The Political Whore

The National Civic League ’s 2009 All-America City Awards conference starts today in Tampa, and a common theme for cities is revitalizing downtowns. Here is Erie, Penn.’s effort along those lines:

Erie, Pennsylvania
Erie’s Downtown Revitalization Masterplan

Just as in many other urban communities in the latter half of the 20th century, residents began moving outside the city limits and into the suburbs.  Part of the city’s present day vision is to bring those families and young professionals back downtown by offering new and attractive urban living options. Downtown Erie’s 70-block core has been broken up into phases with different projects designed to fit each area.  Some of the projects include streetscaping, façade renovations, and lighting and park improvements.  In several other areas, the goal is to provide different levels of housing including market rate housing, low to moderate income housing, and some luxury housing, as well as office space and opportunity for commercial and retail development.  The plan calls for approximately $56 million in real estate development, representing 40,000 square feet of commercial development, 143 residential units, parks and street improvements.  Presently the Erie Redevelopment Authority and various development partners have approximately $6 million of mixed-use development under construction and another $12 million in projects are planned for construction in the next 6 to 24 months.

Thirty cities, towns, neighborhoods and communities are vying for recognition as an All-America City at the June 16-19 conference at the Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel. Each will give a short presentation on three public-private civic projects they undertook before a panel of judges names the best. Tampa is one of the finalists.

Former Tampa Mayor Sandy Freedman is the president of the National Civic League this year and a big proponent of these kinds of partnership projects. During her tenure, in 1990, Tampa was named an All-America City. Creative Loafing CEO Ben Eason is also involved, as a member of the Host Committee.

(photo: livingdowntowndesmoines.com)

The National Civic League’s 2009 All-America City Awards conference convenes in Tampa next week. Here is a look at one of the nominees that will present their best civic projects, Des Moines, Iowa:

Des Moines, Iowa
Urban Revitalization Core West 18th St. to East 18th St.

Since 2004, downtown Des Moines has gone through a renaissance to become what is now the pièce de résistance of the metropolitan area. This rebirth took place with the outpouring of support from the public and private sectors and community members. The City Council held broad public meetings to solicit a downtown vision and consulted with experts in revitalization to begin our renaissance. The Council created catalysts throughout the downtown to generate future development across the core of our community. The developments are a mix of new and rehabilitated construction which preserves the historical integrity of downtown architecture while promoting opportunities for new infill design. The catalysts involved in downtown revitalization over the last five years have significantly contributed to the rebirth of Des Moines’ urban core.  With a minimum of city investment, historical buildings have been preserved, green initiatives implemented, housing stock added, entertainment districts created.  Future phases of revitalization are planned and include ways to enhance the connectivity between the western and eastern edges of downtown and expand into residential neighborhoods.

Thirty cities, towns, neighborhoods and communities are vying for recognition as an All-America City at the June 16-18 conference at the Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel. Each will give a short presentation on three public-private civic projects they undertook before a panel of judges names the best. Tampa is one of the finalists.

Former Tampa Mayor Sandy Freedman is the president of the National Civic League this year and a big proponent of these kinds of partnership projects. During her tenure, in 1990, Tampa was named an All-America City. Creative Loafing CEO Ben Eason is also involved, as a member of the Host Committee.

By Manny Leto
PoHo contributor

Kiley Gardens, the hotly contested riverfront park nestled between Kennedy Boulevard and the new Tampa Museum of Art off of Ashley Street, will be saved after all.

Well, most of it will be saved.

Locals have fought for years to restore the park, designed by world-renowned landscape architect, Dan Kiley. Completed in 1988 and neglected almost from the beginning, when plans for the new art museum were announced back in 2000 during the Greco administration, Kiley Gardens was scheduled for demolition. It seems that in Tampa, to create art, you must destroy art, which is, I’m sure, exactly the postmodern statement city officials were trying to make. Irony notwithstanding, local architects and others began to speak out. After what is now nearly a decade of debate, studies and grass roots activism, which reached a highpoint in 2005 and 2006, the Downtown Partnership hosted a forum this morning to assess the current plans for Kiley.
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St. Pete’s downtown guru, Don Shea, is staying put in his job with the Downtown Partnership. TBBJ had reported that he was in negotiations to take a similar job in Raleigh, N.C., but eventually withdrew.

Shea is a rare blend of business development, urban planning and arts advocacy who really understands the importance of culture. He is chairman of the American Stage board and played a role in creation of a downtown St. Pete arts hub plan announced earlier this year.

Shea said he wasn’t looking to leave St. Pete. “I’ve never complained about my package here. [Raleigh] came calling,” he said. “They offered and I counter-offered. They stayed with their original offer, so I withdrew.”

Shea added that he has been gratified by the support shown by his board and supporters even after news of his possible departure got out.
“I was nervous that I would be looked askance here because I thought maybe some would think I wasn’t keeping my eye on the ball,” Shea said.