Further Waterfront Planning Studies

Author : Nufar Avni
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (13 download)

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Download or read book Planning a Just City written by Nufar Avni and published by . This book was released on 2018 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "This dissertation explores how social justice is negotiated in urban redevelopment projects, and it investigates what actors, strategies and factors are at play in creating more socially just redevelopment outcomes. The projects selected for case studies are waterfront redevelopments. Waterfronts are suitable sites for the investigation of social justice issues due to the presence of economic, social, cultural, and environmental forces that operate together in these symbolic and contested space. On the one hand, waterfront redevelopments typically create opportunities for social and environmental justice by means of high-quality public spaces and proximity to nature. On the other hand, they often result in high-end developments that potentially exclude large numbers of residents from the revitalized space and inscribe certain values and memories over others in the urban landscape. By analyzing cases of waterfront redevelopments that involve racial or ethnic, environmental and economic conflicts, this research addresses the following questions: 1) How is social justice addressed in waterfront redevelopment plans? 2) What processes and factors enable planners to achieve social justice goals in waterfront redevelopment projects? 3) How might social justice considerations be more effectively integrated into and operationalized in waterfront redevelopments? From a theoretical perspective, this research builds on theories of social justice and the city, as well as on a large body of literature on waterfront redevelopments. I perform in-depth case studies of three recent waterfront redevelopments: Tel-Aviv- Jaffa and Washington, D.C: a) the redevelopment of the Jaffa port, b) the Anacostia waterfront Initiative, and c) the 11th Street Bridge Park. In both Tel-Aviv-Jaffa and Washington, D.C., racial, environmental, and economic inequalities have been central to waterfront redevelopment plans. Yet the redevelopment of these areas demonstrate some level of commitment to social justice in their visions and plans. . In each case I draw on policy documents, master plans, public media stories, visual and participant observations, and interviews with over 45 key stakeholders (planning officials, developers, community representatives, and NGO leaders) to sketch out the process that led to the current redevelopment project. I pay particular attention to the implications of development on social justice in these projects: Who are the 'winners and who are the 'losers'? What is considered "just" by planners and by the community, and are there differences in their approaches? What strategies did actors use to advance social equity? The research yields various insights with regard to waterfront redevelopments, social justice and urban planning. First, while plans for the three projects explicitly address issues of social justice, demands for social justice get watered down in the implementation process. Second, much of the success or failure in delivering socially just results rests on the ability of particular individuals to advance certain goals. Leadership is a significant component of urban policy and more emphasis should be placed on urban leaders--politicians, planners or other public servants--and their role in pursuing social justice. Third, the discussion on justice in planning must extend beyond the arena of urban planners. Urban planners carry great responsibility for redevelopment, yet among potential urban leaders, they are perhaps most limited in their actions by policy constrains and governance structures. Fourth, achievements in the struggle for social justice in planning is greatly dependent on the agency of civilian groups in advancing their interests and securing benefits. Finally, I suggest that notwithstanding the usefulness of a 'social justice' lens, future examination of urban justice would benefit from a fourfold perspective that includes social, economic, environmental, and identity aspects of justice. " --