With deep gratitude to Rudo Kemper and Liz Nguyen, who have taken this on as a passion project, I am pleased to announce a redesigned Echoes of Little Saigon Story Map! You can now share your story directly through the website, or contact Liz Nguyen to set up an in-person interview!
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Planning Magazine article – Helping Black-owned legacy businesses thrive
I’m grateful to business owners and practitioners for offering perspectives on how to help historically Black commercial corridors thrive.
https://www.planning.org/planning/2022/winter/how-to-help-black-owned-businesses-thrive/
New APA Publication: Legacy Business Programs: Emerging Directions
Happy to announce the publication of my American Planning Association PAS memo. Please keep me posted as programs move forward and new programs are established!
National Planning Conference Legacy Business Panel
Excited that my panel proposal has been accepted for the 2020 National Planning Conference. On April 27, 2020 we’ll be sharing the results of a study of legacy business initiatives across the US and sharing experiences of leaders in the field.
Legacy Business Initiatives: Emerging Directions NPC208088
Learn about three new legacy business initiatives that seek to document and promote the independent, quirky, long-standing enterprises so essential to neighborhood character and community identity. Hear the results of the first national study of legacy business programs across North America.
April 27, 8 a.m. to 9:15 a.m.
Location: 361
Pardis Saffari | Shanon Miller, AICP | Wesley Regan | Elizabeth Morton
Share Your Legacy Business Story!
Graduate students and faculty from Virginia Tech’s Urban Affairs and Planning Program are documenting the history of longstanding, or “legacy”, businesses in Arlington County. Our study to date has focused on businesses established at least 25 years ago in two areas: the Lee Highway corridor and the Green Valley neighborhood.
The website for our pilot project includes an interactive map of 13 businesses and a collection of oral histories of business owners in both areas. These stories are also the basis for the “The Local Shop” radio series produced by VT graduate student Valeria Gelman, available from WERA 96.7. Finally, the oral histories will be permanently housed in Arlington’s Center for Local History.
We are continuing to broaden our collection of oral histories. If you would like to SHARE YOUR STORY of a longstanding business, please contact us. Interviews typically take about 45 minutes and can be conducted at a site of your choice, such as a library, community center or your local business.
Amazon is coming to town panel
Had a great time moderating this panel “Amazon is Coming to Town” with Stephanie Landrum, Alex Iams, Helen McIlvaine and Karl Mortiz at the Virginia APA Alexandria Symposium.
Panel Discussion: Reimagining Housing for the 21st+ Century
Had a great time moderating this panel “Amazon is Coming to Town” with Stephanie Landrum, Alex Iams, Helen McIlvanie and Karl Mortiz at the Virginia APA Alexandria Symposium.
Matthew Lesh
Thank you to Matthew Lesh for coming to present to our Autonomous Vehicles Studio Class!
Matthew Lesh is an AV mobility consultant focused on accessibility, equity, transit integration and deployment. He works the transportation consultant Mobility e3 who help communities take advantage of new mobility technologies such as autonomous vehicles. Matthew gave a presentation to the studio about the possible impacts AVs could have on transportation and the built environment.
Matthew presented both the good and bad impacts that autonomous vehicles could have. AVs have the potential to solve many problems that have vexed planners for years, such as paratransit for people with disabilities and bridging the first and last mile connection to transit. To gain the benefits of automation, Lesh said that AVs must be planned to be accessible for all travelers as a priority and that significant coordination by government agencies between private autonomous vehicles fleets may be necessary.
Graduate students document legacy businesses for Arlington County
In Spring 2017, Masters students in Urban and Regional Planning explored the history of longstanding, or “legacy,” businesses in Arlington County, VA. Our study focused on two areas: the neighborhoods along the Lee Highway corridor and the historically African American Green Valley neighborhood. The goal of the studio was to bring to light the stories and voices associated with places that may not be typically viewed as “historic” resources, but that nonetheless comprise an essential part of community character and vitality.
Graduate student studio project on Arlington Vietnamese community spurs May 9 celebration
VT students work on the history of Little Saigon continues to resonate in Arlington. While the studio may have ended months ago, the students’ enthusiasm has not waned. They have continued to advocate for public awareness of Clarendon’s Vietnamese history, attending many meetings with local Arlington officials.
As a result, Arlington County will honor Clarendon’s Vietnamese heritage from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 9, at the Clarendon Central Park (at Clarendon Metro) as part of Neighborhood Day 2015.
The Arlington County Board will make a proclamation, and the event will include a number of guest speakers, public art and art activities by Artist Khánh H. Lê, and self-guided smart phone tours of Little Saigon businesses narrated by former community members.
Check out the full story on Virginia Tech’s news site: link
Elizabeth Morton 