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URBAN NATION: Ensuring Fair Transit Options for the Elderly and Disabled – Next American City
A couple of months ago I injured my foot and was treating myself, in a manner of speaking, to a ride on each of the elevators at the Brooklyn Bridge /City Hall subway station. I waited with a young man in a wheel chair and as we speculated as to whether the elevator was working,…
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Spatiality
WRITTEN BY ALINE FADER I occasionally become fascinated by people (artists, scientists, and other smart folk) who seem to consistently and persistently create good things, and then I think, “Wow they do awesome stuff, but how can I acknowledge them and thank them for their work? Hey, I contribute to a blog! Oh, look! The…
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Be Hip and Be Square
WANTED: The reusable delivery box Let’s face it: The internet has made it easier for lazy people to be even lazier. Rather than going to the supermarket and shlepping home groceries, I can order all the goodies I want from the comfort of my home without having to contend with rogue grannies driving their shopping…
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Maximum City: Bombay Lost and Found – By Suketu Mehta
Mehta, raised in Jackson Heights, New York, goes back to the city of his birth, Bombay. A megalopolis of 18 million people crammed on a promontory of 170 square miles, jutting into the Arabian sea. His account of a two-year stay in Bombay produced an intimate but clear-eyed portrait of the city. He takes you to places where only a native-born son can tread. He introduces you…
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Saving Brownsville, Brooklyn
Canadian author Doug Saunders suggests in his book “Arrival City” that poor immigrant neighborhoods can thrive when certain conditions, such as access to property and education, and a minimum of social infrastructure is provided. How can these lessons be applied to one of the poorest and neediest neighborhoods of New York City, Brownsville? The past…
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Mr. Stephenson, Tear Down This Wall
MEMO To: Randall Stephenson, CEO and Grand High Poobah, AT&T From: Erik Seims Re: 33 Thomas St., New York, NY, a.k.a. “The Long Lines Building” April 29, 2012 I’m writing to ask you to do something about this:
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Building a Common Ground: Integrating Community, Gardens and the Built Environment
The American Community Gardening Association states that its vision is to have a sustainable community in every garden. It is a vision that has been playing out across the landscape and in a range of contexts. This post shares a couple of case studies of how this is being done in new building development projects…
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The Urban Event Planner: Jackson Heights Garden Tour, June 9 & 10
The problem for the Urban Planner is that there is nothing really to do in your free time. At some point, even the most downtrodden urban decay neighborhood is explored, the latest coffee place with a twist discovered and the craziest gelato flavor tasted. Nothing left but boredom and New York summer lethargy… But wait!…
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Walkers (the living, non-zombie ones): part 1
WRITTEN BY ALINE FADER Walkers: part 1 part 2 part 3 part 4 New York made a huge effort to become car friendly in the twentieth century with new highways et al. (thanks mainly to Robert Moses). Now there is a focus on adding bike lane infrastructure and pedestrian realm improvements. But it seems like the improvements that have…
Disclaimer: All content, including blog posts and tours, reflects my personal views and experiences. Nothing here should be interpreted as representing the views of any current or former employer.