Andre P Johnson Urban Planning Portfolio
Resume Andre P Johnson
2742 Powell Dr. Cincinnati, OH 45211 | 513-509-9494 | johns6ae@mail.uc.edu
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Personal Statement – Cities have always been an inspiration to me.
Having lived in few different cities, including Minneapolis, Omaha, and Cincinnati, I’ve seen the plenty differences in the factors that define each city. I understand the impact of the decisions made by planners, and want to be able to contribute positively to the development of cities.
Education
Bachelor of Urban Planning GPA 3.47 University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH Dean’s List: Spring 2016, Fall 2016 Graduation April 2021 Academic Club: UC Urbanists, Fundraising Chair Fall 2017 - Present Planning Classes: • Principles of Planning Design Graphic Communication • Computer Graphics in Planning • Introduction to Geographic Information Systems • Statistics for Urban Settings • Site Planning and Design E2C Creative Blitz 2017 “Implement It Tomorrow” Award
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Walnut Hills High School Cincinnati, OH May 2015 College Preparatory Curriculum
Experience
Campus Recreation Center, Cincinnati, OH September 2016 – Present Aquatics Supervisor Rookie of the Year 2017 • Supervising lifeguard staff. Testing water chemistry. Upkeeping facility. • Supervising patrons in the indoor pool. Rescuing and performing necessary care to distressed, injured or passive swimmers. • Teaching and organizing swim lessons. • Instructing and Recertifying lifeguards.
Cincinnati Recreation Commission, Cincinnati, OH September 2013 - Present Pool Manager • Organizing, planning, and implementing strategy; supervising lifeguards and patrons; Counting and depositing money; Upkeeping pool facility.
Computer Skills
Advanced: Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Word, Intermediate: Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, ArcGIS, AutoDesk Inventor, SketchUp Basic: AutoCAD
Table of Contents Project 1: Auditory Study Tour Project 2: College Hill Case Study
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Project 3: Suitability Analysis
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Writing Sample
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Project 4: Understanding Contours 14 Sketches Original Photographs
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Project 1: Auditory Study Tour Individual Project The project was to prepare a thematic walking tour of the UC Campus. This project was done for Principles of Planning and Design I, my first semester of Urban Planning Study. This project built my foundations of planning, especially building my ability to use hand-drawn graphics and computer graphics in conjunction to convey information.
I designed a tour to explore several spaces of campus that may be ideal for studying, based on the sound levels of the environments.
I was inspired by the variation of spaces on the UC campus, and studied how sounds may affect how one will think or retain information. I found that quiet spaces are better for learning and memorizing information will moderate or loud spaces can stimulate creativity. Legend
Starting Point Tour Path
Quiet Space
Moderately Loud Space
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Loud Space
Tour Plan Map: Pencil, Ink, Adobe Photoshop
Sound Levels in Outdoor Spaces: Ink, Adobe Photoshop
The Tour Plan Map is accompanied by the Sound Levels in Outdoor Spaces Map, which provides a sound scape of the campus, where darker areas are louder. Although the sound-waves placement and size is completely subjective, I thought that the map turned out to be relatively accurate and paired well with the Tour Map. One could use both graphics to help them find quiet enough place to study along the path. Legend Quiet
Moderately Loud Loud
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Project 2: College Hill Study Group Project This project was my first planning group project, done my second semester of Urban Planning Study. The project was a semester-long case study on the Cincinnati neighborhood, College Hill. I worked on the project with Graham Wilz and Brain Longobardi.
Located on the northern edge of the city, College Hill is a large, diverse, residential neighborhood. Home to about 16,000 residents, the neighborhood is 3.75 square miles. It is 8.7 miles from Downtown Cincinnati and located on one of Cincinnati’s seven hills. The southern side of the neighborhood is home to wooded hills while the northern side is where the main street and residential sections are found. Our first task of the project was to form an impression of College Hill. After a visit to the neighborhood, a few quick sketches, and some photographs, we determined that College Hill is missing something. The historic past of the neighborhood is evident in every street. It is easily seen that College Hill is scattered with relics of its past, whether it be the monumental Twin Towers, the old Town Hall, or the many churches. At first impression, the neighborhood seemed down on it’s luck, but with the developments on Hamilton Ave, the future seems brighter.
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1868
1813: College Hill settled by William Cary (originally called Pleasant Hill)
COLLEGE HILL
1937
1846: Farmer’s College established
1852: Women’s 1890s: Regular College established streetcar and rail road service to CH
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1908: Twin Towers built
1976
1923: Commercial district moves to Hamilton
1938: Railroad closes down. Switch to bus begins
2017
1956: Emerson Hospital chang es hands again
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1960s: Aiken High School opens
CH History Timeline: Adobe Illustrator Given the assignment to create a timeline of College Hill, from its creation to the present, my group was tasked with how to effectively portray the great change College Hill has seen in its transportation systems. We decided to show maps of the transportation systems, including any paths or streets, and train or streetcar routes, to show the change the neighborhood has seen since its upbringing. We found maps from four time periods: 1868, 1937, 1976, and 2017, and with these maps, told the story of College Hill, drawing back to the most important events that give the neighborhood its distinct character.
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One of the most important conclusions from this data is the rise of both unemployment and poverty, which led us to ask ourselves why College Hill has progressed in this fashion.
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Race (White)
1990
2000
2010
2015
86.2%
65.8%
58.8%
44.0%
36.8%
32.0%
3.0%
5.5%
6.5%
5.8%
10.1%
10.5%
78.4%
85.5%
79.8%
82.3%
85.9%
86.9%
6.9%
11.1%
8.9%
22.1%
21.8%
Unemployment Education (HS Grad)
We decided that change was an important characteristic of College Hill to explore, so we looked at Census data from 1970 to 2015, to draw comparisons from the past to the present
1980
Poverty
After creating a timeline of the neighborhood's history, we were to look at the demographics of the neighborhood and graphically portray this data.
1970
Census Data Analysis Map Series: ArcGIS and Adobe Illustrator
3.0%
Our next assignment was to create a map series of College Hill including a Figure-Ground, Land Use, and Linkages map of the neighborhood. The neighborhood has an important tree canopy that characterizes its surroundings. The southern half of the neighborhood is forested by a fox preserve and woods. The northern half also has a present tree canopy showing tree-lined streets and a more suburban setting for the neighborhood’s development.
CH Figure-Ground Map: ArcGIS and Adobe Illustrator
0
0.25 0.5
Tree Canopy Building
Boundary
College Hill is a largely single-family residential neighborhood. It has a strip of commercial space on business district of Hamilton Ave. Institutions are scattered throughout the neighborhood, which are largely churches and schools. It also has some of the last agricultural space left in the city. CH Land Use Map: ArcGIS and Adobe Illustrator
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1.0 Mile
0.25 0.5
Single-Family Residential Multi-Family Residential Commercial
Institutional Agricultural Public
College Hill has two main arterial routes connecting Linkages the neighborhood to other places, and collector roads connecting places in between. The core of the neighborhood is walkable and well connected showing its streetcar origins. Moving further out, this grid becomes disconnected due to its suburban nature.
CH Linkages Map: ArcGIS and Adobe Illustrator
1.0 Mile
0
0.25 0.5
1.0 Mile
Roads
Arterial Collector Local Intersections Pedestrian Shed (1/2) Mile
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Commercial District Typology Series: ArcGIS, Adobe Illustrator, SketchUp
Small Suburban Typology Series: ArcGIS, Adobe Illustrator, SketchUp
The next assignment was to examine four different typologies in College Hill. After identifying these typologies on figure-ground maps, we created three-dimensional models, sections, and elevations for each of these typologies.
Estate Residential Typology Series: ArcGIS, Adobe Illustrator, SketchUp
Suburban Residential Typology Series: ArcGIS, Adobe Illustrator, SketchUp
This portion of the project was the most enjoyable for me as I was able to analyze the urban design of these typologies. I was inspired with the creation of these graphics, and was able to train my ability to use SketchUp and Adobe Illustrator to my advantage.
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1.0 Mile
he ge est y his a urally, ormed
this can or its
0.25 0.5
1.0 Mile
0.5
1.0 Mile
We always believed that College Hill was missing something, and after a semester worth of research on the neighborhood, we decided it was missing a grocery store. The neighborhood has been a massive food desert since the Kroger in College Hill moved to North College Hill. There are grocery stores encompassing the neighborhood, following the Highway system, but nothing to provide the residents of College Hill accessible 0.5 1.0 Mile Proposal Site produce. Selected Edge Point
Grocery Store Grocery Store 0.5 Mile Radius of Grocery Store 0.5 Mile Radius of Grocery Store Site of Proposal College Food Desert Site ofHill: Proposal College Hill: Within Range of Grocery Store College Hill: Food Desert Street College Hill: Within Range of Grocery Store One prominent issue in College Hill is the lack of fresh produce. Street Connecting Change There are no grocery stores
COLLEGE HILL Food Desert
e
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located in the limits of College Hill. To remediate this issue, the neighborhood can create a grocery co-op that community owners can buy into and will provide for the needs of the community. Without fresh produce, the community exists within a vacuum of necessities.
0.5 Illustrator 1.0 Mile Proposal SiteFootprint Map: ArcGIS, Adobe Building Abandoned Buildings Under Construction Public Space
Proposal Example Model: SketchUp
The final assignment reflects on College Hill's issues and opportunities.
Route
Boundary Street
Proposal Site Map: ArcGIS, Adobe Illustrator
1/2 Mile Ped Shed
Disconnected
Food Desert Map: ArcGIS, Adobe Illustrator
At the center of College Hill, old street suburbs present themselves as semi-connected grids. This allows for multiple routes to occur throughout the center of the neighborhood. This grid creates options in travel. As you move further out the neighborhood deconstructs into sprawl. Cul-de-sacs create dead ends in a disjointed community fabric. Throughout its history College Hill has decomposed its own grid system.
Looking at a site on Hamilton and North Bend, right next to the location of the former College Hill Kroger, we designed a proposal for a Cooperative Grocery Store, with space for parking, a community center to bring together the community, and public space.
This would solve a lot of the issues, especially the food desert. This easily accessible corner would provide much of the neighborhood with fresh produce, and bring together the community while at it.
This assignment was a great way to end the project, as we were able to finally use the tools we developed throughout the semester to create a cohesive proposal for the neighborhood. This semester project very important in developing my skills as a planner, and gave me experience gathering neighborhood or site impressions, historical data, and census data, along with analyzing urban design, and finally creating proposals. Grocery Store
0.5 Mile Radius of Grocery Store Site of Proposal College Hill: Food Desert
0.5
1.0 Mile
Proposal Site
Selected Edge Point Route Boundary Street
0.5
1.0 Mile
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Proximity to Highway Exits: ArcGIS
Project 3: Suitability Analysis Individual Project This project was done for my Introduction to Geographic Information Systems Class in my second semester of Urban Planning Study. We were given the task to create a Land-Use Suitability Analysis for Hamilton County. I chose to create a suitability analysis for the development of a new grocery store. Using the MCE (Multiple Criteria Evaluation) technique of land-use suitability, I used five criteria which were analyzed by distance or value. After determining the polarity of the data, based on its affect on the placement of a grocery store, the data was ranked by distance from points, or value of a given census tract. After ranking and weighting each criterion, they were combined into one unified map.
Proximity to Grocery Stores: ArcGIS
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100
Suitable Median Household Income: ArcGIS
50 0
Proximity to Bus Stops: ArcGIS
Unsuitable
Population Density: ArcGIS
0 5 10
15
20
Miles
Combination Map: ArcGIS
From examining the combination map, it can be concluded that suitability for the placement of a grocery store dwindles with distance from Cincinnati’s downtown. Downtown Cincinnati clearly has the highest suitability for the placement of the grocery store, with its high population density, and easy access to transportation systems.
100
Suitable
50
0
2.5
5
10
15
20
Miles
0
Unsuitable
This is because the transportation systems were ranked the most important criteria to consider when placing a grocery store; without easy access to the store, the clientele will be limited.
As a result, the locations outside of the range of highway exits or bus stops likely lack the accessibility to make the placement of a grocery store profitable. A couple months after I completed this assignment, Kroger released their plan to develop a grocery in Downtown Cincinnati to serve Downtown, Overthe-Rhine, and West End. It felt nice to know that my combination map was accurate enough to predict where the development of a new grocery store would be centered.
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Project 4: Contours Model Individual Project This was the first exercise done in the class, Site Planning and Design, in my third semester of Urban Planning Study. I was given the painting, Figure (Geometric Patterns) by Morton Livingston Schamberg, from which I was to draw a Contour Plan Map and finally a three-dimensional model.
The first challenge of this exercise was how I was going to find depth to make contours from this painting. After hours of exploring the painting's composition of lines, shades, and colors, I decided that the contrast of warm vs cool colors are what brought the depth to the painting.
I created the Contour Plan Map off of this notion, focusing on the warm colors, and gave ratios to shapes depending on the intensity of their warmth.
Ratio Legend
Yellow:
1:1
Red:
1:4
Orange:
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1:2
Section of Figure (Geometric Patterns) - Morton Livingston Schamberg
Contour Plan Map: Ink, Adobe Photoshop
The final result of the exercise is the three-dimensional model created from the Contour Plan Map. The model was created from multiple foam boards, which was cut into the shapes from the painting. Each contour was cut out separately with an X-ACTO knife, the edges of the shapes were sanded to be smooth, and they were carefully pasted on top of each other. Once every shape was pasted to the base foam board, the model was spray painted to give it a cleaner, whiter color. The most difficult part of the exercise was creating the model. I had little experience cutting foam boards or creating physical three-dimensional models, so it was great to get the technical experience cutting and pasting the model together. I had to push myself out of my comfort zone on this exercise, and learned a lot from it.
Three-Dimensional Model: 3/16'' Foam Boards, Spray Paint
Three-Dimensional Model: 3/16'' Foam Boards, Spray Paint
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Writing Sample Effects of the Racial Wealth and Poverty Gap
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America is virtually split by the gap of disparity in wealth between the rich and the poor, largely shaped by racial segregation. It’s created an economic segregation, mostly between Black and White Americans, and also affects other races, but in recent years those gaps have been shrinking, while the wealth gap between Black and White people stays consistent. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the poverty rate among Blacks is about 27.2 percent, versus the rate of 12.7 percent of White people in poverty. “It is becoming increasingly difficult to contest the belief that where you grow up greatly determines your future success.” There are many reasons that race is such a large contributing factor in our wealth and poverty gap, which can be answered by examining the roots of the issue in the history of segregation. The racial wealth and poverty gap has affected many aspects of all American lives, most importantly their health and development, employment, and socioeconomic status. Living in poverty can negatively affect your health and development, especially considering the children, with the largest demographic of people living in poverty are black children. The worst cases of this are in cities such as Detroit and Cleveland, where the poverty rates for black children are 61 and 52 percent respectively. Even non poor black children often end up living in poverty, with 28 percent of non poor black children in Detroit living in poverty, versus the only 7 percent of white children with the same circumstances. As previously stated, living in poverty can negatively affect your development, as proven by Dr. Jack Shonkoff of the Harvard Center on Developing Child, who found that “repeated environmental stress in early years is damaging to a developing brain architecture, leading to lifelong problems.” This is extremely important to consider when examining the large statistic of black children in poverty. By growing up in poverty, you are likely to remain in poverty, without being given the proper resources
Essay Written For the History Class Race and Ethnicity in American Culture. Fall 2016. and opportunities, or without even being taught to have the motivation to want to rise up in society. This is an important reason why there is a racial poverty gap, and why it's difficult to mitigate. “By allowing so many of our youngest citizens to grow up in these neighborhoods, we are pulling the rug out from under their fee before they even learn to walk.” On the other hand, being raised in a rich neighborhood, a child is given the resources to thrive and likely earn high than average future earnings, expanding the gap further. Poverty also can result in numerous health problems and even lower life expectancies. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Black people have more the two times the likelihood of being diagnosed with diabetes, and having other problems, including almost two times the chance of having a stroke in their lifetimes. These health problems are possibly influenced by genetics, but are likely a result of poverty. The ability to afford health insurance, the quality of house, and access to parks and higher quality grocery stores could all be contributing factors when considering the connection between poverty and health. There is also a large difference in employment between each side of the gap, though there is a rising number of black executives and managers. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in Black versus White people has been virtually unchanged in the last 40 years, with about two times the black people than white people that are unemployed. This may be influenced by the race gap in higher education, with 21 percent of Black people with a degree versus the 38 percent of White people with a degree. This large gap would obviously put Black people in a worse place employment wise, but even with a degree, 5.7 percent of Blacks are unemployed, versus 3.5 percent of Whites with degrees. Additionally, according to Urban Institute, in 2010 White families made on average over two times the income, but have 6.1 times the wealth of Blacks and Hispanics. This is likely because it has been more difficult for Black families
to accumulate their wealth, and have more trouble finding employment. The last important aspect of American lives affected by the racial wealth and poverty gap is their socioeconomic status. A study was done by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis to find the average net worth of families based on their race, and included yearly income and financial resources accumulated over time. It was found that the “overall median net worth of white a white family without a college degree holder was $80,000. For black families without a college-degree holder, it was $9,000.� They also found results for families with degree holders-- White families having an average of $360,000, and black families with an average of $33,000. This is likely because it is more difficult for black families to accumulate their wealth. Wealth in families is often passed down through property ownership, and in history black families have had difficulties buying houses and keeping property value in their often plunging neighborhoods. A major cause of this is the 1934 Federal Housing Act, which allowed insurance companies to red line certain neighborhoods, which were often predominantly black or Hispanic. This caused segregated neighborhood, with almost designated neighborhoods for minorities. The effects of are still apparent today when examining the demographics and property values of many of our neighborhoods. Another cause of the economic isolation of minorities is simply racism. As minorities moved into neighborhoods, white people would move out simply because of their dislike or fear of other races. This happened especially after World War II, when the era suburbanization began and white people moved away from the inner cities and into suburbs. Racisms was also found where the developers refused minorities from moving into their units, furthering the economic isolation of minorities. This still happens, as proven by a 2012 study by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which found that housing providers showed Black people 11% less units than White people.
The racial wealth and poverty gap has affected many aspects of all American lives, most importantly their health and development, employment, and socioeconomic status. There is an obvious difference in wealth between races in America, caused by the historic racial divide. The result is segregation in neighborhoods and leading to poor development, unemployment, and economic isolation for minorities. For full essay and Works Cited go to: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QwTowyb3db7q5TrykMVa_CGitc6YkKoql3UvwcoNCVo/edit?usp=sharing
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Hand Sketches Sketches
Crosley Tower and Reiveschl Hall: Graphite Pencil and Ink
These sketches were done as perspective views of captivating locations on UC campus.
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CCM Village: Graphite Pencil and Ink
UC Model: SketchUp
This digital sketch came from a model of UC West Campus and was made on SketchUp.
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Original Photographs I really enjoy taking photos of my surroundings. I take photos everywhere I go, capturing the bigger picture scenes, along with the closer, more intricate scenes. I took all three of the photos depicted below, which give forth different emotions, such as melancholy, curiosity, or wonder; that's what I love about photography, and that it has the ability to capture emotions and tell stories. I plan to take a photography class in the future to expand on my interest and skills.
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This is a photo that encapsulates why I chose to pursue a degree in Urban Planning. Taken from the top of Carew Tower, the photo provides an amazing view of Cincinnati's Downtown Business District and much of Newport, Kentucky. It was fascinating to see the city from a bird's eye view, and see how the city works unitedly, especially how the transportation systems work together.
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Andre P Johnson Urban Planning Portfolio