Master of Science / Department of Landscape Architecture Regional and Community Planning / Huston Gibson / The provision of services in a community is often taken for granted, or done the way things have always been done. It is sensible to examine those practices to see if the system in place is advantageous to all parties involved. This paper examines the forms of municipal trash collection used in the United States and specifically Manhattan, Kansas. This examination includes a literature review of forms of solid waste collection and how informed vs. uninformed consumers act when purchasing goods and services. The specific traits of seven municipal trash service providers in Manhattan are analyzed. The findings of this project include a spread in prices that economic theory alone may not explain. These finding, supported by literature, would suggest that there is a breakdown in the transfer of information between service providers and consumers.

Master of Science / Department of Landscape Architecture/Regional and Community Planning / Stephanie Rolley / Small group creative practice has the potential to set the conditions necessary to develop or strengthen community networks, as a form of social capital, in a disempowered, traumatized community. Traumatized communities require the process of building social capital to begin at an earlier point than in other communities and by addressing the background of trauma first. Case studies of three programs present the opportunity to inform the design of future development work with disempowered, traumatized communities like those of many women in countries engaged in armed conflict. The case studies examined are a government founded shelter for abused women; a localized project to teach agricultural skills; and a project to teach women artistic skills as a therapeutic exercise to build trust levels necessary to increase networks. Social capital provided perspective for examining the bonds between individuals and groups and how they affect individuals’ access to resources. Framed by a literature review, the case studies synthesized literature and first hand experiences and knowledge. A question protocol was used to query the case studies in order to identify best practices. The literature review demonstrated that the most reliable indicators of social capital are trust and association and suggests accepted indicators for each. By querying the case studies, it was determined that best practices for a project designed to build social capital in disempowered, traumatized communities include stipulations on the size of groups, how time is scheduled for informal interaction, identifying indicators of trust, and how conditions for group outcomes were met. This study found that, with an intentional design focus on group outcomes, as well as with attention to other best practices, creative practice is a viable method to increase the levels of trust necessary to set conditions for further development of social capital in the identified communities.

Master of Regional and Community Planning / Department of Landscape Architecture/Regional and Community Planning / Jae Hong Kim / Professional sports stadium development projects are major civic endeavors, and city officials and sports franchises often promise stadiums will generate significant gains in the regional economy. This study examines the effectiveness of stadium development in inducing economic development and urban revitalization by conducting a secondary data analysis, and case study of PNC Park and Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Consistent with prior empirical studies, the secondary data analysis shows that stadium projects do not always produce significant regional economic benefits. A close investigation of the two stadium projects in the North Shore neighborhood of Pittsburgh, however, finds substantially positive effects on investment and physical development at the district level. The present research suggests that stadium developments can be a more powerful urban redevelopment catalyst when consideration is given to four essential factors – location, design, institutional structure, and history and timing.

Master of Regional and Community Planning / Department of Landscape Architecture/Regional and Community Planning / Larry L. Lawhon / Homelessness is an issue facing numerous communities. Additionally, the increasing number of homeless youth is growing at an alarming rate. One potential solution to combating homelessness is transitional housing programs, and specifically programs aimed at assisting youth. The youth transitional housing program addressed in this research is the Crossroads program located in Lansing, Michigan, serving a tri-county area. This research study evaluates the Crossroads program’s success at preparing youth for independent living. The research questions posed for this study were: 1) What is the Crossroads program doing well to assist youth in transitioning into safe and stable housing? and 2) What does Crossroad’s need to improve upon in order to better help youth prepare for independent living? To answer these questions, data was collected through three one-on-one personal interviews with previous and current Crossroads clients to gather their perspective on the success of the program. Interview participants stated that Crossroads staff is the primary positive aspect of the program. Additionally, interview participants felt the program was good overall and had a positive impact on them, but gave a few suggestions for improvements. Interview responses are summarized and a series of conclusions and recommendations drawn to assist Crossroads in increasing their level of service to future program participants. Recommendations range from beginning the job search earlier, to increasing group activities among clients. Conclusions and recommendations are specifically for the Crossroads program and should not be inferred to be applicable to all youth transitional housing programs.

Master of Regional and Community Planning / Department of Landscape Architecture/Regional and Community Planning / Huston Gibson / Green infrastructure is a new term with old principles that address the protection of valuable open space through the use of connected natural areas. Through implementation of green infrastructure, communities can experience environmental, social, and economical benefits such as increased biodiversity, improved human health, and increased property values. In order to determine the specific opportunities and constraints municipalities face when implementing green infrastructure, MetroGreen was examined. MetroGreen is a greenways plan for the Kansas City Metropolitan area. The plan was studied as a whole, as well as in more detail in two different municipalities: Platte County, MO and Lenexa, KS. Eight planners, landscape architects, Park and Recreation employees, and public administrators involved with MetroGreen were interviewed to document their experiences. From these interviews three categories were identified as being closely related to successful implementation of regional green infrastructure: management, education, and funding. It was found that in order to implement green infrastructure successfully, leadership of a civic-advisory group, private entity, or non-profit organization is needed; regional dedicated funding is crucial; principles should relate to broader societal issues such as storm water and health; partnerships should be created at all levels through city, county, and citizen organizations to aid in connectivity; and public support can contribute a significant amount to the progress made. These findings serve as an analysis of regional implementation of green infrastructure, in order for professionals and community members to learn from the experiences of MetroGreen.

Master of Science / Department of Landscape Architecture/Regional and Community Planning / LaBarbara J. Wigfall / Community Capital Framework often provides a foundation for analyzing community development in cities and neighborhoods (Flora & Flora, 2008). However, the relationship between cultural heritage tourism and individual community capitals has been little studied in southern, Arizona. Therefore the primary objective of this study is to determine the most influential capitals at a renowned cultural heritage site in Arizona, Saguaro National Park. For this case study an assessment system will be established to assess the most influential capitals. Robert Stake’s The Art of Case Study Research was used as the research model to examine the relationships between cultural heritage tourism and the individual community capitals at Saguaro National Park. Results from this case study indicated that natural and cultural capitals appear to be the most influential because much of the monument’s development and community outreach revolve around the protection of the site’s Saguaros and their importance as a cultural heritage resource to the indigenous people of the Sonoran desert.

Master of Landscape Architecture / Department of Landscape Architecture/Regional and Community Planning / Mary C. Kingery-Page / Temporary landscapes are an emerging project type with in the field of landscape architecture. Pop-up parks, parklets, and temporary art installations have been gaining media attention and changing notions of open space. Landscape architects need to take a more active role in the planning, design, and execution of these temporary landscapes. Peter Bishop describes temporary land use as “an intentional phase” where the “time-limited nature of the use is generally explicit” (Bishop, 2012, p. 5). This research refines Bishop’s definition by stating temporary landscapes must be intentionally time limited designs of open space. Currently the unorganized variety of projects has impeded landscape architects’ ability to evaluate and learn from these spaces. This research project seeks to understand and synthesize different characteristics of temporary landscapes. A typology was developed by identifying key themes in literature, composing a carefully curated series of precedent studies, participating in the development of a temporary pop-up park in Wichita, Kansas, and developing a matrix that identifies the relationships between temporal types. The products of this research will help planners and designers develop more successful and intentional temporally limited designs.

Master of Science / Department of Landscape Architecture/Regional Community Planning / Stephanie A. Rolley / As bicycle tourists seek interesting experiences along low traffic roads, rural communities are poised to embrace bicycle tourism as a community development strategy. Asset based community development provides a methodology for communities to utilize assets that already exist within their communities to meet the needs of these tourists. The community capitals framework then provides a platform for analyzing and discussing the existing assets, as well as helping hone in on ways communities can develop further. The Sunken Lands region of Northeast Arkansas is one such rural region seeking to embrace bicycle tourism. Two case studies of communities that have capitalized on their existing assets to accommodate bicyclists were completed to explore potential for using the community capitals framework to guide pursuit of bicycle tourism. A snowball approach to interviewing community members in Collinwood, Tennessee and Farmington, Missouri was used to discover the details of bicycle accommodations, the processes of pursuing bicycle tourism, the people and groups involved, the types of assets used, and any challenges faced in implementation. Additionally, existing literature was used to substantiate each case and provide a more robust community picture. Emerging from the case studies were commonalities that aligned with the community capitals framework and Emery and Flora’s (2006) theory that community change is driven by social capital. The result is a tool that aligns community assets with the needs of bicycle tourists with the community capitals framework.

Master of Regional and Community Planning / Department of Landscape Architecture/Regional and Community Planning / Huston Gibson / Often cities are in a perpetual struggle to increase or maintain community development within their districts; how can cities revitalize struggling neighborhoods? How can cities bring energy and life into portions of the downtown? How can cities encourage development for night-time destinations? There is no clear-cut answer to these questions, but this study will examine what amenities within districts may be in the presence of successful music venues. I will determine the district-based criteria for potential venue placement for success based on multiple case studies of different venues located within St. Louis, MO; Omaha, NE; and Indianapolis, IN as described in Yin’s Case Study Research (2009). These case studies will be compared using the community capital framework (Green & Haines, 2012) using a matrix based upon a) social, b) physical, c) financial, and d) cultural capitals. Each study will contain both qualitative and quantitative analysis in order to tell the story of each district for more comprehensive analysis.

Master of Science / Department of Architecture / David R. Seamon / Kamaiya is a system of Nepalese agriculture bonded labor. In typical wage labor, one can enter or withdraw from the labor market as an independent agent; in the case of bonded labor, however, a worker cannot control his or her labor power. The Kamaiyas were liberated by the Nepalese government in 2000, and promised land to build houses. Without enough money for construction, however, many of these “ex-Kamaiyas,” as they are now called, are without housing or live in sub-standard units. This thesis examines the housing possibilities for the ex-Kamaiyas and aims at creating basic guidelines for planning and designing low-cost, self-help housing. The thesis is an attempt to design affordable and environmentally responsive housing that draws on Nepalese vernacular traditions but incorporates some modern materials and construction methods. The research and designs are based on interviews with ex-Kamaiyas living in the Nepalese villages of Tesanpur, Janatanagar, and Bhuri Gaun. The thesis serves as a guide for non-profit organizations working to provide housing for the ex-Kamaiyas and consists of guidelines, termed “design patterns,” for laying out ex-Kamaiya neighborhoods and for designing and constructing individual houses. The thesis also provides step-by-step construction guidelines for building the houses. The thesis’s last chapter evaluates the proposed housing system and identifies strengths and weaknesses.