urban design, innovation, boulevard, San Francisco, neighborhood activism
As a Bay Area native, I watched Octavia Blvd. in San Francisco transform from an overlooked traffic corridor into a modern day boulevard experience. It is easy to enjoy Octavia Blvd. as an outsider because on the surface it may be a prime example of urban design: streets designed to accommodate heavy automobile traffic, bike lanes, a buffer zone for residents, trees, benches, and even a playground—but was Octavia Boulevard designed to truly serve the needs of the community? Whose interests were being served? Octavia Boulevard is found in the Hayes Valley neighborhood, home to a both ethnic and socio-economic diverse population which brings a unique challenge to urban planners and designers. I will take a critical standpoint on assessing the effectiveness of Octavia Blvd. in terms of the intentions of local and neighborhood organizations.
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San Francisco Planning Office
Current urbanization patterns create new challenges for urban planners to produce innovative urban design solutions, which are then often met by criticisms of being too risky. This study will look at the interaction of various elements within an urban area, and how the relationship between these elements contribute to urban design solutions that are most effective. The objective is to encourage progressive design solutions that are based on local values, but will be effective in rabidly urbanizing communities around the world. The hypothesis is that local action yields effective solutions that are personal to each neighborhood, and then historical examples offer plausible design solutions. These issues will be addressed by conducting a case study on Octavia Boulevard in San Francisco as a holistic solution to issues in the Hayes Valley neighborhood, utilizing case studies of projects around the world, extensive literary resources, conducting interviews, and engaging in observations. This research adds to discourses on progressive urban design and revitalization projects.USP_186_Proposal_Draft.doc
The purpose of this study is to critically examine the effects of dramatic redesign in contemporary urban societies. John King, urban design writer for the SF Chronicle, published an article in January of 2007 regarding the redesign of San Francisco’s Octavia Boulevard to be a “model for other cities” and an “urban success story”. King is not alone in these claims as the boulevard project continues to win prestigious awards and honors from groups such as the Metropolitan Transit Association and the American Planning Association. While many consider Octavia Boulevard to be a success, there continues to be constant criticism over the functionality of the design. This study will explore the case of Octavia Boulevard and it’s effects on circulation, crime rates, and residential satisfaction in the Hayes Valley neighborhood to answer the question: What was the effect of the redesign of Octavia Boulevard on the Hayes Valley neighborhood? For this case study, a combination of quantitative and qualitative data will work to expose the successes and shortcomings of the redesign, principally based on literary discourse, site observations, GIS mapping, and a survey of Hayes Valley residents. I argue Octavia Boulevard was successful in that it largely accomplished the functional and aesthetic objectives set by city officials and Hayes Valley residents alike, and its shortcomings continue to catalyze effective solutions that are unique to the desires of the neighborhood.
For my evidence I will be drawing on different resources including the Market & Octavia Neighborhood Plan as developed by the San Francisco Planning Department, mission statements of local initiatives, census information, and direct observations of the site.
While Octavia Boulevard is a very particular space, I understand that effects are never confined to one space and must be measured in context. For this reason I plan to expand my research into Hayes Valley neighborhood and in San Francisco in general. I also plan to research quantitative data such as crime rates, property value, traffic congestion, etc. within the given area.
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