Stephen Crouch URBAN PLANNING PORTFOLIO University of Cincinnati College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning Bachelor of Urban Planning Class of 2018
CONTENTS
1
Resume
3
Pedestrian Plan
9
Neighborhood Business District
13
Parks Plan
19
Site Planning
25
Pleasant St.
33
Miscellaneous Hand-drafting Travel
RESUME
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE The Model Group May 2017 to Present
Development Intern Cincinnati, OH • Assists in deal structuring of affordable, market-rate, and mixed-use projects in southwest Ohio • Prepares applications for New Markets Tax Credits, Low Income Housing Tax Credits, and Historic Tax Credits
Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority August to December 2016
Development Intern Columbus, OH • Assisted the conversion of 10 public housing properties to Rental Assistance Demonstration by monitoring relocation and budget requirements • Met with members of Congress and HUD in Washington D.C. to advocate CMHA’s policy initiatives and contributed to the organization’s public policy agenda for 2017 • Wrote a Request for Qualifications for an innovative affordable assisted living platform in Columbus
Streetsense June to August 2016
Planning + Design Intern Bethesda, MD • Aided in a retail study of Montgomery County, MD by contributing to a county-wide database with a new classification system • Helped the Planning Team by designing maps and coordinating planning workshops in Frederick, VA • Provided support to the brokerage team by performing demographic and geospatial analyses of commercial sites
Clinton County Regional Planning Commission June 2015 to May 2016
1
Planning Intern Wilmington, OH • Laid the groundwork for a county land bank by coordinating an informational session with local leaders after attending the Ohio Land Bank Conference • Contributed to the Clinton County Parks and Open Space Plan, the Downtown Wilmington Pedestrian Safety Plan, and a Community Makerspace Plan • Performed research, community engagement, mapping, and document design
RESUME
E D U C AT I O N Bachelor of Urban Planning Cincinnati, OH GPA: 3.7 Classes: Study abroad in China, Statistics I & II, Microeconomics I &II, Land Use
University of Cincinnati College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning Class of 2018
Bachelor of Urban Design: Exchange Ahmedabad, India Classes: Financing Urban Development, Community Development, Housing Fundamentals
CEPT University Faculty of Planning Spring 2017 Semester
PROJECTS AND AWARDS Guest Lecturer at the Ohio State University Glenn College of Public Affairs
November 2016
Leadership Clinton Youth Collaborative Graduation Ceremony Keynote speaker
June 2015 to May 2016
City of Hillsboro Planning Commission Voting member
June 2015 to May 2016
School of Planning Scholarship
2015, 2016, 2017
Clinton County Student Council Advisor & Founder Coordinated high school student leaders in their efforts to be included in the decisions made in their schools and communities. CCSC involves four public schools serving over 2,500 students. Projects include organizing conferences, workshops, service, and advocacy.
April 2013 to May 2016
PROFICIENCIES Software ArcGIS, Microsoft Office, InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, AutoCAD C O N TA C T 117 N. East St. Hillsboro, OH 45133 (937) 527-4470 stephen.m.crouch@gmail.com
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PEDESTRIAN PLAN
PEDESTRIAN PLAN Location: Wilmington, Ohio Problem: Wilmington has a large number of pedestrian accidents compared to towns of similar size. The City wants to make downtown an inviting place for people to visit, despite it having the highest accident rate in Wilmington. Solution: Make physical improvements to the street to encourage traffic-calming and capitalize on factors that drive pedestrian activity. Deliverable: 2017 Downtown Wilmington Pedestrian Improvement Plan
Map of pedestrian accidents downtown
Downtown Wilmington Average Daily Traffic
SPRINGBIRD
2012 Ohio Department of Transportation
Legend COLUMBUS
10,000-20,000 8,000-10,000 6,000-8,000 One-way street
MULBERRY
WALNUT
SPRING
LINCOLN
SOUTH
LOCUST
MAIN
COMPTON
N
SUGARTREE
0 62.5125
3
250
375
500 Feet
PEDESTRIAN PLAN
Existing •
High rate of accidents
•
Poorly-maintained crosswalk
•
Low visibility of crossing
Proposed •
Add bumpouts to extend curb
•
Add landscaping
•
Use zebra striping on crosswalk
4
PEDESTRIAN PLAN
Existing •
Contains the most dangerous intersection in the city
•
Wide road
•
Tendency for vehicles to speed
5
WALNUT ST.
SOUTH ST.
MAIN ST.
PEDESTRIAN PLAN
Proposed •
Reduced road width
•
Curb bumpouts
•
Removal of one lane of traffic
•
Reverse-angle parking resulting in nine additional parking spaces
•
Zebra striped crosswalks
WALNUT ST.
SOUTH ST.
MAIN ST.
6
PEDESTRIAN PLAN
Description
U R B A N D E S I G N A N A LY S I S
Along with safety recommendations, the overall pedestrian experience was analyzed to determine downtown’s strengths and weaknesses in driving activity.
Transparency
Street walls
The proportion of buildings along the street that have transparent windows on the first floor. Transparency creates a safer neighborhood by putting “eyes on the street” while promoting vibrancy.
The proportion of buildings that are built up to the sidewalk. This factor limits the space between a pedestrian and a building while creating a comfortable sense of enclosure.
Example
Downtown Wilmington
Downtown Wilmington
Building Facades with SPRINGBIRD Windows
SPRINGBIRD
Continuous Streetwalls
COLUMBUS
COLUMBUS
MULBERRY
WALNUT
MAIN
COMPTON
N
SUGARTREE
0 62.5125
7
LINCOLN
SPRING
LINCOLN
MULBERRY
WALNUT
SPRING
Map
SOUTH
LOCUST
SOUTH
LOCUST
250
375
500 Feet
MAIN
COMPTON
N
SUGARTREE
0 62.5125
250
375
500 Feet
PEDESTRIAN PLAN
Active frontage
Buildings with identifiers
Seating
The proportion of street frontage that have active uses, such as restaurants, parks, shops, and other uses that generate pedestrian traffic.
Buildings that can be identified by a particular feature, such as a church steeple, a sign, or distinguishable architecture. These factors contribute to the “legibility” of a district.
The proportion of street furniture along a street segment. Street furniture gives pedestrians the opportunity to rest, eat their lunch, or people-watch.
Active Uses
Downtown Wil
Downtown Wilmington
Downtown Wilmington SPRINGBIRD
Seating
Buildings withSPRING Identifiers BIRD
SPRINGBIRD
COLUMBUS
COLUMBUS
COLUMBUS
Legend
Size of dot is proportion to the number people t street furniture can acc modate. 7-8
LINCOLN
5-6
SPRING
COMPTON
N
SUGARTREE
250
375
500 Feet
WALNUT
MAIN
MULBERRY
WALNUT
MULBERRY
WALNUT
MULBERRY
SOUTH
LINCOLN
SOUTH SPRING
LINCOLN
SOUTH SPRING
MAIN
0 62.5125
1-2 3-4
LOCUST
LOCUST
LOCUST
COMPTON
N
SUGARTREE
0 62.5125
250
375
MAIN
COMPTON
SUGARTREE
500 Feet
0 62.5125
8
250
NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESS DISTRICT
NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESS DISTRICT Location: Cincinnati, OH Problem: Understand the complexities of Northside’s neighborhood business district and propose ways to improve it. Solution: Implement a roundabout to serve as the gateway to the business district while promoting walkability and alleviating traffic congestion. Deliverable: Studio presentation and physical model
Model of Northside business district
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NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESS DISTRICT
Existing Conditions
Figure ground
Our group began by studying the history of Northside and performing site visits. My favorite aspect of the business district is how it is a curvilinear corridor. This curve gives a good sense of enclosure and a break from monotony. Our team also used ArcGIS extensively to study figure grounds, solid voids, land use, zoning, and ownership.
Solid void
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NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESS DISTRICT
Physical Model of Business District
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NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESS DISTRICT
Roundabout Proposal Before: One of the obvious opportunities in the business district is to solve the congested six-way intersection at the southern entrance. This intersection is particularly difficult for pedestrian to cross, and a danger to bicyclists using the bike lane.
After: A single-lane roundabout would be a more efficient and safer option for this intersection. We also made the recommendation to convert one street to a bike lane that connects to the Mill Creek Greenway.
Specifics: We investigated the feasibility of a roundabout in this intersection by referencing engineering standards for roundabouts by the U.S. Department of Transportation. After presenting this proposal to the Northside Community Council, they made a motion to investigate the feasibility of the project with the Cincinnati Transportation Department.
10ft. inscribed circle
10ft. pedestrian path
5ft. apron
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PA R K S P L A N
PA R K S P L A N Location: Clinton County, OH Problem: The quality, quantity, distribution, and financing of parks in Clinton County had never been studied. Solution: Create parks that can be accessed by walking or biking. Ensure that parks are equitably financed. Deliverable: 2016 Clinton County Parks and Open Space Plan
Aerial of proposed park
13 1 PARKS PLAN
PA R K S P L A N
Community Engagement To kick off the Parks Plan, we began by engaging the community in the process of planning a splash park. Using a family-friendly format, we carried out two charrettes with a total of 44 participants. Children were encouraged to draw their ideal splash park, and got to vote on elements that they liked best.
Voting
Site selection
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PA R K S P L A N Service Areas for County Parks
Existing County Parks and Population Distribution
10-mile service area from existing parks
10-mile service area from future park system
15
Parkland 10-mile service area
Population Density Low
High
PA R K S P L A N Community Survey Results
Only 53% of County residents live within a 10-mile radius of a park.
35% of County residents prefer to walk and/or ride a bike to a park.
46% of Village residents cited “lack of amenities� as the greatest barrier to using their local park.
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PA R K S P L A N
WILMINGTON
CLARKSVILLE
MORROW NEW VIENNA
BLANCHESTER MIDLAND
LOVELAND
HILLSBO
Southwest Ohio Regional Trails Plan Existing Trail Proposed Trail Committed Trail A large portion of the County Parks Plan was integrating the local bike trails with the regional system in Southwest Ohio. My role in the planning process was to discover feasible routes for connecting Clinton County to the regional trail system.
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PA R K S P L A N
CIRCLEVILLE
WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE
GREENFIELD
CHILLICOTHE
ORO
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SITE PLANNING
SITE PLANNING Location: Cincinnati, OH Problem: This studio tasked students with designing a neighborhood in an undeveloped and hilly site in Cincinnati. Solution: Design a mixed=use neighborhood with a variety of housing types. Development pattern should conform to existing terrain and preserve views. Deliverable: Studio presentation
15’
Street section of highway within site
12’
12’
12’ 45’
9’
12’ 50’
SOUTHBOUND
12’ 52’ NORTHBOUND
I-74 SECTION
19
12’
14’
SITE PLANNING
Step 1: Context Analysis The class was initiated by gathering data through site visits, GIS analysis, and historic resources to understand site context. While we knew that Mt. Airy Forest was a dense forest with sloping hills, comparing the surrounding land use and zoning helped us understand how a community could be integrated into the site. In addition, we performed an evaluation of local building conditions throughout the neighborhoods. We also took into account the local traffic patterns, and concluded there had to be major intervention to build a site that was well-connected with the surrounding neighborhoods.
Mt. Airy Region Zoning Mt. Airy Zoning
Re
(0.5mi buffer) Legend Commercial Commercial
Le
Single Family Residential Single Family Residential
Co
Multi Family Residential Multi Family Residential
Si
Mixed Use Residential Mixed
M
Office Office
Re
Manufacturing Industrial
O
Institutional Institutional
M
Parks Parksand Recreation
In
Pa
0 0.125 0.25
0.5
0.75
Âą
1 Miles
0 0.125 0.2
20
SITE PLANNING 760 88 0 88 0
640
720
0 68
88 0
76 0 760 720 800 72 840 0
680
Topography
880
0 80
760
84 0
0 76 72 0
76 0
64 0
800
560
560
0 52
640 560 520
76 0
0 56
80 0
640
640
680
840 80 0
0 56
0 60
0 60
0 84
0 84
0 84
By studying the existing utilities and infrastructure throughout the site, we determined that resources were limited within the site.
0 68
84 0
With the topography map, we also identified areas of the site that would be prone to heavy drainage.
84 0
0 84
0 80 0 76 800
880
Using ArcGIS Spatial Analysis, we created maps for topography, slope, and solar.
80 0
0 80
880 880
800
Next, we studied the intrinsic values of the site.
60 72 0 0
0 760 80 0 80
840
80 0
0 68
Step 2: Site Analysis
0 80
840
Slope
Legen Slope
<VALUE
Lastly, we developed viewsheds of the site by taking pictures from notable vantage points.
<1
10
>2
Solar 0
0.25
0.5
1 Miles
¥ž
Lege
solar
Value
21
SITE PLANNING Soil suitability (Soil + drainage) Acceptable drainage Poor drainage
Step 3: Suitability Analysis
Accumulation
After gathering information on the context and characteristics of the site, suitability for a residential housing development was done by creating a series of overlay maps. In order to communicate these complicated maps effectively, layers from ArcMap were taken into Adobe Illustrator to create clear graphical representations. This site suitability analysis identifies areas of Mt. Airy Forest that are appropriate for the desired development, considering a wide range of factors including viewsheds, microclimate, hydrology, and topography. The color legend of this map generally shows darkest as most desirable, with lightest areas of the map being least desirable.
Microclimate (Solar radiation + tree canopy) Very exposed Moderately exposed Sheltered
Slope + Vegetation
Flat and exposed Exposed Steep
22
SITE PLANNING
Composite Suitability By ranking the most important site factors and layering them accordingly, adjusting layer opacity shows every overlay map simultaneously. This technique is useful for looking at a wide range of data that shows clustering of site suitability types. Ranking: 1. Topography 2. Hydrology 3. Views 4. Microclimate 5. Utilities
Suitability Legend Low
High
Step 4: Site Selection and Design Each studio team was assigned a portion of Mt. Airy Forest to design a mixed-use neighborhood with a variety of housing types. My team was assigned a 256-acres of desirable land in Mt. Airy.
23
Site location
SITE PLANNING Process: (Shown in isometric projection) We began by studying the topography to create the street layout, then conceptualized land uses within the constraints of streets. After land use was defined, it affected the parcel size, which then affected building typology.
Figure ground
Parcels
Land use
Street layout
Topography
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P L E A S A N T S T.
P L E A S A N T S T. Location: Cincinnati, OH Problem: Convert an underused, narrow street into a lively connection between two of Cincinnatiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cultural anchors: Washington Park and Findlay Market. Solution: Capitalize on the concepts of art (from the adjacent Brewery District), food (from Findlay Market), and culture (from Music Hall. Deliverable: Studio presentation
Street view of Pleasant St.
25
P L E A S A N T S T.
Part 1: Observations Students began the studio by identifying the â&#x20AC;&#x153;feelâ&#x20AC;? of the neighborhood by doing site visits and assembling theme boards using pictures that were descriptive of the site. Next, we created a series of hand-drawn maps describing existing conditions of the context, such as building colors, transit stops, and sidewalk quality.
Building Color Map
Building Aesthetics Map
26
P L E A S A N T S T.
2
1
Part 2: Opportunities
After existing conditions maps were created, we overlayed certain maps to create opportunities and constraint maps.
Transit Stops + Cultural Buildings Bus stops Size of dot is equal to the number of bus lines 1 2 3 4 5 6
3
Streetcar stops Bike share Transit Node Cultural Building 4
27
pportunities
Legend
P L E A S A N T S T.
Ideation sketch
Part 3: Concepts The third portion of the studio consisted of developing concepts for our area. After trying different scenarios, our team concluded that Pleasant Street would serve as a symbolic connector between food and culture, then extend north into an arts district.
Over-the-Rhine Character Zones Rationale: Art: This zone is also known as the Brewery District, and has many old warehouses that could function as artist studios. Food: The â&#x20AC;&#x153;foodâ&#x20AC;? zone is characterized by the public market. Culture: This zone is home to the historic Music Hall and Washington Park, two defining landmarks of the neighborhood.
Art Food
Culture
28
DESIGN YOUR SCHOOL
DESIGN YOUR SCHOOL Location: Wilmington, OH Problem: A new private school needs help designing outdoor facilities that coincide with the theme of experiential learning. Solution: Incorporate input from students, parents, and teachers to design a vision plan that fits their needs. Deliverable: Master Campus Plan and Vision Document
Design Your School Charrette
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DESIGN YOUR SCHOOL
“Design Your School” Charrette
Charrette Agenda
The charrette involved over 80 participants, including students, parents, and faculty. The event occurred on July 14, 2014 and lasted for two hours.
6:00pm Introduction
After the introduction, students and adults were broken up into different design groups tailored for their respective ages.
Welcome - Headmaster
Introduction - Stephen Crouch
Design Process – Landscape Architect
Group Creation – Stephen Crouch
6:30pm Group Work Brainstorming
Common themes
7:15pm Synthesis
Return to commons area and display finished maps
Idea Sharing – Stephen Crouch
Summary 7:45pm Closing
Next steps – Stephen Crouch
Thank you – Headmaster
8:00pm Dismissal
Charrette Logo Art
30
DESIGN YOUR SCHOOL Students pinning up their designs
Students creating designs
Voting on playscape elements
Results: Two weeks after the charrette, a short meeting was had with the participants to synthesize the input collected. By summarizing the results, the group decided on four common themes that would influence the physical design of the campus: Natural, Interactive, Versatile, and Unique. In my recommendations of the locations and characteristics of playscape, I attempted to incorporate these four themes whenever possible.
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Natural
Interactive
Versatile
Unique
DESIGN YOUR SCHOOL
The Experiential Academy Campus
Final Campus Design
Koi Pond
SPORTS FIELDS
AGRICULTURE CENTER
Runway Woods
MAIN PLAYSCAPE Kiddie Playground Sport Court
Lytle Creek Greenway
Parking
ROPES COURSE
Davids Dr.
Rec Center
0
175
350 Feet
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ADDITIONAL PROJECTS
MISCELLANEOUS HAND-DRAFTING I N T E R N AT I O N A L T R AV E L
Jinan, China
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HAND-DRAFTING Hand-Drafting
Wilson Memorial Hall sketch
Shadow study
Downtown sketch
34
TRAVEL International Travel
INDIA India, 2017 I studied abroad for four months in the city of Ahmedabad, India for four months. The experience was part of an international exchange program with CEPT University.
During my time in India I was fortunate to travel to Delhi, Mumbai, Varanasi, Goa, Jaipur, and parts of Nepal.
CHINA Beijing, 2014 My first international trip was a two-week long urbanism workshop at universities in Beijing and Jinan.
In an inter-disciplinary team of architects, planners, and engineers, we proposed urban design solutions for a small village in rural China.
35
TRAVEL
BANGLADESH Dhaka, 2014 My trip to Dhaka was spurred by my interest in informal settlements and rapidly-growing cities. During my week-long stay in Dhaka, I visited a garment factory, a slum, and parts of rural Bangladesh.
(Left) Freehand sketch of two Bengali taxi drivers who I met on my trip.
HAITI LaCroix, 2016 In January of 2016 I took a week-long mission trip to the small village of LaCroix to volunteer with a local ministry.
I worked on the construction team to put a roof on an unfinished medical residence up in the hills.
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Stephen Crouch URBAN PLANNING PORTFOLIO
C O N TA C T 117 N. East St. Hillsboro, OH 45133 (937) 527-4470 stephen.m.crouch@gmail.com