter sued, claiming that Jones couldn’t build the electrical lines because it was on his private property. The Court of Civil Appeals of Texas said "not so fast." The Court essentially said that if Carter were allowed to own all the alleys and streets as private property absolutely (or, without easements), it would effectively create a monopoly for the residents where they could only buy utilities from Carter. And because monopolies are illegal, the Court said that Carter couldn’t do that. So, Jones was allowed to go on with the contract and install electrical infrastructure. It didn’t mean that Carter couldn’t do the same if he wanted to, but that Carter wasn't the only entity that would be able to provide those services to residents of the Houston Heights.

Now, so what? Why care about alleys? As cities grow and densify, or if you're trying to create efficiently designed neighborhoods, alleys can play a role. One of the qualms I have about Houston's development code is the prevalence of garages facing streets. It makes for a fairly hostile street, void of porches and front yards, (although some homes have second story porches), not to mention, taking all street parking away. As a city, we should also consider the overall health and social impacts of our planning and design. (Some of this seems a bit unavoidable though, due to Houston's lack of comprehensive planning, and leaving design and preference to developers.) But, as development occurs at the ends of streets, some developers have been savvy enough to create shared driveways that act like alleys, freeing up space for small front or rear yards, as well as garages.

I'd argue that my preference for infill development in Houston is centered around the 2,500 to 3,000 square foot lot, which is what you see a lot of in the Houston Heights and Sunset Heights (original plat) neighborhoods. Some areas of these subdivisions were originally platted with smaller 3,000sf lots, so building three homes on a formerly 9,000sf building site does not require replatting, making for easy, quick redevelopment. Essentially, these neighborhoods are being built up into their previously envisioned density, albeit likely a bit higher than previously imagined. When paired with alleys (aerial example in the Sunset Heights neighborhood), these lots provide for a little bit of everything, including garage apartments in the rear, and porches in the front.

As Houston continues its growth and densification, utilizing alleys may be a small, and overlooked, way to accommodate more access to properties, without requiring private driveways, especially when we require alleys to be improved at such a high standard. Houston's general lack of density proximate to its alleys, when compared to a city like Chicago, or even Detroit, makes it hard to recommend activating alleys the same way that other cities have. But, that doesn't mean that we shouldn't consider the public amenity that they are, and attempt to bring back this urban design element we've pretty much forgotten about.

Nextdoor and Houston: A Language Barrier, but an Opportunity

2017-12-15T20:38:00.002-06:00

I've previously written about my experience on Nextdoor, and how the platform has been turning some of us in to modern day Gladys Kravitzes. It's full of lost pet announcements (which honestly seems to be the primary function in many neighborhoods), those looking for apartment or home rentals, dry cleaning or dining recommendations, people trying to sell things, notices about crime, and any other suspicious activity that might be taking place.

Earlier this week it was announced that the City of Houston would be partnering with the neighborhood communication application, Nextdoor, in an official capacity. Many may ask, "Well, doesn't the city already make announcements on Nextdoor?" I know I did. And, yes, you'd be correct. Many city departments are already making posts on the neighborhood networking site. For instance, the Houston and Community Development Department began posting on Nextdoor in October of 2016. The Office of Emergency Management posts notices on the site, which was instrumental in notifying residents about all of Houston's recent flooding events, especially through Hurricane Harvey. Now, it appears even more City of Houston communication will be forwarded to residents through Nextdoor. What was originally introduced as a way for neighbors to connect has now become an extension of civic infrastructure.

In an age of digital dependence and busyness, coupled with the need for government transparency, this sort of partnership is wise for localities. However, unlike a bus announcement or printed material, Nextdoor isn't readily translated in other languages. This is a huge drawback for civic engagement, especially for a multi-lingual city like Houston.

In the announcement city leaders set goals for engagement on the application, but that brought to mind the barrier of translating announcements in so many different languages. Take Houston's Gulfton neighborhood for example, where a multitude of languages are spoken. This is arguably Houston's most diverse neighborhood, a place where many refugees call home upon their arrival to Houston. Official announcements and the continued opportunity to become aware of events in the community are a great way for people to become woven into the social fabric of a neighborhood.

It may be helpful to learn about people's experiences using Nextdoor in these diverse communities. In our neighborhood, Houston's Near Northside, and specifically the Near Northside South neighborhood on Nextdoor, the application predicts that only 6% of the estimated 2019 households in the boundary are enrolled in Nextdoor. Our neighborhood also happens to be overwhelmingly Hispanic or Latino. Certainly, the political climate surrounding citizenship in many Hispanic and Latino communities may be a factor as well. While there is nothing seemingly preventing residents from posting in other languages, it doesn't seem that posts in other languages are common. (Or allowed? There was nothing in Nextdoor's guidelines.)

If Nextdoor is set on continuing to be a valuable connection for residents, there needs to be an adaptation of its services to reflect the communities it serves. A translation tool is something that would be of great benefit. Nextdoor, if you'd like to beta test some sort of language translation tool for your platform, come to Houston. We'd love to have you. There's no doubt that with the host of innovative talent Nextdoor was conceived from, coupled with the talent and motivation of those in Houston, we can make Nextdoor even more useful for the changing demographics of our cities and neighborhoods.

While technological advancements that better facilitate communication through multiple languages will be a benefit to communities, there won't be a better way to get to know your neighbors than getting to know them through the normal rhythms of life. Our design of cities and neighborhoods, and the services and opportunities they provide, also play a role in giving people ample ways to meet their neighbor. As civic leaders, we can't rely solely on Nextdoor or digital platforms to spread information. We need to know our neighbors aside from interacting with them on a computer or phone screen.

Friday's Weekly Rap Up - July 21, 2017 - Shai Linne "Still Jesus"

2017-07-21T05:00:00.000-05:00

Shai Linne - Still Jesus

It's been a while since my last #FridaysWeeklyRapUp entry, but there's some new music dropping that needs to be shared. Today Shai Linne releases his Still Jesus album. It's his first album in about three years.

After becoming a Christian, I immediately took to the Christian Hip Hop scene, being introduced to the music of Trip Lee, Tedashii and Lecrae, of Reach Records. Their "Unashamed" music was a foundation of my growth in Christ. Tracks like Lecrae's "Go Hard", "Rebel" or "Jesus Muzik", Tedashii's "Make War" or "Community", and Trip Lee's "Who You Rollin' Wit" were on repeat. Their music was invaluable at a time of growth in my Christian life, and it was supported at times by sermon excerpts, including John Piper on many occasions.

But, as time has gone on, there's been a bit of a drift of Reach Records. What seemed more like ministry, now seems a bit more seeker-sensitive, a bit less brazen and bold about sharing the gospel and person of Christ. Now, I have no room to criticize, as I'm not nearly bold enough in my testimony of the work of Christ in my life. But, there's a certain affinity for music that brings a better understanding of Jesus and his character. This is where some feel there has been a drift for Christian Hip Hop (CHH).

Shai Linne is a pastor and rapper who has maintained his "Lyrical Theology" approach, centering on scripture-drenched lyrics, and less on specific social topics. (I'd argue Shai's "The Attributes of God" is my favorite CHH album.) In the last few years Shai has noticed this drift in CHH and addresses it on "Still Jesus". On Shai's albums he has featured a few "Random Thoughts" tracks, and "Still Jesus" includes "Random Thoughts 3", addressing this drift in CHH.

If you're new to CHH, be sure to first watch Shai's recent interview with DJ Wade-O, as it explains much of Shai's background, reason for addressing this topic, and why this drift is a bit of dangerous territory for some, especially those who are new to the Christian faith. This isn't controversy for the sake of controversy, but an important discussion and recognition of something that could be leading some astray. I pray this is a sobering perspective for some, and something that unifies, rather than divides, the CHH scene and ministry.

Looking Forward through Past Plans: Downtown Houston in 2000, 2004, 2017 and Beyond

2017-04-21T22:03:00.000-05:00

Here in Houston the Houston Downtown Management District is in the middle of their Plan Downtown effort, which aims to position Downtown Houston for a "competitive and enriched future." Through community meetings and a fantastic community input tool, which Sasaki has helped develop, called My Downtown, the group is looking to gather from the residents, workers and visitors of Downtown Houston what will help propel continued success of the district for the next number of years. If you're a Houstonian who happens to live in Downtown Houston, or someone who works or visits downtown, even sparingly, I'd suggest that you fill out the survey. The more data that is provided in the process, the better.

As we look forward and attempt to make the best plans we can for the future, it's important to look to the past. It's worth it to look back and see what some of the proposals for development in Downtown Houston were nearly 15 years ago. This is a quote from the project's website:

“Thirteen years have gone by since Downtown’s last comprehensive plan, and we’re made tremendous progress since then,” said Bob Eury, Executive Director of the Houston Downtown Management District (Downtown District). “Now it’s time for us to take a fresh look at what lies ahead and prepare for the future. Can Houston adapt to driverless cars, a sharing economy, collaborative work environments and work-life integration? How can we better prepare Downtown Houston for the next few decades?”

The Plan Downtown website includes a number of previous plans and reports that have helped shape the actions taken by entities within Downtown Houston. In a city known for its lack of planning, there are likely just as many aspirational plans for districts as other cities. In fact, there might be more. The oldest plan featured in the resources is the Houston Downtown Development Framework from 2004, a plan that opens with a quote from William C. Hogg, the chairman of the Houston City Planning Commission and Houston Forum of Civics, from approximately 1928. In a vision that is not on the minds of many today, he said

"When we build, let us build forever. Let it not be for the present delight for for the present use alone. Let it be such work that our descendants will thank us for, and let us think, as we lay stone on stone, that a time is to come that these stone walls will be held sacred because our hands have touched them, and that men will say, as they loop upon our labor and the wrought substance of them, 'See, this our father did for us.'"

This certainly hasn't been the mindset behind much of what has been built in Houston, or the rest of many other cities, but it's helpful to be reminded of the motivation that shaped the development of the cities and many of the districts that we celebrate and fight so hard to preserve today.

After perusing the 2004 plan for a while, there are a number of things that jump out. The biggest to me was the development opportunities that were missed along Houston's Buffalo Bayou, particularly what is labelled as the Waterview District. I continue to think that this is one of Houston's biggest missed opportunities. The trails adjacent to the bayous, are wonderful and a huge asset (I use them almost every day on my bike commute!), but there's a missed opportunity in the pattern of development extended up from the banks of the bayou. Much of the bayou at the northern end of Downtown Houston is consumed by Harris County judicial uses, with the Harris County Jail in a prime bayou-front location. For as bad of flooding that the Bayou receives, maybe that's been more of a blessing than a missed opportunity, but jail cells with bayou-front views seems like a bit of a missed opportunity when considering the other residential or commercial uses that could be harnessed to create an extension of Houston's Main Street. The Waterview District vision in the 2004 framework looked much like what Chicago has developed in its Chicago Riverwalk. The lure of water features in downtown districts cannot be understated, as evidenced in cities like San Antonio, Chicago, and even now Detroit.

Another interesting note was the proposal of a "North Canal" allowing much of White Oak Bayou to bypass the bottleneck of Buffalo Bayou just to the south, which would have been a backbone of the Waterview District. The canal would have sat where the current METRO bus lot is located on the east side of San Jacinto, just north of the Harris County Jail.

Looking back at some of the past plans for Downtown Houston, I wanted to highlight another plan developed for the Houston Downtown Management District that centered around Main Street. I suppose this is less of a plan and more of a vision of what Downtown Houston and other parts of the city might looks like with development centered around Main Street and the Red Line light rail transit corridor. Not only is Downtown Houston highlighted, but the entire Main Street corridor to the south to the current NRG Stadium.

This to scale model is quite impressive. Each Downtown Houston tower and building is made of balsa wood, with future development possibilities denoted through the use of white cardboard; trees and greenspace represented with foam.

From this perspective, you're looking to the south from the Near Northside, with the area near the University of Houston-Downtown in the foreground. This portion of North Main has not been built up as expected, and will be even more challenged by the relocation of I-10 and I-45 in the coming decade. Notice, there is no canal shown within the previously mentioned Waterview District area.

Quite possibly the most interesting aspect of this model is the proposed angular street extending from the area of what is now Discovery Green. A civic space was proposed for the Discovery Green area, however, there are far larger buildings surrounding that space now that were imagined here. Notice the angular street, extending to the southwest, and terminating at Main Street with some sort of square adjacent to the Pierce Elevated portion of I-45.

Here's another view of the angular street proposed through Downtown Houston. This undoubtedly would have made for quite the disruption in traffic patterns, but would have added a signature focal point radiating from a proposed monument, which is now Discovery Green.

The area surrounding Minute Maid Park has also seen an enhanced amount of development compared to the proposals shown above. With the addition of the Marriott Marquis, the Hampton Inn and Homewood Suites, the Greater Houston Partnership building and 500 Crawford, the northeastern portion of Downtown Houston has outpaced development in the southeast portion of Downtown Houston.

And that's the nature of plans. Some things stick, but most don't. You hope more sticks than doesn't. But people's minds change, funding changes, unforeseen investments or disinvestment happens.

(As a note, check out this to-scale model of Downtown Houston that is featured on SkyscraperCity.com. It's most impressive. Scale models of cities are always fascinating. Dan Gilbert has a model of Detroit, while others have been made of Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, Cincinnati and Moscow, among others.)

Brownfield Redevelopment in Huntington, WV

2017-03-24T06:28:00.000-05:00

I spent two years in Huntington, West Virginia from 2008 to 2010 attending graduate school at Marshall University and working as a graduate assistant basketball coach. Upon visiting for the first time for my interview with the coaching staff I was second guessing my move from Michigan down to the unknown of West Virginia. Thankfully, my desire to receive a free education and the pursuit of coaching experience was far greater than my desire to avoid something uncomfortable.

My two years there were filled with a ton of memories and experiences, and an appreciation for a city that had received its share of blows, but was still striving to live up to its Jewel City name. After graduating I made it back a few times, but since moving to Texas I've not been back to Huntington. So, this is some perspective from afar, but from one who knew the city well and hopes for its continued renewal and revitalization.

Marshall University Special Collections

4th Avenue Streetcar - Marshall University Special Collections

Due to its location at the confluence of a number of rivers, Huntington boomed in the late 1800s and early 1900s, and continued to grow as a result of the coal and railroad industries. Huntington has the distinction of actually being the second city behind Richmond, Virginia (others have claimed San Francisco as well) to have had an electric street car system. However, as oil began to become less expensive in the later part of the 1900s, coal mining decreased, leaving Huntington with a declining population, followed by compounding factory closures. Those closed factories hope to play into redevelopment plans in Huntington.

Fortunately, there have been a number of projects aimed at revitalizing the city. The Pullman Square redevelopment helped revitalize Downtown Huntington, adding a movie theater, parking garages, and blocks of restaurants and retail. As Huntington's Superblock, Pullman Square was the result of planning that started in the 1960s as urban renewal, and included a number of failed proposals and a few court cases. Eventually, in 2004 the development opened, and continues to be a success today.

Unfortunately, Huntington has had decades of suburban-style development that detracted from supporting its downtown. This is reflected in the attitudes of former leaders of Huntington, highlighted in this Strong Towns article and video, Huntington Calling. The attitude toward traditional, and now wildly successful development, is astounding. When Jean Dean, former mayor of Huntington, asked Chuck Marohn "Why on earth would we go back in time 70 years to model our current cities on? Times have changed", all he could do is respond with: "because it worked." Huntington once created value in its downtown. It's time to do that again in the city.

Now, Huntington is looking to its next big redevelopment project. This time, it is not located downtown, but between the northern edge of Marshall University and the city's Highlawn neighborhood. The proposal has been talked about for nearly a decade, turning brownfield sites into mixed use, light industrial and research uses. The most current proposals come as a result of an EPA Brownfields Area-Wide Planning program grant. From the announcement website, the vision is described as including:

"new recreational and riverfront facilities; retail and hotel development; research and development facilities; green infrastructure for storm water management; and the advanced polymer center."

The City of Huntington, Marshall University and a list of other public and private entities hope to partner in developing four areas: University Park, the Sport Complex Expansion, the Foundry Center and the Polymer Tech Center. The Herald-Dispatch gave a detailed recap of the proposal, which was presented by Sean Garrigan of Stromberg/Garrigan and Associates, a firm with great experience in brownfield redevelopment, especially in the Appalachia and Rust Belt regions. (Full presentation here).

The vision for the redevelopment is supported by "Comprehensive Plan 2025 - The Future of Huntington", and fully supports some of the assistance and guidance that Huntington has received from Smart Growth America in hopes of improving the economic and fiscal health of the city. Specifically, this most recent proposal draws from the goals and vision for the Highlawn neighborhood in Plan 2025. Overall, the plan has six key themes:

Stromberg/Garrigan & Associates

1. Economic Development and Job Creation

The expansion and support of existing industrial and technological industries in Huntington is important, especially with the decrease of coal and heavy industrial jobs in the past. Providing more opportunities for vocational training and partnership with Marshall University's College of Information Technology and Engineering would be a great benefit. Creating a new market for entrepreneurs, especially those that do not need large amounts of space, or that can utilize co-working spaces, opens Huntington to new industries. There's also something about rust-belt cities that is attracting more young, creative professionals who feel a bit more freedom in their pursuits. Rust belt cities also tend to have a base of professionals that have practical manufacturing knowledge: meaning, in Huntington, it might not be flashy, but there are likely people there that can get things manufactured.

Added hotel rooms near sporting facilities would allow Marshall University to compete with other cities for Conference USA championships, as well as regional and national youth tournaments that might regularly utilize recreational and lodging facilities in other municipalities. The planning and building of, especially publicly funded facilities for athletic competition, is an increasingly sore subject for cities, but this seems like a different circumstance given the involvement of a university.

2. Provide Physical and Visual Access to River

Providing access to the Ohio River riverfront is an area that Huntington has greatly missed. It's understandable though, as Huntington's flood wall is a monstrous physical barrier. The 11.5-mile wall was built starting in 1937 as a way to protect Huntington from devastating floods, and reaches as tall as 20 feet high in some places. City officials once talked about the possibility of an "invisible" flood wall, but this approach is likely too costly, in terms of infrastructure and labor costs, as well as insurance costs for property owners, to ever come to fruition. The wall, at its northeast terminus, ends between 24th and 25th Streets, between the Foundry Center and Polymer Tech Center development zones. With a trail head at the extension of 25th Street, a connection to the Harris Riverfront Park could one day be made.

At some point, the effort should be made to connect these trails, joining other trails in the Paul Ambrose Trail for Health. It would be a legacy fit for Huntington.

3. Enhance Community Character – Strengthen Highlawn Neighborhood Brand

The existence of the flood wall and railroads creates fragmentation when considering circulation between Highlawn and the proposed development zones. Further connection for the Highlawn neighborhood can allow for better pedestrian facilities and streets. Highlawn, with its proximity to Downtown Huntington and Marshall University, combined with possible connectivity through trails and streets, would be able to boast in its unique setting. Investment on the periphery of the neighborhood can spur revitalization of homes and continued building of characteristics, like street trees, landscaping and wayfinding that would set the neighborhood apart from others.

The ACF site in operation

The ACF site today

At this point, it might also be beneficial to mention the ability to preserve some of the heritage of the American Car and Foundry (ACF) sites. Huntington greatly benefited from the fact that ACF was located in the city, so preserving the buildings when feasible is a great start. It is impressive that these buildings have been on the ACF site for nearly as long as Huntington has been a city. The plants built railway freight cars, mine cars and other equipment. ACF was responsible for introducing the center-flow covered hopper, which became an industry standard, building over 100,000 of the cars in Huntington. You'd recognize them if you've paid attention when you're stopped at a railroad crossing. Work has now ceased in Huntington, with ACF's headquarters now located in Missouri, and manufacturing in Pennsylvania.

ACF plant, from abandonedonline.net

It may also be possible to incorporate some railroad and industrial themes into any public or private infrastructure improvements. The Hardy Yards development in Houston is one example, and the Pearl Brewery development in San Antonio.

Streets in the Highlawn neighborhood also appear to have been brick a one time, consistent with many of the other streets in Huntington. The inclusion of brick into the streetscape design would help tie the areas together.

4. Improve and Enhance Public Amenities

To this point, the proposal wouldn't be simply improving or enhancing amenities, it would be creating them. There are no parks in the interior of Highlawn. Riverside Park, which is at the extreme northern boundary of the neighborhood, is the area's closest park. A lively public realm with parks and tree lined streets can certainly enhance physical activity within the neighborhood, and increase economic development. Parks are an important component of cities and provide an opportunity to improve public health, especially in a city that has been recognized as the unhealthiest city in the country. It doesn't take monument parks like Ritter Park to spur this activity. Parks can be small, or linear. Either way, you want to have more of them.

5. Promote Diversity and Mixture of Uses

More and more, cities are finding that rigid Euclidian zoning does not work to promote the mix of uses that so many of them want, especially in downtowns and other districts. So, cities amend their zoning codes to allow a greater variety of uses, or rezone land for planned unit developments, which often times gives cities a bit more bargaining power with respect to form, and characteristics like building setbacks.

Most of the area within the four development zones is currently zoned as I-1, General Industrial, and with a Special Use Permit, would allow for Planned Unit Developments. This would give some flexibility to the mix of uses, as well as their orientation with respect to the street and other buildings. Huntington's zoning map is integrated with Google Earth, which makes exploring the city and current land use rules, quite easy.

Zoning in the Highlawn neighborhood area

6. Bring together Catalyst Sites, Highlawn Neighborhood and University Campus

As part of my graduate studies, I partnered with current Huntington Planning Commissioner Will Holland, examining what Huntington could do to enhance its streetscape, design and connectivity. While our proposals did not include site specific redevelopment, we did recognize the importance of corridors and gateways in Huntington. This sixth theme does the same. Huntington includes some great destinations, including the Marshall campus, Central City, Downtown Huntington, and the future University Park and Foundry Center areas. Connecting those places will be crucial.

In general, this project has the opportunity to do a couple of things for the City of Huntington:

Further connect the Marshall campus with the rest of Huntington

As Marshall University continues to grow and expand its educational opportunities and host athletic, educational and performance events, it is important that Huntington is able to better capture the attention and economic impact of students and visitors. By providing continued connectivity to campus and the city, especially Downtown Huntington (a recent Herald-Dispatch article summarizes the continued growth of Downtown), the city can better capture spending that might otherwise be taken to areas outside the city limits.

Marshall has a baseball team, but is without a baseball stadium. It is remarkable that their teams have been as competitive as they are, given the team has no on-campus field facilities, and plays their home games at a YMCA field about 5 miles outside of town, or in Charleston, WV. It wasn't until a few years ago that the Track and Field teams, remarkably, had a track on which to practice and compete. (Now they have an indoor track as well.) But, the opportunity is there to create a space adjacent to campus, adjacent to Dot Hicks Field, that can hold baseball games, as well as other civic or university events.

Encourage walkable redevelopment along 3rd Ave, adjacent to campus

University Park development area

3rd Avenue has relatively high speeds for a road adjacent to a university campus. The posted speed limit is only 35 MPH, but the design, and one way direction of the road, likely induces much quicker travel.

With one way streets, it may be hard to replicate the success of Downtown Huntington. Normally, one way streets are not too good for small cities and retail. While this is a long shot, extending the development pattern of Downtown Huntington, and creating more walkable places, might be supported through the change of one way streets to two way streets.

C-2 zoning in red, I-1 in purple

In looking at Huntington's zoning code, most of the commercial land along 3rd Avenue is zoned as C-2, Highway Commercial District. This zone has a 15-foot setback, which is not ideal along walkable thoroughfares. This space usually ends up being parking, or some sort of landscaping that is not maintained well. A few blocks of 3rd Avenue already have commercial properties, which are zoned C-2, adjacent to the right of way, so the hope would be that this continues through the University Park and Foundry Center development zones.

One proposal would be in building apartment or student housing within the University Park development zone. It's been a while since a new apartment complex was built near campus, with The Village on Sixth being the largest single apartment complex near campus. Honestly, it's surprising to me that there hasn't been a greater attempt at more apartment complexes near campus, especially within walking distance of campus. To promote walkability, there need to be people. It can start with apartments.

Encourage redevelopment adjacent to Development Zones

This is especially true for a number of blocks near the Foundry Center. There are three blocks that are currently zoned R-5, the highest intensity residential zone, which seem underutilized. As connections with the Marshall campus and other districts occur, this portion of R-5 zoned land would be well suited for multifamily redevelopment, or development of single family homes on smaller lots. What would help this area be an even more representative extension of more dense parts of Huntington, is a relaxation of the building line setbacks, especially if future development in the Foundry Center zone is built to more urban standards, and the setback lines of the ACF buildings are preserved through redevelopment of the existing structures.

R-5 zoning district (in brown) adjacent to the I-1 ACF site

These efforts are plans, and nothing more at this point. But, it's important that Huntington see what can be done with so much of the land that is currently unproductive, especially parcels that are in prime locations, and have the ability to greatly contribute to the city's tax base. Sean Garrigan, of SGA, noted that "What will happen will not look like this plan, which seems contrary to this effort, but without going through this effort you won't know what the opportunities or priorities are." Yes, these are plans, but this exercise of visually seeing what is possible is important.

These plans could act as a catalyst for investment for areas on north side of 3rd Avenue. Huntington can now use this in attracting developers that want to play a role in the city's continued redevelopment.

Bonus: During some research I came across this flag proposal for Huntington from the 1970s, "Huntington, geared for progress."

Houston night.jpg, an oft-used skyline photograph of Houston

2017-02-27T13:20:00.000-06:00

Calling all photographers: we need an updated skyline night shot here in Houston.

Houston night.jpg

This is likely the most-used skyline photograph of Downtown Houston. And, it needs a bit of updating. Now, I'm sure there are thousands of skyline shots of Houston out there on the internet, but none as popular at this one, "Houston night.jpg".

The photo was taken by Flickr user eflon back in February of 2008 from the top of the Harris County parking structure at 1401 Congress Street, which sits atop the Harris County Federal Credit Union, a block to the east of the Harris County Civil Courthouse.

If you subscribe to email updates from Houston area organizations, or see news articles written about Houston, you've likely see this image before. It is included in the Wikimedia Commons, able to be used without requiring permission for non-commercial uses. This morning, Progrss, a group that tracks the trends and best practices in the transformation of cities all over the world, featured the photograph in an article announcing the network's partnership with the Rice Kinder Institute. The partnership is something to be celebrated, as it will help allow the City of Houston to start using "big data" to assist in solving Houston's biggest problems.

Houston's skyline has changed greatly since 2008. Of course, due to the angle of this photograph, much of the change in the southern portion will be eclipsed. But, we're missing a t least two of the now-iconic buildings that shape Houston's skyline.

For starters, we're missing BG Group Place (It'll probably be called Shell-something after Shell's acquisition of BG Group. BG Group Place was completed in 2011, three years after Houston night.jpg was taken.

We're also missing 609 Main at Texas.

Market Square Tower would have almost certainly been out of view, as just the extreme southern portion of the Lyric Center is captured, but this will be another one of Houston's skyline-shaping buildings.

A quick image search using Google Images shows that this image is everywhere. It's on a recycling website. One for emergency dentists too. And a marketing company, a tutoring company, a website for private security guards, and a recent Advance Auto Parts road trip planner set for those who were coming to Houston to experience Super Bowl LI.

It's odd how pictures and things like tweets and videos "go viral", and are used in such a wide variety of websites. When photographers allow their photos to be used by others, I suppose that will be expected. (Especially when it's a great photograph!). For as great of a photo as it is, we could use a little bit of an update, showing off the many changes in Houston's skyline.

Houston's Most Interesting Google Photo Spheres

2016-11-10T06:00:00.000-06:00

In 2012 Google introduced photo spheres for its Android devices. At first users could only upload panoramic photos. In 2014 Google started to allow iOS (Apple) users to contribute to the online mapping program by uploading 360-degree views of sites around the world. So, now we have lists of the best photo spheres from around the world, capturing both urban and rural landscapes, allowing you to be a virtual tourist anywhere around the globe (so long as someone has published a photo sphere!)

As for Google Spheres and their usefulness, they can provide us a look at how a place once looked. They'll be valuable in showing the change that takes place in cities (hopefully for the good.)

So, I set out to find out where some of the more interesting photo spheres are located in Houston.

So, here are some of the best (and worst) Google Spheres in Houston:

Downtown Houston's Houston Chronicle Building
This will be a view preserved digitally, as the former Houston Chronicle Building at 801 Texas in Downtown Houston is set for implosion at some point.

Houston Skyline from the Sawyer Heights Lofts
The view from atop the Sawyer Heights Lofts is a great one, especially with the sun setting and Houston glowing. However, it gives a depiction of the sheer number of air conditioners and parking spaces that occupy Houston.

Beamers
This lot on the south side of the Near Northside, just north of I-10, plays home to a bunch of BMWs. If you've been to St. Arnold in the past year, you've likely seen this.

Fonde Recreation Center
This is a timeless photo of Houston's Fonde Recreation Center.

Eleanor Tinsley Park
Buffalo Bayou after a flood as seen from Eleanor Tinsley Park

Zeke Digital Marketing
If you're looking to film a commercial or need a website created, here's your place. (Not an official endorsement. But, it's ambitious putting this in your home, then throwing a Photo Sphere out there.)

Two-Headed Studying at U of H
If you're studying for a big exam, it's probable that two heads are better than one. Except when you're digitally embedded forever in a Photo Sphere.

Dean's Bar in Downtown Houston

Downtown Houston's Chase Building
Gone are the days of magnificent bank buildings. At least this one is still around.

Downtown Houston Skyline at Night
You won't even recognize this eastern portion of Downtown Houston, as it now is home to the Greater Houston Partnership Building, as well as the Marriott Marquis hotel.

Avenida De Las Americas
As the construction of Avenida De Las Americas finishes up, and the facade of the George R. Brown Convention Center begins to take shape, we can always be reminded of what it looked like during construction. Also in the background is the Marriott Marquis hotel,

Monument Au Fantome
From inside the Monument Au Fantome at Discovery Green

Art at Winter Street Studios

Houston Heights Medspring
Take a look inside the Medspring building as it was being constructed at the northwest corner of Heights Blvd. and 11th Street in the Houston Heights. I'm not sure why this was of interest to anyone to capture as a Photo Sphere, but with all that concrete we can be assured that this is a sturdy building.

Picnic Tables - University of St. Thomas
If you're feeling stressed, digitally hang out at these picnic tables on the campus of the University of St. Thomas. If you're at your desk for lunch, throw this on your monitor, and you'll feel like you're having a picnic instead.

Midtown's Bagby Park
the distortion of the buildings in the background is the real winner here. But, Midtown's Bagby Park is always ready for a photo.

Anywhere, Houston Strip Mall
There is no shortage of brightly lit strip malls in Houston.

Art Class
A student captured an art class at Lone Star College's Victory Center on Victory Boulevard in the Acres Homes area.

Chase Tower
Now that Houstonians can no longer visit the SkyLobby of Chase Tower in Downtown Houston, it's important that we have this Photo Sphere. This offers one of the best panoramic views of Houston (or, at least about a 270 degree view of Houston's expanses).

Holiday Inn Newscast
These Photo Spheres capture some sort of news broadcast atop the Holiday Inn in Downtown Houston. It involves a creative rearrangement and utilization of patio furniture.

Downtown Parking Lot (Fresh Yellow Paint)
There's nothing finer than a large parking lot in an urban area with a coat of fresh paint.

More parking

Worst:

Women's Restroom at the Lonestar College Victory Center
I'm not sure why anyone is enamored with the women's restroom at Lonestar College's Victory Center, but, it must have impressed someone.

Three-armed girl at Axelrad
If there's one rule about being captured in a Photo Sphere, it is don't move! You'll end up with three arms.

Houston's Gas Stations and Garages Turned Restaurants

2016-10-28T06:00:00.000-05:00

Even in gas-guzzling Houston, let's face a fact: with self-driving cars we might not need as many gas stations. So, instead of fueling cars, they can be used for fueling us. (I say that a bit tongue in cheek, because I'm not sold that self-driving cars are going to be the cure for traffic and mobility that many are claiming them to be.) To be fair though, most gas stations aren't going away anytime soon. And, there are a number of other gas stations that still serve to fuel both car and driver. (Come on you BBQ foodies out there, you know you like some BBQ from Rudy's!)

The Texas Department of Transportation Environmental Affairs Division published a "A Field Guide to Gas Stations in Texas" in 2003, highlighting some of the early gas stations in Texas. It is an extensive look at the marketing, use and design of early gas stations in Texas. Even though the Texas landscape is varied and had a great deal of influence on the architecture of a particular area, gas stations didn't always follow, making sure to establish or incorporate a predicable corporate image for those early petroleum companies. As cars became less of a luxury and more commonplace, oil companies staked their claims along the country's streets and highways to refuel America's cars.

America's former drive-through urbanism has actually led to some useful adaptive reuse opportunities. It's long been recognized in San Antonio that gas stations and service garages of the early 20th century can provide for some exciting reuse opportunities. The large canopies that used to provide shelter for cars and fuelers can alternatively be used for providing shelter to those fueling up on food. Open floor plans that allowed cars to move about a property now provide ample variety for seating and restaurant layouts, with minimal site work needed in some instances.

(Here is an extensive collection of classic gas stations around the country.)

Vinsetta Garage in Berkley, Michigan

Houston's Eight Row Flint in a former Citgo station. Now, fuel up on whisky and tacos.

Across Houston there are great examples of gas stations or garages that have been converted to restaurants. Eight Row Flint opened at Yale and 11th Street in the Houston Heights neighborhood last year, fueling Heights residents and visitors with whiskey, beer and tacos. This wasn't a redevelopment of a classic gas station or garage like Berkley, Michigan's Vinsetta Garage, (see what it used to look like) but instead a remodel of a run of the mill, abandoned, Citgo station.

Petrol Station. If you're visiting, get a burger.

Petrol Station in the Garden Oaks / Oak Forest neighborhood is a a popular spot for burgers and beer, replacing a garage with taps and a grill.

Retrospect Coffee Bar at the southern end of Houston's Midtown neighborhood is another former gas station that's gearing up to serve up gallons of fuel, only now in the form of coffee. The former Gulf service station is currently being outfitted to serve Texas coffee, beer, wine and other local foods. They are still receiving their permits (After anticipating a Fall 2015 opening), and have been working to utilize a shipping container as part of their building.

Liberty Station on Houston's Washington Avenue was once a service station, now serving beer and food truck grub.

The Houston Heights lost out on a great restaurant prospect when the old service station at the NW corner of White Oak Drive and Cortlandt was torn down for a large single family home.

The Houston Heights has another old service station that is slated to be utilized as a restaurant located at 11th and Beverly streets. The building has sat vacant for at least the past decade, and was never utilized by the now-closed Zelko Bistro. Thankfully, former Liberty Kitchen chef Travis Lenig has plans to utilize both sites for his future Field and Tides restaurant.

Finally in the Heights, Ritual, the new Texas-inspired restaurant at the corner of Studewood and White Oak Drive, has made a home in what was a former Conoco station. Before Ritual, owners of The El Cantina transformed the Conoco station into an expansive restaurant.

Across the street from Ritual, it looks as if the buildings that house BB's and Little Woodrow's might have been service stations or garages at an earlier time. (Can anyone in Houston with the institutional knowledge about these sites confirm this?)

So, what about other gas station sites that might make the transition from pumping gas to pumping out Houston cuisine?

There are remnants of another old gas station at the corner of Airline and Kern Street between the Woodland Heights and Brooke Smith subdivisions. Now, the property is up for sale, and is even advertised as "ideal for Retail/Bar/Auto shop."

In Houston's First Ward, a building that is currently hosting sporadic weekend garage sales and stores moving trucks, would make an excellent location for a restaurant should the owners ever entertain selling. Unfortunately the building is in a bit of disrepair, including the canopy.

In the Near Northside an old gas station on North Main has a "For Lease" banner posted. You can see that whoever owns the building had a railing installed on top of the building's canopy. This site would probably offer great sunset views of Downtown Houston should a staircase be added.

Fixers Automotive (a great place to get your car worked on, based on Yelp reviews) looks to be an old service station, as well as International Bonding just north of Downtown Houston.

Finally, Empire Cafe (the site of my wife and I's first date, so it has a special place in my heart) in Montrose looks as if it were an old gas station, however, it is actually the former Hollyfield Laundry and Cleaners. Not a gas station, but a remnant of past drive-through urbanism that has benefited fans of (now) walkable urbanism and good food. If there are others around town, please leave a comment and location, and I'll include them!

As an addendum:
(From what I've read, Ekkos Greek American Deli on Richmond is the best (still-functioning) gas station food in Houston.)

Friday's Weekly Rap Up - September 16, 2016 - Lecrae, "I'm a Saint"

2016-09-16T05:00:00.000-05:00

I'm a Saint - Lecrae (Lyrics)

For four weeks our church and neighborhood parishes are reading and reviewing the Sojourn Houston neighborhood parish primer. This is a time to be reminded of our identity as Christians, and as members of the Church. The parish primer is a tool that assists parishes, or more simply, smaller expressions of the local church, in developing a unified vision for how life and ministry within the parish will look.

The first week's topic discusses a Christian's position as a saint. Typically we hear "saint", and either think of someone that is perceived as having a pristine image and character. We think of a really good person. Or, we think of "saint" sarcastically, as in "Oh, they're a saint."

The New Testament of the bible regularly calls those in Christ, saints. It's not a reference for only the holiest of holy. The term "saint" describes a position for those who are Christians, not a result of striving to be holy, or attaining the name from an institution.

When we understand this truth, we're free to grow in holiness as a parish, as a church. This truth also allows us to serve and do good works in the name of Christ, without having to worry about doing those works to earn our position as saints.

Friday's Weekly Rap Up - September 9, 2016 - "The Omnis" - Shai Linne ft. Andy Mineo, Giano & Omri

2016-09-09T17:30:00.000-05:00

"The Omnis" - Shai Linne ft. Andy Mineo, Giano & Omri

Our church, Sojourn Heights, just recently finished an express series through the book of Job. The book of Job is written about a man who by all accounts was blameless and upright. Job is a difficult book. It provokes readers to continue to wonder, "Why do bad things happen to good people?" Job loses his possessions, his family and his health, all things that we hold dear, and likely find much more hope and worth in than we should.

The book of Job continues with accounts from some of Job's friends, who really don't do much to comfort him. They really do a lousy job. They essentially tell Job that his suffering was caused by something that Job did. Job loses sight of who God is, and what he has promised. Job doubts that God is just in a world of injustice. Job continues to plead, asking God to clear his name. There's no answer to Job's suffering, so all go silent, until Elihu, the youngster, comes forward. This is the fourth person to address Job, calling him to listen to God, admit his self-righteousness, stop justifying himself, and to fear God alone. Still, none of these things address the "why?!" of Job's suffering.

What we're left with at this point in the book is a tension: either Job is right, and God is unjust, or Job is wrong, and God is just. All this tension is relieved through Christ.

The book reaches a crescendo in chapters 38 through 42 with the Lord speaking to Job. He almost mockingly asks Job, in Job's doubt, whether Job was present while he created this world. "Did you assign the coasts Job? No?... Okay then..." Essentially, the Lord is asking Job whether he has the knowledge and and perspective needed to run the world. Job is questioned as to whether he is bold enough to position himself above the Lord. Job ends up going quiet. The Lord asks him again whether he has anything to say, and Job continues to promise his silence (Job 40:3-5).

It's in these few chapters from Job that really call to mind our limited understanding of this world. Shai Linne's song, The Omnis, hits on these points. Take a listen, especially in the second verse, and see how it parallels what the Lord declares about himself to Job.

Who is like Him? There is none
Triune, Holy three-in-one
When all is said and done
God is amazing, amazing
His power cannot be compared
Exhaustive knowledge none can share
At all times everywhere
God is amazing, amazing yeah

For a fantastic overview of Job, as well as many other books of the bible, check out The Bible Project.

Previewing Cafeza in Houston's First Ward

2016-09-09T06:00:00.000-05:00

Cafeza, in Houston's First Ward, is finally opening (tomorrow) Saturday, September 10, at 6:00 AM. Now, I'm not sure if there will be any sort of prize for anyone camping out before dawn (a-la-Chick-fil-A), but you'll have the distinction of being one of Cafeza's first customers. Neighbors have (or at least this neighbor has) long been anticipating the opening of the neighborhood coffee shop, which will join the adjacent Cafe Brussels and Stanton's City Bites as the only dining options along Houston Avenue in Houston's First Ward. This is a welcomed addition, especially given the increase in the number of people living in the neighborhood over the past few years.

The owners of Cafeza, Ryan and Keisha Hazen, who live in the First Ward, spent a few years wishing that someone would open a coffee shop in the neighborhood. Since no one else had, they did it themselves, drawing influence from time spent in Barcelona, particularly at La Granja Viader. They hope to bring to Houston the same quality and simplicity of food that they experienced in Barcelona. They hope Cafeza will be a place for locals to gather, listen to local musicians, and support the First Ward's artistic community. Kyle Buthod will act as Cafeza's operations manager.

Ryan and Keisha Hazen

Earlier this week, Cafeza hosted the First Ward community, including neighborhood and civic club leaders, real estate personnel, and many of the artists in the neighborhood. Yesterday my wife and I got a sneak peek of Cafeza during a menu preview party. We joined a number of other neighbors and guests who were excited to finally see the space at 1720 Houston Avenue, and to give their food and drink menus a try. The staff has had a few dry-runs this week, so their service was already very good, something that is usually an issue with new restaurants or shops. Aside from a small cash register issue early in the night, things ran smoothly, as orders came out from the kitchen quickly. Cafeza has drawn from the experience of other local coffee shops, including Boomtown and A 2nd Cup, so coffee service should be great. In general, Cafeza bills itself as a "European-style coffee bar"... featuring "a simple menu influenced by Spanish and Latin American cooking."

Cafeza's menu includes coffee, tacos, churros, cocktails, bocadillos and a number of other options. We had the opportunity to try a few items from the menu, as well as the whole line of breakfast pastries. The chocolate croissant was my favorite among the breakfast pastries, along with the chorizo quiche.

My wife and I sampled the Bernil bocadillo and a chai (we're 3 weeks away from having our first child, so drink options are limited right now!). The food was fresh and flavorful. I was most looking forward to trying the churros. They didn't disappoint. The looped churros were served with both chocolate and guava dipping sauces.

Churros, with chocolate and guava dipping sauces

The interior of the space pays tribute to the First Ward's artist community. A Wiley Robertson piece adorns the wall to your right as you enter. (Here's a condensed video of the painting process) There are a number of other works from local artists throughout the interior of the shop. A majority of the interior work was done by those connected to Cafeza, including the seating and bar counter. Now, Cafeza's space is quite cozy, so posting up there all day may not be as comfortable as somewhere like Boomtown (whose coffee is served at Cafeza), A 2nd Cup, or Paper Co. But, this week a few additional outdoor seating spaces were added to provide a bit more capacity, and there's an open air porch at the rear of the shop that provides a bit more seating. I'm particularly fond of their marquee sign at the corner of Houston Avenue and Crockett Street.

We're really looking forward to Cafeza's addition to the First Ward. It will be a place that offers a presence throughout the day, as hours will be from 6AM-11PM on weeknights, and closing at midnight on Friday and Saturday nights. I hope that residents of the Near Northside will also find Cafeza's location convenient, as it's a short ride or walk along Hogan / Crockett Street.

This is one business that will certainly add to the vibrancy of the Houston Avenue corridor. As an urbanist, I can't help but want the Houston Avenue corridor to develop into a Main Street of sorts, as there are a number of opportunities to incrementally add to the streetscape and character of a community. The Houston Avenue corridor leads into Downtown Houston's western edge, but is relatively void of businesses and attractions, especially those that can be easily and repeatedly accessed by neighbors. It will be nice to have a "third place" in the neighborhood.

The service, food and atmosphere were all wonderful last night. I hope you'll give Cafeza a try. I know we'll certainly be back.

Follow Cafeza on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Some thoughts on San Antonio; The Impact Guild: Co-working in Beacon Hill

2016-08-02T08:08:00.001-05:00

This post has been a long time coming. A number of weeks ago we went to visit some friends in San Antonio. Not being a native Texan, I don't have a great deal of familiarity with San Antonio, outside of hearing about it from others. I've visited a few times, but certainly not enough to gather all of what is happening in the city. Certainly Houston takes the cake when it comes to flash, glitz and pace of life, but San Antonio by all impressions seems to be a bit more laid back (I mean, even the Spurs seems laid back compared to other NBA teams). It strikes me as a city of neighborhoods and families.

But, I'll admit, there's something alluring about San Antonio and what is happening in the city right now. We spent some time in the Beacon Hill neighborhood, which is located about 2 to 3 miles to the northwest of Downtown San Antonio. Beacon Hill was one of the many neighborhoods that came about due to the expansion of electric trolley lines, in this case the San Antonio Street Railway Trolley. As one of the first platted subdivisions in San Antonio, Beacon Hill reminds me a great deal of Houston's Houston Heights neighborhood.

Beacon Hill has a great housing stock, as well as an active neighborhood association. (Which, by the way, has an incredibly detailed and informative neighborhood newsletter.) As previously mentioned, the craftsmen-style bungalows that line the streets of Beacon Hill reminded me of the Houston Heights, except that there were no Houston-style townhouses. Of course, the development and continued development, of the Beacon Hill neighborhood is influenced by development codes.

Beacon Hill is equipped with a Neighborhood Conservation District, an historic district-lite type regulation, something with elements of a form-based code. (Here is the Beacon Hill NCD document). The intent of the NCD is listed as saying:

While there are a number historical styles that exist in the neighborhood, the intent of the design standards is not to replicate the styles, but ensure the historically common site/building configurations are perpetuated in the future. Substantial porch areas located in the front of the primary structure, walkways that lead directly to a entry space from the street, garages located to the rear of the primary dwelling structure, regular building setbacks across block faces, and vertically oriented windows are some of the common site and building features that are regulated through the Residential Design Standards.

While this particular property lies just outside the Beacon Hill NCD, it is representative of the housing stock of the area.

As we drove around, it was evident that the NCD has facilitated maintaining some common configurations and design, which I would argue leads to a friendlier environment, with large porches and rear-oriented garages (many homes take garage access from rear alleys, something I wish we encouraged more in Houston). Residential and non-residential buildings have different standards within the NCD. For residential the NCD addresses building height, number of stories for buildings, lot sizes, building lines, building size and massing, and a number of other design guidelines, but doesn't seem as strict as a typical historic district.

For non-residential uses the NCD addresses lot sizes (no larger than 1 acre in Beacon Hill), building lines (no more than a 25 foot setback in Beacon Hill), as well as building height. Other design guidelines included are related to fencing, parking, signage, tree preservation, building materials, among other things.

What was immediately noticeable was the amount of multi-unit buildings located within the district. They weren't out or place, and were generally identical in style to the other homes in the neighborhood. I don't know whether these buildings were converted into multifamily units (which is likely the case with larger homes), or whether these were added as rezonings as time has gone on. If you look at the zoning for the neighborhood, there is a smattering of multifamily sites, most of which conform with the design guidelines of the NCD. This is a reasonable way to achieve a certain design or character of a neighborhood, while also allowing for a mix of residential intensity, something that is necessary, especially when attempting to redevelop corridors like Fredericksburg Road.

But, along with every changing neighborhood comes the fear of change and encroachment of development. Take this case from Beacon Hill, where the owners of the French & Michigan building had hoped to live on the site, as well as operate an art gallery and coffee shop, likely to be welcomed amenities in many neighborhoods. This article from the Rivard Report does a great job of explaining the tension within Beacon Hill, and the cry against gentrification. I will say, however, that minor traffic jams due to increased activity in a neighborhood shouldn't be enough for us to oppose development. From my experience in the neighborhood, there is still a need for vitality, which will mean adding businesses and residences. Unfortunately, after a number of attempts to sort out the situation, French & Michigan moved to another location in San Antonio.

Finally, Beacon Hill can look forward to The Impact Guild, which will be a coworking community in the neighborhood exploring how they can use their vocations to work together for the good of the community. The Impact Guild is being housed in a former building supply company building, which is coincidentally shaped like a lighthouse, appropriate for any neighborhood with the word "beacon" in its name. The building is currently being remodeled, and you can keep up with its progress on The Impact Guild's Instagram account.

During our time in Beacon Hill we visited Chris Madrid's, and I enjoyed the Tostada Burger, accompanied by all that cheese. As we drove around the neighborhood on our final afternoon, we noticed a home being built around a tree. This caught my attention, and the owner happened to see us gawking at his work. He invited us in, and we took at look at his construction. (He assured us he had all the correct permits and inspections. I was a bit unsure.) However, it was an ambitious-looking project, one that can be applauded for his desire to preserve such a large tree. This was yet again another reminder of the uniqueness of certain neighborhoods, and will serve as a lasting memory of my experience in Beacon Hill.

Friday's Weekly Rap Up - July 29, 2016 - "Lazarus" - Trip Lee feat. This'l

2016-07-29T06:00:00.000-05:00

"Lazarus" - Trip Lee feat. This'l - Lyrics

Friday's Weekly Rap Up is something that I like to feature at the end of weeks, featuring some sort of rap song, along with how it coincides with the Christian life. This week we have the song "Lazarus" from Trip Lee, featuring This'l.

Last weekend we took part in an evangelism training course at Sojourn Heights, our local church, led by Jeremiah Morris. The training was a speed-through of the gospel of John, and highlighted chapter 11, which features the account of Lazarus.

There's not a ton we know about Lazarus, other than he was a man from the village of Bethany that was sick. This was the same village as Martha and Mary, who would later serve Jesus, with Mary anointing Jesus, wiping Jesus' feet with expensive (a year's wage!) perfume. Back to Lazarus; he was sick, but Jesus ultimately tells his family that Lazarus' illness would not lead to death, but was "so that the Son of God would be glorified through it." Now, that's not necessarily comforting for someone who is losing a family member. Not at all.

It takes Jesus a few days to actually head back to Bethany to see Lazarus. We are told that Jesus waits two days before going to see Lazarus. Some may find that cold and unloving. But, Jesus, in his kindness, sometimes allows sadness and brokenness to take place to reveal our need for him.

We find out that Lazarus actually died. It's not that he just fell asleep deeply for a number of days, but that he actually died. Two days after that, after Lazarus had been dead for four days, Jesus finally takes action, but not before grieving and weeping himself, alongside Lazarus' family. Jesus, at the tomb where Lazarus had been laid, calls "Lazarus, come out." Out he came.

Now, when we see this resurrection of Lazarus, we're called to see our own resurrection in Christ. Jesus tells Martha that "whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live..." (John 11:25). In many ways, we see this same spiritual resurrection in our lives. This is what Trip Lee and This'l are communicating. They're talking about dead men being raised up in Christ. When This'l talks about a missing persons report, he's relating that to the missing former person he was before Christ in his life.

It took a miracle for Jesus to physically raise Lazarus from the dead, and that same work of Christ is being done through miracles of the lives of those around us today, being raised to new life in Christ. What "Lazarus" is communicating is that Jesus still brings the dead back to life. This is evidenced in many lives, where people turn from sin, and live new lives in the joy of Christ.

"He made the blind see and got the lame up
So it’s no surprise he can raise us"

Market Square Tower

2016-07-20T08:15:00.000-05:00

On Tuesday night I had the opportunity to tour the much-anticipated Market Square Tower as a part of Central Houston's CHIME young professionals group. This will be Downtown Houston's tallest residential structure, and will serve as the tallest building on the northern end of Downtown Houston. Designed by hometown architects Jackson & Ryan, the project is being built by Harvey Builders adjacent to Market Square Park.

Philip Schneidau, CEO of Woodbranch Investments Corp. welcomed the CHIME group, updating us on the status of the tower, explaining his desire to build a residential tower in Downtown Houston, and answered a number of questions from those in attendance. He said that Woodbranch had owned the site (a former surface parking lot) for over 20 years, but it was about three and a half years ago when he was convinced building a residential tower was the right move.

Originally, Schnideau suggested a 30-story tower, but was rebuffed by Woodbranch's New York City investors, who suggested a 55-story tower. Everyone involved in the project settled on 40 stories.

After settling its height, Schnideau said each of the parties brainstormed amenities. He noted that there were between 30 and 40, including his and her spas, a golf simulator, and a game room.

Schnideau noted that the tower is aiming for opening in late October (I believe the leasing agents said October 26). Only about 15 or 16 floors will be ready for the grand opening, as well as all the tower's amenities, with 4 floors being opened each month thereafter. The tower's penthouses on the 39th floor would be the last to be finished.

Paper City featured a story about the tower in June, summing up the number of amenities that Market Square Tower will boast. In that story Schnideau said “We didn’t feel like there was enough demand." (referring to living units in Downtown Houston.) "Just in the last five years, we’ve seen the demand pick up.” This is no thanks to the Downtown Living Initiative, an economic development program established to spur multifamily and mixed-use development in Downtown Houston. The program aimed at providing this boost to up to 5,000 units. Currently, there are approximately 2,729 units under construction in Downtown Houston, with another 2,458 units planned.

When asked about the estimated construction cost per square foot, Schnideau answered "It's a lot." He suggested that the project was over budget, but that it was more important to deliver a great quality product.

After finishing with questions, groups of 10 or so made their way up the exterior construction elevators to the building's 39th floor. This floor will host the tower's four penthouses, which will each cost tenants about $16,000 per month. The view from the units (especially the west penthouse) will be unbeatable.

We took the stairs up to the 40th floor amenity deck, but we were unable to take a walk into the tower's glass-bottom cantilevered pool. The amenity deck is nowhere near completed, but will offer a spectacular swimming setting when it's finished. Residents will be able to gaze down upon to Market Square Park, and face the rest of the Downtown Houston skyline to the south.

The ground floor will likely not feature any retail, aside from something like a cafe or coffee shop. Nothing seems to be final with respect to that space at this point. The building's lobby will feature an intricate marble floor and glass ceilings. It was evident to everyone in attendance that the developers had spared no expense in the materials of the building. Market Square Tower will be a great addition to Downtown Houston.

Here are a few renderings from the tower's website: