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Home > Archive > Architecture > October 2006 > Counterpoint to Ddimensional Black-Magic and the Mole People
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Counterpoint to Ddimensional Black-Magic and the Mole People
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| http://www.multi-housingnews.com/mu...t_id=1003189915
I figure it's not off-topic because the author is an architect.
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Socially Sustainable Development Is Key to Preserving Human Assets
By J. Robert Hillier, FAIA, Hillier Architecture
OCTOBER 09, 2006 -- At the former manufacturing and research center for
Johnson & Johnson, a 212-acre site built in the 1950s just outside New
Brunswick, N.J., a prominent local developer is planning a new town
center--a "21st-century village," if you will. The developer, Garden
Commercial Properties, in collaboration with the community, is drawing
on many of the fundamental principles of Smart Growth such as compact,
mixed-use community clusters, walkable neighborhoods, convenient access
to transportation, a range of housing choices and a multitude of
services so that residents can live, work and play, conceivably without
ever having to get into a car.
Across the country, driven in large part by the Smart Growth movement
and awareness by state and municipal leaders that sprawl is strangling
communities, towns like this one are rising up out of the ground. Many,
like the North Brunswick project, are on defunct manufacturing sites
and brownfields. What these projects share, to varying degrees, is a
commitment to both environmental sustainability, as well as social
sustainability: preserving those things our society values most, like
community, diversity, creativity, education and prosperity.
This is a new role for developers. Social policy has traditionally been
the domain of lawmakers, municipal leaders and community groups. Today,
thanks to a growing awareness that the built environment can shape the
human experience both positively and negatively, developers are more
proactively addressing these issues by creating places where people
will want to live and work. One very visible example is Atlantic
Station, the 138-acre redevelopment and reclamation of the former
Atlantic Steel Mill in Atlanta. The enormous popularity of the project
demonstrates how eager Americans are to live in a kind of urban
village.
But for every successfully executed sustainable community project like
this one, at least three are killed off by bureaucracy, NIMBYism and
the failure to get buy-in from all the stakeholders. That's because to
succeed at building a socially sustainable project, developers have to
redefine their relationship to the project, the citizens and municipal
leaders, and the community as a whole. In my 40 years as an architect
and developer, I have found the following four strategies can help
improve the likelihood that a well-conceived project will see the light
of day.
Engage the Public. The biggest source of tension between the developer
and the public is that the development organization has a plan, and the
public doesn't. By making the public part of the process, some very
positive results are possible. Recognizing this, Garden Commercial
Properties, prior to purchasing the Johnson & Johnson land, initiated a
series of community workshops. Scheduled regularly prior to formal
submissions to the planning board for consideration, the meetings
provide a forum for residents to explore the kinds of amenities that
they want in their community.
The developer invites local experts to give citizens additional
insight. Garden Commercial Properties also created a web site and
newsletter to keep citizens informed and has launched a public
relations initiative to support its public outreach. These information
sessions empower both citizen and developer. Communication leads to
knowledge, which leads to illumination and ultimately minimizes the
level of fear that may be created by the unknown. The involvement of
the public, and their familiarity with the project, can create a very
positive feeling for public officials and residents.
Capitalize on historic and cultural assets. In his now classic book,
"The Rise of the Creative Class," economic theorist Richard Florida
asked scientists, political leaders, entrepreneurs and artists where
they chose to live and why. High up on their list was authenticity; a
connection to something perceived as real or indigenous to the area. In
this vein, preserving a historic building can be a valuable way to get
buy-in from the community and create a sense of place that isn't
generic.
One of my projects in Princeton, N.J. was the transformation of the
former Witherspoon School for Colored Children, a building erected in
1908 that had become neglected, into high-end condominiums. The
community supported the project in large part because I promised to
restore much of the original building, erect historic markers, and name
it in honor of the principal who oversaw desegregation of the school,
Howard B. Waxwood, Jr. After it was completed, it was placed on the
National Register of Historic Places.
A respect for history helped me, and the project, gain credibility with
the community. Rather than being perceived as outsiders who wanted to
change the character of the area, we were embraced for our interest in
helping the neighborhood.
Promote economic diversity. Housing in compact, mixed-use developments
is generally more affordable than single-family homes on large lots.
High demand, however, can lead to gentrification and homogenization.
There are tools that developers can, and should, employ to maintain a
level of economic diversity; such as setting up a foundation to
underwrite the cost of renting or buying a unit.
That was another program we used at The Waxwood. Five units out of 34
were set aside for rent or purchase by residents who lived in the
neighborhood for at least 10 years, or their direct descendants. The
Waxwood Foundation provides buyers with 20 percent of the purchase
price of a unit based on current market value, essentially eliminating
the need for a down payment. Renters get a 10 percent rent subsidy. By
guaranteeing the next generation of residents a place in the community,
the foundation helps preserve the character of the neighborhood,
despite changes to the physical environment.
Encourage Design Variety. Variety is what makes for the most successful
projects. Those that are of a single style, single material and single
quality will fail by being so uniform and homogenized. They will appear
inauthentic. Planning codes should not be specific but should rather be
guidelines, inviting creativity and even a few happy mistakes. They
will do nothing but enrich the built environment.
J. Robert Hillier, FAIA is a founding principal of Hillier Architecture
in Princeton, N.J.
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Ken S. Tucker wrote:
> Pat wrote:
>
> Interesting article.
>
>
> Ok I think this is Tomcats worry.
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malthusian_catastrophe
> Ken
200 years and no crisis in US. I doubt it will occur in the next 30
years. Esp. when parts of US has population decreases and farmland
being taken out of production because it is excess.
He can worry about it all he wants, but worrying doesn't make it so.
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