Rustbelt revival

After writing the first blog article about Buffalo and how it is dealing with its self-improvement I delved into research into other rustbelt cities. At this point I would point the reader towards a site at The Next American City in as article named   ENVIRONMENT: Greening the Rustbelt by Eric Pallant.
Eric's focus is on two rustbelt cities at varying points in their revival.  Meadville is the primary focus of the article with notes on other cities [as he is located there.]
Both Pittsburgh and Meadville included significant artistic components in their plans. Although that is not the sole revival point.
Environmental renewal up to uncovering an creek in the CBD of Meadville and the clean-up of the three rivers area of Pittsburgh which is still ongoing. This is reminiscent of the work in progress in Burlington Bay [Pier 4] and the preservation of Cootes Paradise. Additional work in Hamilton could include old buried creeks now used as buried main sewers [both require the lowest point in the landscape as drainage.]  The work on the Hamilton Beach should be considered as part of this kind of effort in Hamilton.
The saving of old buildings was considered crucial to the recovery. These old buildings were then placed into new uses. In the smaller city, Meadville was able to get local farmers and other craftspersons to go to market.  [In Toronto the Farmers Market at St Lawrence is only on Saturdays. The other part of the market is daily but are composed of businesses set-up for food selling and other related types of merchandise.] Hamilton's Farmers Market as raised in some comments previously may choose to move to 'new' digs in a manner to revive itself [previously I had questioned this but must recount as the loss of the Lister Block would be a worse fate for all concerned.] Consider the fate of the Lister Block as a current cause! Take pride Hamilton on the Piggott Building!  The hamiltonnext web page of the Hamilton Spectator web page shows a number of the saved, to be saved, and lost buildings of note in Hamilton.
Notation regarding small clusters of small shops and their owners remaining and being encouraged to thrive. These generally do exist in some form in many parts of Hamilton and contribute to a walkable neighbourhood and city. This is additional support for comments I had previously made on the encouragement of small shops for each neighbourhood to be the supply for the daily necessaries.
I will be continuing the Rustbelt city line of discussion in my next blog posting.
Ilpo

Comments

[ilpo]

These are two links that belong in the posting.

"ENVIRONMENT: Greening the Rustbelt by Eric Pallant"
link is:
http://americancity.org/article.php?id_article=173

"hamiltonnext web page of the Hamilton Spectator web page"
link is:
http://www.thespec.com/specialSections/Section/hamiltonnext

Ilpo