Main Street as a Microcosm of the World

How can a three-day design workshop make a difference? Be a strong local partner able to convene community. Rob Steuteville at CNU Public Square shares lessons learned.

1 minute read

March 24, 2019, 11:00 AM PDT

By Hazel Borys


Main Street

Kenneth Sponsler / Shutterstock

"CNU partnered with a strong nonprofit, the Center for Neighborhoods, on a highly productive Legacy Project to restore and reimagine the future of Woodlawn Avenue, the commercial heart of the Beechmont neighborhood in Louisville, Kentucky."

“'In three days, we got to the point of fully focusing on implementation, all because of the local partners on the ground,' says Susan Henderson of PlaceMakers, LLC, who led the Legacy workshop. Based in Louisville, CFN has the trust of the merchants and the community—propelling the event with a clear vision based on public outreach, Henderson says."

"The plan from the design charrette was organized around six strong community goals: Develop inclusive identity, reuse historic buildings, encourage small-scale development, enhance connectivity, improve pedestrian safety, and support local business. Highlights of the plan included a creative solution for a deadly intersection, ideas for boosting the identity and capacity of the main street, opportunities for historical rehabilitation and new infill construction, and practical placemaking for new and renewed public spaces."

Steuteville shares some essentials on what made this little volunteer effort so effective, which may be particularly pertinent for this point in the economic cycle.

Thursday, March 21, 2019 in CNU Public Square

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 2, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

White and purple sign for Slow Street in San Francisco, California with people crossing crosswalk.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths

Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

July 1, 2025 - KQED

Google street view image of strip mall in suburban Duncanville, Texas.

Adaptive Reuse Will Create Housing in a Suburban Texas Strip Mall

A developer is reimagining a strip mall property as a mixed-use complex with housing and retail.

July 6 - Parking Reform Network

Blue tarps covering tents set up by unhoused people along chain link fence on concrete sidewalk.

Study: Anti-Homelessness Laws Don’t Work

Research shows that punitive measures that criminalized unhoused people don’t help reduce homelessness.

July 6 - Next City

Aerial tram moving along cable in hilly area in Medellin, Colombia.

In U.S., Urban Gondolas Face Uphill Battle

Cities in Latin America and Europe have embraced aerial transitways — AKA gondolas — as sustainable, convenient urban transport, especially in tricky geographies. American cities have yet to catch up.

July 6 - InTransition Magazine