SAM SCHROEDER SELECTED WORKS
Table of Contents Introduction
Table of Contents About Sam
Selected Works from 2012 - 2017 Learn Without Limits Plan Together Grow Community [Extended Works]
Selected works from Hudson County Transportation Projects Open Space Initiatives Department Materials
Conclusion
Relevant Experience Contact
ABOUT SAM After graduating from the University of Cincinnati with a degree in Urban Planning and minor in Real Estate, I found myself relocating to Hoboken, New Jersey with a job as an Assistant Planner for the County of Hudson. My studies within the College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning (DAAP) placed heavy emphasis on planning theory, policy, and design. Pair that with five semesters’ of full-time professional experience in various public, private, and non-profit planning organizations, I felt well prepared for my role as a professional planner. That didn’t stop me from strengthening my planning expertise as I studied for the AICP exam, which I passed in May 2018. As I progress in the world of professional planning, I am reminded of my extracurricular experiences as the President of the 2017 Senior Class Officers and leadership roles in the Student Alumni Council, Greek Life, and Undergraduate Student Government. It’s easy to shrug off that involvement as something of the past, but my desire to make positive, lasting change in complex organizations with diverse stakeholders remains. Within my hometown community of Cincinnati I have had the pleasure to understand my community through co-ops and internships with local jurisdictions as well as through my participation in various community initiatives including the Cincinnati Intern Network Connection (CINC), a program developed through the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber where I served as a Student Representative for my university.
In my current role as an Assistant Planner, I have been involved in various transportation studies as well as the administration of the Open Space program. Having my graphic design background, I’ve been able to lend a hand in a few miscellaneous projects. Having that wide breadth of involvement in our Division of Planning and greater Department is something I enjoy. While planners have developed their own vernacular, it’s important that all community residents and stakeholders are able to comprehend documents that affect them. Strong writing and effective graphics are two skills which I continuously foster in effort to produce high-quality, easy to understand content. This includes maps created in ArcGIS, images manipulated in Photoshop, flyers created with Illustrator, and whole documents produced in InDesign. An example of this work comes from my time at Hamilton County, where I produced an Economic Development Guide for a municipality within our jurisdiction. Another technical skill I have practiced is site plan review. While working at Anderson Township, I was entrusted with reviewing several site plans and zoning appeal applications, writing subsequent staff reports, and presenting the cases to the Planning Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals. Likewise, my soft skills have developed alongside my technical skills. Being a community-oriented individual, my supervisors have repeatedly tasked me with public responsibilities. One such example is implementing the Street Tree Program for Anderson Township, where I worked very closely with residents of the township in effort to have more trees planted in their front yards. This resulted in Anderson being recognized with the Tree City USA Growth Award from the Arbor Day Foundation. Another example of my community involvement comes from my work at Uptown Consortium, where I launched the nonprofit’s shop local campaign called “YourUptown” by collaborating closely with business owners and neighborhood business associations. Working for and with others has always excited me. Even in my extracurricular activities throughout college, I found myself facilitating communities of student leaders. Teamwork and individual responsibility go hand in hand in my work ethic.
Although I have learned a lot in the classroom and workplace, I continue to gain wisdom through life experiences. The greatest example of this is travel. By gaining perspective on issues that affect people across the globe, in the undeveloped, developing, and developed world, I better understand humanity. Through that, we can build a more humane environment for everyone.
SUSTAINABLE URBANISM IN CHINA
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: COURTS FOR KIDS
Beijing
Ximen
In a two week study abroad trip, I worked with partner universities in Beijing and Ximen, China to learn about the environmental issues plaguing their cities. With populations rapidly growing, it was clear that illegal dumping, air pollution, and water pollution cannot go unchecked. These are global issues that require local action, no matter where your city is located.
In a ten day service-learning trip to rural Dominican Republic, I experienced a culture where the quality of life is much different than my own. Serving families living in informal settlements, a group of university students and myself organized this experience with Courts for Kids, a non-profit which builds basketball courts for underdeveloped areas.
Planning Conferences Attended: NJ APA Conference (2018) APA National Planning Conference (2017) Emerging Professionals Institute (2017) David J Allor Planning & Zoning Workshop (2015) Great Placemakers Conference (2014) APA Ohio Planning Conference (2013)
Ever since I was a kid, I’ve been preparing to be a planner without knowing it. Starting with taking interest in roads and city layouts and evolving to questioning inequities and political uncertainties, I continue to seek innovative ways to make cities better. By working on teams, with residents, with industry leaders, we - as communities - create places with strong identities.
URBAN LAND INSTITUTE: CASE STUDY COMPETITION Organized by the School of Planning and the Real Estate Center, I competed in a team for the Urban Land Institute Case Study Competition in Cincinnati, Ohio. Our challenge was to create a development in a diverse, transitional neighborhood.
Branded, The Link on Burnet, our development stood out for its “High Line” style bridge over Burnet Avenue which literally linked the two sides of our development together. It also created a unique sense of place by incorporating a local food truck which otherwise parked in a convenience store parking lot.
MIDTOWN CINCINNATI Midtown Cincinnati is a studio project focused on 34 blocks in the most northern portion of Cincinnati’s Central Business District. The plan calls for private development and investment in public infrastructure to create an engaging and safe neighborhood desirable for business startups and inclusive of the many demographics that currently reside in the area.
SUSTAINABILITY + RESILIENCE While working for a semester at Hamilton County Planning and Development, I was tasked with researching solutions for the Kings Run watershed. This project contributed to the Metropolitan Sewer District’s efforts to comply with a consent decree from the Environmental Protection Agency in regards to CSOs.
INCLUSIVITY A recent project included a site design for an inclusive community for people with physical and developmental disabilities. This graphic illustrates six goals for the site (social capital, amenities, connections, recreation, housing, and employment) and how the site selection and the development program go hand-in-hand to fulfill these goals.
Nothing brings me the same enjoyment as when I’m investing in communities. Be them neighborhoods, cities, universities, or even student organizations, all of them have developed me as a leader. My leadership style is unique in that I perform best when I am helping others. According to Strengthsfinder, my top strengths include: 1) Futuristic, 2) Empathy, 3) Competition, 4) Positivity, and 5) Ideation. I share these because I believe that they accurately represent who I am and what gets me excited.
YOURUPTOWN While working at Uptown Consortium, Inc., a non-profit community development organization serving five neighborhoods north of downtown, I lead the direction of a shop local campaign called YourUptown. The focus of this campaign was to reach an audience of employees, students, residents, and community leaders to learn more about all the offerings that the neighborhoods have. Uptown is a large employment center, but many who work there reside elsewhere. By retaining them after work hours, Uptown can be more of a 24 hour area for everyone.
NORWOOD ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GUIDE I served as a liaison for the City of Norwood to develop an Economic Development Guide for potential developers. A city surrounded by the City of Cincinnati, Norwood feels it has a lot to offer for those looking for a great location but lower expenses. The below document is the final version of the Economic Development Guide.
[Extended works] GIS + Illustrator 31 30
Sketchup
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E ROCHELLE STREET SEMINOLE STREET
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UNIVERSITY
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CHARLTON STREET 16
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CORRY STREET
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EUCLID AVENUE
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AVENUE
VAN STREET
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VINE STREET
GLENDORA AVENUE
JEFFERSON AVENUE
AutoCAD
04
Photoshop Used for both editing my own photography and rendering concepts for public or private spaces, Adobe Creative Suite is a skill that I continuously develop and use professionally.
Hand Drawn Skills A semester long studio was dedicated to the hand drawn basics any planner should know, including elevations, two-point perspectives, and master plans. Mediums I have experience with include pen, pencil, markers, colored pencil, and pastels.
Transportation Projects
Morris Canal GREENWAY CORRIDOR
The County has received funding to extend the Morris Canal Greenway Corridor, an envisioned 111 greenway connecting multiple New Jersey counties to the Hudson River along a former canal route. Below is an elevation plan I designed for the extension of the Greenway along a County Park, with the addition of a bioswale next to the pathway. ELEVATION 89’ 88’ 87’ 86’ 85’ 84’ 83’
proposed existing
82’
Logo for the JFK BLVD. Study
The Study is a year-long strategic examination of safety issues that will JFK LOGO PROPOSAL ALTERNATIVE JFK LOGO PROPOSAL resultALTERNATIVE in a plan for reducing traffic and pedestrian incidents along the Boulevard. The County received a grant from NJTPA’s Subregional Studies Program to hire consultants, FHI. Below is the logo for the study, which I created for all outreach materials. The logo is designed to be versatile.
FULL COLOR
CMYK(100,100,0,0)
CMYK(62,38,0,0)
CMYK(70,15,0,0)
CMYK(21,2,0,0)
1 ft. 2 ft.
4 ft.
8 ft.
1 inch = 4 feet
ALTERNATIVE JFK LOGO PROPOSAL
ALTERNATIVE JFK LOGO PROPOSAL
OVERLAY (FOR GRAPHICS AND PHOTOS)
NO COLOR (FOR B&W PRINTING)
CMYK(0,0,0,0) with offset drop shaddow
CMYK(0,0,0,100)
NO COLOR (FOR B&W PRINTING)
CMYK(0,0,0,100)
HACKENSACK RIVER WALK
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Comments. Please add your comments in the text boxes on the right side of each spread. Following your comment, please give your initials or first name so I can follow up if I have anymore questions. Thanks! - S.S.
Hackensack Riverwalk Report [excerpt]
The Hackensack RiverWalk is designed to a greenway along the Hackensack River, which runs along the west side of the County. The plan looks at 17 continuous sections, analyzes the amenities, opportunities, and challenges of developing the plan. Each section is mapped out for visual understanding of the plan’s route and status.
SHORT TERM OPPORTUNITIES •
Extend walkway on north side of Veterans Park to continue along water and connect to service road behind the high school
•
Possibly enough room on access road behind HS for a dedicated walkway/bike path
2
3C - Private property will create an issue building to waterfront
SECTION DESCRIPTION
LONG TERM OPPORTUNITIES
Veterans Park: From 23rd Street to south of Stephen R. Gregg Park, this section is dominated by Veterans Park and Bayonne High School. There are single family homes right up to the river’s edge.
•
•
There is a plan to build a waterfront walkway (part of $1m grant) behind the Sunset Bay Mobile Home Park but the plan does not include a connection to the existing walkway behind the Bayonne Housing Authority – add this connection Create shoreline/elevated walkway on water to bypass service road behind school
LANDMARKS & DESTINATIONS
3B - Veterans Park walkway is complete
CHALLENGES
No. 12 John M. Bailey Elementary School
•
Most of the walkway between Veterans Park and Stephen R. Gregg Park would need to be elevated an boardwalk
•
Making the connection from the Bayonne Housing Authority section to the proposed walkway behind the Sunset Bay Mobile Home Park would require fill or an elevated walkway since the Sunset Bay Mobile Home Park is built to the edge of the river
Vetera ns Park
3A - A connection needs to be made around residence
Asphalt
Temporary
Cement
Proposed
Pavers
Possible
Sidewalk
nedy
Material
Good condition
John F. Ke n
Path Status
iver
24th St. Playground
sack R
Bayonne High School
Veteran’s Stadium and Memorial Park
Blvd
1 mi. 5 min.
Hacken
1/2 mi. 10 min.
Mercer Park
As part of an extensive park upgrade, I was asked by the County Engineer to develop rough renderings of what can be done to make the park more green, including a raingarden and bike path.
Shade Tree Program
As part of the County’s Earth Day Celebration, I developed a Tree Planting Guide. This booklet illustrated where to plant trees on private property and how to take care of them during their first year of growth.
MERCER PARK
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Open Space Projects
Open Space Trust Fund
The County Open Space, Recreation, & Historic Preservation Trust Fund allows a municipal tax levy for the purposes of acquisition and development of open space, historic preservation, and park improvements. The Division of Planning oversees the management of this grant. As Assistant Planner, my role includes communicating with applicants, preparing the annual recommendations report, presenting to the Open Space Advisory Board, and documenting construction updates. These graphics illustrate the process and the grants awarded in the past two grant cycles.
Initial Board meeting
1
5
8
9 12 13
16
14
15 17 18 19
Adoption at Freeholder Meeting
2 Veteran’s Park Improvements $329,073.10 $201,957.00 30-days
Public Hearing at Freeholder Meeting
10 Gunnell Oval $329,073.10 $201,957.00 11 Laurel Hill Shoreline $450,000.00 12 Washingington Park $308,000.00 13 Riverview Fisk Park $500,000.00
16 Cape May Street Park $900,000.00 $450,000.00
1 Meadowlands Sports Facility $500,000.00
45-days
July
May June
County Executive publishes Recommendations
9 17th Street Playground $500,000.00
15 Southwest Park Expansion $900,000.00
22
Staff produces Recommendations Report
8 Weehawken Waterfront $900,000.00 $500,000.00
14 Madison Street Park $500,000.00
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Staff informs applicants moving forward
September
June
Board adopts Recommendations Report
11
4
6
7
10
applicants have 4 full weeks to prepare
Applicants present to the Open Space Advisory Board
2 3
Hudson County April
February
January May
Submit full applications
May
Submit Letters of Intent
7 Paterson Plank Park $350,000.00
20
Open Space Advisory Board
Applicants
6 38th Street Playground $500,000.00
17 Old Bergen Church Cemetery $100,000.00 18 Jersey City Main Library $500,000.00 19 Berry Lane Skate Park $500,000.00
3 Miller Stadium Field $473,999.27
20 Mercer Park $500,000.00
4 Patricia McEldowney Field $500,000.00
21 Neil A. DeSena Park $500,000.00
5 Policemen’s Memorial Park $500,000.00
22 Collins Park $448,000.00
Department Materials Hudson County Hall of Fame Celebration
The Division of Parks hosts a banquet every year to recognize the athletic achievements of County residents. Below is an example of the collateral material I produced for them.
hUDSON cO
UNTY
Quarterly Newsletter
In order to unify the Department of Parks & Community Services, I worked with the four divisions to create a quarterly 4-page newsletter. The first page of the Winter newsletter is below.
QUARTERLY UPDATE • DEPARTMENT OF PARKS & COMMUNITY SERVICES
HUDSON COUNTY Winter 2018
NEW HOUSING FOR HOMELESS VETS On October 10, 2017, The Division of Housing and Community Development celebrated the ground breaking of a new project for homeless veterans in Hoboken. Hudson County Executive Tom DeGise, Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer, and other dignitaries joined with members of the American Legion to break ground on the Hoboken American Legion Post 107project. Once complete, the building will include a flood-resilient new meeting hall and six units of permanent, supportive housing for homeless veterans on the top floors.
Hudson County is proud this project will be an important step in ending veteran homelessness.
Ending Veteran Homelessness is a top priority for Hudson County. In April 2015, the Division of Housing and Community Development created a Homeless Veteran Committee of the Hudson County Alliance to End Homelessness. Since then, the committee has seen success including:
TW E N TY -F
O U R TH
NDUCTION I & R E N N DI Y CEREMON
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T IC K E T N IO S IS M D
18 N ov . 1, 20 00 PM 6: D oo rs op en as h Ba r C e in W Be er &
La Re gg ianu e A ve 40 W oo d N J 07 09 4 , Se ca uc us
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The Annual Point-in-Time Counts show a 40% decrease in veterans experiencing homelessness on a single day in January;
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More than 100 veterans have moved into permanent housing since April 2015;
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As of October 16th, there are only 10 veterans staying in Hudson County Emergency Shelters;
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24 homeless veterans remain on the by name list, with at least 6 approved for housing assistance and 8 currently engaged in
NEW TITLE REFLECTS EXPANDING SERVICES FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES The Hudson County Office of Business Opportunity & Community Services operates under the Department of Parks and Community Services and has been in existence as the Office of Minority & Women Business Enterprise for more than two decades. Its new name speaks to the expansion of business services available through this office and places further emphasis on creating opportunities for Small and Veteran busi-
IN THIS ISSUE...
apartment searches. The remaining 10 veterans are either newly engaged veterans or veterans who have not yet progressed forward toward establishing a permanent housing plan.
PLANNING NEW OPEN SPACE (p. 3)
HCOBOCS EXPANDING SERVICES (p. 1, 2)
UPGRADES IN COUNTY PARKS (p. 2)
County and City officials joined the American Legion on October 10, 2017 for the 107 project groundbreaking.
nesses. Through the adoption of a “Set-Aside” ordinance passed in June of 2016 our scope has been expanded to include the implementation of New Jersey’s first County Controlled “Set-Aside” program that is increasing the number of companies owned by Minorities, Women, Veteran, and Small Businesses that are securing contracts with Hudson County.
COMBATING LEAD POISONING (p. 3)
By definition, a “set-aside opportunity” is the reservation of buys for businesses that qualify for certain socio-economic classifications. For any buy, set-asides are selected by the Buyer. Only Sellers that meet required socio-economic set aside for the opportunity can view and bid on the buy for goods and/or services. (Continued on p. 2)
RESILIENCY PARK OPENS (p. 4)
1
PACOAGENCY.ORG/HUDSON-COUNTY-
Lead safe Hudson County
HUD recently awarded the Division of Housing and Community Development $2.4 million in funds to address lead paint hazards. I developed the logo and flyer for the program (right).
Year in Review
Although the last time the Division of Planning produced an annual report was 2013, I developed a Biennial Review of the 2016-2018 activities of the Division. In a twelve-page document, I illustrate who we are, what we’ve been doing, and how well we’ve been doing it. Below is a diagram which outlines the Planning Board applications processed within the two-year time frame, broken down by municipality, application type, and status. Total Applications
Bayonne: 36
Site Plan: 82
Approved: 63
Subdivision: 25
Administratively Approved: 14
Site Plan and Subdivision: 17
Exempt: 101
Jurisdictional Determination: 21
Dismissed: 3
Telecommunications: 51
Pending: 15
Harrison: 6
Hoboken: 23
Jersey City: 65
Kearny: 13
North Bergen: 20
Secaucus: 7
Union City: 14
Weehawken: 3
West New York: 9
RELEVANT EXPERIENCE Jersey City, NJ 8/2017 - Present
Assistant Planner...........................................................................Hudson County, NJ - Carried out administrative tasks related to the County's Open Space Trust Fund, serving as a liaison between municipal and non-profit grant applicants, presenting to the Advisory Board, and producing the Recommendations Report. - Studied and produced the Hackensack Greenway Plan, a draft of which is to be used to partner with bike advocates and municipalities along the waterfront. - Produced various department materials, including the creation of a Newsletter, reinstituted the Year-in-Review Report, and materials for Earth Day celebration. - Served on task force for the JFK Safety Corridor Study, specifically on branding and public engagement.
Cincinnati, OH 8/2016 - 12/2016 1/2016 - 5/2016
Economic development Co-op..............................................Uptown Consortium, Inc.
Cincinnati, OH 5/2015 - 8/2015
Community Planning Co-op........................................................Hamilton County, OH
Anderson Township, OH 8/2014 - 12/2014 1/2014 - 5/2014 Cincinnati, OH 5/2014 - 8/2014
Lebanon, OH 5/2013 - 8/2013
- Implemented YourUptown shop local campaign. Responsible for content creation, which resulted in increased public engagement. - Furthered Uptown Consortium’s economic development initiatives in conjunction with consultants.
- Designed and developed Norwood Economic Development Guide. - Analyzed suitable sites with GIS to implement a rain barrel/garden program.
Planning and zoning Co-op..........................................................Anderson Township
- Produced various documents for township residents and businesses including maps, brochures, and economic development documents. - Managed the annual Anderson Street Trees program by partnering with local residents to increase tree canopy on select residential streets.
Planning Consultant Intern........................................................Urban Fast Forward
- Collected feedback from industry leaders on the City of Cincinnati Land Development Code. - Performed field research for Downtown Cincinnati’s retail district resulting in a visual map of suitable properties for redevelopment.
Regional Planning Commission Intern..............................................Warren County - Worked on a team to amend the Warren County Zoning Code through researching and analyzing emerging regulations and definitions.
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