What We See - Latest Blog Entries

Janette Sadik-Khan awarded 2011 Jane Jacobs Medal for New Ideas and Activism by the Rockefeller Foundation

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 11:54:00 -0600

Janette Sadik-Khan, Commissioner of the New York City Department of Transportation and a contributor to What We See, is a gifted and innovative city planner with the heart of an advocate. She has gained international acclaim for her successful work in promoting cycling, expanding rapid-transit bussing, and making streets safer for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists than at any other time in the past century.

Beginning with Sustainable Streets, DOT’s first strategic plan published in 2008, Ms. Sadik-Khan has implemented a series of innovative projects: the creation of Broadway Boulevard, new Select Bus Service Routes in the Bronx and Manhattan, the installation of eighteen plazas, the addition of over 250 miles of on-street bike lanes, car-free summer streets, weekend pedestrian walks, and a new Street Design Manual requiring higher quality street designs for New York City.

For her extraordinary efforts at improving traffic flow, fostering sustainable transportation, and increasing New Yorkers’ access to open public spaces, Janette Sadik-Khan was awarded the 2011 Jane Jacobs Medal for New Ideas and Activism by the Rockefeller Foundation. The 2011 Jane Jacobs Medal is awarded to those who build upon the work — and the spirit — of Jane Jacobs to revitalize urban communities for the people who live in them. Ms. Sadik-Khan will be donating her $50,000 award to the New York City DOT’s Safe Streets Fund.

Roberta Brandes Gratz writes for the Huffington Post

Mon, 18 Jul 2011 17:12:00 -0500

Roberta Brandes Gratz, What We See contributing author, has an excellent new piece in the Huffington Post—Stockholm Leads the Way. In the article she writes about Stockholm, first recipient of the "Green Capital" award in Europe. The city has managed to boost its economy while promoting a sense of ecology that promises to be permanent and sustainable. Gratz gives specific examples and makes the project seem achievable.

We look forward to more projects like the Green Capital award, and even more, to more communities "greening" themselves without the need for recognition.

Sunday Streets: San Francisco's Own Official Block Party!

Wed, 11 May 2011 14:18:00 -0500

Similar to Jane’s Walk in providing opportunities for people to experience and explore what a real livable and walkable urban neighborhood can feel like, comes Sunday Streets San Francisco, a safe, fun, car-free open space created to allow people to get out and get active in the community!

On a selected Sunday of each month between March and October, the City of San Francisco closes off designated neighborhood streets to cars and opens them to pedestrians, bicyclists, skaters, and activities. Known as Sunday Streets, the event encourages health, community, and fun by creating a large and open public space in which one may safely enjoy the streets and explore new neighborhoods. Not only does Sunday Streets offer free and fun physical activity space, but it also provides open space in neighborhoods that lack such space currently. The safe and open public space made available to pedestrians and bicyclists also benefits local businesses and generates increased community awareness.

Introduced in 2008 by San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, the program began with two events that connected Chinatown to the Bayview with a 4.5 miles route from Portsmouth Square in Chinatown along the Embarcadero to the Bayview Opera House. Sunday Streets has since grown each year in popularity and even became an official City program in 2010. The 2011 Season has been extended into new neighborhoods and includes a more diverse program that emphasizes the unique character of each neighborhood and highlights overlooked community attractions and institutions. Returning popular activities include free bike rentals and bike safety courses offered by local bike rental companies and organizations, a mobile roller disco with free skate rentals, and activities coordinated by the YMCA of San Francisco for children and families. Participants can also enjoy group activities such as tai chi, yoga, aerobics, and much more along the route.

“A quality city is not one that has great roads but one where a child can safely go anywhere on a bicycle.”

- Enrique Peñalosa, Mayor of Bogotá, Columbia from 1998 until 2001

The Sunday Streets San Francisco event serves to demonstrate how even big cities can provide healthy and environmentally friendly activities for their residents and was inspired by similar events in cities throughout the world from New York City to Tokyo to Kiev. The idea for Sunday Streets originated from a program known as Ciclovía in Bogota, Columbia (website is in Spanish). Ciclovía, a Spanish term meaning “bike path,” is a weekly event held every Sunday and holiday in Bogotá to promote free and healthy community oriented activities, including dance and yoga lessons in the local parks. Founded in 1976, the event has grown to cover an estimated 70 percent of the 20 neighborhoods - over 70 miles of specifically chosen routes to connect neighborhoods! Every week more than 1.5 million people - nearly 20 percent of the city’s population - walk, bike, or skate to other neighborhoods, visit friends, and take their children to experience different neighborhood parks and attractions.

Sunday Streets San Francisco is free and open to all! Upcoming 2011 event dates and neighborhood locations include: the Bayview (June 12), the Great Highway (July 10), the Civic Center/Tenderloin (August 14), the Western Addition (September 11), and the Mission (October 23). The events last from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

For information on New York City’s initiatives to create sustainable streets please refer to Janette Sadik-Khan’s article entitled, “Think of a City and What Comes to Mind? Its Streets,” in What We See: Advancing the Observations of Jane Jacobs. As the Commissioner of the New York City Transportation Department, Sadik-Khan launched the Department of Transportation (DOT) report on “World Class Streets: Remaking New York City’s Public Realm” in 2008 and has sought to invest in New York City’s public transit, bicycling, and walking infrastructure, and bring a more pedestrian-focused agenda to the streets. New York City’s “Summer Streets,” New York’s own version of Sunday Streets San Francisco, began in 2008 and is a project of DOT under Commissioner Sadik-Khan. For further discussion and reflection on Janette Sadik-Khan’s plan to remake New York City streets to show more concern for people rather than cars please see Jan Gehl’s article entitled, “For You Jane,” also in What We See.

"Queen Jane Jacobs" Conference, and Jane's Walk 2011

Fri, 25 Feb 2011 14:38:00 -0600

Here are two exciting ways we can participate in honoring Jane Jacobs in 2011:

The first is the annual Jane’s Walk on May 7 and 8, 2011. Jane’s Walk is a free neighborhood walking tour conducted in cities in the US, Canada, and now internationally that brings communities together to celebrate and discover each other and their surroundings. It coincides with Jane's birthday on the first weekend of May, and thousands participate each year to explore their own urban landscapes, from housing projects to richly historic areas to secret gardens. Walks are led by individuals or by groups—find out how to host a Jane’s Walk in your city.

Second, the Queen Jane Jacobs conference in Hamburg, Germany at the HafenCity University Hamburg on May 12 and 13, 2011. This two-day academic event, sponsored by Fritz Thyssen Stiftung, will be a discussion of Jacobs' work and influence. The conference is being held to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of Death and Life of American Cities. Participants include several leading scholars from around the world. The conference organizers have recently sent out a call for papers on topics such as new approaches to urban renewal and rehabilitation, biographical background on Jane Jacobs, shifting paradigms toward conservation, and Jacobs’ influence on economic theory and urban economics.

What We See Makes re:place Magazine's Top Reads for 2010

Fri, 07 Jan 2011 06:58:00 -0600

For its third year in a row, re:place Magazine has drawn up a list of their favorite books pertaining to urban and architectural issues—this year, the list included What We See among the top titles. re:place is a non-profit organization devoted to fostering diverse and open discussion for the expanding public interest in urban development and renewal, especially in the Greater Vancouver area. Books chosen for the Top Ten are both new titles published in 2010 and older titles they believe deserve to be rediscovered by urban enthusiasts.

Reviewer Lisa Brideau writes, “Jane Jacobs is an iconic figure in the field of urban planning and to those generally interested in city-related issues. This makes creating a book with her name emblazoned so boldly on the cover extremely courageous and sets readers up for some mighty high expectations. Yet this is the challenge editors Lynne Elizabeth and Stephen Goldsmith set out to face with their most recent book."

Read the entire review here.

What We See among Top Ten Urban Planning Titles for 2011

Mon, 29 Nov 2010 11:59:00 -0600

Planetizen published its ninth annual list of the ten best books in urban planning, design and development published in 2010. This year's selection includes some big names, some big ideas—and the book What We See.

The Planetizen editorial staff reports that they based their 2011 list on "a number of criteria, including editorial reviews, popularity, Planetizen reader nominations, number of references, sales figures, recommendations from experts and the book's potential impact on the urban planning, development and design professions."

Their list includes short reviews of each title. Here are their closing sentences about What We See: "Perhaps the most compelling aspect of What We See is the way many of the contributors use the first person to explain what Jacobs has meant to them on a personal level in their relationships with particular urban environments and the other people they encounter within them. The tone is often reverential to the great urbanist, but also questioning. The essays brim with ideas and reflections about cities, their inhabitants and the vibrant neighborhoods that Jacobs loved so much."

Jane Jacobs Urban Communication Award

Wed, 17 Nov 2010 08:03:00 -0600

On November 15, New Village Press Director Lynne Elizabeth and Director of the Center for the Living City Stephan A. Goldsmith received the 2010 Jane Jacobs Urban Communication Book Award for What We See: Advancing the Observations of Jane Jacobs. Elizabeth co-edited the work, and Goldsmith lead-edited as well as initially conceiving the book to honor the late Jane Jacobs. Urban Communication Foundation, a non-profit that promotes and supports research in urban communication, presented the award at the National Communication Association annual conference in San Francisco. A reception was held at Johnny Foley's Irish House on 243 O'Farrell Street.

Cathi Murphy, bartender at Johnny Foley's, reads a copy of What We See. Pictured with Gary Gumpert, President of Urban Communication Foundation.

Rockefeller Foundation Announces 2010 Winners of Jane Jacobs Medal

Tue, 20 Jul 2010 09:37:00 -0500

The Rockefeller Foundation today honors Joshua David and Robert Hammond and Elizabeth Barlow Rogers with its Jane Jacobs Medal, celebrating their inspiring contributions to the field of urban planning in New York.

David and Hammond are the co-founders of Friends of the High Line, which reclaimed New York’s elevated High Line railroad and transformed the area into a community park and home to public art. Elizabeth Barlow Rogers is a lifelong advocate for vibrant public spaces. New York’s inaugural Central Park Administrator, she founded the Central Park Conservancy in 1980 and serves as an author, teacher, and lecturer.

Congratulations to the winners!

Elizabeth Barlow Rogers;

Joshua David and Robert Hammond, photo by Jeffrey Donenfeld

Jane's Legacy

Fri, 09 Jul 2010 08:18:00 -0500

The Gothamist's Jake Dobkin talked to What We See co-editor Stephen Goldsmith about the impact Jane Jacob's ideas and activism has had on shaping the cities we live in.

"It's been more than four years since urbanist and activist Jane Jacobs passed away, but the issues she focused on during her life seem more pressing than ever: how to build successful neighborhoods and cities, the economic survival of small business in the face of development..." Read the full interview here.

The Youngest Jane's Walk Yet

Wed, 26 May 2010 13:49:00 -0500

The Grove Community School in Toronto, Ontario, Canada participated in a Jane's Walk School Edition. Teachers and parents gave the students clipboards and plastic black glasses to imitate and amplify Jane Jacobs' most celebrated contributions to cities - her writings and her observations.

While on their Jane's Walk, the students were asked guiding questions to engage their senses about their neighborhood: Where do you like to walk in the neighbourhood? Is there enough room for us on the sidewalk? Who uses this park? Where do bikes get parked? This charming stroll shows that youth can be active members of their communities just by looking and taking notice. Read more about the event here.

A Mayor Inspired by Jane Jacobs

Thu, 06 May 2010 12:01:00 -0500

The Honourable David Crombie, What We See contributing author and former mayor of Toronto, gave an exclusive video interview in David Crombie Park this weekend on sidewalk culture and Jane Jacobs' living legacy in Toronto.

Crombie is credited for implementing changes in housing, transportation and land-use policy that prompted Toronto's development of a vibrant urban landscape in the 1970s. The park that is his namesake sits amongst the co-op housing he helped put in place while mayor, one of many developments he says were inspired by Jane Jacobs' rigorous intellectual framework for developing cities.

Crack open your new copy of What We See to Crombie's chapter, "Jane Jacobs: The Toronto Experience" to read more about Jane's influence in this Canadian urban hub.

Credit for this video: http://blogs.canoe.ca/canoedossier/arts-alive/david-crombie-talks-jane-jacobs/

Rave Reviews of Jane's Walk 2010 Roll In

Mon, 03 May 2010 11:16:00 -0500

Glowing feeback from this weekend’s Jane’s Walks and Rolls have been pouring in from participants all over the world and we had to share some of the excitement in case you missed it. Here are just a few of the comments folks shared after taking part in their neighborhood walks, honoring Jane Jacobs’ legacy.

“Historic District of Old Oakland, California, led by Annalee Allen and Tina Ramos was amazing. Jane would have LOVED it. Good turnout; interesting local people. Annalee does comprehensive research for interesting stories, news clips and historic photos. Beautiful day; not a dull moment.”
—Eve Noman, Oakland, California

“Osborne Village Walk & the Riverview Walk expressed what I feel each day when I walk through our neighbourhood. You can improve your quality of life by enjoying the history and present changes. Savouring the scenery, architecture, the people & nature.”
—Rhonda Dickens, Winnipeg, Manitoba

“A great two days of Jane's Walk in Toronto...these small moments of openness and desire to share the walk with others are the threads that make the fiber of a great city.”
—Amanuel Melles, Toronto, Ontario

To follow the full buzz on Jane’s Walks and the release of What We See online, check out the Jane’s Walk Facebook page.

Jane Jacob's Makes Top 10 List of "Most Influential Women of the Environment"

Tue, 27 Apr 2010 08:41:00 -0500

An Earth Day list of women who changed the environmental movement forever, produced by Ecopolitology Magazine, honors Jane Jacobs among ten outstanding female leaders.

Jane Jacobs painting above in Toronto by John Scott. Creative Commons photo by Laurie McGregor.

Notes Ecopolitology, "During much of the 20th century, environmental activism was closely tied to feminism. Since then, many strong women have been at the forefront of environmentalism. Whether advocating animal rights or raising awareness about toxins in our environment, women like Jane Jacobs have had a powerful impact on the environmental movement."

See all the women making Green Living History!

Jane's Walks Span the Globe!

Fri, 23 Apr 2010 08:47:00 -0500

Jane's Walks are truly going global. 2010 is shaping up to be greatest and most far-reaching celebration of Jane Jacob's legacy since the Jane's Walks tradition got its start in Toronto in 2007. SIxty cities, including twenty-eight Canadian cities, twenty-seven US cities, and five more across the world, and have been inspired to host three hundred and sixty unique neighborhood walking tours!

*photo from janeswalks.net

Folks are lacing up their sneakers for their first ever Jane's Walks in Brooklyn, Los
Angeles, Chattanooga, Saskatoon, Edmonton, and Victoria to name a few new hosts. The celebration takes on international flavor in Paloma Uruguay, Mumbai and Goa India, Dublin Ireland and Madrid Spain as well.

We were blown away not only by the span of cities participating, but by the creativity the Walks have inspired. Winnipeg Canada will unveil the first phase of its Rapid Transit system and discuss its integration into the neighborhood, Toronto high school students will
lead a walk through Jane Jacob's home in the Annex neighborhood, and our own What We See authors will be hosting book release launches in six different cities!

To see a full list of participating cities, contact a Jane's Walk organizer near you, or even sign up to host your own walk, visit the Canadian Jane's Walk site or Jane's Walk USA,

Jane Jacobs: Parting Words (2007)

Mon, 12 Apr 2010 13:46:00 -0500

Jane Jacobs: Parting Words (2007) from Kevin Balmer on Vimeo.

Jane Jacobs: Parting Words captures urban planner, thinker, and activist Jane Jacobs in her final public appearance in Portland, Oregon.

This short film was written, produced and directed by Chet Orloff and Kevin Balmer. Orloff is an Adjunct Professor of Urban Studies and Planning at Portland State University and Balmer is a PSU Master of Urban Studies and Planning Graduate (2006).

Healing Gardens: Clare Cooper Marcus Proves the Restorative Power of the Great Outdoors

Thu, 01 Apr 2010 07:47:00 -0500

What We See author Clare Cooper Marcus, Professor Emeritus in the Departments of Architecture and Landscape Architecture at the University of California, Berkeley, has been cited in a recent media release hailing the benefits of shaded healing gardens for the patient experience and health outcome of an ailment. Clare, the author of "Healing Gardens in Hospitals" lends credence to a growing body of research on the subject, saying,"One can reasonably assume that change to a more relaxed and calmer frame of mind is likely to enhance the immune system and thus the body has a better chance of healing itself."

*Source: Sugar Creek Gardens [photo usage pending approval]

The release focuses on the importance of shade to providing the patient with the greatest health benefits, which Clare also supports. She stipulates that gardens must offer visitors the choice to sit in sun or shade. For some visitors, it's a matter of physical comfort. For many patients, however, shade is imperative; for example, burn patients may experience pain in direct sunlight, and certain cancer and HIV medications require users to keep out of the sun.

Music in the Spacing of the Spheres: Jane Jacobs-Inspired Playlist

Wed, 31 Mar 2010 08:02:00 -0500

Our senses heighten with each step we take inside a city. Jane Jacobs encouraged us to walk in centers of life. We can visually and aurally experience what those civic centers have to offer with valuable parts of ourselves. The coupling of our ears and our eyes treat us to the richness of everyday sidewalk ballets. Between the buzzing of public transportation, the crescendos hidden in alleys and the people synching in middles of buildings and streets, we can hear the music of the metropolis.

Upon finding The "What Would Jane Jacobs Do?" Club Mix on a blog called The Periphery, I was inspired to create my own playlist that reflects what, I think, is best illustrated in a quote by Greek philosopher and mathematician Pythagoras, "There is geometry in the humming of the strings, there is music in the spacing of the spheres." The city is the perfect everyday setting for live shows. If you find that you are a pedestrian who prefers their earphones to street symphonies, then feel free to listen to the New Village Press version of a Jane Jacobs playlist by clicking on this link.

1. "Use Somebody" by Paramore 2. "Under the Bridge" by All Saints 3. "Doesn't Mean Anything" by Alicia Keys 4. "Big Yellow Taxi" by Counting Crows ft. Vanessa Carlton 5. "Bay Area Fog (Hyphy Remix)" by San Quinn, Big Rich, Boo Banga, Traxamillion 6. "Hawai'i '78" by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole 7. "Use Sombody" by Craig David 8. "New York" by Alicia Keys 9. "Joe Metro" by Blue Scholars

If you would like to share your own version of a Jane Jacobs-inspired playlist, feel free to drop us a line in the comments section!

No wars, No cars: Ecocities According to Richard Register

Tue, 30 Mar 2010 07:37:00 -0500

Richard Register, What We See Author and founder of Ecocity Builders, will give a highly anticipated presentation entitled "No Wars, No Cars, Ecocities According to Richard Register" on rebuilding cities in harmony with nature this coming Wednesday, March 31st at The Commons NYC. Of note, Register has circled the planet dozens of times to speak, but this is the first time Register has visited or spoken in New York in over ten years.

Register's vision of an ecocity, as he describes it in What We See is as follows: Natural habitat corridors foster biodiversity and give residents access to nature. Food and other goods are sourced from within the bioregion. Most residents walk or cycle to work, and take public transportation when they need to travel further. Car-sharing allows people to use a car only when needed. The labor-intensive economy maintains full employment and minimizes energy and water inputs. Goods are designed for reuse, remanufacture, and recycling; and production is designed to reuse by-products and minimize transport.

Sounds like a vision that would make Jane Jacobs smile.

For event details or to order tickets,click here.

To learn more about Ecocity Builders, click here.

Jacob's "View from the Street" Thrives in Mumbai, India

Wed, 24 Mar 2010 07:58:00 -0500

What We See authors Rahul Srivastava and Matias Echanove have re-envisioned the so called 'slums' of Mumbai India through the eyes of Jane Jacobs in a special feature for the New York Times entitled "Taking the Slum Out of Slumdog".

The pair applies Jane's logic that "involvement is the way to appreciation" of a community to make a compelling case for the preservation of the so-called 'slum' of Dharavi. Praising the community's organic development in recent history, Echanove and Srivastava say "...you dignify the neighborhood and the people will reorganize themselves around that. Improving space is legitimizing space."
"If Jane Jacobs was alive today, she would love Dharavi because it's the street life that is the trigger for development," adds Echanove.
The article's author captures the theme of What We See beautifully, noting, "[Jane's] point of view continues to shine through the practice and activism of many like Echanove and Srivastava the world over"

View the full article

Srivastava and Echanove's paper, "The Village Inside: From Mumbai to Tokyo and Back"will be featured in What We See: Advancing the Observations of Jane Jacobs in May.

Roberta Brandes Gratz Releases Timely New Title!

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 12:23:00 -0500

Sincere kudos go out to Roberta Brandes Gratz, New York City Landmarks Preservation Commissioner, and a featured What We See author for the timely release of her latest non-fiction novel on Jane Jacob's legacy: The Battle for Gotham: New York in the Shadow of Robert Moses and Jane Jacobs (Nation, ISBN 978-1-56858-438-6)

Publisher's Weekly describes the book as follows: The mid-20th-century showdown between New York City planning czar Moses and legendary community urbanist Jacobs reverberates down the decades in this meandering polemic. A journalist and member of New York City's Landmarks Preservation Commission, Gratz (Of Center for The Living City) views 50 years of economic and real estate development as a duel between the legacies of Moses, whose pharaonic highway and urban renewal projects obliterated neighborhoods, and Jacobs, who extolled urban diversity and disorderly mixed uses, hated cars, and championed organic, human-scale development. Through this lens, Gratz rehashes Jacobs's defeat of Moses's Manhattan expressway schemes, examines New York's (anti-)industrial policies and historical preservation laws, and attacks what she sees as latter-day boondoggles like Brooklyn's proposed mammoth Atlantic Yards development and Columbia University's expansion.

The book will be in bookstores by April 1st. Readers can whet their appetites for What We See with this in-depth contextual history of Jacob's and Moses' showdown in New York, and be especially informed participants in upcoming Jane's Walks after viewing this title!