Wednesday, March 25, 2015

How urban designer Ken Greenberg's neighbourhood made succesful transition from industrial to mixed use

More at @CBCToronto Toronto 2025: How to grow, with minimal growing pains

Via @KGreenbergTO Revitalization plan for former Guvernment site revealed in Toronto @CityNews

Posted by Nanaimo Commons on Thursday, March 26, 2015

Monday, March 23, 2015

Seattle City Council approves $34-mil investment for Pike Place Market


Saturday, March 21, 2015

From @Livability — 2014 10 Best Downtowns #8: Bellingham, Washington

Since 1988, Bellingham, Wash., city and community leaders have followed a plan to improve their small yet vibrant downtown. Sure, that plan has changed from time to time, getting an update here and there, and while new construction projects and even revitalization plans are still in the works, the results speak for themselves. More than 1,000 new residences were constructed downtown, renovated storefronts and redesigned streets enhanced the visual appeal, and businesses have created more jobs. 
Local business owners make up the majority of Bellingham's economy, which keeps money in the pockets of residents who reinvest in their community by supporting other local businesses.
This city by the bay has become a model for urban sustainability, and the downtown area highlights how a local living economy can work. 
The "buy local" movement is strongly supported, and some residents even barter with others for food, services and building supplies. 
A population of nearly 2,400 residents and about 7,500 employees in the downtown area enjoy a highly walkable community with easy access to grocery stores, parks, restaurants and entertainment venues. Depot Market, a central gathering point in the downtown area, hosts the Bellingham Farmers Market, one of the largest farmers markets in Washington, plus many other events throughout the year.
Bellingham holds the second highest ratio of arts-related businesses to residents in the country, and it shows. Functional works of art like benches, street lights, trash cans and bicycle racks add a touch of whimsy across downtown. Whatcom Creek creates a natural boundary around the Cultural Arts District, which includes the beautifully restored Mt. Baker Theatre as well as Whatcom Museum and Pickford Film Center. Events like summer concerts, food festivals and parades draw thousands of people to this area. Downtown Bellingham is dotted with green parks, yet one of the largest green spaces, Sehome Hill Arboretum, is located less than a mile south of the Arts District, near Western Washington University. Read more: Bellingham, Washington | 2014 10 Best Downtowns

Ranking Criteria • Vacancy rate • Population increase since 2010 • Percentage of new homeowners
• Daytime population • Projected median household income • Walk Score • Entertainment options • Arts/Cultural attractions

Friday, March 20, 2015

From @metroEdmonton —
Edmonton proposes to let residents play urban planner with new CITYlab project

Senior Planner Jeff Chase
Got a bright idea for a park near your house, an empty parking space or a roadway? The city is ready to hear about it. The city will launch a new project called CITYLab Friday, which will allow residents to submit their own ideas for how to better use public spaces. “We want to be a portal to help residents and groups connect with the city to advance ideas,” said Jeff Chase, the senior planner overseeing the project. Read more: Edmonton proposes to let residents play urban planner with new CITYlab project | Metro

Thursday, March 19, 2015

Prosperity means #place.
"They don't always need to be pretty,
they just need to be human!"


Saturday, March 14, 2015

Pedestrian "Barnes Dance"
Shibuya part of Tokyo


Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Shipping container market for ‪#‎Nanaimo‬ Waterfront Pioneer Plaza


Tuesday, March 10, 2015

How are women changing our cities? @guardiancities


Monday, March 9, 2015

Calgary pedestrian strategy could
retrofit long-neglected pedestrian realm @metrocalgary


Friday, March 6, 2015

From The Guardian
Are we seeing the erosion of
public space and access in our cities?

Are we seeing the erosion of public space and access in our cities? Share your pictures and experiences with GuardianWitness of how cities around the world are becoming increasingly exclusive. From “public” spaces owned and regulated by corporations to gated communities and riverside spaces only accessible to a select few, our cities are becoming increasingly privatisedWe’d love to hear your experiences and see your examples of how cities around the world are becoming more private, exclusive and even hostile.  More at: Privatised cities: share your experiences | Cities | The Guardian

Monday, March 2, 2015

Lakefront trail or sewer system? Okanagan residents debate rare land purchase @cbcnewsbc




Huntsville Alabama $70m downtown mixed use development calls for "road diet"

The project will include 230 apartments, a 150-room hotel, multiple restaurants and stores, professional office space and a six-level parking deck. Huntsville Chief Planner said the city needs to put Williams Street on a "road diet" so people who live, work and shop at CityCentre won't have to walk across four lanes of traffic to get to the park. CityCentre will initially cover more than six acres. More at Huntsville OKs $70M downtown mixed-use development next to Big Spring Park

Baltimore Inner Harbour "the model for post-industrial waterfront redevelopment"

Baltimore’s Inner Harbor has many stories to tell, from its heyday in the 18th century as the nation’s leading shipbuilding site, to a major site for oyster canning, steel working, railroad building, immigration port and military supply center. In 1980, the Inner Harbor area underwent a major revitalization with the addition of many attractions, hotels, restaurants and shops. Today, the Inner Harbor is a major tourist destination and port of call for cruise ships. More at: Baltimore Inner Harbor 
  1. The Inner Harbor is a historic seaport, tourist attraction, and landmark of the city of Baltimore, Maryland, USA. It was described by the Urban Land Institute in 2009 as “the model for post-industrial waterfront redevelopment around the world.” Wikipedia

#‎Nanaimo‬ continues to "pave" the way for
South Dtown waterfront lands redevelopment @NanaimoBulletin

Revitalization efforts continue on waterfront site - Nanaimo News Bulletin