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Inner ring suburbs are vulnerable as they face continual downward pressure amidst increasingly complex post-industrial regional dynamics. Many suburban policymakers focus on housing and commercial development when considering ways to improve their localities through the built environment; they often overlook the potential benefits of community-oriented infrastructure -- namely public libraries, neighborhood recreation facilities, and community festivals/events -- as a catalyst for encouraging economic development and neighborhood social capital. This study asks whether inner ring suburbs that offer vibrant community institutions exhibit greater levels of resilience capacity than those with less vibrant community facilities. Across the country government officials target community institutions for service reduction and/or closure in high-profile proposals to balance budgets in a tight economy. In a number of high-profile urban library budget fights, community protestors cite their library's functions as a safe environment for children after school to socialize and study, a place for public internet access and engaging programming, and as the hub of the community. Such accounts offer a glimpse into the value of community institutions in the making of place. Suburbs are competing to gain and maintain their base of residents in a highly mobile and competitive environment. Tiebout (1956) theorizes that this ease of mobility allows people to act as consumers who choose the community package of services/amenities that best meets their budget and preferences. The group of community institutions at the center of this study - public libraries, parks and recreation facilities, and community festivals/events -- are part of a wider architecture of local community infrastructure that composes a community's package of services and amenities. Public schools are an important element of that community infrastructure and the one that is most often considered to add value to suburban localities. Although public schools are unquestionably a vital community institution, this dissertation challenges the narrative that school quality is the prime suburban value-generator by measuring the value to local resilience of school quality against the vibrancy of these other kinds of community institutions that may nurture community life in different ways. This work addresses three main gaps in the literature. Work measuring the value of, and understanding the effects of, community institutions in local places is scant. Studies linking resilience capacity to a place's institutional fabric often overlook public-oriented, taxpayer-funded, place-based facilities in favor of an emphasis on non-profit organizations. A regional approach with a focus on effects in inner ring suburbs is rare. Through a mixed methods approach utilizing exploratory data analysis and qualitative content analysis on the inner ring Pennsylvania suburbs surrounding Philadelphia, this research considers the effects of community institutions on each of three previously identified resilience components: economic strength, socio-demographic appeal, and community connectivity. Results suggest that townships with middling or low school quality may be supporting forms of community institutions other than public schools as a way to increase appeal when the schools alone are not a sufficient draw. Furthermore, townships possibly gain resilience value from promoting community institutions in an active way. Other findings shed new light on people-oriented approaches to inner ring suburban resilience and sustainable regional development that may be gaining relevance in the context of 21st century place dynamics. / Geography

Dans la région himalayenne du Dolpo au Népal, les routes vont au-delà de leur simple utilité fonctionnelle : elles s’insèrent dans un tissu socioculturel et ontologique dense, où les dimensions humaines et non-humaines s’entrecroisent. Cette recherche, ancrée dans une démarche ethnographique, explore non seulement les promesses et paradoxes actuels de ces projets infrastructurels, mais aussi comment les Dolpopa, ces habitants confrontés quotidiennement à ces transformations, imaginent et perçoivent le futur de leur vallée à travers ce prisme d’infrastructures. Bien plus que des vecteurs de développement, les infrastructures routières au Dolpo révèlent une toile où avantages économiques et défis sociaux, culturels, et religieux s’entremêlent, exposant un spectre d’émotions locales naviguant entre espoir et inquiétude. Les témoignages recueillis illustrent comment les routes, tout en promettant des avantages tangibles, peuvent aussi entraîner des conséquences inattendues. Cette étude insiste sur l’importance d’une approche inclusive et holistique de la planification, qui prend en compte les dimensions émotionnelles, culturelles, religieuses et les éléments sacrés du territoire. Elle montre aussi l’importance cruciale de la religion dans les débats d’aménagement, en particulier dans des régions comme le Dolpo. En fin de compte, cette recherche vise à offrir une perspective équilibrée des enjeux de l’infrastructure au Dolpo, soulignant la nécessité d’adopter une vision qui englobe à la fois les dimensions humaines et non-humaines pour une compréhension complète des impacts des projets d’infrastructure. / In the Himalayan region of Dolpo in Nepal, roads transcend their mere functional utility: they weave into a dense sociocultural and ontological fabric where human and non-human dimensions intertwine. This research, rooted in an ethnographic approach, not only delves into the current promises and paradoxes of these infrastructural projects but also explores how the Dolpopa— locals who daily experience these transformations—envision and perceive the future of their valley through the lens of infrastructure. Far more than just conduits of development, the road infrastructures in Dolpo unfurl a canvas where economic benefits and social, cultural, and religious challenges interlace, revealing a spectrum of local emotions ranging from hope to apprehension. The testimonies gathered highlight how roads, while promising tangible benefits, can also usher in unforeseen consequences. This study emphasizes the importance of an inclusive and holistic approach to planning that takes into account emotional, cultural, religious dimensions, and the sacred aspects of the territory. It also underscores the paramount role of religion in planning debates, especially in regions like Dolpo. Ultimately, this research seeks to provide a balanced insight into the stakes of infrastructure in Dolpo, underscoring the need to embrace a viewpoint that encompasses both human and non-human dimensions for a comprehensive understanding of the impacts of infrastructural projects.

Master of Landscape Architecture / Department of Landscape Architecture/Regional and Community Planning / Howard Hahn / In Novato, California, zoning regulations and the city’s urban growth boundary (UGB) have restricted development on open agricultural and hillside land outside the city. These restrictions have added to a shortage of affordable homes in Novato in spite of a demand for housing. Population growth estimates suggest that this demand will continue and strategic development of land outside the current city boundaries will need to occur in order over the next 15-20 years (Bay Area Census Data 2010 and Heid 2004). This report outlines a process of land development which evaluates the success of a development alternative relative to what the land owners, developers and the community want, need, and value. This process involved producing four community design alternatives of varying housing densities for an 867 acre parcel of land just beyond Novato’s UGB. The alternatives were: high density (556 homes), medium density (224 homes), low density (14 homes), and low density + land swap (72 homes). Using a systematic scoring process, each alternative was evaluated based on what the land owner, developer, and the community valued in the development and then awarded each a feasibility score. This score represents likelihood of implementation. The higher the feasibility score, the more likely the alternative could be pursued as a development option. The high density alternative (556 homes) received the lowest feasibility score. It met many of the land owner and developer values, but few of the community values. The low density + land swap alternative (58 homes) received the highest feasibility score. This alternative met nearly all of the developer and owner values as well as the community values. The land swap option of this alternative was unique and made this design more feasible. The swap identified land areas on the site property that could be traded for developable land inside the city boundary allowing Novato to maintain the rural character of the city fringe, while giving the developer land that could be used for future development. This alternative is a compromise that adequately addresses the values of all involved and is therefore recommended as the most feasible design possibility.

Master of Landscape Architecture / Department of Landscape Architecture/Regional and Community Planning / Jason Brody / Some cities target innovation to bolster their economy, because it drives economic growth. An emerging trend is to use urban regeneration to accomplish this desire. However, lack of understanding about land development effects on innovation is a major concern. Such uncertainty makes it difficult to create visions, plans, and designs for these environments. A major dilemma presents itself. In what way do urban designers develop innovation economies and what confidence can they have in those roles considering the lack of evidence about urban sites within larger innovation systems? In response to the dilemma, this research documents projects facilitating innovation in local economies. A catalog was the tool for exploring characteristics of these places and their connections to economic systems. The catalog acts as a decision framework by displaying these relationships through a goal, objective, and tactic hierarchy. This format illustrates how site-level decisions impact specific parts of the economy. By using the catalog, planners and designers may guide innovation through urban development. To accomplish this, developments must draw talented people with creative ideas and organizations willing to invest in those ideas. When synergies form between these groups, new goods and services become available. To build this innovative milieu, planners and designers EXPLORE regional and site-based opportunities to determine the tactics they utilize. Next, they DEVELOP plans for the places desired by and required for people who INNOVATE. These findings collectively instill confidence in the roles of planners and designers in their quest to cultivate innovative environments.

Master of Regional and Community Planning / Department of Landscape Architecture/Regional and Community Planning / John Keller / The purpose of this thesis is to discover whether disability access regulations are being met and whether the regulations fulfill their intended purpose. Is Kansas State University Campus in Manhattan, Kansas ADA compliant (follows the current law) and convenient (user-friendly)? This inquiry can be split into two research questions: (1) Do the main entrances (entry experience being the sidewalk, ramp, and door) to buildings on the Kansas State University campus comply with current ADA guidelines? (2) Do students on campus find the access to these buildings user-friendly? This study has two main questions, and therefore multiple research methodologies: a focus group, audit, and guided activity. The focus group was made up of physically disabled students at KSU who are therefore familiar with access on the campus. The second method involved a yes-no checklist to test whether the buildings meet code. The third involved disabled and non-disabled students using a wheelchair for a day, with post-event survey to test public opinion of access on campus. My hypothesis anticipated that Kansas State University is code compliant, but not user-friendly. The conclusion is that no structure is fully sidewalk/ramp/door compliant, but two structures’ doors are fully compliant. According to the audit: ramps are mostly not needed (only 35 percent of structures need a ramp), sidewalks are 66 percent compliant, and doors are 63 percent compliant. According to the survey: doors are in the best condition, with ramps next, and sidewalks last. When comparing the checklist (compliance) and survey (convenience) results, sidewalk results were different, the ramp results were non-conclusive, and the door results were similar. This means that sidewalks meet code, but people do not find them accessible. Because ramps are not always needed, it made the checklist and survey difficult to compare. The analysis did not result in a clear “Similar” or “Different” result, therefore the comparison was non-conclusive. Doors were in the best condition on the checklist, and most people felt they were in good conditions. The application of this project allows other universities and communities to test whether their structures adequately provide access to students with a disability in a way that is user-friendly.

Master of Science / Department of Landscape Architecture, Regional and Community Planning / Stephanie Rolley / The City of Emerado, North Dakota, population 414, located in northeast North Dakota is the subject of a Social Network Analysis (SNA), conducted prior to it being the subject of a University of North Dakota Center for Community Engagement, Community Connect Forum. The SNA was developed based on the results of 25 interviews conducted with local residents, elected officials and business owners, using snowball sampling and following grounded theory methods. The interview results were coded and memos were written to aid in the analysis. Social Network data was entered into the Sentinel Visualizer software (FMS Advanced Systems Group) to develop a visual image of the network, including nodes (people, organizations or businesses) and links to illustrate the relationships between nodes. The SNA helps to frame the relationships in terms of bridging and bonding social capital. The SNA provides the ability to mathematically determine the most important nodes to the community social network, using calculations to determine levels of degree centrality, betweenness centrality, closeness centrality, Eigenvalue, and network density. After calculating these elements, categorical descriptions of the top ten individuals for each category are provided. The networks of five individuals are reviewed in depth to aid in comprehending the process of incrementally expanding networks.

Master of Landscape Architecture / Department of Landscape Architecture/Regional and Community Planning / Jason Brody / There are six square miles of vacant land spread throughout Downtown Kansas City unkempt and untouched for the fear of what may exist in the soil, air, and water and the consequences that come with it (COR Team 2010, EPA 1997). Not developing the vacant/underutilized land causes more harm than good for the city, the locals, and the environment. It costs the city loss of tax revenue (Holt 2002). It hurts locals’ property values and possibly health. It inhibits the environment’s functions with potential toxins. By activating vacant/underutilized land through phytoremediation and redevelopment, it can meet the needs of the projected population growth in the next 30 years, accommodate the Rock Island Corridor, and dissolve any threats of contamination. With the threat of possible contamination on the vacant/underutilized land, surrounding properties, and industrial properties within the culturally rich Jazz and Crossroads districts downtown, phytoremediation is used as a continuation of the Rock Island Corridor’s linear park system and transit in the city context while allowing for redevelopment. The strategy examines regional to site specific strategies where phytoremediation is used to connect people to the environment, contain contaminant-producing places, and counteract contamination from new development. The development serves as a model for Kansas City to use the Rock Island Corridor to control site-specific problems as a catalyst for redevelopment of districts to solve large-scale issues through the use of phytoremediation. Phytoremediation allows for light contaminant production industries to remain functional and rely on phytoremediation to clean some of the waste to prevent excessive clean up in the future. With the help of the phytoremediation and development, it allows for us to understand how phytoremediation works while preventing sites from becoming vacant/underutilized urban areas for the betterment of the community as a proactive strategy to prevent brownfields. Phytoremediation supports sustainable preventative/remediation strategies while catering to community needs such as redevelopment along Rock Island Corridor and Common Line, multi-modal transit, Metrogreen, character of place, and city life. It blends site suitability with community needs, while creating a cleaner more efficient environment that is aesthetically appealing.

Master of Regional and Community Planning / Department of Landscape Architecture/Regional and Community Planning / Huston Gibson / In many urban redevelopment discussions, people often refer to a catalyst as the impetus for redevelopment. Unfortunately, no standard definition of an urban redevelopment catalyst exists, so liberal use of the term catalyst persists. As distinguished in Dr. Timothy Chapin’s dissertation, Urban Revitalization Tools: Assessing the Impacts of Sports Stadia at the Microarea Level, the impacts of sports stadia (widely considered catalysts) are often overstated. In order to have valuable arguments over the impacts of presupposed catalytic activities, we need to understand the defining characteristics of an urban redevelopment catalyst and utilize a consistent process for examining them. This study identifies these characteristics and develops a methodology from which others may study catalysts. Included in the study are both narrative and tangible evidence from which researchers may decipher catalytic characteristics and events. In order to explore this analytic method, a case study was necessary. The revitalization of Washington Avenue (in downtown St. Louis, Missouri) provided an excellent opportunity to implement and test the process. Washington Avenue went from decrepit in the early 1980s to receiving the honor of being a Great Street by the American Planning Association in 2011. By delving into the developmental history of Washington Avenue, the process verified urban redevelopment catalytic characteristics, the methodology and the presence of small-scale urban redevelopment catalysts. From these findings, (coupled with a preexisting, dominant discussion focused large-scale catalysts) we see the value of small, organic development. The study prompts further exploration of urban redevelopment catalysts, especially in regards to smaller catalysts. It also suggests a new line of thinking for urban redevelopment dynamics, thus guiding future research to focus on understanding the processes of urban redevelopment.