The purpose of this Focus Area is to facilitate access to information, tools, and resources that communities need to develop sustainably.
Instructions for use:
Go to http://www.NeighborhoodScout.com and log in on the front page (lower left) with this unlimited-use username and password:
Username: SAMAB; Password: Smokies
Once logged in, go to the left-hand navigation, near the bottom, and click on "Build my Ideal Neighborhood from Scratch" or "Match a Neighborhood."
The "BUILD" function allows the instantaneous mapping and exploration of multiple demographic and geographic phenomena so that the user can explore such issues as education, income, ethnicity, sprawl, and relationships among these and up to 60 different elements simultaneously. The "MATCH" function calculates the similarity between any chosen neighborhood and every neighborhood in any area of the United States the user wishes to explore. Maps are generated instantly, and exploration can be updated in seconds. The software is easy to begin using, but can be used endlessly for visualization and exploration as the user becomes more curious about issues and their analysis.
Note: SAMAB member institutions may copy the link and password for NeighborhoodScout and put it on their own websites. As long as it supports the work of SAMAB, it is open for unlimited free use, with the center being on the SAMAB website.
The three presentations on community design contained on the CD Designing Better Places have won the 2005 American Planning Association "Small Town & Rural Planning Award for Excellence."
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Thanks to funding from the Appalachian Regional Commission, the North Carolina Division of Community Assistance has produced three presentations on design issues. These presentations are available below for viewing in your web browser, or you can download the PowerPoint files to your computer. (Note that the downloadable files are large--their size is indicated beside each link.)
The first presentation, “Designing Better Places,” is intended to introduce people to general design principles using illustrations and photographs (the presentation is divided into two files). It then goes on to compare pedestrian scale development before World War II with development afterwards when design for motorists was the primary consideration. It concludes with examples of what different communities around the country are doing to design better places that people and cars can share.
The second presentation, “Making Buildings Fit,” focuses on examples of good commercial development and redevelopment. It has six sections in four files. The first file has “Rediscover Existing Commercial Buildings.” The second file has “Rehabilitate for a Different Use,” and “Large House to Commercial or Office Use.” The third file has “New Infill Construction,” and the fourth file has “Mixed Use” and “New Groups of Buildings” as well as implementation strategies for all six sections.
The third presentation, “Recreating Neighborhoods: Putting the Pieces Together” looks at several physical elements that make up a good neighborhood, and has six sections in four files. The first file has the introduction and the section entitled “Good Design.” The second file has “Housing Choices” and “Transportation Options.” The third file has “Integrating Uses” and “Public Buildings and Spaces.” The fourth file has “Infill Development.” There are summary points at the end of each section.
The presentations are meant to stand on their own; in other words, it’s not necessary to see “Designing Better Places” for the other two to make sense, and there are a few places of overlap. Two of the same projects are mentioned in both “Making Buildings Fit” and “Recreating Neighborhoods,” and the design principles illustrated in “Designing Better Places” are repeated in “Recreating Neighborhoods” with the difference that residential examples are used for some of the pictures as opposed to commercial.
Other points of note:
The first two presentations were previously released on CDs and the files were large; all pictures have been compressed using Photoshop so now the files are much smaller and should open quickly. In addition, some new images have been added to the first two presentations and others replaced as better or more updated pictures have become available.
Major changes to Making Buildings Fit from the CD released in February 2003 include pictures of these projects:
Feel free to use the images in presentations you may put together yourself as there is no copyright, but please give credit to the North Carolind Division of Community Assistance and the Appalachian Regional Commission. You may also substitute your own pictures and modify the script to make it more applicable to your area. If, however, you wish to use the black and white image of the Kress building in Asheville in “Recreating Neighborhoods” you must receive permission from the Special Collections department in the Ramsey Library of the University of North Carolina at Asheville, 828-251-6645.
It is possible to present this to a group; the script is included, and you can use the feature in PowerPoint of simply showing the picture on the projection screen (as opposed to the picture with the script below) and the presenter can read the script. The contact information is given at the beginning of each presentation should you wish to hand the script out.
A “Resource” list is also included for all three presentations. Whenever possible, a reference is listed to go to for more information for each project mentioned in all three presentations; contact information regarding the presentation itself is given at the start of each one should you wish to make copies.
Feedback is welcome; please send all comments to: Virginia Faust, AICP; NC Division of Community Assistance; 31 College Place, Building B; Asheville, NC 28801; 828-251-6914; vfaust@nccommerce.com