Yeah, not long ago, DART used to make a stop right next to the terminal. The same bus route still exists, but the stop is on Fleur Drive. Not very practical.
There are several key neighborhoods that are moving from distressed to desirable - Sherman Hill and Drake are two great examples. The City's NRP (Neighborhood Revitalization Program) does a good job of helping to reduce the effects of "gentrification" and turn it into true community development by building capacity from within the neighborhood rather than looking to oust current residents. That said, changing economics of desirable location and housing stock can shift the overall affordability of a neighborhood.
Zoe, thanks for reading and commenting! I, too, have big concerns about Interstate speeding, particularly on I-235. It is dangerous and inconsiderate. My problem is utilizing the cameras as revenue generators rather than as tools to improve safety. The only way they can be effective at reducing speeding is if people know about them. Anyone who doesn't know about them will continue to speed until they receive a ticket.
Picture a big red sign saying "WATCH YOUR SPEED! Traffic laws photo enforced next 10 miles". This, in conjunction with the cameras would reduce speeding much more than "hidden" cameras because even people who didn't know that the cameras existed would likely comply.
Otherwise they are simply generating revenue from people who don't know about the cameras and continue to speed. That approach does not reduce speeding as much, but it does generate a lot of money for the City... I'm just saying the lack of signage leads me to believe income is the primary motivator.
I actually really support this. The speed limit on freeways is designed to keep people generally safe, and people speed down 235 going WAY over the limit. It's dangerous, and that is probably why there is an accident around 63rd nearly every week. I wish they could somehow catch people who are texting while on the freeway too.
Chris, thanks for reading and commenting. You bring up some valid points. I think I agree that combining the elections won't in and of itself create more engaged voters - the reasons voter turnout is so low are well beyond "scheduling conflict" and probably too complex for me to understand.
I do think that simply increasing the raw numbers is a big part of the solution, and perhaps the right way to break the cycle. I posit that children who see their parents vote are more likely to vote themselves. My children will grow up knowing how and where to vote because they go with me almost every time. It will not be a "mysterious" process to them. Granted, I also work hard to instill in them they belief that it is an important responsibility, but the simple act of being there does help.
It is more disturbing to me that people don't than the possibility that they may cast unconsidered votes. The act of getting to one's polling place is itself an act of engagement. Assuming the information were readily available (another big "if"), then it's a pretty easy jump for a voter to pick up a newspaper or do a Google search.
Having more voters will force candidates to work harder. A school board candidate, based on this election, could have won a seat by getting 3,334 votes. If it took 20,000 votes to win a seat, the candidate would have to work harder to get his or her message out across a more diverse electorate.
The problem is people not being engaged on the issues and the candidates. Simply throwing the school board election in with the general election won't cause individuals to educate themselves on the school board candidates. Will it?
IMO, one potentially harmful result is you'll simply have voters cherry picking school board candidates (like the do now for things like "county conservation board") at the ballot box just to complete their ballot. In other words, increasing the percentage of people who vote to simply increase the percentage, isn't really a helpful means to and end if the increased voters don't have any engagement as to who/what they are voting for.
To me, the real question is, how do we get more people educated on the importance of the school board and involved in the process of voting? I guess you could argue that simply including it as part of the general election would do that, but I'm not sure that is the fix. IMO, people are barely taking the time and effort to get down to learning about the candidates for their district for the Iowa House/Senate. Are they going to really now be taking on the next step and look at school board members too? Maybe, maybe not, and if not, then (as I mentioned above), we'd be making this a bigger problem.
As a mason's son, artist's husband, gardener, urban homesteader and overall very DIY person, I have nothing but respect for persons who work with their hands and create physical works. In fact, I've previously run a co-op space for artists, hackers, and makers in Des Moines' East Village. Market Day, an event I helped create and guide that my wife and a partner now run, is entering its third season. 40+ makers and crafters (including furniture, clothing, and more) sell their goods every month to crowds that frequently top 1,000. I'm as likely to spend my weekends helping friends build rabbit hutches and making art as I am writing words and playing with iPhone apps.
I disagree with your assessment that using the language the way I did in this event announcement is "degrading the language of physical craft". Technologists have a long history of using metaphors from the physical world for actions in the digital realm (software releases are often called builds, the "cut" action is generally represented with a pair of scissors, etc). I trust in the intelligence of my audience and yours to know a metaphor when they hear it or see it, especially when one considers the context of the announcement.
Encouraging persons who more frequently identify as "designers", "coders", or "developers" to think of themselves as "makers" and "builders" can inspire more craftsmanship in their end products and open their thinking to solutions that involve the physical/analog space as much as the digital one. I know of one attendee who's planning to show off their Arduino kit (hardware hacking), and another attendee working on a startup that marketing a locally produced solution for portable boxes/shelving to the tech, design, and startup crowd.
Colorful language inspires, and if using colorful language encourages more people to embrace innovation, attend my event, and share the products they're working on (digital OR physical), so much the better. If there's something you're working on you'd like to share, I hope you'll attend.
My email address and phone number are readily available online and I'd be happy to chat more offline if you have further thoughts.
I hear the "Lucky to have anyone interested in building at all" refrain far too often.
What it usually means is either "I don't know how to deal with this building and would rather tear it down to build something I know how to build" or "I don't see value in this building as part of your neighborhood." Rarely is a building actually in too much disrepair to rehabilitate.
It is exceedingly difficult for a community or politician to combat this debilitating point of view. It feels too much like a gamble - and sometimes it is. It becomes much less of a gamble when an active neighborhood takes the initiative to support rehabilitation and community development as part of a comprehensive preservation strategy like Sherman Hill.
Soon, it becomes too late. There is a tipping point where the collective value of the buildings in a historic downtown or residential neighborhood is no longer greater than the sum of its parts. Once a neighborhood reaches that tipping point, we witness wholesale destruction... Western Gateway Park is an excellent example of this.
Once compromises have been made regarding demolition in favor of marginal development, it becomes even more difficult to defend "saving" historic buildings.
"Lucky to have anyone interested in building at all". It seems like this is the tack taken quite often downtown -- any time someone rips down an un-used, but GOOD building.
I have thought a lot about this extension and I am still conflicted. In some ways I think it is likely to be inevitable. I also think it could potentially be positive to the neighborhoods, if done correctly.
I feel like the previous expansion of MLK by Sherman Hill has helped the neighborhood. It has helped create a defined barrier, while maintaining walkability. I think there is a potential to have the same think happen further North. I think that probably houses would have to be removed, but hopefully they could be moved to other areas.
My fear is that the project will happen by taking land from the land near the road and lead to pedestrians and houses even closer to a busier road.
I agree, I often feel the same way in Highland Park at the corner of 6th and Euclid or along that stretch in about a block either way. Although I know the odds are highly unlikely that such a thing will happen, when I am standing there waiting for the light to change, with the cars going by, you can feel the air move and it feels like the building behind you itself is shaking, its kinda scary. I admire those brave souls I see with their kids in tow, I get nervous enough with just myself and my dog being there. Makes me wish we could park along Euclid, like they do on other streets, or even have the bike lanes like Ingersoll to give that break. I also think it would go along way to reinvigirating the HP/OP business corridor along 6th and Euclid.
Thanks for reading and commenting! The conference has been a great experience so far, and I'm coming away with a lot of great ideas for projects I'd like to implement... probably too many ideas.
Ingersoll Streetscape and Bike Lane: Ingersoll streetscape improvements and new bike lane striping
Regarding cost, you are right - infrastructure changes cost. In my own mind, I was referencing relative expense in relation to the Ingersoll streetscape improvements recently undertaken in Des Moines.
In my opinion the raised planters and landscaping are over-the-top... perhaps even to the extent of detracting from the overall viability of the corridor as a pedestrian commercial district. Indeed at the height of the spring/summer growing season, it is difficult for people in cars to see the businesses beyond.
That's really just a long way of saying, I intended to compare the relative simplicity of the Cleveland image to the relative complexity of what we did in Des Moines and make the point that in my mind, simplicity wins.
Glad you're attending the conference, which is where I'd like to be right now.
I just wanted to add for the uninitiated that it's possible that these street improvements actually could be quite expensive, depending on circumstances. If you're moving the curbline and therefore the storm drainage system, installing trees where there were none before, or removing existing sidewalk to install pavers, this could be pricey. It's easy to blow a million or two in a block or two.
So, in simple home maintenance kinds of terms, if you start moving the plumbing around, get ready to face some significant cost.
Jamie Fitzgerald, Polk County Auditor, responded to me privately about this post and said that they had considered creating a Twitter account, but determined that it would be used only sporadically...
I responded with some suggestions for keeping it fresh:
Election lead-up (starting a month or so before each election) "Save the date!" "How to find you polling place," "Items on the ballot," "Need a ride?"
General election trivia "Did you know..." "In the last election..." "President Taft was elected in..." "There have been ___ governors of Iowa."
How to run for office "Signatures must be turned in by ___," "County Supervisor filing deadline in x days!"
Election day coverage "Vote Today!" "Polls open in 12 hours," "As of noon, we've had record turnout." "With 72% of the precincts reporting..." "We want to hear your experiences - use hashtag #PolkCountyElection2010 to report." "Polls are open! Anyone seeing long lines yet?"
Board of Supervisors meeting announcements and minutes "October 12 meeting minutes are up on the Auditor's website," "Polk County Supervisors meet tonight. On the agenda is..."
General information "Poll workers needed. Apply at..." "We're fixing a water leak in the women's bathroom," "Beautiful day out today - the kind of day it's great to be an Auditor!"
He said that he may take it back to conversation and reconsider. If others let him know they would follow, it might be convincing.
I found out about the election the same way you did. I think a) They should publicize it as widely as possible through social media and traditional media. Even after I knew about the election I had trouble finding out information on the Des Moines Register's website and others.
b) They should have as few elections as possible to ensure majority participation.
First of all, thanks for reading and responding to this post.
While some of the opponents cite the loss of wetlands as a major concern, my major concerns are what happens to the existing neighborhoods on either side of the proposed throughway once it enters the city, and the flawed idea that cutting transportation corridors from downtowns to the suburbs will somehow benefit the City. I submit that there are less "invasive" ways of improving traffic flow within the existing grid that could be incorporated into several north-south streets - without negatively impacting the surrounding neighborhoods.
The "traffic should be rerouted to other people's streets away from my house" argument is a non-starter. Pushing problems to someone else's neighborhood is not a solution to the problem, it's a relocation of the problem.
Honestly, with every flood we have habitat that gets destroyed and recreated each time. I don't understand the major difficulty in building this road. I live in the Lower Beaver neighborhood, and the benefit of decreased traffic in and around my neighborhood would be a very welcome thing. Commuters get rerouted around my neighborhood to get to their end destination to the north suburbs. I for one embrace this road. It makes perfect since to me and would allow for less congestion.
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Yeah, not long ago, DART used to make a stop right next to the terminal. The same bus route still exists, but the stop is on Fleur Drive. Not very practical.
There are several key neighborhoods that are moving from distressed to desirable - Sherman Hill and Drake are two great examples. The City's NRP (Neighborhood Revitalization Program) does a good job of helping to reduce the effects of "gentrification" and turn it into true community development by building capacity from within the neighborhood rather than looking to oust current residents. That said, changing economics of desirable location and housing stock can shift the overall affordability of a neighborhood.
It's not an easy question to answer.
Thanks for writing this article! What neighborhoods are currently in a bohemian or gentrified stage in Des Moines?
And this is why I will not be leaving comments for the dm register online.
You might find this interesting: http://wdmjulia.wordpress.com/2011/08/27/what-ive-learned-from-the-barn/
Zoe, thanks for reading and commenting! I, too, have big concerns about Interstate speeding, particularly on I-235. It is dangerous and inconsiderate. My problem is utilizing the cameras as revenue generators rather than as tools to improve safety. The only way they can be effective at reducing speeding is if people know about them. Anyone who doesn't know about them will continue to speed until they receive a ticket.
Picture a big red sign saying "WATCH YOUR SPEED! Traffic laws photo enforced next 10 miles". This, in conjunction with the cameras would reduce speeding much more than "hidden" cameras because even people who didn't know that the cameras existed would likely comply.
Otherwise they are simply generating revenue from people who don't know about the cameras and continue to speed. That approach does not reduce speeding as much, but it does generate a lot of money for the City... I'm just saying the lack of signage leads me to believe income is the primary motivator.
I actually really support this. The speed limit on freeways is designed to keep people generally safe, and people speed down 235 going WAY over the limit. It's dangerous, and that is probably why there is an accident around 63rd nearly every week. I wish they could somehow catch people who are texting while on the freeway too.
Chris, thanks for reading and commenting. You bring up some valid points. I think I agree that combining the elections won't in and of itself create more engaged voters - the reasons voter turnout is so low are well beyond "scheduling conflict" and probably too complex for me to understand.
I do think that simply increasing the raw numbers is a big part of the solution, and perhaps the right way to break the cycle. I posit that children who see their parents vote are more likely to vote themselves. My children will grow up knowing how and where to vote because they go with me almost every time. It will not be a "mysterious" process to them. Granted, I also work hard to instill in them they belief that it is an important responsibility, but the simple act of being there does help.
It is more disturbing to me that people don't than the possibility that they may cast unconsidered votes. The act of getting to one's polling place is itself an act of engagement. Assuming the information were readily available (another big "if"), then it's a pretty easy jump for a voter to pick up a newspaper or do a Google search.
Having more voters will force candidates to work harder. A school board candidate, based on this election, could have won a seat by getting 3,334 votes. If it took 20,000 votes to win a seat, the candidate would have to work harder to get his or her message out across a more diverse electorate.
Does is it really solve the problem?
The problem is people not being engaged on the issues and the candidates. Simply throwing the school board election in with the general election won't cause individuals to educate themselves on the school board candidates. Will it?
IMO, one potentially harmful result is you'll simply have voters cherry picking school board candidates (like the do now for things like "county conservation board") at the ballot box just to complete their ballot. In other words, increasing the percentage of people who vote to simply increase the percentage, isn't really a helpful means to and end if the increased voters don't have any engagement as to who/what they are voting for.
To me, the real question is, how do we get more people educated on the importance of the school board and involved in the process of voting? I guess you could argue that simply including it as part of the general election would do that, but I'm not sure that is the fix. IMO, people are barely taking the time and effort to get down to learning about the candidates for their district for the Iowa House/Senate. Are they going to really now be taking on the next step and look at school board members too? Maybe, maybe not, and if not, then (as I mentioned above), we'd be making this a bigger problem.
As a mason's son, artist's husband, gardener, urban homesteader and overall very DIY person, I have nothing but respect for persons who work with their hands and create physical works. In fact, I've previously run a co-op space for artists, hackers, and makers in Des Moines' East Village. Market Day, an event I helped create and guide that my wife and a partner now run, is entering its third season. 40+ makers and crafters (including furniture, clothing, and more) sell their goods every month to crowds that frequently top 1,000. I'm as likely to spend my weekends helping friends build rabbit hutches and making art as I am writing words and playing with iPhone apps.
I disagree with your assessment that using the language the way I did in this event announcement is "degrading the language of physical craft". Technologists have a long history of using metaphors from the physical world for actions in the digital realm (software releases are often called builds, the "cut" action is generally represented with a pair of scissors, etc). I trust in the intelligence of my audience and yours to know a metaphor when they hear it or see it, especially when one considers the context of the announcement.
Encouraging persons who more frequently identify as "designers", "coders", or "developers" to think of themselves as "makers" and "builders" can inspire more craftsmanship in their end products and open their thinking to solutions that involve the physical/analog space as much as the digital one. I know of one attendee who's planning to show off their Arduino kit (hardware hacking), and another attendee working on a startup that marketing a locally produced solution for portable boxes/shelving to the tech, design, and startup crowd.
Colorful language inspires, and if using colorful language encourages more people to embrace innovation, attend my event, and share the products they're working on (digital OR physical), so much the better. If there's something you're working on you'd like to share, I hope you'll attend.
My email address and phone number are readily available online and I'd be happy to chat more offline if you have further thoughts.
I like Des Moiner. Or Des Moinite. Either way, don't care what they call us, as long as I can call Des Moines home!
Cat - thanks for reading!
I hear the "Lucky to have anyone interested in building at all" refrain far too often.
What it usually means is either "I don't know how to deal with this building and would rather tear it down to build something I know how to build" or "I don't see value in this building as part of your neighborhood." Rarely is a building actually in too much disrepair to rehabilitate.
It is exceedingly difficult for a community or politician to combat this debilitating point of view. It feels too much like a gamble - and sometimes it is. It becomes much less of a gamble when an active neighborhood takes the initiative to support rehabilitation and community development as part of a comprehensive preservation strategy like Sherman Hill.
Soon, it becomes too late. There is a tipping point where the collective value of the buildings in a historic downtown or residential neighborhood is no longer greater than the sum of its parts. Once a neighborhood reaches that tipping point, we witness wholesale destruction... Western Gateway Park is an excellent example of this.
Once compromises have been made regarding demolition in favor of marginal development, it becomes even more difficult to defend "saving" historic buildings.
"Lucky to have anyone interested in building at all". It seems like this is the tack taken quite often downtown -- any time someone rips down an un-used, but GOOD building.
Interesting website. Thanks for sharing!
I've always thought Des Moinesians fit us.
Wow I was blown away by what you wrote. Thanks so very much for your involvement in our world. We are truly blessed.
I have thought a lot about this extension and I am still conflicted. In some ways I think it is likely to be inevitable. I also think it could potentially be positive to the neighborhoods, if done correctly.
I feel like the previous expansion of MLK by Sherman Hill has helped the neighborhood. It has helped create a defined barrier, while maintaining walkability. I think there is a potential to have the same think happen further North. I think that probably houses would have to be removed, but hopefully they could be moved to other areas.
My fear is that the project will happen by taking land from the land near the road and lead to pedestrians and houses even closer to a busier road.
I agree, I often feel the same way in Highland Park at the corner of 6th and Euclid or along that stretch in about a block either way. Although I know the odds are highly unlikely that such a thing will happen, when I am standing there waiting for the light to change, with the cars going by, you can feel the air move and it feels like the building behind you itself is shaking, its kinda scary. I admire those brave souls I see with their kids in tow, I get nervous enough with just myself and my dog being there. Makes me wish we could park along Euclid, like they do on other streets, or even have the bike lanes like Ingersoll to give that break. I also think it would go along way to reinvigirating the HP/OP business corridor along 6th and Euclid.
Nancy,
Thanks for reading and commenting! The conference has been a great experience so far, and I'm coming away with a lot of great ideas for projects I'd like to implement... probably too many ideas.
Regarding cost, you are right - infrastructure changes cost. In my own mind, I was referencing relative expense in relation to the Ingersoll streetscape improvements recently undertaken in Des Moines.
In my opinion the raised planters and landscaping are over-the-top... perhaps even to the extent of detracting from the overall viability of the corridor as a pedestrian commercial district. Indeed at the height of the spring/summer growing season, it is difficult for people in cars to see the businesses beyond.
That's really just a long way of saying, I intended to compare the relative simplicity of the Cleveland image to the relative complexity of what we did in Des Moines and make the point that in my mind, simplicity wins.
Thanks again!
Steve,
Glad you're attending the conference, which is where I'd like to be right now.
I just wanted to add for the uninitiated that it's possible that these street improvements actually could be quite expensive, depending on circumstances. If you're moving the curbline and therefore the storm drainage system, installing trees where there were none before, or removing existing sidewalk to install pavers, this could be pricey. It's easy to blow a million or two in a block or two.
So, in simple home maintenance kinds of terms, if you start moving the plumbing around, get ready to face some significant cost.
But this is a pretty streetscape.
Jamie Fitzgerald, Polk County Auditor, responded to me privately about this post and said that they had considered creating a Twitter account, but determined that it would be used only sporadically...
I responded with some suggestions for keeping it fresh:
He said that he may take it back to conversation and reconsider. If others let him know they would follow, it might be convincing.
I found out about the election the same way you did. I think a) They should publicize it as widely as possible through social media and traditional media. Even after I knew about the election I had trouble finding out information on the Des Moines Register's website and others.
b) They should have as few elections as possible to ensure majority participation.
Troy,
First of all, thanks for reading and responding to this post.
While some of the opponents cite the loss of wetlands as a major concern, my major concerns are what happens to the existing neighborhoods on either side of the proposed throughway once it enters the city, and the flawed idea that cutting transportation corridors from downtowns to the suburbs will somehow benefit the City. I submit that there are less "invasive" ways of improving traffic flow within the existing grid that could be incorporated into several north-south streets - without negatively impacting the surrounding neighborhoods.
The "traffic should be rerouted to other people's streets away from my house" argument is a non-starter. Pushing problems to someone else's neighborhood is not a solution to the problem, it's a relocation of the problem.
Honestly, with every flood we have habitat that gets destroyed and recreated each time. I don't understand the major difficulty in building this road. I live in the Lower Beaver neighborhood, and the benefit of decreased traffic in and around my neighborhood would be a very welcome thing. Commuters get rerouted around my neighborhood to get to their end destination to the north suburbs. I for one embrace this road. It makes perfect since to me and would allow for less congestion.