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Tag Archives: physical design
Project at 12 Court Street: Scale It Down and Build It Incrementally over Time
[Note: At its work session on November 6, 2018, Iowa City’s City Council had a lengthy discussion about possible height bonuses for the project proposed for 12 Court Street in Iowa City. I wrote a memo to the Council concerning … Continue reading
Governing for Inclusivity, Justice, and Sustainability
[Note: This post is a lengthier version of “Governing for Inclusivity, Justice, and Sustainability, ” The Gazette (January 1, 2017), p. _.] In a guest opinion for The Gazette last January, I wrote, “First you campaign and then, if elected, … Continue reading
Posted in Iowa City, Newspaper columns, planning theory
Tagged affordable housing, carbon emission reduction, economic development, Iowa City, Just City, local politics, physical design, racial equity, strategic planning, sustainability, Tax Increment Financing (TIF), unexpected events
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Berlin in America
[Note: This is a short unpublished paper I wrote in 2002. It related to a “Berlin in America” symposium I had organized at the University of Iowa concerning the interrelationship between urban public spaces and the long-term sustainability of democracy. … Continue reading
Posted in Berlin, planning theory, sustainability, Unpublished manuscript
Tagged democracy, fear, New Urbanism, physical design, place connection, public realm
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Enhancing Iowa City’s Long Term Prosperity and Sustainability: A Progress Report
[Note: This report reflects my own personal summary of key actions Iowa City’s City Council has taken during the first six months of its term. It does not necessarily reflect the views of the Iowa City government or City Council … Continue reading
Branding, Storytelling, and Urban Identity
Visit any city of substantial size and you are likely to encounter efforts to promote the city’s “brand.” How are such brands (or public images) created? How does the brand relate to the city’s identity and story? And how do … Continue reading
Review of Christopher Alexander’s The Nature of Order
[NOTE: This is a preliminary review as of April 2, 2013.] Twenty-seven years in the making, Christopher Alexander’s lavishly illustrated, 2,200 page, 4-volume The Nature of Order is an extraordinarily beautiful, visionary, ambitious and controversial book that has, astonishingly, not … Continue reading
Posted in planning theory, scholarly book reviews, sustainability
Tagged architecture, Christopher Alexander, complexity, incrementalism, living structure, morphogenesis, persuasive storytelling, physical design, place transformation, planning theory, resilience, sustainability, unfolding, wholeness, wholeness-extending transformations
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A Development Mistake on the Eastern Edge of Downtown Iowa City
On January 8, 2013, a 5-1 majority of the City Council of Iowa City chose a preferred development for the site at the northeast corner of College and Gilbert Streets. I think the majority’s decision was a mistake. The following … Continue reading
A Major Redevelopment Project Near Downtown Iowa City
On August 31, 2012, the City of Iowa City issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the redevelopment of the northeast corner of the College and Gilbert Street intersection. Located immediately to the east of the city’s downtown, the site … Continue reading
Justice Center Proposal Needs 3 Changes
[Note: A slightly modified version of this short piece can be found at: Jim Throgmorton, “Justice Center proposal needs 3 changes,” Iowa City Press-Citizen, (October 23, 2012), p. 8A.] During our October 2 formal meeting, the Iowa City Council considered … Continue reading
For Proposed TIFs, Allow Sufficient Time for Public Debate
[Note: A slightly different version of this short piece can be found at: Jim Throgmorton, “For TIFs, Iowa City needs to allow more time for debate,” Iowa City Press-Citizen (Jun 27, 2012), p. 7A.] There has been considerable public debate … Continue reading
Storytelling and Cities 