4.1. Case 2: New Orleans City

Another special design city is the New Orleans City. The New Orleans City is presented in many scenarios as a unique City in America. Essentially, this city has been subject to various natural and artificial challenges including the effect of the Katrina disaster. The city has been craving to emerge into a newly reconstructed and healthier face while at the same time maintaining its distinct or authentic character. Its main remarkable urban pattern is mainly reflected through its integral neighborhoods and historical architecture. Other physical attributes includes boulevards as well as close-knit kind of housing patterns. There are also plenty of patterned shops, institutions and workplaces that are spread-out across the entire city forming the foundation upon which the future of New Orleans is based upon. In the meantime, New Orleans requires an elaborate plan to provide guidance in its reconstruction and further development flowing ravages resulting from the Hurricane Katrina. Initially, the city was established in Pontchartrain Basin along River Mississippi Alluvial plain.  

In order to establish newer and safer housing units, the city is practicing a habitual development of a Concentric Model of development from central point to west, North and South development. The city population prior to the Katrina was about 465,000. Subsequently, the City’s metropolitan statistical area comprised of a population of 1.3 million people. The population of the city just like other American cities’ declined between 1990 and 2000 by approximately 2.5 percent while the regional population rose by 4.1percent. The city’s population comprised of Hispanic Black making majority of 67 percent of total population while non-Hispanic blacks comprised of just 12 percent, foreign born residents accounted for 4 percent of the population. In this regard, the population of the city before Katrina comprised of significantly small populations of Minorities. It’s black and while residents lived upon racially similar neighborhoods with 27 percent of city families living in abject poverty.  

With city development, about 3percent of employees lost their jobs amounting to 11,000 entities. This was contrary to the regional trend where employment level rose significantly between the same period (1970-2000) such as Jefferson Parish and St. Tammany. Majority of the locals survived on service employments. The city planning is also augmented through the restoration of natural regions within and around the city in accordance with its topography (Reese & Fontenot, 2014). Finally, this population of the city demonstrated a declining trend between 1970 and 2000. This was however anticipated since the region poses strong risks of natural disasters from its location below sea level hence attracting few if any potential inhabitants. Such considerations are essential in developing long-term city planning prospects.  

On the other hand, tourism is a major component of a Mauritius economy and a pillar for city sustainability due to high profile visitors who forms a major city asset. In Mauritius, tourism is a major pillar of their economy based on various natural resources that the country boasts of. Besides, the development and sustainability of the tourism sector in the country is however anchored on city development since it forms the foundation for the enhanced lifestyle of tourists while one visits.

4.2. Case 3: Main Street Development in Florida

Florida, through the City Commission on December 4th, 2004 adopted Main Street Design documentary of standards which established a strong vision for mixed-use under the downtown development at the middle of Coconut Creek. The area was particularly bound by wiles Role on the northern side, sample road to the south, State road to the west and the Lyons road to the east. The documents indicating the process of developing the Main Street in Florida promoted the establishment of pedestrian-oriented, mixed-use society that was organized on the basis of substantial, centralized adjacent to a recreational open space. Some of the criteria used in the development of the Main Street in this case included five main aspects: flexible use and designs, green building technology, alternative transportation, efficient use of land resources and a compact establishment with different housing choices. 

While supporting the progressive environmental aspect of the city, the main street document of this city, the document called for green, sustainable and certified land use by the US Green Building Council. Similarly, the approval could also be done by the Florida Green Building Coalition Corporation. The requirement of planning demonstrated esteemed architectural designs anchored on function as opposed to styles. The ultimate goal of the Main Street project in the city was the first of the city and the country at large with adjacent certified green building projects. This was a manifestation of a high profile development comprising a significant focus on the environmental benefits as well as consideration of long-term benefits accruing from the operational framework of modern cities. The Florida Chapter of American Planning Association (FAPA) also granted ’Main Street Design Standards’ award of excellence through the planning for innovativeness of the project, quality, transferability, comprehensiveness and implementation. The position of the Main Street was critical in enhancing the development of project for long-term benefits for the Florida residents.

Through the adopted Main Street Project, Florida was likely to increase utility of its resources to its residents. From the adoption of Florida Main Street Design Standards, two major projects were erected in the area. The two main projects were: Seminole Casino Coconut creek expansion and the Promenade at the Coconut Creek. One of the main project in the Florida Main Street design as acclaimed was the Promenade at the Coconut Creek. The project involved an open-aired lifestyle center that was completed in 2008. It comprised of restaurants, retail and office spaces for hire. In this development, the organization of the business space was enhanced due to the undertaking of the project. The project also received LEED silver certification on April, 2009 which was the home for the annual CocoFest of the city. On May 2015, the city also incorporated the first movie theater comprising of an opening to Silverspot theaters within Promenade.  

Another major project was the Seminole Casino Coconut Creek. The project involved an expansion that was completed on February 2012. Among the special enhancements in this project included: retail plaza, new garage and restaurants. Besides, this project also encompassed a room for improvement with expectation of future development of hotels, outdoor spa or pool section and a convention space. This was a critical development that was expected to open up the city to more investment opportunities. It was geared towards enhanced city lifestyle as well as improved organization of the business framework within the city both now and in future.

The documentary evidence of the Main Street Project of Florida is based on the existence of many opportunities in the development of a new downtown comprising of the Coconut Creek. The Coconut Creek is a renowned and well-planned community comprising of distinct environmental consciousness. The city also boast of progressive approach to planning aimed at providing a special lifestyle for the city residents while at the same time providing a unique business environment beautiful parks. Other distinct features of the Main Street designed city are: long greenway programs and the execution of hybrid system of transportation technological capabilities. During the design preparation times, the city was however lacking a centralized form of downtown section that can serve as the central nerve of community of residents creating opportunities for the natives to live, shop, play and work in.

The above standards are products of a concrete master plan that started in 2002 when the city leadership placed significance to the values attached to the city residents as well as individual property owners. Different meetings followed to generate diverse inputs from the stakeholders comprising the native community that would facilitate in the master planning process. Besides, the standards adopted in the process constitute the impacts of the rigorous preparation process and an embodiment of values of the entire community. One of the biggest values attached to the Coconut Creek Community had been a desire for sustainability. As deduced from the rest of research, sustainability is one of the cores of a good city framework. Indeed, sustainability achieves a balance between creation of resources and their use.

The project also encompasses and often associated with the execution of friendly programs such as recycling of waste products and a measure to limit the consumption of energy products and integrate green building technology. In addition, sustainability of the city also incorporates the fact that a community comprises a group of people while building forms a constituent of infrastructural network allowing the comfort of life by the community in the precincts of a compact environment for a period of time.  Besides, sustainability may also encompass economic perspective including the establishment of buildings with prolonged life spans and a chance or recycling waste products. Subsequently, the investments that can be based on these buildings can create an opportunity needed for supporting it in the long-run.

In this regard, the development of the Florida-based Main Street project is a clear reflection of the milestone made in realizing a modern city including a presumed focus on environmentally friendly developments. The establishment of concrete framework for enhanced community living through advanced economic projects and development of green building is one of the unique aspects that increase the propensity of the city to fundamentally change the lifestyle of the native community. However, one clear approach to the success of this project is the involvement of the community as the main stakeholders in the development of the Main Street master plan. This process was very essential in ensuring that individual assigned to different tasks were perpetually engaged and their interests put into considerations prior to the establishment of concrete decisions that would re-align the city’s main infrastructure and eventually change the capacity of the city residents with regard to economic development. Apart from the consideration of the stakeholders’ interest, the design panel must consider the regional uniqueness as far as the economic and social environment is concerned. For instance, the Florida’s Main Street development framework encompassed the development of a critical analysis of the subject property’s capacity for the real estate development from local, regional and the context perspective. Besides, the panel also considered the local business and multifamily residential sector’s performance in the market segment and possible investment metrics. The assessment of the regional competition and its effects on the development of main street design was a fundamental consideration as well. The establishment of the basis of the existing trade and environmental abilities to accommodate new residential and other forms of development suitable for both permanent residence and others was critical. These analyses were aimed optimal land use of the area of focus in order to provide a general recommendation for strategic economic development. Finally, this preview is aimed at recommending destinations that are suitable for the projects of Main Street design in Florida. The adoption of the new design and accruing success has been credited with the inclusion of the overall stakeholders among them, the residents of Florida.