INTRODUCTION
• This journey that we as a human race are currently pressing on toward has a destination that we may be able to foresee as the center of the 21st Century. We’ll consider the beginning at the start of the Second Industrial Revolution, when the development of steam-powered ships, railways, and later in the 19th century with the internal combustion engine and electrical power generation. More locally, this time of beginning coincides fairly well with reconstruction after the Civil War and the emergence of the City of Roanoke.
REEVALUATING & RESTRUCTURING THE URBAN DESIGN PROCESS FOR POSTERITY
Unlimited talent and resources are opening up to analyze our current community, envision and define corrections to stale land use conditions; identify, evaluate and implement corrections within a rigorous review process that is endorsed by the affected community. “The Heart of Roanoke” is the harbinger of a major shift in our approach to guiding ourselves into a sustainable future. What course corrections can we and should we implement within our current fiscal means and within the Centerpiece of our urban environment, Downtown Roanoke?
And how can this adventure serve as a model for sustainable neighborhood development in the future within the scope of our community resources?
Over 40 years of experience in the field of Building, Architecture, Design, & Planning have molded my perception of our built environment and its impact upon our lives. Over many years, I sought professional association with those who achieved stature within my profession, hoping I could learn from their “success.” I found that I could also learn from their failures. Even more importantly, I learned from their experiences along with my own.
I have conducted “planning and design processes” for communities over a 30 year period. I’ve learned that the most successful projects that I have been engaged in have been those with “transparent” participation of the users of those projects. Achieving such participation leads to identification of and celebration of our heritage and our future.
Thirty years ago, the celebration created around our “city market area” produced a model for urban renewal nationwide. We were led to the idea of celebrating who we are, as compared with our longing to “keep up with the Joneses.” Roanoke needs to be happy being Roanoke; not longing to model our community and ourselves after another community.
I am committed to the idea that we need to discover and celebrate who we are to achieve happiness. The political strategy of polarization over issues creates toxic pools of stagnation and threatens our existence. At the very least we should eliminate partisan politics and clarify our expectations of our governmental representatives in local issues. We must be the model for our dreams.
