Can the community of Long Beach, California use examples from much larger places like San Francisco and East Village to reclaim its extensive public alleys?
Writer Jesus Hernandez explores the alleys in the Southern California coastal city of Long Beach, and considers how the city's alleys might have more than a utilitarian function:
"...Alleys make up a significant portion of Long Beach's public right-of-way space, and there is value in viewing them as more than a home for forgotten mattresses and rusted clunker cars. With some foresight and investment, they can become living lanes, lush with landscaping and filled with art, extensions of bike and pedestrian networks as well as the city's public parks. It might take some vision to scratch away initial layers of grime, but we can find examples across California and beyond from which to draw inspiration."
Thanks to Brian Ulaszewski
Read the full story: A Better Alley
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City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS)
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
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