Chuck Wolfe suggests we all have the inspiration within us to envision how to remake our cities--from the conjecture of a Seattle restauranteur about Seattle's monorail to neighborhood examples of "we used this before, let's use it again".
As part of a continuing series in Crosscut, Wolfe uses the foil of New York's High Line linear park to explain the role of vestiges of times gone by, beginning with a recent lunchtime suggestion by Seattle restauranteur Tom Douglas.
Douglas's suggestion? Abandon and green Seattle's monorail tracks--in the spirit of the High Line-- and provide walkable restaurant destinations along the way.
Drawing from landscape essayist J.B. Jackson, as well as his own book, Wolfe references the role of leftover structures in cities, and how, according to Jackson, they inspire us "to restore the world around us to something like its former beauty."
He notes other urban rails-to-trails examples--former land uses and infrastructure that have become, intentionally or otherwise, "eerily similar" to what transit and walkability advocates call for today. In merging former rail lines and current bike and pedestrian paths, these examples "illustrate firsthand Jackson's reasons for championing accessible, nostalgic vestiges of an urban past".
Wolfe concludes:
As Jackson noted, "Ruins provide the incentive for restoration, and for a return to origins." So too, they inspire Tom Douglas, and maybe you, to find your own "High Line.” Which is often just next door.
FULL STORY: Urban Ruins: Does Seattle need a High Line?
New York's Unprecedented Park
Preconceptions and lofty goals surround New York's soon-to-open High Line park. But the unprecedented inner city rail line conversion leaves much up in the air, according to this piece from The Architect's Newspaper.
Toronto to Explore Potential High Line-Style Park
City staff will study options for transforming a defunct rail corridor into a linear park.
Does the Plan to Revitalize a D.C. Canal Too Much Resemble the High Line?
Controversy over a plan to revitalize the Chesapeake & Ohio (C&O) Canal in Washington, D.C. has some questioning whether the High Line in New York City is the best model for the adaptive reuse of public space.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Congressman Proposes Bill to Rename DC Metro “Trump Train”
The Make Autorail Great Again Act would withhold federal funding to the system until the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), rebrands as the Washington Metropolitan Authority for Greater Access (WMAGA).
The Simple Legislative Tool Transforming Vacant Downtowns
In California, Michigan and Georgia, an easy win is bringing dollars — and delight — back to city centers.
The States Losing Rural Delivery Rooms at an Alarming Pace
In some states, as few as 9% of rural hospitals still deliver babies. As a result, rising pre-term births, no adequate pre-term care and "harrowing" close calls are a growing reality.
The Small South Asian Republic Going all in on EVs
Thanks to one simple policy change less than five years ago, 65% of new cars in this Himalayan country are now electric.
DC Backpedals on Bike Lane Protection, Swaps Barriers for Paint
Citing aesthetic concerns, the city is removing the concrete barriers and flexposts that once separated Arizona Avenue cyclists from motor vehicles.
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.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)