What cities, towns or regions have pursued a visionary goal?
April 10, 2015 8:48 AM Subscribe
I am looking for examples of cities, towns or regions (but especially smaller towns or regions with less than 25,000 population) that have set singular visionary goals for themselves, and have made significant progress in that direction. Links appreciated.
The typical city, town or regional "plan" has a mostly generic, multi-faceted vision (better schools, better housing, better streets, "sustainability", better services etc.) coupled with long lists of goals and objectives. But typically these plans are weak on action plans or followup. The plan then goes on the shelf and is redone or updated every so often. Maybe it works, maybe it doesn't. But it's not the kind of singular vision that a startup company or a non-profit organization might define for itself.
So I'm looking for examples of places that have targeted a more narrow but achievable visionary objective on the assumption that working towards that singular goal will necessarily improve most other areas of community concern. Examples might be things such as switching to 100% renewable energy (like Malmö, Sweden), or rebuilding a local economy around food (like Hardwick VT).
The typical city, town or regional "plan" has a mostly generic, multi-faceted vision (better schools, better housing, better streets, "sustainability", better services etc.) coupled with long lists of goals and objectives. But typically these plans are weak on action plans or followup. The plan then goes on the shelf and is redone or updated every so often. Maybe it works, maybe it doesn't. But it's not the kind of singular vision that a startup company or a non-profit organization might define for itself.
So I'm looking for examples of places that have targeted a more narrow but achievable visionary objective on the assumption that working towards that singular goal will necessarily improve most other areas of community concern. Examples might be things such as switching to 100% renewable energy (like Malmö, Sweden), or rebuilding a local economy around food (like Hardwick VT).
Are failed attempts of interest to you? I did an FPP once on the town of New Harmony, Indiana, which was home to two different failed Utopian communities.
posted by jbickers at 8:55 AM on April 10, 2015
posted by jbickers at 8:55 AM on April 10, 2015
I remember that the residents of Sarnac Lake, NY opened their own cooperative department store.
posted by xingcat at 8:55 AM on April 10, 2015
posted by xingcat at 8:55 AM on April 10, 2015
The town of Serenbe, Georgia might also be of interest.
posted by jbickers at 8:57 AM on April 10, 2015
posted by jbickers at 8:57 AM on April 10, 2015
Helen, Georgia is a different kind of example. It was once a town dependent on logging, but turned itself into a Bavarian village and is now a tourism destination.
posted by cmerrill at 9:17 AM on April 10, 2015
posted by cmerrill at 9:17 AM on April 10, 2015
Response by poster: Are failed attempts of interest to you?
Sure, there are lessons to be learned in failures.
posted by beagle at 9:21 AM on April 10, 2015
Sure, there are lessons to be learned in failures.
posted by beagle at 9:21 AM on April 10, 2015
There are a number of cities that are working toward becoming 100% no-kill (i.e., in animal shelters). See also.
posted by melissasaurus at 9:48 AM on April 10, 2015
posted by melissasaurus at 9:48 AM on April 10, 2015
It's not a small town, but the founder and CEO of Zappos has been on a multi-year endeavor to transform downtown Las Vegas. His goals are similar to the ones you outlined and are focused on a very specific geography within Vegas.
It's faced some recent struggles. And he's facing backlash.
posted by brookeb at 9:51 AM on April 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
It's faced some recent struggles. And he's facing backlash.
posted by brookeb at 9:51 AM on April 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
Leavenworth, Washington made itself over as a "Bavarian" village in the late 60s.
posted by gyusan at 9:58 AM on April 10, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by gyusan at 9:58 AM on April 10, 2015 [3 favorites]
Suisun City, California did a redevelopment project that was wildly successful and gets used as a case study for how to do such things. I was fortunate to be living in Fairfield (which is cheek to jowl with Suisun City) when I was pursuing my Environmental Resource Management degree and hoping to get into urban planning. I managed to attend some local events where people who had been involved in that spoke.
It currently has nearly 29,000 people, but when the visioning stuff happened in 1990, it had a population of 22,000.
Quick Facts US Census Suisun City
Bay Area Census data for Suisun City 1970-1990
Community Redevelopment Suisun City, CA
Unsprawl Case Study Suisun City, California
It is a small town in the San Francisco Bay Area that was quite poor. They are on a waterfront, but the main bay in the town once was a hideous industrial area. They did a visioning process and the engineers kept raining on their parade. One of the folks in charge said to someone else "We have got to get the engineers out of here." So, somehow, they came up with a vision of a mixed use, inspiring, walkable downtown area centered on the waterfront and THEN went to the engineers and said "Okay, HOW do we achieve this?"
They removed some kind of oil industry infrastructure from the bay, cleaned up the water and built a beautiful new government building on the waterfront. They rezoned waterfront property for mixed use commercial and residential so you have a bunch of live-work stuff in that area. They borrowed tons of money to do all this and property values went up enough that it ended up making financial sense for the city and not simply bankrupting them.
You should be able to find additional links online. You could also reference this previous answer of mine for a couple more links.
posted by Michele in California at 10:03 AM on April 10, 2015 [3 favorites]
It currently has nearly 29,000 people, but when the visioning stuff happened in 1990, it had a population of 22,000.
Quick Facts US Census Suisun City
Bay Area Census data for Suisun City 1970-1990
Community Redevelopment Suisun City, CA
Unsprawl Case Study Suisun City, California
It is a small town in the San Francisco Bay Area that was quite poor. They are on a waterfront, but the main bay in the town once was a hideous industrial area. They did a visioning process and the engineers kept raining on their parade. One of the folks in charge said to someone else "We have got to get the engineers out of here." So, somehow, they came up with a vision of a mixed use, inspiring, walkable downtown area centered on the waterfront and THEN went to the engineers and said "Okay, HOW do we achieve this?"
They removed some kind of oil industry infrastructure from the bay, cleaned up the water and built a beautiful new government building on the waterfront. They rezoned waterfront property for mixed use commercial and residential so you have a bunch of live-work stuff in that area. They borrowed tons of money to do all this and property values went up enough that it ended up making financial sense for the city and not simply bankrupting them.
You should be able to find additional links online. You could also reference this previous answer of mine for a couple more links.
posted by Michele in California at 10:03 AM on April 10, 2015 [3 favorites]
In Utah the Division of Arts and Museums has a program called The Change Leaders. This program trains leaders in community art programs, grant writimg and community projects to forward arts districts and the liveability of small communities.
Example: The town of Gunnison, Utah sits on each side of hwy 89. School children were at risk, the town built a walkway and underpass, and designed and decorated the walls with what is called, The Sandpitch Dragon. This dragon became the team mascot for one school. The Mayor / Change leader helped facilitate the renovation of an old deluxe theater venue, the Utah Opera plays the town along with other traveling cultural events.
Ogden, Utah renovated 25th Street along the lines of its history as an "entertainment district" once known as Two Bit Street, for speak easies and cheap hotels. The street has recently been named as one of the ten best streets in the US. The district is anchored by Union Station, closing the West end of 25th, it serves as a concert venue for many local classical groups, and jazz groups as well. The area also hosts the city transportation hub, for commuter rail and busses. The city is well coordinated in its efforts to maintain arts venues, markets, and an arts and farmer's summertime market.
The Eccles Community Art center, is housed in a large 19th century stone mansion for local and statewide art exhibits. There is a complex of dance studios, workshops for arts classes encompassing many disciplines, that in turn, works with local schools for added arts opportuities. There are two galleries creating sales areas for fine arts and crafts objects.
With Weber State University nearby, and a full multi-disciplinary arts faculty, the arts have a big footprint, for such a small town. Ogden City is a smaller city with satellite suburbs, Great Salt Lake on the west, and the Wasatch Mountains, Ogden Valley, to the east. It has the best small town feel, I can be downtown in five minutes, and in Ogden Canyon, in ten minutes.
posted by Oyéah at 10:19 AM on April 10, 2015
Example: The town of Gunnison, Utah sits on each side of hwy 89. School children were at risk, the town built a walkway and underpass, and designed and decorated the walls with what is called, The Sandpitch Dragon. This dragon became the team mascot for one school. The Mayor / Change leader helped facilitate the renovation of an old deluxe theater venue, the Utah Opera plays the town along with other traveling cultural events.
Ogden, Utah renovated 25th Street along the lines of its history as an "entertainment district" once known as Two Bit Street, for speak easies and cheap hotels. The street has recently been named as one of the ten best streets in the US. The district is anchored by Union Station, closing the West end of 25th, it serves as a concert venue for many local classical groups, and jazz groups as well. The area also hosts the city transportation hub, for commuter rail and busses. The city is well coordinated in its efforts to maintain arts venues, markets, and an arts and farmer's summertime market.
The Eccles Community Art center, is housed in a large 19th century stone mansion for local and statewide art exhibits. There is a complex of dance studios, workshops for arts classes encompassing many disciplines, that in turn, works with local schools for added arts opportuities. There are two galleries creating sales areas for fine arts and crafts objects.
With Weber State University nearby, and a full multi-disciplinary arts faculty, the arts have a big footprint, for such a small town. Ogden City is a smaller city with satellite suburbs, Great Salt Lake on the west, and the Wasatch Mountains, Ogden Valley, to the east. It has the best small town feel, I can be downtown in five minutes, and in Ogden Canyon, in ten minutes.
posted by Oyéah at 10:19 AM on April 10, 2015
I was quite impressed by the tale of how Chestertown Maryland came together to build the HMS Sultana replica, which gave the town a tourist attraction and focus.
posted by straw at 10:47 AM on April 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by straw at 10:47 AM on April 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
Historically, Galveston might count, After the 1900 hurricane they built a massive seawall and spent years raising the island above sea level. Of course, your definition of success might not count here. Before the storm Galveston was bigger than Houston and New Orleans, the largest seaport on the Gulf and known as the Ellis Island of the West. After the storm, it never recovered.
Here's an interesting short documentary of the engineering marvel that was the raising of the island. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DexSKxY2Nc
Currently, Ethiopia is a Vision and Goals-Setting Country with the goal of becoming a middle income country by 2025, alongside their vision to transform their educational system to reach every child. I have some friends who are about to travel there to do some work towards this with an organization called imagine1day.
posted by Brittanie at 10:56 AM on April 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
Here's an interesting short documentary of the engineering marvel that was the raising of the island. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DexSKxY2Nc
Currently, Ethiopia is a Vision and Goals-Setting Country with the goal of becoming a middle income country by 2025, alongside their vision to transform their educational system to reach every child. I have some friends who are about to travel there to do some work towards this with an organization called imagine1day.
posted by Brittanie at 10:56 AM on April 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
Marinaleda, in impoverished Andalusia, used to suffer terrible hardships. Led by a charismatic mayor, the village declared itself a communist utopia and took farmland to provide for everyone. Could it be the answer to modern capitalism's failings?
posted by drjimmy11 at 11:21 AM on April 10, 2015
posted by drjimmy11 at 11:21 AM on April 10, 2015
Charleston, SC made an impressive recovery after Hurricane Hugo in 1989. The current long-time mayor, Joe Reilly, is widely credited for his courage and vision in rebuilding the city.
posted by Elsie at 12:00 PM on April 10, 2015
posted by Elsie at 12:00 PM on April 10, 2015
Fayetteville, Arkansas revitalized their downtown before that was a thing, and had less than 40,000 people at the time (they are up near 70k now) Tulsa also did the same, more recently. In both cases, it was public investment in destination amenities that was the main driver.
posted by wierdo at 12:37 PM on April 10, 2015
posted by wierdo at 12:37 PM on April 10, 2015
Santa Fe adopted a strict building code in the early 20th century requiring new construction to be in the Pueblo Revival style with the intent that a city of unique adobe and wood buildings would attract tourists and artists.
Mount Airy, North Carolina is Andy Griffith's hometown and his model for Mayberry. After the success of the show the downtown area has become much more Mayberry-like (though the Snappy Lunch preceded Griffith and is still going strong today). I don't know if that transformation was the result of a civic vision or an organic thing that happened as businesses went after the tourism dollar.
posted by plastic_animals at 12:45 PM on April 10, 2015
Mount Airy, North Carolina is Andy Griffith's hometown and his model for Mayberry. After the success of the show the downtown area has become much more Mayberry-like (though the Snappy Lunch preceded Griffith and is still going strong today). I don't know if that transformation was the result of a civic vision or an organic thing that happened as businesses went after the tourism dollar.
posted by plastic_animals at 12:45 PM on April 10, 2015
Ithaca, NY has introduced a local currency, known as an Ithaca Hour.
posted by peacheater at 1:47 PM on April 10, 2015
posted by peacheater at 1:47 PM on April 10, 2015
Columbus, Indiana was just another small town until local industrialist J. Irwin Miller -- among other advanced social goals for the era -- persuaded the city as well as companies, churches, and private individuals to seek out world-class architects for their buildings. Today it has "over 70 buildings and pieces of public art by internationally noted architects and artists, including I.M. Pei, Eliel Saarinen, Eero Saarinen, Richard Meier, Harry Weese, Dale Chihuly, and Henry Moore", including seven that have been designated National Historic Landmarks. This has led to various monikers, including the "Athens of the Prairie." Today, the city generates tourist dollars from a constant stream of architecture fans, and is ranked as one of the best architectural cities in America by the AIA.
One could argue that this falls short of a vision where this goal achieves specific broader objectives. In any event, planning today has become more heterodox and integrative than in Miller's day.
posted by dhartung at 12:37 AM on April 11, 2015
One could argue that this falls short of a vision where this goal achieves specific broader objectives. In any event, planning today has become more heterodox and integrative than in Miller's day.
posted by dhartung at 12:37 AM on April 11, 2015
Berkshire County in Massachusetts has created it's own currency, Berkshares. It's been around since 2006, is accepted by 400 business, issued by 4 banks, and has a 5% discount incentive (95 US cents to the Berkshare dollar).
posted by carrioncomfort at 11:32 AM on April 11, 2015
posted by carrioncomfort at 11:32 AM on April 11, 2015
You might be interested in towns and cities participating in the Transition Town movement. Transition towns follow a protocol about reducing oil dependency overall and transitioning to a greener economic and planning base. Transition USA has a directory of towns that have adopted some or all of the program and have an active group.
posted by Miko at 11:39 AM on April 11, 2015
posted by Miko at 11:39 AM on April 11, 2015
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posted by Mouse Army at 8:53 AM on April 10, 2015 [4 favorites]