Urban Studies and Planning Commons^™

Time To Trade In Our Island Mentality For A World View, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"The 836 residents of New Shoreham (Block Island) don't leave that island very often because of the expense and inconvenience. And some say that there is no need to leave that 10 square miles of beauty because they have everything there, so they are happy to stay.

That type of mentality, of feeling isolated and different from other places, may also be true of the state which, coincidentally, has the name "island" in its name. The reluctance to leave or move across the minuscule box of orders that define this smallest of states means that we turn inward and don't …

Unlike Most Top 100 Cities, Providence Losing Population, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"Given the recent history of population decline in Providence and other large cities throughout New England, one might think that major cities throughout the country are also losing population. Not so."

A Quiet Day In The City?, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"It was the invitation which got me to thinking: it read "Come to our house on Sunday and spend a quiet day in the city." A quiet day in the city?"

Soul City Deserves To Succeed, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"Martin Luther King Jr. had a dream--a dream of equal opportunity and justice for all. An assassin's bullet prevented him from realizing his dream. His friend and well-known leader in the civil rights movement also had a dream--a dream to build a new town in which the injustices of society would be lessened. Today, in the rolling farmland country of North Carolina, Floyd McKissick is working to fulfill his long sought dream."

Are Trees Necessary In The City?, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"It appeared as a small news item: the Providence Park Commission had requested that 40 trees be planted along Atwells Avenue as part of the $2.8 million facelift scheduled for Federal Hill but the Providence Redevelopment Agency did not act on the request. Businessmen along the street were also opposed to the plantings because they considered that their shops would not be visible behind the trees and thus, they would lose some potential business. As a result, no new trees will appear along that business thoroughfare."

Revival Of Downtown Providence, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"Finally, on September 29, more than two years after the initial correspondence and subsequent competition, design, debate, public hearings and more public hearings, the proposal for the Kennedy Plaza auto restricted zone (ARZ) was passed by the Providence City Council. This necessary approval cleared the last barrier before the September 30 deadline of the Urban Mass Transit Administration (UMTA) so that Providence may be considered for nearly $5 million of federal funds to implement this project."

City Land Bank Would Promote Industrial Development, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"On the 19th of May, in the city of Providence, 200 properties were offered for sale to the public. These were properties on which owners were in default of taxes and which the city hoped to sell in order to get them back on the tax rolls, as well as to collect back taxes. Only 21 of the properties were sold."

A New Park To Give The Downtown A Lift, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

The recent discussions on the proposal for an auto-restricted zone in Kennedy Plaza have centered essentially on one idea: should this area continue to be used for cars and parking space or should it be turned over to pedestrians, with limited auto access, increased bus usage, and fewer parking spaces?

Don't Be Too Quick To Dismiss Pedestrianized Malls, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"The recent proposal to close off parts of the Kennedy Plaza and Dorrance Street to automobile traffic and transform autoways to pedestrian use has raised an important question: What would be the impact on downtown stores if this proposed auto resticted zone (ARZ) were implemented?

Providence Needs More Than Parking Space, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"The automobile has made us highly mobile. Today we think nothing of driving 30, 40 or 50 miles to do different kinds of shopping. The success of suburban malls attests to this fact: with good access from interstate and highways, these asphalt oases have sprung up like mushrooms throughout our suburban areas. And with few exceptions, they have successfully fulfilled the single function for which they were intended--retailing.

This Mini-State Needs The Land Use Plan: Viewpoint, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"The most significant bill to come before this session of the General Assembly will be introduced soon by Governor Noel. The proposed bill to establish a state-local land management program merits the close scrutiny of all citizens of this state. Not only would this program have an immediate effect on Rhode Island, but the full impact of this farsighted bill would fall on succeeding generations."

City Parks Are For People: Viewpoint, Chester Smolski

Smolski Texts

"It has been claimed that urban parks are "the lungs of the city," supplying, as they do, breathing space in a harsh concrete and asphalt enviornment. Parks also provide a sense of nature with trees, grass and flowers in a serene and peaceful setting."