Waters Avenue Revitalization Project - Process Book by Erin Dora

an ethnographic study of waters avenue

IDUS 711 Contextual Research Methods

team members

Bryant, Tiffani Chen, Hsin-Wei Dora, Erin Horton, Rebecca Jara Reyes, Elisa Le, Truc Masood, Javaria Small, Page Spitz, Annemarie Sundberg, Nathan Vormelker, Kelly Xu, Qing Zong, Fujie

contents

Research Focus Statement: Project Ideation Methods Research Questions Initial Second Pass Research Questions Final Set Secondary Data Collection Primary Data Collection Artifacts Forward.â&#x20AC;? Community Artifact Models And Analysis Objects/Interactions Process Photos Final Model Environment/History Process Photos Final Models Users/Activities Process Photos Final Models

5 7 8 8 10 11 11 12 13 66 72 74 75 76 76 83 85 85 111 115 115 125

Research Design/Plan

Research focus statement: Use methods of ethnographic, primary, and secondary research to gain a holistic understanding of the Waters Avenue corridor as a foundation for recognizing patterns and insights that can be used to make informed community design decisions.

Research Scope Our research focused upon observing the various cultural elements of the Waters Avenue corridor in Savannah, Georgia. The Waters Avenue corridor is defined by the geographic boundaries of Victory Drive and Wheaton Avenue, and Harmon and Cedar Streets. Inspired by the city of Savannahâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s efforts to revitalize Waters and the seeds of change already present in the community, our class was uniquely positioned to undertake this project. As design researchers we sought to bring fresh perspective to efforts already underway on Waters through a grounded understanding of the multifaceted elements of the community,

A primary motivation for our research was the hope that it would be passed on to additional parties who would be able to complete the synthesis and design phases. A secondary motivation for our research was the opportunity to present our findings at the Ethos Conference in April 2012.

Research Scope project ideation methods

We began this project by performing intensive secondary research and practicing methods of community observation. During the first two weeks of the project, we performed secondary research to gain an understanding of what had been published, discussed, and documented prior to our involvement. Concurrently, we visited a variety of sites around Savannah for specified time periods to practice and build our skills as ethnographic researchers. In meeting sessions between our observations and research, we refined the projectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s scope and research categories. Our initial research focus was on the areas of daily needs, family, neighborhood, churches, stakeholders, businesses, environment, and education. These categories ultimately evolved into activities, objects, users, environment, interactions, and history. 7

Research Questions initial

In order to develop a set of research questions that holistically defined our scope, we first familiarized ourselves with the culture of Waters Avenue. We complied secondary research, observed the area, performed interviews with Waters Avenue residents and business owners, and collected data and shared insights. These methods fostered a growing understanding of the area. Only after developing this understanding were we prepared to create research questions. In a group brainstorming session, we honed our research questions. Here we considered all of the data and insights that we gathered previously. Additionally, we broke into small groups to decide: “What do we need to know?”, “What are we looking for?”, “What information is important to our project?”, “What do we need to ask in order to holistically understand the area?”

What do we need to know? What are we looking for? What information is important to our project? What questions do we need to ask in order to holistically understand the area?

Research Questions second pass

After deriving an initial set of questions in small groups, we met and assessed all of the resulting questions. More brainstorming ensued and we were left with one holistic, in-depth set of research questions to guide the project. We used the resulting questions to guide interviews and to inform our objectives. Once we developed the research questions, we focused on the highlighted subjects throughout all steps of our research process.

Research Questions final set

What is a day in the life? What is the ideal situation for the community?

How do outside businesses see Waters Avenue? What is the connection between people and place?

How do adjacent neighborhoods see Waters Avenue?

How does Savannah see Waters Avenue?

How do systems outside the community affect the culture? Who/what is the community? identify people existing employment boundaries/edges of the community

Where do people interact?

Where is the community going?

How do people maintain their lifestyles? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Whereâ&#x20AC;? is Waters Avenue?

Methodology

secondary data collection To gather secondary data, we undertook a wide variety of research efforts, each of which are described briefly below.

In order to understand the demographics of the Waters community, we gathered census data from the US Census Bureau.

Using keywords, we performed web searches for relevant content. These initial web searches led to more specific searches and further dives into the web resources of the City of Savannah, local churches, and the 2010 Design Ethos conference.

Further, to understand Savannahwide perceptions of Waters and uncover Watersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; history, we accessed Savannah newspapers and visited the public library and Georgia Historical Society.

We used Google maps to map out the area, and find businesses. Similarly, we looked up businesses in the White Pages of Savannah. To gain a broader context for our project and the Waters community, we read about other revitalization projects. Additionally, we explored federal databases on grants for community development programs.

Methodology

primary data collection Observation:

Ethnographic Interviews:

Unique Methods:

One of the methods for gathering data about Waters was that of community observation. To facilitate the observation process, we printed out a map of the whole area, and divided the map amongst groups of two to three people.

To gather rich, contextual data, we planned to interview key players in the community, local business owners, city officials, and residents.

We also employed several unique methods for gathering information from the Waters community.

From there, each small team planned to visit its segment of the map in two sessions, during different times of the day and different days of the week. During their alloted time sessions, each team gathered data by biking, walking, or driving around their assigned area. The teams used cameras, audio recorders, video cameras, and sketchbooks to record their observations.

To facilitate these meetings, we contacted individuals through phone calls and emails, and asked previous interview participants and existing contacts for the names of people who might be willing to speak with us.

In some cases, we set up interviews that involved an activity, such as a walking tour or an afternoon of picking up garbage.

Through an hour-long observation activity at two Waters convenience stores, we administered a food survey where we asked customers In total, we conducted approximate- about their favorite meals. ly twenty community interviews. We captured data from these interFurther, we gathered artifacts views using cameras, audio record- through a unique artifact toolkit and ers, video cameras and notepads. considered the color and texture of Waters through a photographic study.

Secondary Research

Waters Avenue Revitalization Project

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“Homes and Mansions on Victory Drive include many of the larger homes and more ornate architecture in Ardsley Park and are considered their own unique location with very different values as compared with other homes within the neighborhood.”

“has a unique and interesting history “Gentrification in Savannah was the influenced by the development [of] subject of a series of roundtable streetcar suburbs.” discussions held between July, 2003 and March, 2004. The discussions, “In 1982, Live Oak Park, a landmark which were initially organized by the of the neighborhood, was renamed Metropolitan Planning Commission in honor of Savannah Civil Rights and Savannah Development and Reyouth leader Benjamin Van Clark. newal Authority.” The entire community surround“Today, Baldwin Park has an active ing the park has since adopted his “In Savannah, gentrification is an isNeighborhood Association and name, unifying once separate neigh- sue that can divide a neighborhood enjoys many activities centered borhoods.” and ensure opposition to developaround their circular Park named for ment efforts that many would conone of the city Aldermen who was “Garden Homes, once a blight on sider essential to its improvement.” in office when Chatham Crescent the neighborhood, has been torn was dedicated.” down and is being replaced by an innovative HOPE VI program, combining mixed-income and mixed-use housing with architecturally sensitive design.”

1 Ardsley Park Real Estate Website, 2011. http://www.ardsleyparkrealestate.com/history/baldwin-park-history/

1 Record Series 6112-003 Cultural Affairs Department, Exhibit Documentation-Benjamin Van Clark Neighborhood Documentation Project. City of Savannah Website.

1 “Report of the Gentrification Task Force.” The Metropolitan Planning Commission, October 2004.

demographic data

2010 population demographics

overall census tract distribution

median home value by census tract

median home value change by census tract

racial and ethnic group distribution

black population by total percentage

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businesses on waters ave business name

business type

Georgia Incorporated at Becks Glory Steppin Stone Green's Appliances It's Amazing J&L Construction Kennedy's Fried Chicken Lester Branch Property Management Linda's Seafood Lisa's Chinese Take-out Meadow Lark Studio Off the Grill Package Store Penny Saver 1 Penny's and Tonya's Phat Cat Sports Bar Rick's Glass Rosette Lounge Sandra's Take-out Savannah Barber/Styling Institute Savannah Kitchen and Bath Scandalous Beauty Shell Shoppe Tire Shop Traxx Your Hair

floor covering major appliance service and repair beauty care? fast food realtor/property management seafood market fast food art studio fast food/ bbq convenience store/check cashing home cooked meals/catering glass services bar/cocktail lounge barber and styling school kitchen design center salon gas station Tire Shop/AutoCare beauty 25

stakeholders of the waters ave revitalization

board members Ms. Mary Osborne, Ms. Rosemary Banks Ms. Patricia Brown Mr. Barry Cohen Ms Bernice Grimes Rev. Billy Hester Mr. Hezekiah Hudson Mr. Sigmund Hudson Ms. Judy Bryant-Jones Mr. Sidney J. Johnson Mr. Freddie Patrick Mrs. Ruthie M. Tate Ms. Brenda Walker Ms. Mamie Williams Rev. Kenneth A. Wilson, Sr. Project Contact: Landis Faulcon

Research Encounters Observations Ethnographic Interviews Selection Criteria

Overall: interrupting may kill the energy of the interview Research Method

Results

Notes

Relatively unsuccessful

Artifact request

Self reporting method: participants were requested to return artifacts related to their daily lives along with a brief description for each artifact

Need to ask original participant instead of asking original participants to recruit other people

Successful

Worked for interviewing community residents

Interview blitz

Self reporting method: participants were requested to return artifacts related to their daily lives along with a brief description for each artifact Visited convenience stores to ask people about their favorite meal

Successful

Survey blitz

Description

Participant Selection Method Informant recruited individuals or original scheduled interview participant

People may not be available for interview blitz

We believe the limited number of questions and ease of questions encouraged participants to participate

High traffic area, but intentionally not restaurants

Research Method

Description Semi-structured interviews (a few prepared questions)

Scheduled Interviews

Results Relative success

Notes Class schedule not conducive to cancelations & scheduling/rescheduling Getting yes/no answers from busiest stores

Participant Selection Method Secondary research contacts Who was there/ available Lists from

Most successful with people that have involvement with Waters Revitalization Project or a personal connection with the students Difficulty setting interviews with some people Probing contact to interact with a map did not work

Research Method

Description Follow a person around to get a sense of her daily routine

Results Some success

Unsuccesses: Lack of trust resulted in participants not giving a full picture. In the future, may need to be recommended Some discomfort from taking pictures Successes: Observation of public service/specific task may have more success

Success

Successful for informal interviews Semi successful for scheduling in depth interviews Good for observation

Shadowing

Attending Events

Notes

Participant Selection Method

Things that were happening

Research Method

Description Discovering potential new participants through an existing participant

Snowballing

Results Successful

Notes

Participant Selection Method

Existing friendships and relationships may have helped create an immediate rapport Original participants gave recommendations for the most suitable people to interview Original participants continued to recommend additional contacts throughout project The people that were recommended were more likely to talk to us than a first contact without recommendation

Research Method

Description

Results

Participant Selection Method

i.e. picking up trash with a participant, tour with Amy

Success

Makes interviewing more comfortable/ casual Can see and hear Allows for unplanned interactions Even better when there are 2+ participants

Follow up from previous interview Contact from previous interview

Participant was listed as â&#x20AC;&#x153;37th/waters anonymousâ&#x20AC;?

Successful

Lunch was provided Complex dynamics

Started out of a casual conversation

Activity-based Interview

Off the record Interviews

Notes

Sample Interview Transcript

Activities

What people are doing in their daily life

Interation

Connecting with people in the community

Environment

Context that users live within

Objects

Items or artifacts

Users

People involved in Waters Ave.

Q: Can you tell me a little bit about yourself, where you grew up and how you came into this business? I was born and raised right here in savannah. My folks lived in Abercorn Village. We moved out to Ogeechee road in 1954. After my schooling I joined the navy. After coming back home, I was discharged.

Hezekiah Hudson

Savannah Barber Styling Institute 1815 Waters Ave. Savannah, GA 31404 October 9, 2011, 12:00 p.m. Kelly Vormelker

U1: Anyone younger than 45, likely

they been past me, and of course some of the older ones, I had students that were much older than I, the younger barbers in town, and south Carolina, far in Georgia as, I would say Brunswick, and maybe a little past Brunswick. All around. This is the only barber school within 100 miles of here.

U2: Other than barbering, I have

been in the church, raised my famA1: Before, my dad taught all of us ily here. I have four children, all of how to barber. From that I went into them are barbers. Of course I have the service, I was the navy barber three girls, they all live in Atlanta, I aboard two different ships. I cam have a son, he is a master barber, he back home and started working with lives in Tennessee. He has his teachsavannah vocational tech school ers license. which is now Savannah Technical College. I started a barber program I have been wrapped around barfor them back in 1967. I worked with bering as an occupation, a job, all them until December 1991, when my life. Other than that, that is it. they closed that course and some others for lack of funds. Q: What is it about the barbering craft that you enjoy? I1: June of 1992. I have been here ever since. I must say I have done I2: Being raised in the barber shop, I quite well. Out of the twenty years liked the people, I liked the here and 25 tears at savannah tech I conversation that we had with the have trained most of the barbers in different clients, it is a good between that time. business.

My dad, he raised us off of it. He raised his children, put us through school, we have done things that a normal family should do. When I got into it, I had my barber shop, I worked with the school system, so I has two incomes from that. Then I opened several other barber shops, so I has several incomes.

I3: Just love being around people

and barbering just seemed to be a part of me. U3: My family, my ancestors, they were entrepreneurs, they had their own business, so I guess that is in my blood, to have my own business. It is not hard work, at my age now , I feel good, my health is good and I feel that I could keep doing this for a number of years, other than being a role model.

So, I was grown around the water, the water is a part of me, just like barbering is a part of me.

Q: What helps you to get this success rate?

Q: Do you go to the beach here much then?

Q: Can you tell me about some of the different services that the school offers? Four different

when people come here to learn barbering, I let them know that I am not here to play, I am here to teach what I know, and if they are interested I am not having any doubt that they will pass, they will be successful, by my record they can read this on the internet, they can ask any barber in savannah and that is what they will tell them.

A3: We offer the basics of barber-

A4: I have been successful, even

All around Wilmington island, savannah waters, fishing and cruising around.

ing, which is hair cutting, shaving, scalp treatments, everything that a barber would do in a barber shop, the modern barbers, they only do just hair cutting. Here we train them to become a master barber, which A2: I am 69, ill be 70 in December. means they are licensed to cut hair, Being able to still get around and shave, in the hair business they can enjoy life, barbering has been good. do everything except manicuring My other hobbies would be, I like to and pedicuring, once they finish cruise, go on cruises, I like the water here they would go to the state so I have my own boat. board, take a test, a written and a practical, luckily I have 99.9% graduMy family comes from Daufuskie ate rate, all of my students that go Island, which is a little island about to the state board pass. 18 miles by water here.

I4: I am serious about barbering,

at savannah tech even when I was there, all my students that took state tests were successful. Why? Because I like what I am doing, I really like it. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know anything else that I would like better than this, except fishing or cruising out on my boat. Q: Do most of your students come from this area? Do they travel?

E1: I have had students as far as

Valdosta, parts of South Carolina, all around Savannah, as far south as Brunswick, so they have heard about the school.

the school, when they see it, they enter and they make it. Q: What about the Waters Ave. neighborhood specifically?

E2: I have gotten quite a number

of students not just say from waters avenue, but from streets in the proximity of waters avenue. We have different streets running north and south, east and west. Some addresses for students are around the area, so I know that some students are from around here. As far as Tybee. From the south side we have students from the landings. We really have the town covered, the only thing left is going out I-16. So far that is where we have been getting our students, in an around the savannah area. Just waters avenue, we are still getting the youngsters that are coming up, they have an interest in hair, they will come in and inquire. When they are interested, when they are able, they will come to school. Q: Do you live in the area?

E3: No, I live on the west side, on west 38th.

I just happened to be passing this place back in 1983, I saw a realtor sign on it, I took an interest in the building, at that time, I turned it into a ten chair saloon. This portion that we are sitting in was a beauty supply store.

At one time I joined the waters avenue association, in that meeting, they stated that there were not going to be any more clubs or bars on the corridor.

This place right here was intended to be one but the city council O1: It was in operation until 1991, turned it down. When I went before when I had to covert it over to them to ask if I could have a school school. I felt that it would be more here, they permitted me to do so, profitable for me, if I had the school. even though it is in a so called busiI felt that was economically best ness and residential area. Other for me because it was my building, I than just seeing several bars closed. had already paid for it at that time. I should call them clubs, that adults It was economically good for me to would go in and have their fun. have my school open at that time. The building was large enough, we E5: Once they were closed, some had to go by the accord of savanof them have changed. Like across nah and we had regulations that the the street here some one bought I state required. Setting everything in guess a yard to keep his equipment motion, I passed all of the tests and in, some other businesses around the school is right where its at right the corridor, they were here, they now. lost it in some way, maybe mismanaged me, or in some way, the buildQ: Getting into info about waters ing just went down. avenueâ&#x20AC;Ś.being here that long, how have you seen the community E6: The one on 37th and waters had change? gone down, several to the north of us have closed and have gone down. E4: I have seen the community They have them all boarded up. So, change from having a lot of clubs very few of the empty buildings and bars in and around the area. have anything else to attract 37

business here.

A5: Up in the shopping , the strip

mall, where the city had planned to have a police prescient there, but something happened monetary wise, they changed their mind about that area. Once upon a time it was a couple of super markets over there. They went out of business.

there awhile. Kennedy chicken, he has been there about a year, so he seems to be doing pretty good.

U5a: Across the street from him, is a little store, they sell clothes, they seem to be holding their own.

U5b: When I first came there was

entertainment for children along here. I thought of an arcade, well organized and controlled arcade for children to have fun in. personally, that was my interest, as far as any other interest, anything that will regenerate jobs, I have no idea of just what waters avenue might need and sort of inject those ideas.

a rug, a Persian rug store up in that area, he stayed there for awhile, but Q: What would you like to see U4: Its amazing has been in businow he is gone. That is about what change in the community? ness and they seem to be doing has been going along waters avenue. quite well, but the other spots, they E8: I would like to see the face of it seem to be open-an-close, openA5: Once a club is closed, I believe change. Better lighting, it would be and-close. They had several other the city wont let them reopen begood if we had sidewalks like MLK businesses but when they said that cause, so many incidents had been does now, those big brick sidewalks. the city was supposed to buy the happening in these clubs. You know, At one time the city had started to place, they had to move, now they people get to drinking and the next put those big things that hold plants done changed their mind, I guess it thing you know, someone is killed. down, but they put plants in them is not easy picking up and coming. Personally and along with the asso- once, and once they died, the plants It is like moving, coming out of a ciation, we don’t even mention clubs died and that was it. I tried putting house. We lost a couple of business- around the corridor. artificial plants in them because es once they changed their mind people would put cigarette buts in about opening up. It might be good business for them, them, and cans, and they would kill but for the community, no. the plant. That’s what I would do, U5: We have had several store get the artificial ones, to try to make fronts that became churches. Q: What sort of business would the area look better. Other people Several spots opened up along the you like to see along Waters? with business, don’t care about corridor and they were restaurants what is going on here, so they let or something, they didn’t succeed. E7: I thought of things for the chil- the storefront go, they have to put Now we have a little convenient dren, we don’t have any entertain boards up, they just stay there until store right up there on the corner the building is something 38

to stop that. Waters avenue was attractive it would probably entice people to come in with other ideas. What kind of business, I don’t know, maybe a clothing shop or a tailor store. Q: Do business owners live elsewhere? I don’t live in the community. I was raised on the west side of town. When I was growing up, we weren’t allowed on the east side of town. After I got grown, and started riding around, I happened to just find this place.

O2: Finding this building and my

idea, I thought I could put something here, there used to be a fruit stand out front, before I found it, years before it was originally a service station, the island out there had two pumps. This was the office, the lab over there was the part that you go in with your car to get it fixed. It was operated for a good while. When they closed down it became a fruit stand, this was just empty.

When I found this place, a contractor was renovating it to become a store, my lab was going to be a club and the city stopped. It they said no more clubs on waters avenue, I gave them my proposal, that I wanted to open a barber school, they thought that a barber school would be good for the neighborhood. Except I couldn’t be open after eight o’clock because it is a residential area. For the last twenty years I have been doing well.

If we wanted a pizza, we have to go to, the closest pizza is in front of the home depot. We really don’t have any place for young folks around here.

I really cant just pin point a line of businesses that would do good. In residential areas, people do a lot of their own cooking, so a Popeyes or something like that probably wouldn’t do good. We have had several restaurants,, some closed because of family problems, some the older person died and the younger wasn’t interested in keeping it open.

Q: Efforts from city council, etc. what are the obstacles for changing the community?

E9: Maybe a good takeout restau-

rant would do good, maybe an ice cream parlor, it could work. If that kind of interest was put down here. That kind of interest would be good for children, they like ice cream and they like to spend their little change.

(man comes into pay for a hair cut and s shave - $11.00. Hezekiah pulls change out of his pocket. The man smiles at me and says hi). Businesses of that nature would do good around waters avenue.

I5: The city, all they done was tell us what they would want. They introduced the police department, other departments of the city and what their involvement would be. We had a couple of people from banks, the banks would like for us to do something because we would have to borrow the money from them.

I5b: I asked in one of the meetings, you all bring all these things to us, but why don’t you get some of our ideas, what we want down here? Don’t just come and tell us what you 39

want to do, you going to dump this in our lap and we are supposed to take it, all or nothing. From our last meeting up till this point, the idea of putting the precinct up there has gone down.

from going on around here. Q: Is there a frustrated feeling in the community right now?

out the front and back door. If she opens a store, I hope she knows what she is doing.

In order for a grocery store to sucU7: Yes because we are looking ceed here, it needs a lot of financial for the precinct to open and if we backing. For example, Jones Red U6: So now, that just killed the feel- had that open, there would be the & White market seems to have a ing of a lot of us because we were visibility of the police department. It lot behind them. They just opened all geared up to have something go- would feel more safe. That probably another store. In order for a store ing on up there. Going to be nothing would encourage someone to do to succeed here, they need a lot of for a long time. The business people something more positive. But now, money to start. are just wondering, now what is go- they killed that, who knows what ing to happen to waters avenue? might happen. A7: It is important that people upkeep their businesses. There are A6: Further up the street is a bad U8: One lady in the meeting say businesses that are run down, they drug area, the police have been she want to open a grocery store, I are going downhill, people need to doing a good job as far as patrolhope she know what she doing, be- sell but they refuse, we need busiling and cutting back a lot of it. But cause, when she said that I just kept ness owners that can take care of as soon as one gets off the street, quite and didn’t inject my opinion. their businesses. another one pops up. They are still fighting the drug problem. But if ***Tape recorder ran out. The fol- U9: Important players: Waters Avgood businesses open up and don’t lowing are not direct quotes. From enue Business Association, Whiskey allow that kind of activity in front memory and notes. Store on 37th, Service Station on of their building, it would clean up 36th, Keisha with the seafood marthe whole area. I have never had a U8a: There have been a couple of ket across the street, Best Laundry. problem with drugs in the front of people that tried to open grocery my place, or in the couple of blocks stores here. They had problems U10: Don’t bother with: Chu’s, here, I guess one good reason I got with the staff allowing their friends Kennedy Chicken, Braddy Electric this blue light up there, that light is to steal. They would let their friends (he has a deal with Georgia Power, supposed to take pictures of anygo through the line and then give looks like he just keeps equipment thing that is around. So things like them items for free. You cannot run there, has never been to a commuthat is good to deter bad habits a business with people taking stuff nity 40

meeting).

Post interview notes:

A8: For his business: wants new

Was very relaxed. Hezekiah was ideas, how can he give the business very easy to talk to. He gave great a face lift? New signs. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am always answers and paused allowing for thinking about new things, new busi- more questions. Was a little long ness opportunities, not that I am not winded. doing well here, I am always looking to do more. I want to open my arNeed to think more about probes, cade for the children. I want some- pull information from things that one to come in and tell me how to have been previously said. make my business more attractive.â&#x20AC;? He was uncomfortable with the E10: Businesses in town need to map, maybe present this at the beput the money in. the city is not go- ginning, instead of the end, and use ing to help, so do it ourselves, paint, it as a tool throughout the interview. give businesses a face lift. Presentation of the consent form Businesses need to be more attrac- was also awkward. Made it into tive, have a facelift, and people will joke, figure out a way to make this want to come to waters avenue. smooth.

Jerome: wants us to approach the neighborhood in a more “collaborative” fashion, offering “goodwill, smile, listening.” Ramsey: lack of services, neighbors (what do people need?); “neighborhoods have had it (i.e. with all the meetings and no action.” Gator: garden, would like for others to come over and pull weeds, has a vision for getting food from his garden to grocery stores. Ms. Amy: “stigma” and need for

Sidney J. Johnson and Waters “mixed use” development. When Ave. community members she mentions mixed use, all the October 8, 2011 4pm-6pm Rebecca Horton

Sid talked about his childhood-born in Savannah but moved to NYC at a young age (6 or 7), then moved back to Savannah in the 1980s. He described several people in the community and brief stories and snippets over the years. He expressed pride in the neighborhood and said that he felt confident that it could change.

others nod their heads (Gator, Sid, Ramsey).

Me: What do you think people want to happen?

Gator Rivers

Harambe House 1115 Habersham Savannah, GA 31405 October 13, 2011 2:15pm Tiffani Bryant Me: What is the Waters Avenue Revitalization? Gator: What I’ve gathered, bits & pieces, it’s similar to what they are doing on Martin Luther King, the cosmetics, the look of the area. I don’t know that it’s going to get that much into revitalizing the attitudes of the people in the area. I’m a firm believer that The way we look somewhat controls the way we feel and the things we do.

Gator: They want upgrades just like anyone else. People of intellect understand, if not for SCAD, Savannah would be really in the dark. To see a white person walking down Waters Ave is strange. It would be nice to have black and white businesses on Waters Ave. They talk all that crap about whites. You have the Chinese with their restaurant, you got the pakistans with convenient stores. The blacks hang out on Waters Avenue, but very few blacks own anything. Me: What kind of culture do you see Waters Ave striving towards/ accomplishing? Gator: Multicultural. Like Broughton. In order to get there people are going to have to change their mindset. .

time” ~ 2:00 - Within the 37th St corridor we thought about location of our business that was centrally located geographically to the metro area of savannah and regionally, 37th st has a connection to 16 when you come off so its easily accessible that way.

Amy and Luke Dickson Savannah Kitchen & Bath 925 East 37th Street Savannah, GA 31401 October 20, 2011 4:00pm Page Small

~5:00 - Oh yeah, we’ve had two robberies, on the premise. Unfortunately we have to have the barbed wire as a deterrent, we have video cameras and surveillance, we nicknamed it fort knox because we gotta a wall and baracade, our windows have a burgler bar system.

~6:00 - Both of them occurred at Users: SCAD grad (Amy); interiors night. One of em we thought actually at one time was an inside job and fibers; have four employees: because we never leave equipment SCAD intern, SCAD graduate, 2 like table saws, and portable table other SCAD grads saws in the trailer that time we had an early start the next day, like an ~ 1:00 - we selected this property extra early start so we thought you for several reasons, one is the uh the uh price was right which is obvi- know we’ll just get ready and park it by the building by a security light ously the bottom line for anyone looking for a property, and it offered and hope for the best and you know us the ability to do what we wanted that was the one night so someone was either watching or seen us load with the property because the not put the trailer back. property was condemned at that

case if crimes happen on me. Is there anything particular to you when you were riding scooter in the area?

Jim Hsu

SCAD Alumnus October 25, 2011 09:20-09:40pm (Phone Interview) Hsin-Wei Chen What first comes to your mind when talking about Waters Ave.? It depends on which area on Waters Ave. if you are talking about the area that you are researching now, the first thing comes to my mind is the safety. Maybe because I am an international student and I don’t have car so that every time when I’m riding my scooter in that area, I always care about the environment. I know I don’t belong there so that I would avoid going there at night…just for in

Hum… I was wondering that why many young men were actually doing nothing on the street. I meant they are supposed to work during the daytime. If they don’t have jobs, how can they have money to buy cigars or cigarette? And I feel like the street is not clean at all, I have to watch out some cans or bottles on the road when I’m riding my scooter. Also, I have seen people placed several big black trash bags in front of their houses and those black bags stayed there for couple weeks. That just makes the environment dirty, at least “visually” dirty. Do you know there is a project named Waters Ave. Revitalization and it’s held by City of Savannah? No, I don’t know. I was staying in Monty working on my projects, so I didn’t pay attention to the local news. But it sounds like City of Savannah wants to develop the area.

classes. Do you think that getting your business started here…this is a yes or no question, but…elaborate… So the process of getting a zoning license, I’m curious if it’s a whoyou-know kind of thing or…

Amy Drew

Amy’s School of Music October 11, 2011, 8-10am Rebecca Horton & Page Small & Nathan Sundberg Q: Tell about some of the kids… “I have a little girl who started at 2 and a half, she can play with both hands. When she started…the autism…you couldn’t touch her.” Now: huge successes. Carston: he’ll tell the story and I’ll illustrate it with sound. “I have kids that are different instruments”-gives some examplesclarinet, trumpets, I have triplets. The CEO of Wells Fargo is taking 46

I think in the end it was, for me, I think if Carmella, who is a mainstay in Savannah, if she hadn’t done what she did, and if the alderwoman hadn’t done what she did, I wouldn’t have [gotten it]. It was hard. How do people hear about you? Hmm…well, I, I started advertising on Southern Mama’s website, and then I put an ad in the Connect, which is free, Southern Mama’s is like $30 posting, and I advertise in the Low Country Kid’s directory and that’s where I get most of my class students, my little beans. But my student students, it’s word of mouth. I have a waiting list right now, and everyday I get phone calls…

“I see beautiful things and other people are like ‘yeah, no.’” take broken car mirror and shell necklace back to garden she will return for broken plates to mosaic later. “Look at it all! Everywhere!”

“Do you notice the difference in the lanes?” [trash and standing water increase east compared to west of ott] “These people don’t have what they need.”

“...treasure hunting actually” “It’s the city’s fault really for letting it happen”

Amy Drew

last thursday one city worker was out picking up trash- amy thinks b/c she’s been calling about it was not enough.

… (the garbage) is everywhere. It’s not just here in Savannah, along Waters avenue, you know People are in a hard way, and people don’t care. (Elisa-maybe because it doesn’t belong to anyone…its someone else’s) some else will pick it up. I’ve had people throw garbage, and I ask them what are you doing and they are like ‘oh giving the city, this is someone’s job I’m just fiving them work to do’ or something like that….

“The people in the neighborhood association are not coming to Waters.”

Garbage Collecting Tour October 24, 2011 1:00-3:00 pm Elisa Jara Reyes & Annemarie Spitz & Javeria Masood

“Nobody does any outreach.” [referring to the mission, area churches] “It hasn’t rained for days and this water is still here” [lane to the east of ott near maupas or 41st]

Americans. But I do have white people coming here regularly. I just don’t see many Asians around this area. Most of Asians coming to my restaurant are SCAD students… When is the busiest time during a day?

Lisa Dong

Lisa’s Chinese Take-Out Restaurant October 10, 2011, 2-2:15pm Hsin-Wei Chen How long have you been running this business on Waters Ave.? I’ve been doing the Chinese takeout restaurant on Waters for 7 years, before here my restaurant was on Abercorn St. Why I wanted to move my business on Waters is because the rent is cheaper than Abercorn and I still have the same revenues. Normally who are your regular customers?

On weekday, 4:30-6:30pm is the busiest time because everyone is off work and going home. So they usually bring some food from here when they on the way home. But sometimes I do have many customers coming here in afternoon…you can’t predict when is the busiest time in a day. If you mean “normally”, that will be around 4:30-7pm. What do you think about the security around this area? It has been improved a lot in recent 2 years. I heard that the government has a plan to help waters ave. to get more business involved. And the government has already bought the property on 37th st where is the building of “It’s Amazing” now. The property will be a police station in the future.

How were the local people react to you when you had a shop there? What’s going on in the area? Ahh… I worked late night… like 0104am in the morning… Nobody ever complaint… Maybe we didn’t make very much noise. I don’t; know… but to get in to my space… We had a very large storage area outside of the building… When you get there, you have to drive in, open the gate… and that gate is very LOUD at night… Now, there’s a house 04 ft Ken Holmes from the building and 10ft from the SCAD Graduate Student gate and they never complaint once Truc Le from my knowledge. Well, they may just put up with it. But that’s to me, How do you feel about the busiit’s an impression to this place.. If ness in the area? Why did you you did that in my neighborhood… choose to move there? (well, first of all I’d never live next to I moved there because I was looking a place like that… But I’d get pissed for cheap shop space and the Water ‘cause that’d wake me up) Ave. seems to be the cheapest available. If there were somewhere else cheaper, I’d have gone somewhere else. Also because of this very specific situation with the Business owner I’m involved with. He provided me with extra space and he said “hey, I can make a little money on this (by letting Ken rent the place) Waters on 36th North. 49

get in touch with a few people, they can lead a lot more people out of that foolish. You know what I’m saying. But you’ve got to have somewhere for them to go. Something for them to hold on to.

Sidney J. Johnson, Coach Daniels, Leon Watkins, Willie, Ramsey Khalidi Southern Pine conference room October 22, 2011, 12:15pm

Sid “ ... actually where it’s going in a sense that Waters Avenue has been on the agenda since I know for twenty years.”

labor.” And it’s right today.

Coach Because if you, and I’m not going to be long with this, but if you look at neighborhoods and criminals in “Now a new one come in and we’re neighborhoods. It’s always one or going through the same thing altwo guys in the neighborhood that’s most.” leading a group of guys. See everybody ain’t leaders. Everybody ain’t “... bring in more people and invescriminals. [9:01] Even guys that comtors would see action.” mit criminal acts ain’t criminals. You know what I’m saying. They just do it “... my daddy used to tell me “Capi- because they have to and because talism cannot survive without cheap they’re led that way. So if you can 50

Leon Watkins And what Mr Johnson and the whole farming initiative program from the Harambee House, um, it goes back to the old fable. Teach a, you give a man a fish, he eats today. You teach a man how to fish, he eats forever. Yeah, so I mean, it goes hand in hand. Willie They have a shop in the cafeteria that they can buy food. Sodas, candy bars, any kind of junk you want. But I can’t take the lettuce out my garden, clean it off, stick it in there, and let kids eat a fresh garden salad. Ramsey His parents had neighborhood businesses. And so, you could, if you’re either older or starting up or young or whatever, uh, you didn’t have to have a car and insurance and all that. You could walk to work. You could bicycle, we all did that.

zones, Frozen Paradise was in the middle of this giant dead zone, just nothing could be developed around it that would actually happen.

Interaction: No, they used a lot of

local help. They did yeah, but it was all free, but in the world of sustainability, it’s like the opposite.

Objects: In my view, the impetuous

Ramsey Khalidi

Southern Pine October 22, 2011, 9:00 am Kelly Vormelker

Activity: Now, do I want to see

to waters avenue is that shopping center, it’s the focal point, it’s the center physically as well, there are grocery stores that would be willing to come in, other stakeholders, would come to the table.

Users: In fact the guy that I met

that owns Its Amazing, Hafez, said buildings come down for that, abhe would move over and let a grosolutely not. And that is the danger. cery store come in. That’s the only danger in saying, well look at that mill, lets take it down. And they are doing that. As fast as we can try and redevelop and adaptive reuse which is a whole other thing. Another dimension. I guess it is a part of preservation I would think, I don’t know. Adaptive reuse.

Environment: If you go back to

2000 Broughton street, there were dead 51

kids, youngsters and elderly.

Objects: Focus more on Art to re-

vitalize rather than Business; Community pride

Users: ...these fit young black men

spending the entire day sitting on the porch… this is unhealthy that you have nothing else to do… Where is that person creativity, where is that person sense of aspiration… so talking to people, woman across the street waiting for the bus… Bring them into the table.. Those people Jerome Meadows who still manage to hold on to their Indigo Sky Gallery homes after generations, they pass Truc Le on generation, they grow up here… Activity: Water Ave. bright sides: can become artful --> create a mean- bring them into the tables… And the ingful/ artful expressions for people kids. in the Water Ave.

Environment: Perception of “be-

longing” to Waters Ave, SCAD - all art related to SCAD; Churches havent involved much to the Waters Ave residents e.g. the unemployed, single moms, small kids... but mostly to outside commuters.

Interaction: Ways to Approach to

people living in the areas, get them involved, engaged, interested... for 52

How do you feel about? how the neighborhood is now?

Dimitri

SCAD Gulfstream technology support staff member October 27, 2011 Elisa Jara Reyes How was the community back then? Truthfully around that time there was…it was bad because it was like the crack era and around that time too a lot of drugs and stuff in that area, but at the same time Waters avenue had a lot of locally owned small businesses. There were like shops, lots of places to eat, couple of churches actually and small centers for the community for children.

To me? The neighborhood is gone down. When I ride over there now it’s not…I don’t see a lot of traffic about there now. There’s a couple of food places, a lot of the stores they are either closed or am like a strip mall like a huge church that owns the entire block and there’s another one directly across the street from there. And so it not like how it was while I was growing up. There’s like a small frying chicken spot there. There’s nothing else…no Soul food, there’s no Jamaican food or any catering or anything like that. It since has gone down to me. Do you remember how the streets where, any trees? Not on waters, maybe pass Victory on the Southside. There’s just Daffin park is right there. There are no gardens that I can recall, there’s an old school on Waters and Anderson, but that closed down as well. It used to be an old school and then they had a jog court open to people but that shut down. I haven’t seen them rebuild anything back up over there. 53

or something really related to daily needs. No. The barber shop are more ….entrepreneurism….they don’t really go there just for a hair cut…they go there to talking to other friends. (Functioned as some sort of bar, club?) ya, they talked to others for hours there sometimes.(Do you still go there for hair cut?) I don’t. I used to…but I think he moved …

Donald Coleman

SCAD Residence Director at Terrace November 2, 2011 Back to the old days, was there something really scare you? Scary…no. Other than some street dogs…when I was riding a bike there.. (I didn’t see any street dogs there) No you don’t see them a lot, not a lot. People keep pets there, lock them in the house maybe… I have no clue..

Will you still go to that area except visiting your parents? No. There’s really nothing there. I know people do travel around the city…but my friends all moved away.. When did it start to change?

I don’t remember…I think it’s a slow, kinda gradually thing. Even like my grandparents, they’ve lived there for a long time, they’ve seen a lot of changes…from their 50s, people used to be very close…talking to each other….they knew every single person ..on that Maple street. They are close to each other in the 90s, It seems not really necessary that so many barber shops there, coz the but not any more. Not that close like the old days. main need might be grocery store 54

us. It reminded us of New York neighborhoods.” “since we’ve moved into the house, the neighborhood has undergone a resurgence. Of restoration and renovation work” “So, we’re actually in two different historic districts, but the neighborhood functions as one. Um, because Habersham is a natural boundary and so is Waters”

Gianna Nelson

October 23, 2011, 11:00 am Annemarie Spitz “And so the neighborhood at that time was not a factor. In moving in. It was the availability. And the immediacy of our need. So that was why we bought this house. Um. After we got here. Um. We started meeting people and found it to be a very friendly place. We are from New York so we’re used to a more eclectic neighborhood when it comes to ethnicity and eco uh, you know, situations.” “So it’s the friendliness of the people who are living here. and the house itself and what it reminded

“Uh, so, we are surrounded by high crime areas and because we are a good neighborhood, in other words we look out for each other. I really think that that’s one reason why our crime rates are, because people know who lives in the neighborhood. And the uh police are always surprised when there is something that happens here because it’s so low.” And they notice things like that. And we used to have a neighbor who has since passed away who used to sit outside, and he knew everybody that belonged on this block.

If the Revitalization Project could help your store, how would you like them to help?

Hafez Mohsen

It’s Amazing (Beauty Supply Store) October 26, 2011 10:25 am – 10:45 am Tiffani Bryant & Hsin-Wei Chen

Environment: Believes that if you

don’t have enough parking spaces, you don’t have customers “Nothing’s better than staying. It’s a very good place for business”

Interaction: Is willing to hire more

workers to work for him if the revitalization effort works

Users: “Customers drive to here”

I don’t understand the Revalidation project much. But I would like to suggest City of Savannah one thing. I hope they can widen the street making the traffic convenient and easy. If you don’t have enough parking spaces, you don’t have customers. If they can make the street wide then we will have more customers coming to the street. We need more room and “easy in, easy out” is the most important thing for business. If the project works, it means the business will grow. My business will be increasing and I’m willing to hire more people working for me. What is a typical day for you from the time you wake up until the time you go to sleep? Hum… It’s pretty simple. I come here to do my job checking everything in the store is ready in the morning and stay here until it closes, then I go home.

because not good peolpe come there to do bad things and come back to where they live. What about the church in that area? I’ve heard that churches overthere are not really for the people who live in the area? Well, it maybe different type of churches… Like 04-05 … My uncle often goes to the one right on the corner of Wheaton…

Miss Evan and Friend

(people moved in and out of the Home Owner in Waters Avenue building too often that it’s hard to Truc Le conversate) Activity: Safe and silent living in the So you mean because Kroger moved away that everything changed? area --> very peaceful in her place; Summer Community activities e.g. Well, not really, I can say it conFree Lunch for Kids; Trash pickup, tribute but it’s not the only reason. cleaning day and Plant manicure Some people moved away from the are all part of residence where she area downside… they have like far lived, managed by the property down side where there’re a lot of owners, not the gonvernment. cheap rent area. And downtown… Now a lot of people moving back in Environment: In the 90s, Watown… You know… is it about the job ters Ave was very prosperous like and about the low income houses. Broughton with all the shops and mall (Kroger moved away as contributing factors, things changed) The area may be bad.

You know, I couldn’t live there because I couldn’t control my way of life in New York. In Illinois it was too cold. And here in Savannah, the atmosphere is just right. I can control the atmosphere. And the climate is just right for me. I’ve actually fallen in love with Savannah for a while, so that’s basically my reason for being here. 11:59 minutes Tiffani - So, there’s the vacant buildings here, what would you like to Kevin Richards see in those spaces? At Off the Grill Kevin – Let me briefly tell you briefly October 26, 2011 what’s been going on in this area. 10:45 am – 11:30 am I’m not sure if you two are familiar Tiffani Bryant & with it. This building was purchased Hsin-Wei Chen for the city of Savannah for them to erect their police station. Within 8:44 minutes the last year or so, the city and Kevin – Um, that’s a good question. myself and It’s Amazing, they were First of all, it would have been the basically trying to buy our leases out island, new York and Illinois. So, and relocate us to other places. So, those three places I probably would we were kind of hesitant on leaving. have lived. And I just go ahead and However, we still had the option of tell you why I wouldn’t want to live trying to find other places. in those other areas. In the Virgin Islands, I lived there most of my life, so I kind of got tired of it and I don’t’ really want to go back there. The way of life is kind of slow. In New York, it’s too fast. 58

(Sharon) If you feel like knowin neighborhood gossip. Why is that depressing? I haven’t moved anywhere

Sharon Scott & Reena October 22, 2011 Rebecca Horton

Activity: comes through Waters a

couple times per week (commuter) Users: lives outside of Waters with her father; represents her father at WABA meetings; her dad owns a brick building that used to be a barber shop; works at a club on Montgomery. Is there a certain group from the community that normally goes there or anyone?

(Sharon) This place up here on the corner, Waters and 37, the brick building right there by the bus shop (indicates that it is owned by her father) (Reena) Oh, the old barber shop. What you gonna do with it? (Sharon) I have no idea. (Reena) Ain’t no roof on it (Sharon) Hey, don’t judge us, this is a bad economy, whaddya want? (Reena) You gonna open another barber shop? (Sharon) I don’t know, you know they got a lot of ideas for the community, so no telling if they’re gonna rent it out to somebody who needs space (trails off) (Reena) This is an old building too (indicates white one-story building across the street) It’s a warehouse.

(Reena) It is pretty much anybody, anybody who feels like sittin there 59

Field Guides

Interview with Sid Johnson Scheduled for October 7, 2011 at 4pm, Indigo Sky Gallery

Anonymity/consent. Will present form at end. Do you mind if I record our discussion?

Thank-you.

Interview:

Introduction to Project

1. To start off, could you tell us about yourself and how you became involved in the Waters Avenue community?

You and Sara have spoken previously about the purposes of our project, but I’d like to recap briefly before we begin. t )PX MPOH MJWFE JO 4BWBOOBI t 8IBU IBWF CFFO TPNF IJHI This fall two of SCAD’s graduatelights of time in city? level design classes are studying the t 5FMM NF NPSF BCPVU ZPVS CVTJ Waters Avenue community. I, along ness. with my classmates, am interview t %P ZPV MJWF OFBSCZ ing different community members and external constituents to gain a 2. We have learned about Waters deep understanding of the Waters Avenue thus far mostly through Avenue area. In spring of 2012, we online research. We’re curious to will be presenting our research hear the views of real people on the findings in a workshop at a design ground in this community, so can conference that will be hosted in you tell us a bit more about the Savannah. Our goal with this projcommunity? ect is to bring the broader public’s insights into the ongoing discussion t )PX IBWF ZPV TFFO 8BUFST surrounding Waters Avenue and use Avenue change over the years? those insights to help others make t 8IBU NBLFT JU EJTUJODUJWF informed decisions about the com- t 5SBOTJUJPO JOUP OFYU BDUJWJUZ munity’s future. (personas)

3. Exercise One: Personas: As I mentioned we’re still getting to know the neighborhood, I’d like your help in identifying some of the people and personalities who live in or visit the Waters Avenue area. While we talk, I’m going to use these notecards to write down some words and draw some pictures. Probes: t *T UIJT EFQJDUJPO BDDVSBUF 8IBU would you change? t )PX EJE ZPV CFDPNF BXBSF PG this group? t %P ZPV GFFM MJLF BOZPOF JT NJTT ing? 4. Now that we’ve talked about the people in Waters, we’d like to get to know the neighborhood itself. We have some maps, but as you know maps are sometimes quite limited in the amount of information that they can provide. Perhaps you and I can take a look at this blank map together and you can identify a few places or areas that we should keep on our radar? (if appropriate, suggest walking around the neighborhood).

t )PX TIPVME XF BQQSPBDI Waters Avenue Research, Inter t 1FPQMF UBMLJOH UP QMBDFT MPPLJOH view Script 1: External Constitu t 1PJOU PVU OFJHICPSIPPET BSF atâ&#x20AC;Ś (transition out) ents (Press or Media) these accurate? Developed by: Rebecca Horton, t 8IBU DBO ZPV UFMM NF BCPVU UIJT Closing Contextual Research 10/5/11 neighborhood? Provide Consent form t 8IBU DBO ZPV UFMM NF BCPVU UIJT Thank-you Thank-you street? Thank-you for taking the time to 5. So, as youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re well aware the city meet with me today. Your input is has taken an interest in providing invaluable to our project and will some money for developing and assist us in making accurate repreenhancing the Waters Avenue comsentations of the Waters Avenue munity. It is our understanding that community to the broader public. you are involved in a task force that is studying the community and Introduction proposing solutions. Can you tell us more about the task force? Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve spoken previously about the purpose of our project, but Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like t 8IBU BSF TPNF UIJOHT ZPV WF to recap before we begin. This fall discussed? one of SCADâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s graduate-level de t )PX PGUFO EP ZPV NFFU sign classes is studying the Waters t 8IBU BSF UIF OFFET ZPV WF Avenue community to gather inforidentified? mation regarding the communityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s openness to and perceptions of the 6. Safety: Over the past few weeks, cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ongoing revitalization efforts in weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve started doing some on-thethe Waters Avenue corridor. I, along ground research, driving around with my classmates, am interviewing neighborhoods, taking pictures, different community members and sometimes walking around. (tell external constituents to gain a deep story about man who told us to get understanding of the revitalization out). What do you make of this? Is it project. In spring of 2012, we will be safe to walk around? Probes:

our research findings in a workshop at a design conference that will be hosted in Savannah. We, as a class, are not associated with the City of Savannah and have received no external funding to undertake these research efforts. Our goal with this project is to bring the broader public’s insights into the ongoing discussion surrounding Waters Avenue and use those insights to help others make informed decisions about the community’s future. Confidentiality With that background in mind, I’d like to assure you that our conversation will remain confidential. I’ll be recording our conversation using my iPhone and will later transfer this information into a written transcript. However, unless you choose to go on the record, input gathered from our discussion will not be tied to you or your affiliations with _______. As an assurance of this confidentiality, I’ll provide a written consent form at the end of this interview that will outline how information from this conversation will be presented to a wider audience.

Transition Alright, with those logistics out of the way, I think we’re ready to get started. Do you have any questions before we begin our conversation?

3. Prior articles: I see that you wrote an article dated ________. How did you develop your story?

Warm-up Questions

t )PX EJE ZPV JEFOUJGZ TPVSDFT t )PX MPOH EJE JU UBLF UP XSJUF UIF story? t %JE ZPV mOE JU EJæDVMU UP XSJUF

1. Background: Okay, first off could you tell me a little bit more about yourself and how you became aware of the Waters Avenue revitalization efforts?

4. Exercise 1: Future-casting: Now, I’d like to do an exercise with you to get us both thinking more about the Waters Avenue space and its potential.

t *OJUJBM UIPVHIUT BCPVU UIF project? t 8IBU EP ZPV LOPX BCPVU UIF revitalization project? t 8IP T JOWPMWFE

Okay, let’s project into the future a bit. I’d like you to write down three titles for potential future articles about the Waters Avenue neighborhood. These titles should all relate to things that you could see hap2. Waters Avenue Word Assopening in that community in the ciation: As you may well know, any next few years. Your titles can be community development or design based on past experience with the effort inevitably involves language neighborhood or they can project and branding, both formal or inforinto the future about things that mal, put forth by those who are pro- haven’t happened there yet. You moting it. What do you think about can be as creative or generic as you the title of the project: “Waters wish, there are no limits here… Avenue Corridor Revitalization.”

*give 5 minutes for him/her to fill out the notecards and then spend time talking about each one. Probes might include:

6. Savannah-wide perceptions: Do you think most people in Savannah know about the Waters Avenue revitalization?

8. Community Needs: From your understanding of the Waters Avenue community thus far, what are its greatest needs?

t 8IZ EJE ZPV DIPPTF UIJT UJUMF t $BO ZPV UFMM NF NPSF BCPVU t $BO ZPV FYQMBJO UIJT XPSE

t %P ZPV UIJOL UIBU UIFZ DBSF about the project’s success or failure? t 8IP TQFDJmDBMMZ t 8IZ

Ease out of Interview: Okay, that’s all I have for you today. Consent form.

a) Notecard 1: b) Notecard 2: c) Notecard 3: 5. Community perceptions: Based upon your conversations with those people who live/work in the Waters Avenue area, how do you think that they feel about the revitalization efforts?

t 8IZ

7. Exercise Two: Personas: Since we’re on the subject of people, I’d like your help in identifying some of the people groups who live in or visit the Waters Avenue area. I’m going to draw each group that you identify on these notecards, using both words and pictures to capture your input. Probes:

t *T UIJT EFQJDUJPO BDDVSBUF 8IBU t %P ZPV GFFM MJLF UIFJS WPJDFT BSF would you change? being adequately heard? t )PX EJE ZPV CFDPNF BXBSF PG this group? t %P ZPV GFFM MJLF BOZPOF JT NJTT ing? Notes:

Transition to small-talk. Thank-you. Offer to talk again. Other people we might contact?

Questions I might include in other surveys (taken out for time’s sake) If you were offered a sum of $100,000 to open a new business on Waters Avenue, what would you do with the money? t 8IBU XPVME ZPVS mSTU TUFQT CF t )PX XPVME HFU DVTUPNFST UIFSFy t 8IBU XPVME NBLF UIF CVTJOFTT successful? 5. Do you think that the city has done a good job in moving the revitalization project along? t8IZ PS XIZ OPU t8IBU DPVME UIFZ EP UP JNQSPWF I’d like to go through an exercise with you. I’m going to provide several trigger words and I want you to think of them in the context of Waters Avenue. After I say each word, tell me what comes to mind when I say them.

I’d like to go through an exercise with you. I’m going to provide several trigger words and I want you to think of them in the context of Waters Avenue. After I say each word, tell me what comes to mind when I say them. t 2VBMJUZ PG MJGF t 8BMLBCJMJUZ t 5SBOTQPSUBUJPO t (FOUSJmDBUJPO t (SFFO TQBDF t %FNPMJUJPO t )PNF t $PNNVOJUZ t 6SCBO t 4USFFU DVMUVSF t )BQQJOFTT t 'SFFEPN t 4VDDFTT

Artifacts

Artifacts While not the primary focus of our research, we also gathered a handful of artifacts from the Waters community. The types of artifacts gathered during our research fall into two main categories: objects gathered through a custom-designed artifact toolkit exercise and objects gathered during interviews.

As a conduit for obtaining artifacts from the Waters community, we developed an artifact gathering kit. We distributed the kit to several of our interview participants. For this exercise, participants were instructed to place one object per day in a bag, over the course of three days. Each artifact kit contained three small plastic bags, stickers for each small bag that asked about the objects in the bag, and a large bag for transporting the objects. The participation rate in this alternative exercise was fairly low.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The reason for this object is my constant writing. Bills, orders, business info, etc.â&#x20AC;?

â&#x20AC;&#x153;This represents to me one of the many pieces we will have to put together in order for us to move forward.â&#x20AC;?

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I buy my cigarettes from the same gas station (shell) because the store is close to my house.â&#x20AC;?

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I went to that Shell for gas because its on my way home.â&#x20AC;?

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The sweat and tears of a struggle. This object allows me to wipe the sweat and tears so that I may continue to move forward.â&#x20AC;?

“Lisa’s offers cheap Chinese food and their food is tasty. Their fried chicken is my favorite.”

Community Artifact

We also obtained a menu from one of the Waters Avenue restaurants, Off the Grill, located at 2015 Waters Avenue. 74

models and analysis

objects/interactions environment/history users/activites 75

Objects/Interactions process photos

class affinitizing

Filling the walls with data

Class filling the walls with participant information and Savannah history

In the beginning - Brainstorming & System Mapping

More brainstorming

Class going through the agenda for upcoming milestones.

Objects/Interactions final model

Deconstructive & Constructive :: Aspects of life on Waters Avenue

Obstacles “It disturbs me to know that you cant get anything on waters avenue, except maybe a great drink,” Ramsey Khalidi.

People and businesses leaving

Police precinct is a bad idea, the size is wrong, for one thing.

Insight: Neighborhood interaction is a vehicle for change.

Littering

Fences to keep others out

Walking in Streets

Lifestyle

Car loitering

Not taking care of others

Fight for their license

School “You’ll see a lot of artists or creative people move in and over time the area becomes even more gentrified,” Savannah Kitchen and Bath.

No garbage collection Abandoned grocery cart My rounds usually be going to Sams, Krogers, the bank and a few others...Gotta pick up my little girl from school. Spend time with her,” N/A.

“There’s a couple young families that are very good about taking care of their property,” Sweat and tears Savannah Kitchen and Bath. The ones that generally own the homes are doing Pen for doing Working on house a little bit more work you business know,” Savannah Kitchen and Bath. No street “If he is sweeping, he is Sweeping maintaining his home. It Waiting for the is all he does,” Savannah school bus Kitchen and Bath. “Got to keep moving, Cigarettes pick and choose or purchased nearby you’ll be here all day,” Grocery Amy Drew. Biking shopping

Insight: Community driven change is bottom up organization.

Empty building

“I think we’ve adjusted too, we’ve gotten smarter about things, we have protocols and policies in place for opening the doors.” Savannah Kitchen and Bath

“The first thing I did when I moved into my studio, was take the bars off my windows,” Amy Drew.

Local and mixed national use, mixed land use

Gator River’s garden to help youth and food supply

Resurgence of restoration and renovation work, Gianna.

Basketball hoop

“That whole neighborhood is now like that. Cause nothing ever goes on there,” N/A

Football

Neighborhood Interaction Community Spot: Indigo Sky

Neighborhood watch Business having sales: Mother’s Day flower sale one week, made $2,000 - $3,000, Willie.

Open Restaurants

Bus system

Church

“This isn’t a job, its an adventure.” Big Daddy.

Postal Delivery

People out on weekends

Eating out

“I just live my little life. We’re all friends up here. We sit on the bench here, and we all get up out of the house,” Adam.

Gas station on the way home Spoon from restaurant Police Patrol

Abandoned TVs

“Anyone would mess with our building, it would be at night,” Savannah Kitchen and Bath.

Community

Car Repair

“Some of the restaurants along that corridor encourage people to hang out, create an illicit, illegal environment, along that waters corridor.” Gianna

Insight: There is a breakdown between the approach of the official systems of authority and drivers of community change.

Lost business once city changed its mind about precinct.

Abandoned building

Restaurants closing because of family problems

Insight: Government, Authority, and Official Systems in place on Waters Avenue operate from the top down and do not fulfill the needs or expectations of the community.

Masterplan needed

Southern Pine as an incubator

“It’s kinda a community spot, they always like to talk about old times and stuff.” Points toward bench in front of Its Amazing

“I was raised on the west side of town. When I was growing up, we weren’t allowed on the east side of town,” Hezekiah Hudson.

The Neighbor‘hood’

Piece needed to put the community back together

Business Oriented

“It was an eye sore, people were meeting in the space, I’m sure that you know it was breeding drugs and illegal activities, and just having the building restored and occupied took that vacant space away for those people who were doing shady things,” Savannah Kitchen and Bath.

Littering

Encourage people to hang out (negative thing)

Creative ways to get youth involved

Boarded up building

Dealing drugs

Outreach

Great litter hunt of 2012 – scavenger hunt idea – Amy Drew

Gangs

“But you know tool theft is a big problem all over town. It doesn’t matter if you’re parked on Waters Avenue or parked on Jones Street,” Savannah Kitchen and Bath.

Masterplan

“We’re always calling the non-emergency number on them,” Amy Drew.

Business

Deconstructive

Key :: Constructive

Environment/History process photos

October 27- First team brainstorm 86

November 1- Bucket organization 87

November 1- Bucket organization 88

November 1- Bucket organization 89

November 2- Model brainstorm

November 2- Model brainstorm 91

November 2- Model brainstorm 92

November 2- Model brainstorm 93

November 3- Model refinement 94

November 3- Model refinement 95

November 3- Model refinement 96

November 3- Model refinement 97

November 4- Model refinement 98

November 4- Model refinement 99

November 4- Model refinement 100

November 4- Model refinement 101

November 4- Model refinement 102

November 5- Model refinement 103

November 5- Model refinement 104

November 6- Model refinement 105

November 6- Model refinement 106

November 6- Model refinement 107

November 6- Model refinement 108

November 6- Model refinement 109

November 6- Model refinement 110

Environment/History final models

111

neighborhood business

So we were kind of hesitant on leaving. However, we still had the option of trying to find other places. So the other places we found didn’t have adequate privacy- the building was terrible, and the rent might have been too high, so we decided to hold out as long as possible

former black community lost to malls & newly integrated areas

37th st. was centrally located there ain’t no white people breaking their geographically to the necks to come to savannah metro waters ave well, this is waters ave New York is too fast. white flight issue business owners forced Chicago is too cold. the building was terrible to finance revitalization and the rent might have been Savannah is just right. if you feel afraid, then too high, so we decided to hold you’ll be afraid. but deconstruction depends all it out as long as possible barber shops of a city to talk for hours current geographical regenerate jobs The section from Victory Drive, sustainability and preservation are system is isolating widen the street you know, all the way down to one...reconstruct the neighborhoods. make more room Henry & Anderson St. has such that’s why this is a community potential...if you go up north of Victory, just the opposite direction, there are a evolution of an area couple of commercial buildings that waters ave was a have great spaces. victim of integration work not on the deconstruction & other side of the universe drug reconstruction community changed activity from having a lot of zoning = killer of sustainability & mixed use bars & clubs around

sel

manifestaut

r sy

tangible and intangible representations of systems, like capitalism, that are outside the control of the area

manifest authority

physical manifestations of authority being exercised or neglected, e.g., a street light bulb being blown and not replaced

facts

non-evaluative statements about the infrastructure or nature of the environment

physical representations of care

public-facing indicators of upkeep or effort, e.g., mown grass, flower pots, cracked house paint

sentiments

evaluative statements that may or may not have a basis in fact that represent the hopes or opinionsof an individual

exposelar

big huge ugly, ugly planters = garbage cans

gersystem

au f e st

tho

and people don’t care

need more little parks... where you can eat, enjoy in my view, the impetus to waters ave is that shopping centers...there are grocery stores...other stake holders that would come to the table

waters avenue

plants on improved the the street appearance of the area We had an effect on the color pallate, yeah. A lot of trees out front & kind of landscaping

mayor johnson owned the house, its an empty lot now

rity

i manthe garbage is everywhere...

y manifestauthorit subconsciously

$190k house you just passed a crack house

landlords may not be maintaining their property section 8’ers don’t really care about the home you can tell there is improvement by the facades. you can tell when a house has boards on the windows, or broken windows, or no windows at all

all the streets around waters ave have the real big houses. and you can see the development coming through the bricks and mortar here. street by street by street. are everything architecturally speaking, fort knox because you can get everything from we’ve got a wall mission, victorian, all kinds of & a barricade different, shotgun, i meanjust go down, zigzag quality old houses any direction nice buildings won’t necessarily help. they’ll be depleted in a few years anyways

find someone decent to rent to? won’t get as much money

broken windows

abandoned and neglected buildings

historic district approved house colors

we had big houses. and that’s what drew people. and that’s the same thing about waters ave corridor ...2/3 story houses...you can develop into very good properties

we selected this property fining home owners whose for several reasons, one is houses don’t meet code the...price was right which is obviously the bottom line for anyone looking for a property, and it offered us the ability to do what we wanted with the property because the property was condemned at that time

home& away

exhaustive model of environment data 112

preservation...every single structure you will...understand what and how they meant to somebody. they’ll tell you. she cried, she couldn’t walk

gang house dilapidated homes vacant houses is just an invitation for squatters...but if it’s vacant & it looks like nobody really cares, then yeah, it could be a problem

expose larger systems

and it [garbage] will just sit there

people don’t have what they need burned house not demolished‘this is savannah: save it all!’ no regular street sweeping compared to downtown and ardsley park if a lightbulb goes out on Jones St., they’re there in 2 seconds. In here, three years if they put a street light on. And three shootings recycling not picked under that street light up in 3 weeks 2nd, 3rd & 4th teir neighborhoods...don’t get the same attention as Jones & cans & bottles Charlton streets. we don’t get the on the road same trashcans or lights

rit

green spaces

public or private green space- e.g., parks

buildings; either homes or business

backyard gardens

ela

was more attractive it would probably entice people to come with more ideas

place for young people

ersystems

home&away

exp

s em y st s r e [if] Waters Ave

HT SQ FB F OD F T

t au

public spaces and buildings

everybody needs to go one block, clean, then the next

e st

common structures

takeout restaurant

green truck [restaurant] doing a million dollars a year

nif

businesses as physical structures or ideas

capitalism

rose plants older than all of us

neighborhood business

I see 3x the garbage on Waters than here [side sts.]

I’m always amazed by the juxtaposition of beauty and blight

Bars and Bars and Bars

exposelarg

glossary

easily accessible

there is really nothing there. my friends all moved away for better school systems, safer neighborhoods, less threats

I’m going on my 4th year of owning the restaurant

DT PSU NV ND PU OV S F T

their chicken is so good. oh my god. it’s like a black woman is in the kitchen, but she’s not.

st e

no services. no nothing.

clubs moved outbusinesses having a hard time succeeding in their place savannah: if you walk in the door “they backwards” you have a purpose for without waters avenue, being here the word slum comes to mind...it’s not right...the businesses need to be more attractive, have a people that live here don’t deserve it facelift & people will want it’s not a to come to waters ave legitimate my mom goes in there business- [rosette’s lounge], but school philosophy is that it can’t be I would never everybody going to college. waters ave doesn’t that’s not true. have anything to zero tolerance for attract businesses here demolition = such potential loss of character reminded us of new york neighborhoods I’ve been on the eastside for life I see beautiful things and other people are like, no area known not ideal locationfor crime depressed neighborhood and residential

horit y

illicit, illegal environment

private white schools don’t want government to get involved, somehow causing increasing racial imbalance

legend

FACTS PHYSICAL REPRESENTATIONS OF CARE SENTIMENTS

past/present/future 3-D map 113

past/present/future 3-D map 114

Users/Activities process photos

115

Team Two getting familiar with the data

116

Team Two looking for ways to tell a story about the data

117

Making connections between users and neighborhood interaction

118

Team Two refining the model

119

Searching for model inspiration online.

120

Team Two affinitizing exercise. The amount of catagories we ended up with was a little overwhelming.

121

Team Two - Nourishment while we work generates new models

122

Team Two counting themes and using different methods to organize the data

123

Team Two worked with a couple of different alternative methods to collect data. The green cards are results from a survey asking convenience store patrons about their favorite meal. The paper bags were a toolkit used to collect artifacts from individuals to better understand their daily routines.

124

Users/Activities final models

125

On the Road to Waters Avenue

Businesses

“Community lost to Broughton and the Mall.” “They don’t do maintenance, different people “All the city done do the maintenance.” was telling us what they want.”

Park

Previous Residents

Current Residents

“Born & Raised” /Natives

SCAD Students

North to South

Youth

“I’m tired of waiting to hear back from the city. We just (NYC, etc -> Savannah) went over there and tilled it up. And if they come in & tell us ‘you can’t grow stuff here’ “People around here then we’ll get in touch with they pretty much know the newspapers and each other and they know let you tell them.” who belongs and who doesn’t.” “This full system {funding for developing the area} is one of “We have Asians with Chinese “All the city done the worst in the country.” restaurants, people from India, was telling us

Insight: different commuter groups go to different types of businesses.

“Kids out there may swear M&*^%$, and gun bang bang..and all of that and I’m here, being an oyster trying to create beauty...And I should be trying in one way which is opening the gallery as an opportunity for workshops... for children.” “We say that we are preaching to the choir, but there’s no choir to preach to.”

“Private school not under same guidelines.”

“Public school = Black school”

“How satisfied it was for me to do workshop with them and then mounted their work in a professional gallery, had a professional opening and they walked in with their family and being criticized by rock-stars of art...How cool was that.”

> Paraphrased: 90% of Waters Ave. church-goers come from outside the area. Almost no focus on single moms, unemployment, or boyscouts... in this church to help develop the community

> Methodist

Private/ Speciality

Public

Presbyterian

Commuters

“A lot of blacks hate SCAD”

“I was the last teacher in no-child left behind.”

“The neighborhood has embraced us.”

“That forming an independent association, you know, be incorporated. Get our 501c3... What these guys are doing, Water Avenue Association, once we get it legit and everything. We’ll get it. They can be on our shoulders. Non-profit. Try to get fund, back these guys up,. Now you got legit things.”

“I save property and bring people together”

“My business was hurt because counterfeit stuff became available and people could easily get a counterfeit Polo shirt for $20”

“...usually I went there to get some food and there is a Shell gas station on the corner of Victory and Waters so sometimes I went there to buy drinks and cigarettes if I need them in the late night.”

from Saudi Arabia, they have stores and stuff like that.”

“Business in town need to put money in... so do it ourselves”

“I come through here at least a couple times a week… I probably don’t come hang out in the neighborhood as much because really there’s nothing over here that I wanna do. ”

Residents

what they want.”

SCAD

> “I’ve just live my little life. We’re all friends up here. We sit up on the bench here, and we all get up outta the house.”

“This probably at one point was pretty well invested with drug activity. So a lot of illegal rooming houses”

Schools

“Last thing people think of is art... How my child suffering by not having art...and basically take that child creativity out.... For the child’s benefit, make the family re-think of how they can support their child with art.” “Maybe they’ll imitate me (and stop throwing their “The people in the garbage)” neighborhood “My neighbor association are rents so he “My neighbors not coming.” doesn’t rake make me feel his lawn.” welcome.” “I moved here “I don't have a lot from the North.” of disposable “Haven't done income, but I do my trash pick up care about my today.” property.”

“We need more park area... it can be [a] little park where you can eat n enjoy.”

Video Stores

Development

Government

Clubs and Bars

Convenicence Stores

Restaurants

Non-Profits

Constituents

Grocery Stores

Police

Clothing Stores

Baptist

Holiness

Mayor

Car Repair

“From scratch, never given a budget”

Design & Art Related

Paraphrased: What should We be doing for Waters Ave.?

Paraphrased: The city wants this area to grow but they also make people perceive it in a bad way.

“I’ve learned ... I’m a victim of it actually.”

People running Representatives for office (District)

“70% of my customers actually drive and the other 30 are customers from the community that I already know”

“Adverting could help “We tried to get our push business a lot” business license for this location the city gave us trouble... even though its grandfathered “If business open up and as a commercial space... don’t allow that kind of “The city is not They didn’t want actitvity (drugs) in front of “It’s going down. When I first going to help to grant it to us” their building, it would “Nice to have black got here, a lot of these stores (businesses)” clean up the whole area” and white businesses were open around here. on Waters Ave.” You could go anywhere. “I like my location because i’ve built Now its’ really low.” a relationship with my customers”

“Doing it the hard way” “Lip service” Paraphrased: The perception is caused by the city, the news keeps people from coming to the area.

“If we had that (police precinct) open, there would be the visibility of the police department, it would feel more safe”

“Baby steps”

“OUR GOALS Improve the quality of life for all residents Build community partnerships Make Waters Avenue a destination for families, business, and community life Empower residents to lead organizations and facilitate change Eliminate challenges that threaten the vitality of neighborhoods Establish new resources to support neighborhood development” - City of Savannah: Waters Ave. Revitalization Project

Bahai

Churches =A relationship exists, but there are opportunities for improvements

exhaustive model of interaction data 126

November 11, 2011

This model communicates: 1. Average responses from various user groups 2. Level of user interaction â&#x20AC;&#x201C; measured by time spent in / knowledge of Waters 3. User attitudes towards the Waters Avenue community 4. The relationship between user interactions and attitudes

Attitude

Positive Responses

Design & Art Related Businesses

Community-based Developers/ Investors

Community groups/ activists: SCAD Classes working in Waters project

Luxury retailer

Level of Interaction

Specialty schools

Restaurant owners & employees

Commuters with friends and/or family In the area

Residents originally from the North US.

Employees who do not live in the area Commuters who go to local businesses

Government representatives

Late night crowd

Residents for more than 05 years

Grocery/ Convenience stores employees

Beauty & Barber owners

Low

High People running for office

Government consultants

Police

Employees who do not live in the area

Day-time hangout crowd

SCAD students Former Residents

Identified User Groups for which no representative data was gathered:

As of 11.1.2011 Businesses

Commuters

Non-profit

Residents

Schools

Gov.

Youth Churches Church-goers Club and bar owners/employees Beauty/barber employees Convenience/grocery store owners Clothing store owners/ employees Video store owners/ employees Car repair owners/ employees Public and private schools

model of interaction/attitude data 127