Tag Archives: creative class

11 Blogs for Urbanists

These 11 blogs will help you keep on top of news and views about various aspects of urbanism and city life in 2011.

  • 2402313877 ff3e603e32 m 11 Blogs for Urbanists

    By jakobinac (Jakov Vilović) on Flickr

    Planetizen.com: An urban planning news website, featuring articles, op-eds, jobs, courses and information for the urban planning, design and development. (@Planetizen)

  • PriceTags: Gordon Price is a former Vancouver city councillor and the Director of the City Program at Simon Fraser University. His blog gives readers an insider’s perspective of urban issues. While it with a focus on Vancouver, he cover topics of interest to anybody interested in urbanism.
  • Urbanophile: Aaron M. Renn’s blog focusing on helping America’s cities thrive and find success in the 21st century. He offers unique perspectives and innovative strategies for cities and their residents. (@Urbanophile)
  • Rebuilding Place in the Urban Space: Richard Layman blog on placemaking, historic preservation and urban design. His emphasis in on Washington, DC but his posts contain useful “lessons for all cities.
  • All About Cities: This blog by Wendy Waters explores the economy, society, communities, people, businesses, organizations, infrastructure, civil society and government of cities—and the tensions and connections between them. I have a natural affinity for Wendy and her writing as she has lived in both Arizona and British Columbia ☺(@Wendy_Waters)
  • CEO for Cities: A civic laboratory of today’s urban leaders catalyzing a movement to advance the next generation of great American cities. Posts by Carol Colletta (@CColetta) and Julia Klaiber (@JuliaKlaiber).
  • Creative Class Exchange: Richard Florida and his Creative Class team write about urbanism, economic competitiveness, demographic trends, and cultural and technological innovation. (@Richard_Florida)
  • Walkable DFW: The ‘thought laboratory’ of Patrick Kennedy, a professional urban planner and designer based in Dallas. The blog explores how bionomics relate to self-organizing, emergent urbanism. (@WalkableDFW)
  • PSFK: “The go-to source for new ideas for creative business.” While urbanism isn’t this blogs major focus, it regularly touches on several issues related to cities. (@PSFK)
  • Next American City: A national magazine created for and by a new generation of urban thinkers and leaders. Their Buzz blog features constantly good content on all aspects of urbanism. (@NextAmCity)
  • The City Fix: A global blog and social network devoted to news, advocacy and “best practice” solutions for sustainable cities around the world. (@TheCityFix)

Do you read any of these blogs? What do you think?

Did I miss one of your favorites? Let me know.

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Rethinking the Ramada: A Modest Proposal

Last week I wrote a post criticizing ASU’s and the City of Phoenix’s decision to replace the landmark Sahara Motor Inn (aka Ramada Inn) with a parking lot. In addition to the other blog posts that I previous mentioned (and a subsequent new post), this short-sighted decision was the topic of discussion at last Saturday’s Downtown Voices Coalition meeting. This discussion led to a letter from Steve Weiss to the Mayor, City Council, ASU, City Staff, ASU Staff and the citizens of Phoenix. Additionally the AZ Republic has caught wind of the opposition.

Rethinking the Ramada: A Modest Proposal

The Sahara Motor Inn in it’s prime.

After having some time to think about it, I cam to the conclusion that the best defense of the building is a good offense. Instead of simply objecting to the proposed demolition, I have come up with a proposed alternative that speaks to the state mission of goals of both ASU and the City of Phoenix.

Rather than thinking of the Sahara/Ramada as a dilapidated hotel, why not think in more dynamic terms? With a little bit of patience and creative thinking, the hotel could be a space that fosters the ideas of tomorrow as an incubator for social innovators and local enterprises. This would be a concrete manifestation of ASU’s commitment to social embeddedness and the City of Phoenix’s commitment to a livelier, more integrated and sustainable downtown.

Such a social incubator could include the following uses:

Work.

The various hotel rooms could easily be transformed into work spaces for social entrepreneurs to develop new companies and community organizations. They could be offered on various lease terms, including yearly, monthly weekly or even hourly, depending on the needs of the entrepreneurs.

The spaces could target ASU students, alumni and downtown community members, whether they be freelancers, visitors, part-time activists or full-time innovators. These space would be rented at low rates; just enough to cover the cost of utilities and other basic operating costs, such as wifi, security, cleaning and shared office equipment. They could also be sponsored by local foundations and through donations from business and corporate entities.

Meet.

The larger spaces in the hotel could transformed into a variety of meeting and event spaces for the social entrepreneurs mentioned above, as well as ASU and the downtown community. These spaces would allow these social creatives to learn, connect and create in a dynamic shared environment.

They could host events ranging from non-profit board meetings to alumni book launches as well as a variety of networking and media events. Again, these spaces could be rented to covered basic operating costs or supported through sponsorship opportunities.

Connect.

Perhaps most importantly, the biggest spaces such as the old restaurant could be used as a ‘creative community center.’ It could offer a range of planned activities from open dialogue debates and capacity-building workshops. The space would allow creative people to ‘plug-in to the larger community and connect, converse, learn and create.

One model for this connecting space is PieLab, an innovative community space in Greensboro, Alabama that provides pie and coffee, as well as retail and hospitality job training for local youth. Thus as well as being a coffee shop, it operates ‘as a community design center’ focusing on community development projects and small business incubation.

Recreate.

The pool area could be used as a space for tenants and community members to unwind and socialize. It could also be rented to community groups for events or even used as an outdoor all ages nightclub for ASU students and local youth, generating money for maintenance and operations. a cafe or restraint could be attached to it, perhaps connected to a ‘PieLab’ type kitchen facility.

This is not simply a ‘pie’ in the sky idea.  It is based on a very real and successful enterprise in another city. For more information on a similar model of community innovation, check out the Center for Social Innovation in Toronto, Canada.

This is a single concept that I have come up with on my own and with minimal research. Surely with a bit of effort, the combined minds of ASU, city staff and the community, we can come up with something even more creative and fitting for downtown Phoenix.

At the very least, we can come up with something more worthy than a parking lots and a vague promise of a ASU building in the not so foreseeable future.

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Rethinking the Ramada: A Modest Proposal
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A Call to Action

Community A Call to ActionYesterday I wrote about some of the strengths that Phoenix has, and how they are building blocks for creating a great city. However, too many of us still look to the politicians, developers and civic organizations to arrange these building blocks and create new ones. The trouble is they keep squandering this responsibility by chasing after the next big block, instead of finding ways to pull together what we already have. Put another way, we have allowed city-building to become so problematic, so institutionalized that it has lost all but the most rudimentary citizen input.

Part of this is our own problem. We have sat back and watched the real estate industrial complex and kookocracy take over our city. We are satisfied with the odd positive outcome and accepted their empty platitudes. Sure a few people have complained from the sidelines, a few more have attempted to get involved, and fewer still have been able to affect some positive change.  This makes the rest of us victims.  As Derek Neighbors has said “the biggest faux pas that creative class has made in downtown Phoenix is not getting involved in the right organizations and making an impact.”

If enough people do not care to do more than whine among themselves; if enough people don’t have the passion to get involved, then there isn’t a platform for positive change to build on. Sure we can stand around and hope that Kimber will enter the Mayor’s race, but without a critical mass of ACTIVE supporters there isn’t much she can do, even as mayor. We all need to prove to our civic leaders that there is a market, not only for denser downtown, but a vibrant downtown created by community involvement. We need to give them with not only good ideas, but also the confidence to enact them.

The decisions made today were conceived months–if not years–ago. They weren’t pulled out of thin air; they were built and negotiated by city staff, developers, and business groups. Some of them may have been referred to a committee for consideration. By the time they reach the public, it is too late to do much more than smooth a few rough edges. If we want to affect sustained change, we need to have impact earlier in the decision-making process.

Quite simply we need to GET INVOLVED. Instead of simply complaining, find an organization you would like to see changed (or influence change) and start attending their meetings. Try to get on their board od directors. At the city level, there are dozens of citizen based boards and committees, many with vacancies (I have listed several vacancies with the City of Phoenix in another post). Find one and apply to be on it. In the meantime, start attending your council district, neighborhood association, and/or HOA meetings and learn about what is going on and who the key influencers are.

Be warned that this won’t change things overnight. Those with the power wont hand it over because you attend a meeting or two. Real change takes perseverance and patience. The developers have it. This is why they are so often on the winning side. If we want to balance the tables, we need to have it as well. If we love our city, then a little effort put into making it better is a small price to pay. If enough of us get involved in a concerted way, I guarantee that real change WILL occur.

A Call to Action
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Friday 5: What I've been reading over the past week

Here’s this week’s selection of the best articles I’ve read over the past seven days.

  • Mixier Use. Nate Berg of Planetizen looks at mixed-use projects and decides that they could be even ‘mixier.”  He concludes that limiting our developments to a mix of two or three uses may not enough to create more active places.
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Friday 5: What I've been reading over the past week
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Friday 5: What I’ve found interesting during the past week

Five of the best articles and blog posts I’ve read over the past week.

  • Curing Sprawlitis. How to fix fixing 50 years of urban sprawl. Provided a good overview of the policies that led us to our current situation, and recommendations only how to return to a more rational urban form. While the recommendations are directed at Lansing, MI, they will help to ‘cure’ any sprawling metropolis, including Phoenix.
    brussels downtownsquare2 Friday 5: What I’ve found interesting during the past week

    Retail Districts for Creatives. Image from Cooltown Studios.

  • The Opposite May Be True. A short, but intriguing video of ‘opposites’ and how much cultural assumptions guide our underdatnding of the world, even though the opposite may also be just as true.
  • Retail district types for creatives. An interesting discussion on the differing retail preferences of the ‘creative class’.  Summary: more corner stores and neighborhood centers and less big boxes and regional centers (aka malls)
  • What’s wrong with Dubai? An investigation into the design flaws that are plaguing Dubai. The key take away (that is also applicable to Phoenix): “All that Arab culture learned in a thousand years about adapting cities to great heat—high-ceilinged buildings along narrow streets which provide shade and short distances to walk outside—have been forgotten or ignored.”
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It's Christmas for Creatives: TEDxPhoenix is Tonight!

Tonight is my Christmas. It’s a night I’ve been waiting for a long time. That special day when a red and white icon enters your life and leaves you with gifts beyond your imagination. Yes, I know that Christmas is almost two months away (although judging by the number of displays in the big box stores already you’d think it is a lot sooner). The icon in red and white I’m excited about is not Santa Claus, but rather TED logo and the gifts are amazing ideas that will be shared at tonight’s TEDxPhoenix.

ted logo It's Christmas for Creatives: TEDxPhoenix is Tonight!

TED stands for Technology, Education and Design. It is an non-profit organization dedicated to “Ideas Work Spreading”  Starting in 1984, they have held high-profile annual conferences in Long Beach California and Oxford, UK, each year, as well as a new TED India conference that is occurring now in Mysore, India.  At these event,  some of the best and brightest in their fields gather to share their ideas and spread their passions.  For those of us not able to attend the events in person, TED has a great website where you can watch the  best of talks and performances from these (and other) events.

A more recent addition to they TED repertoire are the TEDx community events. TEDx enables local communities organizations such as schools, businesses, libraries, neighborhoods or just groups of friends to organize, design and host their own independent, TED-like events. Ever since I heard about the TEDx concept, I have dreamed that it would come to Phoenix. Well my dreams are answered.  TEDxPhoenix is happening TONIGHT at 6 pm in the Ikeda Theater at the Mesa Center for the Arts.

I can’t wait to attend. TEDxPhoenix represents a “dream team” of 6 of Arizona’s leading thinkers and doers brought together to “inspire, enlighten, and entertain via ideas worth spreading.” In 18 minutes, each speaker will give the talk of their lifetime as they share their newest and most unique ideas in plain English. Local organizer, Tomas Carrillo has described TEDxPhoenix as a “Cirque du Soleil for the mind,” One presentation I‚Äôm especially looking forward to, given my interest in community gardens, is Urban Farm founder and sustainability guru, Greg Peterson. A full list of speakers can be found here or here.

But the main reason I‚Äôm looking forward to tonight is not the presentations (afterall, anyone can watch TED talks online), but a rather the opportunity to hang out with the creative, innovative and community oriented people who TED attracts. It is events like this that illustrate that Phoenix is more than strip malls and golf courses. Indeed Phoenix is becoming know as an “opportunity oasis‚” a city that encourages people to follow their passions and create. As a result the city has some amazing talent. Alas, given the sprawling geography, it is sometimes hard to connect with each other. Events like TEDxPhoenix help overcome this geography.

Moreover, as an acquaintance of mine, Pamela Slim wrote in her Escape from Cubicle Nation blog: “When you come to a place where people are sharing good ideas, you will ask yourself‚ ‘what good ideas do I have to share?’” This has been my experience.

4077072542 b71502cc72 b It's Christmas for Creatives: TEDxPhoenix is Tonight!

It was through watching hundreds of TED talks online, as well as hanging out with passionate creative people at events such as Social Media Club that I got the idea and courage to submit an idea to Ignite Phoenix. Watching people share their passions to a receptive audience inspired me to do the same. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I had the opportunity to share my passions for urban space and social media earlier this week at Ignite Phoenix 5.

At this time, I believe there are still a few tickets left for tonight’s event.  If you are inquisitive at all, or want to connect with passionate, enterprise people, I suggest you go buy tickets now and come out to tonight’s event. (Don’t worry, the First Friday festivities will still be going strong after the event is over!)

If you are still unsure, you can check out the TEDxPhoenix Beginners Guide, or better yet, watch a few of my favorite TED talks to get an idea of what is in store for you this evening:

Sir Ken Robinson says schools kill creativity

Bill Strickland makes change with a slide show

Hans Rosling: Let my dataset change your mindset

Hope to see you there!

The Mesa Arts Center is located at One East Main Street Mesa, AZ 85201 (Google map).  Tickets are $5

It's Christmas for Creatives: TEDxPhoenix is Tonight!
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