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Tuesday, September 5, 2006 - The planning and design charrette for State and 168th Streets begins in earnest today, as the PlaceMakers team settles into the studio, sets up operations and, for the first time together, walks the 160 acres that comprise what's currently known as the Freeman property.
"It’s been a long time coming," said a noticeably pleased Herb Freeman, referring to the many months he’s spent researching development trends, selecting a planning firm, and making presentations to colleagues and local officials (download a copy of Herb’s presentation here [.pdf, 2mb file]).
The charrette technically began Monday, as team members from around the country began arriving and setting up studio space at the Regency Lodge. Workspaces were arranged, a computer network was established, and box after box of supplies began to be unpacked. The result, being put to use today, is a fully functioning office where a detailed site plan, sample architecture, and even an architectural code inspired by the finest historic precedents will come to define an entirely new neighborhood.
While specifics of the plan won't be known until the charrette is complete, Freeman is firm on the broad principles that will distinguish the project from anything else in the Omaha suburbs.
"This will be a shining example of Traditional Neighborhood Development," he noted, referring to an increasingly popular design approach that borrows from the best of community planning before the era of automobile domination.
With a growing number of built examples around the country, traditional neighborhood developments acknowledge the need for cars but make human beings the design focus. That means walkable neighborhoods with plenty of casual gathering places, narrow streets to slow traffic, and sidewalks and nature paths that lead to interesting places - like a neighborhood coffee shop, book store, or corner grocery.
"Wherever these neighborhoods are built," says Freeman, "they're amazingly popular. There's simply no reason that people in Omaha shouldn't have the same choices as other people in the country. That's what we're going to offer. Starting today."
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 Watch the setup.
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Architecture
