Student #47
Preservation and Design of the Built Environment
The Vanguard Village at Jordan Downs
Photo by Student 47
Executive Summary Since 1943, the residents of the Jordan Downs Housing Community have endured living in homes originally designed and built to be temporary structures. However after six decades, the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA) had the unique opportunity in 2008 to purchase the 21acre site where the original factory stood and redevelop Jordan Downs into a fully integrated social housing program in one of the poorest neighborhoods in the City of Los Angeles (HACLA, 2014a).
Building off the work of the 2010 Master Plan, The Vanguard Village at Jordan Downs stands to fully integrate land uses, trends in economic development, transportation, and design to foster urban sustainability throughout the Watts area. In particular, there are three program strategies that are ideal for the Jordan Downs redevelopment. The first is the immediate integration of gray-market economies through the creation of Community Workspaces that provide essential amenities to those who are self-employed or working in the informal market. Essentially, these economies are already present and functioning; the goal of Vanguard Village is not to stifle these industries, but to promote and assist them in becoming legitimized if appropriate.
With deed in hand, HACLA has worked tirelessly over the last six years to position itself and the residents of Jordan Downs to completely transform their home into a safe, sustainable, and healthy community. Today, HACLA authorities report that they have over $250 million in funding, and that they are within 12 months of breaking ground on a new development (Client Presentation, Second, the provision of sustainable 2014). jobs and LEED certification offer enormous potential for Jordan Downs Despite the social, economic, and residents. According to the Urban Land political magnitude of this project, the Institute (2009, p 14), the Jordan Downs Jordan Downs residents have been Redevelopment must hire 30 percent the true vanguards pioneering this of its workers locally. Additionally, a redevelopment effort. Early on, the principle for the development is to residents became intimately involved provide LEED certified housing. By in the decision-making process as they combining these opportunities, Jordan formed the Jordan Downs Community Downs will be a catalyst for sustainable Advisory Committee (JDCAC) in direct job growth. partnership with HACLA and the development authorities. Together, Third is the integration of Urban they have connected organizations at Agriculture in order to pursue healthy all levels to fully inform the development and active lives. While still an emerging process, resulting the 2010 Jordan industry, urban agriculture provides Downs Master Plan. numerous opportunities to pursue a 2 | Executive Summary
healthy lifestyle and another skill for individuals to apply throughout life. Following the program strategies, a new design for the Vanguard Village is proposed. As noted by Lynch, “Design is the search for forms that satisfy a program. It deals with particular solutions, while the program is concerned with general characteristics and desired outcomes. Design begins in the programming, and programs are modified as design progresses,� (Lynch & Hack, 1984, p. 57). While Jordan Downs proves to be a challenging site, its historic nature and the will of its residents to redefine how low-income communities are to be supported are its main strengths. In the end, they are the decision-makers, the most informed, and the ones who will be most impacted by the design of any physical form. That being said, the following proposal takes significant steps to identify strengths and weaknesses of the 2010 Jordan Downs Master Plan. Several alternatives are then detailed such as the equal distribution of facilities and service centers throughout the site, options to preserve natural resources, and strategies to effectively mix subsidized and market-rate housing. In the end, Jordan Downs is a strong community with clear priorities and the organization to fulfill its goals.
Photo taken by Student #47. Exam #47 | 3
Vision The Vanguard Village at Jordan Downs is a pioneer model that transforms a neglected community into a regional destination through the integration of Community Workspaces, Urban Agriculture, and Sustainable Jobs.
4 | Vision
Table of Contents Executive Summary.............................................................................................2 Part I. General Analysis 1. Site Background and Professional Context....................................... 6 2. Master Plan Analysis............................................................................. 8 2.1 Master Plan Analysis and Project Examples...................................10 Part II. Design Analysis 1. Existing Conditions...............................................................................12 2. Performance Criteria..........................................................................16 2.1 Performance of Master Plan............................................................16 2.2 Mixed Income Strategies..................................................................17 3a-b. Integrating Topography and Open Space............................. 15 3c-e. A Network of Community Spaces...............................................19 4.1 Land Use Strategy.............................................................................20 4.2 Site Plan..............................................................................................21 4.3 Site Section.........................................................................................22 4.4 Design Narrative............................................................................... 23 Conclusion......................................................................................................... 24 References......................................................................................................... 25
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Part I: Site Background and Professional Context 1. Market History and Analysis The Jordan Downs Community Housing project is located on the western edge of the Watts neighborhood in Los Angeles, California. Opened in 1943, 400 units served as temporary housing for workers supporting industries during World War II. The community was expanded to 700 units in 1954, and was officially converted to public housing at the time (WRT et. al, 2010, p 1-7). Leading into the 1960s, many of the war-time industries closed or relocated, resulting in a ‘white flight’ migration away from Watts leaving a dearth of jobs and economic stability in its wake (p 1-14). As of 2012, Watts was found to have some of the highest unemployment rates in the City of Los Angeles at 38 percent (see Table 1).
Project Location
The entrance to the Jordan Downs Community Center is located on Grape and Century Blvd. Photo by Student #47.
with children in Watts than in the City as a whole (Table 1). Watts and Jordan Downs have approximately 70 percent residents with Hispanic backgrounds, with the majority of the remaining Challenges population identifying as Black or Over the last six decades, social neglect African American. and economic isolation permeated throughout Watts and the Jordon Downs Despite having more dense and community, resulting in some of the diverse neighborhoods, and more highest poverty and crime rates in Los children per household, the median Angeles. Today, Jordan Downs is home household income in Watts is $22,554, to 2,299 residents in 676 households, approximately half that of the Los with an average household income of Angeles average. It must also be $15,670 per year and an unemployment noted that the per capita income of rate of 69 percent. (HACLA, 2014a). Watts and Jordan Downs is significantly less than their reported incomes. This Compared to the City of Los Angeles, implies that there are either multiple Jordan Downs’ average household size contributors to a household’s income, or is 3.4, Watts’ is 4.32, and Los Angeles’ that residents rely heavily on informal or is 2.81. In Watts, 51 percent of the illegal gray-markets. Confirmed by the population is under 24 year old, and Urban Land Institute, “…local estimates there are twice as many households put as much as 30 percent of the total 6 | Site Background and Professional Context
Watts population as employed or partially employed in the gray-market economy,” (ULI, 2009, p 14). Opportunities The long-standing challenges in Watts and Jordan Downs do however present unique opportunities. The population is young and the presence of graymarkets shows their potential to be highly productive if given opportunities. Secondly, the proportion of Watts employees working in retail is about half that of Los Angeles, and the amount of workers in “other” professions, such as construction and manufacturing, is a third of the level in Los Angeles (Table 1). These are key industries to consider in the Jordan Downs Master Plan. Additionally, Esri (2014) reports that Watts has twice as many individuals employed in the Finance sector, and nearly three times as many employed by the government than the City as a whole. This shows that there will be local expertise and interest in new housing markets and government services on site. Finally, the only businesses in Watts that do not experience significant commercial leakage are grocery and liquor stores (Esri, 2014), but most of these retailers are beyond a quarter-mile radius of Jordan Downs, and only 53 percent of residents are willing to walk for such amenities (Primestor, 2011, p 12). Based on these market highlights, the key to the design and implementation of the The Vanguard Village at Jordan Downs is programming the land use of the site so that it more clearly matches these market needs and trends.
Source: HACLA. (2014a); Esri. (2014). *n.d. - No data available.
Informed by Glazer and Field (2008), “There are two sort of architectural beauty, first, that of an individual building; and second, that of an orderly and fitting arrangement of many buildings. The relationship of all the buildings is more important than anything else,” (p 44).
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2. Master Plan Analysis The primary strength of the Jordan Downs Master Plan is that it is the product of a community-driven process. Informed and approved by the residents through the Jordan Downs Community Advisory Committee (JDCAC), the overall designs, densities, land uses, community facilities, and programming are a direct result of residents’ desires, 50 percent of whom have lived in Jordan Downs for over 5 years (HACLA, 2014a). Through this process, the JDCAC serves as the direct conduit between the residents, HACLA, the Mayor’s Office, LAUSD and the relevant City departments (WRT et. al, 2010, p 1-12). Supported by the theory of “Remediability”, E.R. Alexander notes that this pluralist and inclusive form of decision-making may not result in the most efficient or market-based strategy, but it ensures the most appropriate form of governance that relies on the interdependence of the residents, the developers, and the related organizations (Alexander, 2001). In addition to the community-driven process, a second strength is seen in the following Development Principals: • Build First on vacant land and Retain existing residents; • One for One replacement of existing units • Local Hiring 30% local hire require • Transit Oriented - 1/3 mile from Blue Line, reroute 117 bus • Sustainable - LEED-ND Certified Specific Plan 8 | Master Plan Analysis
• Connect the community to jobs, amenities, and services • Invest in people and the neighborhood • Best in Class partners • Catalyze development in the rest of Watts (Client Presentation, 2014). While the Principles above reflect positive intentions of the developers and the community, there are several weaknesses in their application. Land Use The overall design challenge of the Jordan Downs Master Plan is the lack of synergy between land uses and the types of buildings and programs. Overall, the Master Plan applies a highly centralized and symmetric organization on the site logically focused on the Community Center, but this inward focus potentially restricts movement, circulation, and flexibility in the development. The 50,000 squarefoot facility will potentially host a range of activities and services including, “early childhood programs, childcare/ infant care, health/wellness programs, a fitness center, employment training, youth activities, education and lifelong learning programs, arts and culture, and a computer/technical lab,” (WRT et. al, 2010, 1-9). Instead of one location for all these services, The Vanguard Village will decrease the current size of the Center and add two satellite centers that can specialize in certain services including childcare facilities that are more equally distributed throughout the site.
A second example of mediocre synergy 1. Support existing markets. Through can remedied by the relocation of shared Community Workspaces Mudtown Garden. The garden should designed to provide an open work be considered for relocation to the west environment with shared tools, side of the grocery store. By doing this, supplies, wifi connections, and even it not only creates an opportunity for available storage, these Community joint farmers markets with the grocery Workspaces immediately respond to store, but also the garden is closer to the gray market and self-employed the Job Resource Center presenting laborers by providing space that most an opportunity to hold classes in urban renters do not have, a space to work. agriculture and sustainability. 2. Create LEED focused jobs. As In the “Space of Flows,” Manuel Castells enumerated in the Development (1996) challenges us to reconsider Principles above, 30 percent of traditional approaches to form and labor must consist of local hires, function in architecture and planning and the Specific Plan must be stating, “But this transformation does not LEED-ND Certified. By combining follow a single, universal pattern: it shows these efforts, the Vanguard Village considerable variation depending at Jordan Downs will foster lasting upon the characteristics of historical, experiences and skills for residents territorial, and institutional contexts. to seek future employment On the other hand, the emphasis on opportunities in the technology and interactivity between places breaks up sustainable development industries. spatial patterns of behavior into a fluid network of exchanges that underlies 3. Design spaces that integrate urban the emergence of a new kind of space, agriculture. Through partnerships the space of flows,” (p 429). between the Mudtown Garden, the Job Resource Center, and the Economic Development supermarket, training programs According to the Human Capital Plan, in urban agriculture and healthy jobs and job training are the most lifestyles can be extended to youths desired services by residents (Parkes, and adults alike. The Garden can Dunn and Smith 2009, p 12). While the supply the local supermarket, and Master Plan calls for a Job Resource pending agreements with the Center, the topic of the facility and schools, the Garden may become a classroom for the greater Village. building’s use is not fully explored. Through the Vanguard Village, there are three new tactics designed to Circulation make the most of job opportunities that In terms of circulation, the Master Plan foster economic development among calls for the site to have, “Windows into the community,” (WRT et. al, 2010, residents. p 1-29). To this degree there is a strong Exam #47 | 9
Master Plan Analysis and Examples east-west axis emphasized with the extension of Century Boulevard. With a 64-foot right-of-way, Century Boulevard will provide vital circulation through the site, access to public transit, and to the City of South Gate (1-25). However, very little is discussed for the north-south axis that traverses the site from E. 103 rd to E. 97th Street. There is a large entrance, The Paseo, planned for the north side of the site extending to Croesus Avenue, but that intersection did not warrant enough traffic to be included in the Iteris Traffic Study (2010), leaving a two-lane road that takes valuable open space away from the community. On the south edge of the axis, on E. 103 rd Street, there is a secondary entrance to the Retail Plaza, but the north-south axis and window into the community is essentially severed by the placement of the recreational field and the configuration of the Community Center. A simple adjustment to emphasize the north-south axis is to relocate the recreational field from parcel 10B (current) to parcel 5, just east of the Community Center (WRT et. al, 2010, p 1-29). In turn, metered street parking can line the north and south edge of the field to give the outside community the simplest access while encouraging constant traffic flow through the site. The displaced housing and retail from parcel 5 will be relocated to line the Central Park to create a new Promenade that establishes a strong north-south axis tying together the Vanguard Village. 10 | Master Plan Analysis
Support Existing Markets with Community Workspaces Community Workspaces, like the Craft Council above, are a growing trend throughout the US and Europe. These self-help business communities provide members with a place to work, access to tools and machinery, coffee and refreshments, wifi, opportunities to network find partnerships (ClubWorkspace.com, 2014). Some even provide legal business advice (1010Global.org, 2014). By integrating a network of community workspaces, the Vanguard Village will begin to fulfill its goal of having, “a community of working people both in the formal and gray economy,� (ULI, 2009, p 26). Additionally, these Workspaces can double as safe community study centers for Vanguard Village students after work hours.
Image Source: http://craftcouncil.org/sites/ craftcouncil.org/files/stripedguybox_0.jpg
Create LEED Focused Jobs YouthBuild, pictured above, is a national organization that has development programs to help low-income youth ages 16-24 earn their high school diploma or GED while learning how to build affordable and sustainable housing. The program partners with the local universities to achieve integrated LEED standards into their education (CDCD.org, 2014).
Design Spaces that Integrate Urban Agriculture
Strong precedents for integrating urban agriculture include the Denver Urban Gardens and the Friends of the Dania Beach PATCH Community Garden & Farmers Market, pictured above. Not only do these organizations provide a network of locally grown food sources, but they also provide school-based education in sustainable urban agriculture, allowing students According to ULI (2009), “Immediate to directly participate in local farmers sources of new employment are likely markets (DUG.org, 2014). to come from construction activity,� in and outside of Jordan Downs (p Similar to these case studies, the 18). By designing and expanding the Vanguard Village at Jordan Downs Job Resource Center to teach LEED aspires to reintegrate agriculture standards to youth, they will be well into its urban setting. Furthermore, prepared to build the future Vanguard opportunities will be explored to have Village. joint partnerships with the grocery chain.
Image Source: https://youthbuild.org/sites/ default/files/Louisville%202.jpg
Source: https://www.facebook. com/photo.php?fbid=634300856 618657&set=pb.435572346491510.2207520000.1398984031.&type=3&theaterfiles/ Louisville%202.jpg Exam #47 | 11
Part II: Design Analysis 1. Existing Conditions Physical Design The Jordan Downs Community is located approximately 8 miles south of Downtown Los Angeles, and is bordered on the north and south by East 97th Street and East 103rd Street, respectively. Jordan Downs rests on the eastern-most edge of the Watts neighborhood, and Aerial view of Jordan Downs apartments. is bordered on the east by the Alameda Source: Community-Based Master Plan for freight rail corridor and the City of South Jordan Downs. (2010). Chapter 1, p 14. Gate. The majority of the surrounding neighborhood is comprised of singlefamily detached homes without any relation to the site. Built in 1943 at the height of World War II, Jordan Downs opened Phase 1 with 400 units housed in 38 two-story units reminiscent of military barracks (WRT et. al, 2010, p 1-7). Today, the buildings maintain the original shared courtyards and walkways without distinct yards, patios, or private outdoor space of any kind. In 1954, Phase 2 added 300 units along E. 103rd street. Together, the units border the original “Factory Site” seen in Figure 2. Select amenities have been added over the years to include multiple playgrounds, the Jordan Downs Community Center, and a Wellness Center located in the middle of the 1954 units. Transportation and Circulation As seen in Figures 1 and 3, both housing phases include roads that pass through the site east to west connecting Jordan Downs to the local road network. In turn, the site is mostly geared towards 12 | Design Analysis
Jordan Downs is connected by large open courtyard and walkways, but the site has frequent barriers and edges as seen by the wall above. Photo by Student #47.
The Jordan Downs site recently constructed a new Wellness Center on the site of the Master Plan’s Gymnasium, but the majority of Jordan Downs was built in the 1940s and 1950s. Photo by Student #47.
Figure 1: Figure Field & Road Network Hybrid
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Existing Conditions Continued Opportunities Given the constraints of the Jordan Downs community, the importance of proper land use and design that integrate circulation and transit options are paramount to the Jordan Downs Master Plan. The results should not only As an auto-centric development with be considered as benefits to the Jordan few entrances and exists, Jordan Downs Downs residents, but to the hundreds of has a limited quarter-mile pedestrian residents in single-family homes within a shed as seen in Figure 2. Confirmed by half-mile radius of the site. Primestor, researchers found that 70% of residents choose to drive if the walk is Some key opportunities for the future of over 5 minutes (Primestor 2011, 12). This Jordan Downs include: limited walkability not only increases • Creating land uses that are driving but many of the destinations in environmentally sustainable and Watts such as schools, retailers, grocery satisfy the needs of the residents; stores, parks, banks, and other basic • Establishing a local grocery store, services are beyond the walkable community garden, and farmers reach of residents. market as outlined in the Master Plan (WRT et. al, 2010, p 1-31); Access to public transit is also limited • Integrating the right mix of retail, for Jordan Downs residents. Currently, based on residents’ desires, the Watts Dash Bus (a circular route) throughout the site that provide both and Bus Route 117 (extending to LAX) daily goods and amenities as well as have multiple stops along E. 103 rd Street recreation and entertainment; with headways of every 20 minutes. The • Adding public transit and active transportation routes and stops both majority of transit lines, including the Metro Blue Line light are located just within the site and extending into the surrounding neighborhood; beyond a half-mile of the community (Figure 3). The impact of such limited • Increasing walkability and open transportation and circulation options space on-site to establish Jordan presents an economic, public health, Downs as a sustainable, safe, and and safety concern. Addressed pleasant regional destination; and, numerous times in the Client Briefing • Providing advanced programming, (2014) and in presentations, the area especially for children and young surrounding Jordan Downs is not welladults as a way to re-engage the lit at night, and there are clear safety local schools. concerns as the area has a history of gang violence and crime. vehicular traffic with surface parking lots and permitted street parking throughout. The developers noted that while there is a parking permit system, there are more cars than spaces available (Client Briefing, 2014).
14 | Design Analysis
Figure 3: Existing Conditions
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Sources: Community-Based Master Plan for Jordan Downs. (2010); Google Earth.
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2. Performance Criteria 2.1 Performance of the Master Plan Against this criteria, the Jordan Downs Master Planning team is doing very well. Perhaps the greatest asset of the Master Plan is the community-driven process. From the formation of the Jordan Down Community-Driven Design: Is the design Community Advisory Committee to the inclusion of constituents ranging reflective of the community’s values? from Project Fatherhood, the Youth Appropriate Scales: Is the development Action Squad, and Los Angeles County appropriately scaled to its open spaces Police Department (HACLA, 2014a), the Jordan Downs development is truly and local context? achieving a democratic design vision. Urban Fabric Network: Is the site integrated with the local neighborhood Unlike other large projects such as Battery Park that had completely via sidewalks and the road network? centralized development process and Mixed-Use Development: Does the plan a, “monopoly of single scale,� buildings (Campbell & Love, p 142), the Master diversify uses in the same location? Plan is very clear in its design standards Promotes Safe and Healthy Lifestyles: to achieve a scaled development Does the design create a sense of safety? that is diverse and fits into the fabric of the surrounding neighborhood. The Sense of Place: Is there a destination or greatest densities of the development are planned to be at the center of unique characteristic(s) on site? the site with 50 to 60 dwelling units per Open Spaces: Are active and passive acre (du/ac) and tapering off to 35 to 40 du/ac in 3-story buildings along open spaces present and accessible? the site edges (Urban Studio, 2010, p Accessibility: Does the site plan factor 15). Additionally, the design is focused in accessibility to all ages and abilities? on pedestrian-scaled developments with ground-floor retail (p 5), tree-lined Access to Transit: Are there multiple streets, and ample open space with the ways to enter/exit the site without a car? goal of creating a destination in Watts, currently with so little retail and public Conservation: Is the plan conscious of space. the environment and natural resources? Unfortunately, the Master Plan does have Tree-Lined Routes: Do trees and a few weaknesses to be considered. landscaping provide shade and First, the site aspires to be a destination for the larger region; however, the movement through the site? Master Plan biases residents in terms of parking. Aside from the grocery store parcel, there will be street parking along Alameda street near the rail line (Mia Lehrer, 2010, p 4), but there is little discussion of street parking within the The following performance criteria is based on New Urbanist strategies in the Jordan Downs Master Plan (WRT et. al, 2010, p 1-12) as well as general design guidelines to be followed at any site:
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site aside from Century Boulevard (WRT et. al, 2010, p 36). Additionally, many of the site’s planned amenities such as the Central Park are not on main streets and my not be known by residents outside of the development.
must be a clear vetting of the site plan to determine if each building or units meets a standard criteria. Some of these criteria may include:
• Every unit must be within a quartermile of a community facility; Access to public transit will also be a • Every unit must be in reasonable vital component of the Master Plan. proximity to a school or bus route; The Plan calls for a 64-foot right of way along Century Boulevard for bus • Every unit must be held up to a high standard of maintenance and traffic (p 36), but very little is discussed quality; regarding regional access via light rail, • All units must contribute to a safe and this should be explored further. environment. 2.2 Mixed Income Strategies Concerns have been raised that mixed-income developments such as the new Jordon Downs will invite conflict between residents of differing socioeconomic backgrounds. In order to confront potential social conflict, developers should constantly re-evaluate the physical site plan with current and future residents to determine if all the units have relatively the same access to resources and amenities on site. Physically, there should be no difference in style or location of the homes provided to or bought by residents. Sennett (1990) reminds us that, “The planner of a modern, humane city will overlay differences rather than segment them, and for the same reason. Overlays are also a way to form complex, open borders,” (p 202).
Finally, each phase of the site is estimated to take approximate 18 months (Client Briefing, 2014). During this time, the Michaels and Bridge development groups should conduct extensive surveys or research on the current site. This process should involve residents as well as potential homeowners to determine if the physical plans are meeting the general demands of the market. This should be an ongoing outreach effort as the market will inevitably change and the socioeconomic composition of the new Jordan Downs Village will also change. However, the primary goal of this community should not change its focus away from providing quality housing and resources to low-income families in need.
Under the current site plan, land uses are fairly segregated and concentrated in pockets. While many apartments will have park views or immediate access to the Community Center and Gym, there are several buildings that are tucked away along the edges of the site with little access. Truly, some residents will prefer these edge locations, but there Exam #47 | 17
3a-b. Figure 5: Integrating Topography and Open Space Garden
Rec. Field
3a. Topography Because Watts is primarily flat, the risk of introducing topography should take into consideration current watersheds and drainage on site. According to the Jordan Downs’ Open Space Guidelines, “Stormwater and urban runoff should be considered a community resource rather than a nuisance,� (Mia Lehrer, 2010, p 15). If properly integrated, topography can complement the Jordan Downs development to recapture water to enhance its greenspace. Figure 5 illustrates current LA County drainage patterns and suggested contour lines and elevation that address the needed changes to reclaim water using topography.
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3b. Open Space Open space is a highly coveted asset in development. Under the current Master Plan, open space is highly concentrated on the south edge of the site at the recreational field, central park, and Mudtown Garden. It is recommended that the recreational field and garden be relocated to the northeast portion of the site - housing that is displaced can be relocated to the current Mudtown site, which is also farther from the freight rail line and closer to Florence Griffith Joyner Elementary School. Lastly, if housing is able to be reconfigured by architects, it is possible to connect a green loop from the park south of Century Boulevard to the rest of the site as shown in Figure 5.
3c-e. Figure 6: A Network of Community Spaces
3c. Community Centers Under the current Master Plan the only Community Center is located at the center of the site along Century Boulevard. While this is an iconic location, it will be a heavily trafficked area with many visitors and programs. In addition, some of the community resources, such as the Job Resource Center, are located just beyond a half-mile from the southwest corner of the site. By integrating a small network of related Community Centers, Workspaces, and recreational facilities, the Vanguard Village at Jordan Downs stands to capture a wider audience from the site and the surrounding neighborhood.
residents to have more food options in one convenient location, and the two entities could host joint farmers markets and events increasing their overall visibility and profits. This new site for the community garden is also outside of the original 21-acre factory site if there are concerns regarding soil contamination.
3e. Community Pool A community pool would be an excellent resource to have on site; however, given the high cost, liability, the limited space to fulfill housing needs, and the fact that the current plans for the Community Center require a capital expense of $1.2 million from JDCAC funds (Client Briefing, 2014), it is not advisable to pursue a community 3d. Community Garden The ideal location for the community pool at this time. Alternatives should be garden is adjacent to the incoming explored with the neighboring school grocery store. This location will allow and other public facilities. Exam #47 | 19
4. Figure 7: 1 Land Use Strategy
The proposed land use strategy above is based on four primary goals: 1. Redistribute open space more equally throughout the community; 2. Provide more pockets of community, retail, and employment uses across the site; 3. Reconfigure buildings, entrances, and circulation to provide greater access to the site along the northsouth axis; 4. Create more synergistic uses of the land. 20 | Design Analysis
Altogether, this re-envisioned land use strategy maintains the current levels of housing, and it provides additional retail space to encourage greater economic development and revenue from the site.
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4.2 Figure 8: Site Plan of The Vanguard Village at Jordan Downs
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4.3 Figure 9: Site Section of Proposed Entrance at New Freedom Tree Park
Building typologies and design standards sourced from Community-Based Master Plan for Jordan Downs and Architectural Guidelines. (2010). 22 | Design Analysis
4.4 Design Narrative The Vanguard Village at Jordan Downs is based in a primary to goal to provide synergistic land and programming uses throughout the site that compliment the residents’ needs as well as the greater Los Angeles community. The Village is organized according to two major two axes. The first is Century Boulevard that traverses the site east to west. The second axis extends along a newly envisioned Vanguard Promenade from north to south. From the north, a visitor will enter the Promenade through a preserved Freedom Tree Park before arriving at a traffic circle and the Village Community Center plaza. From there, the Promenade extends south through various shopping plazas before reaching the Central Park to the south.
corner. Through these centers, resident and community members can have access to a dedicated workspace and storage space outside of their homes. This feature is a direct response the to the many individuals who are selfemployed in the gray market (ULI, 2009). Another application of synergy can be seen in the relocation of the Gym next to the recreational field and the Village Community Center. By doing this, these buildings create a consistent series of community facilities that can be easily accessed by residents or the larger community from Century Boulevard. This route is also where the majority of street parking will be located on the site. In the northeast corner of the site, the Vanguard Village proposal preserves and relocates the community’s Mudtown Garden next to the incoming supermarket. Together, it is envisioned that grocery shoppers will also be interested buying local produce, and there may be opportunities for the grocery store and garden to host joint events. The grocery store was also reconfigured with additional rooftop parking to allow for more retail and open space to be on the same lot.
In addition to these axes, the Village integrates a connected series of parks and greenways that travel along the Promenade through the northwest portion of the site before circling to the east, where the recreational field is followed by a community garden. It must be noted that some of the original Master Planned apartments had to be relocated to accommodate the relocation of the garden, the recreational field, and some of the greenways; yet all desired levels of housing were maintained. Lastly, circulation through the site consists of rerouted bus lines including A third organizing element of the the Dash, Route 117, and a local shuttle. Vanguard Village is the careful Additional connections to bike lanes placement of satellite Community extending towards the Regional Los Workspaces and childcare centers Angeles Bike route are also indicated. that are more readily located to all residents, especially in the southwest Exam #47 | 23
Conclusion The Community of Jordan Downs has the potential to be a catalyzing model for urban redevelopment and social justice in the United States. Based on the financial support it already has secured and the organizational capacities of HACLA, the JDCAC, and its development team, Jordan Downs is geared for success. As the development process continues, there are several key recommendations to integrate into the future development. First, the gray-market economy is a lifeline for many families at Jordan Downs, and it must be given proper attention through the placement and types of job facilities on site. Secondly, it is recommended that architects reconfigure some of the housing units to allow for more open space. These links not only support healthy living, but they are vital for creating a sense of community. Third, as detailed in the Land Use analysis and the proposed site plan, several buildings should be moved or reconfigured to allow for the greatest use and connections of the site. The In particular, north-south circulation through the site must be readdressed. Additionally, the Mudtown Garden and its founding organization should be view assets on the site that create educational opportunities and alternatives for expanded farms and economic development.
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Finally, the growth of a job market in urban sustainability is key. The current Job Resource Center would make an excellent candidate to become a Center for Urban Sustainability and Innovation. This market will only grow over time, and the residents of Jordan Downs and Watts will have many opportunities in the future.
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