Neighborhood Doctor: Brownsville, Brooklyn by Alan Waxman

NEIGHBORHOOD DOCTOR Alan Waxman Thesis MLA Harvard GSD 2014

landscape architecture for public health

Advisor: Ann Forsyth Secondary Advisors Rahul Mehrotra and Subu Subramanian

Environmental change is a physical or material change to the economic, social, or physical environment. -US Center for Disease Control 2014

Dedicated to my grandmothers, and their cities.

NEIGHBORHOOD DOCTOR

1. HEALTH EQUITY: New York City .............................................................4 2. PROPOSAL: Neighborhood Doctor .....................................................6 3. PLACE: Brownsville, Brooklyn ................................................................10 4. ALTERNATIVE HISTORY: Occupation .................................................16 5. ALTERNATIVE FUTURE: Street Revitalization ................................40 6. ALTERNATIVE FUTURE: Transgenerational Space ......................56 7. ALTERNATIVE FUTURE: Youth Industry ..........................................68 8. RESOURCES AND RIGHTS: Neighborhood Data ......................82 9. CITATIONS ........................................................................................................... 86

1. Health Equity: New York City

crack epidemic

BROWNSVILLE’S CURRENT HOMICIDE RATE 27 / 100,000 people

Health is distributed unequally across space and time. Visualizing factors such as employment, 17family structure, education, income, and poverty in the map at right, NYC appears as a socioeconomic mountain range, with 16 the Upper East Side on one of the highest ridges, and Brownsville, Brooklyn in one of the deepest 15 valleys. These factors correspond closely with the development of chronic diseases. In other words, the socioeconomic topography 14 comes to form and manifest disease in the bodies of the people. 13

NYC intentional Homicide rate per 100,000

Future rate

The chart below traces correlation between chronic 12 disease, including violence, and economic cycles. Spikes 11 follow the economic Kondratiev long wave. Diseases like type two diabetes take years to develop in people who 10 The red lines have experienced contributing conditions. showing diabetes rates may indicate a relationship to the 9 the spike of same populations and contexts subject to youth violence in the 70s, 80s, and 90s.

American Homicide rate per 100,000 (Fischer 2010)

% Prevalence of diabetes

5 9

25%

20%

15%

1873

2nd kondratiev

WWII

1939 petrochemicals developed

electrical engineering chemistry developed 7

Civil Rights

WWI

(lightbulb demonstrated 1979)

Deaths 40 - 57.6/ 100,000 people 2002 - 2003 (NYC Dep Health & Hygiene 2007 study)

1989

Occupy and Arab Spring

psychosocial health tech develops? 2

% Prevalence of diabetes (CDC) information Hip Hop technology computers developed

estimated unemployment (Vernon: 1994 for 1869-1899)

Prevalence 9.7 - 16.9% 2002 - 2004

unemployment

WPA

10% 4

Isolationism

Populist 1893 movement & % of US Population in armed forces

US intentional Homicide rate per 100,000 FBI

estimated U3 unemployment 1913 3rd kondratiev

U3 unemployment

Korean War

2008

1956

4th kondratiev

Vietnam War

adaptation of Goldschmidt’s 5th kondratiev 2004 estimate

1860 1862 1864 1866 1868 1870 1872 1874 1876 1878 1880 1882 1884 1886 1888 1890 1892 1894 1896 1898 1900 1902 1904 1906 1908 1910 1912 1914 1916 1918 1920 1922 1924 1926 1928 1930 1932 1934 1936 1938 1940 1942 1944 1946 1946 1948 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 1966 1968 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024 2026 2028 2030 2032 2034

2001)

homicides per 100,000

white flight

BROWNSVILLE’S RANGE OF DIABETES RATES

2010 Census composite of factors not working x female household head no husband x 0.5 x less than highschool ed x 0.5x income x 0.5x poverty x

Brownsville Upper East Side

topographic gradient: more central- .

more marginal-

Upper East Side West Village Williamsburg

Lower East Side

Bedford Stuyvesant Bronx

Brownsville

2. Proposal: Neighborhood Doctor Medical professionals are interested in our illness - our diabetes, our heart disease, our asthma, our wounds. By contrast, we are interested in our health. What if healthcare could be about preventing illness? What if there was a kind of doctor that could address the urban and social flows to prevent homicide and adult onset diabetes? We might call this kind of doctor a neighborhood doctor. Such a doctor would have to know a great deal about the city, would have to be skilled at bringing people together, at resolving small conflicts and seeing daily prejudices before they become large conflicts and crippling problems. Such a doctor would see the matrix of urban life not as a form of oppressive drudgery and commodity value but rather as the infrastructure of human flows. Where the medical doctor collects data on diabetes, heart disease, and injuries, the neighborhood doctor collects data on safety, occupation, succession of plant species, and the presence and age of fresh produce. Working with residents, the neighborhood doctor constructs shifting maps based on perspective, maps that express topographies of fear, safety, and enjoyment. A single street corner might be a node of physical landscape change by day and a point of psychosocial avoidence by night. The neighorhood doctor operates on this great, changing, urban body holistically - at times advocating flexible social projects, at times implementing collaborative surgical design interventions. With this pointed stewardship, abandoned lots would bloom as gardens. Cold sidewalks would buzz with shop stalls. Empty parking lots would become places for old friends to share memories. The street would be a theater for all the diverse actors of the city to come together. The neighborhood doctor would set the stage, invite the actors to do what they already do best...

Medical Doctor

Success marked by number of treated sick patients Paid by health insurance Medicare, Medicaid

Neighborhood Doctor

Success marked by keeping patients healthy

Paid by health insurance Medicare, Medicaid as % of total neighborhood savings through prevention programs 1

University education Hospital or clinic practice

Street education Street practice

Operates on human bodies

Operates on landscapes (neighborhood bodies)

2. Proposal: Neighborhood Doctor The neighborhood doctor operates with multiple cycles of engagement in space and time. A cycle may happen at a low frequency, unfolding over the course of a year, or at a high frequency, happening in the span of a few days. The cycle itself has distinct stages of development. These stages are interconnected at different scales. For example, organizing a cookout with relatives might be concieved and carried out in a single weekend. However, this gathering might be part of a larger cycle in which relatives visit from distant places for an important holiday. On the opposite page is a model of a cycle of community transformation. This model has been broken up in six stages based on research on community cycles in different places. The stages are: outlooking - seeing old things in a new way. design - envisioning how things might look differently. planning - bringing ideas together with other individuals and with groups to identify a realistic plan of action. action - everyone has something to offer in a process of building something or doing something together. celebration - sharing the bounty of the work with all. resourcing - taking stock of everyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s thoughts and actions. What changed?

COLLECTIVE CELEBRATION sharing food, voice, diaogue, poetry active listening storytelling performance imrpovisation

RESOURCING data compilation data analysis thinking about future challenges assessing results

COLLECTIVE ACTION

OUTLOOKING

installation planting/ care building construction community garden food preparation performance improvisation farmerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s market walks

drawing photography collage creative writing interview safety mappings agency maps ecological studies

TRANSFORMING THE NARRATIVE FROM WITHIN

PLANNING

STUDIO WORKSHOP

community organizing event planning stakeholder discussion specific feasible timelines achievable projects

design of collective project modelling critique

3. Place: Brownsville, Brooklyn Those of us at the highest risk for disease and violence are the elders and the youth, particularly those who live in low income neighborhoods like Brownsville, Brooklyn. â&#x20AC;&#x153;According to the Office of Vital Statistics in NYC in 2011 and 2012, Brownsville as compared to the rest of NYC had the highest death rates from all causes, the highest cancer rates, the highest rates of heart disease and the highest rates of pre-pregnancy obesity from 2007-2009.â&#x20AC;? -Dr. Maybank 2014 Brooklyn Reader1

65 60

Highest risk groups for chronic disease and violence are disconnected youth and elders. ~1.0% mortality rate/year

2013

Homicide 73rd precinct per 100,000: 27

~0.5% mortality rate/year

2012

Homicide NYC per 100,000: 4

~0.5% mortality rate/year 2002-2003

Diabetes death rate UHF#203: 41- 58

2002-2003

Diabetes death rate NYC: 24

~0.2% mortality rate/year

ACS 2012

Less than High School CB 16: 44%

Less than High School NYC: 20%

ACS 2012

Childhood Poverty CB 16: 47%

ACS 2012

Childhood Poverty NYC: 28%

Median Income CB 16: $16,000

ACS 2012

Median Income NYC 2008: $54,000

ACS 2012

These groups must become core leaders of the cycles of action imagined by the neighborhood doctor.

15 10 5

5% of population ages 15-24 Brownsville disconnected

Disconnected 2% of population ages 15-24 NYC disconnected

44 10% of population ages 65+ Brownsville

24 12% of population ages 65+ NYC

44% 11% of population ages 15-24 Brownsville connected

20% 12% of population ages 15-24 NYC connected

44% 18% of population ages 1-14 Brownsville

20% 26% of population ages 1-14 NYC

$16,000 48% of population ages 25-64 Brownsville

ACS 2012

56% of population ages 25-64 NYC

$54,000

Socioeconomic topography in Brooklyn lifted focus area is the Brownsville area. Brownsville Bedford Stuyvesant

Williamsburg Soho Lower East Side

socioeconomic socioeconomic

lack of change 1940 - 2010

less change-

more change-

2010 contours of socio-economic topography

1940 - 2010 less socioeconomic change between 194050, 50-60, 60-70, 70-80, 80-90, 90-00, 00-10 6,7 censusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; combined

more marginalized-

more central2010 not working x female household head x 0.5x less than highschool ed 0.5x income x 0.5x poverty x 6,7 reticence gradient

3. Place: Brownsville, Brooklyn Brownsville, cut out at right, lies at a pit in the socioeconomic topography of New York. The densest clusters of New York’s public housing are here, providing an income cap. They make up many of the orange multifamily blocks in the small map on the top of the facing page. Below are the 2010 indicators of socioeconomic struggle in composite: % residents not working, % of female household heads with no husband, % residents who have not graduated highschool, and income. For the Brownsville area, this is shown on the facing page, bottom. These socioeconomic factors, compounded with socioeconomic resistance to change in the last 70 years, forms the socioeconomic topography depicted as a dark cloud floating above the city on this page. Unlike nearby Bed-Stuy, which has fluctuated broadly over the decades, Brownsville is one of Brooklyn’s most unchanging neighborhoods. Four sites have been chosen that ring the epicenter of Brownsville’s socioeconomic character. They become four chapters: one alternative history and three alternative futures for the city.

6,7

2012 Land Use

-one and two family buildings -multifamily buildings -commercial/ office buildings -industrial/ manufacturing -public facilities and institutions -vacant land -transportation related infrastructure -rail infrastructure

The sites are positioned at socioeconomic edge conditions, pressure points between large, more homogenous social patches. Because of the presence of so many public housing projects, Brownsville is almost a kind of socioeconomic preservation area. Deploying concepts of landscape ecology, sites have been selected to maximize effect of long term social mix between housing projects and surrounding areas. Chapter 4: Alternative Past: Lot Occupation - Riverdale and Rockaway Positioned in a high density corridor along Rockaway, socioeconomic the space has long been empty but is now quickly being capitalized into low income housing. This space is between the more “suburban” single family areas of West and South Brownsville, including the Marcus Garvey Houses, and the high density public housing blocks of the Tilden, Van Dyke, and Brownsville Houses. This spot is one fo the most flexible and changing of any in Brownsville today. Chapter 5.:Alternative Future: Pitkin Avenue Revitalization - Pitkin and Watkins Along Brownsville’s famous shopping street, Pitkin Avenue, this lot marks the end of most pedestrian use and commercial activity as Pitkin Avenue here becomes flanked by large blocks with the Howard Houses and the Seth Low Houses. Ch.apter 6: Alternative Future: Transgenerational Elder Space - Pitkin and Christopher In the Seth Low Housing parking lot also along Pitkin, this space is even more devoid of commercial and pedestrian use. Scale has changed drastically. Rather than the small shops and lots that characterize Pitkin, here there are large empty parking lots and long fences. The Seth Low Houses are 17 stories high and the industrial district of Brownsville is only a half a block away. Chapter 7: Alternative Future: Youth Industry - Sutter and Snediker On the border of East New York, this site lies in a transitional, mixed industrial and residential zone beside the railroad corridor.

lack of change 1940 - 2010

1940 - 2010 lack of socioeconomic changeso-

-less change between 1940-50, 50-60, 60-70, 70-80, 80-90, 90-00, 00-10 census’ combined

-more change

2010 socio-economic indicators not working x female household head x 0.5x less than highschool ed 0.5x income x 0.5x poverty x

socioeconomic

lack of change 1940 - 2010

gradient of combined socioeconomic factors -more marginalized

-more central

3. Place: Brownsville, Brooklyn Brownsville has a population of about 85,000; New York City has 8.5 million. Since its establishment in the 1880s Brownsville has been solidly at the bottom of the socioeconomic topography of the city. As in any topography, things flow downhill. Images flood into Brownsville from the surrounding socioeconomic heights of wealth. These images carry with them the weight and respect of authority. They characterize Brownsville as dangerous, cheap, dirty - a tainted place that haunts its residents until they manage, with difficulty, to escape its dark depths. News is the latest shooting, novels describe murder and prostitution, and philanthropies and ministries readily reiterate the need to help, to teach, to raise up. 8,9,10,11 What is needed is a new way of seeing. A series of perspectives that privilege, as experts, the locals who live and love in Brownsville.

The process of change in each site works synergistically with the next to create a network of dynamic nodes. In each, the neighborhood doctor is working with various groups to choreograph agencies of change. Perspective visualizations, 21st century landscape paintings, act to motivate change by visualizing groups working together. No single activist and no single project can change the socioeconomic and psychosocial topography of the city. However, working with large and small cycles of change synergistically in many places over a broad time frame may begin to shift the overall urban ecology of power and knowledge from the inside. Synergistic urbanism 2010

Synergistic urbanism early 2015

Synergistic urbanism early 2014

Synergistic urbanism late 2015

Synergistic urbanism late 2014

Synergistic urbanism 2016

When the Neighborhood Doctor makes a perspective drawing he or she is creating an alternative past or an alternative future. It is up to the whole group of collaborators, the neighborhood in Brownsville, collectively, to make these things a reality. What follows is a series of imagined transformations in the four sites that represent four community processes. Chapter 4: Alternative Past: Lot Occupation - occupation and strength Chapter 5.:Alternative Future: Pitkin Avenue Revitalization - business and wile Ch.apter 6: Alternative Future: Transgenerational Elder Space - family and weakness Chapter 7: Alternative Future: Youth Industry - industry and imagination

Guide to Chapters 4-7: Perspective Visualizations Perspective visualizations in each chapter:

TITLE

Each scene has a stage in the center of the page.

SCORE

Actors are identified on the stage with their affiliations and goals described.

ROLES

A score, in upper right hand corner of the page shows how programs are unfolding over a long term timescale.

ACTORS

Recording is shown by the red dots and in the red box in the lower right hand corner.

PLAN

2011

2012

2013

2014

Chapter 4 Lot Occupation alternative

1 day cycle

2016

2017

PROCESS

2018

Chapter 5 Main Street Pitkin Avenue alternative future Chapter 6 Transgenerational Elder Space alternative Chapter 7 Youth Industry alternative future violence

3 day cycle

DATA RECORDING

2015

protest

business meetings with other businesses

youth gang occupation

violence gang issue

site investigation table activity summer festival winter festivaltent constructed

negotiation

winter festival

violence

site investigation

breach conflict

NEIGHBORHOOD DOCTOR ROLE

STAGE

URBANISM

The cycle diagram on the lower right shows the progress of change within the programâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s process.

2010

ROLES

winter festival special program

protest

table businesses and gang operations

protest

summer festival summer arts festival

summer arts festival

fall harvest festival

tree planting plaza construction

1 week cycle

conflict resolution

building sculptures

buildng construction try out table business

table businesses new product building sculptures school collaboration

gardening

temporary shop construction

building sculptures

gardening

building sculptures

gardening

table business product x buildng construction parking permits necessary

sharing the street treatment use cycles and programs for tent space

1 month cycle 1 quarter cycle

urban ecology program

work shop and plaza maintenance sharing the street treatment

use cycles and programs for tent space

occupation of site, long term permission for experimentation

university collaboration, office space, and health data, garden safety space festivals organized and carried out on a quarterly basis running complaints no elder space

begon partnership with school for garden use and collaborative programs

1 semester cycle

building construction

garden treatment

paying operators of shops and offices

Made in Brownsville and Brownsville Community Justice Center Youth Design Programs

churches and community groups partner

partner with housing project

9 month cycle 1 year cycle

2013

ongoing neighborhood yearly traditions

2010 2010

2011 2011

2012 2012

ongoing neighborhood yearly traditions

2013 2013

2014 2014

2015 2015

2016 2016

2017 2017

2018 2018

Chapter 1: Alternative History Lot Occupation 2010-2014

Spring 2010: Encounter

Neighborhood doctor analyzes long term socioeconomic data trends to select sites for intervention.

Equal Housing Opportunity Department of Sanitation New York City of New York Individual: Volunteer Species

breach

1 day cycle

conflict

3 day cycle

winter festival

protest

youth gang occupation

1 week cycle

conflict resolution sharing the street treatment

buildng construction

occupation of site urban ecology program

1 month cycle 1 quarter cycle

garden treatment

1 semester cycle

Made in Brownsville and Brownsville Community Justice Center Youth Design Programs churches and community groups partner

9 month cycle ongoing neighborhood yearly traditions

1 year cycle

Marcus Garvey Village Housing

2010

Individual: Randolph Grant building owner Homes & Community Renewal New York

Data acquisition: Census socio-economic data landsat and aerial photography, google maps

2011

2012

2013

Dona Rosita II Comunilife Permanent Congregate Housing HIV AIDS Treatment Individual: Hyun Sup Kim building owner

2014

The neighborhood doctors identify key actors in the existing network of the site.

Verizon New York building owner

Data Deposited: Designerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s personal database and selected community depository such as Made in Brownsville

Summer 2010: Breach

After school groups intrigued by urban ecology jump the fence and enter the site, studying the vegetation that has grown there. This begins a series of vegetational index studies which continue for the next four years.

Individual: Volunteer Species Made in Brownsville youth design nonprofit

breach

1 day cycle

conflict

3 day cycle

winter festival

protest

youth gang occupation

1 week cycle

conflict resolution sharing the street treatment

buildng construction

occupation of site

1 month cycle 1 quarter cycle

urban ecology program

garden treatment

1 semester cycle

Made in Brownsville and Brownsville Community Justice Center Youth Design Programs churches and community groups partner

9 month cycle ongoing neighborhood yearly traditions

1 year cycle

2010

2011

2012

Individual: Volunteer species assessed, measured and read for age, growth history, and presence of toxins.

Data acquisition: High school organizations and knowledge of school groups informal agencies and groups

2014

The neighborhood doctors act with individuals in the community to make a strategic breach: permeating established barriers and etiquettes.

Individual: With knowledge of site, including flows of time, and surveillance. Long time local resident

Data acquisition: Ecological data from plant types prevalence and location of plants such as Ailanthus altissima or Fallopia Japonica

2013

Individual: Potentially affiliated with nonprofit groups and with youth

Data acquisition: Census socio-economic data landsat and aerial photography, google maps

Data Deposited: Designerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s personal database and selected community depository such as Made in Brownsville

Outlooking Focus: Urban Ecology

Urban ecology traces the relationships between organisms (animals and plants) and their physical environment (built, and unbuilt, water, soil, air). Changing indices, such as plants, birds, and soil quality can be carefully read as indicators of how conscious and unconscious human decisions are effecting the neighborhood.

Individual: Volunteer Species Made in Brownsville youth design nonprofit

6,7

23 3

Fall 2010: Site Occupation

The site is occupied without the consent of the landowner. A contentious relationship is started with intermittent use of the site for gatherings. A garden is planted by youth as an act of resistance. After a tense week with on and off police surveillance, the fences are stormed. Individual: Volunteer species provides shade Homes & Community Renewal New York fence is not an impenetrable barrier to community building Individual: passersby on the street share in the presence and safety of lot use.

24 22

breach

1 day cycle

conflict

3 day cycle

winter festival

protest

youth gang occupation

1 week cycle

conflict resolution sharing the street treatment

buildng construction

occupation of site

1 month cycle 1 quarter cycle

urban ecology program

garden treatment

1 semester cycle

Made in Brownsville and Brownsville Community Justice Center Youth Design Programs churches and community groups partner

9 month cycle ongoing neighborhood yearly traditions

1 year cycle

2010

2011

Individual: Takes leadership role in construction and management of garden Group From Marcus Garvey Housing shares in garden building Group From orgs like the Little Rock Baptist Church and Christ Fellowship Worship Center join in building and maintaining garden.

2012

2013

2014

Dona Rosita II Comunilife Permanent Congregate Housing HIV AIDS Treatment Collaboration with org like Groundswell Community arts organization

The neighborhood doctors work together with individuals and groups to establish maintenance and joy in the garden.

Individual: Takes leadership role in construction of the casita

Data acquisition: Presence of individuals and neighborhood groups recorded with times and affiliations

Data acquisition: Garden establishment correlated with neighborhood organizations presence or absence

Data acquisition: Census socio-economic data land sat and aerial photography, google maps

Data Deposited: Designerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s personal database and selected community depository such as Made in Brownsville

Spring 2011: Partnership

Knowing that it is only a matter of time until building development, the landowner agrees to allow use of the site by legitimate neighborhood groups including church groups and youth organizations. They think this is a better alternative to the seemingly disorganized use of youth groups.

Individual: Volunteer species provides shade Homes & Community Renewal New York fence is removed as clear and legitimate use is established Individual: passersby on the street enter the garden which now becomes public space Housing groups on nearby lots see the increased value of being by frequented space.

breach

1 day cycle

conflict

3 day cycle

winter festival

protest

youth gang occupation

1 week cycle

conflict resolution sharing the street treatment

buildng construction

occupation of site

1 month cycle 1 quarter cycle

urban ecology program

garden treatment

1 semester cycle

Made in Brownsville and Brownsville Community Justice Center Youth Design Programs churches and community groups partner

9 month cycle ongoing neighborhood yearly traditions

1 year cycle

2010

2011

Group: Families enjoy the garden adding their presence as impetus to both construction and maintenance. Group People from Marcus Garvey Housing enter the garden to relax. Group From orgs like the Little Rock Baptist Church and Christ Fellowship Worship Center take ownership of garden processes.

2012

2013

2014

Dona Rosita II Comunilife Permanent Congregate Housing HIV AIDS Treatment Collaboration with org like Groundswell Community arts organization

The neighborhood doctors use drawing and speaking to visualize unlikely partnerships. Through engaging events, people are brought to this shared field.

Individual: Crosses through gardens space on their way to work

Data acquisition: Presence and frequency of individuals and neighborhood groups recorded with times and affiliations. General time zoning established showing relationships between blocks, use, and hours of the day and night.

Data acquisition: Garden maintenance correlated with neighborhood organizations presence or absence

Data acquisition: Census socio-economic data land sat and aerial photography, google maps

Data Deposited: Designerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s personal database and selected community depository such as Made in Brownsville

Summer 2011: Conflict

With increased use of the public space, youth groups congregate at night in the area at night and homeless gather during the day. Both draw police presence. Gatherings mirror the Occupy Wallstreet movement in Manhattan across

the East River. However, in Brownsville unemployed youth ever, in Brownsville, unfortunately, youth are not identified by the police as representing a new broad based frustration, but frequently disregarded..

Individual: Volunteer species provides shade assessed in terms of relationship to use by different individuals and groups Homes & Community Renewal New York fence is removed as clear and legitimate use is established New York Police Dep. becomes a significant influence and indicator of site character

breach

1 day cycle

conflict

3 day cycle

winter festival

protest

youth gang occupation

1 week cycle

conflict resolution sharing the street treatment

buildng construction

occupation of site

1 month cycle 1 quarter cycle

urban ecology program

garden treatment

1 semester cycle

Made in Brownsville and Brownsville Community Justice Center Youth Design Programs churches and community groups partner

9 month cycle ongoing neighborhood yearly traditions

1 year cycle

2010

2011

Individual: Various individuals find their way to the site because of its enjoyable atmosphere and presence of other people, some bring substance abuse problems.

2012

2013

Dona Rosita II Comunilife Permanent Congregate Housing HIV AIDS Treatment

Group Church groups come to the space to offer aid and ministries to high risk populations.

2014

The neighborhood doctors identify key actors in the existing network of the site. 9

Families associated with high risk populations gravitate to the space but mingle with substance abusers. Group: Family presence or absence tells when the most vulnerable populations feel most threatened

Data acquisition: Presence of individuals, groups considered and measured in terms of indices including clothing, frequency of plant volunteer species, and resource consumption on site.

Data acquisition: Police and authority visits measured in correlation with presence of groups and individuals Time zoning .considered in terms of influence of various organizations. When do women and children feel most safe?

Data acquisition: Census socio-economic data land sat and aerial photography, google maps

Data Deposited: Designerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s personal database and selected community depository such as Made in Brownsville

Design Focus: Iterative Resolution

The design process becomes a way to visualize the existing garden site and its network of actors over time. When the neighborhood doctors settle on a plan, they have many critics to help them work out the details.

Individual: Entrepreneurs open informal businesses in a formal business space. New York City takes on partial management of plantings, offering legitimacy, but displacing some community process.

Winter 2012: Resolution

In partnerships developed through the production and maintenance of the garden, leaders come together to make the design solution into a reality. A spatial and temporal plan for building and maintaining the adjusted park is established, maximizing inclusiveness and safety.

Individual: Entrepreneurs open informal businesses in a formal business space. New York City takes on partial management of plantings, offering legitimacy, but displacing some community process.

32 28

breach

1 day cycle

conflict

3 day cycle

winter festival

protest

youth gang occupation

1 week cycle

conflict resolution sharing the street treatment

buildng construction

occupation of site

1 month cycle 1 quarter cycle

urban ecology program

garden treatment

1 semester cycle

Made in Brownsville and Brownsville Community Justice Center Youth Design Programs churches and community groups partner

9 month cycle ongoing neighborhood yearly traditions

1 year cycle

2010

2011

Individual: Plantings are planted by individuals in the community garden space, and by the city or community organizations in the streetside areas.

2012

2013

2014

Homeless group mainly finds space at the fringe of the park

Group and individuals take management of the community garden space including locking the space. Families frequent the space largely in open areas and in peak times. New York City utilities builds and maintains lighting in the park space. Timing is adjusted according to time zoned safety needs.

The neighborhood doctors understand the various constituencies that use the space their conflict. They redesign and divide the space according to safety and time.

Individual and groups: Build fences, sharing time and experience.

Data acquisition: Presence of individuals and neighborhood groups recorded times and affiliations, especially in terms of newly divided and time zoned spaces. Care for plantings becomes an indicator of social value.

Data acquisition: Informal businesses established on the scene measure their sales in terms of time, safety, and presence of various indicators such as weather, weekends, and presence of groups

Data acquisition: Census socio-economic data land sat and aerial photography google maps

Data Deposited: Designerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s personal database and selected community depository such as Made in Brownsville

Spring 2012: Celebration

The new arrangement is successful and the many different kinds of people use the park with little conflict. However, the groups actively make a point to achieve greater understanding through celebration together.

Individuals at the fringe exhibit various behaviors that reflect the gradient of social and physical spaces created by the event and the park. Individual: Entrepreneurs open informal businesses in a formal business space. They have a an interest in the success of events.

30 34

breach

1 day cycle

conflict

3 day cycle

winter festival

protest

youth gang occupation

1 week cycle

conflict resolution sharing the street treatment

buildng construction

occupation of site

1 month cycle 1 quarter cycle

urban ecology program

garden treatment

1 semester cycle

Made in Brownsville and Brownsville Community Justice Center Youth Design Programs churches and community groups partner

9 month cycle ongoing neighborhood yearly traditions

1 year cycle

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

Groups Such as families from the neighborhood enjoy the event. Presence of all ages makes for a transgenerational festival atmosphere. Party-goers attend the space and enjoy the entertainment. Individual Musical artists perform for the crowd. Famous artists sponsor the event which becomes a location for artists new to the scene to demonstrate skill.

The neighborhood doctors organize the event by inviting artists, securing sponsorship, and curate the mood with guests, food, and lighting.

New York Police have been brought into the process of the event and they aim to help it be a success. Individual plants show evidence of human presence and patterns of use.

Data acquisition: Presence of individuals and neighborhood groups recorded times and affiliations

Data acquisition: Movement of people over the course of the event tracked according to physical armature of plantings, spaces, fences, and businesses. Sales for nearby businesses tracked with influence of events over time.

Data acquisition: Census socio-economic data land sat and aerial photography google maps

Data Deposited: Designerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s personal database and selected community depository such as Made in Brownsville

Summer 2012: Sharing The Street

Following the success of the design solution and the publicized voices expressed in the celebration, various community groups come together to plan a street treatment. Bricks are laid blending the pedestrian sidewalk into the street. 14

Individuals who use the surrounding blocks can easily cross the street because of slowed traffict caused by street treatment. Individual such as entrepreneurs with food trucks are attracted to the space for customers at peak hours. Individuals working in nearby businesses use the space at lunch.

36 32

breach

1 day cycle

conflict

3 day cycle

winter festival

protest

youth gang occupation

1 week cycle

conflict resolution sharing the street treatment

buildng construction

occupation of sit

1 month cycle 1 quarter cycle

urban ecology program

garden treatment

1 semester cycle

Made in Brownsville and Brownsville Community Justice Center Youth Design Programs churches and community groups partner

9 month cycle ongoing neighborhood yearly traditions

1 year cycle

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

Individuals who are homeless and unemployed occupy the fringes of the public space. The community garden continues to be maintained by families and individuals. Individuals including neighbors as well as the unemployed, underemployed, and the aged meet in the park and use seating provided.

The neighborhood doctors design street treatment changes as well as program formal and informal business presence.

Individuals use the friendly but relaxed space to meet others in an informal setting.

Data acquisition: Presence of individuals and neighborhood groups recorded times and affiliations. Continued care or lack of care of street as well as vegetation becomes an indicator of use and care.

Data acquisition: Street treatment, including spatial and formal elements are correlated with presence of individuals and groups over time. Presence of businesses, including food trucks becomes an indicator or use.

Data acquisition: Census socio-economic data land sat and aerial photography, google maps

Data Deposited: Designerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s personal database and selected community depository such as Made in Brownsville

Winter 2013: Building

The developer decides to end the participatory process and build low income housing for subsidies. Meetings follow among the board and construction begins. However, the building includes community spaces inside. Importantly,

the institutional network created by the process remains intact and, although displaced, continues to flourish.

Individuals increase use of the space if their needs are accomodated by the building construction. Individual such as entrepreneurs continue to be attracted to the street at peak hours. Individuals who use the surrounding blocks continue to frequent the space.

breach

1 day cycle

conflict

3 day cycle

winter festival

protest

youth gang occupation

1 week cycle

conflict resolution sharing the street treatment

buildng construction

occupation of site

1 month cycle 1 quarter cycle

urban ecology program

garden treatment

1 semester cycle

Made in Brownsville and Brownsville Community Justice Center Youth Design Programs churches and community groups partner

9 month cycle ongoing neighborhood yearly traditions

1 year cycle

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

The building constructed is mainly for individual elders or elders with dependents.

Equal Housing Opportunity provides incentives for construction Homes & Community Renewal New York becomes one of several groups that benefits from the construction. A “community space” is included in the building for public and semi-public meetings. Individuals continue to use benches and meet on the street space.

The neighborhood doctors advocate for community spaces and continued community presence, despite the developer’s unilateral decision to build.

Individuals are employed in maintaining the building in the service industry.

Data acquisition: Frequency of presence of individuals and groups recorded. Business sales recorded along with what is sold. This data is compared to earlier data before construction.

Data acquisition: Building form, size, and program is considered in terms of the change or lack of change of neighborhood activity. Total financial pay-off for building construction and evaluated in terms of which neighborhood groups have gained.

Data acquisition: Census socio-economic data land sat and aerial photography, google maps.

Data Deposited: Designer’s personal database and selected community depository such as Made in Brownsville

Winter 2013: Development

Chapter 2: Alternative Future Pitkin Avenue Revitalization 2014 - 2015

Spring 2014: Negotiation

The parking lot beside the firestation, the public housing project, and close to the elementary school sharing the same block makes an ideal space on Pitkin avenue for community led participatory development.

Group and individuals own and maintain the Church of God in Christ Jesus which is located here. Brooklyn Public Library building New York City Housing Authority Howard Houses and Howard Houses Community Center Individual: Building owners such as Gin Hwa Yang own shops here Howard Playground is at the end of Watkins Street. Department of Sanitation New York New York City manages streets

1 day cycle 3 day cycle 1 week cycle

1 month cycle 1 quarter cycle

violence winter festival winter festival violence protest summer festival summer festival table businesses business gang op meetings with other protest businesses table businesses new product temporary shop construction try out table table business product x business buildng construction university collaboration, office space, sharing the street treatment parking permits necessary and health data, garden safety space occupation of site, long term permission for experimentation negotiation

begon partnership with school

1 semester cycle

festivals organized and carried out on a quarterly basis paying operators of shops and offices

Made in Brownsville and Brownsville Community Justice Center Youth Design Programs churches and community groups partner

9 month cycle ongoing neighborhood yearly traditions

1 year cycle

2013

2014

New York City Housing Authority maintians public housing here, as well as the parking lot space and a Community Center here.

2015

2016

2018

Realty groups such as Tejdev Realty and and private companies such as 1776 Pitkin LLC own these underused buildings on Pitkin Avenue

Fire Department New York station is located here, and plays a constant role in monitoring and maintianing the lot.

Individuals including the homeless, underemployed, aged, and unemployed spend time on the street

Public School 298 Brownsville Collaborative Middle School Families frequent the playground by the middle school.

The neighborhood doctors identify key actors in the existing network of the site and negotiate for further use of the space.

Individuals isuch as Dorah Ehrhunmwunsee live here and run small businesses

Individual volunteer species are indicative of years of use or neglect on the lot.

Data acquisition: Census socio-economic data landsat and aerial photography, google maps for businesses and participatory contact.

2017

Data Deposited: Designerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s personal database and selected community depository such as Made in Brownsville

Summer 2014: Occupation

Building on Pitkin Avenueâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s strong tradition of entrepreneurialism, push cart businesses are lured to the site. Healthy competition with neighborhoring businesses is encouraged to bring more customers from across Brownsville to this particular corner. With business partners, a plan is identified and followed with incentives. Group and individuals such as those of the Church of God are recruited to help set up informal businesses on the street. Fire Department New York agrees to let community groups use the space. They even volunteer to help. Individuals such Gin Hwa Yang are encouraged to participte in the business occupation of the street. Individuals such as residents of public housing frequent the street.

40 44

1 day cycle 3 day cycle 1 week cycle

1 month cycle 1 quarter cycle

begon partnership with school

1 semester cycle

festivals organized and carried out on a quarterly basis paying operators of shops and offices

Made in Brownsville and Brownsville Community Justice Center Youth Design Programs churches and community groups partner

9 month cycle ongoing neighborhood yearly traditions

1 year cycle

2013

2014

2015

2016

New York City Housing Authority and Community Center agrees to bring down barbed wire fencing to allow permeability through the garden and school.

2017

2018

Individualâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cars frequent the space, often parked or moving through. Individuals isuch as Dorah Ehrhunmwunsee with her African food store take some sales and vending to the street.

Individuals linger longer, looking at push cart vendors as they pass through

Some individuals dont have permits to sell in the street space. Change means that there is a fluid network of opportunity and social entrepreneurship.

Families frequent the playground by the middle school. New vendors are encouraged to come to the location

The neighborhood doctors encourage local businesses and entrepreneurs to use the space while building support among housing groups.

Individual trees become shade opportunities

Data acquisition: Plant type prevalence and location such as Ailanthus altissima or Fallopia Japonica tell the history of the site. Presence of pedestrians throughout the day tell about cycles of safety and enjoyment.

Data acquisition: Participant observation by nonprofit groups and the designers tells about the role of the school and the use of school playgrounds. Informal businesses and products are noted with times and locations.

Data acquisition: Census socio-economic data landsat and aerial photography

Data Deposited: Designerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s personal database and selected community depository such as Made in Brownsville

Fall 2014: Activation

With the support of the elementary school, the fire station, and local businesses, gardens are built in the lot, bringing young children into the zone of Pitkin Avenue. The brick wall still separates the garden space from the shopping space on the street.

Group and individuals such as those of the Church of God participate in the creation and maintenance of the garden. Fire Department New York collaborates on the creation and maintenance of the garden space and hosts breakfasts in the garden. Individuals operate informal businesses and pushcarts

46 42

1 day cycle 3 day cycle 1 week cycle

1 month cycle 1 quarter cycle

begon partnership with school

1 semester cycle

festivals organized and carried out on a quarterly basis paying operators of shops and offices

Made in Brownsville and Brownsville Community Justice Center Youth Design Programs churches and community groups partner

9 month cycle ongoing neighborhood yearly traditions

1 year cycle

2013

2014

2015

2016

New York City Housing Authority and Community Center participates in Garden construction.

2017

2018

Local busineses and real estate agencies begin to see values improve. Individuals isuch as Dorah Ehrhunmwunsee lead business gatherings in the street.

Individuals spend time in the garden space as well as by the new vendors. Public School 298 works to make a school garden program part of the curriculum Families frequent the playground and garden between the middle school and Pitkin Avenue.

The neighborhood doctors bring more stakeholders on board while assessing correlation between urban phenomena and health data for the local neighborhood.

Individual trees become shade opportunities

Data acquisition: Collaboration with clinic group Brownsville Multi-Family Services begins allowing for week by week correlation between health data such as visits, blood pressure, blood sugar, and various spatial phenomenon.

Data acquisition: Garden establishment correlated with neighborhood organization and their role in the creation and maintenance of the public space. Presences recorded begins to form a time zoning map of safety and business on Pitkin Avenue.

Data acquisition: Census socio-economic data landsat and aerial photography google maps, facebook, and instagram.

Data Deposited: Introduction of health data means that selected community data depository becomes protected by HIPAA.

Spring 2015: Street Treatment

With the Brownsville Chamber of Commerce and the City of New York, a street treatment is planned through a series of neighborhood charrettes held close to the site. The pedestrian space of the sidewalk is widened and the aesthetic of pedestrian use is improved by a articulated stone sidewalk.

Group and individuals such as those of the Church of God enjoy the new street space. Fire Department New York collaborates on the creation and maintenance new wider pedestrian space. Individuals working in the area pass through the plaza

1 day cycle 3 day cycle 1 week cycle

1 month cycle 1 quarter cycle

begon partnership with school

1 semester cycle

festivals organized and carried out on a quarterly basis paying operators of shops and offices

Made in Brownsville and Brownsville Community Justice Center Youth Design Programs churches and community groups partner

9 month cycle ongoing neighborhood yearly traditions

1 year cycle

2013

2014

2015

2016

Individuals spend time in the garden space as well as by the new vendors.

2017

2018

Individual entrepreneurs expand their business Eastward toward the more empty section of Pitkin Avenue.

Public School 298 emphasizes the garden but also participates in design and build of the street treatment.

The neighborhood doctors design, plan, and help construct the street treatment, involving as many diverse neighborhood groups as possible in the process.

Families enjoy how the garden is embraced by the wider sidewalk space, while still having its own space. Individual Entrepreneurs open up formal and informal shops in the back part of the plaza. New York City Housing Authority and Community Center agrees to allow entrepreneurial activities and construction in the space.

Data acquisition: Collaboration with clinic group Brownsville Multi-Family Services allows for week by week correlation of health data such as visits, blood pressure, blood sugar, and various spatial and social phenomenon.

Data acquisition: Street activities of individuals and groups measured. Sales and products of various vendors assessed.

Data acquisition: Census socio-economic data landsat and aerial photography google maps, facebook, and instagram.

Data Deposited: HIPAA protected space either in community nonprofit building or in a hospital space.

Summer 2015: Development

Brownsville design and construction teams come together to design and build shop buildings and a courtyard garden connecting the housing building and the school playground nearby.

Local business entrepreneurs who have been using the space come together to decide that a shared built space could accomodate their needs. Groups and individuals such as church groups help to plant street trees. Local landscaping and nursery companies donate trees in collaboration with the city of New York and the New York Horticultural Society.

50 46

1 day cycle 3 day cycle 1 week cycle

1 month cycle 1 quarter cycle

begon partnership with school

1 semester cycle

festivals organized and carried out on a quarterly basis paying operators of shops and offices

Made in Brownsville and Brownsville Community Justice Center Youth Design Programs churches and community groups partner

9 month cycle ongoing neighborhood yearly traditions

1 year cycle

2013

2014

2015

2016

Families and teachers involved in the school build the courtyard garden and transplant trees started in the raised beds. Individual from the housing project take on the leadership role of building the fountain. Individuals whose children are attending the school share skills in plumbing, metal working, and construction to build the fountain.

2017

2018

Individual entrepreneurs continue to operate their business, which has now improved in sales because of the construction of the shopping and community spaces and the enclosed garden The neighborhood courtyard. doctors find funding and labor to construct the new courtyard garden and community and market buildings.

New York Department of Sanitation donates expertise to make sure the fountain is safe for use. New York City Housing Authority and Community Center allows the construction of community buildings Families come together to show the need for shared daycare spaces and expansion of the Housing community center.

Data acquisition: The new building is constructed according to various volunteer times and paid times that resonate with increasd sales from infromal vendors.

Data acquisition: Census socio-economic data landsat and aerial photography, facebook, twitter, and instagram, google maps

Data Deposited: Designerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s personal database and selected community depository such as Made in Brownsville

Fall 2015: Celebration

A festival all along Pitkin Avenue celebrates the new space produced through collaborative planning, design, and construction. The courtyard is a moment of cool and peace on a warm and vibrant fall afternoon.

Individual entrepreneurs who operate in the building space spill their shop onto the street. Fire Department New York creates a stand at the festival, improving their image in the community. They also help to fund childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s programs at the festival. Individuals of all ages attend the festival market. Individuals selling things such as these balloons can themselves become a kind of temporary installation.

48 52

1 day cycle 3 day cycle 1 week cycle

1 month cycle 1 quarter cycle

begon partnership with school

1 semester cycle

festivals organized and carried out on a quarterly basis paying operators of shops and offices

Made in Brownsville and Brownsville Community Justice Center Youth Design Programs churches and community groups partner

9 month cycle ongoing neighborhood yearly traditions

1 year cycle

2013

2014

2015

2016

Data acquisition: Informal businesses established on the scene measure their sales in terms of time, safety, and presence of various indicators such as weather, weekends, and presence of groups

2018

Individuals street artists enjoy the high flow of people on the street.

Families enjoy how the quiet and sense of safety offered by the garden space during the busy and loud festival. Even on ordinary days, the hubub of Piktin Avenue makes the garden space a welcome retreat

Individuals operating business during the festival take over the street.

Families enjoy the broad sidewalk, especially when it becomes an informal cafe.

2017

Public School 298 has an open house during the festival, sharing childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s projects in their playground yard.

Data acquisition: Census socio-economic data landsat and aerial photography, facebook, twitter, and instagram also document the event

The neighborhood doctors organize a series of meetings between artists, city workers, and businesses to set up a small Pitkin Av. street festival.

Data Deposited: Designerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s personal database and selected community depository such as Made in Brownsville

Action Focus: Courtyard Garden

Built through collective effort, the new courtyard garden is a safe, central space to celebrate the cycles of the seasons of Brownsville. The building around the courtyard becomes a favorite for neighborhood leaders and their programs.

ll 2015: bration

ng Pitkin Avenue new space proh collaborative n, and construcrtyard is a moand peace on a nt fall afternoon.

Chapter 3: Alternative Future Transgenerational Elder Space 2014 - 2015

Fall 2014: No Elder Space

Situated along a stretch of Pitkin Avenue with very little pedestrian use, the parking lot of the Seth Low Houses is vacant and dangerous. The high population of elders in the public housing projects makes a movement to celebrate vulnerability on

the street by extending a transgenerational space to the streetside.

Seth Low Houses parking lot is occasionally used for storage. Large shipping containers divide the viewshed. Seth Low Houses parking lot is infrequrntly used. Families especially those made up of elders and their dependents feel unsafe on the street and are bothered by the loud noises of house and street parties.

violence

1 day cycle 3 day cycle

try out table business

1 week cycle

table activity tent constructed table businesses

winter festival summer festival

gang op table businesses new product table business product x sharing the street treatment building construction parking permits necessary buildng construction

1 month cycle 1 quarter cycle 1 semester cycle

use cycles and programs for tent space running complaints no elder space begon partnership with school

occupation of site, long term permission for experimentation festivals organized and carried out on a quarterly basis paying operators of shops and offices

Made in Brownsville and Brownsville Community Justice Center Youth Design Programs partner with housing project

9 month cycle 1 year cycle

2013

ongoing neighborhood yearly traditions

2014

Individuals hang out on the street sometimes congregating in groups.

2015

2016

Pioneer Supermarkets back owned by Royal Stone Service Company. On this side the building is a blank facade.

2017

2018

The neighborhood doctors respond to complaints about people feeling unsafe on this section of Pitkin Avenue.

Individual plants managed by the housing authority reflect minimum time spent on maintenance. This is an “unseen” area. Kinpit Associates LP is the owner and manager of this under-utilitzed building across the street.

Data acquisition: Census socio-economic data landsat and aerial photography

Data Deposited: Designer’s personal database and selected community depository such as Made in Brownsville

Spring 2015: Envelope

A simple tent serves to demarcate the transgenerational space. The structure stands as a sign to gangs that they are in the presence of those who not only unwilling to fight, rather they are older and respected.

Seth Low Houses allows for the construction of a temporary tent for a series of community events. Seth Low Houses parking lot is infrequrntly used. Families especially those made up of elders and their dependents use the tent space to bring themselves to the street.

60 54

violence

1 day cycle 3 day cycle

try out table business

1 week cycle

table activity tent constructed table businesses

winter festival summer festival

gang op table businesses new product table business product x sharing the street treatment building construction parking permits necessary buildng construction

1 month cycle 1 quarter cycle 1 semester cycle

use cycles and programs for tent space running complaints no elder space begon partnership with school

occupation of site, long term permission for experimentation festivals organized and carried out on a quarterly basis paying operators of shops and offices

Made in Brownsville and Brownsville Community Justice Center Youth Design Programs partner with housing project

9 month cycle 1 year cycle

2013

ongoing neighborhood yearly traditions

2014

2015

2016

Families from the Centro Evangelistico Church and the First Pentecostal Church use the tent space for street side ministries and events.

2017

2018

The neighborhood doctors help to meet the needs of community groups looking for public space and program a constant series of events to keep the area animated.

Church and secular day cares are organized and use the new public space. Individuals who feel more comfortable in the tent space often mingle with friends and family on the street of various ages. Individuals still hang out on the street, but their time is spent with people of different ages as well as their own cohort.

Data acquisition: Collaborating church groups and community groups within the housing project collect data on attendence to the tent area.

Data acquisition: Census socio-economic data land sat and aerial photography along with facebook, twitter, and instagram feeds.

Data Deposited: HIPAA protected space either in community nonprofit building or in a hospital space.

Planning Focus: Elder Wisdom

Frequently ignored by the young, the powerful, and the wealthy, elders are the mind and heart of society. WIth available time and wisdom, they are often the ones to raise grandchildren. In physical weakness, they are a key point of gravity for the neighborhood. Seth Low Houses allows for the construction of a temporary tent for a series of community events. Seth Low Houses parking lot is infrequrntly used. Families especially those made up of elders and their dependents use the tent space to bring themselves to the street.

Summer 2015: Transgenerational Elder Focused Space

This outdoor transgenerational space becomes a favorite spot for group meals and cookouts, especially on days of other gatherings such as Sabbath. People come to the area after school and all ages com e and work or teach throughout the day. The plaza becoemes site for performance and imaginative practice. Seth Low Houses community group collaborate with the organizers of the tent space to run a few events.

64 56

violence

1 day cycle 3 day cycle

try out table business

1 week cycle

table activity tent constructed table businesses

winter festival summer festival

gang op table businesses new product table business product x sharing the street treatment building construction parking permits necessary buildng construction

1 month cycle 1 quarter cycle 1 semester cycle

use cycles and programs for tent space running complaints no elder space begon partnership with school

occupation of site, long term permission for experimentation festivals organized and carried out on a quarterly basis paying operators of shops and offices

Made in Brownsville and Brownsville Community Justice Center Youth Design Programs partner with housing project

9 month cycle 1 year cycle

2013

ongoing neighborhood yearly traditions

2014

2015

2016

Families from the Centro Evangelistico Church and the First Pentecostal Church use the tent space for street side ministries and events.

2017

2018

The neighborhood doctors use collected data about times when different contituencies use the space to oganize more successful and inclusive events.

The tent space becomes a gathering place for elder friends from different families. Entrepreneurs colonize the space, even spilling their process into the street. Individuals still hang out on the street, but their time is spent with people of different ages as well as their own cohort.

Data acquisition: Collaborating church groups and community groups within the housing project collect data on attendence to the tent area.

Data acquisition: Census socio-economic data land sat and aerial photography along with facebook, twitter, and instagram feeds.

Data Deposited: HIPAA protected space either in community nonprofit building or in a hospital space.

Fall 2016: Porch

With the success of the transgenerational space, community groups and developers come together to build a translucent indoor-outdoor building that allows elders and children to see outside and allows these populations to be seen in full light to those who are on the street. Elders and family groups can see what is happening in the street from insdie the building. Individuals who use the space behind the new community building can see people in the building and be seen. During the day, they can see right through th the thin building. Seth Low Houses community groups finds a new space in the new community building.

violence

1 day cycle 3 day cycle

try out table business

1 week cycle

table activity tent constructed table businesses

winter festival summer festival

gang op table businesses new product table business product x sharing the street treatment building construction parking permits necessary buildng construction

1 month cycle 1 quarter cycle 1 semester cycle

use cycles and programs for tent space running complaints no elder space begon partnership with school

occupation of site, long term permission for experimentation festivals organized and carried out on a quarterly basis paying operators of shops and offices

Made in Brownsville and Brownsville Community Justice Center Youth Design Programs partner with housing project

9 month cycle 1 year cycle

2013

BMS

ongoing neighborhood yearly traditions

2014

Brownsville Multi-Service Family .Health Center in collaboration with New York City and Clinical studies groups such as NYU Langone pay to construct the holistic health oriented community center.

2015

2016

2017

2018

Individuals who were using the space before to meet friends continue to use the space, only now they share it with people of other ages.

Youth use the second floor space as a arts space often with guidence from elders. Families share the space which is controled by the elders.

The neighborhood doctors, working collaboratively with community members design and build the the new building as well as plan programming.

Individual Elders find the narrow inside space and the broad portico spaces open and enviting. Individual Youth also find a place where they can go that is free from social pressures of other young people.

Data acquisition: Collaborating church groups and community groups within the housing project collect data on attendence to the tent area. The community building becomes testing ground for the effectveness of programs on health.

Data acquisition: Census socio-economic data land sat and aerial photography along with facebook, twitter, and instagram feeds.

Data Deposited: HIPAA protected space either in community nonprofit building or in a hospital space.

Chapter 4: Alternative Future Youth Industry 2014 - 2015

Winter 2014: Finding an Industrial Site

A series of maps identify the location on Sutter on the L line. The area is zoned for industrial purposes. Adjacency to the biologically rich railroad trench and the scrap yard make this area perfect for an experimental youth industry hub.

HELP I family housing Individuals and family own buildings and manage small businesses on Sutter Avenue Hinsdale Commercial Property is the owner of the site as well as the established industrial building next door. Individual volunteer plants show care or lack of care. The area is mowed, but not frequently.

site investigation site investigation

1 day cycle 3 day cycle

gang issue fall harvest festival summer arts festival special program summer arts festival

building sculptures gardening table business product x parking permits necessary use cycles and programs for tent space

1 week cycle

buildng construction

1 month cycle 1 quarter cycle

summer arts festival

tree planting plaza construction fall harvest festival building sculptures building sculptures school collab. gardening work shop and plaza maintenance sharing the street treatment

fall harvest festival building sculptures gardening

occupation of site, long term permission for experimentation begon partnership with schools, paying operators of shops and offices festivals organized and carried out on a quarterly basis collaborative programs

1 semester cycle

Made in Brownsville and Brownsville Community Justice Center Youth Design Programs partner with housing project

9 month cycle ongoing neighborhood yearly traditions

1 year cycle

2013

2014

Individuals, particularly youth, explore the site, becoming aware of its uses and users. Inidviduals, mostly youth, take recycled items from the recycling center to install on the site.

2015

2016

2017

Individual: House and shop owners New York City Transit Authority owns railroad trench close by Gershow recycling center around the block agrees to let young people use their scrap for construction.

Data acquisition: Youth groups and individuals begin to investigate the site, particularly collecting data on plant species, time zoning, and perceptions of safety.

Data acquisition: Census socio-economic data land sat and aerial photography facebook, twitter, and instagram data is collected on the surrounding area groups, and the site.

2018

Eglesia Pentecostal La Fe Pastor Virgilio Castillo

The neighborhood doctors find the Sutter lot at the urban edges, between neighborhoods, between uses and at the intersection of infrastructures.

Data Deposited: HIPAA protected space either in community nonprofit building or in a hospital space.

Summer 2015: Sculptural Occupation

The site is claimed through art. A youth group led by designers builds scrap art on the site, either with or without permission from the land owner.

HELP I family housing residents take notice Hinsdale Commercial Property gives nominal support to youth groups and artists to construct the sculptures, with consideration that they are temporary before development. Individuals in youth groups construct recycled material scultpures with guidence of local artists. Individual volunteer plants show effects of human use of the site. Individual Intrigued byurban ecological study done at the Riverdale site and around Brownsville, youths take note of the plants here and what social flows they represent.

site investigation site investigation

1 day cycle 3 day cycle

gang issue fall harvest festival summer arts festival special program summer arts festival

building sculptures gardening table business product x parking permits necessary use cycles and programs for tent space

1 week cycle

buildng construction

1 month cycle 1 quarter cycle

summer arts festival

tree planting plaza construction fall harvest festival building sculptures building sculptures school collab. gardening work shop and plaza maintenance sharing the street treatment

fall harvest festival building sculptures gardening

1 semester cycle

Made in Brownsville and Brownsville Community Justice Center Youth Design Programs partner with housing project

9 month cycle ongoing neighborhood yearly traditions

1 year cycle

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

Individuals lead the production of the public art. Individuals produce the art with each other in a fun series of afternoons.

Data acquisition: Use of the site and dynamic feedback with neighborhood organizations allows for time zone mapping of this transitional zone.

Data acquisition: Census socio-economic data land sat and aerial photography facebook, twitter, and instagram document site changes and share artwork on the web.

The neighborhood doctors identify key participatns and then plan and carry out the construction of the sculptures.

Data Deposited: HIPAA protected space either in community nonprofit building or in a hospital space.

Fall 2015: Maintenance Established

An art practice is established through the garden. By building sculpture and also establishing biological systems, the site is both claimed and cared for. The case for youth management of the property is now easily made.

HELP I family housing collaborates to establish and maintain the garden. Individuals and family from the surrounding houses enjoy the garden space. Hinsdale Commercial Property is the owner of the site as well as the established industrial building next door.

site investigation site investigation

1 day cycle 3 day cycle

gang issue fall harvest festival summer arts festival special program summer arts festival

building sculptures gardening table business product x parking permits necessary use cycles and programs for tent space

1 week cycle

buildng construction

1 month cycle 1 quarter cycle

summer arts festival

tree planting plaza construction fall harvest festival building sculptures building sculptures school collab. gardening work shop and plaza maintenance sharing the street treatment

fall harvest festival building sculptures gardening

1 semester cycle

Made in Brownsville and Brownsville Community Justice Center Youth Design Programs partner with housing project

9 month cycle ongoing neighborhood yearly traditions

1 year cycle

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

Individuals such as Eglesia Pentecostal La Fe Pastor Virgilio Castillo lead youth groups in the garden and in practice. Inidviduals, mostly youth begin to explore the railroad trench owned by the NYTA

The neighborhood doctors use the garden as a way of bringing together a wider constituency of support for the occupation of the site.

Individual neighbors see the youth activies at first as a threat, then as an education opportunity.

Data acquisition: The garden and its maintenance provides a key stream of data on who uses the site, their movement and their main interests.

Data acquisition: Census socio-economic data landsat and aerial photography facebook, twitter, and instagram document changes, the collaborative garden, and the exploration of the railroad.

Data Deposited: HIPAA protected space either in community nonprofit building or in a hospital space.

Summer 2016: Orchard Industry

Because of the site contamination, annuals are avoided; however, an orchard is established that will produce clean fruit. The orchard forms part of the long range industrial and architectural plan for the site and its workshops.

Individual fruit trees are donated by nearby horticulturalists. Individual:s in the community from the Caribbean who have experience in planting and management of fruit trees share their knowledge with youth.

site investigation site investigation

1 day cycle 3 day cycle

gang issue fall harvest festival summer arts festival special program summer arts festival

summer arts festival

fall harvest festival tree planting fall harvest festival building sculptures building sculptures plaza construction building sculptures building sculptures school collab. gardening gardening table business product x gardening work shop and plaza maintenance parking permits necessary buildng construction sharing the street treatment use cycles and programs for tent space occupation of site, long term permission for experimentation begon partnership with schools, paying operators of shops and offices festivals organized and carried out on a quarterly basis collaborative programs

1 week cycle

1 month cycle 1 quarter cycle 1 semester cycle

Made in Brownsville and Brownsville Community Justice Center Youth Design Programs partner with housing project

9 month cycle ongoing neighborhood yearly traditions

1 year cycle

2013

2014

Individuals involved with gangs start to come to the site, worrying the participants and neighbors.

2015

2016

2017

2018

Individual involved with after school programs begin to use the site for art research.

Individuals of various ages, but particularly middle aged adults, reach out to the youth, and engage them in planting the fruit trees.

The neighborhood doctors design the expanded orchard as a physical but also a growing social garden of connections.

Group People from HELP I housing take part in the planting and care of the fruit trees. Group: Families who regularly participate in the garden make the space transgenerational.

Data acquisition: The garden and the industrial exploration area their maintenance become rich streams of data on who uses the site, their movement and their main interests.

Data acquisition: Census socio-economic data landsat and aerial photography facebook, twitter, and instagram document changes, the collaborative garden and planting of fruit trees.

Data Deposited: HIPAA protected space either in community nonprofit building or in a hospital space.

Resourcing Focus: Craft

Brownsville has many skilled craftspeople. Making social change requires physical change - urban building and programming, but also making objects on a small scale. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Man is most free when his tools are proportionate to his needsâ&#x20AC;? 7

- Soetsu Yanagi Individual fruit trees are donated by nearby horticulturalists. Individual:s in the community from the Caribbean who have experience in planting and management of fruit trees share their knowledge with youth.

Fall 2016: Industrial Plaza

The plaza is established as the center for youth lead industry in the area. Young people come to the area after school and all ages come and work or teach throughout the day. The plaza becomes a place for performance and imaginative practice.

Families from the surrouding neighborhood come and enjoy the amphitheater space. Individual elders come and meet each other as well as youth in the space. Hinsdale Commercial Property agrees to construct the new arts and industry center in collaboration with neighborhood groups. Fruit trees become a part of the arts and industry program.

80 70

site investigation site investigation

1 day cycle 3 day cycle

gang issue fall harvest festival summer arts festival special program summer arts festival

building sculptures gardening table business product x parking permits necessary use cycles and programs for tent space

1 week cycle

buildng construction

1 month cycle 1 quarter cycle

summer arts festival

tree planting plaza construction fall harvest festival building sculptures building sculptures school collab. gardening work shop and plaza maintenance sharing the street treatment

fall harvest festival building sculptures gardening

1 semester cycle

Made in Brownsville and Brownsville Community Justice Center Youth Design Programs partner with housing project

9 month cycle ongoing neighborhood yearly traditions

1 year cycle

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

Individuals and groups organized around Pastors occasionally use the amphitheater space, sometimes along with secular artists.. Individuals in school groups come the arts and industry space for after school programs/

The neighborhood doctors position the new arts and industry program and center as data driven cutting edge preventative medicine.

Brownsville Multi-Service

BMS Family Clinics help to

pay for the arts and industry programs as preventative medicine.

Universities like NYU and NYU Langone see the programs and its assessment methods as a kew to preventative medicine and help to organize, fund, and run programs.

Data acquisition: The arts and industry program creates a constant stream of mapped data along with interventions in and around the city.

Data acquisition: Census socio-economic data landsat and aerial photography facebook, twitter, and instagram document changes from the perspective of numerous sources.

Data Deposited: Designerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s personal database and selected community depository such as Made in Brownsville

8. Resources and Rights: Neighborhood Data The clients for the neighborhood doctor are the people of the neighborhood. Confidentiality and trust are paramount. Working together, they imagine and enact incremental change across scales of time and space in the neighborhood. As the neighborhood doctor draws up potential futures and potential pasts, she or he imagines interactions on the stage of neighborhood spaces. Seeing these drawings, the actors change their actions, sometimes embracing an idea, sometimes inspired to do something entirely different. These physical actions, in turn, change the next iteration of visualizations by the neighborhood doctor. The doctor and the client are always in a dance together in this way, engaged in a rhythm of transformation. This rhythm unfolds at a particular frequency that may correlate and harmonize with various other urban rhythms. A holistic and poetic idea, until it is assessed with hard data. Emerging methods of high resolution data recording, in hospital health records and other sources of “big data,” will reveal increasing correlations between the designs of the neighborhood doctor and the rhythms of the human and physical landscapes they stand to influence. The agencies collecting this data will be at liberty to fund projects. Together, working at the scale of the city as well as the scale of the street, we can make “material change to the economic, social, and physical environment.” This is landscape architecture for public health. This is the neighborhood doctor.

RESOURCING MEASURED INSTITUTIONAL METRICS VALIDATION AND FUNDING

COLLECTIVE CELEBRATION

biometric measures merged with indicators analyzed in terms of diabetes tests psychosocial gradients long term community blood pressure value insulin rates asthma tests etc.

SUBJECTIVE PERFORMANCE RESPONSE IMAGINED PERFORMANCE FEEDBACK narratives meanings of performance calls for repetition new places, qualities mentioned memories locations, meanings, interventions projected new projects ideas, plans, imaginations located, documented

DATA LAYERING AND INTERPRETATION

OUTLOOKING COLLECTED SPECIMENS QUANTATIES QUALITIES shops produce, products crimes real estate values street music traffic pedestrians restaurants sound volume parties gardens sports games housing types lots

safety gradients trust gradients gang turfs excitement

STUDIO WORKSHOP IMAGINED POTENTIAL REALITIES SPECIMENTS QUANTITIES QUALITIES

COLLECTIVE ACTION

IMAGINED CHANGES IN _______ BY WAY OF IMAGINED PROJECTS

PERFORMANCE RESPONSE METRICS numbers of sellers workers participants how much product sold how many people in attendance how many visitors, bystanders how much area physically changed

PLANNING AGENCY MAP AND TIME PLAN selected change marked out in terms of agencies and time cycles

shops produce, products crimes real estate values street music traffic pedestrians restaurants sound volume parties gardens

safety gradients trust gradients gang turfs excitement sports games housing types lots

We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. -Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

NEIGHBORHOOD DOCTOR

Alan Waxman is a landscape designer working in urbanism and public health. alan.e.waxman@gmail.com

9. Citations Note to images: All images were mashed. However, in the interest of personal rights, citations to sources where people’s faces are seen can be found here. Introduction 1. Center for Disease Control, “Communities Putting Prevention to Work,” 2014

5. Kim

M, Berger D, Matt. T., “Diabetes in New York City: Public Health Burden and Disparities” New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene 2006 6 “Youth

Disconnection in New York City” Measure of America, 2012

1. HEALTH EQUITY New York City 1. Goldschmidt, Andreas JW, “What happens in the next years in hospital care” public lecture, 2004

7 US

2. Allianz,

9. Shulman,

Global Investors, “The Sixth Kondratieff,” January 2010

3. Kim

M, Berger D, Matt. T., “Diabetes in New York City: Public Health Burden and Disparities” New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene 2006 4. Vernon

“Unemployment Rates in Postbellum America: 1869-1899” Journal of Macroeconomics vol 16, issue 4, pages 701-714, 1994 5. Fischer,

16, 2010

Claude, “A Crime Puzzle: Violent Crime declines in America” June,

2. PROPOSAL: Neighborhood Doctor 1. Camden Coalition of Healthcare Providers “Healthcare Cost Hotspots 2002- 2008”

Census 1940, 1950, 1960, 1970, 1980, 1990, 2000, 2010

8. Social

10 Roth,

Explorer Professional version 2.4.5 Irving, The Amboy Dukes, 1947

Henry, Call It Sleep, 1934

Sun, Feifei, “Brownsville: Inside One of Brooklyn’s Most Dangerous Neighborhoods,” TIME LightBox, Jan 31, 2012 11.

12 Pritchett,

Wendell E. Brownsville, Brooklyn: Blacks, Jews, and the Changing Face of the Ghetto University of Chicago Press, 2002 4. ALTERNATIVE HISTORY: Occupation 1. Adapted from Google Street View 2 Adapted

from Anonymous “jump over the fence” openwalls.com

Adapted from CIEE “Study Abroad in Monteverde Sustainability and the Environment” 2014 3

3. PLACE: Brownsville, Brooklyn 1. Maybank, Aletha, “Making Brownsville The Healthiest Neighborhood in NYC” The Brooklyn Reader, Feb 3, 2014 2. American

Community Survey, US Census 2012

3. Police

Department, City of New York, Compstat, 73rd Precinct, 2014

4. Police

Department, City of New York, Compstat, Citywide Precinct, 2014

Adapted from “Ecological Studies of Ticks in Baden-Wurttemberg” Karlsruhe Institute of Technology Press Release 085/2012 4.

5. Adapted 6. Adapted

from Grace Baptist Church of Christ, East New York, Retreat 2010

from Robert Stolarik, image, “A Few Blocks, 4 Years, 52,000 Police Stops” The New York Times, July 11, 2010

7. Adapted

from Orr, Matthew, “Stop and Frisk in Brownsville, Brooklyn” New York Times Video July 11, 2010 Adapted from Umerlik, Therese, “Man Killed in Harrisburg During an Argument, Police Chief Says” Feb 13, 2013 8.

Adapted from Tucker, Shelly “Cosmic Cafe Is An Out Of This World Restaurant” May 1, 2010 9.

10. Adapted

from Instituto Elos Brasil, “Encontro de Re-evolucao,” Guerreiros Sem Armas Relatorio Comunidade Vila Sao Bonto Julho 2012 11. Adapted

from Miller, Daneek, “Why Did The Parks Department Dump a Ton Of Wood Chips in Vacant Lot Soon To Be Community Garden” March 1, 2014 Cleanup Jamaica Queens Now Adapted from Ortiz, Shanay, “Teen Summer Theater Camp Inspired By Jewish Culture” Big Apple Parent, 14th Street Y, May 25, 2012 12.

Adapted from Brink, Harrison, “Strawberry Mansion and St. Patricks Parade”, Documenting Philadelphia class blog for Journalism 3403 Temple University 2014 13.

Adapted from AllEars.net Sharing The Magic Worldwide “Pounding the Pavement at Walt Disney World 2014 14.

15. Adapted

from LeClairRyan, “BoardRoom” Emerge, April 4, 2012

5. ALTERNATIVE FUTURE: Street Revitalization 1. Adapted from Google Street View Adapted from Weichselbaum, Simone, “Made in old-school Brooklyn: Mom-and-pop eateries vie for slice of artisanal food craze” New York Daily News, July 18, 2012 2.

3. Adapted

from Barre, Sebastien, “Grand Street Community Arts’ Vacant Lot Project” Nov 1, 2010

4. Adapted

from uncorneredmarket.com, Santa Ana vendors

5. Adapted

from Milton, Lianne, “Tranquil Plaza of Mage” in “Criminals Fleeing Rio Crackdown Set Up Shop in the Suburbs” NPR, Nov 1, 2010 6. Adapted

from Spelman College page, spelman.edu,

6. ALTERNATIVE FUTURE: Transgenerational Space 1. Adapted from Google Street View Adapted from Hendrix, Rosa in photograph, “At 88, A Chance To Be Independent Again” Shapiro, Joseph, NPR July 18, 2011 2

Adapted from Banks, Samara in photograph, “Two arrested in crash that killed mom and 3 young sons crossing the road” Webster, Richard, Examiner July 18, 2013 3.

Adapted from Grace Baptist Church of Christ, East New York, Minister McKenzie, Brother Newkirk, Deacon Osbourne 4.

7. ALTERNATIVE FUTURE: Youth Industry 1. Adapted from WICD WEBB Innovation Center for Dyslexia “Film Project” 2014 2. Adapted

from Depp, Ben “Haiti’s Resistance Artists photographs

3. Adapted

from sculpture of Papa Legba by Andre Eugene, Atis Rezistans

4. Adapted

from other sculture by Guyodo, Atis Rezistans

5. Adapted

from scrapartoz, “Boxing Kangaroo Sequence,” craftershub.com

6. Adapted

from Google Street View

7. Soetsu 8. Mural

Yanagi, The Unknown Craftsman, adapted by Bernard Leach, 1990

Adapted from Juan Salgado Los Muros Hablan, San Juan 2013

8. RESOURCES AND RIGHTS: Neighborhood Data 1. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Letter From Birmingham Jail