Welcome. We have embarked on a journey of exploration, a journey with many destinations. We invite you to join us: these pages will provide a time and place for us to share our discoveries, and for you to share your thoughts.
As we travel and explore, we find ourselves wondering about the Next City, where all of us will live. How will that city sustain us, our future generations, and itself? Most of America’s cities are facing an era of enormous challenge, and an urgent need for reinvention. Join us as we think about these matters.
We stand here confronted by insurmountable opportunity.
Pogo
A&H–This is great–fun to read and thought-provoking. Keep on it! We have not totally given up yet on rail to Dulles; just need to find this guy some technical cover so he can reverse his ideological decision. I agree on the main library; build a new one, maybe in the Seattle mode, and use the old one as an art gallery or something similar. Thanks. J&T
Dear Folks:
I am pleasantly surprised at my inclusion in your journal, which addresses urban living issues that are dear to my heart.
I will gladly contribute more material if you care to have it.
Meanwhile, I will continue to read.
Regards,
Brett
How-
Check out this site. Some fuel for thought (Ha-ha).
http://www.deepgreencrystals.com/
Hello,
I thought you might be interested in checking out the newest endeavor from Urban Paradoxes, the URBAN PARADOXES E-ZINE (http://www.urbanparadoxes.com). If you like what you see, please consider a submission for publication. Revitalizing our urban neighborhoods takes a community effort. If you can publicize the zine a bit too, that will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Frank
The subject of this engagement reminds me of the work of Ronald Lee Fleming of the Townscape Institute. Do you know of him? Ron, a personal acquaintance, is rather a one-Renaissance-man-band who cares about the appearance of the built environment and influencers such as art, music and yes, other such as politics and media. TI’s website is http://www.townscape.org/home.htm.
I’ve enjoyed reading this journal, particularly the comments about the “Pride of Place: Dutch Cityscapes of the Golden Age” show because I caught awhile back with my son.
Sincerely, Dick
Dick, I do know of Ronald Fleming. I have head him speak, and I am aware of his work and the work of the Institute. And I know we share a similar commitment to a robust urbanism, great place making, and preservation of historic resources. Thanks for perceiving a connection – I am flattered.
And thanks for enjoying A Town Square. I am using this site as a kind of test platform for a series of projects, including a book I am researching. You can take a look at a first pass at the book at http://www.blurb.com. Type in “The Next City: Shaping a Useable Future” for a preview.
Hope you visit again.
I am new to this site and loving it. It is going to be a very big time suck until I get caught up. Grew up in Buffalo and now live in Chicago so I am familiar with much of what you are showing here. I have been blogging about Buffalo at Buffalorising.com pointing the beauty and insanity. Please contact me if you would like to make Buffalo your next city. It will give you some great triumphs and tragedy to write about.
(I posted this under another story but I am not confident that the post work so I repeat here)
Hi Howard,
Welcome to Rochester! It has been a pleasure to read your column recently. I am very glad to see the interest you have in our fair city and the history that you have been helping us to revisit. I certainly hope that you continue to stay in Rochester and provide a new voice in our redevelopment. If you ever looking for a hand to help you with some research, please do not hesitate to email me. Until then, I will look forward to reading your future posts.
Best,
Alex
Thanks, Alex for the kind words and the offer of help. I may take you up on that at some point, depending on how the publisher search resolves itself. Stay tuned.
How’s the streetcar analysis going?
Howard, are you planning on writing a book on Rochester? Is that the reason you have taken time off from EE&K? I hope the search for a publisher goes well.
My thesis is going well and I’m planning on finishing up in the next month. I’m looking forward to getting the chance to work on some projects in Rochester again soon.
Alex, yes. I have been working on this book, or whatever it is, and am nearing the point where I can say I have a first rough draft. And I am slowly talking to publishers. It will be a while yet. You can see a preliminary rough draft at http://www.blurb.com. The working title is “The Next City: Shaping a Useable Future.”
Who knows where this is going?
Hi there
Glasgow (Scotland) is a long way from Rochester, but I’ve found the issues and ideas raised here very interesting indeed. You may well want to take a look at my (fledgling) blog on an urban art project I am involve in at present, where Glasgow is the stage for many of the same debates you raise here. You can find it at
http://www.dialectogram.wordpress.com
I have taken the liberty of putting a link to here on my site. If you felt like doing the same, I would of course be much obliged.
all the best
Mitch Miller
Mitch, thanks for the kind words. And the link. Do come back often.
I have looked at your blog, and am most impressed. I really like the dialectograms you are creating – a fabulous way to capture the places in our lives. I hope you keep going with this – the drawings are really wonderful.
And your blog is now on our blogroll here. I hope visitors will take a look at your work.
Hello. I’m starting a magazine in Rochester, NY, would like to talk to you about it, wondering if we can grab coffee in the near future? Best, Chris
Chris, I have sent you an email. I would be happy to meet.
I’m a lifelong Rochesterian (temporarily dislocated to Buffalo) and am an avid follower of your work on here. I’ve been researching planning methods, and believe Rochester is better than some cities at this point, with a long way to go. I’m writing a paper and would like to reference a performance or hybrid zoning map. I know Rochester’s pursuing this technique, and found the code but can’t find the map for the life of me. Do you know where I can find one online? Thank you again for your work. This is quite a resource.
Lee
Lee, thanks for your kind words. As to the map, try contacting Jason Haremza or Tim Raymond at the City of Rochester. Tell them you asked me and I suggested you contact them. They should know the situation with the map.
Love the blog. Love the insightful comments. Love the art work in the header.
Jill, thanks. Welcome, and I hope you take the time to look around.
Is it possible to have my real name removed from a comment I made on your blog please?
Done.
Thanks aandh. So how can I edit my name and or my posts? (preferably my posts) Can you send me a personal email?