Urban Planning & Transportation Portfolio - Colby Lee, 2023

Bio

EDUCATION

University of Utah College of Architecture + Planning

Salt Lake City Utah

Bachelors of Science in Urban Ecology

• 08.2018 - 05.2021

Learning Abroad Student, Volterra, Italy

• 08.2019 - 11.2019

Colby Lee

colby.kit.lee3791@gmail.com

801-455-3791

linkedin.com/in/colby-lee-088205204/ Salt Lake City, Utah

TECHNICAL SKILLS

• Adobe Photoshop

• Adobe Illustrator

• Adobe InDesign

• AutoCAD

• ArcMap

• ArcGIS Pro

• Ms. O ce

WORK EXPERIENCE

Utah Housing Coalition Salt Lake City, Utah

Summer Research Intern

06.2021 - 10.2021

LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE

Asian Star Chinese Restaurant Midvale, Utah

Floor Manager

05.2018 - Present

• Independently conducted research and data gathering for two separate projects: Native American housing in Utah and COVID-19 Renter Evictions

• Made liberal and creative decisions regarding the final format and presentation of each research project

• Independently interviewed relevant sources and professionals to gather compelling data for reports

Resume

• Developed strong interepersonal, team communication, and leadership skills.

• Handled work flow, communication, and leadership between 6-8+ kitchen and up-front sta , displaying situational awareness and multi-tasking abilities.

• Extreme flexible and adaptive

Determining future bus route expansions based on demographic data

Studying the link between density and accessibility to guide future development

Accessibility to Transportation Project

This project demonstrates how cities could utilize demographic data, city General Tra c Feed Specification Data (GTFS), and a transit network dataset to determine where new bus routes or transportation lines could be made.

GTFS datasets are publically available transit data that can provide information about a transit system’s stops, routes, and schedules. This data can often be accessed from city websites or public domains such as Transitland or OpenMobilityData. In this project, accessing GTFS data provided the data necessary to map bus stops and generate the bus stops’ service areas.

Once the Salt Lake County bus stops had been mapped, a general service area of the bus stops and transportation lines could be generated. The general service area visualizes the area that public transportation covers.

In order to generate the general service area, a network analysis must be made. A network analysis utilizes data from a network dataset, which is a dataset designed specifically to support data analyses. In the case of transit data, a network dataset would be created as lines (roads), points (junctions, stops), topology, and other attributes. Utilizing a network dataset to complete a service area analysis will keep in consideration both connectivity and impedance (i.e travel costs and speed).

The network dataset used in this project came from the Utah Roads Network Analysis dataset produced by the Utah Geospatial Research Center (UGRC). The service area was measured by calculating the distance accessable to each bus stop within a 10-minute walk.

With an established general service area for the Salt Lake County, a map of the demographics in the county is necessary in determining which areas would benefit most from an expanded bus line. In order to do this, we must first add data to county’s block groups. Block groups are the second smallest geopgrahic measurement used by the United States census, and would be perfect for accurately mapping specific regions most in need of expanded bus routes.

In order to add demographic data into each block group, we must first enrich each block data group. The three di erent variables of demographic data added were population density, no access to vehicles, and poverty

Map of Salt Lake County’s bus stops acquired from GTFS

Approximate service area of bus stops within a 10 minute walk

Salt Lake County Map

Map of block groups in regards to lowest to highest degrees of population density

Map of block groups withhouse holds that have no access to vehicles

Map of block groups in regards to lowest to highest degrees of poverty

After overlaying each enriched block group over each other, we are now presented with a map that displays a visual representations of demographic data across the county of Salt Lake. We are able to see which areas have the highest population density, poverty, and no access to cars.

As expected of the downtown Salt Lake City area, it is the highest in population density, poverty, and no access to cars. Visualizing data in such a manner is crucial as it allows us to better determine and process which areas are most suitable for an expanded bus route. In the case of this project, regions with higher population densities, poverty, and no access to cars are going to be prioritized when it comes to expanding bus services.

The demographic map must also be matched with the general service area of the transport network to determine which areas are currently not covered, or are not experiencing enough coverage from existing bus lines.

Just from the mere overlay, we can see that the service area of the bus transportation network already covers the majority of the county. With this observation, one would reasonably be able to deduce that Salt Lake County does provide a bus route that covers most of its county.

However, after creating a masking overlay that shows the remaining census block groups uncovered by the bus line service area, we can see some cities in the southern region of the county are still uncovered. As we can see on the map, a large portion of Herriman city and many block groups in between Herriman and Riverton are largely untouched by the currently established bus lines.

The result of this project does hold some credibility in the sense that these communities have heavily urbanized and rapidly expanded in population size in recent years. Herriman especially has seen tremendous growth in recent years, with the U.S. Census Bureau showing a population growth of over 10,000 residents from 2010-2019. The area is also growing at a 3.33% annually and since 2020, the population has increased by 10.34%. The reason for lack of coverage by bus transit lines might be explained by the area’s massive urbanization, population growth, and overall economic growth since the major bus lines had been established.

Some southern parts of the county are not fully covered by the service area

Herriman city and the surrounding areas are a clear candidate for a bus route expansion

Community Revitalization Project 2

A Community Striving Towards Its Renaissance

The area was mainly comprised of factories, warehouses, and granary silos; which would soon become the area’s defining trait, and the origin for its moniker. However as the railroads and industrial zones gradually shifted west, many businesses abandoned the area, leaving the industrial structures, factories, and warehouses vacant. As further years would go by, the area would enter a state of urban decay.

However, in recent years, the district has seen a renewed sense of fervor and liveliness that it has not seen in many decades. Joining hands with the passion, identity, and history of the older generations, a new generation of artists, restuaranteurs, and entrepreneurs have landed the district into the spotlight. The district is now being recognized and re-discovered as a space for makers, artists, breweries, restaurants, and entrepeneurialism

Identity

INDUSTRY Community

The rich heritage and industrial spirit, along with the inheritance of its past: the warehouses and industrial spaces, are all begging to be renewed and reborn.

Located just south west of downtown Salt Lake City, the Granary district, one of Salt Lake City’s oldest neighborhoods is undergoing rapid advancements. Built around around a railroad corridor in the late 1800s, the district was one of the main centers of light and heavy industry.

Remains of Decay

The object of focus for this community revitalization starts at one fo the district’s oldest and most historically rich buildings. The “Pickle Building,” built in 1894 was originally opened by the Grant Family as a soap factory under the name of the Grant Soap Company. It was not until 1906 that the building was taken over by the Mount Pickle Company, then becoming dubbed as the Salt Lake “Pickle Building”.

The area that this building occupies is surrounded with remants of an older time. Across the street, down the street, and around the corner lay multiple unused and abandoned factories. Some buildings have already been torn down, with nothing but piles of rubble noting where they previously lay. There are, however, many new buildings that have been built in the area, and some have even been refurbished and renewed. The inspiration of this project was to further this reuse and renewal, starting with a building with much historical value and distinguished character.

Adaptive Reuse Visualizations

Main facade of the pickle building

Pickle Building next to another abandoned factory, the Bissinger Building

Large, empty, and unused spaces of the surrounding area

Laying the Groundwork

Location and surrounding context of the Pickle Building Site Plan

The main objective of this adaptive reuse project is to create a multi-purpose space for the community. A space in which community members can easily access, whether it be for food, recreation, shopping, or meeting friends. The lot on which the building currently sits on has plenty of space for a variety of uses.

Some of the main areas of interest are as follows:

• Multipurpose Pedestrian Alley and Walkway

• Public Pavilion

• Paved Outdoor Common Space

• Field, Garden, Fountain, and Seating Area

Scale 1:200

10 20 50

• Community Greenhouse

• Public Restrooms

General Site Plan

This proposal places a heavy emphasis on shared common areas for the community to use. Shared spaces provide the setting for many important social and cultural activities to take place. These spaces allow communities to organize meetings and hold events, and allow individuals to encounter local art, gastronomy, and other members of the communty. The more open and welcoming a space is the more people are likely to access the space and feel comfortable in it. These are places for inclusion, diversity, and sociability.

Site Detail of the Paved Outdoor Common Space

Site Detail and Measurements of the Field and Garden

Data

Project

Project 3 Density and Accessibility

For any populations within dense metropolitan areas, accessibility to crucial amenities such as grocery stores, parks, public libraries, and schools are extremely necessary. For people living in these areas—especially those walking—accessibility enables everyone to attend, participate.

This analysis seeks to determine how current levels of development and densities throughout the Salt Lake City area a ects levels of accessibility to certain amenities. Additionally, this project will seek to determine areas of high accessibility compared to areas of considerably lower levels of accessibility.

Although the data itself and results show that this method is inaccurate, it provides a great entry into dialogue and further research into the topic

Factors of Accessibility

team members: Colby Lee, Jessica Dozier, Megan Leether

Public libraries provide access to information, job opportunities, community gathering spaces, and access to information. LIbraries and their service areas are shown above in a 1/2 mile bu er radius.

Access to local parks are essential to ensuring a place for the community to gather, recreate, and connect to nature. The parks and its service areas are shown above with a 1/2 mile bu er.

Transit stops are crucial in helping residents traverse and navigate the city. Transit points are shown above with a 1/4 mile bu er radius around the central point.

Access to public schools a ects a variety of quality of life factors such as commuter safety and access to quality education. Schools and their service areas are shown above in a 1/4 mile bu er radius.

Grocery stores are imporant for bringing healthy food options and daily essentials to residents residing within cities. Individual store and shops service zones are shown above in a 1/2 mile radius

Add 8 shapefiles: SLC municipality, Census Blocks, Parcels, Transit Stops, Schools, Grocery stores, Parks, Libraries

Data Management ToolsFeature to Point for Parcels

Through GIS, Select By Location: The 7 shapefile amenities within the source layer (SLC Municipality)

Select by Attributes: Parcels that are either residential or Multi-housing (Res or MH)

Data Management Tools - Feature to Point for Parks

Create proper buffer distance for each 5 amenities and export each as shapefile

Export the Parcels Attribute table to Excel. Multiple the scores by the number of housing units on each parcel.

Sum the number of housing units on each parcel then sum for each census block

Join by Spatial Location: Census Blocks to Parcel Points (all attributes)

Join attributes from a table: Parcel Points to Parcels

1.0447

Editor - Create point features for parks at entrance points

Select by Location: Select parcels in each service area and add accompanying amenity scores (1 if parcel is within the buffer, 0 otherwise).

Sum the numbher of housing units for each census block. Multiple amenity scores by number of housing units on each parcel then sum for each census block

Calculate accessibility score for each census block

Network Analysis - Add SLC Roads and Junctions, create service area for each of the 5 amenities.

Mulitiply the scores by the number of housing units on each parcel

Divided total score for each amenity by the total number of housing units in the census block. Calculate the accessibility score for each census block

Update symbology for census blocks to graduated colors of quantities based on accessibility scores

The analysis model and calculations method that we provided were unable to create a solid connection between accessibility and density. Of course, although the relationship of density and distance strongly a ects accesibility levels, it is not the only deciding force.

Even so, there is still an important takeaway from this visualization. What is most obvious is that there are many neighborhoods and communities that do not have any form of acccessibility to the amenities that we laid out in the study (i.e public libraries, parks, transit stops, public schools, grocery stores). As shown in the accessibility score map, there are many census blocks and households that are not within a walkable distance.

Project 4 Visualizing Job Growth

Industry growth in Utah is projected to change significantly by 2050. Beyond just an increase in total overall jobs, Utahn cities are widelgy expected to shift its focus in the types of jobs citizens take. Salt Lake City, especially, is expected to show this trend as the main jobs taken by residents will shift from industrial to mainly o ce jobs.

The point of this exercise is to visualize this change in job growth and the change in industry trends. Visualizing such a change is extremely important as will allow cities to get ahead of the trend and plan for the future changes in their job market. This information informs and influences the future design of its cities and it outlines how cities and their populations will grow and adapt with it.

Job growth will be visualized through county scale projections released by the Utah Gardner Policy Institute further regionalized by Tra c Area Zone (TAZ) polygons and census tract polygons. These individual TAZ polygons and Census tract polygons will help create the location identity for each individual data analysis to be represented across the city.

As the original census tract data set contains all four of the career categories, individual tables had to be constructed. From there the data set was then converted into a 3D object in the form of a The four career categories are Industrial, Retail, O ce, and Non-typical.

The pedestal created from the 3D representation of the cesus tract allows for the data to sit upon the pedestal, allowing us to visually represent the di erent data sets and their di erent values

Initially the map was defined by individual census tract blocks. In order to visualize the data set three-dimensionally, the census tract was converted into a three dimensional shape. The shape is comprised of a cylindrical base extending from the base map and is topped with a hexagonal pedestal.

The focus of this exercise will be centered around Salt Lake City, Utah’s capital