Although we love Louisville, we know that there are a lot of creative and important initiatives going on in other cities. In the City Explorer,
we will try to showcase other cities and their programs in the hopes
that we may find some aspects that could be useful to Louisville.
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Much like the Parkhill Corridor, Issaquah wants to revitalize an area. Long known for its outlet-stores and proximity to Seattle and some areas of eastern Washington, the city is now looking to the future. This has led to the planning department for the city to turn the sprawling strip malls and parking structures into a strong downtown area. Sustainable practices and preserving the natural setting are also high on their list of priorities. Click here for more information .
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Denver's Municipal Buildings |
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The city of Denver has taken on sustainability in its municipal buildings, with one project finished and another underway. The Webb Municipal Office Building houses 1,800 city employees. The building is one of five in the Denver area to win a LEED-EB gold certification. Details from the project can be found at: http://www.greenprintdenver.org/green/webb.php
The second project is a new justice center, which was approved by voters in 2005. Like the Webb building, it will also be built to LEED standards. This project also highlights the need for partnerships between agencies between the municipal and state governments to get the most out of an area. http://www.greenprintdenver.org/green/green_case1.php
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There are a lot of initiatives going on in Chicago worth noting, but one in particular may be worth a serious look given Louisville's sewer situation. Chicago is turning to permeable concrete and porous asphalt to allow water to filter through their alleyways instead of the sewer. This new but little-used technology could play a part in reducing the load on MSD and the sewer system of our city. New York Times Article
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Kansas City provides an outlet for art with its "One Percent for Public Art program." The program came about in 1986 by the city council. The city also has the 7th largest concentration of visual artists among the 29 largest metropolitan centers, creating what they call "a unique and culturally active place"
URL: http://www.kcmo.org/cimo.nsf/web/art
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Ellensburg: This small college town in Central Washington boasts several ambitious reknewable energy programs. One, a city initiative, includes a solar farm on the outskirts of the town that citizens can buy into. The city also sits next to one of the Puget Sound Energy Wind Farms in the state. This particular one is named the WildHorse Farm, and produces 642,000 megawatts of power annually, powering 50,000 homes.
Solar power links: http://www.cwu.edu/~observer/story.php?navArea=Main&storyid=945 , http://www.cwu.edu/~observer/story.php?navArea=Main&storyid=1006
Iron horse: http://www.pse.com/energyEnvironment/EnergySupply_ElectricityWind.aspx
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