Category Archives: New York City

Atlanta, Book Club, Cities, Cityreads, Cleveland, DC, Detroit, Greensboro, New York City, Rail

Placebook: A Few Good Books

This boat gets it right, at least for what's outside my window. Image Credit: Flickr user ChoudHound under Creative Commons.
This boat gets it right, at least for what’s outside my window. Image Credit: Flickr user ChoudHound under Creative Commons.

As the rain trickles down and the fog forms on another Greensboro day, I realized that yesterday I forgot a major shoutout. My friend Dr. Rodney Harrell, who is a senior policy analyst at AARP was quoted in that Washington Post story about rising condo association fees. Thankfully, he’s dug a bit deeper with his analysis at his own site. Be sure to subscribe to him as well, always good insights and keep up with AARP’s policy arm, especially if you are of a certain age.

A couple other nods are in order too. First, for Aaron Renn. Renn was one of the first city bloggers and continues to show why he’s one of the best. Here, he presents a solid analysis on why states should consider their metro areas in their economic development strategies. Governing also has thoughts on how cities can use institutions as drivers of economic development. Oh and Aaron’s snuck a book out on us.

Speaking of books, Kaid Benfield, another titan of city blogging (and Asheville native) has dropped his new book, People Habitat. People Habitat is more than just a new way of referring to the built and un built environment, its bringing our discipline back down to common sense. Catch a teaser here and be sure to purchase the book, namely at an independent bookstore.

And please, stay dry, and read more links:

If you are in Greensboro, take the recycling survey; Winston-Salem, consider entering this year’s small business contest.

When a streetcar is for and not for transit.

On the rails today: What it’s like to be an Amtrak conductor; Amtrak is coming back to Roanoke,VA by 2017 and automated operations are on their way back to the DC Metro.

My friends at Placemakers present a Q&A that tells you all you need to know about boutique hotels and how they fit into a new urban environment. Another good Q&A comes from the New York Times and its Ask Real Estate column.

Detroit’s all ready for its annual auto show(and hoping that it can save some morale), it’s art museum is getting at least 300 million dollars to stay afloat.

Proof that sometimes things on the African continent work just like things here at home, what happens when some factories leave and others stay in Webuye, Kenya.

Not enough bikes in Texas and books at this NYC public school.

More mixed-use development is coming to Atlanta, this time at an old railyard.

It’s truly the best and the worst of times in this tale of two Midwestern cities, both sharing a port and at odds with politics.

And finally, let’s do what we can to prevent street harassment and manage change better in cities.

Cities, Cityreads, DC, Greensboro, Links, New York City, Rail, Transportation, Uncategorized

Placebook: Shelter Please, Because It’s Too Cold for the Polar Bears Too

Batman and well, nanas waiting at a bus stop. H/T to one of my Facebook friends for posting a version of this image.

Good Wednesday morning folks. For those of you in Greensboro, I’m looking forward to seeing you at either Nancy Hoffmann‘s office hours at Scuppermong Books or at SynerG on Tap at Natty Greene’s. Office hours start at 6 and the happy hour starts at 5:30.

In addition, before I get into the rest of the news links, I want to commend the efforts of our mayor, our shelters, the churches, the GPD and others who have worked diligently to make sure no one has to sleep in  a home with no heat or on the streets on these frigid nights. Here’s a Time Warner Cable News video about efforts at the Interactive Resource Center specifically to keep people warm.

I also want to congratulate our outgoing city manager Denise Turner-Roth, appointed by President Obama as the deputy administrator of the General Services Administration, which is responsible for all maintenance of federal buildings,  preservation of historic properties and government purchasing. I only wish I’d gotten to know Denise better during her time here in the city and greatly admired her work as assistant, acting, and full city manager for the City of Greensboro. I wish her well and will miss her. I also hope the city finds someone just as skilled and worthy to keep us moving in the right direction. The city council at their meeting last evening appointed Assistant City Manager Jim Westmoreland as acting city manager, effective February 1.

Final shoutout of the morning goes to my friend Tony Reames for co-authoring his first journal article :
Social Capital and Longitudinal Change in Sustainability Plans and Policies: U.S. Cities from 2000 to 2010

And with that, here’s the rest of the news I think is fit to read this morning:

Everything else that happened at the Greensboro City Council meeting last night.

As I mentioned in the title, it’s too cold for the polar bear at the Chicago Zoo.

Portland allowed homes just outside their growth boundary, but failed to provide necessary public services to said homes.

People in the East Village of Manhattan are trying to keep a beloved newsstand alive, despite pressure from gentrification and higher fees that may push the operator out of business.

The public transit tax cut hurts all commuters. 

The New York MetroCard is 20. 

Londoners have nicknamed their new skyscrapers after foods, kitchen tools and a stealth bomber.
Mayor DeBlasio had an open house and this is what it was like. He is also called upon to continue the growth of Silicon Alley, which although smaller, is more diverse in terms of people and locations throughout the region.
Troubles continue with the California high-speed train.

A new study highlights how urban poor, namely black poor often inherit their poverty and the feeling of being stuck in place. In Vancouver, the feeling that mixed neighborhoods cause more trouble than their worth.

Jay-Z at his show  in Greensboro on Sunday night gave a 12-year-old a chance to spit some bars.
And finally, be a part of a new storefront art installation, run by the Open Arts Society in Downtown Greensboro.
Book Club, Cities, DC, Durham, Greensboro, Links, Minneapolis-St. Paul, New York City, Wishes

Placebook: Wishes for 2014

Window at Scuppernong Books, January 5, 2014.
Window at Scuppernong Books, January 5, 2014.Photo Credit: Kristen Jeffers

Good Monday morning everyone! I hope you had the weekend you needed to have. I hope that weekend includes not being frozen. I spent my weekend mostly at home, but I got out and introduced a friend to Scuppernong Books. Scuppernong has inspired one of my wishes for 2014 for great places, which are here.

Once you are through with my wishes and are all thawed out, check out a few more things that are worth reading:

Even though he didn’t make every Metro station,  I commend the effort of the Metro Nomad, Stephen Ander. His original plan is here and you can click on Metro Nomad to find out how he actually did.

San Francisco and Minneapolis-St. Paul are booming and their surrounding communities are adjusting.

Cleveland meanwhile has adopted a more economically and ethnically diverse way of attracting new people to the area.

This infographic explains the American bike share movement in the past 4-5 years.

Michael Sorkin in Architectural Record writes a letter to Mayor DeBlasio,  calling for planning to become more grassroots and equitable in New York with a nod to other cities to do the same.

A lot of these top-10 suburbs are really just small towns adjacent to big cities. Two of them are right outside of Charlotte.

Meanwhile, right here in Greensboro, we could be at the forefront of shaping the next phase of federal health policy.

Could this building be the start of a warehouse district on South Elm? Meanwhile, the warehouse districts of Durham sit in the shadow of the poverty that is still there and  getting worse.

Former Governor Jim Hunt in Sunday’s News and Observer asks state leaders to raise teaching salaries to national levels and outlines ways that could happen in four years.

And finally, need to start a yard garden? There are Legos for that.

 

Alexandria, Arts Districts, Atlanta, Cities, Cleveland, downtown, Durham, Greensboro, Jobs, Links, miami, New York City, Pittsburgh, Raleigh, Retail, Transportation

Placebook: Snow, Maybe?

Good Friday morning folks! Some of you are snowed in. Some of you are just cold. Count me in the cold bunch. If you want a good laugh, take a look at my account of what happens when we actually do get snow down South.

Greensboro Skyline covered in snow, January 19, 2013. Photo Credit: Kristen Jeffers
Greensboro Skyline covered in snow, January 19, 2013. Photo Credit: Kristen Jeffers

Whatever is going on outside, be safe, have fun and check out the articles below:

Harlem is on the one hand the home of the graffiti hall of fame and  the other a hotbed of gentrification.

Meanwhile, Los Angeles continues its march towards more transit, more parks and civic engagement.

Speaking of civic engagement, with the performing arts center funded, Greensboro leaders are moving towards deciding who’s going to operate it. Oh, and mark your calendars for all the known street festivals in Greensboro this year.

A sign in Miami tells pedestrians to thank drivers for not hitting them.

Terry Kerns(@terrykerns) documents significant demolitions in Atlanta, some nice, some ugly.

Jim Russell(@burghdiaspora) hasn’t slammed suburbia as much as he’s encouraged and documented the need for people to #makeyourcity and how young people are doing just that.

Kaid Benfield(@Kaid_at_NRDC)came back and elaborated on his comments on traditional downtowns, highlighting the generational gap in views on revitalization. I left a comment, stating the need for us to remain centralized, even if that means being polycentric. Also notable is the danger of having your content syndicated without its proper headline.

I don’t think manufacturing job losses are the reason Big 10 college football teams aren’t having the best seasons right now.

And finally, help this Alexandria, VA woman #FindBen, if he wants to be found. When Cragslist’s missed connections goes artisanal. http://dcist.com/2014/01/find_ben_alexandria_posters.php

That’s it for links this week. Be sure to look out for my 2014 Wishes for Good Places tomorrow just in time for brunch on the East Coast.

Bicycling, Cities, Cleveland, Housing, Links, New York City, Philadelphia, Rural, Transportation

Placebook: Where Veggies Come From

Happy Thursday! Yesterday I ate the traditional collard greens and black eyed peas at my grandmother’s with my mom, some uncles, and my cousins. My grandmother’s house sits on a few acres of land out in the country, not far from Greensboro. It’s no longer an active farm and it was never a big time deal, but when I was younger, my grandparents grew several rows of strawberries,corn, tomatoes and yellow squash, along with a patch of mixed greens. I used to hate going out there, especially in these summer due to the bugs, but now, I really appreciate what it means to know the true origins of certain vegetables. An adjacent farm has cows and horses and mules, along with this lovely pond, which you can sort of see below.

Out at my grandparents. The fields were behind the white house and so are the adjacent field with the pond. The main house is on the left. (Photo credit: Kristen Jeffers).
Out at my grandparents. Their  fields were behind the white house and so are the adjacent fields with the pond. The main house is on the left. (Photo credit: Kristen Jeffers).

This land and the land of others in the family is part of the reason I love the urban environment so much and want very much for both rural and urban (and really good in-between areas) to keep their character. Enough about that, here’s some links for your Thursday:

One of the best commentaries I’ve seen yet of what’s to come for NYC. Also, this one from my good friend Sarah Goodyear(@buttermilk1) She also wrote this cool article on the second lives of a suburban staple, the Pizza Hut.

The Overhead Wire (@theoverheadwire) spotlights some great street signs that have bikes printed where the bikes would need to turn to follow the official paths set by the town of Lafayette, CA.

Fireworks over several significant skylines to bring in the New Year.

What’s the best thing your city has done this year? Leaders in a handful of major cities share.

Philadelphia gets serious about developing a land bank.

Mayor Bloomburg took the subway home on his last day as mayor. He, along with the rest of NYC, can no longer take a horse-drawn carriage ride like in the movies.

Older renters will drive demand for apartments in the next decade according to this report.

And finally, urbanism (and the whole civic environment), is black and white in Cleveland. Shout out to Richey Piiparinen (@richeypipes), who through Belt Magazine and his own blog tell it like it truly is in Cleveland and through out the Midwest/Rust Belt region.

Also, please suggest ideas for this list by tagging them #tbuplacebook. The goal is for this to happen every weekday, including some holidays, depending on how they fall and how I feel. Thanks for reading!

Book Club, Chicago, Cities, creative class, DC, Education, Government, Greensboro, Links, New York City, Rail, Retail, Transportation

Placebook: Harvest of Our Future

 

Via Tumblr, commentary on the reduced federal transit subsidy and increased highway spending.

Happy New Year to all of you! I was looking forward to sharing a bit of news this morning, but it leaked. However, I will take this opportunity to thank my family, my friends and those of you who’ve stuck by this very page from the beginning, back when it was a side piece of my personal twitter and blog accounts, boosted by a class project. All of you who expressed congratulations on Facebook and wished me a Happy New Year and shared tweets and statuses I am deeply grateful. I know this isn’t Thanksgiving, but I was on hiatus on Thanksgiving, so here is my gratitude.

My goal is that 2014 is a better year for me, not just as a placemaker (which apparently is one of many cliché terms now in our sector), but as a writer, an advocate, a seamstress, a daughter, a sister, a niece and a friend.

So that news? I am the first winner of YES! Weekly‘s Essay Contest with my entry, The Harvest of Our Future. YES! Weekly is one of our two local alt weekly newspapers,  and my favorite of the bunch. Jordan, Eric and several others of the staff have long been colleagues and friends in making this a better city, one page at a time and I thank them again for this honor.

Now, before we look at the pretty Rose Parade floats, some other news:

Arts Districts, Cities, Education, Greensboro, Homelessness, Housing, Links, New York City

Placebook: Housing Standards, Art Coming Back to NYC and Economies of Fear

Good morning folks!

I want to thank everyone again for the support, the shares and the opportunities of 2013. I wish you the best and look forward to us sharing more in 2014 . Look out for my 2014 wishes for good places this weekend and a very special surprise in this space tomorrow morning.

Thanks to those of you who are sharing links using #placebook and #makeyourcity; keep sharing and I’ll include a few here.

And now today’s links.

  • People complain about The New York Times being completely out of focus with the rest of the world, but Paul Krugman is one of those who proves that wrong.  Here he talks about the fear economy, one I know all too well, as quitting is never an option for the middle class and below, even with a savings.
  • Gene Nicol in the [Raleigh] The News and Observer breaks down poverty in North Carolina. Yes, it’s bad.
  • Despite the economic crunch, some artists, are still making it in New York City. How the mayor-elect has supported these small  galleries and lesser-known producers in the past.
  • Finally, if you have a beat down house in Greensboro, either give it up or get it fixed up. Code enforcements are starting again.
  • Michael Benami Doyle (@chicagocarless) on how LA (and cities that have a similar relationship with their bus systems), can do better with their buses.

See you in 2014!

Greensboro, Links, New York City, Rail, Retail, Transportation

Placebook: The Make Your City Edition

Hope everyone has enjoyed the holiday season! My goal is to spend a  little more time on this page (and with you) for 2014 and figured it would be better for me to start this resolution in 2013. Part of that is bringing out a daily(or roughly daily), round-up of things I’ve been pinning, ‘framing, tweeting and Facebooking.

I also want to encourage folks to start a new hashtag trend, #makeyourcity. My return post discusses some of the things I’m doing to make Greensboro better, in lieu of always feeling like nothing ever works here. Since I posted that on Saturday, I’ve seen several other articles encouraging people to leave other expensive areas, especially if one is in the creative class. Of course that turns the theory on it’s head. I’ll be tweeting out some articles under that hashtag as well and hope to get some conversation started about what it means to be creative class or even tech entrepreneur class, in a small city.

Also, if you see articles, photos, meme quotes or whatever that you want me to pay attention to, please hash those #tbuplacebook or simply #placebook. You can also tag @blackurbanist on Instagram and Twitter, Kristen Jeffers or @The Black Urbanist on Facebook.

Now some bonus links:

  • After years of battling, Miles Davis’s contributions to placemaking are remembered by naming the area of the street where he used to greet and socialize with his neighbors after him.
  • You’d never know it, but Norfolk Southern has a huge presence in Greensboro and it’s well up the alley of those who want us to be a logistics powerhouse.
  • Trader Joes is coming to Greensboro, once again, not without a major fight. New developers, smaller, but same site, more buffers this time though.
  • Belk Home Store expansion at Friendly Center is progressing quite fast. It’s also quite large. Then again, there’s nothing like the High Point showrooms or even Rooms-to-Go at Friendly Center,  so this may prove me wrong and the market research folks right.

Have a great day and I’ll see you around!

Book Club, Cities, Civic Inferiority Complex, Family and Place, Greensboro, New York City, Raleigh

Make Your City

Kristen on Swing

 

This weekend marks five adult years of residence in my hometown of Greensboro, NC. To say that I moved back here kicking and screaming is an understatement. To say that staying here is what I imagined myself doing at this point in time is also inaccurate.

However, the one thing we all have to learn in our youth is that where we live is what we make of it. We also learn that the big cities can’t shield us from the changes of life. In fact, according to Salon and the Pacific Standard, if you move to one, you may never move again. Not good for a person who loves to travel like myself.

I recently fell upon Justin Alvarez’s account of studying abroad and staying at college in New York to avoid family in Chicago. I used to have similar feelings. Even though I did undergrad just 90 miles away and masters degree while at home, I did all I could at times to not be engaged or active with various family members.  I’m not sure Alvarez learned fully the impact of missing family things, even with the revelation that his grandfather held on to life just for him.  Thankfully, I was around for my father’s passing, but missed some times with my grandfather and some aunts that passed. My mom is retiring, and I’m thankful that I’m only 10 minutes away and that I’m finally taking up sewing, one of her beloved hobbies. Check out my first garment below(it’s the skirt).

Me in my skirt that I made

The point of the above is first and foremost, that family does matter. If they are halfway decent people, then make an effort to be a part of their lives. I don’t know what I would do without my mom, my aunts and uncles, and my sibling-cousins. The family village is alive and well here in Greensboro and I cherish being close enough to take advantage of that.

Moving on to the feeling of ambition and the wanderlust that moving to bigger cities creates and feeds, Goodbye to All That , both the original essay and the new compilation of essays,  all speak to the need to move on from New York and how it’s not the holy grail.  As I begin my 28th year, much like Didon herself when she left New York, I am seeing the merits of a life well lived in a small city. This line is the real kicker:

Of course it might have been some other city, had circumstances been different and the time been different and had I been different, might have been Paris or Chicago or even San Francisco, but because I am talking about myself I am talking here about New York.

And since I am talking about myself, then, I’m talking about my choice, both active and inactive, to remain in my hometown, the small city, the car-dependent, the less diverse, but still full of fun and surprises and family. I had remind myself of words I wrote in the early days of this space, to check my civic inferiority complex. To appreciate the beauty of all places.

The other link also mentions the need to care for everyone in all cities. For some of us, the best way we can do that is to stay in our hometowns and contribute to the civic environment. To not go into debt to prove something, but to save money and be something.

To make YOUR city and no one else’s. So let’s just call it home.