AGING IN PLACE + WASHINGTON PARK

1. Washington Park Partners Sustainable Community Plan [2012-2017]

"Washington Park Partners Sustainable Community Plan [2012-2017]." Washington Park Partners. May 22, 2012. Accessed October 12, 2015

Summary:

This document is an objective based plan for the Washington Park Neighborhood.  It offers a brief history of the Washington Park Neighborhood, an inventory of current community services, assets and opportunities, organizations and businesses and the current cultural characteristics of the community.  The article presents information regarding Washington Park Neighborhood’s long term planning development process with a focus on the arts and culture, education, health and wellness, housing, jobs and businesses, the (Washington) park and safety.  The document further explains community developed “issues to build on” and neighborhood goals.  The action steps, support organizations/partners and performance measures that will aid in fulfilling these objectives have also been identified by the community.

“Issues to Build On”/Objectives

• Art and Culture: Promote the area by inviting community members and non-community members to experience art and culture within the Washington Park Neighborhood.

• Education: Improve educational opportunities, support existing educational organizations/programs, increase programs supporting education.

• Health and Wellness:  Better quality of life by understanding community issues

• Housing: Identify “problem properties, decrease the number of vacant units and lots, develop senior housing, ensure rental housing is for the benefit of the community, support homeowners, and leverage housing as an opportunity for jobs,” (p. 5).

• Jobs and Businesses:  Provide greater job opportunities by “strengthening partnerships, promoting entrepreneurship, and establishing policies for sustainable business growth,” (p. 5).

• The Park: “Market Washington Park’s amenities, programs and events; expand recreational opportunities through infrastructure improvements; and support maintenance of park for safety and ecology,” (p.5).

•  Safety:  Better safety through community collaboration with MPD and hosting of community building projects and events.

Thematic Organization (Key Words):

Community concerns/goals (safety, economy, health and wellness, housing, education, assets, art and culture), community input.

Relevance to Thesis/Project:

This is an important article to consider when planning and designing for the community because it provides issues, goals, concerns voiced by actual members of the Washington Park Neighborhood.  Input given by the community will help to establish a hierarchy of infrastructural needs, develop planning/design strategies and provide evidence and reasoning for the overall design and decision making process.

2. Milwaukee Comprehensive Plan Washington Park: A Plan for the Area (2006-Most Recent)

"Milwaukee Comprehensive Plan: Washington Park." Official Website of the City of Milwaukee. 2006. Accessed October 12, 2015.

Summary:

The Washington Park comprehensive plan is a document presenting neighborhood priorities and strategies for strengthening/growing community housing, business, retail, transportation recreation and cultural assets (p. 1).  The document provides a description of neighborhood characteristics, land-use plans, catalytic projects and strategies for community development. 

Residential and commercial need is examined through market analysis research.  The document provides information regarding current housing stock, resident needs (single family, duplex, multi-family, apartment), appropriate buildings for rehabilitation, appropriate sites for commercial or residential development and regulations/guidelines for new residential units.

Transportation and accessibility are also discussed within this document.  Major arterial routes and issues involving transportation/accessibility (speeding, lack of bike lanes, poor pedestrian network) are identified by community members and leaders.

Thematic Organization (Key Words): Safety, accessibility, transportation, affordability, housing stock, rehabilitation, restoration, reuse, connectivity, network, residential opportunity, neighborhood, public services.

Relevance to Thesis/Project:

This article provides information valuable to thesis because it offers an archive of neighborhood needs, existing conditions and characteristics, issues, goals, plans and action steps.  The document presents land use planning surveys and data, which will be important when determining eligible design sites.  It provides information regarding locations most appropriate for residential use as well as commercial use; city owned vacancies, city owned buildings and areas suitable for rehabilitation/reuse.  The article describes the current issues residents face within the park; many related to safety (physical), affordability (economy) and accessibility (public transportation, pedestrian and bicycle). 

3. 2012-2015 Revitalizing Milwaukee Neighborhoods: Public Safety Enhancement Through Targeted Vacant Property Demolition, Stabilization and Reinvestment

"2012-2015 Revitalizing Milwaukee Neighborhoods." GoMilwaukee. 2012. Accessed October 12, 2015.

Summary:

This document is a presentation developed by the City of Milwaukee.  It offers statistics and diagrams showing the correlation between vacant lots and crime activity within three separate Milwaukee neighborhoods; Amani Neighborhood, Washington Park Neighborhood and Metcalfe Park Neighborhood.  The presentation provides a timeline and budgeting plan for demolition activities between 2012 and 2015.  The presentation also offers examples of housing stock appropriate for demolition, housing stock appropriate for repairs and housing stock appropriate for rehabilitation/restoration.  

Thematic Organization (Key Words):

Safety, vacancy, crime, restoration, rehabilitation, re-use, demolition, installations.

Relevance to Thesis/Project: This article is important to consider because if offers proof of the issues and challenges Washington Park Neighborhood experiences.  Several of these issues relate to crime and safety.  The article suggests these issues are in-part associated with vacant lots.  This evidence could offer credibility when suggesting architectural methods for increasing safety or productive programming for vacant lots.  The presentation provides graphics showing housing stock eligible for rehabilitation and re-use, which will aid in evaluating appropriate sites and context for residential design. 

4. Site Design for Multifamily Housing: Creating Livable, Connected Neighborhoods

Larco, Nicolas, and Kristin Kelsey. Site Design for Multifamily Housing: Creating Livable, Connected Neighborhoods. Washington DC: Island Press, 2014. 2-85.

Summary:

This book offers a set of planning guidelines and design suggestions to “create more livable, connected, and vibrant multi-family developments and neighborhoods,” (p. 2).  The book discusses the benefits of designing neighborhoods with greater livability (increased quality of life, health and social connectedness).  The majority of text offers suggestions to increase/improve connectivity, accessibility and pedestrian/bicycle networks.  The book also discusses planning/design at a neighborhood scale with a focus on the street network, access points, edges, parking, street design, building orientation, and open space/public landscapes.

Thematic Organization (Key Words): 

Accessibility, multi-family, connectivity, pedestrian and bicycle network, accessibility, neighborhood scale, block scale, street design,

Relevance to Thesis/Project: 

This text is relevant to the multi-scalar component of the thesis project, in particular at the block and neighborhood scale.  As stated above, the book provides guidelines, suggestions and precedents for establishing a community that is well connected, promotes accessibility and pedestrian/bicycle networks, and provides wayfinding, visibility and open green space.

5. Unassisted Living: Ageless Homes for Later Life

Chapman, Wid, and Jeff Rosenfeld. Unassisted Living: Ageless Home for Later Life. New York, New York: Monacelli Press, 2011. 16-237.

Summary:

This book provides a collection of senior citizen housing precedents, architectural narratives and graphics.  The book also provides information about senior generational interests and needs.  “Baby boomers” have identified safety, comfort, engaging with family and friends, independence and opportunities for physical activity as important elements in their home and neighborhood.  Three Generations Together: Multi-Family Homes and Communities, Ageless Homes for Later Life, and Affordable But Never Boring are three sections within this book that are relevant to the thesis/design project.

Thematic Organization (Key Words): Affordability, economy, ageing in place, multi-family, senior needs, independent living, mobility, active lifestyle.

Relevance to Thesis/Project:  This book offers important design precedents that will be examined throughout the design process.  Senior surveys and narration will guide design process and decision making. 

6. Independent for Life: Homes and Neighborhoods for an Ageing America

Cisneros, Henry. Independent for Life: Homes and Neighborhoods for an Aging America. Austin, Texas: University of Texas Press, 2012. 4-256.

Summary:

This book provides guidelines, suggestions and precedents to designers and planners that support the notion of ‘ageing in place.’  The book discusses the importance of/how to design and plan “new homes for accessibility and safety, retrofit existing neighborhoods to connect needed services and amenities, and plan new communities that work well for people of all ages,” (p. 6).  The book explains the importance of ‘ageing in place’ and the need for design to “support both old and young people so that very long lives are lived well,” (p. 3).  It also provides evidence, statistics, interviews and surveys that present both quantitative and qualitative data showing the importance of ‘ageing in place.’

Thematic Organization (Key Words):  Ageing in place, multi-generational housing, universal design, elderly design, ADA design, retrofitting, age friendly environment, active lifestyle.

Relevance to Thesis/Project: This book is a detailed reference guide to universal and ADA design.  It addresses many relevant codes and items to consider when designing for senior citizens.  Similar to the previously documented literature, it also provides insight regarding the needs, expectations and design requirements of the elderly. 

ADDITIONAL SOURCES CITED

Footnotes [About | Introduction]

Footnotes [Neighborhood | History]

Footnotes [Neighborhood | Washington Park]

Footnotes [Neighborhood | Land Use Planning Goals]

Footnotes [Site Exploration | 37th Street School]

Footnotes [Site Exploration | Willowglen Academy]

Footnotes [Precedents]