Podcasts about streetscape

Apartments, retail proposed for Beekman Street in Beacon In some ways, a public hearing held Tuesday (April 8) on a proposal to construct two 4-story buildings with 64 apartments along Beekman Street at Route 9D in Beacon resembled a revolving door. One by one, residents opposed to the 45 Beekman St. project registered complaints with the Planning Board, which has been reviewing the application since December 2023. As the speakers finished, Taylor Palmer, the applicant's attorney, approached the podium to challenge the complaints. In addition to one- and two-bedroom apartments, the project at one of the gateways to Beacon (Interstate 84 is a few blocks away) is set to include 15,000 square feet of commercial space. Renderings show brick buildings with metal trim, although metal components may not be allowed in the city's linkage district, which connects the waterfront and Main Street. The building inspector will make a determination. Streetscape elements would include benches, bicycle racks and a public area at the 9D intersection with sculptures and seating. A parking lot behind the buildings would sit close to the backyards of a half-dozen properties on High Street and Tompkins Avenue. Some neighbors feel the proposal is out of scale with its surroundings and will detract from the 12 multicolored Victorian homes on High Street, part of Beacon's protected historic district. They also say trees the developer intends to plant at the site will not adequately screen their views. Project officials contend that the linkage zone is meant for high-density, mixed-use development and say the proposal is in line with nearby developments such as The View and West End Lofts, and civic buildings such as City Hall and the recently completed central fire station. However, "the fire station requires multiple vehicles exceeding 25 feet and weighing 12 tons to park inside," said Jim Zellinger, a West Church Street resident, on Tuesday. "Showing these buildings as comparable only demonstrates the oversized scale of the proposal." Palmer countered, saying the linkage district was created to encourage residential development that will support Main Street businesses. "The comprehensive plan and its [2017] update explicitly call for this type of mixed-use development along Beekman Street," he said. Palmer shared a letter from the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) indicating the agency did not believe the project would adversely affect the High Street-to-Tompkins Avenue neighborhood, which the agency said is eligible for the state and national Registers of Historic Places. OPRHP conditioned its statement on the developer submitting a "construction protection plan" for historical resources within 90 feet and revising the rooftop design of the building closest to High Street. Later in the hearing, Maryellen Case, a High Street resident, disputed the finding, even with its caveats. Case said she had called the state official who wrote the letter, and "she explained that the office is inundated with these types of evaluations. She also didn't realize that there was any public opposition, particularly from High Street residents." Jill Reynolds, a former Planning Board member, also spoke, noting that the board's review of the application is likely nearing its end. "I don't know how you can stop that ocean liner before it hits the iceberg," she said. "I just want to keep Beacon from becoming downtown White Plains." The project has been on the agenda for 14 meetings, Palmer said, and issues raised Tuesday "are important, but they're comments that the board considered throughout the review process." The Planning Board typically holds public hearings on multiple elements of a project, such as environmental impacts or for site-plan approval, although speakers rarely distinguish their comments. It will continue the hearing on 45 Beekman next month while opening another on the subdivision of parcels at the site. "There's stil...

On this episode, we talk to Mark Harmon who is the Executive Director of Inspections and Engineering for the city. He updates us on the Remington Streetscape project.  Also, check out our new segment, "Sounds of the City!" Look for the Facebook post, provide your answer for the city sound effect in the comments, and you might when a prize.

Welcome to the daily304 – your window into Wonderful, Almost Heaven, West Virginia.   Today is Monday, Jan. 6, 2025. Weirton's Theo Yianni's serves up bangin' good Greek food…a new initiative aims to attract economic investment to historic buildings in rural communities…and Wheeling's Streetscape beautifies the city and creates a foundation for future investments…on today's daily304. #1 – From WV LIVING – Shawn Mihellis may tell you it was never his plan to own a popular Greek restaurant in Weirton, but the winding road that led him there seems to suggest otherwise. One: His parents came to America by boat, making Mihellis the first in his family to be born in this country. Two: They eventually migrated to Weirton, a town in the Northern Panhandle with a large Greek population. Three: Back in his younger days, he ran an after-hours bar in his basement where he'd make and serve his own Greek gyros. He went to college to pursue a teaching degree, but the restaurant business called him back. He went on to open Theo Yianni's, a little Greek restaurant in the middle of town, 13 years ago—and that small spot quickly became a hit among the locals. Read more: https://wvliving.com/bangin-good-food/   #2 – From WV EXPLORER – An initiative designed to attract economic investment to historic buildings and districts in rural communities is being introduced to Congress by senators Mark Warner of Virginia and Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia. The Rural Historic Tax Credit Improvement Act will significantly reduce financial burdens for rural homeowners and developers in historic districts and where buildings are otherwise listed on the national register. Capito said the act will help rural communities that otherwise must compete with high-traffic development areas. As early as the 1940s, many towns across America began losing commerce to larger cities along major transportation routes. Read more: https://wvexplorer.com/2024/12/20/west-virginia-tax-credit-benefit-rural-commmunities/   #3 – From WV EXECUTIVE – In 2022, Governor Jim Justice approved the bid award of $31.9 million for the Wheeling Streetscape Project.  This project, scheduled to be completed by summer 2025, will beautify downtown Wheeling by adding decorative traffic signals, plants and trees as well as brickwork along Main and Market streets and between 10th and 16th streets. ADA-compliant curb cuts and widened sidewalks are also part of the project. Josh Jefferson, president and CEO of the Regional Economic Development Partnership, says the project has created a foundation for future investment and supports the city's existing business community. In recent years, Wheeling and its surrounding cities have seen new businesses arise, such as Form Energy, Newbridge Academy for Kids, Waterfront Hall and Bridge Tavern & Grill. Read more: https://wvexecutive.com/progress-in-the-panhandle/   Find these stories and more at wv.gov/daily304. The daily304 curated news and information is brought to you by the West Virginia Department of Commerce: Sharing the wealth, beauty and opportunity in West Virginia with the world. Follow the daily304 on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @daily304. Or find us online at wv.gov and just click the daily304 logo.  That's all for now. Take care. Be safe. Get outside and enjoy all the opportunity West Virginia has to offer.  

Morning Show 08 - 29 - 24 Hour 1 Heat - Streetscape - Friiends by The Watchdog

Ryan Kailath, WNYC/Gothamist arts and culture reporter, talks about the August 3rd deadline for restaurants wanting to continue outdoor dining and why the streetscape will see changes.

K.E. McCartney and Associates and City of Mansfield are creating a revitalized community through streetscape project: https://www.richlandsource.com/2024/04/05/k-e-mccartney-and-associates-and-city-of-mansfield-are-creating-a-revitalized-community-through-streetscape-project/ The Richland School of Academic Arts enrollment page: https://richlandschool.esvportal.com/Login.aspx  Today - Thanks to Mansfield Rising, plans are underway to transform Mansfield's downtown, creating a more vibrant space for all and making a better front door entrance to the community.Support the show: https://richlandsource.com/membersSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Morning Show 04 - 16 - 24 Hour 1 Hump Bridge - Streetscape - Nailers Schedule by The Watchdog

Discussion on the Public Safety Reports Given by Monmouth Police Chief Joe Switzer and Monmouth Fire Chief Casey Rexroat, discussion on the Redevelopment Agreement with Dame Holdings, LLC, discussion on the presentation by Monmouth College students on the request for a Stop Sign at 8th Street and Broadway, update on the beginning of Phase 1 of water main replacement in Downtown Monmouth as part of the Streetscape project, and an update on the Harlem Avenue project in the City of Monmouth.

Morning Show 02 - 05 - 24 Hour 2 Space Umbrellas, Brad Mcelhinny On Groundhog Day, Streetscape by The Watchdog

Morning Show 12 - 12 - 23 Hour 2 Tom Squitieri On Politics, Vhad Thalman On Streetscape by The Watchdog

Morning Show 12 - 04 - 23 Hour 1 Streetscape Discussion by The Watchdog

Morning Show 12 - 04 - 23 Hour 2 - Mayor Elliott On Streetscape by The Watchdog

Learn more at TheCityLife.org --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/citylifeorg/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/citylifeorg/support

In this episode, we had the pleasure of speaking with Ashleigh Kaplan, Corporate Development Manager at Streetscape, to learn more about the company's innovative platform and how it helps to standardize and streamline property management processes such as architectural approvals, lease renewals, and inventory reporting.Ashleigh is an advocate for digital transformation in the residential development industry, and she is dedicated to helping builders and land developers save time, money, and sell more homes through her work with Streetscape. She also shares her knowledge and expertise on digital solutions for the industry on her Instagram page, @sellhomeswithtech. With her passion for technology and innovation, Ashleigh is making a significant impact on the future of residential development.

Imagine walking down a city street. You see pavement, bricks, power lines, pipes, windows, lights, maybe some graffiti, a tree or two. Artist Kahlil Robert Irving thinks that a city street landscape can tell a community's story. The Walker Art Center in Minneapolis recently opened an exhibition by Kahlil called Archeology of the Present. Kahlil joined MPR News host Cathy Wurzer to talk about his latest exhibit. Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.  Subscribe to the Minnesota Now podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.    We attempt to make transcripts for Minnesota Now available the next business day after a broadcast. When ready they will appear here. 

A jam packed episode this month.Council Chat: CEO of the Clare and Gilbert Valleys Council Dr Helen Macdonald discusses all the latest details discussed at the latest council meeting.Auburn Streetscape PlanLand revocation of Auburn RSLStrategic PlanningCommunity SurveyRates objectionsStanley Flat Code AmendmentAustralia Day Awards BreakfastGreenwaste collection launchAustralia Day AwardsYou'll meet Angus Holland who was awarded the Young Citizen of the Year Award at the Australia Day Awards Breakfast in Clare. He speaks about his fundraising initiative involving a mullet and his footy team.Ash Wednesday Bushfires 40th AnniversaryAlso a very special audio package reflecting on the Ash Wednesday bushfires. This month ( 16th February 1983) marks the 40th Anniversary of the fires that hit the Clare Valley. You'll hear from some Clare Valley locals who either fought the fires or lost their homes, land and stock. Thank you to John Donnellan, Alistair Hope, Val Tilbrook and Neil and Alison Paulett for telling your stories so candidly.Clare and Gilbert Valleys Council meeting minutes - Jan - https://www.claregilbertvalleys.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0030/1286166/25-January-2023-Ordinary-Council-Meeting-Minutes.pdfAsh Wednesday Bushfires - a detailed account from the CFShttps://www.fire-brigade.asn.au/about-sacfs-history/publications/volunteer/017%20The%20Volunteer%20Autumn-Winter%20Issue%20March-June%201983.pdf

Bernard Caleo is back for ‘Drawn Out', our monthly comics segment; Artist Robert Clinch discusses 'Romancing the Streetscape', an exhibition at Hawthorn's Town Hall Gallery celebrating streetscapes, parks and buildings iconic to Melbourne; Meanjin editor and arts advocate Esther Anatolitis dissects the new National Cultural Policy ‘Revive', designed to renew Australia's arts, entertainment and cultural sector. With presenter Richard Watts.

A soundscape qalking down Houston Street, New York focusing mostly on one man's conversation, with traffic and street noises and a passing police siren. Binaural recording - best to listen  with headphones.   Recorded by overmedium. 

Liam speaks with streetscape and public space designer Ignacio Ciocchini, who's created much of the public furniture that New Yorkers encounter every single day – from benches that provide personal space, to entire built landscapes for Bryant Park, to chargers for electric vehicles and more. The conversation ranges from the materiality of the built environment, to the ways in which it expands, constrains, and informs our experiences of life and socialization in a city, with a look toward the more human-focused future that Ciocchini envisions. Read the full transcript: https://www.iamli.am/design-notes-podcast/ignacio-ciocchini-nyc-public-furniture Subscribe to Design Notes:

A classic Havana street soundscape starts with crowds going about their daily business, before halfway through some wonderful Cuban music plays from a nearby bar as we walk past, creating a wonderfully lively atmosphere. Recorded by Jack Hyde. Part of the Well-Being Cities project, a unique collaboration between Cities and Memory and C40, a global network of mayors of nearly 100 world-leading cities collaborating to deliver the urgent action needed right now to confront the climate crisis. The project was originally presented at the C40 Cities conference in Buenos Aires in 2022. Explore Well-Being Cities in full at https://citiesandmemory.com/wellbeing-cities/

The Patricks have once again busted out of hibernation with a new episode recorded in the new downtown Urban Design Studio. We're talking parking minimums in Kentucky cities, a neighbor-led effort to landmark a pedestrian court of shotgun houses, the new story from KyCIR on corporate landlords in Louisville, and the latest delay for implementing the NULU streetscape/bike lane project.

August 9, 2022 Reidsville City Council MeetingAGENDA1. Call to Order.2. Invocation by Elder Bernard Florence of Reidsville, now Pastor of St. Thomas Chapel Pentecostal Church, 633 Highway 150, Greensboro, NC.3. Pledge of Allegiance.4. Approval of Consent Agenda (Items Approved with One Motion).(A) Approval of July 12, 2022 Monthly Meeting Minutes and the Open Session Minutes of the July 28, 2022 Special Meeting.(B) Approval of a Resolution of Intent to close a Portion of an Undeveloped Right-of-Way ofGoodman Street, which calls for a public hearing to be held on Tuesday, September 13, 2022. (SC 2022-01)(C) Approval of a Resolution of Intent to close an Undeveloped Alley Right-of-Way runningbetween Snead Street to Lindsey Street, which calls for the public hearing to be held onSeptember 13, 2022. (SC 2022-02)(D) Approval of a Resolution Directing the Clerk to Investigate a petition Requesting Annexation of Approximately 5.042 Acres located off of Barnes Street and Flack Street and a Resolution Fixing the Date of the Public Hearing on September 13, 2022. The request to voluntarily annex this contiguous property is being made by the landowners Dennis M. Bracy and Patsy B. Bracy.(E) Approval of 2021-2022 Audit Contract with Cherry Bekeart, LLP.5. Public Hearings:(A) Consideration of a Request to Rezone Rockingham County Tax Parcel Nos. 148846 and148847 located off South Scales Street from Residential-20 R-20) to Highway Business(HB). The request is being made by property owner Matthew Allen Hill. (Z 2022-05)(Enclosure #1) - Jason Hardin, Planning & Community Development Manager6. Industrial Park:(A) Consideration of Signage and International Flags at Reidsville Industrial Park and Accompanying Budget Ordinance Amendment. (Enclosure #2) - Jeff Garstka, EconomicDevelopment Director7. Updates:(A) Consideration of Contract Approval with Wetherill Engineering for Cypress DriveImprovements and Accompanying Budget Ordinance Amendment. (Enclosure #3) - SummerWoodard, City Manager(B) Presentation on Proposed Splashpad Location and Design and Accompanying BudgetOrdinance Amendment. (Enclosure #4) - Summer Woodard, City Manager and Mary Banawith Vortex8. Policies:(A) Consideration of American Rescue Plan-Related Policies and Accompanying Grant Project Ordinance Amendment for Streetscape and Splashpad Projects. (Enclosure #5) - Summer Woodard, City Manager9. Budgetary Items:(A) Consideration of an Allocation from the NC General Assembly's Appropriations Act toPurchase Police Cars and for Laster Lift Station Improvements and Accompanying BudgetOrdinance Amendment. (Enclosure #6) - Summer Woodard, City Manager10. Public Comments.11. City Manager's Report.(A) Month of August. (Enclosure #7)12. Council Members' Reports.13. Adjourn.###

Bloomington City Manager Tim Gleason estimates the price tag for a new downtown streetscape at $25-30 million. That's not to say anything like that has been decided, but now that the O'Neil Pool Project and the Bloomington Public Library expansion are under way, Gleason said it's time to pay a lot more attention to the city's core.

This week, Dan and Laurie Dean discuss the Square Streetscape and the importance of continued investment in the area around the Square. We also introduce a new segment called "Give me the lowdown" where Dan gives us a preview of upcoming issues in front of the City Council. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/we-have-issues5/message

Wheeling Mayor Glenn Elliott Of Streetscape by The Watchdog

As Egg Harbor continues to refine its plans for redesigning Highway 42 next year, Myles Dannhausen Jr. and Andrew Kleidon discuss concerns raised by property owners on the north end of the village about the impact the project will have on the landscape there. They also discuss the Women's Walks that took place in Sturgeon Bay and Sister Bay earlier this week.

Alexandrina Councillors have this week voted to deliver a comprehensive Goolwa Wharf Precinct Plan, rather than scaling it back as proposed by Councillor Brownyn Lewis who wanted to save money for ratepayers. Meantime, works are set to commence in July on Stage 3 of the Strathalbyn Streetscape project. Mayor Keith Parkes joins Jennie Lenman to discuss these projects and the 2022-23 draft Budget.

Construction has begun on an $8.2 million streetscape project on East Warren in Detroit, between Cadieux and Three Mile. What are some of the improvements we'll see? What will the impact be? How long will it take? And what were some of the thoughts behind the design? Allen Penniman, East Region Design Director for Detroit's Planning and Development Department joins me on the show to talk all about what's ahead. Remember to tell a friend about the show! If you can, consider supporting us: One time thing: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dailydetroit Or become a monthly member: https://www.patreon.com/DailyDetroit  

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Welcome to the Clare Valley Podcast brought to you by the Clare and Gilbert Valleys Council,  keeping you informed on the latest Council news, upcoming projects and community events in the area.A jam packed episode this month: 1.  The Clare Bike Park has been given a major facelift! After 18 months of planning, consultations and design work, there's bigger jumps, better tricks and the kids couldn't be happier. 2. An exciting development for the community of Auburn, after 4 years of planning, a very impressive giant sculpture has been erected at the entrance of the township. A very generous resident bequeathed $64, 000 to the town to build a gateway statement on the southern entrance to the town! It sure does make a statement! Go and check it out!! 3. What does council do in regards to recycling and what happens to all the materials once they leave the local waste transfer station? Also disposable face masks. People still aren't doing the right thing and cutting the ear loops before they dispose in the bins. They're a hazard to wildlife! 4. Hear the latest from Council on a plan for a mobile library service, delays in design costings for the Clare and Riverton Town Halls,  upcoming Naidoc celebrations and community consultations for the draft design of the Auburn Streetscape Plan.  Enjoy. This podcast is also chaptered, so merrily skip to the topic you're most interested in.  Mobile Library Service Survey - https://www.letstalkcgv.com.au/mobile-library-survey?fbclid=IwAR10Q_yTsl_AgsbfcfLOJT6mxvAMacP7Ngb-bsXxJ_odATcsPeViHwmUufw Auburn Streetscape Plan - https://www.claregilbertvalleys.sa.gov.au/ Clare Lions Recycling Brochure and Video - https://www.claregilbertvalleys.sa.gov.au/community-information/latest-news/clare-lions-recycling-brochures 

In more than 150 cities around the world, Covid 19 has been what you might call a shot in the arm for walking and cycling. To encourage social distancing, they added cycleways, extended footpaths and replaced parking spots with outdoor seating. What did New Zealand do? For the answer, we spoke to researcher Dr Kirsty Wild, co-author of a https://www.nzta.govt.nz/assets/Roads-and-Rail/innovating-streets/docs/Street-space-reallocation-COVID-19-20201116.pdf (Waka Kotahi report) into streetscape reallocation in this country as a response to the pandemic.  

Canton's Streetscape project is expanding and some local law enforcement will be honored on Wednesday. Canton Mayor Tom Bernabei fills us in, Listen HERE:

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The first of two Patreon-fueled shout-outs!WTJU 91.1 FM is a different sort of radio station. It's dedicated to sharing the transcendent experience of music while raising funds from listeners across the world. From October 4th through 10th, WTJU airs its annual Jazz Marathon. Tune in for a deep dive into everything from bebop to blues. WTJU's Volunteer DJs will play the spectrum jazz – from Billie Holiday to Canonball Adderly to Pharoah Sanders. Plus live, local jazz performances throughout the week.  Visit wtju.org to learn more. On today’s show:Charlottesville City Council discusses the costs of reconfiguring Buford Middle School and make a decision on West Main StreetEarly voting in Virginia begins tomorrow, and a look at voting as it stands in Albemarle and Charlottesville in 2021 Rio Hill Shopping Center has asked Charlottesville Area Transit to stop stopping thereAnd a new job for Charlottesville most recent planning director Another day, another large number of new COVID cases. That number is 4,181 and the percent positivity is 10.6. There are another 145 new cases in the Blue Ridge Health District and one more fatality reported. That person lived in Greene County. The COVID-19 model created by the University of Virginia Biocomplexity Institute currently projects that the Charlottesville area will reach a peak of 2,245 new cases a week in mid-October. “Models can help us understand the potential course of COVID-19, but they are not crystal balls,” reads a statement on the website for the model. “Most models struggle to project policy changes, changes in human behavior, or new and rare events.”With the pandemic raging, many indoor venues are now requiring proof of vaccination before admittance. To make showing that proof more convenient, the Virginia Department of Health announced today they are offering QR codes.“As more and more employers and businesses respond to calls by President Biden and Governor Northam to require that employees and customers be vaccinated,” reads a press release. “QR codes will help improve the consistency and security of vaccination information while protecting individual privacy.”Visit vaccinate.virginia.gov to obtain a QR code. Virginia is the fifth state to adopt protocols developed for SMART Health Cards. *Early voting in Virginia begins tomorrow as acting Charlottesville Registrar Taylor Yowell explains.“Under Virginia election law, voters can vote up to 45 days early in-person or absentee,” Yowell said.  “So with that 45 days in advance of an election, that is 33 actual days that you can come into our office and vote.”Yowell made her comments this past week at a Sunday seminar held by the League of Women Voters of the Charlottesville Area.  Yowell said mail-in ballots will be distributed beginning this week. (listen to the whole event)“In order to receive a mail ballot, you must fill out a mail ballot application and that can be submitted online, in-person to our office, mailed in to us,” Yowell said. “We do have a lot of voters and say ‘hey, I don’t have availability to get online and fill one out’ so we will send them the application with a return envelope so they can be added to the list.” Once registrars across Virginia receive ballots, there is a process known as curing that validates the vote. According to the instructions on voting absentee in Virginia, there’s an A envelope, and a B envelope.   “Whether this is by mail, whether you drop to our dropbox, whether you drop into our office, we take it inside and it will be automatically opened up and we check to make sure every component on your B envelope… this is where your name, your address, your signature, your witness signature, the day you filled out the ballot… this is where we make sure everything is correct. And we have three days after we receive a ballot to notify you if there’s something that needs to be cured, so that way your ballot can be accepted and processed in our office,” Yowell said. In 2020, the state of emergency related to the pandemic temporarily waived the requirement for a witness signature. That will be required again this year. Yowell said voting early in-person is just like voting on Election Day. “No results are pulled until 7 p.m. on Election Day, just like at the precincts, because no one will know and no one can prior to 7 p.m.,” Yowell said.Now, what if someone requested a ballot via mail, and then shows up in person anyway? Yowell said in that case, the person is asked to sign an oath.“It’s just a gold piece of paper saying ‘I have lost or not received my ballot’ and it’s pretty much an affirmation signing that you will not attempt to vote twice,” Yowell said. “If you do, it will be turned over to the Commonwealth’s Attorney.” The last day for in-person voting before Election Day will be October 30. Charlottesville Area Transit Route 5 will no longer serve the Rio Hill Shopping center, according to a release from the bus agency. The release states the property owner has requested the change, and that means two stops within the shopping center will become dormant. The 31 acre property is owned by SCT Rio Hill LLC, a firm associated with the retirement system for employees of the state of Connecticut. The manager of the Rio Hill Shopping Center said in June 7 letter to the city that planned renovation implements a vision that does not involve public transit.“Not only are the buses a safety hazard for the customers crossing the main drive lanes to get to the stores, but the weight of the buses is also causing significant damage to the asphalt resulting in wear and cracking,” wrote Jim Paulus, the center’s manager. The planned route changes that have not yet been fully approved had already taken the request into account. In addition, Route 5 will no longer terminate at the Wal-Mart but instead will stop at Fashion Square Mall. Route 7 will instead travel to Wal-Mart and the plans show the alignment as missing Rio Hill Shopping Center. There is no date for when the transit changes will be made. H   The Regional Transit Partnership meets next Thursday. Previous coverage:February 6, 2021: Catching up with Albemarle's Comprehensive Plan, Entrance Corridors, Rio Hill Shopping Center renovationJuly 4, 2021: Preparing for Charlottesville area's transit future; Water authority gets update on cybersecurity, capital projectsNow that Charlottesville has a new director of Neighborhood Development Services, the person who last held the position now has a city post in a newly created city department. Alex Ikefuna is the interim director of the Office of Community Solutions. “The Office of Community Solutions will reside in CitySpace and the team will concentrate on our housing priorities, commercial redevelopment interests, federal entitlements/investments coordination and management, and neighborhood constituent services,” said city communications director Brian Wheeler in an email. Ikefuna will oversee the Office of Housing, which will report to Deputy City Manager Sam Sanders. “The vision for this office is to expand and deepen the City’s approach to a variety of community-based efforts, especially related to addressing our affordable housing crisis,” Wheeler continued. In today’s second Substack-supported public service announcement: The Charlottesville Jazz Society at cvillejazz.org is dedicated to the promotion, preservation, and perpetuation of all that  jazz, and there’s no time like now to find a time to get out and watch people love to play. The Charlottesville Jazz Society keeps a running list of what’s coming up at cvillejazz.org. Last night, the Charlottesville City Council got the latest details on the plans for reconfiguration of the city’s middle schools. Go back and read/listen to the September 14, 2021 edition of the show for the details. Since that was posted, a Community Design Team that has been shepherding the work of architectural firm VMDO has made their final recommendation. Here’s Wyck Knox of VMDO with the latest information. (presentation from September 14, 2021 CDT meeting)“The unanimous choice by the CDT was Option 3 that builds in the bowl and gives a new look to the school and the most square footage and the most variety of outdoor spaces to the new building,” Knox said. This is also the most expensive option at an estimate of $73 million. The five-year capital improvement program budget has a $50 million placeholder for reconfiguration. If Council agrees to proceed with the project, they’ll need to approve a budget with actual numbers in order to calculate how many millions of dollars in bonds need to be sold to pay for the capital costs. (FY22 adopted CIP)For the Council meeting, the city’s budget office presented funding scenarios all of which include an increase in the property tax rate to cover the cost of the additional debt service to pay the bond proceeds back. These hinge on whether the city proceeds with a long-planned and multi-phased project to upgrade West Main Street that grew out of a $350,000 planning study requested in 2012 by the PLACE Design Task Force. While the currently adopted CIP does not include any additional funding for the $49 million project, Council has previously allocated $20.54 million in local money to match state funding for the first two phases.  That’s according to a slide presented to Council back in February. Council could opt to transfer that to the school project. The tax increases were initially to have been phased in gradually at two cents a year to cover the five-year plan as adopted by Council in April. For the purposes of these scenarios, the tax increases are shown happening next year all at once, and include an additional five cents to cover the additional cost to finance the reconfigured schools.“If you want to start construction in FY23, which is next year, then we have to have the money to sign a contract, so that means all the money all at once,” said Krissy Hamill, the city’s budget performance analyst. Option 1 would cover just the cost of that $50 million placeholder and would include the West Main project. This would result in a 15 cent tax increase next  year to a rate of $1.10 per $100 of assessed value. “Option 2 would decrease the amount of tax increase that would be required if West Main Street were removed,” said City Manager Chip Boyles.That would be a 13 cent tax rate to $1.08 per $100 of assessed value. The next two options raise the reconfiguration cost to $75 million. Option 3 keeps West Main Street with a 18 cent tax rate increase. Option 4 drops West Main and is also a 15 cent tax increase. Those actual rates could be different depending on the results of the 2022 assessment. That’s why you see the phrase “tax rate equivalent” in the options. There will be no room for any additional capital projects for at least two years under these scenarios. “There are a lot of variables in this,” said Boyles. “This is making the assumption that there is no sales referendum and no sales tax increase.” Boyles estimates the one percent increase in the tax would bring in an additional $12 million a year. The current sales tax is 5.3 percent, but Charlottesville only gets one percent of that amount. The budget for the current fiscal year anticipates the city will collect $12 million a year. In Fiscal Year 2020, the city collected $11.4 million according to data compiled by the Auditor of Public Accounts for the Commonwealth of Virginia. That’s up from $9.3 million in 2010. The capital budget for FY22 includes $1 million for a parking structure at Market Street and East High. Earlier this year, Council opted to wait a year on that project and wait until next year to spend the remaining $7 million. So far, the options presented to Council did not factor in what happens if the project is dropped but that project cannot get totally zeroed out. (FY22 adopted CIP)“What we have been looking at is reserving at least a couple of million if we had to create surface parking on the properties that we own,” Boyles said. “I would say definitely $5 million could be transferred if needed.”However, Hammill said that would not affect the projected tax rates because the capital budget already assumes bonds will be sold to cover the cost of paying projects. The housing plan adopted by City Council calls for $10 million a year to be dedicated to affordable projects. The current five-year capital improvement program anticipates $13.5 million on public housing, $925,000 a year on the city’s affordable housing plan, $900,000 a year for housing vouchers, and $11.4 million in city funds for the redevelopment of Friendship Court.  (FY22 adopted CIP)There was no specific decision point on the agenda last night but Knox said he wanted to know what Council is thinking. There will be an information item presented to Council on October 4. A decision on West Main?Mayor Nikuyah Walker wanted to know where Councilors stood on the West Main Street project. The results were pretty clear. “The only way I can see West Main Street surviving is if we get this one [percent] sales tax for the school reconfiguration,” said vice mayor Sena Magill. “That’s it.”“I would definitely fully support reallocating the West Main project to schools,” said Councilor Michael Payne. “I can see West Main continuing as just as Hail Mary of if Congress passes the stimulus bill and there’s no local city money required.”“I would prioritize this ahead of West Main,” said City Councilor Heather Hill. “Projects like West Main had a lot of revenue come in from other sources and I’ve said before that it’s a hard one to swallow but I think we’re at a point where there’s not another option.”“As probably maybe the last defender of the West Main project, I also agree that whatever option we end up taking is going to have to be an option that does not include the West Main project,” said City Councilor Lloyd Snook. Much of the Virginia Department of Transportation funding for West Main Street comes in the form of Smart Scale, which requires projects to be completed within six years. In the current round, the city was awarded $10.4 million for the third phase. None of that funding requires a local match. The University of Virginia committed $5 million to the West Main project as well. This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

Articles featured on pages 5, 6 and 10 of The Carlow Nationalist on August 17th 2021.

We held our very first War on Cars Meetup in Brooklyn a few weekends ago. We actually started planning this event almost two years ago but, you know... a global pandemic kind of got in the way. After so many months of relative social isolation it was great to gather in person, see old friends, meet new friends, and talk with so many of our passionate, dedicated listeners. Part of what was special about the Meetup was its location. Not very long ago, if you had tried to host a social gathering in the middle of Vanderbilt Avenue, you'd have gotten squashed by a speeding car. In 2006, New York City's Dept. of Transportation experimented with its very first “road diet” on Vanderbilt Ave. Today, it's one of New York City's most successful car-free open streets. It's a place to experience how nice it can be when streets are designed and managed as community spaces rather than traffic sewers. ***This episode is sponsored in part by our friends at Cleverhood. For 20% off of stylish, functional rain gear designed specifically for walking and biking enter coupon code WARONCARS at checkout.*** Support The War on Cars on Patreon and get cool stickers, access to exclusive bonus content and more. SHOW NOTES: Vanderbilt Avenue: Open Streets, Good Vibes Eyes on the Street: A Refuge on Vanderbilt (Streetsblog) How New Yorkers Want to Change the Streetscape for Good (New York Times) Statistics on how the Vanderbilt Avenue “road diet” is working (New York City Dept. of Transportation) Get official War on Cars merch, including apparel, pins, patches, stickers and more at our store. Check out The War on Cars library at Bookshop.org. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts. This episode was produced and edited by Aaron Naparstek. Our music is by Nathaniel Goodyear. Our logo is by Dani Finkel of Crucial D. Find us on Twitter: @TheWarOnCars, Doug Gordon @BrooklynSpoke, Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1, Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek.  Questions, comments or suggestions? Email us: thewaroncars@gmail.com TheWarOnCars.org

With the summer heat in full swing, your local energy nonprofit, LEAP, wants you and yours to keep cool. LEAP offers FREE home weatherization to income- and age-qualifying residents. If you’re age 60 or older, or have an annual household income of less than $74,950, you may qualify for a free energy assessment and home energy improvements such as insulation and air sealing. Sign up today to lower your energy bills, increase comfort, and reduce energy waste at home!On today’s show:An uptick in COVID cases continues throughout VirginiaCouncil approves Fontaine Avenue streetscape design and extra funding for Meadow Creek Valley trail Charlottesville Area Transit continues route change public input session while Albemarle gets ready for theirs Today the seven-day average for new COVID-19 cases in Virginia is 671 and the seven-day percent positivity has increased to 4.3 percent. As of today, 53.6 percent of Virginians are fully vaccinated, and do keep in mind that this number includes people under the age of 12 who cannot yet receive a shot. From June 19 to July 18 this year, there have been 8,012 new cases of COVID in Virginia and 97.09 percent cases are in people not fully vaccinated. There have been 25 deaths, and all but two were in people not fully vaccinated.Dr. Costi Sifri is the director of hospital epidemiology at the University of Virginia. “I think we’re fortunate in Charlottesville and Albemarle and our surrounding communities because we have a relatively high vaccination rate and we are also in a state that is one of those minority of states that vaccine rates that are above 50 percent and that’s provided some barriers to widespread transmission of Delta,” Dr. Sifri said. Dr. Sifri acknowledged the uptick in cases, but said other parts of the country are experiencing much steeper climbs. Source: Virginia Department of HealthThe Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission has been granted $2 million to spend on affordable housing projects. The funding comes from a statewide initiative from Virginia Housing called Resources Enabling Affordable Community Housing in Virginia, or REACH. Earlier this month, the agency announced it would spread $40 million around the state. Nonprofit groups, developers and others will be able to apply for the funding to help finance new construction. “This funding puts the Central Virginia Regional Housing Partnership (CVRHP) and the TJPDC in a strong position to be able to contribute to affordable housing solutions through the development of new rental, homeowner, and/or mixed-use housing opportunities,” said Christine Jacobs, the interim director of the TJPDC. The TJPDC has received funding for planning projects related to housing, but this is the first time the regional agency will play a role in the financing.  Details to follow, and we’ll learn more at the TJPDC’s meeting on August 5. Work on the replacement of the Belmont Bridge is picking up. Beginning today, flagging crews will periodically halt the flow of traffic while work is conducted to relocate utility lines. “The contractor is undergrounding electrical as well as telecommunication lines to accommodate the future pedestrian underpass under 9th/Avon Street between South Street and Monticello Road,” reads a release sent out Friday afternoon.More information about how construction will be conducted will be given out at an information meeting on August 11. Materials for an appearance before the Charlottesville Board of Architectural Review in August 2019*Today’s main segment consists on a lot of catch-up items from last week. Charlottesville will seek additional funding to implement a plan to build a trail along Meadow Creek through the City of Charlottesville. Trails planner Chris Gensic told Council the details last week on a Transportation Alternatives grant opportunity offered by the Virginia Department of Transportation. “The grant the parks department is pursuing is to construct a long awaited portion of an [Americans with Disabilities Act] accessible the Meadow Creek valley from the Michie Drive area up to the Virginia Institute of Autism at Greenbrier Drive and also around the corner to Greenbrier Park,” Gensic said. The city will use $135,000 from an already-funded capital account for trails to match federal dollars that come through VDOT for a total of $675,000.“That’s on top of about $375,000 we already have for this particular project,” Gensic said. “Costs have gone up over the years so we’ve determined we’re going to need this extra money for this particular project in Meadow Creek.” Council approves Fontaine Avenue streetscape designCouncil also approved the design for the $11.7 million Fontaine Avenue Streetscape, a project funded by VDOT’s Smart Scale in 2017 that is working through the long process from idea to construction. Kyle Kling is a transportation planning manager for the City of Charlottesville.“In January of 2020, Council accepted the Planning Commission’s recommendation that this project’s conceptual design was found to be in accordance with the city’s Comprehensive Plan,” Kling said. But what is the project, and what will it do for the half-mile stretch of Fontaine Avenue from city limits to where the roadway becomes Jefferson Park Avenue? Owen Peery is an engineer with design firm RK&K. “In line with the City of Charlottesville’s overall transportation goals, the project seeks to make Fontaine Avenue a complete street which should produce accommodations for all users,” Peery said. “Ensuring safe passage for pedestrians and bicyclists, understanding that this serves as a gateway corridor into the city and ensuring the impression is attractive and improving access to local facilities and ensuring these facilities are easily accessed by pedestrians, bicyclist, and transit users.” Final design will continue while property is acquired for public right of way, and construction would begin sometime in 2023. Councilor Michael Payne had a question about something not in the plan. “I’ve been reading through some of the community feedback and there are a couple of people who have raised the question of why these aren’t protected bike lanes with bollards or some kind of physical separation between the bike lane and the road where cars are,” Payne said. Kling said the main reason is the need to keep the travel lanes accessible to emergency vehicles given the presence of the Fontaine fire station. “We felt that if we were to put 11-foot travel lanes out there with some type of separated facility restricting access, it would make it more challenging for those vehicles to travel the corridor when needed,” Kling said.The other reason is the presence of lots of driveways along the roadway, which would need to be closed. Mayor Nikuyah Walker asked City Manager Chip Boyles to ask the University of Virginia to contribute financially if there are any cost overruns. Specifically, she suggested the city could ask to transfer some of UVA’s $5 million commitment for the fourth phase of West Main Street. “There’s a lot of traffic in that area due to their work too that maybe that could be transferred,” Walker said. “I think its a conversation that is worth having,” Walker said. Materials for the May Design Public Hearing included a video drive-through of the road post construction. Visit the project website to review the info.Limited options to assist GreyhoundAt the very end of the meeting, City Councilor Heather Hill asked if the city would be playing any role in the plight of Greyhound, which has closed its station on West Main Street but still picks up passengers on the street.  “I just want to acknowledge to the public that we’re hearing the frustrations,” Hill said. “The most recent comment that came today was around the role our own bus station could play as a housing location for those stops.”City Manager Chip Boyles said he is concerned about the situation.“A lot of our citizens utilize Greyhound to travel,” Boyles said. “We are very limited in what we can do because it is a private carrier and a private service.”Boyles said the city has been asked to provide a shelter, but they can’t do so on private property without a landowners’ permission. Still, he is trying to work out a solution.“We would love to talk with Greyhound,” Boyles said. “I know that they have inquired. The last that we heard was that they were just looking for someone to take over the service.” For many years, the city helped subsidize Greyhound but stopped the practice beginning with the FY2014 budget. Two other intercity bus services travel through Charlottesville, though both go north to rather than southeast to Richmond. These are the Piedmont Express run by the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation, and Megabus. Both of those services utilize a stop at Arlington Boulevard and Barracks Road. Charlottesville completes transit public input sessionsKeeping on the transit theme, last week Charlottesville Area Transit held the second of two public input sessions on upcoming route changes. The presentation on July 21 was the same as five days earlier. This time the first question came from Jane Colony Mills, the executive of the food pantry Loaves and Fishes.“We are located down Lambs Road at the intersection of Hydraulic and Lambs,” said Mills. “We serve probably 25 to 30 percent of Charlottesville’s population but if you don’t have a vehicle they can’t get to us.” The nearest bus line is Route 5, and it’s about three quarters of a mile away from the nearest stop on Commonwealth Drive. “I was out doing registration today and there are just numerous people who have to catch rides or figure out other ways of accessing our services because they can’t get here on public transport,” Colony Mills said. Another person on the call wanted to know if service could be restored to Albemarle Square, which has a new tenant in a new grocery store. CAT Deputy Director Juwhan Lee explained why there are no bus routes there anymore.“The property owner actually asked us to leave the property and so until they invite us back in, we will not able to serve the property directly,” Lee said. The route changes will have to be approved by Council before going into effect.At the same time, Albemarle County and the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission begin the public input component of the a study about ways to expand transit in urban Albemarle, with the goal of increasing service to Route 29 north of the Rivanna River, to Pantops, and to Monticello. Tonight’s meeting deals with service in the north and begins at 6 p.m. (meeting info)For more information on the proposed route changes, visit the CAT site This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

Marlon Hooks, Public Works Sr. Inspector, shares details about this exciting project and the road closure to start July 6, 2021. This project will extend from Third St. to Fulton St. and will include new brick streets, landscape and hardscape features, decorative lighting and over 140 new parking stalls. Start Date July 6 2021. Project cost $3,000,000.

A florist cuts lush, green stems to the proper bouquet length in a well-lit work area. Nearby, her coworker snips sharp thorns off of a rose about to go into an arrangement. At the same time, Josh Jameson takes yet another phone call, chatting easily with a customer. Jameson manages Flowers from the Heart on 5 th , situated on 5 th Avenue in the center of Antigo’s downtown. Last year, the flower shop opened downtown and then moved to this new, bigger space next door just three weeks ago. “I guess the big thing is, when you walk in from the outside, we want to take you someplace,” Jameson says. The rustic décor, local products, and fresh flowers accomplish their mission. “We doubled the size of our cooler. That’s huge,” Jameson says. “if you look at this [cooler], it’s really hard to describe, but it’s flowers floor to ceiling.” They need the inventory, Jameson says, to keep up with demand. Many Northwoods communities like Antigo share at least one thing in common: downtowns that have

A florist cuts lush, green stems to the proper bouquet length in a well-lit work area.

On today’s Let’s Talk Indianola we talk with Charlie Dissell with the City of Indianola about the square streetscape project construction.

On today’s show: Charlottesville City Council is poised make a go or no go decision on the West Main Streetscape projectCity agrees to transfer land at the Amtrak stationA quick COVID update In today’s Patreon fueled shout-out: The Local Energy Alliance Program, your local energy nonprofit, wants to help you lower your energy bills, make your home more comfortable, and save energy. Schedule your Home Energy Check-Up to get started - now only $45 for City of Charlottesville and Albemarle County residents. You’ll receive energy-saving products and expert advice customized to your needs. Sign up today!Many statewide metrics measuring COVID-19 in Virginia are trending downwards, but are still higher than at most points of 2020. Today the Virginia Department of Health reports 2,959 new cases and the seven-day average is 3,541. On January 3, the number reported had been 5,010. In this community, the University of Virginia resumed in-person instruction this week and the first day of the spring semester was held on Monday. One thing different this year is that fraternities and sororities are now able to gather in-person as long as they follow state and local guidelines to stop the spread of COVID. Sierra Martin has a story about this today in the Cavalier Daily. Yesterday, Maryann Xue reported that many people associated with the University of Virginia were able to sign up for vaccine appointments at UVA Health that they were not eligible to receive. The Virginia Department of Health reports today that 1.38 million vaccine doses have been administered in the Commonwealth. The average is now up to 39,658 a day. Compare that to a total of 513,339 cases of COVID since the pandemic began. This morning, the VDH also reported the transmission of another COVID variant in northwest Virginia. “The B.1.1.7 variant, which first emerged in the United Kingdom in late 2020, is associated with increased person-to-person transmission of COVID-19,” reads the press release. The release goes on to say this information stressed the need to keep wearing a mask and following social distancing guidelines, even if you have received the vaccine. Source: Virginia Department of HealthAt a budget work session later today, City Council is expected to take a final decision on the fate of the West Main Streetscape.  This event begins at 3:30 p.m. Staff has recommended not putting additional dollars into the second phase,  which would call into question the future of state funding awarded to that portion of the project, which has a multimillion dollar cost estimate for all four phases. On Monday, Council discussed a study intended to cut the costs of the project which has been under development since 2013. Unlike Albemarle County, city staff plans and manages the city’s road construction projects. Jeanette Janiczek is manager of the city’s Urban Construction Initiative. (read the study)“The idea is not to rescope the project,” Janiczek said. “The idea is with a value engineering process is to have an independent firm review the work that’s been done and see ways we can improve the project while still maintaining the benefits that we were envisioning.” Source: City of CharlottesvilleThe city has secured millions in funding from the Virginia Department of Transportation for the project, which was originally envisioned to add bike lanes, new sidewalks, and new street trees for a roadway that had been anticipated to have several hundred more residents as new construction was built.  The project was broken into four phases in order to help secure funding. Two have received funding and both require a local match.Last month, VDOT staff recommended over $10 million for Phase Three of the project, which includes the area where hundreds of apartment units have been built at the Standard, the Flats at West Village, and the Lark on West Main. These have all been built and occupied since the West Main Study got underway in 2013. Janiczek said staff recommended approval of ten recommendations in the value engineering study from RK&K to reduce cost. One of them is not to move forward with planting trees in a proprietary product called a Silva Cell that would also retain stormwater. “We don’t have any Silva Cells anywhere in the city,” Janiczek said. “So this is a new product. It’s proprietary. It’s kind of expensive because it does so many wonderful things. It can complicate utility relocation because these are plastic tubes that are sorted on a plastic platform and are separating the sidewalk, or the pavers in this instance.”All of these intricacies are called for by the West Main Streetscape design put together by the firm Rhodeside & Harwell. As of last year, they’ve been paid $2.85 million by the city so far to create construction documents created as part of the process. A previous City Council approved the schematics in May 2017. No members of that Council are still in office. (May 2017 story)A slide from a previous presentation on the project that was before the Board of Architectural Review in April 2018. (full presentation)City Councilor Michael Payne said he appreciated how the Silva Cells could help the city achieve some of its climate action goals. He also said that the value engineering study did not really do enough to bring down costs of a project that has had an estimate as high as $49 million. That prompted a long conversation about whether the project should just be killed. “We’re really just going to need to be honest about, we’re not going to be able to fundamentally change the impact of this project with value engineering, and if we cut blanket amounts from the CIP for this project, we’re probably going to sacrifice the actual vision and intent that guided creating this, which was to create a very different kind of pedestrian-oriented corridor that’s almost an extension of the Downtown Mall,” Payne said. Payne said he thought housing and school reconfiguration were more important to spend capital improvement dollars on. Mayor Nikuyah Walker wanted clarity Monday about whether Council even wanted to move forward with West Main to avoid having that dominate the budget conversation later on today. “Is this something that we can place on the shelf and be okay with that?” Walker asked. Councilor Heather Hill said she still wanted to know what improvements need to happen on West Main just to keep it maintained. “I still believe that this corridor is vitally important and its not working for pedestrian and bicyclists, so just getting staff’s perspective on what an alternative would be,” Hill said.  VDOT funding for Phase 1 and Phase 2 both require the city to match funds and the city’s portion would come from bonds that Council has theoretically authorized but that have not yet been sold.  Councilor Lloyd Snook asked if the city could save money by never selling bonds for that purpose.  “And so, in theory, we could reclaim $16 million minus the $3 million to do the bare minimum, we could reclaim say $13 million by saying ‘sorry, we’re not doing phase 1 or phase 2, we’re just going to do the bare minimum?’”“Correct,” Janiczek said. Snook said he wanted two more days to review before saying whether he would approve ending the project. One question I have out to the Virginia Department of Transportation on whether the $10 million recommended for Smart Scale funding for Phase 4 has to be spent on the Rhodeside & Harwell design, or if a new public process could be opened up to decide how to use that funding to address the same purpose and need. This round of funding requires no local match, but it is possible the project would not have scored as high under an alternate design. The city currently has several other streetscape projects in development that were funded by Smart Scale. None of them had a preconceived plan in place when they were awarded the funding. If the Commonwealth Transportation Board approves the funding in June, the actual money will not be distributed to the localities for several years. No funding has been designated for the project’s fourth phase, which spans between Jefferson Park Avenue and Roosevelt Brown Boulevard. Last November, the University of Virginia reaffirmed their commitment to spend $5 million on West Main Street. "The University remains committed to its funding pledge for the West Main Streetscape project,” wrote UVA spokesman Brian Coy. “Per discussions with the City, our intent is to focus on safety and security improvements towards the western end of Main Street, supporting both students and the broader community.”Regardless of whether the West Main Streetscape project moves forward, the city has been awarded funding for other projects nearby. Additionally, VDOT is recommending $5 million in funding for multimodal improvements to Ridge Street, which is immediately adjacent to Phase 1 of the project. In the third Smart Scale round, the city was awarded $6.1 million in funding for a project at the intersection of Ridge Street, Elliot Avenue and Cherry Avenue. The preparation for all of these Smart Scale projects have been overseen by Chip Boyles in his capacity as the executive director of the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission. He becomes City Manager on February 15. *Earlier in the meeting, Council agreed to convey city-owned property back to developer Allan Cadgene operating under his Union Station Partners LLC. Chris Engel is the city’s economic development director. (staff report)“This item in summary deals with a loose end from a development agreement that was entered into between Union Station Partners and the city of Charlottesville back in the late 1990’s,” Engel said.At that time, the Downtown Transit Station had not yet been built, and there was a possibility it might be located at the Amtrak station on West Main.  The city entered into a development agreement to secure a federal grant which required a match from the city.“In lieu of providing cash, the parties agreed to transfer a parcel of land so that that could serve as a local match,” Engel said. The 0.8 acre property has continued to be used as a parking lot ever since. The grant did result in an upgrade of the train station but a second phase did not materialize. No one spoke at the public hearing required by city code. It should also be noted that the fourth round of Smart Scale also recommends $50 million in funds to increase passenger rail services through Charlottesville to expand frequency to Roanoke and points west. This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

StreetScape is proud to present the first ever release featuring Ramsey K. A long time industry veteran and DJ from the south east. First track, "That Saturday" features a slick chord progression, invigorating build ups and break downs and a unique dubstep styled breakdown that will smack dancefloors into a frenzy. "The Chance" features a high powered bass line that variates throughout the track, a Latin flavored piano line, dubstep breakdown and vocal stabs.

StreetScape is proud to present the first ever release featuring Ramsey K. A long time industry veteran and DJ from the south east. First track, "That Saturday" features a slick chord progression, invigorating build ups and break downs and a unique dubstep styled breakdown that will smack dancefloors into a frenzy. "The Chance" features a high powered bass line that variates throughout the track, a Latin flavored piano line, dubstep breakdown and vocal stabs.

David Merritt, co-owner of Narrow Way Café, talks with Crain's Senior Editor Chad Livengood about how his northwest Detroit coffee shop has adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic on the Livernois Avenue of Fashion, which is undergoing a transformation with new investment in businesses and an overhaul of the street's design and traffic flow.

The City of Greer won the Municipal Association’s 2020 Achievement Award in the Communications Category for its downtown streetscape project communication plan. Hear from Mayor Rick Danner about the city’s communications work during the massive construction project.

What can a simple street address reveal about a person’s identity, race, wealth and power? For many of us, an address is something we don't spend a lot of time thinking about. It may be a string of numbers and letters we type into a GPS. A place we call home. Or just a placeholder where we get our mail. Yet, for others, it can mean much more. A way out of poverty. A signal of economic status. Or an indicator of race and social history. Street addresses can change lives. Deirdre Mask, author of the book, The Address Book: What Street Addresses Reveal about Identity, Race, Wealth, and Power, explains, "Billions of people in the world don't have reliable addresses, and having an address is one of the cheapest ways of lifting people out of poverty." At the same time, Deirdre argues, street addresses don't always change lives for the better. While they can stop epidemics and help the poor get bank accounts, they can also entrench racism and empower authoritarian governments. In this interview, one of the examples we discuss is the negative stereotype associated with streets name for Martin Luther King, Jr. Deirdre asks, "Is it really that MLK streets all deserve this bad reputation or is it that, because we associate MLK streets with Blackness, that we seem them as bad, whether they're nice or not?"  Deirdre is a writer, lawyer, and academic. Her work has appeared in publications like, The Atlantic, The Guardian, The New York Times, and The Economist. Curious Minds Team Learn more about Host and Creator, Gayle Allen, and Producer and Editor, Rob Mancabelli, here. Episode Links Addressing the Unaddressed Physician John Snow Zip codes and Robert Moon Empress Maria Theresa Lost in Translation film Learning from the Japanese City by Barrie Shelton The Years that Matter Most by Paul Tough Susan Hiller Hollywood, Florida Paul Laurence Dunbar Nathan Bedford Forrest Shelby Foote Frederick Douglass by David Blight Derek Alderman Sarah Golabek-Goldman and Homelessness what3words.com Maoz Azaryahu The Black Lives Matter Movement is Being Written into the Streetscape by Deirdre Mask Performative Utterances Ways to Support the Podcast If you're a fan of the show, there are three simple things you can do to support our work: Rate and review the podcast on iTunes or wherever you subscribe. In the next week, tell one person about the show. Subscribe so you never miss an episode. Where to Find Curious Minds Spotify iTunes Tunein Stitcher Google Play Overcast

A Canadian native and original member of the pioneering dance group Streetscape, Bradley relocated to the U.S. after winning a Canadian Talent Search and top honors at The IMTA Awards in New York and L.A. Choreography honors include an Ovation Award, World Dance Award, and multiple NAACP Awards. Other credits include; La La Land, The Goofy Movie, and World of Dance. Bradley currently serves as Creative Director at Cantinas Arts, is happily married and has three beautiful children.   Bradley has a deep desire to share the spirit, freedom, and power behind street dance culture with the world. As the founder of The Groovaloos, Groove Theory, and Groove Mindset, he uses his dynamic life experiences and powerful analogies from the art form to break people free from self-doubt, anxiety, disconnectedness, and fear. Bradley believes it’s crucial for people to step into who they are designed to be and to bring that authenticity into the circle.    Initially from an academic background, Bradley dramatically switched gears and dove into twenty-five years of street dance culture. He pioneered a movement in Los Angeles that ignited the community, launched countless artists, and positively impacted the landscape for hip hop and freestyle dance in culture and media. Bradley went on to perform and choreograph at the highest levels in the industry from L.A.’s commercial world to New York’s Broadway stages, orchestrating complex multi-layered theatre productions while creating a curriculum and teaching at universities and conferences internationally. His collaborations include the likes of the directors of Hamilton and Jesus Christ Superstar, to orchestrating the story of his crew in their own Off-Broadway show and leading them onto So You Think You Can Dance, Dancing With the Stars, Superstars of Dance, The Wayne Brady Show and Ellen.

Guido Hartray, of Rogers-Marvel, discusses the MTA Flood Mitigation Streetscape Design.

AL and Deedee go to the home of James and Katriona. James is an architect who is taking on the huge project of recording the buildings of Shrewsbury by drawing them in the most immaculate detail. Starting from the bottom of Wyle Cop and working his way to the top, on both sides, James already has a collection that is of the highest quality. We speak to both James and Katriona about the kind of buzz this has created across social media and how much work has to go into making these fantastic drawings. Why is James doing this? How much of this has become an obsession and how difficult is it to capture these buildings in such a perfect way? We find out all this and more on the week's episode. Make sure you check out their Facebook page to find out more www.facebook.com/shrewsburystreetscapeproject

Today David & Linda had a conversation with Landscape Architect Martin Smith about the Streetscape Improvement project in Downtown Wynne. Martin is a native of Arkansas and currently resides in the small community of Birdeye raising his family in a home built by his Great Great Grandfather in 1901. His passion and commitment to his local community runs deep in the Arkansas Delta much like his family history. Martin has led design teams throughout the state with a focus on innovative award winning low impact development for urban and rural environments. Martin uses stormwater to initiate his designs while placing an emphasis on the integration of public spaces with the founding principles of ecology. Martin and his wife Kara are active throughout the Delta promoting the importance of Healthy Living lifestyles while also promoting locally grown regional sustainability.

The Clematis Streetscape project is coming to a close, but the public's input is needed. The mayor talks about how you can provide the input and shares details about the Super Clematis By Night as well as some of the finer points of his State of the City address.

You've heard of all the reasons why you should build a new home, but what about all of the reasons why you should choose Fischer Homes? Carrie Rogiers walks you through the decision. If you are interested in speaking with a New Home Specialist, contact one at fischerhomes.com.

On this episode of the podcast we cover a lot of topics! We discuss a few hot button issues like climate change, civilian drone strikes, and the ongoing war in the Middle East, as well as what Darren and I have been up to with Streetscape Ministries. This episode is more of an open discussion and we hope you all enjoy it!

Talking to artists is a treat. It takes a certain kind of person to bet on themselves and say, "I'm going to be an artist." Especially when the generation before us was dominated with a sense of "practicality" and "sensibility" - ie. Getting a "real" job.   After my interview with Mark Copino, better known as the artist called Kidlat, I got a real sense of what it is like to be a working artist. He was in the middle of preparing for his upcoming show and I was lucky enough to steal time with him in between production hours. I've been a fan of his minimalist stencil style and I was happy to finally talk to him.   In this episode, we talked about the good from those struggling years as an artist, his early attempts at art, the beginnings of the Cebu street art movement, finding ideas from the mundane, and how family has impacted his art.   Enjoy the episode!       SHOWNOTES Michael Anthony Curan (Zerothreetwo Conversations episode) Comedians in Cars Drinking Coffee Turning Wheels Ivan Zaldarriaga Ubec Crew Rotten Kolown Khriss Bajade Wyndelle Remonde (Zerothreetwo Conversations episode) Bart Bros. (Zerothreetwo Conversations episode) Sal's Kitchen Soika Qube Gallery Vinyl on Vinyl     Where can you find Kidlat? https://www.instagram.com/eliaskidlat/ https://eliaskidlat.com/     This episode is sponsored by Drip and Draft. Home to a selection of Specialty Coffee Beans, Filter coffees, mouth watering espresso- based drinks, tea, cold brew coffee and cold brew tea, and carefully selected Craft beers on tap. Drip and Draft put together specialty products everyone can enjoy all in one place. Carefully plotted to ensure that our products are brought to its maximum potential. We owe it to our coffee farmers, and craft beer brewers to bring out the best flavors to do their hard work justice.    Drip and Draft is located on the on the ground floor of Streetscape, Maria Luisa road, Paseo Saturnino, Banilad, Cebu. For reservations or special orders, call (032) 239 5217   www.dripanddraft.com         This episode is sponsored by Qube Gallery. A progressive art space in Cebu, Philippines. Providing network and exhibit opportunities for contemporary artists with whom they work closely with and promote beyond the local reach.    Coming up in Qube - KDLT. His works have been archival in nature, believing that in order to elevate people’s consciousness, mundane things and happenings around should be given high regard. His works delved much on Elias as his subject, by which he likened himself and retrospectively find parallelism and similarities in his growing up years. To date, Mundane Rituals pushes further the story of his son and that of his to own to what resembles and celebrates the familiarity of the common and ordinary experiences others have imbibed and practiced. It is the universality of those mundane activities that bind and connects him as one with the people, with every breathing and moving individual. Save the date for the opening reception of Kdlt’s ‘Mundane Rituals’ on August 23, 6:00 PM, at Qube Gallery.   Aside from its physical space in Crossroads, Banilad, Cebu City, you can check out their online collection on www.artsy.net/qube-gallery.       This episode is sponsored by Handuraw Pizza. Long before they became a sponsor, Handuraw Pizza has been mentioned in many of our conversations with musicians. They have always been a great venue for local music. Looking for a place to chill? A spot that supports local artists and musicians? A place to enjoy delicious homegrown pizza and ice cold below zero beer? Look no further! Visit Handuraw Pizza. They have many branches which you can find listed in their website http://www.handurawpizza.com or you can have their wonderful pizza delivered to you. Have them delivered with Grabfood or Foodpanda.   Three ways to support the show: Become a Patreon subscriber, click here. Buy Zerothreetwo Merchandise at the Assembly Online Share this episode on social media. Music is Piano March by Audionautix

Talked with Teneka Faeman, Associate Director, West Palm Beach Downtown Development Authority (the DDA). The DDA was founded in 1967 as an independent special taxing district to help promote and enhance the City of West Palm Beach. They provide a wide variety of programs. One of the ways they do that is with fundraisers. Their annual Pairings event is coming up on Thursday May 30th from 5:30p-9p downtown West Palm Beach. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 the day of. To get tickets call 561-833-8873 or go to downtownwpb.com or on Facebook Downtown West Palm Beach. This year's charity is the Homeward Bound program. It operates out of the Vickers House and is designed to give people who are chronically homeless the opportunity to be reunited with their family. Vickers house acts as a one stop shop for assistance to residents. Reminder the Pairings is a rain or shine event. The DDA is also working with the city on the Streetscape project. Participants in the Pairings will be able to see the progress made in phase 1, phase 2 is now underway. And due to difficulties reaching some of the businesses during phase 2 they've come up with the Dig Zone. It allows customers the opportunity to win prizes from visiting those establishments and spending more than $100 in a visit. For more info on all the programs, events, and dig zone, listeners can go to www.downtownwpb.com or call 561-833-8873.

Our guest today is the founder of Nude Foods the first plastic-free grocery in Cape Town, South Africa. Crazy birds, without any further ado, I would like to welcome, Paul Rubin. Episode Highlights[01:00] How did your sustainable journey start? [03:50] That has really been the feedback from many of our customers, that exact point that they feel a lot more connected to their food or products that they buy. [04:18] We currently have about 300 SKU’s or products and we source as much of those products locally. Wherever products are available locally we will give preference to those suppliers. [04:57] We also have a zero waste lifestyle range because everything from your reusable coffee cup, to your reusable straws, dry produce bags, your fresh produce bags, your stainless steel lunch boxes, all that really useful products that help to live a zero waste lifestyle more easily. [06:35] We are trying to make whole foods and earth-friendly products more affordable and therefore more accessible to a wider range of the South African community. [08:04] Other than being package-free what would you say sets you apart from regular grocery stores? [10:55] What happens to expired food items? [11:25] We have partnered with an organisation called Streetscape, which upskill homeless people and teaches them how to grow or to tend their own fresh produce. All our unsold fresh produce are then send the Streetscape and is added to their existing compost. [11:59] What has been the feedback so far from your clients? [16:42] What is next for Nude Foods? [18:15] What has been one of your most important decisions that you have made around mama earth? Final Five1.What is one social media platform that you follow?   (https://zerowastehome.com/) 2.What is your hope for mama earth going forward?  I think mother earth as a planet is going to be just fine, she will probably still exist long after. My concern is more for the human race. I think as humans we are a bit more endangered as the planet. My hope is that the consciousness shifts from consumerism that we are seeing more and more of and reaching a tipping point much sooner than later.   3.What advise can you give our crazy birds this week to help out mama earth?  People are still sending organic waste to landfill even though the name implies it is a waste it is actually a great asset. All of our compostable waste should really be composted.  4.What is one sustainability fact that you like to use in a room with people not yet on a sustainability journey?  Every piece of plastic ever created still exists on earth.  5.Where can people find you? (https://www.facebook.com/plasticfreegrocery?_rdc=1&_rdr) (https://www.instagram.com/nudefoods.co.za/) (http://nudefoods.co.za/) Key Take Away“ Every piece of plastic ever created still exists on earth. “ This is indeed a very scary fact and it makes me want to try even harder to refuse single-use items that are really not required. This way we would be able to slowly reduce the demand for items that we do not require.

This episode features the legendary DJ Hyperactive along with Metaphysical, Don Rubiano and fulproof.

This episode features an exclusive interview with Saeed Younan along with an hour long mix. Also on the show is Rolando Hodar, Didactic and Xian Moreno. Saeed's tracklist is: Saeed Younan, Electronic Youth - That Feeling Feat. Born I Music Saeed Younan - Can Ya’ll really feel me Manny Ward DJ Gomi - Resilience Feat. Sandy B (Saeed Younan Remix Saeed Younan - Gotta Be Strong Saeed Younan - Pimp Slap Saeed Younan - Get Down (Time Illusion dub) Vlady Asanin, Frank Kid - Piper (Saeed Younan Remix) Saeed Younan - All The Haters Stay Clear Saeed Younan - Don’t Stop Won’t Stop Saeed Younan - Mouthing Off Also check out http://fanlink.to/YMA030

Welcome to StreetScape Radio. This week's show featured Dave Angel, Ari EI, Ramsey K and Rhyno.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY: Streetscape PaintingEvent dates have changed to: 4/13 & 4/20 9-5PM | Meeting at The Workroom at 9am, 150 N. Cleveland Wichita, KS 67214.Hey Wichita! On account of this Wichita's weather, we will be changing our "DDD Street Motif" production days to Friday April the 13th and the following Friday April the 20th, 9-5pm. These new dates reflect better weather projections and aim to ensure an overall better experience for volunteers.We will be working together with Traffic Control Services to paint and move large stencils up and down Douglas Ave. from Washington to Hydraulic in the median and parking bump outs. The majority of what volunteers will be doing is moving the 10x12ft stencils (weighing approx. 30 lbs) as a team and oversee material management on site. TCS will be using industrial paint sprayers to paint the stencils but we will likely need to do a little touch up here and there with paint brushes.If you'd like to participate, please comment below with the day(s) and times you are available (9-12pm, 1-5pm, an hour, etc.). Thank you!!! - Josh Tripoli See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We were joined in the studio today by Ryan Spitzer, Strasburg Town Manager & the newest member of his staff, Michelle Bixler, Economic Development & Marketing Manager. We talked about Michelle's new position and what duties & responsibilities she will assume with this newly created position. We also discussed current Strasburg town projects such as Rev-Up Strasburg, Community Business Launch, the Community Development Block Grant and Phase 3 of the Streetscape project. To get more details about what's happening in the town of Strasburg, visit their website: http://www.strasburgva.com/ Like them on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/townofstrasburg

Timothy Johnson, Donald Cameron, and Gregory Moore collaborate to investigate the relationship between tree root growth, architecture, and surface infrastructure permeability. Learn about their results on this episode of Science of Arboriculture.

Dean Simonsen explains the results of a case study in Canberra, which used an innovative survey approach for analyzing the composition of the public urban forest. Learn about the benefits and challenges of completing an inventory using this approach, on this episode of Science of Arboriculture.

Asphalt has become the default paving solution in America. And it's helped turn even side streets into mini freeways. It's ugly, it's bad for the environment and it might not be so cheap in the near future as the price of petroleum-based products rises. In this show, James Howard Kunstler discusses the aesthetics, the qualities and the practicalities of other paving materials. Jim says the built environment in America is so full of empty gestures that the sidewalks end after only 60 feet. But he has been to a place in Michigan where cars are not allowed. And the streets are wonderful. **Note to re-broadcasters: curse word at 1:22 mins. (Info about program and theme music at KunstlerCast.com)Direct Download (10 MB): KunstlerCast_18.mp3