My Athens

Obscura Day Event for Athens, Ga.

2010-02-17T15:25:29-05:00

March 20, 2010 is Obscura Day.

The idea is that on Obscura Day people everywhere in the world will visit and explore the strange places, the back rooms, the obscure alleys, the hidden treasures of their hometowns.

Obscura Day is the invention of the people who run Atlas Obscura, a web site that bills itself as "compendium of the world's wonders, curiosities and esoterica." (Yes, The Tree that Owns Itself is included in the site's catalog.)

It's not too late for Athens to have it's own Obscura Day events, and I think the folks over at Flagpole Magazine would be naturals for organizing this.

What, in addition to that self-owning tree, should be included in an Athens, Ga. Obscura Day?

Urban Sketchers

2010-02-08T17:06:16-05:00

Urban Sketchers is a blog and Flickr file-sharing group devoted to promoting the practice of drawing what you see in cities and then sharing those drawings.

Contributors are asked to follow a few fairly elastic rules including:

Draw on location, indoors or out, capturing what you see from direct observation
Be truthful to the scenes you witness
Share your drawings online

The blog features lots of great sketches, and links to hundreds of urban-related online drawing groups from all over the world. Don't neglect to check out the Urban Sketchers Flickr group. It's a lot of fun to browse through. Doesn't look like Athens has its own group--yet.

Fantasy World's Marquee Offered a Clue

2010-02-05T13:04:49-05:00

On June 30, 2009, I posted this shot of Fantasy World's marquee. About a week earlier, Philip Markoff, the so-called "Craiglist Killer," had pleaded not guilty to murdering a women in Massachusetts he had arranged to meet after responding to her ad in Craigslist's erotic services category. The Markoff story and the related controversy about whether Craigslist, the free online classified ad web site, should allow people to advertise prostitution was very much in the news.

Seems like Fantasy World was not so subtly signaling what was for sale inside. That brazenness, especially given it's proximity to the police substation--about a block and a half away--struck me at the time.

Sidewalk Felicities, and a Suggestion for the ABH

2010-02-05T07:09:00-05:00

Not sure that this blog can take credit, but two instances of what I highlighted as "sidewalk infelicities" have been improved.

The Northwest and Southwest corners at Prince Ave. and Barber St.--a location with lots of foot traffic--are now much more pedestrian friendly. Take a look at these before and after shots:

Exhibit 1: Northwest corner of Prince Ave. and Barber St.

Before:

After:

Exhibit 2: Southwest corner of Prince Ave. and Barber St.

Before:

After:

Nice work. But, as I said, I'm not sure that any spotlighting by this blog did anything to spur the work. Athens-Clarke Co. does have a Sidewalk Improvement Program in place, and these corners may have been slated for work under that program or another one long before I took note of them here.

For citizens like me the before-and-after shots have proven to be a very satisfying way to report a problem and then to see that something actually got done. (In this case, I can at least pretend that I had an impact--even though it might have been a coincidence.) I imagine that public servants might feel a similar satisfaction in being able to be so visibly responsive and effective.

In an earlier post, I suggested that Athens-Clarke Co. government set up its own version of SeeClickFix to allow citizens to publicly report city infrastructure problems like crumbling sidewalks or uncollected trash and to have the county's response to those reports publicly tracked.

Suggestion for the Athens Banner-Herald

Now, I think it might be a good idea if the Athens Banner-Herald hosted and bird-dogged such a site as part of its on-line package. According to this New York Times article, there's a local daily in Connecticut that's using SeeClickFix to boost its internet traffic and interactivity with readers. (The article includes a link to the newspaper's online site and the SeeClickFix page it maintains there. And, FYI, there's already a nascent SeeClickFix page for Athens--it just needs some high-profile care and attention.)

It seems like a similar effort here in Athens could produce lots of benefits: citizens might feel a little more empowered; public servants might feel a little more useful and loved; the Athens Banner-Herald might get a positive jolt from the new social media, and the city's infrastructure might improve.

Noticings

2010-02-04T07:07:00-05:00

Noticings describes itself as "the game of noticing the world around you."

You play Noticings by uploading to Flickr geo-tagged photos of interesting things (not including people or other very transient things) you've noticed when you're out and about.

You get points for spotting the first instance of something in a neighborhood or by a sustained noticing of some particular spot or thing over time.

You can find rules of the game, how-to instructions and lots of photos of odd things here.

As of this writing, no one in Athens, Georgia was playing Noticings.

Via Digital Urban.

Image credit: Screen shot of Noticings banner.

Sherry Jackson Answers My Questions

2010-01-12T07:07:00-05:00

Sherry Jackson ran for the 46th Senate district in 2008.

The district, which includes roughly the western half of Clarke Co., all of Oconee Co. and the northern two-thirds of Walton Co., is a tough one for Democrats. Jackson lost to popular Republican incumbent state Sen. Bill Cowsert, 57.8 percent to 42.2 percent.

Jackson is an attorney with an office near downtown Athens, but she’s also the executive director of the Northeast Georgia Community Care Services Program—a state and federally funded program that gets older and disabled people the help they need to live at home.

Here—I thought—is somebody who could start educating me a little more about local politics, and particularly about politics within the African American community in Athens. So I emailed her some questions…

Q. In your 2008 race, you outpolled Cowsert in Clarke Co. but lost by wide margins in Oconee and Walton counties. What did you learn about the 46th Senate District? Can a Democrat win in it now? What about an African American?

A. The 46th district is made up of a more progressive Clarke Co. along with a bit more conservative Walton and Oconee Counties. The district was redrawn a few years back to capture a more Republican populace. In order to achieve this goal, Clarke Co. was divided, with the western half going into the 46th district and the eastern part falling into the 47th district. Additionally, Walton Co. has enjoyed growth from the urban flight from the Atlanta area. Like Walton Co., Oconee Co. has also experienced generous growth. However, the difference is that Oconee Co. has maintained an active Democratic community.   It is unfortunate that the county with the largest population (Clarke Co.) is not represented by the party with whom they most identify and which shares their core values. With that said, I believe that it is possible for a Democrat, African American or otherwise, to win the 46th district, but the sun, stars and moon would have to line up perfectly.

Q. From your perspective, what are the most important local issues for African Americans in Athens-Clarke Co.?

A. The most important local issues for African Americans in Athens-Clarke Co. are jobs, job maintenance and career opportunities. If there are ample employment opportunities, all of Athens will prosper. Athens-Clarke county needs to attract hefty employers to this area while at the same time offer a labor-ready pool of employees. Thus, we need to make sure our young folks are properly educated, trained and prepared for the workforce. We have the infrastructure in place with our secondary schools, Athens Tech, UGA and other local institutions of higher learning.

Q. Is it fair to say there’s a leadership vacuum within the African American community here in Athens at least in terms of local and state issues?

A. We have representation at the local level and a state representative serving from Athens. It would be great if we could have representation at certain other levels who are equally sensitive to the needs of constituents on both sides of the Arches.

Q. But do you think the leadership within African American community--and this is not just a question about elected officials--is effective in advocating for the community on important issues?

A. Since I believe that the "important issues" stem from the lack of employment opportunities, and since that spreads throughout the African American community as well as the community at large, I think that the leadership is now more apt to listen to viable options (i.e., bio-research facilities) advocated by African American leadership.

Q. Describe the political relationship between local African Americans and local white progressives. Is there much of a sense of partnership or alliance?

A. I appreciated very much the support I received from progressive folks in Clarke and Oconee Counties. There appears to be a good relationship amongst those of us who share the same core values.

Q. Putting your campaign to the side for a moment, do you think progressives and the African American community do a good job of not taking each other’s support for granted? Is there enough work being done on each side to keep alliances strong?

A. Politics being what it is, I would venture to say that if the politician wants to be re-elected, they would have to have some accountability to the constituency in order to get re-elected. Most of the local elected officials recognize whom they serve and seek input on how to best serve.

Q. Here’s a non-political question. Let’s say an African American professional—a lawyer or a professor—has a job offer from an employer in Athens. She wants to know what living and working in Athens is like. What do you tell her? What advice? Any cautions?

A. Athens is a great place to live, work, and raise a family. We have a small town flavor with a progressive and diverse population. You can witness a great hometown rivalry on Friday nights under the lights or take in a classical ballet or musical concert. Athens is perfectly situated close enough to Atlanta to enjoy a visit there, but far enough away so that we don’t have to deal with big city issues.   One of our biggest assets is the University of Georgia, which offers cultural activities as well as a large pool of potential clients, and perhaps a friend or two.

Q. Do you have any plans to run for office again? For the state senate seat or something else?

A. Although I still have the political bug in me, I don't have any plans to run for senate or any other office. I'll just have to satisfy my interests by working on the campaigns of others.

# # #

This interview was conducted via email. The text published here is an ever so slightly edited version of the actual exchange.

Image credit: from the Sherry Jackson 2008 State Senate campaign web site

Transformer and Tree

2010-01-05T07:07:00-05:00

Image by Dan Lorentz

How to Brand a City--Do's and Don't's

2009-12-10T07:07:00-05:00

Don’t try to out-suburb the suburbs with car-oriented living.

Do try to understand what makes your city unique, and use that to create a city “brand” that “springs from the native soil.”

That’s the advice Aaron Renn, who writes about cities for a blog called The Urbanophile, is giving to cities and their mayors. He says cities like Austin, Texas, Portland, Ore., Charleston, S.C., Houston, Texas and Las Vegas, Nev. have seen success in part because “they were able to create aspirational narratives about their brand promise that resonated with the people they wanted to attract.”

What should Athens’ brand be?

I want Athens to keep attracting smart, creative people who like to walk or bike to work, school and play. So, I’d like to create an Athens city brand built on an incredibly vibrant college town scene that’s fed by great local food, serenaded by the best music anywhere--all woven together by some of most walkable and green neighborhoods you’ll find in the South. (There’s still a lot—a lot—of work to be done to create the kind of neighborhoods I’m envisioning, but the raw materials are here.)

What’s your brand idea? And can you express it in a bite-sized, catchy phrase? (I can’t for mine—at least not yet.)

Read Renn’s article here.

Apps for Athens Policymakers

2009-12-08T07:07:00-05:00

“What apps would you find useful as an Athens-Clarke Co. policymaker?”

That’s the question I emailed a couple weeks ago to all county commissioners and a few other county-level policymakers. I let people know that I was welcoming serious as well as fanciful suggestions.

After I emailed the question, I found out—according to one insider’s estimate—just five of the eleven commissioners use iPhones or similar devices. Still, I got a couple responses

Here is what I got. The asterisked ones are the ideas of ACC policymakers. The rest are mine. If you’ve got a suggestion for an app that would be useful to local policymakers, email me.

CrystalBall*
How’s this new development going to pan out? Use your iPhone to gauge the true motivations of developers, predict future economic downturns and tell you who will be sitting on the commission ten years hence when the development is actually built.

ThisWorks
Looking for a workable solution fast? Want to look smart? With your iPhone, you can be an innovative policy wonk in any setting. ThisWorks is a portal to a constantly updated database of innovative local programs and policies—all of which have been performance evaluated and have won national policy awards.

TellMeWhy--Again
Tell me once more why I sought public office? Why exactly are you putting up with so much crap from the media, from your constituents, from your fellow elected officials, from your own family? Your iPhone will remind you with a customizable audio pep talk composed of only the most heartfelt and authentic reasons for public service.

Zowner**
Who owns this rat-infested apartment building? Isn’t this block zoned for single-family homes? Tapping into the Tax Assessor’s database, your iPhone will answer your parcel zoning and ownership questions as they occur to you. (Zone + owner = zowner, get it?)

SeeIt *
Unless you’re an experienced architect, you can’t tell what a building will look like from site plans and elevations. Let your iPhone build a photo-realistic 3-D model so you can actually see it.

NumberCruncher
Imagine having constant access to the budget director. Now, quickly answer your budgetary questions with your iPhone. See revenue estimates, tally expenditures, model tax changes and more.

CodeStat**
Find the full text of every provision in the municipal code and in state statutes even if you’re nowhere near a desktop. This app turns your iPhone into a blazingly fast handheld legislative database.

Carvillizer
Have a tough campaign decision to make? With this app, your iPhone becomes a personal James Carville—a foulmouthed but effective campaign manager. You’ll get battletested advice about campaign tactics packaged in expletive-laced, down-home similes.

WhoDoesWhat**
Handle constituent requests for help on the spot. Use your iPhone to identify the right government employee to contact—and get the process started with an email, phone call or instant message right then and there.

SitRep
You’ll feel like you’re in a command center as you use your iPhone to access geo-tagged realtime information about local traffic and weather conditions and police, fire and other emergency service responses.

FrameIt
Aren’t you supposed to represent me? Why don’t you just cut taxes? How come you can’t snap your fingers and make X, Y or Z happen? Use your iPhone to refresh your memory about the best ways to respond to questions like these and more. You select ideological framework and set the answer complexity scale.

FlakJacket
When you can’t avoid taking flak, use your iPhone to steel yourself by listening in advance to searing criticism and unfair mockery. Pick from a gallery of critics and set the level of derision you want to get ready for. There’s everything from whining egghead to snarky blogger to barking Bible-thumper.

EgoPuff
Say something stupid to a reporter? Did a constituent yell at you? Use your iPhone to cheer up by watching an easy-to-create inspirational video about you. Include happy things: favorite photos, uplifting quotes, your margin of victory, reminders of famous political comebacks. Choose an upbeat soundtrack.

Programmer
Tell constituents on the spot if they’re likely to qualify for help from a whole range of local, state and federal programs—everything from Earned Income Tax Credits to Unemployment Compensation to Homestead Exemptions. This app turns your iPhone into one-stop eligibility determination bureaucrat.

Speechify
Just add a few details and select from a menu of occasion/audience types, and let your iPhone generate a speech script for you. It’ll be a good speech, too: humorous, sprinkled with current pop-culture references, full of poll-tested sound bites and memorable turns-of-phrase. Adjustable scroll speeds.

WhisperingAide
Never lack something personal and flattering to say to any constituent or potential campaign donor you meet. Pretend you’re just ending a phone call and whisper in a name, and your iPhone will whisper back personal details…husband’s name, names of kids, proximity to birthday, volunteer activities, job, contribution level, etc.

--- --- ---
* Commissioner Alice Kinman suggested these. She played on the more fantastic side of things because—in part—the real-world work of local policymakers is “so complicated that it’s hard to think in terms of the type of information you can get from an iPhone app.”

**Commissioner Kelly Girtz suggested these, but noted: “I think I was the very last of my friends to move up to the cell phone from smoke signals. The iPhone or equivalent is still way over the horizon.”

Robert Goodspeed writes about—in a nonfictional way—the intersection of local government and new social media/technologies. Read this and this.

[Correction: As originally published, this post incorrectly attributed Commissioner Kinman's app suggestions to Commissioner Girtz, and vice versa. Sorry! This has been corrected.]

Image by Dan Lorentz

Satula Ave. Substation

2009-12-03T07:07:00-05:00

Image by Dan Lorentz

Free "The Bus"?

2009-11-30T07:07:00-05:00

Local bus systems can't survive without lots of subsidies from government, and Athens Transit is no exception.

So, to help turn local bus service into a power tool for economic development--and this is not counting its anti-pollution and traffic safety improving effects--subsidize it even more.

In fact, drop the whole (rather expensive) exercise of collecting fares. Instead: increase the frequency of service, add more routes, extend hours of operation--and offer free rides for everyone, all the time.

It might work, at least according to this article which notes what a "distinct chorus" of transit advocates are suggesting.

Of course, we'd probably need to get the state to start chipping in on the subsidy front, push for some rejiggering of federal transportation aid, and start considering local subsidies as investments in economic development...but all this might be doable if cities--including small ones like Athens--started pushing more aggressively and intelligently for their interests.

(Via Planetizen.)

A War Room for Fighting Local Poverty

2009-11-24T07:07:00-05:00

The Suggestion

Set up a war room in downtown Athens for fighting local poverty.

In military terms, the war room is the place that coordinates military activities. Situation reports come in. Progress is gauged. Tactics discussed. Orders issued. The resources and authority for decision-making are concentrated under one roof.

Under the one roof of the local anti-poverty war room, you’d find more than a one-stop shop for low-income people seeking help from existing programs.

What you’d find is the community’s best anti-poverty fighters working closely together to help individual low-income people solve problems and then using that day-to-day experience to build better local systems of help.

And you’d feel the urgency, the intensity in the room.

Less abstractly, here’s what you’d encounter if you walked into that war room downtown:

Low-income people interacting with the best case-managers from every major local anti-poverty program in town;

An emergency needs taskforce ready to provide housing, food or health care;

Scouts returning from reconnaissance missions with information about people who might need help, but haven’t yet sought it out;

Charity monitors keeping track of which churches and non-profits have what on hand;

A data squad gathering and reporting information need to track progress;

A story corps interviewing clients and case-managers so they can tell the community about what’s happening in the war room and to low-income people in Athens;

A phalanx of grant-writers and policy innovators seeking financial help from and pitching ideas to foundations and government programs;

A giant whiteboard covered with numbers recording the daily progress (or lack of it) in reducing poverty; and

A round table where, every day, everyone who works in the war room gets together to solve tough cases and share ideas about how to make helping more effective and efficient in Athens.

Why It’s a Good Idea

In a county like ours, where the 30.8 percent poverty rate is more than double state and national rates, doing the best job we can locally to reduce poverty has got to be a priority.

It’s true that the war room analogy is not perfect. Fighting poverty is more about creating and building things—like pathways to good jobs, affordable housing, good schools—than it is about blowing things up. But a war room concentrates and networks resources. It creates shared responsibility and a sense of urgency. We need that.

Creating the anti-poverty war room is important, but so is its location. It should be downtown. Besides being accessible for low-income people, downtown is a place of attention and resources. It’s the most vital hub of our community. It’s the best place to gather our forces and stay focused on the fight against poverty.

Who the Suggestion is For

This is a suggestion for anti-poverty programs and groups in Athens. It was, in part, inspired by—and builds on—the community recommendations for addressing poverty published by Partners for a Prosperous Athens (now OneAthens) in 2006, a document I've been looking at lately.

--- --- ---
Got a suggestion? Serious or half-baked or both? Keep it under 500 words, follow the format you see here, and email it to me. I might post it.

NOTE: This post is a somewhat similar to a longer post I wrote for another blog.

Think Locally, Act State-ly, and Other Good Ideas

2009-11-20T07:07:00-05:00

Think locally, act state-ly. It's all fine and dandy to get hot and bothered by who's going to be mayor and who's going to be on the commission, says Johnathan McGinty, but unless more progressives are sent to the State House which exercises lots of control over local governments, lots of important local changes simply won't happen. Want to provide property tax relief to low-income homeowners? Want the state DOT to start practicing a "complete streets" policy? Want the blue laws changed so we can get a full-service grocery store downtown? Help progressives get elected to the State House not just from Athens, but from districts throughout the state. It's a good suggestion. I'll be keeping it in mind as I decide where to make my political contributions next campaign season. (Don't blame Johnathan for the "act state-ly" abomination--he refrained.)

* * *

"Worse than I remembered." That's how Pete McCommons summed up his recent trip down memory lane to the tense times preceding the admission of African-American students Charlayne Hunter and Hamilton Holmes to the University of Georgia. His memory was refreshed after reading We Shall Not Be Moved: The Desegregation of the University of Georgia by Robert Pratt. It's a book McCommons recommends, and one I'll be reading soon.

* * *

How about something even better? In his most recent Athens Rising column in Flagpole, Kevan Williams highlights positive developments in Athens, but he pushes a little--asking for more. About the new river overlook, he asks: why not a full pedestrian bridge? About a new effort to convert blighted apartment complexes into affordable housing, he asks if the new low-income residents will have to drive or take long bus rides to get to grocery stores. These are good questions--questions that seek to enhance the connectivity and day-to-day practicality of the city we live in. Does it connect? Does it help with daily life? We should always ask these questions, even if we can't always realize them as fully as we'd like to.

A. R. Killian's Athens

2009-11-19T07:07:00-05:00

A. R. Killian is a retired letter-carrier who lives on Chase St., right across from Chase St. Elementary School and kitty-corner from The Bread Basket. He served in the Air Force during the Korean Conflict, and was Athens’ first African-American police officer. I spotted him in his yard the other day, and asked him a few questions about Athens.

Where do you enjoy walking in town?

Right now I don’t walk. I used to walk downtown. I used to go downtown, park my car and walk all over town. I parked where I could park without getting a ticket. I just walked through town to see what was going on.

And I guess that habit started when I was in high school and I worked downtown. I worked for Fickett’s Jewelry store back in the 50s. Mr. Fickett was a New Englander, and he moved to Athens and started a jewelry store. He was an optometrist, and a watchmaker. I really learned a lot working for them. I made $2.50 a week—that was a lot of money back then. I cleaned-up. Polished jewelry. Went to the bank. Went to the post office. Delivered packages. Repaired jewelry. Went everywhere.

If you worked downtown, you could go in any establishment because they recognized you as working for Mr. Fickett.

If you could change one thing about traffic in Athens, what would that be?

Slow it down. People drive, and don’t pay any attention. They run the red light. I have seen people right in front of this house talking on the telephone and get so engrossed in the phone they just come to a complete stop in the middle of the street.

What’s missing in Athens?

I don’t know. I really don’t know. When you go downtown, there’s everything kind of eating establishment. I really can’t think of anything that’s missing—at least not for me.

What annoys you most about Athens?

The police locking up students. Instead of giving a student a second chance or talking to him, trying to put him on the right track, they lock him up, and give him a record. I was reading in the paper this morning, they locked up 18 underage drinkers. That’s going to be on their records forever. The law for drinking in Georgia when I went in the war was 18. Now, it’s 21. You are going to send a man off to Iraq, Afghanistan—to get him killed, and he can’t drink a beer. There’s something wrong with that.

What’s your favorite spot in town?

The Bread Basket, right across the street. Newspaper. Food. I see people I know. I walk over there every day. I guess the main reason I don’t subscribe to the paper is I get up every morning and walk to the Bread Basket and buy it there. The people that work there are nice. It’s a good routine. I guess it’s my favorite place.

What picture would you put on a postcard of Athens?

The University of Georgia. That’s what it’s known for. But I haven’t thought about it, really.

Is there a local issue you want to comment on?

The main thing is, if the economy is down and the people don’t have money, how in the world are you going to finance things like the tennis courts? We don’t need tennis courts…I mean, I can’t say we don’t need them, but you don’t need them if you can’t pay for them. That’s what I’m saying. Anything you can afford is all right. But if you got to use deficit spending, and put other people in a bind, then you need to let that alone.

Is there anything else you’d like to say about Athens?

Well, I left Athens in 1950, and I swore that I would never come back to Athens for anything except my mother’s funeral [because of the racial climate and lack of job opportunities].

I served in the Air Force in Europe. I moved to California and went to school, and I was doing well in California. And one day I just got the urge to come back to Athens. And I called my Momma, and she told me I was crazy.

But I came back to Athens [in 1961]. And I guess my job was to keep Hamp [Hamilton Holmes] home so he could integrate the University of Georgia. Then I integrated the police department, and then I went to the post office…And one thing after another.

When Hamp came—Hamp and Charlayne [Hunter]…the week they were supposed to start at school the decision came down that said unless Hamp had a place off campus to live, he could not go. My mother got a call wanting to know if she knew anybody who could keep Hamp. I hadn’t been back from California too long. I told her I had been through a war. I fought to be free. And he could stay with us. And he did. He stayed with us two years [at a place on Harris and Broad Sts.] And the clan came out to burn a cross…Now, the army taught me what to do. I didn’t go to the military just to go. I went to learn to be free…

# # #

This recorded interview was lightly edited and condensed.

At Pope & Reese

2009-11-18T07:07:00-05:00

Image by Dan Lorentz

Walkability Isn't Just About Sidewalks

2009-11-17T07:07:00-05:00

Richard Layman, who writes the Rebuilding Place in the Urban Space blog, puts forward a useful reminder that sidewalks alone don't create walkable neighborhoods and streets:

"But it's not just a matter of putting sidewalks everywhere. Frankly, I wish it were that simple...

People's willingness to walk is a function of population and building density, (which in turn influences) the availability of 'amenities' within walking distance (for example, Walkscore lists these types of businesses and civic assets as key destinations: Transit; Grocery Stores; Restaurants; Cafes & Bars; Movie Theaters; Schools; Recreation Centers; Libraries; Bookstores; Fitness Services; Pharmacies; Hardware Stores; and Clothing Stores)."

Read the full post.

A Defense of Jaywalking

2009-11-16T07:07:00-05:00

When pedestrians get killed by cars don't be so quick to point to jaywalking as the cause, says Tom Vanderbilt, author of Traffic: Why We Drive the Way We Do:

"...[A] closer look at national data shows that 59 percent of pedestrian deaths for which location information was recorded happened in places where pedestrians had no convenient access to a crosswalk. While jaywalking is often cited as a cause of pedestrian accidents, less than 20 percent of fatalities occurred where a pedestrian was crossing outside an easily available crosswalk."

Read the full article, which, by the way, briefly mentions Georgia traffic laws and the controversy over Savannah's recent crackdown on jaywalking as covered by Sustainable Savannah.

Wet Leaves on Boulevard Sidewalks

2009-11-12T07:07:00-05:00

Photos by Dan Lorentz

Kickstarting Athens

2009-11-05T07:09:00-05:00

Could something like Kickstarter work on a local-scale and be expanded to include civic projects?

Kickstarter is a Web site that offers artists, inventors, designers, writers, filmmakers and other creative sorts a platform to pitch a project and attract pledges from anyone in the world who is impressed and wants to help out by contributing money.

This doesn't sound particularly novel until you hear about the catch--a catch that enlivens this online giving model.

The people who use the Kickstarter to seek funding for their project can only collect the money that other people pledge to them if their project reaches or exceeds its funding goal before time expires. (Funding goals and deadlines are set by the project creators themselves.)

The goals and deadlines give focus and lend intensity to the effort--which, in most cases, is good for both creators and givers. And, for creators, the goals and deadlines also make it possible to test the waters without having to commit to working on an underfunded project or returning money. For givers, they improve odds that contributions won't be wasted.

Anyway, as I said, I wonder if something like Kickstarter could work locally and include civic projects. Projects like creating custom-built benches for a neighborhood pocket park...or writing a guidebook based on local history walking tours...or installing plumbing for a community garden...

Thanks to CEOs For Cities.

Cohen Street, Fall Evening

2009-11-04T07:03:00-05:00

Image by Dan Lorentz

Sidewalk Infelicities, Exhibits 8-12

2009-11-03T07:06:00-05:00

This is my second collection of "sidewalk infelicities."

What is a sidewalk infelicity? Well, since sidewalks should be continuous, well defined, unobstructed, safe and efficient in giving pedestrians access to places, anything that violates these criteria is what I'm calling an infelicity.

Check out the first collection--exhibits 1--here.

Have you spotted a sidewalk infelicity in Athens? Tell me where it is, and send a photo if possible.

Exhibit 8: Near 1638 Prince Ave.

The sidewalk on the north side of Prince Ave. extending from Boulevard Heights ends here. Matt Elliot explains why this is a problem: it makes "foot travel hazardous for folks living on Sylvia Circle, Winfield Chase Apts., and points westward."

***

Exhibit 9: Near Intersection of Prince Ave. and Pounds St.

No sidewalk to be found here even though there's a bus stop, and a well-worn foot path to it.

***

Exhibit 10: 1650 Prince Ave.

The rendering (in photo at right) of the new local Social Security Administration building being constructed here shows a sidewalk in front of the completed project. That would be an improvement.

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Exhibit 11: Near 1684 Prince Ave.

This short strips of sidewalk near the intersection with Sylvia Circle ends just past Edward Jones Investment on the north side of Prince Ave.

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Exhibit 12: 1686 Prince Ave.

A driveway into Jack Waldrip Real Estate on the north side of Prince Ave connects with the street, but assertively blocks the pedestrian path.

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Walkability Is Economic Development

2009-11-02T16:05:08-05:00

What can we do here in Athens, Ga. to attract a bigger share of young educated professionals—the kind of people who are moving their energy, their talent and their earnings potentials to “cool” cities like Austin, Texas, Charlotte, N.C. and Portland, Ore.?

Today’s Athens Banner-Herald editorial asserts that Athens is “not ready to attract the kinds of industries that could provide jobs for those young professionals.” In support of this assertion, the editorial points to the failure to develop a high-tech industrial park near the intersection of U.S. Highway 78 and Georgia Highway 316, the failure to attract two pharmaceutical manufacturers to the area and the failure of the effort to land a new federal animal disease research laboratory.

If instead of failing, Athens had succeed at building that high-tech industrial park, and getting those pharmaceutical jobs and the federal laboratory, it’s possible Athens would now be securely on the path to becoming a “cool” city. But I doubt it.

There’s always a little bit of the chicken or the egg conundrum to questions about local economic development strategy, but part of the reason Athens isn’t attracting the kind of high-tech firms and jobs we want is that Athens just isn’t a “cool” enough city yet.

Tax breaks and cheap land usually aren’t enough to attract high-tech firms—whose success is keyed to their ability to attract talented workers (that is, the kind of people who want to live in cool cities)—to specific communities. The firms want to locate in places their potential employees want to live.

And what kind of places are those? Well, as the editorial suggests, they are places that have “invested in the elements of cultural coolness: good coffee, good food and good music.” Athens certainly has a decent share of that kind of coolness, but I think there’s more to the story than that. There’s good reason to believe that many young educated professionals today also want to live in walkable neighborhoods where you can get groceries, go out to eat, play at a park, listen to music or go to a bar without always having to get in your car.

The talent of the local labor pool is certainly among the most important factors in determining where high tech firms will locate. The trouble is it’s really hard for local governments to do anything very direct about improving the talent pool of existing residents. But if they want to, local governments can make big improvements in local infrastructure, in making walkable neighborhoods, creating lively downtowns and fostering lively cultural scenes. And these amenities—which are quite tangible and easily perceptible—are proven talent attractors.

Of course, Athens should continue to court high-tech firms to move here. Of course, Athens should try to make it as easy as possible and prudent for employers to move here. Keep in mind, though, that because Athens is home to a large, well-regarded university and already has a solid reputation as a culturally lively spot, the city doesn’t have to beg for attention from employers. We’ll keep getting glances at least.

But if we want to start “winning” more in terms of getting employers to move here, then I think we need to change our economic development strategy.

Instead of scrambling to accommodate whatever random suitor-firms wink at us, let’s adopt an economic development strategy that prioritizes enhancing walkability and cultural vitality in central Athens. (Personally, I think Athens needs more work on the walkability front—that is, on increasing density, creating “complete” streets,” more mixed-use development—than it does on the cultural front.) This sort of strategy, I think, will likely be more effective in getting more employers to say “yes” to locating here. It also has the advantage of being something that local governments can actually do reasonably well.