Plugging into Planning: Baltimore and New Orleans

I am enjoying the last day of my Independent Activities Period (IAP) – the period after winter break in which all students at MIT can take one of many non-credit or for-credit course offerings at MIT, set up a winter externship, or just do nothing.  This amounts to six weeks of bliss!

3 minute read

February 1, 2009, 1:32 PM PST

By Tamika Camille Gauvin


I am enjoying the last day of my Independent Activities Period (IAP) – the period after winter break in which all students at MIT can take one of many non-credit or for-credit course offerings at MIT, set up a winter externship, or just do nothing.  This amounts to six weeks of bliss!  At the end of such a blissful period I can only think of the words of my mother who would sum up the end of such bliss with the words "my free paper has burned" – but I digress.  During winter break and IAP I had the opportunity to plug into planning outside of the ivory tower.  It was exciting to engage with players involved in development organizations and initiatives that could have significant impact at the neighborhood and city levels in Baltimore and New Orleans.

 

In Baltimore, I met with an architect whose firm has contributed to many projects in Baltimore and an alum from the MIT Master of City Planning program.  I also attended a planning commission public meeting.  Through these activities, I gained some insight into Baltimore's accomplishments, opportunities, and challenges.  Baltimore released its master plan –Live, Earn, Play, Learn – in November 2006.  As its title suggests, the plan is addresses the elements that usually impact every citizen's life in a significant way and the elements that are usually crucial indicators of a city's vitality.  Baltimore has an opportunity to attract new residents because of its proximity to Washington, D.C, among other benefits.  Baltimore, however, is challenged by its high crime rate and taxes, and its troubled public school system.  As a Baltimore resident and budding planner, I will keep my eye on how the city addresses such issues.  

 

Moving from Charm City to Crescent City, New Orleans came onto my radar in the fall semester when I pre-registered for the Revitalizing Urban Main Streets spring course.  This class is what we call a practicum – a project (required to graduate) in which students actually work with a client to "synthesize planning solutions" – that is from the MIT DUSP website.  So basically, we get to roll up our sleeves and use planning tools within a real client-based project.  The class works with Main Street Programs to create a plan to revitalize Main Street Districts through a combination of economic development and urban design. As part of the class, thirteen of my classmates and I, two instructors and a teaching assistant traveled to New Orleans last week to meet the manager of our host Main Street program and tosurvey and document through observation and interviews.  All of the work we did – which was no small feat – culminated in a presentation to the Main Street manager and stakeholders on our last day in New Orleans.  The commercial district that we will focus on during the semester shows signs of commercial life that can be harnessed into greater vibrancy if all stakeholders and resources are included and incorporated into the planning process.  There is a significant need for this commercial district to be revived.  In our interviews, we repeatedly heard that the community needs a supermarket and other basic services.  I will enjoy this class not only because it provides me the opportunity to strengthen my planning and urban design skills, but also because the work my classmates and I will do could possibly provide a guide for this community to obtain some of the basic services that we all take for granted.

 

Tomorrow, I will sign up for more courses than I can actually handle so I can shop around and determine my course line up for spring semester.  Theory of CityForm?  Urban Design Policy Action?  Responsive Cities?  These are just three of the seven courses that I will register for and it will be very hard to narrow down to thefinal four or five.  So, what is a girl to do?


Tamika Camille Gauvin

Tamika Camille Gauvin is a candidate for the Master of City Planning from the Department of Urban Studies and Planning at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Tamika holds a B.A. in Economics from the University of Chicago and worked in Information Technology Training at Morgan Stanley. She is making a career change into urban planning where she is interested in doing work related to maintaining and promoting affordable housing in urban revitalizations.

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

Get top-rated, practical training

Close-up of "Apartment for rent" sign in red text on black background in front of blurred building

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program

Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

April 21, 2025 - Housing Wire

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.

April 23, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Ken Jennings stands in front of Snohomish County Community Transit bus.

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series

The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

April 20, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

Yellow electric school bus with preteen students exiting.

California Invests Additional $5M in Electric School Buses

The state wants to electrify all of its school bus fleets by 2035.

3 hours ago - Associated Press

City Hall building in Austin, Texas.

Austin Launches $2M Homelessness Prevention Fund

A new grant program from the city’s Homeless Strategy Office will fund rental assistance and supportive services.

4 hours ago - Spectrum Local News

Brick school building with mid-sized tree on front lawn.

Alabama School Forestry Initiative Brings Trees to Schoolyards

Trees can improve physical and mental health for students and commnity members.

5 hours ago - Governing

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.

Write for Planetizen