Josep h D. Po l acek Urban Planning and Design polac043@umn.edu
Josep h D. Po l acek Urban Planning and Design polac043@umn.edu
community engagement events (design and facilitation), master plan development, spatial design, hand drawing and digital rendering, research and analysis, report writing adobe indesign, illustrator, photoshop, arcgis, autocad, sketchup, microsoft word, excel, powerpoint, outlook
Master of Urban and Regional Planning Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota
Sept. 2016 - May 2018 Minneapolis, MN
Certified in Metropolitan Design, ‘18 Board Member, Public Affairs Student Association Board Member, Planning Student Organization Teaching Assistant, Land Use Planning Research Assistant, Food Access studies Coursework included: land use planning and law, architecture studio, demographic analysis, public participation, case studies in urban design, memo writing Design for Community Resilience Center for Sustainable Building Research (CSBR)
May 2017 - Jan. 2018 Minneapolis, MN
Created and presented master plans and building drawings to experts in the field on a weekly basis for review Edited building plans, elevations, and master plans based on comments Designed and facilitated community engagement events including creation of engagement materials for public input Compiled and summarized public input Researched precedents, and site and surrounding conditions Wrote sections of report and designed report layout Created drawings, plans, and other graphics to support text Marketing and Fleet car2go
Nov. 2013 - Apr. 2016 Minneapolis, MN
Established relationships with necessary stakeholders including city officials, building management, and neighborhood associations Concepted and produced graphics for print and digital use to educate public and customers on promotion and service procedures Bachelor of Design in Architecture School of Architecture, University of Minnesota
Nov. 2009 - May 2012 Minneapolis, MN
Coursework included: design fundamentals, architectural history, public plaza design, concept creation of freeway cap, development proposal
References available upon request
New Vision for Downtown Thief River Falls, Minn.
In Summer 2017, I had the opportunity to work with Assistant Vice Provost and Research Fellow, Dr. Virajita Singh on a redevelopment masterplan for Downtown Thief River Falls.
find lamp posts throughout people strategically, festivities, what people look like trolls how is maker movement shown? storefront and interior storefront and interior of co-op retail with scandinavian culture storefront and interior of shared kitchen
Illustrating customization of snow removal plans
There is a sense of vacancy in the downtown Thief River Falls, but also energy from the community members. In my work, I helped different generations coming together to talk about what they wanted to see downtown in the future, acknowledge obstacles that they would face, and brainstorm how to overcome those challenges.
(Opposite) A bridge-top allocation for bike lane and sidewalk
Presenting research at a community meeting 5
Elk’s Bldg.
Popup Park
gravel park cowork space
Main Street
3rd Street
Storefront Window Redesign
liquor addition
Re-envisioned Parking
Liquor Store Addition
Partially surmountable bumpouts
dock
suggested
entry
yard park
Firehouse firehouse
park entr
Co-op Kitchen
co-op kitchen
New Town Square 1st Street
FULL REPORT: New Vision for Downtown
Liv
ing
Adaptable Parking Development
Br
Riverfront Development
idg
e
http://bit.ly/2DZiKZd Bridge as place
Design Principles
fishing bridge
1. Connect with Nature 2. Design with Scale 3. Express Culture 4. Foster Innovation 5. Create Experiences 6. Maintain and Troubleshoot 7. Create Winning Teams
Proposed Riverfront Development
skate park
seasonal plantings storage
New Vision for Downtown Thief River Falls, Minn.
TOWN SQUARE
One key stakeholder was especially vocal regarding his discontent. He just wanted to get the streets plowed and some of the Who
recommendations we were ay? ivew se dr
making could have complicated existing processes. rr tracks shared w/bike in mpls Fire Trucks?
Park-side LaBree Ave in Winter (above) and Summer (below)
rance
One of the greatest take-aways from the experience was learning to get those that are discontent involved in the process as soon as possible. We were able to hear their perspective, identify partners that could help us all move forward together, and better address community concerns in our final recommendations.
My full presentation to the University of Minnesota Board of Regents: http://bit.ly/2EmbhUs
Presenting to the UMN Board of Regents, Dec. 2017 7
Current streetscape from Google Street-View
New store / Old parking lot Old store / New center
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Kmart Superblock South Minneapolis
Backside of renovated building with pass-through for transit;
The Kmart store in south Minneapolis has been a site of contention for years. The strip-mall sits atop a critical street and impedes walkable development, it also serves as an important source of affordable goods. In the short duration of one halfsemester course, I researched current conditions, designed a survey, interviewed patrons and neighbors, and created a plan for a family-friendly development..
See complete presentation: Kmart plan http://bit.ly/2swsV6a
(Opposite) Birds-eye view of super block
New inner-parcel streets with focus on walkability 11
Bottleneck Fix: Turn (Don’t Merge) Lowry Hill, Minneapolis
Streets.mn article: Bottleneck Fix: Turn (Don’t Merge) http://bit.ly/2BZ60ET
One highly trafficked intersection in Minneapolis was layered with interstate lanes in 1971. While the freeway was buried below, ramps and merging lanes complicate the streets above. Minneapolis can regain a missing district by implementing one traffic modification: Turn, instead of merge.
Current conditions from Apple Maps
Incrimental steps in rebuilding streets
Birds eye view of proposed changes to street network and additional real estate 12
Demographic Analysis Metropolitian Oklahoma City
The following is the third report from a three-report series completed for the Urban Spatial and Social Dynamics course of 2017. For that semester, I studied and reported on demographic shifts in Oklahoma City. The raw data came from the U.S. Census.
Writing S a mple
The Oklahoma City Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) has a population of over 1 million people. In the ten years between 2000 and 2010, the population grew by nearly 200,000 (Figure 1). In that time, the percent of Whites as part of the total population dropped a few percentage points and the percent of Blacks to the total population saw very little change. At the same time, the percent of people in the Metro below the poverty line increased by 0.8 percentage points. As the Metro’s population grew, the percent of people in poverty also increased. Most of the areas of concentrated poverty (ACP) were within central Oklahoma City. In 2000, there were sixteen census tracts within the Metro that had at least 40 percent of their populations below the poverty line. Of those sixteen, fourteen were within the central city (Figure 2). Only two were in suburban locations outside the central city. There was a similar distribution ten years later. In 2010, there were Figure 2 fourteen Metro census tracts ACP’s in 2010 ACP’s in 2000 with over 40 percent of the population below the poverty line – 12 of which were within the city. In both 2000 and 2010, a strong majority of census tracts with concentrated poverty were in the central city. In both 2000 and 2010, there were relatively high percentages of Blacks – and relatively low percentages of Whites – in areas of concentrated poverty. In both 2000 and 2010, 10.4 percent of the Metro population was Black. In areas of concentrated poverty, however, Blacks made up 31 percent of the population in 2000 and 27 percent in 2010 (Figure 3). There were much higher percentages of Blacks in ACP’s than there were in the Metro as a whole.
The opposite was true for Whites. While 75 percent of the Metro population was White in 2000, only 44 percent of people in ACP’s were White. Tracts with high concentrations of poverty had disproportionately high percentages of Blacks, and disproportionately low percentages of Whites. (continued)
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The correlation between concentrations of poverty and percentage of Blacks was strongest in 2000. Metro wide, there was a 0.46 Pearson correlation coefficient for percent of the population below the poverty line and percentage of Blacks (Figure 4). At that point, the central city had a higher correlation between poverty and percentage of Blacks than did the suburbs. The relationship switched in 2010, however. The Metro as a whole had a lower 0.27 coefficient in 2010. The central city also had a lower coefficient than did the suburbs at 0.25 and 0.30 respectively. There was a greater correlation between poverty and percentages of Blacks in 2000 than there was in 2010.
Writing S a mple
Still, Blacks tended to have Black neighbors. The Index of Dissimilarity among Blacks in the Oklahoma City Metro hovered around 50 between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, the Index was 53, meaning 53% of Black residents in the area would need to have changed neighborhoods in order to achieve perfect integration for the Metro. In 2010, the Index dropped to 49 (Figure 4). In that case, just under half of the Black population would have needed to move in order to achieve perfect integration for 2010. Based on the Index of Dissimilarity, the Oklahoma City Metro is mid-way between perfect integration and total segregation. Blacks in the Oklahoma City Metro are more likely to have Black neighbors, compared to what Metro averages would indicate. According to the Isolation Index, Blacks on average had 37 percent Black neighbors in 2000. As with the Index of Dissimilarity, the Isolation Index dropped in 2010. By 2010, Blacks on average had 32 percent Black neighbors. In both 2000 and 2010, the percentage of Black neighbors for Black residents was disproportionately higher than the percent of Blacks in the Metro population. 5
Tracts with high levels of concentrated poverty (above 40 percent of the population) had average populations of about 45 percent below the poverty line. In 2000, the 16 tracts with concentrated poverty had a total population of about 28,700. Of that population, about 12,700 (44.5 percent) fell below the poverty line (Figure 5). In 2010, the 14 tracts that were ACP had a population just under 25,000. Of that population, about 11,250 (45 percent) were living in poverty. In both 2000 and 2010, Oklahoma City Metro ACP had population averages of about 45 percent living in poverty. The Oklahoma City Metro has a correlation between areas of concentrated poverty (ACP) and Black populations. In areas of concentrated poverty, there are disproportionate percentages of Blacks. On average, Black residents have 30 percent Black neighbors, even though, Metro-wide, only 10 percent of the population is Black. Although the correlation is dissipating, the percentage of Blacks in areas of concentrated poverty is disproportionately higher that of Whites in the same areas.
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Precedent Research Downtown Redevelopment
The following are excerpts from the report New Vision for Downtown Thief River Falls, 2017. During the project period, I studied vibrant downtowns through the region and around the world. Below are summaries of three examples.
Northfield, Minnesota • Historic Division Street • Nearby riverfront • Town Square as entry-point
Writing S a mple
Northfield is situated on the banks of the Cannon River in Southern Minnesota. It is home to two liberal-arts schools and has a vibrant downtown at it’s core. Division Street, the main river-side highway, is lined with historic buildings dating to the 19thcentury. In recent years, many of the buildings have been repurposed from their original programs into arts and entertainments spaces. An old YMCA building was transformed into a gallery, dance studio, classrooms, and gift store. Bridge Square is a small but important park for the activation of this downtown. It is located where Division Street meets the Water Street bridge and has been known to get people out of their cars and frequenting local businesses. It’s simple features include a fountain, benches, and grass. Throughout the year, this space is used for community events -large and small- and is sometimes referred to as the “Living Room” of Northfield. Northfield is a success story for the activation and reuse of its downtown area. Largely built as an area of utility and necessity for early pioneers, downtown Northfield has been transformed into an area for entertainment and experiences The connection between the historic district and integration of the nearby riverfront has made for place that is enjoyed by people from near and far.
Grand Forks, North Dakota • Clearing of land • Creation of small pocket parks • Private investment
Grand Forks and East Grand Forks sit on the banks of the Red River, 50 miles west of Thief River Falls. In 1997, the cities were devastated by a 500-year flood submerging buildings in 5 feet of water and engulfing some in flames. In the years that followed leaders had to come up with new ways to spur development in the vacated parcels with threat of losing investment to the peripherals. (continued)
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Some vacant lots in downtown Grand Forks were transformed into “pocket parks” with grassy areas, tables and chairs, and public art. Not only did they serve as a place for people to hang out, but as it turns out, as incubators for future development. Proposals for redevelopment of Arbor Park were accepted in 2016 but debate over the future of the park continued into 2017. With a small margin, voters decided to allow the construction of a $7.5 million condo and retail building to take place of the pocket park. It was devastation that led to the vacancy and excessive open land in downtown Grand Forks. Though due to less devastation, a similar trend in developable land exists in Thief River Falls. In efforts to spur development, TRF may develop unused and underutilized land into outdoor recreation and leisure areas - even if only until future development catches on.
Fargo, North Dakota • Creation of downtown renaissance zone • State and local tax incentives
Writing S a mple
• Increased private investment
Fargo sits on the Red River, just over 100 miles from Thief River Falls. Like many cities, Fargo saw a decline in downtown development through the twentieth century. Interstate highways and adjoining shopping malls pulled development to the periphery. In more recent years, however, downtown Fargo has undergone significant revitalization and development. The Renaissance Zone -a 39-city-block area- was established in 1999 to entice development downtown. New developments in the area are exempt from property and income tax for 5 years. Additionally, commercial entities are exempt from State income tax for 5 years. In the ten years that followed the establishment of the Renaissance Zone, building values climbed from $103 million to $218 million. The investment is partly thanks to North Dakota State University who began placing departments and housing downtown - including the $18 million mixed-use Cityscapes Plaza. Local investment has helped spur streetscape enhancements along Broadway, making it easier for students to bike between campuses. Leaders in Fargo recognized that they needed a stronger core and forged a way to entice new development downtown. Tax incentives within the Renaissance Zone were crucial for attracting investment to the area, creating a more engaging and attractive place to live, work, and play. Thief River Falls could see similar benefits by enticing growing businesses and the local college to locate offices and housing downtown.
Photos: (Northfield) Midwest Living (Grand Forks) Grand Forks Herald (Fargo) Park Company
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g aces?
proposed transitways extended to > job centers > highway corr.
Transit Analysis Twin Cities Region
The mass transit system in the Twin Cities is expanding. With multiple light-rail extensions employment in the works, rapid bus routes being installed, and a new bus density station improvement program being implimented; large proposed investments are being made transitways across the region.
jobs per acre 7 - 25 26 - 45 46 - 90 90 - 200 proposed line from met council
extended Thesetomaps compare housing, > jobemployment, centers and ridership > highway corr. numbers to the locations of
population density
proposed investments as part of a ten map series.
‘better bus stops’
Is Transit going to the right places? See presentation in full:
concentrated in > north side > south side
jobs per acre
extended to > inner ring ‘burbs
7 - 25 26 -http://bit.ly/2nZenrn 45 46 - 90 90 - 200 proposed line
population density from met council
0
people per acre 2.5
< 10
5.0
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10 - 25 50 - 200
‘better bus stops’
200+ bus stop from census, met council
concentrated in > north side > south side extended to > inner ring ‘burbs
people per acre < 10 10 - 25 50 - 200 200+ bus stop from census, met council
17 0
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Boulevard 2.0 - seperation of traffic by speed
View of slow lane 18
Inner block courtyard
Old Neighborhood - New Economy North Loop, Mpls
Street section illustrating removal of viaduct
See full project: Cut & Stitch http://bit.ly/2HcMJir
Boulevard 2.0
The North Loop neighborhood is the site of tech startups and loft apartment - setting a trend for neighborhoods in the sharing economy in Minneapolis. At the same time, it lacks some of the attributes expected in a vibrant neighborhood. Cut & Stitch was a plan developed with the intention of creating a more livable neighborhood out of an industrial district with three primary interventions: (1) a reinvisioned Boulevard 2.0 in place of an elevated highway access viaduct, (2) inner block court-yards, and (3) inter-block pedestrian passage-ways. Project partners: Pei Yu Phua, Eric Van Oss Inter-block pedestrian passageway 19
National Loon Center Crosslake, Minn.
In the Fall of 2017, I facilitated conversations with experts from the Center for Sustainable Building Research, National Park Service, Department of Natural Resources, and Army Corps of Engineers. I also travelled to Crosslake three times that season, designing activities and questions and cohosting public events to get as much feedback from the community as possible. In the process, I developed building models, building plans, elevations, sections, masterplans, perspective drawings, and diagrams; which were compiled into a report that is now used by the National Loon Center Foundation to advance development and leverage funding. View of proposed building and docks
Core planning team
Inner bay, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Loon Islandâ&#x20AC;?
Levee wall 21
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National Loon Center Crosslake, Minn.
For the second of three community meetings, I developed two different building plans and presented to them to attendees to get a better understanding for their preferences in building forms and design elements. Everyone was asked to vote on their favorite scenario as well as note individual elements they liked or disliked as a way to provide the core planning team with input for the final recommendations. Soon after the second community meeting, an article was released from the Minneapolis Star Tribune covering our process and preliminary sketches that I had produced.
The National Loon Center N E E DS Y O U R I N P U T
What do people need? What do loons need?
Šmarkjharlow Big Trout
Upper Whitefish
Lower Whitefish
Cross
Crosslake Pin
e
Riv er
We will be presenting design concepts focusing on loon habitat, water quality, shoreline restoration, and community and economic vitality.
Please join us for an interactive discussion:
TUESDAY OCT. 17 - 6:30pm
Crosslake Lutheran Church, 35960 County Road 66, Crosslake
Kids are encouraged to join the discussion!
Partners, collaborators, and funders: Brainerd Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce, Brainerd Lakes Area Economic Development Corporation, City of Crosslake, Crosslake Area Historical Society, Crosslake Community School, Crosslakers, Initiative Foundation, Crow Wing Lakes and Rivers Alliance, Crow Wing Soil and Water Conservation District, Minnesota Backyard Birds, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Nongame Wildlife Program, National Joint Partners Alliance, National Loon Center Foundation, National Park Service, State Senator Carrie Ruud, Train Museum, University of Minnesota (Extension and Center for Sustainable Building Research in the College of Design), US Army Corps of Engineers, US Congressman Rick Nolan, US Fish and Wildlife, and Private Donors
Newspaper article featuring my preliminary sketches (right), Final masterplan (opposite), My public input event announcement (above) 23
Rooftop solar display and overlook
Entryway to Center with movable terrarium 24
Exterior combining Modern and â&#x20AC;&#x153;Up-Northâ&#x20AC;? aesthetics
National Loon Center Crosslake, Minn.
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In addition to the three public input events, I facilitated calls on a weekly basis with experts in the field to critique and make comments on building and master plans as I developed them. With such rapid iterations, I was able to make great strides in the development of the plans, which will inform future planning phases of the Center.
1. 2. DN
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This work will be used to leverage funding and donations and to guide the project architects in future stages of work for the National Loon Center.
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See detailed descriptions: National Loon Center Masterplan
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Split-level building plans: main floors, top floors, roof (right, top to bottom) 25
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