Tag Archives: adaptive reuse

Twelve planning lessons from failing cities

There are likely many more planning-related lessons from failing cities that could have been added, but these are ones that initially came to mind. Any additions, suggestions, or corrections are welcome. Do NOT chase the latest fad project without doing … Continue reading

Posted in Active transportation, adaptive reuse, business, Cars, cities, civics, civility, commerce, culture, downtown, economic development, environment, fitness, food systems, geography, government, health, Health care, Highway displacement, highways, historic preservation, history, Housing, human rights, humanity, inclusiveness, industry, infrastructure, land use, nature, new urbanism, placemaking, planning, politics, recreation, revitalization, Small business, spatial design, sustainability, third places, tourism, traffic, transportation, Travel, urban planning, visual pollution, zoning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Building solar farms on closed landfills in Massachusetts

As the list directly below demonstrates, over the past decade more than 80 communities in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts have successfully turned their closed brownfield landfills into green energy producing “bright fields.” Acton Landfill = 1.59 megawatt solar array on … Continue reading

Posted in adaptive reuse, Advocacy, Astronomy, business, cities, civics, climate, climate change, economic development, economics, ecosystems, energy, engineering, environment, geography, history, infrastructure, land use, Maps, nature, pictures, planning, politics, product design, Renewable Energy, Science, solar, spatial design, States, Statistics, sustainability, technology, urban planning, zoning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Viva historic preservation in the “True Las Vegas”

We recently spent part of a day wandering about downtown Las Vegas, New Mexico and came away very impressed by the preserved historical and cultural assets of this High Plains city. Unlike the overwhelming glitter and gaudiness found in Nevada, … Continue reading

Posted in adaptive reuse, archaeology, architecture, art, branding, business, cities, civics, civility, commerce, Cuisine, culture, downtown, economic development, economic gardening, entertainment, entrepreneurship, Food, fun, geography, government, historic preservation, history, Housing, infrastructure, land use, libraries, Maps, pictures, placemaking, planning, revitalization, shopping, Small business, spatial design, Statistics, third places, topography, tourism, Trade, Travel, urban design, urban planning, zoning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Don’t erase industrial heritage, embrace it!

In many post-industrial American cities, the legacy of their manufacturing might is too often gradually rusting away or being erased from memory in the hopes that new developments will somehow rekindle a once proud past. As a result, significant aspects … Continue reading

Posted in adaptive reuse, archaeology, architecture, art, cities, civics, culture, downtown, economic development, economic gardening, entertainment, environment, Food, fun, geography, historic preservation, history, industry, infrastructure, land use, landscape architecture, Passenger rail, placemaking, planning, rail, Railroads, recreation, revitalization, rivers/watersheds, skylines, spatial design, sustainability, technology, third places, tourism, trails, transportation, Travel, urban design, walking | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

A Quartet of Former Vintage Barber Shops

As a follow-up to my previous post of old barber shops still operating, here are four (4) that no longer are used as barber shops. Two (2) are currently empty though the barber shop in Honor was a sign shop … Continue reading

Posted in adaptive reuse, Animals, architecture, business, Cities, coffee shops/cafes, culture, downtown, economic development, economic gardening, entrepreneurship, food trucks, geography, historic preservation, history, land use, Pets, pictures, placemaking, planning, product design, Small business, third places, Uncategorized, urban planning, zoning | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

AR4AV = Adaptive Reuse for Autonomous Vehicles

Listed below are six (6) excellent examples of former industrial, military, and other brownfield sites that have been (or are being) adapted for reuse as autonomous vehicle proving grounds. Instead of developing greenfield locations, these advanced technology facilities have utilized … Continue reading

Posted in Active transportation, adaptive reuse, airport planning, airports, business, cities, commerce, economic development, entrepreneurship, environment, geography, infrastructure, land use, planning, product design, revitalization, Science, spatial design, sustainability, technology, urban planning, zoning | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Bay City, Michigan – in the sweet spot of new urbanism

From what this urban planner can tell, downtown Bay City, Michigan is, or is on the verge of becoming one of the hottest redevelopment markets in the state. The list of on-going and already accomplished projects is impressive for a … Continue reading

Posted in adaptive reuse, architecture, cities, downtown, economic development, economic gardening, entertainment, fun, gentrification, geography, historic preservation, history, Housing, land use, new urbanism, pictures, placemaking, planning, product design, revitalization, skylines, spatial design, sustainability, third places, tourism, Travel, urban planning, zoning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Abandoned commercial airports – ruins and reuses

A bit of postmodern ruin porn and uplifting adaptive reuse ideas are provided in this post with a listing of those major abandoned commercial airports which no longer (or in some cases never did) see flights. Some, particularly Croydon, Kai … Continue reading

Posted in adaptive reuse, aerospace, air travel, airport planning, airports, architecture, aviation, geography, historic preservation, history, infrastructure, land use, planning, revitalization, spatial design, sustainability, Trade, transportation, Travel, urban planning, zoning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

From institutional to inspirational

Unlike this amazing aerial shot, photographs taken from the ground can hardly depict the enormous size and impressive setting of Grand Traverse Commons (formally Traverse City State Hospital or Northern Michigan Asylum). Once an imposing (and probably intimidating) institutional facility, … Continue reading

Posted in adaptive reuse, architecture, art, business, cities, civics, commerce, economic development, economic gardening, entertainment, entrepreneurship, health, Health care, historic preservation, history, Housing, infrastructure, land use, new urbanism, pictures, placemaking, planning, product design, recreation, revitalization, shopping, skylines, spatial design, third places, tourism, Travel, urban planning, zoning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Eerie winter images of an abandoned mall

Check out this weblink to wintry post-apocalyptic images of an abandoned shopping mall (Rolling Acres Mall) near Akron, Ohio. The photos were taken by photographer Johnny Joo.  The mall opened in 1975 and the last stores closed in 2013. It … Continue reading

Posted in adaptive reuse, architecture, art, cities, civics, consumerism, economic development, economic gardening, film, geography, history, infrastructure, land use, movies, pictures, planning, spatial design, urban planning, visual pollution, zoning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments