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Transforming a distressed Long Island community
Two mixed-use buildings face a new square with fountains and activities like ice skating and concerts, forming the core of Long Island's first major transit-oriented development.The center of Wyandanch, New York, was until recently a sea of parking among fading commercial strip businesses in the middle of an economically distressed community on Long Island. Now, two mixed-use buildings face a new square with fountains and activities like ice skating and concerts, forming...Read more -
Innovative design for affordable housing
Blue Water workforce housing on Tavernier Key, Florida, created a system that of density that fits into the surrounding one- and two-story fabric.Dignified affordable housing that matches the quality and character of market-rate housing—without breaking the bank—is desperately needed across America. One of the most acute shortages is found in the Florida Keys, where restrictive growth management has resulted in very few affordable units...Read more -
Great idea: Public housing that engages the city
Public housing in the form of complete or partial neighborhoods started with HOPE VI and became standard practice, impacting the lives of people in cities and towns across America.In celebration of the 25th Congress for the New Urbanism, Public Square is running the series 25 Great Ideas of the New Urbanism . These ideas have been shaped by new urbanists and continue to influence cities, towns, and suburbs. The series is meant to inspire and challenge those working toward...Read more -
Gentrification examined from a wider time frame
Your view on the urban investment of today may depend on where you crop the storyline.They may not be new but I was recently introduced to a series of comics by English artist Grayson Perry taking on the world of creative arts, particularly one entitled “Gentrification.” The tale is familiar. Old industry fades, artists take possession of the infrastructure, ragtag commerce blossoms...Read more