the d.c. office of planning released the 36-page “van ness commercial district action plan” on nov. 12 in an effort to guide the neighborhood toward a more sustainable and family-friendly future. the plan includes over 30 goals for the area, a handful of which could go into effect as soon as next year, with others following over the next five to ten years.

“the van ness commercial district has the potential to improve its retail offerings and public space while showcasing world class sustainability measures by leveraging its substantial daytime population, accessibility, and the well-established surrounding neighborhoods,” the plan states.

the proposal is highly focused on creating a cohesive streetscape for the area by improving lands caping and creating gathering places along the largely empty connecticut avenue sidewalks. expanded treeboxes serve as an added buffer between pedestrians and traffic and, along with permeable pavement, create a stormwater management system which catches rainwater before it runs off.

at the same time, the plan hopes to bring a diversity of retailers to the neighborhood, including clothing shops and casual dining locations that are suitable for both families and students.

the university of the district of columbia is already adding to the area, with the construction of a new student center that the report says will be an attractive space for the entire community, as well as the redevelopment of the school’s law building. meanwhile, the park van ness building, at 4455 connecticut ave., will deliver 273 apartment units and 9,000 square feet of ground-floor retail when completed in 2016.

some of the plan’s short-term goals include new artwork along connecticut avenue, high-efficiency led streetlamps and a public recycling program, all implemented over the next two to five years.

the plan emphasizes van ness’ role as a commercial center along metro’s red line with potential to attract visitors from all over the district.

“a repositioned commercial district will redefine the community as an energetic, lush place that attracts new customers and allows residents, students, and workers to come together,” the plan says.

(editor’s note: this piece originally appeared in the eagle online.)

the office released a 32-page “adams morgan vision framework” plan outlining 17 long-term goals for the neighborhood, including increasing cultural diversification, embracing the neighborhood’s history and strengthening local retail. plans for developing new community spaces and adding sustainability programs are two of the most emphasized aspects of the proposal.

one proposal includes revamping unity park along columbia road to make it more of a destination for members of the neighborhood.

“once a place for vibrant, episodic commerce, the park’s utility is waning and its design stagnating relative to the liveliness of the corridor,” the plan says. in the future, the park could include more trees, seating and shaded spaces, and may even serve as a space for farmer’s markets, artistic events and concerts.

the plan also proposes adding a new park to the neighborhood at the corner of 18th street and columbia road. the area currently has about 5,000 square feet of unused concrete space, according to the plan, that could be transformed into a more usable community green space.

goals regarding a long-term sustainability plan for the neighborhood include creating a “sustainability task force,” implementing a new composting program and reaching a target of 25 percent of high-performing, solar paneled rooftops.

the plan praises the neighborhood’s current walkability, multiculturalism and emphasis on locality, but also seeks to enhance each of these facets to promote adams morgan’s artistic and cultural history.

“the vision framework tells a narrative of the neighborhood by unpacking its important cultural and historical aspects and building on them to ensure adams morgan retains relevancy and competitiveness in the context of a growing city,” the plan says.

(editor’s note: this piece originally appeared in the eagle online.)

you can’t have a sustainable world without sustainable cities” -lisa benton-short.

upon entering dr. lisa benton-short’s office i am first drawn to the bookshelves lined with starbucks’ “city mugs” from upwards of 30 cities worldwide that she has collected during her travels as an urban geographer. they illustrate her background and her continued work in urban geography as she delves deeper into creating more sustainable urban spaces.

growing up in a rural community in montana, the thought of city life was always something we had to imagine. whenever we heard the word “city,” we would think of the stereotypical hustle and bustle of people surrounded by tall buildings mixed with unappealing scenes filled with traffic jams, smoggy horizons, and overflowing landfills. we often missed what benton-short points out: the green parks, diverse wildlife, and the sustainable transportation opportunities that cities have to offer.

benton-short has researched the dynamics of the urban environment from many angles, including planning and public space, urban sustainability, globalization, and immigration. i was able to sit down and talk to her about the emergence of more sustainable cities in the u.s. and around the world. she is still so passionate about her work, and seems to continue to love every aspect of it, even after years of research and work in the field.

she highlights the fact that 54% of the world’s population currently lives in cities with numbers trending higher for the future. by 2050 the world’s population is expected to exceed 9 billion people, with continuing trends an estimated 6.2 billion of those people will be living in urban areas – roughly the same number as the world’s total population in 2002.

one of the things she said that i found most interesting was that there is a demographic shift where young people are staying in cities longer, more people are choosing to raise a family in urban environments, and elderly people are making the move back to cities once their kids have settled down. benton-short attributes this shift to cultural influences such as tv shows like seinfeld and sex & the city that made living in an urban environment seem “cool” again.

i had always dreamed of living in a city when i got older, partially because of the glamorization of big cities in television and popular culture. when i was looking at college options, washington, dc seemed like a dream come true. but after spending three years living in dc, and getting the chance to spend some time in other large east coast cities, dc doesn’t seem nearly big enough!

when it comes to the “american dream” many people are abandoning the vision of white picket fences and two car garages in favor of city life, and i fit right into that. i imagine raising kids in a large city, or at least close to one. looking at all of the opportunities and experiences that are available in a large city makes me almost envious that i wasn’t raised closer to one. benton-short talked about how more and more children are being raised in cities and families are demanding services and amenities that not only translate into a higher quality of life for everybody but also make for more sustainable cities with expanded parks, outdoor recreational opportunities, and improved public transportation and urban walkability.

just traveling out to cities on the west coast, i can see the walkability is distinctly different, and the cities have much less public transportation, but many of these cities still have plans to become more sustainable. many communities already have sustainability plans looking toward the future; austin and san francisco plan to be carbon neutral by 2020, new york city is requiring buildings to use less energy and waives city sales tax on efficient vehicles, and portland has already installed over 200 miles of designated bike lanes.

there is no doubt the world of our future will be urban. the challenge confronting us today is whether we can make that world an efficient and sustainable one. 

by utilizing both the water that falls onsite and the water that runs off from surrounding areas, urban rain gardens in dc, planted with drought tolerant plants, filter rainwater and runoff water during storms. once rainwater hits the pavement it will travel to a storm drain, dragging anything in its path down the drain. covering more city surfaces with urban rain gardens will allow for greater rainwater filtration and will ensure that our waterways and drinking glasses remain pollutant free and that our streets remain green!

lauren pollack is a junior at the george washington university majoring in political communication.