Lancaster, CA revitalized Boulevard

The downtown street is finally coming back to American communities. The promise of safe and healthy living in the suburbs left little amenities and resources for many downtown areas across America. However, there has been a shift that has brought people back. This movement was originally called downtown beautification. This insinuates that the physical aesthetics were the reason why people had left these areas and the is a flawed view. People had left because many of the amenities such as grocery stores, doctors, and restaurants had left.

Thankfully, with people becoming more knowledgeable about our impact on the environment it appears that communities and municipalities are making a choice to reinvest in these areas. One place that has embraced this mindset is Lancaster, CA. The town was selected by the EPA as a 2012 National Award for Smart Growth Achievement. The community made a stand and demanded more housing options, transportation options and public amenities.

 The architecture and urbanist firm that tackled this project was Moule & Polyzoides. The first thing they had to do was slow traffic in the downtown area. They implemented a boulevard layout with a rhombus parking layout with public gathering spaces. Additionally, the streets were downsized and were made much more walkable and bikable. The redevelopment provided residents with a full service of amenities and is a destination for shopping and entertainment now. A unique element is the opportunity for "random acts of music" with a variety of pianos included in along the sidewalks.

You can watch a great video provided by the EPA on their YouTube channel. The community has taken over ownership of the area and now has a website called TheBlvd that provides a full set of information on activities in the area. This engagement of community and opportunity for interaction has immeasurable public benefits.

Boston by Ferry

This past week Alison and I attended an Emerging Professionals outing that provided us with the opportunity to meet a lot of great young people in the landscape architecture field. The event took place on the Boston Harbor Ferry which goes all the way to Quincy and back. The ferry leaves Long Wharf North and serves beverages and if you leave at the right time you can catch the sunset over the city. If anybody is interested in taking advantage of the ferries, the website is www.bostonharborislands.org.

I89 Sharon, VT Rest Stop

The rest stop northbound on I89 in Sharon, VT is home to the first Vietnam Memorial ever in the United States. It also has a self contained water treatment system and greenhouse. The water system is called "the living machine." Included are several images from my visit to the site with my nephew who was excited to see actual bananas growing in the trees. It is interesting to note that this was not the first time a living machine was used at Vermont rest stop. There was originally one placed in the Guilford rest stop in I91 in 1996. Unfortunately, that system was shut down only after a year. Not because of failure but because a newer rest stop was constructed that was connected to Guilford town sewer lines. Information on this site can be found on the USDOT FHWA website. The site has been well advertised in the New York Times. .

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum Landscape Architecture Exhibit

From June 27th to September 2nd the Isabella Steward Gardner Museum will have an exhibit on the origins of landscape architecture through photography. The cost is $15 and is located at 280 Fenway in Boston, MA. See www.gardnermuseum.org for more information. If you are able to read the article in the photo attached to this post you will notice that Charles Waldheim, chair of the landscape architecture program at the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University, is quoted saying "landscape first emerged in painting in western Europe, particularly in the British Isles." I seem to remember instances of Greek, Roman, and Egyptian images that incorporated the landscape well before the English started.