"USC Plans For the Future"
USC has for a while been a well recognized and trendsetting actor in the downtown scene, formatting the course of action to create a healthier and safer environment. This has proved to be true when examining the area surrounding the university campus. In this article, Ms. Scott has made clear in detail the underlying and apparent reason to expand – this being to secure and provide housing for future students, creating an improved array of businesses that meet current standards in terms of providing healthy function and innovative design. Furthermore this is meant to lift up the community surroundin
g the university. As much as this development is due to the self interest of USC it will also serve for a “greater common good”. However, I agree with the previous comment emphasizing that, while working to be more engaged and forward thinking in the community, USC must take notice to the diverse ethnic groups and minorities that are an essential component of this district. Their engagement should be fostered and taken into consideration when projecting for the future. This project should aim to create and uphold jobs for the creative class and encourage the minorities while giving incentives to small and mid-size business to be active and committed players. As the university builds on to create a more sustainable environment, USC as a trendsetting and respectable actor in the community must be cautious not to step over small business. However it is of great importance to set standards and make sure that businesses adhere to those standards, as it has been proved that safety in the community goes hand in hand with improved businesses. John Macdonald, the leading researcher on the study and also a criminology professor at the University of Pennsylvania confirms this statement by saying: "These districts make a place not such an attractive place for crimes of opportunity such as robbery." The mixed use of businesses brings more security that deters crimes. This is a concern that not only the community share interest in but one that parents of students and the entire student body cares strongly about. Hence this should be a fundamental concern of the university, – to create and maintain a safe environment for students. Finally, thank you Anna for a comprehsensive and constructive post. This is a great direction to intensify what has already been seen around campus. It can create opportunities and pass on positive spillovers to the various players of the community.
g the university. As much as this development is due to the self interest of USC it will also serve for a “greater common good”. However, I agree with the previous comment emphasizing that, while working to be more engaged and forward thinking in the community, USC must take notice to the diverse ethnic groups and minorities that are an essential component of this district. Their engagement should be fostered and taken into consideration when projecting for the future. This project should aim to create and uphold jobs for the creative class and encourage the minorities while giving incentives to small and mid-size business to be active and committed players. As the university builds on to create a more sustainable environment, USC as a trendsetting and respectable actor in the community must be cautious not to step over small business. However it is of great importance to set standards and make sure that businesses adhere to those standards, as it has been proved that safety in the community goes hand in hand with improved businesses. John Macdonald, the leading researcher on the study and also a criminology professor at the University of Pennsylvania confirms this statement by saying: "These districts make a place not such an attractive place for crimes of opportunity such as robbery." The mixed use of businesses brings more security that deters crimes. This is a concern that not only the community share interest in but one that parents of students and the entire student body cares strongly about. Hence this should be a fundamental concern of the university, – to create and maintain a safe environment for students. Finally, thank you Anna for a comprehsensive and constructive post. This is a great direction to intensify what has already been seen around campus. It can create opportunities and pass on positive spillovers to the various players of the community.“After measure R, Los Angeles Transit Plans Advance….Slowly”
One of my main concerns has been for a while the future of the proposed subway system that would ease the transportation issue for many residents between these destinations, - destinations being generally a reach from downtown to the P
acific Rim (See left). I am glad that you have answered my concerns and laid out there a detailed plan concerning the construction and timeframe of this development. However, what you consider being one of the most ambitious plan in the US history seems to me being the least prioritized project. I can not really comprehend why it would take an approximate 25 years (according to the timeframe you have provided) to build a 10 mile subway system. Considering that Metro with the mayor Antonio Villaraigosa as the chairman on the board has acknowledged the project timeframe as unacceptable. Metro is stating that this delay is due to a low prioritization when it comes to transport policy.
acific Rim (See left). I am glad that you have answered my concerns and laid out there a detailed plan concerning the construction and timeframe of this development. However, what you consider being one of the most ambitious plan in the US history seems to me being the least prioritized project. I can not really comprehend why it would take an approximate 25 years (according to the timeframe you have provided) to build a 10 mile subway system. Considering that Metro with the mayor Antonio Villaraigosa as the chairman on the board has acknowledged the project timeframe as unacceptable. Metro is stating that this delay is due to a low prioritization when it comes to transport policy. While I understand the complications that come with costly projects such as this, I recognize that the current economy might setback this project. However, I might be fair in arguing that now is a good time for building and developing. This project would create many new jobs within a sector that is already
bleeding. Furthermore, as money has been heavily invested in downtown, it seems only fair to fill downtown with people so that businesses can thrive and generate revenues to the city. It is apparent that the various developing projects aiming to give the city a facelift will not fully function without people to give it the spree of energy and pulse. This is without doubt something that a mass transit system can change. You mentioned the costly side of it being that it would be very hard to finish this project earlier due to insufficient funds. You considered the help from the business community and I totally concur with you and strongly believe that as we are in this tough economy, we are also moving towards a time where efficiency and effectiveness are strongly emphasized. Being that these are the magic words in the current economy, we should look into the great advantages with public-private partnerships. This would create more business and at the same time provide the funds required to get this project on and going with more efficiency. Surely, I also believe that an adequate portion of the stimulus plan should go towards this project being that it will help to ease and stimulate the economy for many reasons, which I mentioned above. - Firstly it will create more jobs in crucial sectors, secondly it will, indisputably give the people of these areas an easier access to downtown. This will bolster the economy and help businesses to thrive. Thirdly, these businesses will generate tax to the city which can later be used to pay of the debt of this subway system. Lastly, we will have a sustainable mass transit system that will generate revenues while setting the tone for future similar projects. The only problem is yet to stand in the way – the low prioritization that is based on the wrong assumption- the notion that we do not really need to prioritize this project neither now nor in the future!
bleeding. Furthermore, as money has been heavily invested in downtown, it seems only fair to fill downtown with people so that businesses can thrive and generate revenues to the city. It is apparent that the various developing projects aiming to give the city a facelift will not fully function without people to give it the spree of energy and pulse. This is without doubt something that a mass transit system can change. You mentioned the costly side of it being that it would be very hard to finish this project earlier due to insufficient funds. You considered the help from the business community and I totally concur with you and strongly believe that as we are in this tough economy, we are also moving towards a time where efficiency and effectiveness are strongly emphasized. Being that these are the magic words in the current economy, we should look into the great advantages with public-private partnerships. This would create more business and at the same time provide the funds required to get this project on and going with more efficiency. Surely, I also believe that an adequate portion of the stimulus plan should go towards this project being that it will help to ease and stimulate the economy for many reasons, which I mentioned above. - Firstly it will create more jobs in crucial sectors, secondly it will, indisputably give the people of these areas an easier access to downtown. This will bolster the economy and help businesses to thrive. Thirdly, these businesses will generate tax to the city which can later be used to pay of the debt of this subway system. Lastly, we will have a sustainable mass transit system that will generate revenues while setting the tone for future similar projects. The only problem is yet to stand in the way – the low prioritization that is based on the wrong assumption- the notion that we do not really need to prioritize this project neither now nor in the future!
Your post provides very interesting insight about the dynamics of downtown and the need for a mass transit system. While you have critically analyzed how both the University of Southern California as well as a metro system can give downtown the surge of people necessary to create a lively and populated atmosphere, I wonder to what extent it really is for the “greater common good.” By gentrifying downtown you remove the true, while not necessarily pretty, essence of downtown and replace it with a more developed and glamorous environment. Economically, you mention how implementing the transit system will create more jobs and the development of downtown will increase small businesses, but do you feel that by removing the original residents of the downtown Los Angeles area that there will be enough people residing in the area to keep the novel developments stable?
ReplyDeleteAside from my curiosity, you explained some interesting points- one that I found particularly accurate was your statement that it is the University’s responsibility to offer better and safer housing which will help expand downtown. Most thriving cities, especially on the East Coast or in suburbs, are built adjacent to a university. The college environment fosters activity, night life, and business. However, it is difficult to structure the same college town feelings in urban areas as the focus of the region is not the school, rather it is a school placed in the middle of a bustling city. Therefore I do understand and agree that by first providing students with a better place to live correspondingly the environment may become safer causing people to go out and interact more and ultimately create a college town feeling. You also so nicely pointed out that if this structural layout is effective it will in turn pay rewarding results to the neighboring regions.
Finally, you utilized resources effectively by supplementing your argument by including plans for the development of a metro system. The case you present in this post has a cohesive flow as you first say that the university needs to improve and expand into the community and then implement the metro in order to keep the inflow of people steady. You do present your knowledge on the topics and I do agree that if things need to change the change needs to start now. Well done.