Friday, June 6

 

Investing in a sense of security in a CoolTown

The most effective sense of security comes in being around people you know, and CoolTowns make that easier. Most importantly, it reduces the fear of being unsafe, which keeps way too many people inside and perpetuates a vicious cycle of ever fewer people going out. Here's what investors are looking to do:

1. Create a high enough density of people to have 'eyes on the street' security at all times.
2. Attract a diversity of housing types, stores, restaurants, services and workplaces that promote street activity at different hours, day and night.
3. Establish a walkable environment rather than an auto-oriented environment, as previously mentioned by a chief of police from an award-winning community policing program.
4. Promote myriad meeting places, plazas, third places and social venues to get people out in public areas, the best security system of all.

posted by Neil | 11:15 AM |

Thursday, June 5

 

Special Reports: Update on Office Community

Affinity Lab happy hour: As promised, here's an update on my workplace's first community building event last Tuesday, based on the aforementioned principles. First of all, the anticipation of the happy hour created an unprecedented 'newsroom' buzz of activity a few hours before, and this new level of collective energy seemed to motivate productivity. Then, with a Lab-founder sponsored display of food and mixed drinks, a rhythmic set of tunes and some interesting lighting, the conversation was colorful, passionate and lasted late into the evening. The plan is do this monthly.

Netpreneur networking event: Several hundred 'netpreneurs' (internet-oriented entrepreneurs) gathered last night at the Hyatt Regency in Reston Town Center to network and hear from net-centric leaders (like Ted Leonsis of AOL). To me, it was kind of depressing, save for an inspiring presentation by Mark Walsh on 'timing', mainly because his former theatre skills came into play. The talk focused on how failures are inevitable, that things were much worse elsewhere and why you shouldn't give up. In my opinion, it was like a collection of people from BASF - "we don't make the products you use, we make the products you use better." BASF is a chemical company, and like the internet, is a means to an end. In other words, the conversations throughout the night focused on other people's products, none of who were present. There was little diversity in the crowd and ten or so speakers, the sound system never worked properly (seemed to fit the mood at this tech-focused event) and the venue was an isolated, upscale shopping mall surrounded by parking and a web of freeways - not the kind of environment entrepreneurs need, like say, a CoolTown?

posted by Neil | 8:57 AM |

Wednesday, June 4

 

What do women want in a safe city?

If you want details, a pair of female authors from Toronto (reportedly the safest city in North America?) wrote Safe Cities: Guidelines for Planning, Design and Management. Here are some of their recommendations, which are essentially 'eyes on the street' fundamentals:

Retail street frontages (encourages street life); restaurants/venues that stay open late; outdoor seating; street entertainers and vendors; people-attracting food services; mixed-income housing (creating a diversity of residents who frequent the streets at a diversity of hours); pedestrian-friendly streets; late-night transit hours; housing above stores (built-in neighborhood watch); upper-story windows and balconies overlooking the street; and street-front buildings built up to a continuous setback line to eliminate 'hiding places' and blindspots. It's also important to concentrate activity on the main pedestrian traffic corridors, just like the North End in Boston.

posted by Neil | 11:57 AM |

Tuesday, June 3

 

How do you tell a neighborhood is safe?

That's pretty easy - just observe how many women are strolling the sidewalks.

Women tend to have higher public safety needs (especially at night) than men do, and instinctively know which neighborhoods are the safest. The more obvious requisites include excellent lighting, the less obvious is a high enough density, as described yesterday.

If you stand on the streets of the North End in Boston at rush hour (for people, not cars), a significant majority of the 'commuters' walking home from the adjacent downtown are women. 'Unfortunately' for the women, the ogling waiters of Boston's Little Italy form quite the gauntlet along its restaurant-lined streets.

posted by Neil | 3:13 PM |

Monday, June 2

 

Does density cause crime?

Well sure, if you have a density of criminals. However, if you have a density of entrepreneurs, entertainers and artists, you'll cause some serious economic prosperity.

New York City and San Francisco are two of the densest cities in America, yet not only are they two of the most prosperous, but also boast one of the lowest murder, rape and aggravated assault rates per capita. William Murray of Maryland's State Attorney's office and former Suitland, MD chief of police, emphasized to me last week that density and walkability were essential to public safety via the 'eyes on the street' phenomenon of community self-policing. In other words, where there's lots of people, there's lots of 'witnesses'.

Think about the cost savings to the municipality. Just today I was one of forty people on all-day jury duty suffering through a snail's pace jury selection process for a laundromat robbery that took place in a rundown, neglected neighborhood. Just the jury selection alone for one crime equals a couple of police officers' paychecks!... and if the neighborhood was designed with the eyes on the street concept, you wouldn't even need that police officer. Who'd try and rob a laundromat on the street corner below?

posted by Neil | 10:44 PM |