Food Security through Urban Agriculture in Charlottesville, VA by Ṭaha K. Suhrawardy

FOOD SECURITY AND URBAN AGRICULTURE IN CHARLOTTESVILLE

TAHA K. SUHRAWARDY ERWIN RAMSEY FELLOW 2020 BRWARCHITECTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Background Fellowship Aims and Perspective A Series of Garden Maps — Charlottesville South 1st St — A Key Example Resources Wrap up

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Background Fellowship Aims and Perspective A Series of Garden Maps — Charlottesville South 1st St — A Key Example Resources Wrap up

B A B C A B C A K B C G A K B C G A K R B C G A K R B C G O A K R U B C G O A K R U B C G O N A K R U D B C G O N A K R U D B C G O N A K R U D B C G O N A K R U D B C G O N A K R U D B C G O N A K R U D B C G O N A K R U D C G O N A K R U D C G O N K R U D G O N K R U G O N D R U G O N D R U D O N U O N D U D N D N D

WORDS FROM THE FELLOW

I grew up in the dusty, crowded streets of Hyderabad and the arid, open desert of the Arabia, then later, in the lifeless suburbs near Detroit. This background didn’t really open the opportunity for me to be exposed to the practice of urban gardens, and when I came across HUDA Urban Garden run by my friend Babar Qadri, in a downtrodden area of Detroit, I felt my eyes open to the centrality of food in our physical and mental wellbeing – and how lack of access can be the defining factor in the perpetuity of low income communities’ poverty and difficult lifestyles.

Market Day at the 6th St and Monticello garden. Fellow speaking with Michael James of Cultivate Charlottesville (right). PC Richard Morris

I applied to the Erwin Ramsey Fellowship still in the early stages of this realization and approached it with a desire to investigate how food can uplift and bring communities together. It turns out there are many layers to this onion, and this document attempts to organize them into a navigable set of resources for those interested in understanding and helping to progress Charlottesville’s food equity. This research effort would not have been possible without the mentorship and guidance of BRW Architects and those whom I connected with through them at Cultivate Charlottesville. I’ve learned in the last three weeks the inner mechanisms of a city,

microcosmic in its expressions, and how communities are formed and morphed by them. I learned, too, the challenges associated with affordable housing, from designing it to living in it, but also the incredible value and vibrance within those communities. Perhaps most importantly, I learned the processes of change, at both individual and urban scales, and how each of us is a continual component of that. A heartfelt thank you to all of you who helped me start this journey.

WORDS FROM THE FELLOW

Market Day at the 6th St and Monticello garden. Fellow speaking with Michael James of Cultivate Charlottesville (right). PC Richard Morris

FOOD SYSTEM

Food System Tools1

FOOD SYSTEM

Food System Tools1

IMPORTANT CONCEPTS

Food security

Food security, as defined by the United Nations’ Committee on World Food Security, means that all people, at all times, have physical, social, and eco-nomic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that meets their food preferences and dietary needs for an active and healthy life. (Food Security)2

Food Sovereignty

“Food sovereignty is the right of peoples to healthy and culturally appropri-ate food produced through ecologically sound and sustainable methods, and their right to define their own food and agriculture systems. It puts the aspirations and needs of those who produce, distribute and consume food at the heart of food systems and policies rather than the demands of markets and corporations.” (Food Sovereignty)3

Food System

“A food system is the path that food travels from conception in the field all the way to digestion in the stomach. This includes the growing, harvesting, processing, packaging, transporting, marketing, consuming, and disposing of food. Also included is the inputs needed and outputs generated at each step of the process.” (Food System: Defined)4

Food Equity

A societal condition where the food system serves all peoples fairly, regard-less of demographic background.

6th St and Monticello St. garden

IMPORTANT CONCEPTS

Food security

Food Sovereignty

Food System

Food Equity

A societal condition where the food system serves all peoples fairly, regard-less of demographic background.

6th St and Monticello St. garden

EL LO FE W S LL OW FE SH LL OW I FE SH LL OW IP FE SH LL OW IP FE SH LL OW IP FE SH LL OW IP FE SH LL OW IP FE SH LL OW IP FE SH LL OW IP FE SH LL OW IP FE SH LL OW IP FE SH LL OW IP FE SH LL OW IP FE SH LL OW IP FE SH LL OW IP FE SH LL OW I P EL S HIP LO W

INTRO TO PROJECT

The diagram to the right illustrates succinctly the vicious cycle that is formed due to lack of food security, which happens often in low-income housing communities. Numerous studies have reported racial minorities

FOOD INSECURITY

in Charlottesville disproportionately food insecure as compared to other communities. Fortunately, the Charlottesville Food Justice Network (CJFN) is collaborating with locals and the city to discover solutions to food inequity. One of these is establishing urban agricultural gardens in affordable

decreased

housing neighborhoods with Cultivate Charlottesville as a steward. These are ideally sited to maximize benefit to neighborhoods that need it, providwhich had a thriving agricultural garden until it was abandoned due to im-

HOUSEHOLD INCOME

pending redevelopment.

increased

ing free fresh food. One such location is the South 1st Street development,

The scope of this fellowship aspires to investigate the needs and desires

DIETARY QUALITY

decreased

SPENDING TRADE-OFFS

of the residents at South 1st St to determine greening strategies that can reestablish urban agriculture and that capitalize on and enhance the com-

CHRONIC DISEASE

munity’s aesthetic and programmatic assets. On a larger scale, the fellowship tries to connect this project to the overall waves of change in Charlottesville. The Charlottesville Comprehensive Plan, a colossal document that outlines the city’s vision and guidelines for the future, is currently undergoing an update, and this fellowship explores information that may be useful for those involved in the document’s

increased

HEALTHCARE EXPENDITURES

decreased

EMPLOYABILITY

revision. The following page is a plan that was created in the beginning of the fellowship to determine scope and goals. This document is two things at once. The first is a log of the research and activities undertaken during the fellowship, and secondly, it is a manual of resources for those interested in acquainting themselves with issues of food equity, urban agriculture, and affordable housing in Charlottesville.

Jarosz, Michael5

INTRO TO PROJECT

FOOD INSECURITY

decreased

HOUSEHOLD INCOME

pending redevelopment.

increased

ing free fresh food. One such location is the South 1st Street development,

The scope of this fellowship aspires to investigate the needs and desires

DIETARY QUALITY

decreased

SPENDING TRADE-OFFS

of the residents at South 1st St to determine greening strategies that can reestablish urban agriculture and that capitalize on and enhance the com-

CHRONIC DISEASE

increased

HEALTHCARE EXPENDITURES

decreased

EMPLOYABILITY

Jarosz, Michael5

FELLOWSHIP STRATEGY PLAN PROJECT STATEMENT

QUESTIONS TO EXPLORE

The intention of the fellowship is, in accordance with resident-led input, to explore land-use strategies in the form of a community garden, agricultural or horticultural, that enhances the educational, physical, and mental wellbeing of the 1st St. South community. This will be in conjunction with cross-examination of CRHA rules and the Charlottesville Comprehensive Plan as a means to refine and adjust both of them and suggest a visual translation of the policy using the South 1st St. proposal as an example.

– How do the zoning codes support urban ag or Co-Op grocery store spaces? – Does CRHA policy support resident ownership and development of commercial spaces? – How to perpetuate the knowledge needed to cultivate and maintain the garden? – How can this resource or be tied in to other resources for the neighborhood, such as a health clinic, education center, childcare, etc? In other words, how can this become a part of an entire social infrastructure? – What can be the relationship of surrounding neighborhoods? – What is the ownership status of this resource among the residents? e.g. If it’s a grocery store, and everybody owns a piece, each person will get meager returns. – Also, what is the level of commercialization? – Forming questions for residents

PROCESS DOMAINS

INPUT

Charlottesville, Virginia Comprehensive plan 2013 contents Introduction Community values community characteristics Land use community facilities economic sustainability environment housing transportation historic preservation & urban Design One Community Planning Project Plan Implementation Strategies Glossary

OUTPUT/ DELIVERABLES weekday morning on the downtown mall

Policy

p ici

Comp Plan

CRHA rules

Updated Policy + Graphical Exegesis city-wide result: policy changes + more equitable public housing

Design

c lo

Resident Leadership

Design Idea

PHAR

Proposal

CONVERSING WITH RESIDENTS

CONVERSING WITH SHANTELL

TO DO, BY FRIDAY

– programming exercises, to see what could go in the community spaces – what was the old garden like? – modular garden pods along E? – commercial kitchen? – greenhouse? (community ownership + wealth building)

– What can Cultivate Charlottesville do? – Set up meeting with Joy + Audrey – what does the draft of the urban agriculture part of the Comprehensive Plan look like?

– Walk through neighborhood, meet residents – Speak with Joy + Audrey – identify possible site for design proposal – review policies in Comp Plan with Shantell – review CRHA rules – review zoning restrictions (R-3) + variance – gather digital materials for work

local result: food sovereignty + shared ownership

FELLOWSHIP STRATEGY PLAN PROJECT STATEMENT

QUESTIONS TO EXPLORE

PROCESS DOMAINS

INPUT

OUTPUT/ DELIVERABLES weekday morning on the downtown mall

Policy

p ici

Comp Plan

CRHA rules

Updated Policy + Graphical Exegesis city-wide result: policy changes + more equitable public housing

Design

c lo

Resident Leadership

Design Idea

PHAR

Proposal

CONVERSING WITH RESIDENTS

CONVERSING WITH SHANTELL

TO DO, BY FRIDAY

– What can Cultivate Charlottesville do? – Set up meeting with Joy + Audrey – what does the draft of the urban agriculture part of the Comprehensive Plan look like?

local result: food sovereignty + shared ownership

Jeanette: excited about combining policy + design.

ZOOM MEETING WITH CULTIVATE CHARLOTTESVILLE: NOTES

Taha: potential for “open space” map of Charlottesville. Map can be used to calculate all available space and potential output. Taha: Land matrix map could be useful for UACC Friendship court was the flagship UACC garden; it was a 0.5 acre garden with a huge output (planted area was 0.25 acres). The garden is now gone, to be potentially replaced with a 5000 SF garden after the new construc-

Date

7/27/2020

Project

Erwin Ramsey Fellowship

Subject

Meeting with UACC

Attendees

Shantell Bingham, Jeannette Abi-Nader, Richard Morris, Taha Suhrawardy, Karim Habbab

tion happens. Taha: Since public housing is transient, even with education of the residents, there still needs to be a fixed “anchor institution (Shantell)” like UACC. Shantell: language in comprehensive plan to foster partnerships with affordable housing partners. Richard: possibly look at long term land leases to justify investment in gardens. Washington Park: next big project for UACC: they are working on and need a graphic for water sources and infrastructure, production land, soccer/ activity field, and the hill areas -> fruit trees. Study zoning at CRHA/PHA/Habitat sites for opportunities for co-op grocery stores. Richard: future gardens will be a mix of planting beds, in ground planting, and greenhouses. Reach out to Chris at Parks and Rec for a map of gardens in Charlottesville.

Jeanette: excited about combining policy + design.

ZOOM MEETING WITH CULTIVATE CHARLOTTESVILLE: NOTES

Date

7/27/2020

Project

Erwin Ramsey Fellowship

Subject

Meeting with UACC

Attendees

Shantell Bingham, Jeannette Abi-Nader, Richard Morris, Taha Suhrawardy, Karim Habbab

T O L R A

R S U N S E ’ D E H R L C L A I G V G S N N I E A P T B P T R S O U L N MA R S E ’ A D E H R L C L A I G V G S N N I E A P T B P T R A S O U L N M R S E ’ A D E H R L C L A I G V G S N N I E A P T B P T R S O U L N MA R S E ’ A D E H R L C L A I G V G S N N I E A P T B P T R O U L N MA R S E ’ A D E H R L C L A I G V G S N N I E A P T B P T R A O U L N M R S E ’ A D E H R L C L A I G V G S N N I E A P T B P T R A O U L M R S E ’ A D E H R L C L A I G V G S N N I E A P T B P T R A O U L M R S ’ A D E H R L C L A I G V G S N N I E A P T B P T R A O U L M R S ’ A D E H R L C L A I G V G S N N I E A P T B P T A O UR L M

T O L R A

CHARLOTTESVILLE CITY BOUNDARY Starting off at a larger scale, we look at the presence of urban gardens in the city of Charlottesville. We’ll try to find if there’s a story that can be told or has yet to be told based on a set of sequentially mapped data.

EXISTING GARDENS IN THE CITY These neighborhood gardens are all managed by Cultivate Charlottesville or UACC

Existing garden sites

EXISTING GARDENS IN THE CITY These neighborhood gardens are all managed by Cultivate Charlottesville or UACC

Existing garden sites

PARCELS + BUILDING FOOTPRINTS

PROXIMITY TO EXISTING GARDENS The gradient here, white being immediate proximity and black being distant, graphically elucidates the nature of the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s distribution of urban gardens and how they relate to where people live.

close by distant

POTENTIAL GARDEN SITES Cultivate Charlottesville has identified a large list of potential sites where urban gardens could be established. This information has been compiled in an internal spreadsheet called “2018-2019 Land Search Matrix”. These locations are mapped here, differentiated from the existing urban gardens, and for the purposes of the following few pages’ investigations, we will assume optimistically that they will all become urban gardens in the future.

Potential garden sites Existing garden sites

PROXIMITY TO ALL POTENTIAL GARDENS IN CITY This map functions the same as the one preceding the previous one. The difference here is to suppose, for the sake of the Comprehensive Plan, that all potential sites for urban gardens will become urban gardens. This explores where the darker regions have been reduced and whether more sites need to be identified, based on where there are heavily residential areas, especially those that are less than median income.

close by distant

ACCESS TO EXISTING GARDENS IN CITY In order to make sense of the proximity map, this map divides the distances into three categories: walkable ~ <1/2 mile bikable ~ <1 mile need transport ~ > 1 mile

This is much more useful to us because we can now see that those who live in the grey areas are not within a feasible walking distance from the gardens. Food equity now becomes more an issue of transportation. So either we need more urban agricultural gardens or the city must provide better public transportation.

walkable ~ <1/2 mile bikable ~ <1 mile need transport ~ > 1 mile

ACCESS TO EXISTING GARDENS IN CITY In order to make sense of the proximity map, this map divides the distances into three categories: walkable ~ <1/2 mile bikable ~ <1 mile need transport ~ > 1 mile

walkable ~ <1/2 mile bikable ~ <1 mile need transport ~ > 1 mile

PUBLIC HOUSING ACCESS TO EXISTING GARDENS As discussed, those most in need of better access to healthy food are economically disadvantaged neighborhoods. The following map shows all the affordable housing that is owned by CRHA (Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority) and Piedmont Housing Alliance. Mapping these in relation to the previous map shows us which neighborhoods have access to the neighborhood gardens and those that donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t.

walkable ~ <1/2 mile bikable ~ <1 mile need transport ~ > 1 mile affordable housing

PUBLIC HOUSING ACCESS TO ALL POTENTIAL GARDENS This map is the same as the previous one, but it maps the affordable housing developments on a gradient that optimistically breaks down the distances from each parcel of land to all potential urban gardens. Maps such as these can identify possible game changers for these communities.

walkable ~ <1/2 mile bikable ~ <1 mile need transport ~ > 1 mile affordable housing

MEDIUM FAMILY INCOME AND ACCESS TO URBAN AGRICULTURE Reflecting on the previous map, we do a quick overlay of the Orange Dot Project10, which investigated household incomes in Charlottesville, to understand where the issue of food security is most urgent, based on the lowest tiers of household income. An optimistic deduction seems to be that most of the lower income residences (orange) overlap with the white areas from the previous map, showing that the current gardens are quite well-placed within the city.

$21,557 - $32,000 $32,000 - $59,284 $59,284 - $80,000 $80,000 - $102,813

POTENTIAL LAND FOR URBAN AGRICULTURE The mapping exercise ends on a brief note regarding land allotment in the city. This map shows the actual parcels of land that the land use matrix has its eyes on. This amount of land, even if it was acquired by Cultivate Charlottesville, cumulatively takes up a very miniscule portion of the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s land for urban agriculture. There is so much housing, but so little land to locally nourish and sustain that population. Also, the large swath of land near the northern part of the city is the entire plot of land for Charlottesville High School, so even this land cannot be used in totality.

Potential parcels of land for urban ag use Potential garden sites Existing garden sites

This leads to a second point about the maintenance of urban gardens. A steward is necessary for any urban garden to thrive. Due to the flux in the

REFLECTIONS ON MAPPING AND URBAN AGRICULTURE

residents in the area who might ordinarily care for the garden, an anchor organization can not only help manage the operations of the garden, but can retain and transmit year after year the bodies of knowledge necessary for these operations to continue. Therefore, this is an important point that

The previous series of maps is intended to graphically communicate to policy makers and change makers about the current situation of affordable housing with regard to urban agriculture, and how their presence is a larger communal asset that extends beyond simply the marginalized communities. Food justice is an integral component of Charlottesville’s vision of equity, and hopefully, this visual clarity can be a convincing argument for the prioritization of equitable food access in the Charlottesville 2020 Comprehensive Plan. There are, however, many more layers to this onion that must also successively peeled to get a more robust picture. While the Proximity and Access maps show ease of access based solely on distance radially projected from the gardens, they overlook topographic considerations, pedestrian navigability, density, alternate access to food, and other factors. Furthermore, the presence of an urban garden does not definitively end food insecurity. Nor does the discussion on urban agriculture (in the form of traditional outdoor planted gardens) usually address food security when the growing season is over. And conversely, urban gardens may even cause gentrification and thus an increase in housing prices, negatively affecting lower income folks whom the garden is intended to be a positive asset for. The discussion on urban agriculture must incorporate several critical components for a successful and sustainable paradigm for a just food system. Currently, Cultivate Charlottesville, successful as it is, is still only a nonprofit that sustains itself through grants and donations. Actualizing the goals that the organization has may be easier if the Comprehensive Plan outlines a new department within local governance that has greater reach, resources, and authority. Of course, Cultivate C’ville may be doing such an effective job already because it sits outside the bounds of heavy bureaucratic red tape, but certainly, food justice built into governmental bodies may nonetheless be a strategic move.

the Comp Plan can focus on: allotting and configuring resources so that a stewardship can be well supported to carry on and expand its work. In recent years, the city of Charlottesville has loosened regulations to allow activities like urban gardening to occur. Possibly the next step in the process of making the food system more equitable is considering how the city can facilitate the proliferation of greenhouses. These structures provide an immense amount of value but frequently wrestle with and are defeated by housing in their constant need for more land. While the dollar amount of food produced per square foot may not equal the same amount that rent from housing would give, greenhouses are important because they produce fresh local food that is out of season. Moreover, greenhouses have the potential to shift the power dynamic from the global supply chain to community members, especially if ownership is had by people in lower income households who might otherwise experience food insecurity. In this way, greenhouses can build community assets and increase civic engagement. This becomes especially powerful when that community also manages the distribution of the food that is produced, viz. grocery stores, farmers’ markets, etc. In sum, the production, distribution, and consumption of food all become localized to the community in a swift move. I’ve tried to take this concept and convey it succinctly through the diagram on the next page. It’s presented as the 3 G’s of food sovereignty: a Garden, a Greenhouse, and a Grocery store, all of which work together to provide diverse yet intertwined benefits to the community.

This leads to a second point about the maintenance of urban gardens. A steward is necessary for any urban garden to thrive. Due to the flux in the

REFLECTIONS ON MAPPING AND URBAN AGRICULTURE

3 Gâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s OF FOOD SOVEREIGNTY LEVELS OF SIGNIFICANCE Social/Personal Benefit Economic Impact Policy Implications Questions to consider

GARDEN Activated outdoor space Increased food security Increased activity + learning Beautification Increased value of housing development Job creation CRHA rules? Centralized vs dispersed through site

GREENHOUSE Communal engagement Increased food security Year-round food production Possible innovative use of unused land Job creation Classification? Where could it be sited?

COMMUNITY MEMBERS

GROCERY STORE

GROCERY STORE TYPOLOGIES

Communal engagement + wealth building Increased food access Economic interdependence with surrounding area Space currently available Job creation + practical skills training Zoning - needs to limit restrictions Relationship to CSA?

For-profit grocery store Bargain grocery store Nonprofit grocery store Co-Op Grocery Store

3 Gâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s OF FOOD SOVEREIGNTY LEVELS OF SIGNIFICANCE Social/Personal Benefit Economic Impact Policy Implications Questions to consider

GREENHOUSE Communal engagement Increased food security Year-round food production Possible innovative use of unused land Job creation Classification? Where could it be sited?

COMMUNITY MEMBERS

GROCERY STORE

GROCERY STORE TYPOLOGIES

For-profit grocery store Bargain grocery store Nonprofit grocery store Co-Op Grocery Store

While somewhat oversimplified, the 3 G’s diagram attempts to relate external considerations and initiate a conversation on things that would need to be resolved. The cycle consists of community members putting their time and effort into the cultivation of agricultural Gardens; then the harvested food is organized and processed at a sort of Greenhouse, after which it go to a Grocery that serves as a method of distribution to the very same community members who invested their time and effort into the food production. Alternately interpreted, after the season is over for the outside garden, the Greenhouse can continue food production beyond the regular growing season to increase the yield for the grocery store. In this model, community wealth building and increased food access are simultaneously prioritized. The grocery store can take many forms: for-profit, non-profit, bargain, and community owned and operated (co-op). The type that is implemented is heavily dependent on the needs and limitations of its context. The next question, then, is to ask what barriers are there from a policy perspective regarding a grocery store being implemented in a neighborhood — such as being classified as an intrusive commercial enterprise. Greenhouses face their own set of barriers. But they also come with their own benefits, and they are remarkably relevant to a community like Charlottesville. For African Americans carrying the residual memories of enslaved labour in the fields, the closed, controlled environment of a greenhouse is a fresh take on growing crops. It is a comfortable experience for others, too, who don’t have to bend down in the dirt as they are working. Greenhouses deployed on the roofs of large buildings, such as the Whole Foods in Brooklyn, can also decrease the heat index of the city, making the city as a whole more comfortable. One of the prime cases to study with regard to these enterprises is the South 1st St affordable housing development. The resident-led design process with BRW Architects has unveiled the vibrance and vitality of this community. It is a community that would benefit immensely from a thriving agricultural garden, and it also has the space and context to run a neighborhood grocery store. This next chapter explores design ideas, based on resident input, on how the 3 G’s might be incorporated into this project.

Typical House at South 1st St.

Residents in South 1st Street (SFS) need to be involved in new garden and existing gardens.

ZOOM MEETING WITH RESIDENT LEADER : NOTES

They need to be knowledgeable of how gardens are run. Educate residents on what it takes to manage and care for a garden, e.g. all produce needs to be weighed prior to distribution. Organize and take tours of the current gardens around Charlottesville.

Date

7/27/2020

Project

Erwin Ramsey Fellowship

Subject

Meeting with Audrey

Attendees

Audrey Oliver, Taha Suhrawardy, Karim Habbab

It is important that the gardensâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; output be calculated (by weighing yield), because that yield essential when UACC applies for grant money to maintain garden operations. In regard to greenhouses and their potential, think of placement (rooftop = structural implications + accessibility implications). You must also educate residents on what they do and the process and benefits prior to constructing them or even asking the residents about their desire for greenhouses on site so that they can make an informed decision on whether they should be built on site and whereâ&#x20AC;Śor not. People might be more comfortable gardening in a greenhouse than outside. We also need to education residents on co-op grocery stores, what they do and how they operate prior to asking whether they want one or not. Audrey would love to see a co-op grocery store, perhaps even on multiple CRHA properties. Co-ops must be affordable and serve the poorer population first. A co-op placed by Friendship Ct. or Crescent Hall can target downtown mall workers: CRHA properties are in prime real estate and must capitalize on that. An issue in the community is the language barrier that prevents some people from interacting and being involved in potential opportunities. The population of SFS and other public housing communities is transient so any inherent knowledge related to gardening/garden maintenance may be lost; it might be beneficial for an independent organization to maintain that knowledge an continue the process of educating the communities.

Residents in South 1st Street (SFS) need to be involved in new garden and existing gardens.

ZOOM MEETING WITH RESIDENT LEADER : NOTES

Date

7/27/2020

Project

Erwin Ramsey Fellowship

Subject

Meeting with Audrey

Attendees

Audrey Oliver, Taha Suhrawardy, Karim Habbab

E area could be more flower beds rather than produce as rodents could be a problem in such close proximity to the townhouses.

ZOOM MEETING WITH RESIDENT : NOTES

D area: food Garden, situated so that it is in close proximity to the community center door that can lead to food weighing/cleaning/storage etc. Logistically it will be easier to tend to the garden and keep it under control if it is in one place. Soccer goals around at area D for children to play on field

Date

7/28/2020

Project

Erwin Ramsey Fellowship

Subject

Meeting with Aleisha

Attendees

Aleisha Garland, Taha Suhrawardy, Karim Habbab

Track for running around basketball court or around the soccer area in D. Decent size playground for kids since this is a majority family oriented site. Visibility into the play areas is very important to all residents. Taha: planting beds around the soccer area to visually distinguish track from soccer field. This idea resonated with Aleisha; she added that you can have step-up benches around the track, too, for exercise. Places for relaxation and meditation in D (yoga, etc) Taha: a park that grows food! Think of garden spaces in Phase 1, they should have something there too, maybe something that connects them to Phase 2.

E area could be more flower beds rather than produce as rodents could be a problem in such close proximity to the townhouses.

ZOOM MEETING WITH RESIDENT : NOTES

Date

7/28/2020

Project

Erwin Ramsey Fellowship

Subject

Meeting with Aleisha

Attendees

Aleisha Garland, Taha Suhrawardy, Karim Habbab

flo we r be ds

Gr )

ay gr by oun by d t ra rack rim ise m ri d Ga mme ed rd d be en ds

ra i

ou ts id e

ur ba n

Ga i (c ni G om m reen un ity hou ce se nt er )

sto roce ry re

SITE STRATEGY rd en

flo we r be ds

Gr )

ay gr by oun by d t ra rack rim ise m ri d Ga mme ed rd d be en ds

ra i

ou ts id e

ur ba n

Ga i (c ni G om m reen un ity hou ce se nt er )

sto roce ry re

SITE STRATEGY rd en

The greening strategy consists of an outside garden next to the community center, as well as a series of raised beds surrounding the open field. In this way, the food is in close proximity to the community center, where the food might be collected and processed. The community center can also serve as a “classroom” for educational programs on growing food can occur, directly adjacent to the “lab”, i.e. the beds and garden outside. The design of the beds builds in a trellis mechanism to shield the plants from activities in the field, which can also close during winter months to become a dais. Another bed module becomes seating for those wishing to spectate activities in the open grassy area. The third G has the potential to be found in the left end of the site plan shown previously. The building currently has space that could become a grocery store for the residents in the neighborhood, both within the lot, and in adjacent areas. Food harvested in the site can be directly distributed through here. Lastly, the site near the bottom of the drawing is also owned by CRHA; this can become a large greenhouse if found to be feasible. The community center also has the potential to incorporate urban garden strategies. By doing this, the community center can reanimate the community and generate novel interactions between the community members. The center becomes alive beyond events that are regularly and explicitly scheduled. Three urban garden strategies are presented now.

Seating

Raised bed with

trellis cover

trellis cover in down position

Seating

Raised bed with

trellis cover

trellis cover in down position

IN-WALL SHELVES The most subtle integration of a vegetable garden into the community center is presented in an â&#x20AC;&#x153;occupied wall thicknessâ&#x20AC;? configuration where planters are shelved between the transparent facade and a screen door that safeguards the plants from interior traffic and activity. In this way, the plants can take advantage of year-round controlled environment, with sufficient lighting, and simultaneously provide shading to the interior. This system can be implemented with the hope that it will activate the community center and bring in members of the community where they can tend to specific racks and cultivate them to their desire. During gardening classes, these plants can also be in close proximity to aid in learning. Bringing in plants to the interior, however, poses logistical challenges regarding soil and cleanliness, as well as requires a glazed facade that is structurally weaker than an opaque assembly, raising security concerns.

EXTERIOR GREEN SCREEN The â&#x20AC;&#x153;in-wallâ&#x20AC;? configuration is flipped in this method: an exterior green screen hanging from the roof the building can provide a trellis for climbing plants to grow, giving both food and shade to the interior on sunny days. Security concerns arising from the facade are also an issue here, though the vegetation may mask the glazed assembly from the outside.

ATTACHED GREENHOUSE

The attached greenhouse configuration has the potential to create a paradigm shift. By introducing a small, yet beautiful and robust greenhouse that must be traversed before entering the community center, the community can interact with it incrementally so that, in the future, a larger greenhouse in the lot across the street may be received with more enthusiasm.

ATTACHED GREENHOUSE

S E C R ESOU S E C R U ESO S E C R U O S E R S E C R U RESO S E C R U O S E R S E C R RESOU S E C R U O S E R S E C R RESOU S E C R U O S E R S E C R U O S E R

R U O S RE R U O S RE

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S E C R ESOU S E C R U ESO S E C R U O S E R S E C R U RESO S E C R U O S E R S E C R RESOU S E C R U O S E R S E C R RESOU S E C R U O S E R S E C R U O S E R

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Anemia Nutrition

Beets Collards Spinach

CROPS FOR SPECIFIC AILMENTS

Eggplant

OBTAINED FROM BABAR QADRI AT HUDA URBAN GARDEN

Squash Zucchini

Hypertension Cardiovascular

Tomato Basil Carrots Fennel Chards Bosh Beans

Diabetes

Onions Okra Tomato Basil Oregano Rhubarb Stevia

Anti-Inflammatory Anti-Biotils Anti-Histamines

Chives

General

Min

Peppers Corn

Melons Turmeric Ginger Kale Cherry Peach Pear Apple

Anemia Nutrition

Beets Collards Spinach

CROPS FOR SPECIFIC AILMENTS

Eggplant

OBTAINED FROM BABAR QADRI AT HUDA URBAN GARDEN

Squash Zucchini

Hypertension Cardiovascular

Tomato Basil Carrots Fennel Chards Bosh Beans

Diabetes

Onions Okra Tomato Basil Oregano Rhubarb Stevia

Anti-Inflammatory Anti-Biotils Anti-Histamines

Chives

General

Min

Peppers Corn

Melons Turmeric Ginger Kale Cherry Peach Pear Apple

Blue Ridge Area Food Bank

ORGANIZATIONAL RESOURCES

Market Central CASA Alma City of Promise Charlottesville

Cultivate Charlottesville Charlottesville Food Justice Network

Emergency Food Network Thomas Jefferson Health District Bread & Roses

Urban Agriculture Collective of Charlottesville

Charlottesville City Schools Slow Money Central VA

City Schoolyard Garden

Loaves and Fishes

Local Food Hub Câ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Ville Foodscapes New Roots Professor Timothy Beatley at UVA

Virginia Cooperative Extension University of Virginia Institute for Environmental Nutrition PB&J New Branch Farm Growing for Change BRW Architects Assistant Professor Barbara Brown Wilson at UVA

Blue Ridge Area Food Bank

ORGANIZATIONAL RESOURCES

Market Central CASA Alma City of Promise Charlottesville

Cultivate Charlottesville Charlottesville Food Justice Network

Emergency Food Network Thomas Jefferson Health District Bread & Roses

Urban Agriculture Collective of Charlottesville

Charlottesville City Schools Slow Money Central VA

City Schoolyard Garden

Loaves and Fishes

Local Food Hub Câ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Ville Foodscapes New Roots Professor Timothy Beatley at UVA

Virginia Cooperative Extension University of Virginia Institute for Environmental Nutrition PB&J New Branch Farm Growing for Change BRW Architects Assistant Professor Barbara Brown Wilson at UVA

OTHER PRECEDENTS

Verde

http://www.verdenw.org/

A Portland, OR - based non profit that “serves communities by building environmental wealth through Social Enterprise, Outreach and Advocacy“. It utilizes greening of land as an anti-poverty tool through community driven development

Via Verde

Building in NYC that integrates urban gardens throughout its structure. Walls and roofs that otherwise might be left bare and forgotten instead produce food for the tenants for the building. In a location like Charlottesville that has such scarcity of land, this may be an important precedent in designing our architecture to be inherently synergistic with urban agriculture.

Gotham Greens

Have employed various greenhouse strategies in highly urban areas, such

https://www.gothamgreens.com/

as a commercial-scale greenhouse farm integrated into a Brooklyn super-

our-story/

market.

Philly Orchard Project

POP is a nonprofit organization that plants and supports community or-

https://www.phillyorchards.org/

chards in the city of Philadelphia

Frick Environmental Center: African Garden

This garden honors “authentic historical accounts and highlights African-

https://johnnystedt.carbonmade.

enslaved brought [from Africa] a wealth of knowledge and skills, including

com/projects/6650248

horticulture, metal work, agriculture, and textiles. Coming from Africa to

Via Verde

American connections to the natural world and their influence on it. The

the United States, through necessity they found resources and amassed knowledge of the new land. This proved essential for survival, and was a key element of the journey from slavery to freedom.”

Gotham Greens - Greenhouse incorporated into grocery store

OTHER PRECEDENTS

Verde

http://www.verdenw.org/

Via Verde

Gotham Greens

Have employed various greenhouse strategies in highly urban areas, such

https://www.gothamgreens.com/

as a commercial-scale greenhouse farm integrated into a Brooklyn super-

our-story/

market.

Philly Orchard Project

POP is a nonprofit organization that plants and supports community or-

https://www.phillyorchards.org/

chards in the city of Philadelphia

Frick Environmental Center: African Garden

This garden honors “authentic historical accounts and highlights African-

https://johnnystedt.carbonmade.

enslaved brought [from Africa] a wealth of knowledge and skills, including

com/projects/6650248

horticulture, metal work, agriculture, and textiles. Coming from Africa to

Via Verde

American connections to the natural world and their influence on it. The

the United States, through necessity they found resources and amassed knowledge of the new land. This proved essential for survival, and was a key element of the journey from slavery to freedom.”

Gotham Greens - Greenhouse incorporated into grocery store

OTHER RESOURCES ON URBAN AGRICULTURE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING

Unlocking the Strengths of our Communities6

A step-by-step guide by Neighborhood Centers Inc for appreciative inquiry

Neighborhood Centers Inc.

is particularly important for public housing, given these folks do not have

of community assets to support equitable community building. This model the luxury of choice in the market.

Social Equity Impact Protocol7

A new paradigm for approaching affordable housing redevelopment,

Barbara Brown Wilson, Josh

rent conditions by means of “shared equity in decision making”, and finally,

Yates, Liz Ogbu, Kevan Klosterwill

reparations, which includes “shared ownership of the property and physi-

where three objectives are prioritized: doing no harm, amelioration of cur-

cal assets being redeveloped”.

Charlottesville GIS Viewer gisweb.charlottesville.org/Gis-

Allows viewers to important geographic data about Charlottesville, such as parcels, zoning, transportation, relevant regions, points of interest, and

Viewer/

more. This can be helpful in locating open or vacant land suitable for culti-

Resilience for All: Striving for Equity Through Community-Driven Design8

Chapter 6: “Cully, Portland: Green Infrastructure as an Antipoverty

vating into gardens.

Strategy” is particularly relevant because it covers various organizations and case studies, while also outlining processes for change.

Barbara Brown Wilson

Social Enterprise Feasibility Study: Grocery Store in Carlisle’s Northside’s Neighborhood9 Maddy Braybrooke, Jessica Huang, Preeti Khanal, Greg Oldsey

This was a feasibility study that was done in an area to determine what type of grocery store would be most appropriate based on the needs and resources of the community.

OTHER RESOURCES ON URBAN AGRICULTURE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING

Unlocking the Strengths of our Communities6

A step-by-step guide by Neighborhood Centers Inc for appreciative inquiry

Neighborhood Centers Inc.

is particularly important for public housing, given these folks do not have

of community assets to support equitable community building. This model the luxury of choice in the market.

Social Equity Impact Protocol7

A new paradigm for approaching affordable housing redevelopment,

Barbara Brown Wilson, Josh

rent conditions by means of “shared equity in decision making”, and finally,

Yates, Liz Ogbu, Kevan Klosterwill

reparations, which includes “shared ownership of the property and physi-

where three objectives are prioritized: doing no harm, amelioration of cur-

cal assets being redeveloped”.

Charlottesville GIS Viewer gisweb.charlottesville.org/Gis-

Allows viewers to important geographic data about Charlottesville, such as parcels, zoning, transportation, relevant regions, points of interest, and

Viewer/

more. This can be helpful in locating open or vacant land suitable for culti-

Resilience for All: Striving for Equity Through Community-Driven Design8

Chapter 6: “Cully, Portland: Green Infrastructure as an Antipoverty

vating into gardens.

Strategy” is particularly relevant because it covers various organizations and case studies, while also outlining processes for change.

Barbara Brown Wilson

Social Enterprise Feasibility Study: Grocery Store in Carlisle’s Northside’s Neighborhood9 Maddy Braybrooke, Jessica Huang, Preeti Khanal, Greg Oldsey

This was a feasibility study that was done in an area to determine what type of grocery store would be most appropriate based on the needs and resources of the community.

WR AP WR AP WR AP WR AP WR AP WR AP WR AP WR AP WR AP WR AP WR AP W

CONCLUDING THOUGHTS

Charlottesville is an incredible place to effect change: it is a humane city and its scale makes every person visible. I’ve learned an incredible amount about what being a citizen means since coming here, and even more so through this fellowship as I’ve met and spoken with people who are driving the change. Its microcosmic character makes it an prime candidate to test new urban strategies. Some it has invented, and others it has the capacity to borrow from other precedents. Affordable housing may not be something we can eradicate until larger systems of inequity are dismantled, but incrementally we can make a difference through different avenues. We’ve seen how food can be a central agent of that difference. I propose a reharmonization of society with the natural world through urban agriculture. It is critical to integrate environmental, social, and aesthetic processes – through it we construct a more humane built environment. Thank you BRW Architects, Cultivate Charlottesville, and residents at SFS for your time, guidance, critique, and patience. Lastly, thank you, Reader, for taking the time to understand the issue at hand and to peruse this earnest and incomplete work. The work continues on with you.

CONCLUDING THOUGHTS

BIBLIOGRAPHY

“Food System Tools - Nourish: Food + Community,” accessed August 11, 2020, https://www.nourishlife.org/teach/food-system-tools/.

“Food Security | IFPRI : International Food Policy Research Institute,” accessed August 5, 2020, https://www.ifpri.org/topic/food-security.

“Food Sovereignty | USFSA,” accessed August 5, 2020, http://usfoodsovereigntyalliance.org/what-is-food-sovereignty/.

“Food System: Defined,” accessed August 11, 2020, http://www.aketta. com/blog/food-system-defined.aspx.

Michael Jarosz, “Towards an Equitable, Food Secure Charlottesville” (Charlottesville, University of Virginia, 2020).

“Unlocking the Strengths of Our Communities: A Step-by-Step Guide to Appreciative Community Building” (Neighborhood Centers Inc., n.d.).

Barbara Brown Wilson et al., “Social Equity Impact Protocol for Affordable Housing Redevelopment,” 2019.

Barbara Brown Wilson, Resilience for All: Striving for Equity Through Community-Driven Design (Island Press, 2018).

Maddy Braybrooke et al., “Social Enterprise Feasibility Study: Grocery Store in Carlisle’s Northside Neighborhood” (Dickinson College, 2018).

Ridge Schuyler and Meg Hannan, “A Declaration of Independence: Family Self-Sufficiency in Charlottesville, Virginia,” September 10, 2011.