Category: River Roots Redevelopment Column
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The 15-minute City
The 15-minute city has been an intriguing concept for me. As someone who has spent most of my life living in small towns where it takes 20-40 minutes of driving to access things like healthcare, shopping, and employment, I wondered how, or if, a 15-minute city could work in Rural America. But the concept is… Read more
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Redevelopment and Gentrification
Last week, we explored public space and what having abundant public space means for a community, including higher property values. This week, I want to look at what happens when property values and prices are increased without the infrastructure and other considerations needed to support working-class families, leading to a larger divide in socio-economic classes—gentrification.… Read more
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Redevelopment and Public Space
“Public space helps determine the relationship between people and their surroundings. It has the potential to create a sense of belonging, cultural vibrancy and in turn to promote happiness and wellbeing.” – Laura Valdés, writer for Metropolis.org Following the public planning meeting for the proposed Fox-Hunt community park in Foxburg, I thought it might be… Read more
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Agritainment
I’m a sucker for documentaries. Historical, ancient civilizations, travel—it’s all fascinating. I love seeing and learning about new places and cultures, especially by visiting those places, but documentaries provide glimpses of new places and information and ignite a desire to learn more. I found myself watching a documentary the other evening that my Prime Video… Read more
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Balancing Progress and Preservation
When talking about development or redevelopment, it is important to look not only at progress but also at preservation. Taking historical or architectural preservation and conservation of our natural resources into consideration is a much-needed step to create a balance between progress and preservation. The goal of redevelopment is not to wipe out the old… Read more
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Ecotourism and Redevelopment
If you were to Google “ecotourism” you would see that various organizations define the term slightly differently. For the sake of this article, we are going to look at ecotourism as “nature-based tourism intended to support wildlife and conservation and the local economy.” Now that we’ve defined ecotourism, let’s look at how it ties in… Read more
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Green Roofs and Vertical Gardens in Redevelopment
Green roofs and vertical gardens are both becoming more popular as we attempt to create greener, cleaner buildings. In a Market Research Future report, it is estimated that the vertical garden construction market will grow annually at a rate of 8.2% over the next 5 years, and other green building trends are expected to see… Read more
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Local Community Gardens and an Update from River Roots Community Farm
Community Gardens are assets that bring not only fresh food but a much-needed sense of community. In addition to the River Roots Community Farm located in Foxburg (update below), there are other community gardens in the area. About twelve years ago, a group of church members at First Presbyterian Church in Oil City were interested… Read more
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Sustainable Landscaping in Redevelopment Projects and At Home
Sustainable or “green” landscaping is being used more and more in redevelopment. Purposeful landscaping with this method can mean savings in time and energy and can reduce pollution. It is also beneficial to local birds, pollinators, and other wildlife. This landscaping technique combines function and numerous benefits for people and the environment. Sustainable landscaping isn’t… Read more
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Brownfields to Greenspace
When discussing redevelopment, we often think primarily about buildings or industrial sites being cleaned up and developed as another structure or business space. Redevelopment can also mean transforming a place back into a natural or semi-natural state. Let’s talk brownfields to greenspaces. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines a brownfield as “a property, the expansion,… Read more
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What Does Redevelopment Really Mean
We could go on about redevelopment theory, strategies, and plans, and that is all well and good, but what does redevelopment really mean for you and for me? Redevelopment is essentially planning for the future–not only my future or yours, but for the future of our children, grandchildren, and so on. It matters to me… Read more
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GUEST – Don Smith – Seneca Plaza
The recent conversation around adaptive reuse has sparked a desire for me to share a personal note on not just the “how” but the “why” of redevelopment, from my point of view. My name is Don Smith. Many in the Franklin and Oil City area simply know me as Doc, as I’ve fixed many a… Read more