Planner and author Jeff Speck pays a visit to Lowell, Massachusetts, and tells an audience to tear down their civic center. "If you don't tear it down now, it will become protected in 10 years," says Speck. "Tear it down now."
Speck also found a lot of promise in the city, ranging from the flocks of students that fill the streets each day to the series of historic canals.
"If you are looking to transform your city, the most obvious way to turn your historic canal network into an urban network," he said, suggesting that the city try to purchase the canals from the various entities that own them and use them as a centerpiece of the downtown the way they are used on the Riverwalk in San Antonio, Texas or in Providence, R.I."
FULL STORY: TIME TO LIVEN UP, LOWELL: Urban planner shares brainstorm for a vibrant downtown
Building on Strengths
In Lowell, Massachusetts, planner Jeff Speck painted a picture for locals of a transformed city that capitalizes on the strengths of the city to move forward with a greater vision.
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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.
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Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont