2007-10-05 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

To: Honorable Mayor Adams and City Council From: Julie Feier, City Manager Date: October 5, 2007 Subject: Weekly Update The American Planning Association (APA) announced this week that the Delmar Loop has been designated as one of 10 Great Streets for 2007 through APA's Great Places in America program. APA Great Places exemplify exceptional character and highlight the role planners and planning play in creating communities of lasting value. They are places where people want to be -not only to visit, but to live and work everyday. America's truly great neighborhoods are defined by many criteria, including architectural features, accessibility, functionality, and community involvement. Through Great Places in America APA recognizes the unique and authentic attributes of essential building blocks of great communities -streets, neighborhoods, and public spaces. In the 1960s U-City reserved all street-front building space for retail, restaurants, shops, and galleries. This led to more than 140 boutiques, eateries, and entertainment venues along the boulevard. Despite the zoning change and streetscape improvements, the area remained partially deserted until the 1970s when young entrepreneurs organized local business owners and helped create a special taxing district to raise money for streetscape enhancements including dusk-to-dawn lighting in alleys, flower planters, and unique, eye-catching holiday decorations and store awnings. The nine other APA Great Streets for 2007 are Bull Street, Savannah, Georgia; Canyon Road, Santa Fe, New Mexico; Main Street, Northampton, Massachusetts; Monument Avenue, Richmond, Virginia; North Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Illinois; Ocean Drive, Miami Beach, Florida; 125th Street, Harlem, New York City; South Temple Street, Salt Lake City, Utah; and St. Charles Avenue, New Orleans, Louisiana; For more information about these streets, and the list of APA's 10 Great Neighborhoods for 2007, visit www.planning.org/greatplaces.