Habana nueva - A sustainable future in the face of change

HABANA NUEVA:

A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE IN THE FACE OF CHANGE

The views, data and conclusions presented in this report (and any accompanying presentations, and backup materials) are the work of the Spring 2016 Cuba Planning Studio class (see the list of participants below) and do not necessarily represent the views of Pratt Institute, the faculty, staff, the School of Architecture or the Programs for Sustainable Planning and Design.

List of Participants Nur Asri Amira Badran George Ekwensi Rachael Gutierrez Laura Landau Emily Ahn Levy Neelu Marigoudar Charlie McCabe Kay Real Alex Spatz Caroline Todd Reanna Tong Petr Vancura Addison Vawters Sarah Yehuda

Professors David Burney Jill Hamberg Ron Shiffman

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FOREWARD

In the spring semester of 2016, a group of City and Regional Planning and Urban Placemaking and Management students from Pratt Institute’s Programs for Sustainable Planning and Development visited Havana, Cuba for a week in January and a week in March. The purpose of the trip was two-fold: to lay the foundation for future partnerships with Pratt, and to research a unique city with a nontraditional planning structure.

Havana’s distinct political and socio-economic landscape offered an opportunity to explore a markedly different setting than New York City’s.

This inimitable experience provided students with a different perspective to learn from and to gain a more profound understanding of the diverse world around us. Ultimately, the trip facilitated a pathway for the mutual exchange of ideas with our Havana counterparts to build stronger and more resilient societies.

Over the years, Havana has fostered an incredible culture of resiliency in the face of immense economic hardship. Despite a scarcity of resources, the city has been able to develop creative mechanisms in order to leverage its strongest asset: its people.

Through this report, we hope to share our experiences and impressions of this monumental time in Havana’s history. Havana is a city with immense potential that we want to highlight for future students and planners, and we hope to learn from its activated public spaces, strong historic identity, and culture of self-sustainability.

Our conversations with architecture students and professors from Ciudad Universitaria José Antonio Echeverria (CUJAE), administrators of Plan Maestro, and the Office of the Historian, helped us develop a framework to provide research and resources in support of their work and ideas for Havana.

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This research is presented in the following chapters with information on sustainable and adaptive systems, public space, transportation, participation, and economic development.

The case studies presented in this research offer scenarios that parallel closely to the existing landscape in Cuba. They can serve as examples to provide a deeper understanding of green infrastructure solutions, successful public spaces, improved transit options and policies, tools for civic engagement, and methods for engaging the local economy in the midst of Cuba’s growth.

While not all of the case studies analyzed and provided will be immediately implementable in regards to scale and budget, they do offer a framework that can be emulated or looked to for reference moving forward.

A thank you to those who met and received us: January Orlando Inclán and Claudia Castillo, CUJAE Carlos Rodríguez, Architectural Design Office of the Havana Historian’s Office Yamira Rodriguez, Architectural Design Office of the Havana Historian’s Office Kiovet Sánchez Álvarez, Plan Maestro of the Havana Historian’s Office Niurka Cruz, Plan Maestro of the Havana Historian’s Office Professors from the Colegio Universitario San Geronimo Gina Rey, CUJAE March Ernesto Jimenez and Sofia Marques de Aguiar, Architects Reglita Barbón, Group for the Comprehensive Development of the Capital Ada Guzón and staff, the Center for Local and Community Development (CEDEL) Victor Marin, Preservation and architecture specialist Gina Rey, CUJAE Maria Caridad Cruz, Antonio Núñez Jiménez Foundation for Man and Nature

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TABLE OF CONTENTS i ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ii FOREWARD 2

SUSTAINABLE ADAPTIVE STRATEGIES

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PUBLIC SPACE

22 TRANSPORTATION 36 PARTICIPATION 48

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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

SUSTAINABLE & ADAPTIVE STRATEGIES ESTRATEGIAS DE SOSTENIBILIDAD Y ADAPTACIÓN

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ustainable and adaptive urban strategies seek to balance the economic, social, and environmental interests through practices that seek to minimize any negative impacts. These integrated urban systems for alternative energy, water quality management, and solid waste management can include actions at various scales. From a single piece of infrastructure to a building or development site, these systems can mitigate most environmental concerns and achieve wider community development goals.

As a waterfront city, Havana is threatened by climate change challenges, such as sea level rise and coastal storms. The following case studies confront complex issues such as solid waste management, alternative energy sources, and stormwater management.

Case studies were chosen as examples of integrated urban systems from around the world and are vital to fostering livable and resilient neighborhoods.

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

STORMWATER MANAGEMENT

SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT

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WHAT WE OBSERVED In Havana we saw great interest in the potential for renewable energy.

Following the fall of the Soviet Union in the early 90s, Cuba’s energy situation worsened from a state already strained by US embargo.

The abrupt loss in oil imports led to a what is commonly referred to as the ‘Special Period.’

IBA HAMBURG

HAMBURG’S RENEWABLE ENERGY HILL The Georgswerder Energy Hill in Hamburg, Germany went from a toxic waste dump to a renewable energy plant. It produces energy from wind turbines, a solar farm, landfill gas, biomass, and a geothermal heat pump. It also serves as a public space for residents to visit and learn about the technology. Geothermal energy air conditions the visitor center and landfill gas provides heat to the neighboring buildings. The brownfield site was contained to prevent toxins from leaking into the ground or the air. In total, the project is comprised of two wind turbines, 700 kWh of solar

photovoltaics, biogas produced from lawn clippings, landfill gas, and energy derived from groundwater.

The Energy Hill serves as a public space for residents and offers sweeping views of the city.

Visitors can learn about the site’s transformation via guided tours or they can just enjoy the space for leisure.

Today, oil imports—predominately from Venezuela—have driven up public debt.

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METRO VANCOUVER

WASTE-TO-ENERGY IN VANCOUVER Vancouver’s Covanta Burnaby Renewable Energy Plant turns garbage, food, and wood waste into bioenergy and compost. Since it’s opening in 1988, the renewable energy plant has disposed of nearly 285,000 tons of waste per year in an environmentally safe way. The facility handles about one quarter of the region’s garbage and produces enough energy to power 16,000 homes.

It also recovers nearly 8,000 tons of metal per year, which are sold to private industry and recycled into reinforcing steel. In addition, the plant was awarded

LEED Platinum status in 2010 by the Canadian Green Building Association.

Vancouver’s waste management plan emphasizes waste prevention and an increase in recycling.

Vancouver has one of the highest recycling rates in North America at 61%. The Covanta Burnaby Renewable Energy Plant works in tandem with the city’s waste plan by recovering energy and materials from the remaining garbage that is not recycled. Any remaining garbage is then placed in a landfill.

SINGAPORE’S STORMWATER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM Singapore has two separate systems to collect rainwater and wastewater. It is one of the few countries in the world to harvest urban stormwater on a large-scale for its drinking water supply.

Rainwater is collected through a comprehensive network of drains, canals, rivers, storm-water collection ponds and reservoirs before it is treated for drinking water supply be run off from the developed areas. Singapore’s Public Utilities Board—or PUB—has adopted a “source-pathwayreceptor” approach that covers the nation’s entire drainage system.

This “source-pathway-receptor” approach looks at catchment-wide solutions to achieve flood protection at multiple levels. This holistic approach covers the entire drainage system, addressing not just the drains and canals through which the rainwater travels (i.e. “Pathways”), but also where rainwater falls onto the ground and on buildings (i.e. “Sources”) as well as areas where floods may occur (i.e. “Receptors”).

Source - Rainwater that falls on the various surfaces either infiltrates into the soil or travels over the impermeable surfaces as “runoff” into drains. Areas that contribute to runoff (i.e. developed areas) are referred to as the “Source.”

Pathway - The drains in the area where people live, work, or play that channel stormwater to canals and rivers eventually to the reservoirs of the sea. These drains, canals, and rivers are known as “Pathways”.Pathway solutions: To strengthen “pathway” solutions, PUB raised the design standards in 2011 for drains to cater for more intense rainfall events. Depending on the size of the catchment, this could mean an increase of between 15% and 50% in drainage capacity.

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Receptors - Occasionally, flash floods occur when runoff generated from the source(s) during intense rainstorms overwhelms the drain and canal systems.

Receptor solutions: In 2011, PUB also raised the requirements for the minimum land reclamation levels, as well as platform and crest levels for new developments and redevelopment sites, under its revised Code of Practice on Surface Water Drainage. These “Receptor” measures provide additional flood protection for buildings and key infrastructure. http://www.pub.gov.sg/general/drainageworks/ Pages/default.aspx

PUB

SOURCE SOLUTIONS LIKE GREEN ROOFS PLAY A KEY ROLE IN SINGAPORE’S STORMWATER MANAGEMENT STRATEGY

Source solutions: PUB included a new requirement, which took effect on 1 January 2014, for developers to implement “source solutions” to slow down surface runoff entering the public drainage system.

These on-site measures could include detention tanks and/or ABC Waters design features—those which are Active Beautiful and Clean—which will help introduce more flexibility within the existing drainage system.

PUB

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WHAT WE OBSERVED In January we noticed that many areas are underserved by proper drainage, localizing water collection in large spaces around these key areas may encourage less flooding from storms.

URBANISTEN NL

ROTTERDAM’S STORMWATER PARK De Urbanisten’s Watersquare Benthemplein is the world’s first public water park fed by collected rainwater in Rotterdam, Netherlands which includes a sports venue, green space and a theater.

Three basins collect rainwater during storms and hold it until the infrastructure is no longer overwhelmed. Two of these basins are shallow and serve the immediate surrounding area. The other, much deeper basin only receives water during consistent rain events. Here the water is collected from the larger area around the square.

Rainwater is transported via a system of large stainless steel gutters into the basins. After the rain, the water of the two shallow basins flows into an underground infiltration device and from here gradually seeps back into ground water. Through this process, the groundwater balance is regulated such that it can also cope with dry periods while not being overwhelmed during heavy rains. This helps to keep the city’s trees and plants in good condition which helps to reduce urban heat island effect.

The water stored in the deep basin flows back into the open water system of the city after a maximum of 36 hours to ensure public health. By

doing this the stormwater that has been buffered no longer flows into the mixed sewage system. The conventional, mixed sewage system is relieved and lowers the frequency of this relatively dirty water to overflow into the open water ways whenever it reaches its buffering capacity. By separating storm water gradually from the wastewater system with each intervention, the entire system moves gradually towards an improvement of the overall quality city’s water.

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WHAT WE OBSERVED In January we noticed that many wide, open streets are bereft of traffic calming or rainwater collection measures. Integrating a concept like the one shown may help to alleviate issues both from heavy traffic and from heavy rain.

Greening the Grey

GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AND TRAFFIC CALMING IN PORTLAND Portland, Oregon has been building bioswales to collect surface water during storms and using permeable pavement with storage tanks underneath to collect rainwater. The city’s Innovative Wet Weather Program finances green infrastructure projects that provide added benefits such as: traffic-calming, bike parking, placemaking, and community-building benefits. Green infrastructure also enables pipe infrastructure to work more efficiently and minimizes the need for more expensive pipe infrastructure solutions.

Stormwater carries pollution to Portland’s streams and nearby rivers causing water quality and watershed health problems. Portland’s combined sewer system allows stormwater to mix with sewage in pipelines during significant storm events. Green infrastructure slows stormwater from entering the sewage system and keeps the city’s watershed healthy. In addition, these green infrastructure projects manage stormwater close to its source and use vegetation to retain and filter stormwater before it enters the city’s stormwater system.

RECYCLING IN LAGOS Wecyclers is a recycling startup based in Lagos, Nigeria. Wecyclers gives households a chance to capture value from their waste while providing a reliable supply of materials to the local recycling industries. Wecyclers works in partnership with the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) and collects recyclable waste, including plastic bottles, plastic bags, and aluminum cans, at the household level using low-cost, bicycle-powered collection vehicles called “wecycles.”

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Wecyclers reward the households with redeemable points based on the volume and quality of recyclables that they receive. Families are compensated by the weight of their recyclable material with points they receive through SMS. Then Wecyclers sorts and aggregates the material for sale to Nigerian recyclers.

Wecyclers

WECYCLERS WORKS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE LAGOS WASTE MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY (LAWMA) AND COLLECTS RECYCLABLE WASTE USING BICYCLE-POWERED COLLECTION VEHICLES CALLED ‘WECYCLES.’ FAMILIES ARE COMPENSATED BY THE WEIGHT OF THEIR RECYCLABLE MATERIAL WITH POINTS THEY RECEIVE THROUGH SMS

Wecyclers

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Observations show that Cuba is well aware of current environmental threats and is already taking measures to help mitigate these risks. A number of solar thermal and photovoltaic installations were present on rooftops around the city. Models made my elementary school children on display at

the Grupo para el Desarollo Integral de la Capital showed sustainable city models with green infrastructure, alternative energy, and recycling systems. Many of the case studies highlighted sustainability approaches that can be implemented at different scales by different stakeholders.

Green infrastructure projects may be better suited for wider streets while energy projects can be implemented at the household or utility-scale level. Recycling initiatives could also be implemented at the community or neighborhood scale

PUBLIC SPACE ESPACIO PÚBLICO

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avana’s public spaces have grown in number and are heavily used by both residents and visitors alike. The Malecon is its nightly hub, hosting thousands of residents and visitors for socializing, playing music, fishing and enjoying the warm nights. The arcades and porticos along many of Havana’s streets provide a sheltered sidewalk with shade from the sun or protection from heavy downpours. The many plazas and small urban parks of Havana also serve as layover spaces and places to socialize or wait for the bus. They host a growing number of Wi-Fi hotspots to connect to the Internet and communicate with family and friends near and far. Public art, from hand-painted murals to free standing sculptures, covers walls, plazas, and courtyards, draws on Havana’s sizable and diverse artistic heritage.

Malecon in Havana, Cuba taken by George Ekwensi

Malecon in Havana, at night

Malecon in Havana, Cuba taken by Charlie McCabe

WHAT WE OBSERVED

ACCESS

IDENTITY

SAFETY

COMFORT

USAGE

The Public Space team looked at Havana through the lens of five major themes that contribute to the success of public space in the city: safety, access, usage, identity and comfort. The section on safety focuses primarily on pedestrians in the context of traffic, and refers to crosswalks, streets, and sidewalks. Access looks into the ability to reach and enjoy spaces, regardless of physical impairments and challenges. Usage examines the relationship between people and space, and includes public seating, Wi-Fi, food, music, and public gathering space. In Identity, the focus is on the Havana’s strong culture, history, and sense of place. Finally, comfort discusses features that contribute to personal ease and security in space such as public lighting and shade. These themes intersect with the various modes of public space in Havana, and sometimes overlap.

The typologies of public space examined include sidewalks, plazas, parks, the waterfront, streets, and porticos.

Continued access to adequate public space is critical as Cuba continues to evolve. Usages are changing as is evident from the growing number and popularity of Wi-Fi hotspots in public spaces.

Our findings focus on feasible solutions that will improve the quality of life in those public spaces for citizens and visitors alike.

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George Ekwensi

ACCESS 15

Maximum utilization of a public space relies on access to it. Access, the ability to reach and enjoy a common destination, regardless of barriers ranging from physical obstructions to ability status to age, can increase or decrease the popularity of place.

The Malecon represents an extraordinary public space, however, those who cannot see higher than a meter off the ground lose some of that grandeur.

Many waterfronts provide loosely structured fences that allow vantages within posts for accessible sights. As a seawall, of course, the Malecon should not be expected to be open, however, placement of temporary blocks, ramps, or stairs could enable those with restricted views to an equal experience of taller, differently abled visitors. As the number of tourists and their buses increase, the access to walkways and scenic vistas may become less visible, as is occurring along Avenida del Puerto, so the Office of the Historian will have to decide whether to protect that access and for whom.

Google Maps Streetview & 596 Acres

NY-based 596 Acres works to identify and activate vacant, government owned land, neighbors near this unused, unsafe, fenced off area opened up the fence to create a community space accessible to all. Examples of reclaiming inaccessible, fenced off space show successes of participation, revitalization, and simple solutions to provide access. In addition to areas that are physically obstructed by barriers, vision, or use, one’s mobility and

ability status can determine the functionality and access of public space. Textured Havana sidewalks may suggest intentional paving that can benefit those who walk with impaired vision and rely on the feeling of space to direct them. In Miami, beaches provide a mobile mat for those who struggle with mobility to overcome the sand as well as wheelchairs adapted for use in the sand. These kinds of interventions reinforce universal access to public spaces.

Charlie McCabe

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Wikipedia of Glendale, CA Charlie McCabe

SAFETY Pedestrian safety in Havana is a major concern.

wynwoodmiami.wordpress.com/2013/01/31/welcome-wynwood-ways

Examples from Wynwood, Miami, show bright and colorful crosswalks that enhance safety while also serving as public art. Temporary bump-outs to shorten crosswalks can also be created on a budget by using planters and other greenery.

Gujarat Samchar Pg 5 2/25/16

To remedy dangerous crossing situations, many cities are raising and painting sidewalks.

Streets in Havana often suffer from large potholes, poor lighting, and lack of proper signage. As Cuba is inundated with more automobiles, the risks for pedestrians and bikers increase. Main roads like the Malecon, consisting of many lanes of traffic and no crosswalks, is a particular concern.

In Havana, some curbs are already painted to contrast with the sidewalks and streets.

Havana

USAGE

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Havana’s citizens use their streets and public spaces as extensions of their living spaces, and making these public spaces usable both day and night is a top priority. Interventions of shade, lighting, Wi-Fi, vending and performance spaces could work to anticipate the future of Havana’s public spaces.

New York City

Given that there are few private vehicles are using city streets, the threat to increased private vehicle ownership could reduce accessible public space.

Further, currently used plazas and parks might be seen as locations for housing, commercial space or industry, so emphasis must be placed on increasing the amount of public space.

Currently maintenance and operation outside Habana Vieja is handled on an ad hoc basis. In Habana Vieja, maintenance staff are dedicated to the streets and plazas. Outside that area, maintenance and operation is handled by local or regional governments on a much more infrequent basis. Increased investment in infrastructure, like trees and plants as well as solar lighting and charging stations must be very resilient, but will require increase in knowledgeable maintenance staff.

Park in San Antonio, TX

Rose Kennedy Greenway in Boston, MA All photos taken by Charlie McCabe

Shade, primarily from additional planted trees, as well as drought tolerant grasses and shrubs, such as bougainvillea grown in trellises, will help cool public spaces as well as beautify them. If trees were to be planted in public parks and plazas as well as along the Malecon, it could help to reduce heat island effects and reduce storm related wind damage. Lighting should be at the human-scale and primarily solar powered, limiting the need for

electrical connections and more resilient to storms and flooding. Wi-Fi areas should be expanded and equipped with more seating, shade and power outlets, with a focus on solar powered charging stations. The ability to vend should be increased.

Havana already demonstrates that government run food stands work well, but additional opportunities for local farmers and entrepreneurs to sell food and drink is a great benefit in public spaces.

IDENTITY

Hemingway memorial in Cojimar, Cuba taken by Clive Baugh.

Charlie McCabe

Culture, history, and sense of place work together forming identity. Havana’s identity is clear throughout its public spaces because its visuals pay homage to Cuba’s leaders, poets, and heritage. Both of the past and the present, public art and use of public space elements in Havana reinforce the strength and vision of community, be it busts of Jose Martí, depictions of revolutionaries, or a reference to the successes of creativity and independence through Cuban-made decorative sidewalk tiles along La Rampa. The public spaces of Havana, from murals on buildings or parks to sidewalks and plazas for historic victories, share the ongoing story of this five-century old city in a way that allows it to add to its identity in areas beyond the old city.

With symbolic examples alluding to the arts of place, like Cojimar’s bust of Ernest Hemingway near the setting of his Old Man and the Sea, identity and space go hand in hand in Havana, so there are opportunities to preserve this culture and heritage as well as build on its success in ways that are not banal. Supportive of the work of the local artist, Fuster, the local government of Jaimanitas, a small, area on Havana’s western edge in Playa, supports identity through using mosaics to benefit the appearance and local enterprise of this area now known as Fusterlandia. The mosaics create identity and reinforce the community, spanning from facades along whole residential blocks to bus stops.

The application of identity in public space to residents, especially beyond Old Havana is a success. Taking the example along the Malecon adjacent to the Riviera Hotel in Vedado shows an arguably dated, though significant temporally context-wise space that now allows gathering, the opportunity to engage with performance art, and reflection of Havana’s dynamic and constant identity. When creating and guiding creation of more public spaces, incorporating Havana’s heritage will perpetuate this successful observation of identity within public space, whether that space is for Wi-Fi-usage, practicing sports, or gathering.

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Havana Vieja

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COMFORT Comfort in a warm, tropical climate can mean a number of things, but for Havana’s existing public spaces, making them usable both day and night should be the primary focus.

Within this objective, there are three main priorities: The covered arcades along many of Havana’s streets need to be preserved and a primary focus of work should be in repairing, improving and expanding the arcade systems in Habana Vieja as well as Central Havana.

The Malecon is a great asset, but there are certain aspects where improvements could be made. This includes expanding the sidewalk width, improving pedestrian crossings, and adding shade by planting trees, flowering vines, and shrubs in trellises such as bougainvillea in order to improve the daytime experience. This has proven successful in several cities in India that have similar ocean-side promenades and roadways.

Rose Kennedy Greenway in Boston, MA

Many public spaces lack adequate seating and additional tables. Auxiliary chairs and benches would go a long way to create more opportunities for socialization and engagement, especially when located in areas with shade, Wi-Fi, and vending. The resources should be inexpensive, but durable with the focus of increasing the seating.

In the end, people should be comfortable enough to engage in the gold standard of great public spaces: engaging in public displays of affection

All photos taken by Charlie McCabe

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Havana’s public places provide residents with space to live their lives outside the confines of their homes. Daily activities in Havana take place all over the city, from playing dominoes in the street to video chatting in a park. The busy sidewalks and squares also have the ability to reinforce the strong

sense of identity that makes Havana unique.

Public spaces in Havana evolve with its people; parks become Internet hubs and the Malecon serves the purpose of fishing port, walkway, and nightclub all in one. As Cuba continues to develop, preserving access to these spaces in crucial.

Small-scale placemaking initiatives, often referred to as urban acupuncture, can enhance the security and well being of residents. The examples shared in this section offer some ideas of how Havana can take the best of what has been done globally and adapt it to the city’s specific needs.

TRANSPORTATION Transporte

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he following recommendations for transportation in Cuba are based largely on an integrated approach of transportation policies covering four main areas: planning, construction, management and restriction. The primary objective within this plan is to prioritize larger volumes of pedestrians, cyclists, and additional public transit services. These four recommendation pillars span across the construction of new Bus Rapid Transit lanes, management of carbon emissions via clean energy vehicles, and the restriction of private car ownership. The overarching aim of the integrated transportation approach is to push for heavy investment in building efficient public transit infrastructure, and upgrading policies to encourage people to actively commute. This runs in tandem with Cuba’s commitment at the 2015 United Nations Environment Programme .

This integrated approach, which offers a series of travel choices, also addresses both short-distance and long-distance travel.

Short-distance travel often refers to journeys that can easily be made on foot, by bicycle or by non-motorized transport. Conversely, long distance travel is defined as either trips of 50 miles or more, or from home to the farthest destination traveled. Long-distance travel includes trips made by all modes, including private vehicles, buses, taxis, and trains; and for all purposes, including commuting, business, pleasure, and personal travel. The various options in the integrated policy will enable Cubans to select the most applicable and efficient mode of transportation given the distances traveled.

PRIORITIZE PEDESTRIANS

IMPROVE PUBLIC TRANSIT & PASSENGER INFORMATION SYSTEMS

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RESTRICT PRIVATE VEHICLE OWNERSHIP

PROMOTE ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATIONS

MOBILITY FOR ALL

HIGH RATES OF POLLUTION

Reasons for an Integrated Approach: The Issues and Assets Razones para adoptar un enfoque integrado: los problemas y los bienes

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The integrated approach was developed from an analysis of the existing conditions of Cuba’s transportation infrastructure. From this, four main challenges that Cuba faces have been identified

According to Cuba’s profile for participation in the Paris Climate talks in 2015, Cuba ranked 73rd in CO2 emissions from fuel combustion, contributing over 28.8 metric tons of CO2. Many vehicles currently on the streets are vintage and continue to operate on catalytic converters that produce large amounts of emissions . Furthermore, Cuba does not regulate vehicles for emissions through smog checks.

The lack of clean energy vehicle regulation leads to high levels of pollution per vehicle owned.

While Cuba experiences relatively low rates of pollution compared to other countries due to its low rates of private vehicle ownership, this is still an issue that should be addressed in the future.

HIGH RATES OF POLLUTION. Photo: Carol Fletcher

LOW LEVELS OF PEDESTRIAN SAFETY The rate of motor-related deaths in Cuba per 1,000 people has been reported to be twice that of the UK.

LOW LEVELS OF PEDESTRIAN SAFETY. Photo: George Ekwensi

INEFFICIENT PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS Public transportation in Havana is a popular mode of transportation.

Any given bus stop is likely to have a crowd of people waiting to board.

Despite this high usage, passengers have no sense of when the next bus will arrive because no such time table exists. Buses are often crowded, with people up to the front and back doors, sometimes forcing passengers to wait for the next bus. At the beginning of the early 20th century, streetcars ran down some of Havana’s widest avenues and carried large amounts of commuters. The surge in automobile use following that period then led to the end of streetcars as one of Havana’s primary modes of transportation.

Today, in order to supplement the inefficient public transportation system, Cuban residents frequently hitchhike or carpool with others. No official program, web application, or transit stop currently exists for people to know where to stop and wait for public transit.

FORESEEABLE CONGESTION PROBLEMS GIVEN THE RISE OF PRIVATE CAR OWNERSHIP

INEFFICIENT PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS. Photo: Cubatiempo

RISE OF PRIVATE CAR OWNERSHIP. Photo: George Ekwensi

In anticipation of increased car ownership throughout the country, productivity may be heavily affected by slower average speeds of vehicles, as observed in other crowded cities like Bangkok and Delhi. Productivity in Bangkok, for example, has been severely affected by low vehicle average speeds of 15 km per hour. For the time being, the low density of automobiles means that traffic congestion in Cuba remains relatively low. However, narrow streets that are not intended for heavy vehicular traffic are starting to experience more congestion. As the tourism industry grows in Cuba, so will the abundance of Transtur and other large tourist buses. This, in addition to the large local public buses, private vehicles, and taxis will create volumes of traffic unfit for roads that are more pedestrianoriented, particularly in Centro Habana (Central Havana) and Habana Vieja (Old Havana).

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PRIORIDAD PEATON CAMINANDO LA CIUDAD BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA

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Transform streets to create a safe environment that prioritizes pedestrians.

Transformar las calles para crear un entorno seguro que da prioridad a los peatones.

• Incorporate equipment and lighting, planted with small trees, incorporate new paths, leveled driveway and sidewalk at intersections

In addition to cycling, walking can provide another means of transportation to cover short distances. In its Plan for Sustainable Mobility, Buenos Aires also included the vast expansion of pedestrian zones and widening of footpaths. In the central area, the streets grew from 50% for pedestrian and cyclist priority to 90%. The policy included adding 70 blocks of pedestrian spaces.

• Created a campaign directed towards drivers to emphasize the priority of the pedestrian—it is intended to change the habits of drivers

• Repaired deteriorated sidewalks, improved lighting and paving

• Restricts the times of day in which vehicles can go through any streets in the downtown area—closed off from 11AM-4PM. In order to enter at those times, vehicles must have parking or driving permits

The ultimate goal was to promote pedestrian mobility by transforming the narrow streets of downtown into pedestrian only or pedestrianpriority streets, discouraging the entry of motorized transport in downtown areas. The city raised streets up to sidewalk level to create a flat walking surface. Bollards were put up to keep out cars. In the downtown area, some streets have restricted the times of day in which vehicles can go through any streets in the downtown area. These transformations were completed on streets except on avenues and main roads to still allow buses to run.

City of Buenos Aires

PROPIEDAD PRIVADA DE AUTOMOVILES IMPLEMENT A HYBRID CAR OWNERSHIP QUOTA Encourage ownership of environmentally-friendly vehicles Implementar un híbrido de cuota para la propiedad de automóviles Fomentar la propiedad de vehículos ecológicos While an important factor to consider, private transportation remains at the bottom of the list of priorities in our integrated approach. A hybrid car ownership quota with environmentally-friendly vehicles can limit numbers of private car owners and promote clean energy. Guangzhou, China that has implemented both lottery and bidding systems for car ownership. The lottery is based on licence plate numbers to allow for the right to drive to alternate according to whether the plate number was an odd or even number. The specifics of this mechanism can be modified accordingly. For example, it could just be license plate numbers ending with 5 are only allowed on roads on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, etc.

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The bidding system consists of open auctions with price differentiation between CNG vehicles and nonCNG vehicles. A greater quota can be given to clean energy cars versus that running on fuel in order to encourage ownership of environmentally-friendly vehicles.

In regards to equitability, in approximately 10 years everyone has to go through the same application process to get licenses. This puts everyone on equal footing in terms of the right to drive.

Jalopnik

TRANSPORTE PÚBLICO IMPROVE PUBLIC TRANSIT SYSTEM, AND PASSENGER INFORMATION SYSTEMS MEJORAR EL SISTEMA DE TRANSPORTE PUBLICO Y LOS SISTEMAS DE INFORMACIÓN AL VIAJERO

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The initiative that holds the greatest priority in the integrated transportation approach is public transportation. The overall aim of this recommendation is to introduce clean energy vehicular systems to public transit modes, to introduce bus rapid transit systems, and to establish passenger information systems.

Bus rapid transit systems are “surface subways” that combine the capacity and speed of a light-rail or a metro system, with the flexibility, affordability, and simplicity of a bus system. A relevant example is the TransMilenio in Bogota, Colombia as it has purportedly been constructed at high speed and at very low cost. Like the dedicated bus lanes for Transmilenio in Bogota, the same can be built on the large avenues in Havana, for example on Avenida de los Presidentes. These wide avenues are currently designed to accommodate private cars and should instead be better dedicated to public transit that move larger numbers of commuters. Janmarg in Ahmedabed, India, is another case study worth examining. The BRT system in Ahmedabed works similarly to TransMilenio, with the unique quality that the buses running in the system operate on carbon neutral gas - safe for the environment, limiting carbon emissions from public transit systems.

INTRODUCE MINI BUS SERVICES WITH SCHEDULED AND NONSCHEDULED SERVICES INTRODUCIR SERVICIOS DE MINIBUSES CON SERVICIOS REGULARES Y NO REGULARES Mini buses are able to seat no more than 16 passengers but are able to serve areas that normal buses are unable to reach efficiently given their smaller size. Mini buses also can run more frequently and are able to offer diverse routes.

PUBLIC LIGHT BUSES HONG KONG In Hong Kong, Public Light Buses are minibuses with no more than 16 seats. These minibuses are capped at 4,350 in total in the city and are used on either scheduled services or non- scheduled services - this is distinguishable by bus colors.

Red minibuses are non- scheduled and are free to operate anywhere, except where special prohibitions apply. These also run without any control over routes or fares. In February 2016, 1,142 red minibuses were counted in Hong Kong, carrying over 337,000 passengers daily. Green minibuses, on the other hand, operate on fixed routes at fixed fares. The 3,208 green minibuses have fixed routes running on Hong Kong Island, in Kowloon, and in the New Territories. These carry an estimated 1.5 million passengers daily.

In order to ensure safety and environmental sustainability of the public light buses, the system is regulated by various speed and gas regulations.

For example, a new and environmentally friendly model of minibuses from Italy, Iveco, has now been introduced as part of a wider scheme in Hong Kong to increase the quality of public buses.

Furthermore,the Public Light Buses also run on liquefied petroleum gas, which is cheaper and emits less carbon. To enhance safety of Public Light Buses, maximum speed limits have also been

enforced for these vehicles, and every Public Light Bus is now fitted with speed limiters and Electronic Data Recording Devices that track live speeds of the minibuses. http://www.td.gov.hk/en/transport_in_hong_kong/ public_transport/minibuses/new_regulations/ index.html Finally, passenger information systems for public transit should be implemented in Cuba to provide efficient and reliable service to riders. A passenger information system is an electronic information system which provides real-time passenger information. The information provided may include predictions about arrival and departure times, and information about the causes of service disruptions.

By providing real-time information on location and service delays, public transit ridership can rise significantly. Passengers have been known to respond positively to reduced perceived wait time.

An applicable case study is IRIS in Singapore. IRIS first began with a simple text messaging service before advancing to a web-based system. Given Cuba’s low Wi-Fi availability, a text messaging system is easily replicable and can slowly be improved as technology advances.

Skyscraper City

PASSENGER INFORMATION SYSTEM IRIS IN SINGAPORE FIRST BEGAN WITH A SIMPLE TEXT MESSAGING SERVICE BEFORE ADVANCING TO A WEB-BASED SYSTEM

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TRANSPORTE ALTERNATIVO / AUTOS COMPARTIDOS PROMOVER EL TRANSPORTE ALTERNATIVO BICITAXI & BANGLADESH RICKSHAW CAMAGUEY, CUBA & BANGLADESH Promote alternative transportation, especially bicycling, as a primary mode of transportation.

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Cuba might consider active transportation that will provide short-distance mobility and facilitate closing the gap between the transit system and the last mile going home, to work, or other destinations.

Active transportation provides a healthy and lowcost option for users. While Cuba has a history of extensive bicycling especially during the Special Period, this association of bicycling and the Special Period has led to a negative perception towards the specific mode of transportation among many Cubans. To make bicycling a more positive and enjoyable experience, Havana might consider a program similar to the existing Bicitaxi program in Camaguey, Cuba or the rickshaw art in Bangladesh.

In Bangladesh, each city has its own unique style of art on the rickshaws. The art ranges from images of popular Bangladeshi icons, to international political figures, to geometrical designs. Artists specialize in rickshaw art and in making the rickshaws themselves. Oftentimes, the rickshaws take on their own shapes based on the art.

Beyond the beautification of BiciTaxis, the program can be expanded for accessibility to local Cubans.

BiciTaxis are currently mostly used by tourists in Old Havana.

The geographic coverage and price point restrict locals from being able to utilize the system. For locals to use the BiciTaxis as an alternative mode of transportation, the system would need to be incorporated into the larger transportation system and priced for locals also. Beautifying BiciTaxis within Havana, beyond Old and Central Havana, can provide a more enjoyable, positive, and personal experience for tourists and Havanese alike. http://www.kathmanduandbeyond.com/rickshawart-bangladesh/

In Camaguey, the local preservation office created a cooperative service in which all Bicitaxis within the Heritage area are painted by local artists.

In addition to the extra pop of color, the bodies of the Bicitaxis are upgraded to make the ride more comfortable for both driver and passenger.

This program promotes local artists, alternative transportation, and local economy within the historic area. In rethinking the Bicitaxis in Havana, learning opportunities are available through crossdisciplinary collaboration. Industrial designers can team up with artists to rethink the Bicitaxi in function, form, and decoration.

Iceland Penny

BICICLETAS PUBLICAS ECOBICI BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA Introduce a bike sharing system that is well integrated into the overall transportation system to provide a healthy and short distance mobility option.

Introducir un sistema de intercambio de bicicletas que está bien integrado en el sistema de transporte en general para proporcionar una opción de movilidad sana distancia y corta.

With a mostly absent plan for cycling, a fitting model to adapt to Cuba is Buenos Aires’ Plan for Sustainable Mobility. Implemented in 2010, the strategy focused on providing adequate and sufficient bicycle parking, implementing a bike sharing scheme, and to promote the use of bicycles among commuters, including promotion events and public education campaigns.

• Free with a limit of one hour per user • 32 bike rental stations, automated and manual available (as of June 2015) • Increased investment in bike infrastructure: bike racks, bike education programs, credits for purchasing bikes • Allows for traveling of shorter distances compared to buses Has led to the opening of high-end bicycle shops and rental agencies in tourist neighborhoods - catalyst for business openings

The bike sharing scheme mandated the creation of a bicycle share network along with secure bike infrastructure. This led to the construction of a protected cycleway network called bicisendas (140 km of bike lanes)—developed with the goal of connecting strategic areas of the city like public transport transfer stations, educational centers and hospitals, and to allow commuters to complete single-mode or inter-modal trips. Two years into the program, cycling increased from 0.4% to 2%. By 2015, 3.5% of commute trips in Buenos Aires were completed through cycling—180,000 people cycling for transportation.

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City of Buenos Aires

INSTALL ELECTRIC CAR SHARING STATIONS FOR COMMUTERS TO TRAVEL QUICKLY AND RELIABLY TO DESTINATIONS. INSTALAR ESTACIONES DE ALQUILER DE USO COMPARTIDO ELÉCTRICOS PARA LOS VIAJEROS QUE VIAJAN DE FORMA RÁPIDA Y FIABLE A LOS DESTINOS. THE CAR SHARING AND MOBILITY OPTIONS IN DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES PILOT PROJECT LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA

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In Los Angeles, a new pilot recently started for electric vehicle car sharing for disadvantaged communities. It established a 100-vehicle pilot car share to serve disadvantaged communities in Central LA, place electric vehicle car sharing stations in communities that are within the top 10% of highest need communities (identified as communities where residents have access to affordable housing and diverse transportation options). In Cuba’s case, the indicators for highest need can be redefined as appropriate. This pilot was funded through a $1.6 million grant by the California Air Resources Board’s Cap-and-Trade program. While it is still too new to yield any concrete results, it serves as an important example for Cuba to provide high quality transportation of different forms to all communities. http://greenlining.org/wp-content/ uploads/2015/01/Electric-Carsharing-inUnderserved-Communities-spreads.pdf

CAROLLEVE RECIFE, BRAZIL These car sharing services would enhance the existing policy that mandates government trucks to pick up hitchhikers and transport them to their final destinations. In Recife, Brazil, Carroleve offers small fleet of cars at $30 a month and is the first electric car sharing system in Brazil. Similar to Zipcar and Car2Go in the US, Carroleve allows users to share cars. The one difference is that it also acts as a ridesharing service, encouraging people to share trips together to reduce costs and optimize collective traveling. The shared car system was designed to encourage carpool from hitchhikers, similar to a bike sharing system. http://ww2.mobilicidade.com.br/portoleve/ carroleve/home.aspx

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The integrated transportation policy aims to make humans a priority on Cuba’s streets. By doing so, it also increases the city’s environmental sustainability and economic productivity by lowering carbon emissions, reliance on depletable energy, and commute time.

Active transportation: Active transportation, including walking and bicycling, not only improves the health of the population but also reduces overall carbon emissions by reducing reliance on automobile. By enabling Cuban residents to walk and bike safely, human interaction is enhanced on the sidewalks and roads of the city, creating a vibrant environment for all.

Public transportation: While public transportation in Cuba already proves to be a key method in which locals travel to and from home and work, it could be greatly improved to serve the masses more efficiently. With drastic technological and infrastructural road improvements, public transportation such as buses and trains could cost less and run more frequently on cleaner energy.

Privately-owned vehicles: Although private vehicle rates are expected to rise exponentially with flexible car ownership permitting systems, there is still opportunity to restrict numbers by implementing hybrid car ownership quotas.

The lottery and bidding system adapted from

Guangzhou is an efficient top-down restriction that must complement all other transportation strategies.

Alternative transportation: To support private car ownership restrictions, car sharing systems and smaller bus services provide a reasonable alternative to those who need a reliable transportation option in areas that are not yet served by public transit or pedestrian and cyclist infrastructure. This last resort transportation option ensures that everyone has an efficient and environmentally-friendly means of traveling.

PARTICIPATION & CIVIC ENGAGEMENT Participaciรณn Ciudadana y Comunitaria

C

ommunity participation in neighborhood physical planning requires basic knowledge of existing structures and processes by which plans, policies, and day-to-day decisions are made.

The following pages outline processes and tools of participation used in both Cuba and New York City. Some are used by government agencies, others are used by community based organizations, while all of them have strengths it is important to note that have failed at certain points and should be applied contextually.

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Cuba consists of 15 provinces, 168 municipalities and over 1500 people’s councils.

Source: Wikipedia

PEOPLE’S COUNCILS CONSEJOS POPULARES (CPs) The Communist Party Congress recommended in 1986 that People’s Council’s (CPs) be established.

“Law 91 established the CPs in a preliminary way, and the revision of the Constitution in 1992 established them as part of the structure of People’s Power (Cuba’s government system). They started in Havana in 1990 and were extended nationally in 1992. They consist of all the delegates elected to the Municipal Assembly who represent the election districts in the Consejo Popular borders. In addition, there are representatives from other entities in the area, including workplaces, and social and mass organizations.” – Jill Hamburg The CP offers a voice in the local government decisions to people who have not been elected within the structure of the Popular Power. Though the CP also risks becoming just ‘another organization’ if it lacks strong community management and if there are too many administrative meetings. The intention and impact of the CP is vulnerable in it’s authenticity as decision-making power goes higher in the vertical construction of the Cuban political system.

Roderick Sinclair (all images)

NEIGHBORHOOD TRANSFORMATION WORKSHOP TALLERES DE TRANSFORMACIÓN INTEGRAL DEL BARRIO In 1988, the Group for Comprehensive Development of the Capital (Grupo para el Desarrollo Integral de la Capital - GDIC) initiated Talleres in three vulnerable neighborhoods in Havana: Atares, La Guinera, and Cayo Hueso. The Workshops gathered six or seven architects, planners, and social workers to address the problems of the neighborhood, usually housing.

At that time, the workshops were often able to bypass municipal bureaucracies and mobilize provincial and even national resources, and make change. Eventually, more talleres were added, and there are now around 20.

The 1990s economic crisis and scarcity of construction materials shifted the purpose of the workshops refocusing them on providing technical assistance to address social needs in the community.

Along with activists in the community, a needs-based assessment method was used, often concentrating on vulnerable populations such as women and youth. These Workshops quickly address their work to specific problems of the neighborhood. Often the Talleres and CPs worked closely together.

Talleres offer training in leadership and local management, consensus and Popular Education.

Some argue that these workshops are confined to spaces and practices of work with small communities, with limited impact in national life dynamics.

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THE CENTER FOR LOCAL DEVELOPMENT CENTRO DE DESARROLLO LOCAL Y COMUNITARIO (CEDEL) CEDEL is an agency of Cuba’s Ministry of Sciences, Technology and the Environment (CITMA). Their mission is to develop and promote research and programs dedicated to economic, social and environmental initiatives within the different municipalities of the island.

CEDEL is focused on providing training and technical assistance to municipalities at the municipal level (not the People’s Council level for the most part). They are trying to foster capacity to work at the municipal level in a more decentralized system, which is being piloted in the new provinces of Artemisa and Mayabeque.

The Cuban government is currently studying how to decentralize so there is more power to use resources at the local level.

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ANTONIO NÚÑEZ JIMÉNEZ FOUNDATION FOR MAN AND NATURE FUNDACION ANTONIO NÚÑEZ JIMÉNEZ DE LA NATURALEZA Y EL HOMBRE

Emily Ahn Levy

The Antonio Núñez Jiménez Foundation for man and nature is a non-governmental nonprofit civic organization continuing the legacy of Dr. Antonio Núñez Jiménez through research, development programs, and activities promoting a culture that values nature at the local, national and international levels. Their work focuses on harmonizing society and the environment by supporting neighborhood permaculture projects and fostering discussions around redefining concepts of wealth and revaluing ecological technology over unsustainable modern conveniences.

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Emily Ahn Levy

NEW YORK CITY CONTEXT Within the framework of exchange alongside our Cuban peers, we shared our methods of Participation in the New York City context. Here is a general overview of what we shared.

In New York City the neighborhood planning process incorporates public workshops.

Public Workshops draw participants who have an interest in neighborhood planning and the ability to spend an extended amount of time working on planning issues. During these workshops, engagement activities are designed so that planners and participants closely consider issues that are central to the planning work. Community members often arrive expressing important opinions, concerns, and beliefs.

THE COMMUNITY CREATED 197-A PLAN 41

NYC HPD

Sometimes when cities don’t practice comprehensive planning and instead use only codes and zoning to accomplish planning as is the case in NYC important services can be left out as communities grow. Communities have the option to work with the city to draft a plan that addresses these deficits. The city of New York is not legally bound to a community created 197-A plan however and in some cases the community’s plan isn’t taken into consideration during important planning changes. Never the less it is a good idea in theory.

East Harlem Plan. Hester Street Collaborative and WXY, 2015 http://www.eastharlemplan.nyc/EHNP_FINAL_ REPORT.pdf Bronx Coalition for a Community Vision: Policy Platform, 2015 http://hesterstreet.org/wp-content/uploads/ BXCommunityVision_WEB.pdf East New York Rezoning: Community Plan. July 2015 http://www.cypresshills.org/chw/rezone/

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SOURCE:

NEIGHBORHOOD REZONING COMMUNITY PLANS Planning in New York City can be very contentious and adversarial. It’s not a very good

model. Below you will find different community reports that advocate for elements left out of city planning. A new and improved process for integrating community voice has come out of NYC’s Department of Housing and Preservation.

It uses a five-phased planning process based on a common problem-solving methodology used by designers, planners, and managers to identify problems and create informed solutions.

PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING (PB) Participatory budgeting (PB) is a democratic process in which community members directly decide how to spend very small part of a public budget.

In other words, the people who pay taxes decide how tax dollars get spent. Participatory budgeting is grassroots democracy at its best. It helps make budget decisions clear and accessible. It gives real power to people who have been involved in the political process. And it results in better budget decisions - because who better knows the needs of our community than the people who live there?

The Brazilian city of Porto Alegre started the first full PB process in 1989, for its municipal budget.

Since then, PB has spread to more than 1,500 cities around the world. It is usually used for city budgets, but states, counties, schools, universities, housing authorities, and coalitions of community groups have also used PB to open up spending decisions to the people.

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Eric Michael Johnson for The New York Times A People’s Budget: A Research and Evaluation Report on Participatory Budgeting in New York City.

Cycle 4: Key Research Findings - October 2015

urban policy and planning issues in communities, so that more individuals can better participate in shaping them. Increasing understanding of how these systems work is the first step to better and more diverse community participation.

CUP projects are collaborations of art and design professionals, community leaders, and policymakers. Together they take on complex issues from zoning law to urban agriculture—and break them down into simple, accessible, visual explanations.

The tools they create are used in communities all over New York City and beyond to help constituents better advocate for their own community needs. http://welcometocup.org Hester Street Collective (HSC)

Center for Urban Pedagogy.

Zoning Toolkit Workshop at the New Museum, October 21, 2010.

NON-PROFIT & GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS In New York City communities often collaborate with non-profit organizations who provide technical expertise and facilitate the process of community planning by making resources and policy more accessible.

Center for Urban Pedagogy (CUP) The Center for Urban Pedagogy is a nonprofit organization that uses design and art to improve civic engagement. CUP projects demystify the

HSC uses design as a tool for community planning as well. HSC believes that youth and engaged residents are among a community’s greatest assets. A vibrant neighborhood where residents have a sense of positive ownership is created when all community members have voice in how their built environment is shaped. HSC works with local residents and youth to transform neglected public spaces into parks, schools, and affordable housing developments through a participatory design process that uses local knowledge and resources, gives stakeholders a hands-on role, and encourages meaningful, long-term community stewardship. http://hesterstreet.org

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Participatory Action Research (PAR) Cuba already practices participatory action research.

Here is a great toolkit developed from USA based PAR. A PAR toolkit: http://www.researchfororganizing.org PAR is an approach to research that values the significant knowledge people hold about their lives and experiences. PAR positions those most intimately impacted by research as leaders in shaping research questions, framing interpretations, and designing meaningful research products and actions. PAR is useful only when a community organization is present and committed to go through the process of identifying ground-up policy solutions to problems they’ve identified and documented, by embracing their local-based expertise and conduct research.

This process tends to be facilitated by community organizers, and/or alongside technical experts in PAR.

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In conclusion, we learned that Cuba has a rich history of participation, already integrated within their government structure. And there is certainly much to be learned and adapted to the growing methods of participation in New York City government. It’s been shown that the best measure of government’s success is the degree of ownership people feel over their environment and the processes that shape it. Time, budget and commitment must be taken into consideration and valued in any participatory planning process.

Urban Justice Center - Community Development Project.

Research and Organizing Initiative. “Research for Organizing Toolkit”.

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In conclusion, we learned that Cuba has a rich history of participation, already integrated within their government structure. And there is certainly much to be learned and adapted to the

growing methods of participation in New York City government. It’s been shown that the best measure of government’s success is the degree of ownership people feel over their environment

and the processes that shape it. Time, budget and commitment must be taken into consideration and valued in any participatory planning process.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Desarrollo Econรณmico

C

uba’s population is emerging from a period in which resources were scarce and self-reliance was pivotal. After lifting trade restrictions with the United States, Cuba is projected to experience an increase in tourism and foreign investment. The nation’s impending growth presents a range of opportunities for the economic advancement of Cuban residents. It also presents a number of issues, ranging from the need to collect capital, to high levels of inequality. The following presents an analysis of these challenges and the domestic strengths that will mitigate their effects, and suggestions for moving forward based on international case studies that can be applied to Cuba.

Havana’s culture of self-sufficiency, its highly educated workforce, and its diverse industries such as nickel and biotechnology, give residents a competitive edge that positions the country for future success. Havana is in possession of a wealth of opportunities waiting to be further utilized. One major asset is the abundance of underutilized land poised for revitalization and redevelopment, especially along the Harbor and encircling the port region. This highlights the tremendous potential Cuba has to leverage these and other prospects for significant advancement during this time of economic growth.

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Physical and economic isolation marked by the “Special Period” left the island with limited access to capital and an overall lack of resources. Likewise, it hindered the economic empowerment of local communities. As foreign investment begins to increase over time, the potential for disconnect with the local economy does as well.

Thesis by Isell Maria Guerrero Bermudez

On Cuba Magazine - Cuban Biotechnology

WHAT WE OBSERVED In response to these changes, we hope Cuba is able to engage in economically sustainable practices that help promote a broader, stronger, and more stable sense of economic development throughout Havana by 1) focusing on community integration within the economy, 2) maximizing internal sources of revenue, and 3) incentivizing scale-appropriate changes to facilitate implementation.

LEVERAGE TOURISM

REUSE ADAPTIVELY

EMPOWER COMMUNITIES

INNOVATE ECONOMIES

PROMOTE URBAN AGRICULTURE

There is an assortment of case studies in conjunction with this report that can serve as models to reference and draw ideas from in contribution to future development initiatives.

The case studies presented in this chapter use the overarching economic principles of diversification, repositioning, and empowerment.

It is important to diversify supply sectors, so that Cuban businesses can utilize local resources, as opposed to relying on imports, to reposition underperforming assets to serve a more varied set of uses to build on the economy’s existing strengths, and to empower of small-scale goods, producers, & service providers to engage in the growing economy without expensive and upfront capital costs.

Within these case studies, our strategies to promote these principles are: 1) Leveraging Tourism 2) Community Empowerment 3) Adaptive Reuse and Brownfield Redevelopment 4) Urban Agriculture, and 5) Innovation Economies

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The goal of economic development and our case studies is to minimize leakage and increase the domestic multiplier effect by recirculating currency into the local economy.

Kay Real

LEVERAGING THE TOURISM INDUSTRY Tourism Strategy of Turkey 2023

TOURISM IN TURKEY Turkish tourism has the highest economic multiplier effect of its industry in the world.

Turkey’s hospitality industry sources virtually all of its resources, both goods & labor, internally.

As tourists travel through the country, they interact with local providers along the way. This empowers local entrepreneurs to engage with the market and through this, the local economy is able to capture and recirculate money generated through the tourism industry.

Havana has immense potential to emulate the Turkish model. Current restrictions placed on joint ventures mean that Cuba is in a negotiating position to strengthen the diversification of its tourism sector and promote inter-industry and inter-regional commerce to capture inputs and curb leakage. There is also the possibility for Havana to mirror Turkey’s model of promoting travel in order to generate the consumption of local goods. Havana Bay is a vital part of the economic health of the city. Historically, it is considered to be the center of industry and shipping. In conjunction with this, it is also an

important aspect of the tourism industry as it is the country’s primary hub for cruise ships that pass through on a weekly basis. The port’s prime location in Havana Vieja affords tourists the ability to walk around old town and get back on the ship within a matter of hours. The consequence of this, is that much of the spending power of tourists is returned to the ship at night. Havana is at a crossroads of wanting to increase its tourism industry, but not quite having the infrastructure to do so. As is, there are many challenges that make the current state of the port of Havana unsuitable to the cruise ship industry. For example, the terminal for receiving tourists is too small. Additionally, the clearance for ships is incredibly limited, made even more so by the presence of a car tunnel that runs under the bay.

Currently in the works is a new deep water port to the west of Havana in Mariel, Cuba, which will allow for multiple cruise ships to dock without the aforementioned issues. The location outside of Havana will also promote increased mobility among tourists who now must travel from Mariel to Havana. If done correctly, this has the potential to leverage the local economy.

Since the Special Period, Cuba has functioned primarily as an isolated country with a small economy. Today, much of its economic expansion has focused on the booming tourism industry, which is currently the country’s primary source of foreign income (USA Today). The challenge is for Cuba to maintain that same sense of selfsustainability to ensure a growing and flourishing economy. As foreign investment expands, which is a logical assumption giving the increased opportunities, it is vital to connect Cuba’s domestic production in order to recirculate local currency within Cuba as many times as possible to guarantee that local residents gain the benefits of the growing economy.

Tourism is one of the island’s top sources of foreign income, bringing in $2.6 billion in 2012 (USA Today) .

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COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT As economic opportunities broaden in Cuba, it is important that the local community is able to participate in and contribute to the expanding economy. Community economic development focuses on creating opportunities for smallscale goods producers and service providers, in order to promote a healthy internal economy.

The process utilizes social capital and mobilizes community resources to increase the quality of life for the community. With efforts focused on business incubators, job training, and providing equal access to capital, local entrepreneurs will be able to participate in this growing economy.

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Havana has made great strides towards this type of framework. There are many efforts to leverage local products, employment, and cultural heritage through worker cooperatives and cultural districts. The activation of local resources through private community cooperatives for construction materials and urban agriculture on the municipal level, which is managed through the Center for Local Development (CEDEL), and the engagement of the local community through the Talleres, work to preserve and revitalize cultural heritage and value. There are also efforts in place to localize the supply chain and source products and materials nearby to stimulate local manufacturing. There is enormous potential for Havana to expand upon these localized efforts to take advantage of their highly educated workforce and strong biotechnology sector to increase their potential to develop and support an advanced manufacturing and tech sector to bolster their growing global economy from the inside out.

Tech Hire - The White House NOVICA

CUNY TECH PREP It is important to build relationships and align quality jobs with people who possess the skills to fill them. The Cuban population is already highly educated, so it is important to leverage this as Cuba engages in joint-ventures with foreign companies. One step to ensure that the local economy benefits from these ventures is to require local hiring. Developing the skills of local residents to be able to participate in this economy is necessary and will help retain and recirculate local currency, leading to a healthier and more self-reliant local economy.

One financial sector that is likely to grow in Cuba and contribute to the provision of opportunities is the technology sector. In order to qualify for these new positions, Cubans will need to learn the necessary skills, which will extend beyond their already robust biotech industry, and will require training.

The growing need for skilled people to fill technology centered jobs in the United States has led to a national initiative to provide citizens with the necessary skills. As part of this, Tech Hire works with universities and community colleges to give students technical skills and connect them with jobs. CUNY Tech Prep provides students with additional professional and tech training in collaboration with employer partners,

and connects them with internships and full time employment opportunities in software development and related positions.

ACCESS TO CAPITAL FOR ARTISTS AND SMALL BUSINESSES An important step for economic entrepreneurship in Cuba is to provide equal access to capital for all residents. Most private ventures are done out of remittances, which is the when money is sent from family overseas. Those without family sending remittances do not have the capital to start their own businesses, which is leading to increasing class divides among Cubans.

Providing a mechanism for equal access to capital would enable producers and service providers to start their own ventures without extreme costs.

One platform to do that is through an online international marketplace.

Many NGOs have begun to provide online platforms, including NOVICA and KIVA, that give artisans from around the world the ability to reach global customers for free. A Cuban counterpart would empower Cuban artists to preserve culture and traditions, and expand their quality of life doing so. KIVA, as well as NOVICA, also provide financial assistance to artists, offering zero-interest loans and technical assistance for entrepreneurs starting their own businesses.

ADAPTIVE REUSE

Cuba Absolutely

LA FABRICA DE ARTE CUBANO Havana is experienced with the concept of adaptive reuse. La Fabrica de Arte Cubano is one of their greatest success stories and a convincing example of how commercial gains can be achieved through this form of reactivation and redevelopment. Although it was originally constructed as an Electric Power Company station in 1905 and later converted to a Peanut Oil factory after the 1959 Revolution the building is now a thriving arts and cultural space.

Located in the residential area of Vedado, La Fabrica’s brilliant and multifaceted composition provides Habaneros and visitors with constant entertainment, effectively functioning as an art gallery, dance space, concert venue, cinema, bar, and restaurant.

This destination location has become a bustling hotspot and revenue generator within Havana’s economy. Although it is immensely successful at attracting customers and tourists to a previously abandoned, repurposed building, there is room for greater emphasis to be placed on serving the local residents who might find the venue as disconnected and inaccessible due to the high prices. Despite its atypical audience for the area, La Fabrica is a largely successful form of adaptive reuse that should be seen as a framework for how to establish commercial success reinvigorating the economy.

Abandoned buildings are now common in Havana - especially along the waterfront - and offer limited use to the economy in their current and idle state of disrepair. Instead of wasting valuable and available land, prime locations along the water, and historic structures, these buildings can be re-purposed to serve as the commercial, revenue generators and economic contributors that they once were. This reactivated land can be used in a variety of ways; warehouses can be regenerated to support growing industries and other buildings can be re-purposed as commercial centers for small-scale business ventures, offices, and cooperative meeting sites.

This taps into an additional source of revenue, and in the process, re-emphasizes Cuba’s significant port industry by reactivating land along the water.

Additionally, abandoned land can be re-purposed for uses beyond economic benefit by contributing to cultural and arts centers, residential housing, and sources of public space.

Because much of this vacant land in Havana had former uses that were potentially contaminating - previously serving as industrial corridors or rail yards - remediation and rehabilitation tactics should be explored.

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INNOVATION ECONOMIES Currently the port is the center of Havana’s master revitalization plan. Havana Bay, and its industrial history provides many opportunities for revitalization, redevelopment, and the creation of new types of industry that capitalize the existing resources. Today, like it has throughout the rest of the world, much of the port industry has become obsolete. The factories that once catered to this industry remain vacant and there is the potential for domestic production centered on entrepreneurship and innovation.

Brooklyn Relics

Making It Here

GREENPOINT MANUFACTURING AND DESIGN CENTER (GMDC) GMDC is a nonprofit, industrial developer that reclaims abandoned factories in North Brooklyn’s Greenpoint neighborhood. As part of this GMDC has been sustaining the manufacturing industry in New York City since its inception in 1992. The organization has rehabilitated seven manufacturing buildings in Brooklyn for occupancy by more than 100 businesses small manufacturing enterprises, artisans and artists that together employ more than 500 people.

RDM (RESEARCH, DESIGN & MANUFACTURING) Rotterdam is Europe’s largest port, and its former RDM shipyard has been redeveloped into a campus for educational institutions, innovative companies and research institutions and their partners from the business community and government.

RDM (Research, Design & Manufacturing) has provided a space for entrepreneurs to collaborate on sustainable innovation. It is an initiative by the Port Authority of Rotterdam to foster economic development along the stagnant inner harbor though stimulating the manufacturing base of the economy. Companies are also encouraged to use and develop solar, wind, and hydroelectric power.

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The waterfront can also function as a public space. RDM is attempting to connect the waterfront to the village of Heijplaat. The activity from the campus also boosts the local economy with people visiting the bars and restaurants in nearby village, boosting the local economy.

Ron Shiffman

RDM Rotterdam

Greenpoint once possessed a robust maritime industry, and many of these factories provided products to support it. The first building was once Chelsea fiber mill, a maritime rope manufacturer.

GMDC was able to acquire the building for $1 from the city, so it required little initial capital. Today they utilize grants from NYCEDC. This model has enabled the production of local goods by local entrepreneurs. Most of the products created here are small, custom, artisanal, value-added operations that are generally selling a high-end product to a local market. The jobs created by these small businesses provide a living wage, which is then recycled into the rest of the economy.

The theories and case studies presented in this chapter attempt to capitalize on Cuba’s strengths, as well as prepare the economy for

further expansion so that benefits can be shared throughout the local community. By leveraging existing resources, Havana, Cuba has the ability

to empower local residents and revitalize underutilized land with innovative solutions for self-sustainable economic growth.

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