Design for Transformative Change
Co-Creating Economic Development Initiatives in Asbury Park, New Jersey
A report by Designing the We a for-purpose design consultancy
Contents Design for Transformative Change: Co-creating Economic Development Initiatives in Asbury Park, NJ
A report by a for-purpose design consultancy
In collaboration with The Watson Institute for Public Policy Thomas Edison State College
February 2015 www.designingthewe.com
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An Asbury for All
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Research Methods
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Asbury By the Numbers
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Stakeholders
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Proposals
A
n sbury
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for all
In one-and-a-half square miles, Asbury Park is a unique microcosm of the opportunities and challenges facing New Jersey and the nation. After Hurricane Sandy, a new focus on resiliency, as well as renewed development speculation have set the stage for transformation. Whether this activity will be inclusive for all residents, or whether it will reinforce old divisions along racial and class lines, will depend on how the communities of Asbury connect with each other to unlock their potential. With the right process in place, Asbury Park is positioned to be a leader in moving equitably
and decisively into the twenty-first century. In 2014 designing the We embarked on a collaboration with the New Jersey Urban Mayors Association and the John S. Watson Institute for Public Policy. WE focused on designing processes to ensure community engagement and facilitate innovative thinking to bring forth promising opportunities that holistically address issues of social equity, community building and inclusion.
proposals that systemically address, across themes, community well being and economic development. These proposals and crosspollinating connections support resilient communities, enable prosperity and ultimately enhance the city’s future.
These connections led to inventive
We collaborate to transform silos into connections. The need for in-common social, economic and environmental relationships, resources and knowledge is clear when we understand all that it takes to co-create well being: something none of us can do only as individuals
RESEARCH METHODS In order to gain a deep and systemic understanding of the issues at hand, DTW designs research and collaboration tools unique to each project- often together with project stakeholders themselves. In Orange, WE integrated several methodologies of research and community engagement.
NEIGHBORHOOD WALKING TOUR
T hes e i nclu de d histor i c a l, activity, flow and anthropometric analyses, a rapid ethnography, as well as participatory engagement workshops. Through our network and process we were able to identify several key organizations in the community representing a variety of different needs and perspectives;long-term investment in the community, diverse resident groups and innovators as well as those with more traditional strategies for community engagement and development.
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Through dialogue with these organizations both individually and in collaborative sessions, we identified access points to gain broad-scope analysis, engagement and input from the larger Orange community. Access points included pre-existing organization or community meetings, WE designed and facilitated workshops with anchor organizations, ground-truthing sessions and data collection via on street public surveys. All this data was collated and brought into a final visioning session. By connecting often unseen dots, Designing the We was able to take several key development ideas and work with the community to see how these ideas might come together to stack services, better share resources and ultimately have a more robust impact on the community.
T h rou g h d e s i g n i n g t h e W E’s u n i qu e pro c e s s of c o � op e r at i on a n d c o � c re at i on s e e m i n g l y d i s p a r at e proj e c t s a n d n e e d s w e re a b l e t o c on n e c t .
ASBURY/ by the numbers Asbury Park is a community of approximately 18,000 people and has a core economy focused on beachfront tourism. Studies from a Thomas Edison State College economic analysis show that, currently, Asbury Park’s largest job sources are Retail Trade (17%), Healthcare and Social Assistance (15%), and Real Estate and Rental and Leasing (9%). However, retail jobs that don’t relate to beachfront tourism and entertainment are decreasing, and of the city’s 3,190 available jobs, 87% are held by people who live outside of the city. Historically the redlining of the
community and other divestment periods may have contributed to the fact that currently 69% of all housing units are renter occupied, as opposed to 37% in the region, and Asbury Park has more than double the regional poverty rate. Asbury has suffered from a longstanding socioeconomic and racial divide along its rail tracks. With renewed tourists interests and commuter growth spreading from New York City, the area may be beginning a transition.
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STAKE HOLDERS There is more than one way to understand a place. Asbury has an active community with a history of civic engagement, but also a history of disinvestment and official neglect. Within this context, our cooperative process brings a broad and diverse set of stakeholders together.
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These stakeholders can engage by participating in a workshop, on the street in an interview, or as organizations with vested interests in key projects. Then WE design a way to co-create by which everyone can actively engage in not only voicing needs but also visioning real possibilities for their communities future.
Second Life Bikes provide low-cost bikes to the community, and connect youth and adults in skills and business training. Youths who work at Second Life Bikes put in 15 hours of time in exchange for a bicycle of their own. A long-term goal of Second Life Bikes is that all participants, children as well as adults, become integral parts of the ongoing life of the bike shop, ideally learning, growing, and adding their story to ours.
The first Cowerks was started in June of 2010 with the intention of providing a community hub for entrepreneurs, programmers, designers, and tech enthusiasts to turn to, outside of New York City. Since our inception we have helped to cultivate a community of over 500 members and gone on to launch satellite events such as Asbury Agile, Hacking Asbury, the NJ Spark Summit, as well as meetups and events outside of Asbury Park.
“ I mean, we can only try to change it. If you don’t try its only going
to get worse. Thats the only thing I can say. I mean, I tell my kids everyday...show them that you can do it. You have the same mind as that other person. You have to show them that you can do it too.
-Resident of Asbury
Interfaith Neighbors, Inc. is a non-profit organization founded in May 1988 when local faith communities came together to address the growing problem of homelessness. Over the years, our services have grown to now include seven distinct programs serving all of Monmouth County. Our supporting members now number over 45 religious congregations of all denominations plus hundreds of private donors as well as corporations, charitable gift trusts and foundations.
The City Council of Asbury Park, The Environmental Shade Tree Commission, and the Asbury Park Resiliency Task Force were also represented at key cocreation meetings.
“
In the 70’s, it was cool it was like family. Everybody knew everybody. And in the 80’s pretty much the same until the late 80’s when crack came in. But it was still a tight neighborhood then, everybody stayed tight. And then the 90’s, early 90’s, thats when the war on drugs happened and people didn’t trust each other.... Now none of the kids know anything about a job around here. So you have stores and stuff, grocery stores, but they just hire their own people. And everybody sticks with their own kind. - Asbury Resident
“
Neighborhood Walking Tour
Girl
POWERED PROGRAM
Young women on the west side of Asbury Park are growing up wanting for support economically, educationally and emotionally. The Girl-Powered program at Second Life Bikes intervenes at the middle school level to provide a strong female community to girls in need; empowering them through health, mentorship and work opportunities with local female entrepreneurs. While existing bike programs have been gaining success over the past 5 years for 12-18 year olds in Asbury Park, there are notably fewer young women that take part in comparison to boys of the same age.
The after-school attendance of young female participants begins to wane around the age of 14, or when high school begins. At this critical point in life, girls need more community support than ever. By providing a holistic pathway that connects healthy lifestyles with Asbury’s female entrepreneurs and small business owners, the program will grow local female leaders for a more stable and successful future in Asbury. The strength and resilience that these girls show early on will be fostered by the network of strong female entrepreneurs already in place in the Second Life Bikes GirlPowered Program.
Transportation AND
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COMMUNITY CENTER Repurposing the current assets of Asbury Park to increase the productive use of city space, while simultaneously meeting community needs, was the inspiration behind t his i n it i at ive. As bu r y Park’s transportation center sits at the crossroads of the east and west side of the city, a traditional racial and socio-economic dividing point in Asbury Park. In order to make this space more attractive to both residents and visitors, the city seeks to transform the transportation center into a space that can bridge the geographic, economic, and racial silos in Asbury Park.
The plan envisions a dynamic space for small business incubation, community activities that encourage social and civic engagement, a destination space and marketing platform, and a multi – modal space connecting bikes, trains, and car sharing. The shared value proposition of this initiative will drive local socio-economic development to be enjoyed by all stakeholders in Asbury Park.
Workforce
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
The pipeline to economic viability requires significant upfront investments into human capital. Asbury Park’s west side has a stong history as a thriving community full of bustling shops and activity. That vitality will grow if existing and new programs can plug into an ecosystem of social change and economic activity. Innovative workforce development platforms for youth understand how to create and connect programs to form sustainable paths that lead into careers. The Asbury Park Workforce Development Initiative is a comprehensive youth-centered workforce development program and creative space that will allow many workforce needs to be met,
as well as take advantage of market opportunities unique not only to Asbury Park but the region. This includes access to and knowledge of educational and technical training programs, mentoring and internship programs, a safe community space, and business incubator related services. The return on this investment will not only be the reduction of vulnerable youth drawn to situations that lead to unemployment or the prison pipeline, but the branding of Asbury Park as a model for progressive and sustainable resiliency efforts.
Green
INFRASTRUCTURE INITIATIVE Asbury Park has suffered damage from Hurricane Sandy, and needs to drive resiliency projects that are inclusive to all residents, in particular historically marginalized groups in Asbury Park. These projects are focused on the shoreline, at the public access beach point, and further inland. This is a critical time for Asbury Park, a city that is not just rebuilding after recent storms but is also working to incorporate and prioritize strategies for social and environmental resilience into the City’s development and redevelopment. The initial strategic planning workshops produced blended objectives to be incorporated into this initiative. These green infrastructure projects address issues of environmental preservation and protection from storms and sea
level rise. The opportunities these initiatives create also relate to social resiliency projects and policies. They represent excellent opportunities to connect undeserved communities in Asbury to workforce training and other potentialities related to the beachfront economy. They key is to bridge these projects to other plans, programs and funding models so that they are integrated into Asbury Park as a whole, and the development of sustainable projects, practices and policies can serve as models for other communities dealing with the convergence of environmental and social resiliency issues.