Build the Roswell Loop

This is the 18th post in a series of posts this December that will chronicle the 25 things we would most like to see in Roswell. None of these are actually happening... at least in the way we'd like them to. Please enjoy and have a happy holidays!

It's not as prestigious as the Beltline but it sure would be nice to have.  The Roswell Loop idea has been around since at least 2006 and was championed by the city leadership.  Unfortunately, the idea was approved at precisely the wrong time... a la the Boutique Hotel.  The economy has put this one on hold.  

If you are unfamiliar with the concept, you can obviously take a look at the map and you can check out this article from C.I.C.L.E. that was originally published in the AJC.  I loved the quote, "The fundamental decision you have to make is whether your money is going to accommodate the four rush hours a day or the other twenty hours."

This project would help give identity to Roswell and it would help foster a much safer environment for cycling and encourage people who aren't bold enough to get out on the open road to get out on two wheels and go for a ride.

Bring a School to the Historic District

This is the 14th post in a series of posts this December that will chronicle the 25 things we would most like to see in Roswell. None of these are actually happening... at least in the way we'd like them to. Please enjoy and have a happy holidays! 

This is one of my favorites on the wish list.  Every day when I drive up Atlanta Street, I pass the Presbyterian church on the left and Krispy Kreme on the right.  The intersection at Atlanta and Oak Streets is pretty barren except for those two landmarks.  As most of you know, the Presbyterian church has a large parking lot that Oak Street dead ends into and then on the west side of that lot is the Teaching Museum North and North Crossroads school.  What if we could do something with that entire space and bring a logical civic presence into the heart of the historic district?  Look at the size of the space on the Google map below.

I would envision either a charter elementary/middle or a county run elementary school in this location.  The main entrance would be on Atlanta street.  This would be a grand facade in Greek revival style to complement the historic homes in the area such as Bulloch and Barrington Halls.  The bus and car entrance would be along Mimosa however to ensure that traffic along 9 is not impacted during the morning rush hour.  

As far as design goes, I really just don't get how our country started designing its schools in the same vernacular as its prisons.  No wonder our educational standing in the world keeps falling.  The first image below is that of the Clinton Middle School in Tulsa, OK.  This particular image was the Eyesore of the Month on James Howard Kunstler's blog back in March 2010.  After that, take a look at the Royal High School in Edinburgh, Scottland which was designed in the Greek Revival style in the early 1800's.  

Which one of these two buildings is going to inspire more learning?  

Fortunately, we don't have anything as dismal as the Clinton Middle School building here in Roswell but we could do a lot better.  Now, the Edinburgh school is a touch over the top.  Maybe we could go for something a little more tame such as the Providence High School in the Village of Providence in Huntsville, AL

The topography and size of the lot would require a multiple story school most likely on top of parking.  The parking would be shared with the church in the evenings and on Sundays.  It could also be used to provide extra space for city events.  I know this one is just a dream but if Roswell is going to focus on the Atlanta Street corridor for growth, a new elementary school is going to be vital.  I believe that focusing on education and giving it a prominent position in the community in the heart of the historic district will pay dividends for years to come.  

Additional reading:

Here's a great blog post on school size and design from Stephen Mouzon that focuses on Providence High School in the Village of Providence.  

Here's another excellent post from Kaid Benfield at NRDC on Great Principles for Smart Growth Schools.

images: Google, Kunstler.com, Wikipedia, Stephen Mouzon

Build Brownstone & Live Work Units @ Magnolia & Canton

This is the 13th post in a series of posts this December that will chronicle the 25 things we would most like to see in Roswell. None of these are actually happening... at least in the way we'd like them to. Please enjoy and have a happy holidays!

I would love to see a nice classy row of Brownstones and Live Work uints at the intersection of Magnolia and Canton.  They would complete the block by extending the buildings down to the corner south from Pastis and over to Mimosa.  The way I see it, the Wachovia building would go and the auto shop next to Pastis would be repurposed and get a facelift.  Additionally, the gas station across magnolia would get reversed.  Essentially the building would be brought to the street and the gas pumps would be behind the building,  hidden from the street.  Here's an example of the 'gas backward' concept that was coined by architect Seth Harry.  It's not the best image but you should get the gist.

This would continue to revitalize the Canton Street/Atlanta Street corridor within the historic district and start to  move some development further south from Canton.  My vision would be similar to the homes in Canton Street Walk just off of Canton Street behind the antique store.  I can see some issues with the traffic volume at that intersection which is why you would need to buffer the homes with wide sidewalks and trees along Magnolia.  The live work units along the road would further buffer the actual residences from the street by putting business on the first floor.

Here's an example of some live works that work pretty well on a well traveled street in Smyrna.  The frontage and setback would need to be a little different in Roswell but the idea is very similar.

images: Jay Woodsworth @ Flickr, Hamden.com, Google

Adopt the Smart Code

This is the 11th post in a series of posts this December that will chronicle the 25 things we would most like to see in Roswell. None of these are actually happening... at least in the way we'd like them to. Please enjoy and have a happy holidays!

This one goes along with the DPZ charette.  I know it's not going to happen but we need it to.   We are already behind the curve on this one.  If you don't know what the Smart Code or other Form-Based Codes are about, check out this wikipedia link.  To summarize, form-based codes regulate the form of the urban fabric while used based codes regulate what types of land uses can go where.  Used based codes are extremely limiting and do not give developers, builders, citizens and governments flexibility in what they want to build and where.  

It has become common knowledge that our zoning has in large part led to the sprawling mess that America has in its suburbs today.  The old Euclidean, use based zoning codes are on their way out and are making way for form based codes such as the Smart Code which essentially make it easier to create mixes of uses and consistent blocks, streets and neighborhoods which then create places where people want to be rather than places where cars want to be.

The trend is accelerating.  Currently Georgia has 13 form-based codes.  These include Woodstock's downtown, Lawrenceville's downtown, and the city of Mableton among others.  Georgia trails six states in the number of codes adopted.  The top three states in order are Florida, California and Texas.  For more information check out the Code Study. The current economic slowdown is the exact time that we as a city should be demanding a new code.  The days where the answer to our problems was to zone more commercial to bring in more tax revenue are over.  If you'd like a primer on why more commercial zoning is akin to monkeys pushing buttons, check out Chuck Mahron's post on his Strong Towns Blog.  So, we've reached a point where we are saturated in retail as a city, state and country.  We have six times the amount of retail square footage per capita than our next closest consumer rival.  We don't need more of what we have.  We need to prioritize and make what we have better.  

Here is a graphic that compares traditional zoning with form-based codes:

I think it's hard to argue that form-based codes offer some distinct advantages when looking to rebuild a city.  So, my wish list couldn't be complete without a shiny new Smart Code to completely replace our existing zoning codes.  

images: Form-Based Codes Institute, 1000 Friends of Florida

Actually Implement the. DPZ Master Plan

This is the second post in a series of posts this December that will chronicle the 25 things we would most like to see in Roswell.  None of these are actually happening... at least in the way we'd like them to.  Please enjoy and have a happy holidays! 

We all know what happens with master plans… The community gets excited, people participate and get excited about the future of their community. Then, once the planners are gone, the draft just sits on a shelf and collects dust. This isn’t exactly the case but due to the fact that development and changes in land use patterns move at glacial speed, the community feels that nothing is happening.

What we need to do is actually commit to investing in the infrastructure upgrades that are outlined in our new master plan. Then create incentive and reward systems that will spur the development that we are looking for. Additionally, people need to lose their fear of ‘density’ but that’s a side conversation that I’ll reserve for another day.

My point is that too many master plans end up being dreams instead of actually being implemented. So, the second item on my Christmas wish would be to actually implement the hypothetical DPZ master plan on an accelerated schedule.

A DPZ Master Plan for Roswell

This is the first post in a series of posts this December that will chronicle the 25 things we would most like to see in Roswell. None of these are actually happening... at least in the way we'd like them to. Please enjoy and have a happy holidays!

Now, don’t get me wrong, I like the Imagine Roswell 2030 process. I think as many of us as possible should participate and I think we will get a decent master plan out of it. However, we need a company that specializes in new urbanist and smart growth planning to come in and organize a master plan that will give us the tools to grow into a truly sustainable community over the next 20 years and beyond. We need to further invest in our city center, reduce the amount of placeless sprawl, create more diverse communities, restructure our land-use policies to be more efficient and continue to embrace our built heritage. The company that the city is currently working with , POND|ECOS, has experience in the Atlanta area and are doing some interesting projects that are environmentally progressive. I’m optimistic but the jury is still out.

Now, when you look at DPZ (Duany Plater-Zyperk), they are simply the best in the game (although their website could use a little work). The company was founded by husband and wife partners Andres Duany and Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk, pioneers of New Urbanism and Smart growth. Sure other companies come close but none have the New Urbanist and Smart Growth street cred that DPZ has. If you are not familiar with DPZ, they have authored more New Urbanist plans than any other company and they essentially created the Smart Code and they designed Seaside. Need I say more? The ideas and logic that they could bring to the table for improving Roswell would be incredible.

Compare POND|ECOS to DPZ, and there is no contest. DPZ is a firm that has done plans and/or codes for cities like Miami, Baton Rouge, Fort Meyers, Naples, Downtown LA, Sarasota, West Palm Beach… you get the drift. Now, I’m not saying that POND|ECOS can’t get the job done but if we truly want to differentiate ourselves from the rest of North Fulton, we should be looking in another direction for our planning. If we don’t we’ll end up just like the rest of the suburban cities in and around Atlanta.

Now, don’t take this as a railing of POND|ECOS because it’s not. It’s my personal wish for the best there is to offer for Roswell.

Now here’s my take on the pros and cons:

Pros

• Experience – DPZ planners come with unparalleled experience Place Making - Exceptional plans that accomplish the ultimate goal of place making

Cons

• Price – I’m sure DPZ is crazy expensive