Thesis (M.C.P.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning, 1982. / MICROFICHE COPY AVAILABLE IN ARCHIVES AND ROTCH / by Neil Ray Klopfenstein. / M.C.P.

Thesis (M. Arch.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Architecture, 1981. / MICROFICHE COPY AVAILABLE IN ARCHIVES AND ROTCH. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 101-102). / The thesis studies the changing direction of Detroit's central downtown shopping street, Woodward Avenue. During the last two decades, Woodward Avenue has lost most of its retail market to suburban shopping centers. The downtown shopping district needs a physical design improvement, as well as economic help. Currently, there are various ongoing and proposed projects to help the Woodward Avenue shopping district: a Woodward Avenue pedestrian mall with trees and street furniture, a subway with Woodward A venue stations, and an enclosed shopping center. While these projects have the potential to greatly influence Woodward Avenue, they need to be lightly integrated with the existing street to truly help the business district. Perhaps most important, the proposed shopping center should be an active ingredient of the streetscape, rather than an introverted entity. The thesis design proposal attempts to integrate the various projects into a system of related improvements which reinforce the street. / by Philip Strickland Lewis. / M.Arch.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2001. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 201-213).

This dissertation investigates the links between economic and spatial trends, with particular emphasis on office decentralisation in Durban. It focuses on globalisation and its effect on economic processes, how these have impacted on the spatial structure of cities, and whether the current changes in the economy and nature of work as opposed to environmental factors such as crime and grime, are causes of decentralising activity. This study looks at three case studies internationally, that of Glasgow, Rotterdam and Johannesburg, which give perspective on, not only the problems associated with the decline in manufacturing, but also how these cities have realigned themselves spatially into the new global economy. In the case of Johannesburg, the difficulties inherited from the apartheid era and the nature of urbanisation in the post-apartheid era are investigated, which have resulted in a fundamental restructuring of the Central Business District. Finally, the case of Durban, with particular emphasis on the area of La Lucia ridge to the north of the city is the focus area for research into office decentralisation, and the links between environmental and economic factors. The current restructuring of the CBD and its problems are highlighted, and the reasons for decentralising activity are explored in the light of the changing nature of work and the economy. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of Natal, 2001.

Downtown Vancouver is becoming a spectacular place. Reflecting dominant trends found in many restructuring Canadian cities, its landscape has become increasingly aestheticized, privatized, consumption-based, and regulated. Since the late-1960s, boosters have worked to strengthen Vancouver's position in the international scene by staging it as a world class city, an inviting and exciting destination. To attract desired publics, downtown has been framed as the alluring gateway, the spectacular centre, the glittering jewel of Vancouver. Making this convivial centre—which I call Happyland—has involved remaking and reimaging downtown to 'upgrade' its perceived 'decay'. Like many North American central cities in the 1960s, with the advent of suburbanization and general economic decline, downtown Vancouver's role as the major shopping and entertainment centre of 'respectable' citizens seriously waned. New landscapes took shape as into the marginalizing spaces new publics made their places and inscribed their cultures. Parts of downtown became widely stigmatized as degraded and neglected, as taken over by 'undesirables'. Thus, making Happyland has largely been about 'civilizing' downtown—involving not only dramatic redevelopment, but also heavy marketing and increased policing. I read the remaking of downtown—Robson and Granville Streets in particular—by analyzing the changing landscape, local media, City decisions, place marketing, and the voices of various actors from multiple sources, including personal interviews. While the dominant narrative celebrates an urban renaissance, I argue that downtown is being purified, whereby a tightly scripted order is being fixed in which certain people, cultures, signs are 'out of place' and subjected to increasing levels of regulation. In particular, street youth have been identified as 'pests' who 'spoil' the desired clean, ordered, happy image. I see the demonization of street youth as reflecting wider relations of power. I argue that the narrative of Happyland, the dominant public culture being fixed downtown excludes other narratives, experiences, visions. Street youth narratives—from personal interviews and their own writings in a local 'zine—are testimony of this diversity. I argue that for this city and society to be truly inclusive and livable, as the rhetoric claims, such voices of citizens have to be given space and validity.

There were two starting points for this Creative Project. First, the idea of integrating photography in the design process, not only as a means of later documentation, but as a creative tool. This is a relatively new and unexplored field, thus few resources about the topic could be found. However, I was sure that this unique approach to design was worth exploration and decided to pursue it.The other idea came from research on revitalization of downtown areas which was triggered by my initial confusion and reorientation in a different culture where so ma-iv of the characteristics of urbanity were missing that I was so used to. The changes that have occurred in America's historic centers today are usually considered unavoidable and have resulted in a lifeless downtown area that seems to be the normal status. I believe that this is not just the decay of an important district of the town but, more importantly, the total loss of communication on a human level where the spatial demands of the automobile have become more important than human interaction.With those two ideas in mind I was searching for a site that would fit both. I have been living in Muncie. Indiana, long enough to understand the daily routine of the town, and the search for ideas that would lead to a change here was constantly on my grind. After some research on the entire downtown area I found an appropriate site and developed a proposal that integrates both my ideas and creates a vision of what could be. / Department of Architecture

Winamac, Indiana is a small, rural town, much like many rural towns. The community is full of pride and heritage, while the downtown is full of vacancies. The National Main Street Program, founded by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, has proven a successful strategy for downtown revitalization. This study examined the current market place for Winamac using an in-depth market analysis. Demographics, trends, perceptions, clusters, sales leakages and many other aspects of the market place were studied. It was found that many aspects of the current market could be improved. The data collected and conclusions drawn from the market analysis lead into a Main Street Winamac Plan. This plan was written to address the four fundamental aspects of downtown revitalization: Design, Organization, Promotion, and Economic Restructuring. / Department of Urban Planning

Thesis (M.A.)--State University of New York at Binghamton, Department of Geography, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references.

Downtown Vancouver is becoming a spectacular place. Reflecting dominant trends found in many restructuring Canadian cities, its landscape has become increasingly aestheticized, privatized, consumption-based, and regulated. Since the late-1960s, boosters have worked to strengthen Vancouver's position in the international scene by staging it as a world class city, an inviting and exciting destination. To attract desired publics, downtown has been framed as the alluring gateway, the spectacular centre, the glittering jewel of Vancouver. Making this convivial centre—which I call Happyland—has involved remaking and reimaging downtown to 'upgrade' its perceived 'decay'. Like many North American central cities in the 1960s, with the advent of suburbanization and general economic decline, downtown Vancouver's role as the major shopping and entertainment centre of 'respectable' citizens seriously waned. New landscapes took shape as into the marginalizing spaces new publics made their places and inscribed their cultures. Parts of downtown became widely stigmatized as degraded and neglected, as taken over by 'undesirables'. Thus, making Happyland has largely been about 'civilizing' downtown—involving not only dramatic redevelopment, but also heavy marketing and increased policing. I read the remaking of downtown—Robson and Granville Streets in particular—by analyzing the changing landscape, local media, City decisions, place marketing, and the voices of various actors from multiple sources, including personal interviews. While the dominant narrative celebrates an urban renaissance, I argue that downtown is being purified, whereby a tightly scripted order is being fixed in which certain people, cultures, signs are 'out of place' and subjected to increasing levels of regulation. In particular, street youth have been identified as 'pests' who 'spoil' the desired clean, ordered, happy image. I see the demonization of street youth as reflecting wider relations of power. I argue that the narrative of Happyland, the dominant public culture being fixed downtown excludes other narratives, experiences, visions. Street youth narratives—from personal interviews and their own writings in a local 'zine—are testimony of this diversity. I argue that for this city and society to be truly inclusive and livable, as the rhetoric claims, such voices of citizens have to be given space and validity. / Arts, Faculty of / Geography, Department of / Graduate

For the present, at least, the Central Business District of a City has the potential to provide opportunity, amenity and diversity for those people who care to seek it out. This would perhaps not be worthwhile or so interesting were it to lack the day to day and long-ranging problems that confront the individual, the household, the firm, the interest group, the pressure group and the planner in this unique environment. If the challenge is to be accepted then the environment should be questioned in order to find out if it will continue to exist and what structure and form it should have. Since the city centre is traditionally the pedestrian domain it is as well to study the space in which the pedestrian has to perform, before he is driven out of it, which hopefully might not be for some time to come. Little can be said in this thesis that has not been said before and the aim is here not concerned with networks, matrices or models nor can there be any detailed determinism of standards, actual physical elements or methods of affectuation. The attempt is an investigation of some aspects of the pattern of the open spaces and of the people who use them, and an attempt to gauge the extent of the regard for people in the open space network of the C.B.D. Because of the Republic's racial policy all places downtown are not for all the people all the time and in order to be significant this investigation would have to study the different social patterns for each race group, however the subject is treated as though the population were homogeneous. The street in the C.B.D., more than any other place anywhere else is for everyone.