2007 "Claiming A Street Named King" Final Report for Georgia Clients Council about MLK Parkway in...

8/3/2019 2007 "Claiming A Street Named King" Final Report for Georgia Clients Council about MLK Parkway in Athens, GA

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Claiming a Street Named King

The following individuals have contributed to this significant community experience

Julia Menefield, East Athens Development

Ac

v a orn on, eorg a en s ounc

Terrence Dicks, GCCKirby Turner, GCC

Robert Lee, GCC

Corporation

Tracy Smith, TRACO MediaKeith McNeeley, Athens Clarke Departmentof Human and Economic Development

nowle

Juanita Johnson, GCC

Gwen Littleton, GCC

Stephanie Hall, GCC

Keith Johnson, GCC

o revena, ens ar e epar men oHuman and Economic Development

UGA Graduate Class, Spring 2006geme

Cory Thornton, GCC

Alvin Sheats, GCC

Elizabeth Arnett Maura OMalley

Gretchen Gigley Katherine Parent

Laura Hayden Richard Simpson

Kristina H land Christo her S arnicht tsRyan Johnson Sarah ThompsonMarielle Lumang Erin Williams

Charles Muffitt Joseph Williamson

This report was compiled and written by Dr. Mary AnneAlabanza Akers, Associate Professor at the Universityof Georgia School of Environmental Design (SED).The report contents are ideas and opinions of theauthor and graduate students involved and do not

Page i

c ae c ar nreflect the viewpoint of UGA nor SED. For moreinformation about this report, please contact Dr. Akers

at [email protected].


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Table of Contents

Ta

..

Purpose of the Report 3

Background Information.....5

le

of

The Research Process9

MLK Parkway Case Study13

Research Methods.14onten

Secondary Research.15

Physical Inventory..22

s..

Participatory Techniques..42

Behavior Mapping..47

Page ii

Conclusion..51

References.53


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The project, Claiming a Street Named King,started when Ms. Ovita Thornton, GCC Executive

. ,

Chair approached me about the need for a studyon MLK streets in Georgia. Mr. Terrence had justread two pivotal publications on this topic and was

Introd

-would revitalize these streets. After muchdiscussion, we agreed that the first step towards

reaching this mission is to conduct an inventoryction

.limited resources and time, we decided to focuson one MLK street in Athens, Georgia as a pilotproject. This street served as our model in

-framework for other groups to use.

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I designed the MLK project so that it served both GCCand university students. As part of a graduate classin the Spring semester of 2006, I incorporate thisservice learning project to teach graduate studentshow to conduct community research.

Landscape Architecture 6540 (Ideas of Community) isa required class for graduate students in the UGA

Introd

.relationship between people and their physical andnatural environments. In order to examine these

dynamic processes, I felt that students needed toGraduate students and GCC members c

tion

project provided this opportunity.

To benefit GCC, I invited members to participate in allthe class activities (i.e.,lectures, discussions, and field

work). The class experience was enriched with GCCmembers and other community representatives whoattended many of our activities. It was indeed aneducational and inspiring encounter between students

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and the community. I look forward to collaboratingwith GCC on other future projects.

Dr. Mary Anne Alabanza Akers


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Purp

s repor summar zes e resu s o a commun y researc process a

involved gathering planning data that can be used for the revitalization ofMartin Luther King, Jr. Parkway in Athens, Georgia. The reader shouldnote that this process is applicable to any street, neighborhood or district." If you want to o

se

of

s espec a y use u o groups w o es re o eve op e r owngrassroots plan. The report will, specifically, do the following tasks:

Present a research framework that groups can use to find out moreabout their h sical and natural environments for the re aration of

know how

the shoe fits, ask

the person who is theRe

community-driven revitalization plans;

Describe the research methods used in obtaining data on the MLKParkway in Athens

,

one who made it."

ort

Show the results of the research process and its practical application

Provide practical tips in conducting community-based research.

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Two individuals have paved the way for others to learn and understandthe conditions of MLK streets throughout the United States. Jonathan

Back

, ,

King: Travels on Black Americas Main Street, which documents hisjourney visiting about 650 MLK streets, avenues and boulevards acrossAmerica. He interviewed residents that lived or hung out along MLK

rou

nd

,about their lives. The product was a vivid description of a people,revealing the soul of Black America.

Inform

Dr. Derek H. Alderman, Associate Professor of Geography at EastCarolina University has published many articles about the politics ofstreet naming and commemoration of Dr. Martin Luther Kings historical

ation

. ,http://personal.ecu.edu/aldermand/

Commemorative street naming is an important vehicle for bringing the past into the

present, helping weave history into the geographic fabric of everyday life.

Page 4

Dr. Derek Alderman


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Back

rou

ndInform

ation

The UGA class and GCC members speak to Jonathan Tilove and Derek Alderman viaa conference call. Please visit (http://mlk.greenman.us/general/conference-call.html) for atranscription of our discussion.

Page 5


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Street Naming for King: Elements Considered in the Process

The naming of Martin Luther King, Jr. roadways is not without controversy.In selectin which street is to be named a cit has to contend with voices

Back

that represent different groups. Many African American leaders, for

example, want a widely traveled street, but business owners oppose thename change because of the inconvenience it brings, such as cost ofre rintin advertisements stationar etc Within the black communit ro

u

nd

debates arise on whether the street should be in a predominantly AfricanAmerican area or in a neutral district to remind the larger community of

Dr. Kings contribution to American society. Furthermore, as the selectionof streets are narrowed to a few, communit leaders continue to ask Inform

questions: What streets symbolize the values of the black community? Atwhat scale should this commemoration take place ----- a block, severalblocks, and how many miles? While considering these questions, however,cities and towns are able to move ahead with namin their streets after the

ation

great man. Motions are passed by city councils, streets signs change,telephone directories are printed with the new name, and life moves on.But what type of life goes on? What characterize these places? Who arethe eo le livin there? This re ort addresses the uestion and rovides

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communities with tools to learn more about their local MLK environments.


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Basic facts about MLK streets

Back

, . ,Jr.

A significant proportion of these streets are found in the Southeast but other regions likethe Midwest and Middle Atlantic areas, as well as the state of California, have

rou

nd

concentrations of MLK streets. (Please see Figure 1)

Southern states account for 77% of all MLK streets.

Street naming is highest in Mississippi and lowest in Virginia. Inform

Many MLK streets in 11 Southern states are found in relatively smaller communities.The median population size for cities with MLK streets range from 4,500 to about 5,500people.

ation

Most MLK census tracts have high black populations, with an average of 65% blackresidents.

The per capita income of MLK census tracts are much lower than the average city per

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, ,

These facts were taken from Alderman, Derek. 2000. A Street Fit for a King: Naming Places

and Commemoration in the American South. Professional Geographer 52(4):672-684.


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There is a road that wends its way through the heart and soul of black

America. It may be called a boulevard, a drive, an avenue, a street, or a

wa but it is alwa s names Martin Luther Kin .

Back

Jonathan Tilove inAlong Martin Luther King: Travels on Black Americas Main Street

rou

ndInform

ation

Source: Alderman, Derek. 2000. A Street Fit for a King: Naming Places and Commemoration in the

American South. Professional Geographer 52(4):672-684. Page 8


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The Value of Community-Based Research

The

Why is it important to conduct research? The answer lies in acommon belief that Knowledge is Power. For a community todevelop a grassroots revitalization plan, it must first understand its

esear

, ,challenges. Citizens rely on data provided by the government. Mostgovernment information is useful but can also be limited. For the

most part, various levels of government gather data to describe ahPro

intimate details to capture a communitys soul. Community-basedresearch, on the other hand, produces factual clues that residentsgather themselves. Empowerment occurs when they are able tointer ret the information and use it to take roactive ste s towards

ess

improving their conditions.

" " --

Page 9

. . . .


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TheCommunity-based research is:

1. Grassroots-drivenesear

2. Collaborative and involves all partners

3. A systematic process of collecting information

hPro

.

5. Reflective

6. A co-learning and empowering process for all participants

ess7. An experience that should lead to action

Page 10


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The community-based research (also referred to as participatory

action research) is not a linear process but a cyclical one.

The

esearhPro

ess

Page 11Source: http://www.communitysolutions.com.au/images/topimage2.JPG


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The MLK project entailed a similar process as illustrated below.

The

Research Question: What are the features of

the MLK Parkway in Athens?

esear

Prepared a research plan for each of thecomponents (i.e., history, physicalinventory, social behavior)

Developedrecommendations

hPro

Conducted field work (i.e., personalinterviews, behavior mapping, secondary

Reflected on the findings with GCC andcommunity members

ess

Analyzed the data

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The Martin Luther King Parkway in Athens, Georgia wasselected as a first case stud for the Claimin a StreetNamed M

LKP

King Project because of its proximity to the University of

Georgia (UGA). Existing relationships between UGA andcommunity-based organizations (i.e., Georgia Clients Counciland East Athens Develo ment Cor oration facilitated the a

rkwa

process. Personal ties between representatives from theseorganizations and residents along MLK proved beneficial to theUGA project.

Case

that parallels the eastern bank of the North Oconee river. Thisriver is a traditional boundary between East Athens andAthens. The Downtown and University of Georgia campus are

tudy

.roadways, the Parkway in Athens has significant naturalfeatures that contribute to its overall aesthetic quality.

MLK Parkway in Athens

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-

Re

,observation techniques to expensive surveys. They can involve a one hour focusgroup to a year immersion in the community. Depending on the issue or questions athand, the researcher can pick and choose the most appropriate techniques. For the

earch

,selected:

Secondary research (collecting information and data from other sources)

Metho

Personal interviews with old time residents of MLK Parkway

Behavior mapping (a systematic way to observe people in a particular

sThis report focuses on each of these methods and their respective results.

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Sec

The first step in undertaking community-based research isto define the project area. It is imperative that the MartinLuther King street neighborhood be defined spatially. Speak

Oconee River

ndary

with residents, not-for-profit organizations, business owners,

and other area stakeholders. Take note, however, thatresidents and stakeholders concept of boundaries may notmatch with the official governments designations.

MLK

ParkwayResea

Consensus must be reached, therefore, in defining theproject area.

The planning office and department unit responsible for

(dark line)

rch:Pr

. ., ,HOME, etc are important local government offices toapproach. In the case of Athens, the Human and EconomicDevelopment (HED) Department manages such programs.

jectA

inconsistent definition with peoples concept of what blocksand street comprise the MLK area. The governmentconsiders the larger East Athens community as its target

re

aPage 15

,portion of the entire area. In most cases, community groups

simply follow the local governments designation


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Se

Mapping is recommended in all phases ofresearch and planning. A visual representationof the MLK street and neighborhood provides

ondar

n orma on a can e un ers oo . or

consistency, a base map should be used for allother maps (i.e., circulation, vegetation, land use,etc...).

Rese

Maps that show the individual property parcelsand topography can usually be obtained from the

local government planning office, a Regional arch:

eve opmen en er, or e proper y axcollectors office of the municipality that yourstudy area is located in.

aseM

,depending on the type of information you arepresenting. The map on the left was our basemap of East Athens with MLK Parkway outlined

p

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.


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Se

ondarRe

seMLK Parkway

rch:A

erialM

Aerial map for MLKParkway

ap

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You may want to obtain an aerial map through Google Earth. This map shows detailsof a site including building footprints, trees, parking spaces, and even walkways. Go

to http://earth.google.com/ and download the free version of Google Earth.


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SAnother important element of conducting secondary research is obtaining censusinformation about the MLK area. The United States Census reports all manner of important

cond

, , ,education. This information can help you assess the situation of your MLK neighborhood farbeyond what word-of-mouth and observation can reveal. By comparing current and past data,you can learn the direction your area is headed or where it had been in the past. The most

ryR

es

.

arch:

ensus raccovers East Athens.

Censu

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SThis information is available online throughcond

www.census.gov.

The American FactFinder contains

Census Data on the Internet

ryR

es

data from 1990 to the present. Amongsome of its detailed informationinclude:

arch:

Housing

Economic indicators

Censu

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SA property survey is the next step in the process. Knowing yourNeighborhoods Economic Character Can Help You Answer Some VeryIm ortant Questions. c

onda

How is land on my MLK street currently being used?How can this street be developed or preserved?How much are mine and m nei hbors ro erties worth? y

R

es

S

ur

Who are the people living on my street, and how can they help or hurt myneighborhood?How do I lessen the impact of gentrification?

arch:

eyA property survey is a review of the properties in a neighborhood. It looks at

zoning, property values, property sales, occupancy status and land use.

To Find Pro ert Information, includin values, sales, and taxes visit ourroper

countys Tax Assessor's office or website.

To Find Occupancy Information refer to a Polk City Directory, a publishedsource that ives detailed information about businesses and residential y

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properties. Your local library would probably have this resource.


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S

Property InformationSite Address: 430 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.ParkwayParcel Number: 163D4 F002

Example of Information in a PropertySurvey

c

onda

on ng: es en a

Owner InformationName: Robert FlaniganMailin Address: 430 Dr. Martin Luther Kin y

R

es

S

ur

Jr. ParkwayAthens, GA 30601

Assessed Value a

rch:

ey

,Improvement Value: $80,651

Accessory Value: $0Total Value: $97,092

roper

Sales Since 1991 (the last 15 years)Sale Date Price05-01-1991 $50,370

y

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93% increase in value since the last knownsale

Owner Occupied? Yes


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PLand use plans, which includes a colorful Although your MLK street has a general land

ysical

,local planning office or Regional Development

Center (RDC). In many cities, you candownload the plan from a government

,a parcel by parcel inventory of the functions

for each property.

The first step is to note the streetInv

en

.development decisions are based on specificdesignations. The spatial locations for land

use classifications (e.g., residential,

address of each parcel on the base map.(For vacant parcels, assign an address thatwould fall between the addresses of adjacent

properties). ory:L

, ,indicated in the map. For example, yourcommunity may be surprised that a lightmanufacturing plant suddenly locates close to

Conduct a street by street survey of thestudy area by describing the ACTUAL landuse of each parcel. Classify each property

ndUs

.

caught off guard because they are not awareof the citys land use plan. When you collectland use information, make sure you have

.

Residents of the neighborhood know theland uses in their neighborhood better thananyone and make the best surveyors or

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.resources for verifying survey results.


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P

Single Family ResidentialMultifamily Residential (How many units?)Institutional (What type? Church, hospital,

Map showing results of a land use survey for a fewparcels along the Athens MLK Parkway.

ysical

, - ,government office?)Educational (Is it an elementary, middle orhigh school?)

Inv

en

store, retail shop, gas station, etc?)Industrial (Is it light, medium or heavy?)

Public open space (Is it a park or ory:L

Government use (describe)Utility (Is it a waste water facility or anothertype of service facility?

ndUs

Other (describe in detail)

In all the above uses, take note whether the

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.signs of occupancy can be seen, ask neighbors,property managers or residents for help in verifying

if a property is vacant.


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Zoning is a planning tool that allowslocal governments to regulate sitelayout, characteristics of structures,

hysic

and the use of the property.

Building heights, setbackrequirements, placement ofdriveways, floor area ratio, and

lIn

ve

other specific regulations are allpart of a zoning ordinance.

tory:

oning

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Image Source: http://www.ar.utexas.edu/Preservation/images/p2_cc_01.jpg


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Obtain information about the topography of your MLK site.This information is useful for communities on septic systems and

P

hysi

those in floodplains, like the MLK Parkway in Athens. It is also

needed in the planning of greenspaces (e., parks andplaygrounds) or for neighborhood landscape design projects.

alIn

ve

Use the base map, which has contour lines, to measure theslopes. Slope is equal to the difference in elevation divided bythe distance in which that change takes place. On a contour

map, find out what the elevation difference is between each ntory:

contour (the contour interval). Draw a line between the twocontours and divide the contour interval by the length of thisline. This will produce the slope along that line between the twocontour lines. By drawing lines at set distances apart (10-25)

lope

and measuring their slope, you can develop a sense of theoverall slope of a site. Use this method to find the slopesbetween the contours on maps of your study area.

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P

hysialIn

ventory:

lope

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hysic

It is important to identify the conditions of your natural environment.This information is useful so that the community can decide what to dowith the natural vegetation ---- conserve it as a resource or designate

lInve

Veget

ow mpac uses on ese proper es. s or e p rom a oca o an s ,ecologist, urban forester or local parks department professional.

Using natural history guidebooks for your region, note on a map the tory:

tion

.guidebook should list the plant communities of your area (for example,in Georgia, plant communities include Flood Plain, Mid-Slope, Mesic,and Ridge top communities. Reference example: Plant Communities of

atural

. ,

www.gnps.org/Gray.pdf).

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hysic

This map shows the type

of vegetation on MLKParkway. As indicated,

lInve

Veget

vegetation, a plus for anyneighborhood. Thisnatural feature enhances

tory:

tion

residents.

atural

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PUsing the base map with tax parcels, conduct astreet by street survey of the buildings in the MLKstreet. Note the h sical condition of the

Category 2 -Building is stable, not new, butnot dilapidated. Paint, roof, foundation,windows, and structure are basically sound

ysicalI

building, categorizing them on a scale of 1 to 3,

with 1 being in a ruinous state and 3 being likenew.

but are showing signs of wear or age. Signs

of age or wear include roof shingles that arefading or starting to curl in places, roofing tinthat may need painting or be loose in a few

ventory

The criteria to help you categorize the state of eachbuildin can be as follows:

places, paint that is faded or starting to peelsome, evidence of some structuraldeterioration (such as minor wood rot, siding

that is warped). :Buildi

Category 1 - Building is in great shape, as if it werenew, with no visible maintenance needs. Paint is inexcellent condition, roof is new or nearl new with

Category 3 - Building is visibly deterioratedor dilapidated. Many visible signs of decay ordamage to the structure. Things to look for

gSurve

no problems visible, foundation is in good repair,windows are whole and well maintained, and thereare no visible signs of decay in the building.

include: paint that is peeling badly or gone;holes in roofs; roofing tiles or tin that isdamaged or badly decayed; foundations thatare slumping or collapsing; walls, siding, y

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porches or other structural elements that arevisibly decayed in a way that threatens the

structure.


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Ph

To identify histor ic structures in the study area you will require the services of someone withexperience in the field of Historic Preservation or Architectural History. Ask for help from thelocal lannin office a historic reservation rou or colle e with a ro ram in either Historic y

s

icalIn

Preservation or Architectural History.

To help with estimating the ages of buildings, ask for help from long-term residents of thenei hborhood or useful references such as the followin ublications: v

ento

ry

Inven

A Field Guide to American Houses by Virginia and Lee A. McAlester;What Style Is It?: A Guide to American Architecture by John C. Poppeliers & S. Allen Chambers

For each street in our stud area, note b address whether each buildin is estimated to be lessHistori

tory

than or more 50 years old. For the buildings estimated to be more than 50 years old, note anapproximate date of construction for the building and an architectural style/period for thatbuilding. Evaluate the condition of the buildings estimated to be more than 50 years old, on ascale of 1 to 3, with 1 bein in a ruinous state, 2 bein avera e and 3 bein like new. Assess

Buildi

whether the building is occupied, or empty, or if visibly abandoned. Map the results of yoursurvey by showing on your map one color for the tax parcels that have buildings estimated to beover 50 years old, and another color for parcels with buildings estimated to be newer than 50ears in a e. g

Page 31


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Ph

Map showing Historic Properties in the MLK Parkway

ys

icalInvento

ry

InvenHistori

tory

BuildiListing of Historic Properties and

their Evaluation g

Page 32


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Ph

An inventory report that contains detailed information about each historic structure is important.

ys

icalIventory

inven:Histori

tory

building

Page 33


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You need to identify and map the utilities inyour MLK site. Due to greater security, mapsof utilities are generally not available to the P

hysi

I

public. However, a survey can still turn up

where the study area is generally served by autility.

alIn

ve

nfra

str

Contact the business or government office thatis responsible for the following utilities:Electricity, Water, Sewer, Natural Gas and

Cable. ntory:

ucture

Make a table that describes the extent ofservice for each of the five utilities listedabove. If geographic service in your study

tility

area is partial, map the general area servedversus the area(s) not served, using differentcolors on you map to distinguish betweenserved and unserved areas.

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To identify the physical facilities for moving aroundin your study area, either on foot or driving, map each P

Sidewalks: Location of public sidewalks and theircondition, on a scale of 1 to 3.

y

sicalI

, ,uncracked walking surfaces;

Category 2: average, being generally safe

to walk on with few cracks or uneven edge;

nventor

Infra

str,

cracks, and/or uneven walking surfaces.:Trans

ucture

ortatio

Page 35

MLK Parkway


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PStreets: Note the hierarchy of the streets, using these typical planning categories:

y

sicalI

Local residential street (for accessing residences, with a speed limit of 25 mph)

Collector street (collects traffic from local residential streets, with a speed limit of25-30 mph)

nventor

Infra

str

activities on it, with a speed limit of 25-30 mph)Thoroughfare/Arterial (connects neighborhoods and districts of a community withone another with a speed limit of 30-55 mph)

:Trans

ucture

ortatio

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Local streets connecting to MLK Parkway


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Show on the base map the bus routeswith bus stops, streetcar lines with stops, P

hysic

heavy rail mass transit lines with stationsand station entrances.

alIn

ve

rans

ptory:

rtation

ublic

Public transportation routes serving the

Page 37


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Phy

Traffic volume is an important planning element because it impacts the quality ofthe street and adjacent neighborhoods. Visit your local government transportation

icalIn

. ,create 3-5 categories based upon trip volume. These categories will rank the trip

date from high to low, based upon the volume of trips.

ventor:Traff

icVolume

Page 38


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Oral history is comprised of people sharing their life through

memories and stories. It is about experiencing the history of an area bylistening to those who have lived in the area since their childhood. Oralhistory is important in researching your MLK district because it is a way tofind out how the community used to be based on personal experiences. Ithelps those who are trying to learn about an area to visualize, through

ral

Hi

stories, how a place was like in the past.

tories

prominent community elders. Someexamples of these may be church leaders, orcaptains of neighborhood or community

project to help stay on topic as it issometimes easy for the respondents to getoff track when recalling memories of their

.

prefer to remain anonymous and if so,respect their wish to not be named in thereport. However, this is valuable information

.

possible questions could be: What is yourfondest memory of the neighborhood? Howhas this area changed since you were

Page 39

.


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Interview at a time and place that are mostconvenient for them. Include a map of wherethe respondent lives in the report.

ecor n erv ew w au o recor er or video camera. Be sure to test the

equipment before the interview to makesure the quality is good.

ral

Hi

Confirm the historical facts by a secondarymeans. This may be done on the Internet,

tories

,through other people. Transcribe interview for others to read.

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C S


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On this st reet, it was like a family. There were some white families over there, but we

. .

Mrs. Beullah Devenport, resident of MLK Parkway

ral

Hi

A covered bridge has been moved.

Height of MLK road was raised. tories

Farming was practiced by a lot of neighbors. The community buildings that were there included a church, school, postoffice/bank and corner store. It was a real community where blacks and whites lived and interacted witheach other. There was a small red light district at one of the intersections of MLKParkway.

Page 41

Cl i i S N d Ki


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In order to create a design which effectively addresses the needs of a community or itsrevitalization process, the communitys needs must be understood. User needs assessment

P

artic

processes. Each community has particular traits that influence how the community uses

outdoor space. Communities may differ within themselves. People on one block may use acommunity park primarily for childrens play while people a few blocks away may use

pato

ry

.

There are several techniques available to assess the needs of a communi ty like aMartin Luther King St. corridor or neighborhood. In order to choose the appropriate

techniques (often it is important to use more than one technique), the kind of information Techn

required must be decided on and specified. For example, is it more important to know whatpeople will do in a space, how they will feel in a space, or how they will interact with aspace? Other important preliminary questions to settle before choosing user needsassessment strategies are cost of running the assessment, whether the technique needs to

ques

be easily duplicated elsewhere, and whether the strategy is to be used to accomplish othercommunity goals like neighborhood education or the development of neighborhoodorganizations.

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Cl i i St t N d Ki


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User needs assessment strategies can be divided into four broad categories Town Meetingstrategies, Interviews, Questionaires, and Observation. All of these techniques provide feedback from the community about what they do, how they feel, and/or how they will interact with

P

artic

various outdoor spaces. When assessing the needs of a linear space like a Martin LutherKing Street corridor, it is often necessary to assess the needs of the community at differentlocations along the corridor. For example, if the street stretches from a primarily businessoriented community to a residential community, the community needs at one end may be very ip

ato

ry

different from the needs at the other end.

The Nei hborhood Forum is robabl

Town Meetings

techni

the best example. It is a public meetingopen to all community members. It canbe very useful for determining userreferences, but cannot effectivel

The Panel Discussion gives anopportunity for neighborhood education. Itis made up of community members whoare given several alternatives and must

ques

answer questions about existingproblems because information obtainedin a neighborhood forum is limited tothose who choose to attend which ma

c oose or crea e a p an o so ve a

particular problem. It is best if panelmembers are community residents whoare able to explain the concepts and the

not represent a cross section of thewhole neighborhood.

a van ages an sa van ages o eacalternative to the community at large.

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Cl i i St t N d Ki


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Brainstorming is generally used byThe Buzz Session is like

P

artic

small design groups to generate

alternative solutions. Duringbrainstorming negative criticism is notallowed, the sky is the limit for

five people. It is more informal, less

directed , and can uncover userpreferences in a random manner.

pato

ry

solutions, more ideas are better, ideasgenerated should be improved on bythe group. Brainstorming does not

provide an accurate assessment of Synectics can help groups to Techn

users needs because so few peopleparticipate. However, it can be used toprovide alternatives to present thecommunity at large. To be the most

maximize their creativity. Howeverit requires considerableprofessional training to effectivelyuse.

ques

effective, the brainstorming leader mustbe sensitive to members ideas andmust be able to keep the group focusedon a clearly defined goal.

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Role Playing is frequently used in small groups to see how different setsof community members feel about a space, interact in a space or do in a

P

artic

. ,future uses, and resolving conflicts over the use of a space. It can also

be used to further community education. However, it is fairly expensive,can only be used in small groups, and is not very versatile.

pato

ry

Gaming allows community members to express their preferences in a model of reality.There are several neighborhood design games such as POP and SOS. Gaming can be

very useful for setting goals and self-education by community members, however Techn

pro ess ona a s necessary w c ncrease e cos an p ayers mus e ra ne ouse the games developed.

ques

Town meeting techniques often do not automatically reach across section of the community. Some effort must be made togather information from all types of community members.

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Interviews

QuestionnairesP

artic

Interviews are done by trained field workers

using a set of questions designed to determineactivity patterns, feelings, desires or values.Interviewing can be expensive, but is useful in

Questionnaires, like interviews, aremost useful in problem definition and

pato

ry

defining problems and analyzing existingspaces. Interviewing takes considerable time,but if an accurate cross section of the

community is interview it can create a fairly

.the questionnaires must be returned tobe analyzed and not everyone willanswer. To get valid information

Techn

accurate projections about the communitysneeds. If designed by at professional, theinterviews information should be easy toanalyze. Interviews can be informal which is

and reachable.

ques

prompted by the situation or guided which ismade up of a series of open-ended questions.

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Observation

Be

Observation techniques will not effectively define how people feel in a space, but theyare very useful in determining user needs and preferences from behavior. Professionalaid is re uired to develo a ood s stematic and recise observation techni ue. h

avior

Observers must be professionally trained. Observation will not generate ideas, setgoals, give alternatives, makes choices, or resolve conflicts. Administration ofobservation techniques can be time consuming, but they can be easily duplicated from

one communit to the next. A ood rule is to do some reliminar observation before Mappi

beginning in order to determine what types of activities occur and should be recorded.Some common observation categories include: people and their activities, access points(gates, driveways, doorways, street crossings), circulation (roads, drives, sidewalks),maintenance and securit .

g

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Behavior Mapping on MLK Parkway

Be

Our study was a preliminary observation

study using activity, interaction, andecological mapping observation

We observed from 8am to 10pmon February 23, 2006 in two hourshifts. There were 16 observers h

avior

.Pantry gas station on the northeastcorner of North Ave and Martin LutherKing Jr. Parkway.

over the course of 14 hours. Therewere at least two observers ineach two hour shift. All observers

stood in the same location and Mappi

received maps of the location andrecordings sheets detailing theinformation to collect.

g

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Be

Pantry:

WalkingJogging

havior

Getting GasVisiting the Golden PantryBiking

Mappi

Visiting with friendsThrowing trash awayPutting air in tires

g

Fixing tailgate

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BehaviorMappi

g

Page 50Map showing results of observing the MLK Golden Pantry



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Claiming a Street Named KingConcl

What do all this data and information mean? Communities will be empowered ifthey develop the skills in collecting evidence about an issue. Having theability to conduct research should not only be an academic past time.Communities like the MLK district nei hborhoods should ac uire and then u

sion

refine their abilities to engage in collecting facts and stories about their own

areas. Grassroots activities, such as planning for revitalization projects, isempowering to the extent that residents and stakeholders have theknowled e to en a e in a s stematic rocess of in uir . With this n

dRe

knowledge, communities are armed with their own data and can presentsuch valuable information in defending their interests.

The following are our recommendations for groups who desire to undertake a comm

s u y o e r s ree :

1. Seek grant funding from various sources to support your communityresearch activity. Agencies to approach include the US Department ofHousin and Urban Develo ment Geor ia De artment of Communit

ndatio

Affairs, and your local government. Other institutions to ask are privatefoundations, nonprofit organizations, and philanthropic individuals.

2. Ask your local government to create a program similar to the Main Streetns

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Claiming a Street Named KingConcl

usion

. o a ora e w a co ege or un vers y a s n eres e n serv ce earn ngactivities. These types of partnerships benefit both the MLK neighborhood

and university community.

4. Build a stron relationshi with our local lannin de artment or re ionalndRe

development center because they are your primary source of information.Furthermore, they are staffed with trained professionals who can assist youin developing and implementing your research agenda.

comm

. o c w esprea par c pa on rom e commun y. ease o noexpect others to do the task for you. It is essential that the communityinitiate and control the process.

ndations

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References

ers, ary nne a anza. . ommun y esearc anParticipatory Techniques: A Framework for Teaching Planning and

Design. Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture ConferenceProceedings, pp.1-10.

Refer

Alderman, Derek. 2000. A Street Fit for a King: Naming Places andCommemoration in the American South. Professional Geographer52(4):672-684.

nces

erman, ere . . ree ames as emor a renas: eReputational Politics of Commemorating Martin Luther King Jr. in aGeorgia County. Historical Geography. 30: 99-120.

Alderman, Derek. 2003. Street Names and the Scalin of Memor :The Politics of Commemorating Martin Luther King Jr., within theAfrican American Community. Area 35(2): 163-173.

Tilove, Jonathan. 2003. Along Martin Luther King: Travels on Black

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