Design Connect & Freeville

I am now co-chair of the board of a student-run community service consultancy. DesignConnect is rooted in collaborative, democratic, and sustainable principles for the advancement of towns in Upstate New York. DesignConnect provides practical experience to students through cooperation with local municipalities and non‐profit organizations while providing design and planning services for these groups that may not have the resources to hire professionals.

As part of the organization, we'll travel to various small communities throughout Upstate New York. Our first journey brought us to Freeville, where the client wants a better pedestrian connect to their nearby nature preserve and some mainstreet work. They have an adorable little restaurant and waterwheel right on the river, as well as an infamous Earthship under construction. 

www.designconnectcornell.com

Northwest + Northeast = New Places!

Places Northwest has moved locations! Due to my returning to school at Cornell University, my immediate focus shifts to the Northeast. While my heart is always in the northwest, I'm fast learning to love the unique environment provided by Ithaca and the surrounding region. More posts forthcoming.

Shadow Cities and Places I've Been

I was watching a TED talk on shadow cities today and I realized, "hey, I've been in places like that!" It was called El Bañado near Asuncion, Paraguay and was a city of its own form, with its own rules, economy and culture. Centered around a trash dump on the banks of the Parana river, El Bañado was a world apart from the relatively affluent houses just up the bluff. All over Paraguay there were shanties, but this was a concentration of poverty and lawlessness. Police wouldn't go down there at night typically, for good reason. People earned income by digging through the enormous trash pile for recyclables, then sold them to collectors who would serve as middle men for the recyclers. There were few collectors and they held significant power. Each time I visit the city dump, the smell makes me oddly nostalgic. These shadow cities are massive in most developing countries and are growing into the cities of the future. These pictures below, from other blogs, are good examples of the garbage. I climbed Cerro Lambare to the right.

I searched google for awhile and found that it seems things have progressed in El Bañado since I was there a decade ago. There was some comfort in that.

Afterward, I was thinking about my possible future in planning and what experience I would bring to the table; what places have I experienced? I've tried to list them here—more as a personal reassurance that I might have something unique in experience and perspective to offer the field.

Encarnacion, Paraguay

Paraguayan Countryside

Coronel Oviedo, Paraguay

Asuncion, Paraguay

Saratoga Springs, NY

Albany, NY

Middle State, NY (Palmyra,
Canastota, Syracuse, Cortland)

Washington D.C.

Cleveland, OH

Annapolis, MD

Baltimore, MD

Minneapolis, MN

Marshall, MN

Majorca, Spain

Grevenbroich, Germany

Dusseldorf, Germany

Brno, Czech Republic

Blansko, Czech Republic

Vienna, Austria

Monterrey, Mexico

Sao Paulo, Brazil

San Antonio, TX

Newport, OR

Seaside, OR

Seattle, WA

Banff, Alberta

Fort Wayne, IN

Carlisle, PA

Harrisburg, PA

Gettysburg, PA

Atlanta, GA

Portland, OR

Bend, OR

Los Angeles, CA

Middle State, CA (Bakersfield,
Modesto, Fresno)

Pittsburg, PA

Kona, HI

Salt Lake City, UT

Logan, UT

Traveled across the US via train
from Albany to Spokane

Road Trip Highlight: The Delights of Baker City

I recently had the opportunity to drive with my children to southern Idaho, passing some of my favorite places. The joy was in the journey and we took respite from the continuous world of our automobile to enjoy the brisk winter delights of Baker City, Oregon—The (self-proclaimed) Premier Rural Living Experience in the Pacific Northwest.

Main Street - Baker City

I must begin with two caveats: I adore nearly every place and I am quite partial to Baker City. This small sojourn only cemented my adoration for one of the most, if not the most, attractive city forms of any small town in the Inland Northwest. Honestly, what other town of its size offers so much! The second stop in our trip, Baker City, for those not familiar, is a modest small town (pop. 9,439) located on I-84 on Oregon's northeastern region. Nestled up against the Blue and Wallowa Mountains, some of the most beautiful rolling highlands, Baker City was an important stop on the Oregon Trail.

Powder River, from a bridge on the Leo Adler Parkway

Baker City has obviously changed in 140 years, but some things endure. Our covered wagon was a mini-van and our trail was the interstate. While sadly I always seem to pass through Baker City during the winter, a more moderate temperature allowed my children and I to stop at Geiser Pollman Park to burn a few under-used calories. Baker City exhibits so many of the place principles, but foremost are accessibility and connectivity. Geiser Pollman Park has a museum on one side and connects on the other to Baker's delightful public library right along the Powder River running through town, stitched through by the Leo Adler Parkway which extends out on a quiet path one direction and parallel to Main Street on the other. Main Street is attractive, with beautiful architecture anchored by the Geiser Grand Hotel, City Hall and the impressive art deco Baker Tower.

Geiser Grand Hotel, a national
historic building and one of local pride

Baker Tower, what town under 10,000
has architecture like this?!

Moreover on this venture, I was able to engage some friendly locals, like "The Neighbor" Mike Morrissey (oxfarm@oregontrail.net), a handyman, proud life-long Baker City resident and true ambassador of his city. He explained many of the buildings on Main Street and let me know some of the developments planned, as well as further increased my appetite for more Baker City. I hope to plan a long weekend vacation there this summer; give it a try—savor Baker City, a different flavor of small town.