lets get this PARTY started

I cannot type fast enough...let me share! This is what I love about architecture...you have the opportunity to help someone else. You get a chance to make someone's life better, even the little small things. It is like the ultimate awesome job because what you do really has a direct, immediate IMPACT. The catch being, "how do you make sure it is a positive impact?" This year in Auburn's Urban Studio has been hired by the AL Department of Labor to work on a project for the City of Birmingham. Our team of 14 have been give this project (I am about to explain), and the expectation level is high. Yeap, the pressure is on hence the reason my blog has been placed on the back burner. I am working on time management, and my blog time has been reintroduced. Promise! 

We are working to develop a master plan for Collegeville, one of the 99 neighborhoods of Birmingham.  This area is literally "trained in" by railroads. There are over 20 railroad crossings entering in the area. Industrial plants sprinkle the perimeters, and the majority of the housing is in the 100 year flood plain according to our study of FEMA maps. To get a feel for what we are working with check out the documentary video YouTube entitled "Trained In". The past week have been been developing maps of the entire neighborhood. We have overlaid USGS maps, FEMA maps, City Maps, Sanborn Maps, Google Earth Maps, and the list goes on. The problem, some of these are old and others inaccurate-meaning they do not leave us with correct data. So what are we to do? Solution: Verify the data ourselves. Maps in hand, we walked the entire neighborhood and made note of ever occupied house, vacant house, demolished house, and other building uses. Let me just say, there are over 2,000 residents there...Ladies and Gentlemen that means LOTS of houses! Whew this was a LONG day! 

The other interesting historical aspect of the neighborhood is the Civil Rights history embedded in this neighborhood. Bethel Baptist Church is located here, where Rev. Shuttlesworth pastored. He was extremely instrumental in the non-violent Civil Rights movement, an activist who worked alongside MLK. 

As you can see our project is full of exciting and challenging issues. We have our first neighborhood meeting in one week. It will be invigorating to see the residents enthusiasm for the project. We always approach them looking for assets and opportunities. We do not seek to find out what they do not like about their community, but about what they DO like about their community. 

Yesterday we met with the head of Capital Projects and the Birmingham Deputy Director of Planning, Engineering, and Permits. We were briefed in more detail about the area, and the excitement level in the room shot out the roof. Good thing we are on the top floor!! This is a fast pace project. We only have until the beginning of October. I look forward to sharing with you our development along the way! One of the most exciting elements of this project will be our opportunity to interact with the community; and share thoughts, beliefs, stories, and casual conversation together.