Urban Renewal

The Urban Renewal elements of Duany's Smart Growth Principles were everywhere downtown. On 2nd Avenue North, we observed Shops on the Sidewalk (10.7) in the form of the convenience store, Faith Skate Supply (skate shop), and What's on 2nd?. Another element observed was Eyes on the Street (10.6) surprisingly enough by Jeremy. His office is 2 blocks away from his home and by him living where he works, he is watching the area for suspicious behavior. Another element seen was On-Street Parking (8.5) in the form of the parking on 2nd Avenue North. The parking was parallel on the street and this created a slow-street in which traffic was calmed and the pedestrian was protected by a buffer in the form of a car. Another principle was the Commercial Lofts (12.3) and Live/Work Buildings (12.5) where a shop was on the bottom of a building and a loft or home for the resident and/or shop owner was integrated. Last, Heat and Light (13.3) in the form of Jeremys parents' green roof. The green roof design minimized thermal and light impacts as well as lowered cooling and heating costs.

Park Place

Park Place was the HOPE VI community we observed downtown on our visit. I was very impressed with Park Place because of the fact that it had achieved what all the other new urbanist communities we had studied had failed at, economic diversity. Park Place had 3 programs: Market value, middle income, and low income. With these 3 programs they were able to successfully establish a mixed income community. While racial distribution was not achieved, this is still better than all the communities we observed and especially Trussville Springs. Trussville Springs, while still in the works, is a pretentious community built to satisfy a market of new urbanist of the white upper class. Park Place is a genuine community in which you can feel the authenticity of something built to help the poor and eliminate the policy of concentrating poor people in an area. This community is further held up by the fact that it is in downtown which is already an urban landscape that was not planned or artificially built with a "New Urbanist" plan. Park Place is within a clinic, YMCA, Park, and two schools which gives this community a towering sucess over all the other communities we observed in the class.

Green Initiatives

Green Initiative is a form of action to make environmentally responsible decisions. The inner-city urban experience was "green" with the Jones Valley Urban Farm, the Dart, and green roofs. Jones Valley Urban Farm is a farm located near Park Place where organic food is grown and shipped and sold locally to restaurants and consumers. This is a green initiative because the fact that it is locally shipped and locally bought means less transportation by big trucks across hundreds of miles from a rural area. The amount of money saved by gas and the reduced carbon emissions certainly make this a worthy green initiative. The Dart is Birmingham's downtown transportation system. This trolley runs through downtown and is very affordable (only 25 cents the day we rode it). The trolley on the day we went on it, had people in it which means this mode of green initiative is certainly working. People are riding the Dart (*certainly not by choice). The last green initiative observed were green roofs, it was Jeremys parents' green roof. While we did not personally see it, I'm sure Jeremy did a fine job making this green roof effective by reducing heating costs, and the plant's job of recycling the air. The biggest downfall of these observed "green initiatives" is the Dart. The Dart is simply not reliable enough in its timing. Not only did we end up walking back to UAB, we did not even see one Dart run by us on the way back. The wait for the first Dart was also 30 minutes. The Dart would be increasingly more effective if it were actually on time (run by every 10 minutes). I am sure that the people who ride the Dart are very poor and have no other alternative of transportation as I'm sure they would choose anything but the Dart to get around.

"Third Places"

A "third place" is defined as a location that is not work or home where social interaction takes place. The third places I observed downtown where Lucy's, Urban Standard, The Rogue Tavern, and Pale Eddie's Pourhouse (future "third place"). Most of the "third places" I observed where coffee shops and bars/taverns. However, "third places" are not limited to these two things; they also include beauty parlors, community centers, cafes, newsstands, and bookstores. "Third places" are important in a community because they allow for something to do and for social interaction. They are a place where people from different work and backgrounds can gather and socialize. A doctor can socialize with a construction worker or an artist can socialize with a lawyer. These third places provide a way for individuals to meet people outside their work. The "social capital" earned in these places is crucial. Social capital is the "worth" of the people you know. The "social capital" you can build in a successful third place is very valuable as was demonstrated by the story of Jammel at Lucy's. This type of "social capital" is not possible in a suburban environment. In suburbia, people are separated by yards, their car, and the great distances between people. In an urban environment such as downtown it is possible to interact with many different kinds of people and build valuable social capital.

Railroad Park

Sociability: While the park is not officially open yet, it is easy to theorize that this railroad park will bring about many different kinds of people. Even though many different people will be at the park, I think that people will be able to interact comfortably with each other. I feel like everyone in Birmingham will make this park their own and people will be united by that bond. I also believe that UAB students will have no problem interacting in the park as I am very excited for the opening of this park. The general feeling at the Railroad Park will be one of ownership and camaraderie.

Railroad Park

Uses & Activities: Railroad Park has an abundance of activities. The park has an amphitheater, walking trails, skate bowl, green area, and ponds. The list of things to do in the park is numerous and people will have no problem finding something to do even if it is just people watching. Railroad Park will be successful because of the fact that there is so much to do. In addition, there will also be festivals and bands scheduled to play throughout the year. The park will attract many different kinds of people from parents, kids, skateboarders, athletes, and dog walkers. This park is guaranteed to be full of people on a Saturday and Sunday afternoon.

Railroad Park

Comfort & Image: The Railroad Park project has a good sense of comfort and image. The gravel paths are easy to walk through and the rubber path surface on the top of the park is comfortable to the knees. The park itself is very beautiful with its streams and view of the railroad. The benches are placed in areas looking out to the streams and give a sense of tranquility. Overall the park is very aesthetically pleasing.