City Planning

This is coolbert: If and when the city of New Orleans is rebuilt, build housing for the general public so that it is able to withstand hurricanes that may occur in the future. As they obviously will. A suggestion would be to consider tract housing of concrete homes. Concrete everything. Floor, walls, ceiling. Roofs can be made from traditional wooden gabling and planking with normal shingles. That part of the home can be easily replaced. This type of housing can be made mass produced and at a cheap cost if tens of thousands are made. Have the best architects in the country create all sorts of designs that will work well for low income housing. Build to modern standards and do it well from the start.

coolbert.

This is coolbert. It is almost exactly 100 years now since a disaster of such magnitude has hit a major American city as has befallen New Orleans.

The last time was in 1906, the great San Francisco earthquake.

And before that, the great Chicago fire of 1872 leveled that city. At the time Chicago's populace was about 300,000 persons.

The city of Chicago WAS rebuilt.

The rebuilding of Chicago is considered to be a great windfall for the ENTIRE world. With the city wiped clean, skyscrapers were built, the first ever, on a mass basis. This was almost providential. Without Chicago having been destroyed, a whole new structural engineering concept could not have tried on such a scale. A whole slew of world-famous architects came out of Chicago of that period. Revolutionized the whole nature of the city as we know it now.

Such devastation allows for rebuilding on a massive scale incorporating NEW concepts, designs, ideas. What could only be done on a hit and miss basis and small development can now be done of "Biblical" proportions.

Will this happen with New Orleans?? Time will only tell.

coolbert.

This is coolbert: See my blog, click here, dated 2 September 2005 for an entry that details the situation in NO. How Homeland Security can determine a whole lot of "lessons learned" from this disaster.

coolbert.

This is coolbert: If and when NO is rebuilt, someone is going to suggest to build the levees [dikes] that protect the city to be build higher than before. Much higher than before. And to provide pumps of greater number and greater capacity to pump water if a flood DOES occur again.

A problem with building dikes higher and higher. Perhaps some expert that reads this can address the problem from an engineering standpoint.

If you build a dike say 20 % higher, you just cannot build the base of the dike 20 % higher and say that is enough. If the dike is build 33 % higher, you must also widen the base, but you must widen the base to say 50 % or greater to have sound construction of the dike and have it hold. More and more land is required at the base to construct a dike that is structurally sound.

And if the dikes for the Mississippi are heightened also, this causes a further problem downstream. That greater weight of water contained by the heightened dike only causes the river to run faster with a greater quantity of water of water being pushed along. Erosion and flooding downstream are exacerbated many times worse.

Keep in mind too that the Mississippi river WANTS to change it's course. This change of course is a naturally occurring process for the Mississippi. Such a change occurs about once every thousand years or so. The Mississippi wants to change it's course NOW, but is being held back by a dam. This dam is in such peril that the depth of the water at the base of the dam has to be checked five times DAILY to see if the river is cutting a course UNDER the dam!!! If the Mississippi changes course, NO will be left high and dry!! Except for fetid swamps surrounding NO, the place will no longer have the river!!

coolbert.

This is coolbert: If the authorities rebuild NO, let them do this also. Plan to have a more diverse population. DO NOT allow the city of NO to become about 90 % black as it was prior to the flood. The income of those folks was WAY BELOW the national average. It is said that the average wage earner in NO made about $12,000 per year!!??

It is absurd to think that these folks will be able to recreate a thriving community. You will just go back to where it was before. This you do not want.

I am sure that there are all sorts of ways that racial diversity that would "mirror" American can be had. It takes will and an ability to push through what needs to be pushed through. Legality may have to swept aside in some manner. This too can be done.

coolbert.

This is coolbert: Most, if not all of those homes in NO that have been flooded are probably going to be unsafe to inhabit again without risk. NOT ONLY damage to the wooden structure of what appears to me to mostly "shacks" [a lot of folks might take umbrage at the use of the word "shack", but please, that does what they appear to be to me!!]. And in addition, soaking, prolonged, from water that is severely contaminated does not help the situation either.

It will probably not be worth while to just rehab or patch up those homes. Most will probably have to be bulldozed and a total rebuilding process begun.

I think that there is a law that says in case of flooding, if the cost to rehab the home is greater than 50 % of the evaluation of the home itself, rehab cannot be done. The home must be torn down and it IS LEGALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO REBUILD SUCH A PREVIOUSLY FLOODED STRUCTURE. There is sound reasoning behind this. But will in all likelihood raise a lot of hackles in a lot of quarters.

If total demolition and rebuilding is done, let it be done right. Build new homes to MODERN standards. This will not be cheap. Rebuild in a sound manner and take you time and think the process through, if it is done!

And if rebuilding is done, I see a big problem with the many indigent and poverty stricken folks of NO to ever pay for those new homes. In all likelihood, they HAD NO home owners insurance to begin with. And the value of the old homes probably did not even come close to what a new home would cost. Many of those refugees will probably NOT be able to ever live in NO again.

If I had my druthers, and I do not, I would NOT rebuild New Orleans where it currently is. Would rebuild in a better location. They are showing the city mostly on the north side of the Mississippi river. North of the river is almost all below sea level. South of the river it is not much better, from what the maps show. And all around where the city is seems to be swampland.

Come on now!! Please, use some thought when thinking reconstruction!!

coolbert.

This is coolbert: New Orleans!!! What can one say at this point??

Well, here is my first impression about rebuilding.

DON'T REBUILD A CITY THAT IS TEN FEET UNDER SEA LEVEL AND HAS WATER ON THREE SIDES TO BEGIN WITH!!

Don't rebuild in the same spot. Where else to rebuild?? I dunno!! But NOT ON THE SAME SPOT. Or if you do rebuild, do not have the same population living there. That city could get hit again and you would have the same problem all over again. That is just not acceptable.

Since the tax dollars of ALL the citizens are going have to pay for rebuilding in some fashion, ALL the tax payers should get a say in the matter of rebuilding.

More later.

coolbert.

This is coolbert: I have perhaps seen some of these Wright designed or at least inspired homes. Along perhaps it is the east side of Main street in Lombard, just south of Roosevelt road, is a group of odd looking homes. Flat roofed, oddly shaped homes from what most people are used to. I bet these were all built originally in the 1950's. Small by today's standards. Those flat roofed homes were a trademark of Wright's. And they have a bad reputation for leaking. Perhaps with modern materials and techniques this problem can be abated?

More sites for Wright tract housing for "everyman":

click here.

click here.

The last site is a blog site about PostUsonian homes!!?? So maybe the trend for such housing is still with us, albeit in an adapted form??

"The Usonian home did not have a basement. Instead, it was built on a concrete slab with subfloor heating to supplement the central fireplace. Dwellers in Usonian homes typically wore sweaters in the winter; in the summer they relied on shade from the long roof overhang to cool the house as there was no air conditioning.

The flat roof, although simple to build, was famous for leaks. There were no gutters or downspouts. All but one Usonian was designed as a single story dwelling."

NOT SO SURE IF I WOULD LIKE THE HEATING, THE LACK OF COOLING, AND LEAKS.

coolbert.

This is coolbert: Did Frank Lloyd Wright ever design "tract homes"? I believe he did. Here is a web site to go to that shows one of these homes [click here]. What others he may have designed is not clear to me. I ask this question because it seems that while the great man was a prolific designer of homes for the wealthy, he did not seem to do a lot for tract housing. Of course, such a concept did not become a reality until Levittown after WW2, or so it seems to me. I live in a tract housing sub-division that until recently did have some vacant lots. These vacant lots were filled one at a time by a custom builder who erected homes on the lots that were about the same type as the original tract homes put up in the subdivision. All except for one exceptional home I have passed by many times. And always comment to myself as I do so, "this looks like a home that Frank Lloyd Wright would have designed". Except it has aluminum siding and is built with conventional tract housing material. Looks pretty good too. I wonder if anyone has ever decided to build an entire sub-division of such tract housing, based upon the concepts of the great man???

coolbert.

PLANNING CHARETTE

<>The American Planning Association has published an article about the Utica Planning Charette on their Web Site. You may find the link to it at the top of this page: http://www.planning.org/features/. The article is shown below.

Illinois Chapter Leads Tornado Recovery Plan Charrette

By Grace Bazylewski and Craig Harlan Hullinger, AICP

The Village of North Utica, Illinois was hit by a tornado on April 20, 2004, that killed nine people and destroyed the north end of the historic village. The Village Hall, Township Hall, Ambulance Building, and 56 other homes and structures were destroyed.

The village, FEMA, and other governments and citizens produced the Utica United Recovery Plan, a document that called for the expenditure of about $20 million dollars to restore the town and to construct a number of improvements to the community. Some of the major improvements called for were the rerouting of a state highway through the downtown, the removal of the downtown from a floodplain, the enhancement of the historic Illinois and Michigan Canal, improvements to the local economy and tourism, and the reconstruction and beautification of the historic town.

The Pro Bono Committee of the American Planning Association's Illinois Chapter led a planning charrette to assist the citizens in developing the plan. The committee has helped numerous communities over the last eight years on a variety of issues and planning programs. A "charrette" is a design session held over a short time period and designed to produce quick results. Assisted by the Illinois Association of Landscape Architects, the Pro Bono Committee led a five-hour charrette on September 25, 2004.

The charrette was a success.

About 110 people attended the event that began at the fire station directly across from the area destroyed by the tornado. Mayor Fred Esmond introduced the participants, who gave a short introduction to the town, the disaster, and the recovery plan. Smaller groups were created for walking tours of the town, then those groups were broken down into 10-person teams charged with researching and expanding the recovery plan findings and recommendations.

The findings of each group were presented to the larger group at the end of the session. These findings will be incorporated into the downtown improvement plan, tourism plan, and economic development strategy currently under development by the North Central Illinois Council of Governments. Grants have been or will be provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Illinois Emergency Management Agency, Economic Develoment Administration, Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The Charette also served as the initial public participation portion of the planning program. Work of the teams included downtown improvement plan physical improvements, facade improvement recommendations, economic development strategy, tourism development marketing work, park improvements, etc. Interesting recommendations included the proposed development of the Illini Native American Village, riverfront parks, a marina, the development of a quarry into a lake, and numerous other positive ideas and proposals for the community.

Long term success and implementation of the projects identified in the charrette depend on the local participants. Local government and individuals must now sort out proposals and decide which ones to implement. Local leaders will have to take ownership of the plan, and develop a consensus to successfully implement it.

The Planning Charette at the Village of North Utica, Illinois on Saturday September 25, 2004 was a great success. Over 100 local residents, and city planners and landscape architects attended the event. The group toured the downtown, and then broke into 8 smaller groups to focus on specific issues of interest to the village.

At the end of the session each group presented their findings and recommendations. A number of excellent concepts and proposals were made. The Village will incorporate many of these ideas into the downtown improvement plan currently underway.

Our thanks to all who attended, and to the Fire Department who hosted the event. Special thanks to the Grace Bazelewski and the Pro Bono Committee of APA, who planned and coordinated the event.

City Planning

UTICA DESIGN MEETING

FOCUS ON DOWNTOWN

FIRE STATION

 SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2004

 8:30 AM TO 1:00 PM

Join your fellow citizens, city planners, and landscape architects in refining and improving the plan for Utica.  Projects include:

            Downtown streetscape & landscape

            Front and rear design of downtown buildings

            Improvements to the I & M Canal and bikepath

            Improvements to water quality, fountains, aerators

            Design & location for a Village and Township Hall

            Strategies to promote economic development & tourism

            Neo traditional development

            Housing redevelopment 

            The location and the design of a memorial 

            Park expansion near the I & M Canal

            Park plan for land along Illinois River and Rt. 178       

            Plan for Illini Native American Museum & Living Farm

The work developed by the group will be included in the detailed plans to be developed by the COG, consultants, and Village Engineer.

Everyone is invited & encouraged to attend