Field Notes
Visit to Newport, Rhode Island
Ochre Point is one of the largest and most impressive shingle style buildings on the Cliff Walk. McKim Mead and White designed this as one of their “rustic cottages.” The front of the house facing the street is more formal, while the back of the house facing the ocean is informal. Wakehurst (Dudley Newton, 1887) … Read more
Suspended Rhododendron – Middlesboro, Kentucky
This was built during the Better Block Middlesborough project in 2014. This installation was modelled on the suspended trees at MassMOCA in North Adams, Massachusetts.
Using Tactical Urbanism to Preserve Downtowns
Using Tactical Urbanism to Preserve Downtowns National Main Streets Conference, Detroit, Michigan (May 2014) “Tactical urbanism” is a hot, new, revolutionary movement that is transforming how people revitalize places. One example of tactical urbanism, the Better Block movement, creates short-term “interventions” in a 48-hour period for $1,000 or less, planting the seeds for long-term change. … Read more
Downtown – Traverse City, Michigan
Beadle Building. John T. Beadle built this building in 1892 for his harness shop. Its exterior was restored in the early 1980’s exposing the solid eighteen inch thick walls made with brick manufactured in nearby Greilickville. The Traverse City Ale Trail highlights a growing number of breweries in the Traverse City area. It’s possible to … Read more
Main Street Now – Detroit, Michigan (2014)
The Main Street Now conference was held in Detroit in 2014. The Opening Plenary of the conference concluded with the announcement of the GAMSA winners, semifinalists, and “One to Watch.” Middlesboro, Kentucky was both a semifinalist and a “One to Watch.” The Mariner’s Church has a beautiful stained glass window that celebrates some of the … Read more
Heidelberg Project – Detroit, Michigan
When we visited in 2014, pieces of the Heidelberg Project were still visible. This is despite efforts to raze the houses and art installation. The project and the artist behind it have been changing lives through art since 1986. At one point the Heidelberg painted dots were ubiquitous throughout Detroit. Now they are fewer and … Read more
Better Block Middlesboro 2014 – Middlesboro, Kentucky
Half a year after our inaugural Better Block Middlesboro event in 2013, we were back at it with a second Better Block event. This time it was a new location and whole new projects across the street from where all of the activities had happened before. Here is the story of how we build a … Read more