Braddock has become the poster child for a sort of bootstrap revitalization - an attitude that Levi's wants to rub off on their jeans. In exchange for using Braddock as a brand enhancer, the company built Braddock a community center.
Willy Staley recently visited Braddock to see if the Levi's ad and myriad of other articles on Braddock have gotten the story right:
"Walking down the Braddock's main street, Braddock Avenue, two weeks back, there was hardly a person in sight. Most buildings had their addresses spraypainted on in florescent orange, as is often done to condemned structures. Embracing the decay, my trusty photographer and I wandered into an abandoned dentist's office on the forlorn strip. The building's roof had collapsed in on itself, as had most of the floor."
Staley talks with Braddock's mayor and poster child John Fetterman, who he says "is a bit of a bad-ass" and "a fierce fighter" for his city's survival.
Thanks to Ryan Sloan
FULL STORY: The Braddock Story
Downtown Expressway's Days Are Numbered in Detroit
Detroit will soon join the ranks of cities that have ripped out high-speed freeways from their urban core.
Can Detroit's Urban Revitalization Undo the Mistakes of Urban Renewal?
Some experts think the language used to describe a redevelopment project in Detroit might be overly ambitious.
Critic Raises Alarms About North Philadelphia Redevelopment Efforts
The Pulitzer Prize-winning architecture critic of the Philadelphia Inquirer is concerned about the large-scale redevelopment of North Philadelphia, under the leadership of the Philadelphia Housing Authority.
Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing
Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?
Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?
Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?
Research Shows More Roads = More Driving
A national study shows, once again, that increasing road supply induces additional vehicle travel, particularly over the long run.
Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage
Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.
How Protecting Kauaʻi’s Forests Safeguards Fresh Water
A University of Hawaiʻi study shows that protecting Kauaʻi’s native forests from invasive species significantly boosts groundwater recharge, making it a cost-effective strategy to secure fresh water and enhance climate resilience.
Gary, Indiana to Expand Transit Service, Bike Share
The city plans to launch a bike share system in April and expand service on its bus routes.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Moreno Valley
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland
Newport County Development Council: Connect Greater Newport