L.A.N.D. ANALYSISA L.A.N.D. Analys<strong>is</strong> <strong>is</strong> one method of identifying<strong>is</strong>sues and opportunities in an area. In a L.A.N.D.Analys<strong>is</strong>, participants identify the Liabilities, Assets,Needs, and Dreams for the neighborhood.• Liabilities are things that ex<strong>is</strong>t currently, are negative,and threaten the quality of life for residents.• Assets are things that ex<strong>is</strong>t currently, are positive,and enhance the quality of life for residents.• Needs are things that do not ex<strong>is</strong>t but are essentialto make the neighborhood complete.• Dreams are things that do not ex<strong>is</strong>t but would benice improvements to the neighborhood.At the neighborhood town hall meeting, residentsworked through a L.A.N.D. analys<strong>is</strong> in teams. Theresults of that analys<strong>is</strong> are summarized below. The“wordle” diagrams represent every word written byresidents as part of the exerc<strong>is</strong>e, with words gettinglarger the more they were mentioned.The neighborhood <strong>is</strong> solidly middle-class withh<strong>is</strong>toric yet affordable homes in a great location neardowntown and shopping areas with street, highway,public transportation, and bicycle connections. Manynearby neighborhoods, particularly to the west, haveseen a decline in homeownership, property values,and an increase in problem landlords and crime,and these <strong>is</strong>sues have begun to move into E<strong>merson</strong><strong>Heights</strong>. And whether they are small <strong>is</strong>sues like litterand lawn mowing or bigger ones like abandonedhomes and crime, they impact quality of life.Promoting homeownership was a pervasive themethroughout the L.A.N.D. analys<strong>is</strong> and <strong>is</strong> generallyseen as a core way to stabilize a neighborhood.Subsequently, promoting homeownership becamethe primary charrette thread. We believe the mostvibrant, successful urban neighborhoods are those thatare complete. They have a solid heart, strong edges,d<strong>is</strong>tinct character, great connections, excellent services,diverse amenities, and housing that accommodates avariety of people. Neighborhoods with these qualitiescontinue to attract new homeowners and investment.There was much d<strong>is</strong>cussion during the charrette ofneeds related to enforcement, such as preserving theh<strong>is</strong>toric quality of homes, housing maintenance andcode enforcement <strong>is</strong>sues, and problem propertiesand bad landlords. Doing these things are criticalto set the stage for growth to occur and create theconditions new investment, and new homeowners,take for granted. But they don’t create a completeneighborhood that allows E<strong>merson</strong> <strong>Heights</strong> tocompete as a choice neighborhood regionally.And they therefore don’t substantially change theunderlying real estate economics that leads to lowqualityrentals and the associated quality of life<strong>is</strong>sues confronting the neighborhood. Conversely,a neighborhood that <strong>is</strong> competitive for middle-classhomeowners will go a long way in addressing those<strong>is</strong>sues currently requiring enforcement.The work from the charrete seeks to address th<strong>is</strong>underlying <strong>is</strong>sue of creating a complete neighborhoodthat <strong>is</strong> competitive for middle-class homeowners.“WE BELIEVE THE MOST VIBRANT, SUCCESSFUL URBAN NEIGHBORHOODS ARE THOSE THAT ARE COMPLETE.THEY HAVE A SOLID HEART, STRONG EDGES, DISTINCT CHARACTER, GREAT CONNECTIONS, EXCELLENTSERVICES, DIVERSE AMENITIES, AND HOUSING THAT ACCOMMODATES A VARIETY OF PEOPLE. NEIGHBORHOODSWITH THESE QUALITIES CONTINUE TO ATTRACT NEW HOMEOWNERS AND INVESTMENT.Liabilities• Crime and safety, including property crime,drug-related crime, and quality of life crimeslike no<strong>is</strong>e.• Infrastructure, including pavement condition,street cleaning, curbs and sidewalks on somestreets, poor street lighting, on-street parkingavailability, and speeding traffic.• Commercial businesses, including the lack ofnon-fast food restaurants, vacant storefronts andbuildings, and concerns about Linwood Squareshopping center.• Housing, including vacant, foreclosed, andabandoned homes, poorly or inappropriatelymaintained homes and yards, negligentlandlords, the quality of some rental tenants, andlack of understanding of the h<strong>is</strong>toric characterof properties.• Civic <strong>is</strong>sues such as d<strong>is</strong>engaged residents anda perceived divide between the east and westhalves of the neighborhood.• Amenity-related <strong>is</strong>sues, such as a lack of identity,need for park space, and lack of culturalopportunities in the area.Assets• People, including strong neighborhoodorganizations like the neighborhood association,churches, schools, and police, active and engagedresidents, and a positive attitude.• Location that <strong>is</strong> close to downtown, Irvington,and other shopping and employment areas,well connected with the Interstate, publictransportation, and bike network, and close toamenities like Ellenberger Park.”• Housing that <strong>is</strong> h<strong>is</strong>toric yet affordable.• Neighborhood amenities including mature,tree-lined streets with some esplanades, somequality locally-owned businesses, and LinwoodSquare Shopping Center with grocery store.Needs• Property-related needs, including addressingproblem landlords, code enforcement <strong>is</strong>sues,and reinvestment in homes that promoteshomeownership.• Identity that includes a branding campaign, positivepublicity, a neighborhood center, and placemakingadditions like signs and gateways.• Businesses, including more restaurants and retaildestinations and the establ<strong>is</strong>hment of a businessassociation.• Infrastructure improvements, including street andsidewalk maintenance, parking improvements,complete streets that promote safety for pedestriansand bicycles, and better street lighting.• Green enhancements, including more pocketparks, landscaping and tree additions, and generalcleanliness.• More engaged residents, including more youngand diverse residents, better neighborhoodcommunication, and more crimewatch blockclubs.Design <strong>Charrette</strong>Dreams• Increasing homeownership, property values, andeliminating problem landlords.• Community services, including a communitycenter or fitness center and stronger public andcharter schools.• Housing that <strong>is</strong> full restored, well maintained,and energy efficient, and a program to ass<strong>is</strong>t withhousing rehabilitation and aging in place <strong>is</strong>sues.<strong>merson</strong> <strong>Heights</strong>• Additional amenities, including more parks, acentral gathering space, more bike lanes andconnections to trails, public art, traffic calming,improved landscaping and esplanades, and acommunity garden.• A vibrant business area with a village feel thatmight include a restored E<strong>merson</strong> Theater, artstudios, local restaurants, neighborhood retailservices like dry cleaners, coffee shops, and icecream parlors, and more social and culturalopportunities.
Evolution of a NeighborhoodOverview:E<strong>merson</strong> <strong>Heights</strong> <strong>is</strong> a neighborhoodthat has evolved over decades. Bylooking back to the original planand h<strong>is</strong>toric images we can begin tobuild the story of what sort of placeit was designed to be, which helps usto form an image of what it can bein the future. When we look at theneighborhood today we can see thebones of the original v<strong>is</strong>ion that helpto reinforce the h<strong>is</strong>torical character.1A: H<strong>is</strong>toricalBird’s Eye ViewFrom the 1914 Development BookletFig. 1A1B: AERIAL PHOTOSThese aerial photos from 1937, 1956and 2010 show how the area haschanged over time. The street grid,parks, and buildings all remainvery similar, giving the area a strongh<strong>is</strong>torical identity.1937 1956 2010Fig. 1B1C: Growth of aneighborhoodThe city grew east from downtownalong h<strong>is</strong>toric transportationroutes including the National Road(Washington Street) and streetcarlines. With the exception of LinwoodSquare, which has evolved over thedecades, the neighborhood has beenremarkably stable.Fig. 1CDesign <strong>Charrette</strong><strong>merson</strong> <strong>Heights</strong>
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