Regional and Urban Design Committee

Pro Walk, Pro Bike, Pro Place - A Conference Report

  • 1.  Pro Walk, Pro Bike, Pro Place - A Conference Report

    Posted 09-12-2014 06:04 PM
    This message has been cross posted to the following Discussion Forums: Committee on the Environment and Regional and Urban Design Committee .
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    Friday, September 12, 2014

    Observations about Transportation, Placemaking and City Rivalry

    "We learned how to survive, now we have to learn to live". (G. Penelosa about the progress in life expectancy). 
    The rivalry between the Steelers and the Ravens is legendary, complicated by a geographically overlapping fan base within an easy day trip of each other. Then there is the history of both cities as industrial steel-towns, their subsequent rebirth as places of knowledge and learning with philanthropy and flagship universities as drivers. Both cities have a "Downtown Partnership", early Light Rail systems, and waterfront promenades, each a topic of epic competition. 
    I am talking about my hometown Bawlmore and Pennsylvania's Picksburgh (local pronunciations).

    Pittsburgh has Andy Warhol, Baltimore John Waters, pirogies versus crab cakes, Duquesne Pils versus Heavy Seas Lager, Heinz Ketchup versus Old Bay, Fort Duquesne and Fort McHenry, the list could go on and on. This week Baltimore celebrates the battles of the Second Revolutionary War, Baltimore has tall ships and all that Pittsburgh got was a rubber ducky. 
    The globe trotting rubber duck in Pittsburgh
    Photo: ArchPlan Inc.
    But I wanted to write about transportation and placemaking, the reason why Pittsburgh is on my mind.

    When it comes to landing high profile 



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    Klaus Philipsen FAIA
    Archplan Inc. Philipsen Architects
    Baltimore MD
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