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In North America, cities are increasingly burdened with a growing list of required infrastructure maintenance and replacements. With few options for generating tax revenue, these obligations\u00a0are stretching municipal budgets thin, leading to uncertain and lengthy\u00a0conversations with higher levels of government about funding. This process delays the critical infrastructure upgrades that we need today rather than tomorrow.<\/p>\n
Rather than seeking ways to maximize the return on existing infrastructure, North America is obsessed with building newer and bigger infrastructure, which does not match current demand. According to\u00a0Strong Towns<\/a>, this new-infrastructure fetish is literally bankrupting our cities.\u00a0For example, in Vancouver, Canada the B.C. Liberal provincial government has replaced the Port Mann bridge with one of the world’s largest bridges, based on impractical automobile growth predictions.\u00a0The bridge has consistently fallen short of the\u00a0predicted traffic projections and its debt continues to grow<\/a>\u00a0with little or no returns on billions of public dollars.\u00a0The B.C. Liberal provincial government is in the midst\u00a0of repeating the same mistake again by replacing the George Massey tunnel with an overbuilt and overcapacity billion dollar bridge<\/a>\u00a0that will never be able to pay for itself.<\/p>\n This approach to development can be seen in many cities across North America and fails to deliver the results we need today.\u00a0In many cases, cities opt for expensive and grand projects that take years to reach fruition. So what’s the alternative?\u00a0At Slow Streets<\/a>, we believe that Amsterdam provides a\u00a0great development model that delivers short-term results efficiently and effectively. This article provides a quick case study of the Amsterdam approach to development.\u00a0 Clearly the best solution is to prevent overbuilding infrastructure from the start. This is where\u00a0Amsterdam comes in. Amsterdam often plans its new neighborhoods and infrastructure requirements to match existing demand. In North America, cities often build the residential uses first<\/em> and then eventually build community amenities and commercial uses. This is an absurd way to build our urban landscapes, as incomplete neighbourhoods force residents to commute elsewhere in the city. This also places an unnecessary, unpredictable\u00a0strain\u00a0on already overburdened public services like roads and schools. Parents often move into these new neighborhoods with the promise\u00a0of playgrounds, schools, or community centres that never come.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Amsterdam has understood\u00a0this, so when the demand for more housing or public services requires them to revitalize an existing neighborhood or build a new one, they will often ensure there is transit route servicing the area first. While it may seem to make little sense to provide transit to nowhere, it ensures that the bones are in place to support a\u00a0healthy and\u00a0complete neighborhood right from the start. Thinking about transit right away\u00a0will help ensure successful transit geometries<\/a>.\u00a0Reliable transit services will minimize\u00a0the need for automobiles and the associated congestion, pollution, and dangers to our children and family members <\/a>they bring.<\/p>\n Next, the city will usually\u00a0then proceed to invest in a public facility such as a library, community centre, museum or\u00a0school. This will serve two purposes: first it will ensure that the new public service amenity will closely match pent up demand, relieving pressure from other overcapacity public services. Secondly, it will create predictable demands in the area and spur spill-over\u00a0demands such as a coffee shop, a neighborhood drinking hole or other commercial uses. Based on the demand that grows around the public amenity, the government can then more accurately gauge the need for other public services in the area and incrementally build out the appropriate mix of residential and commercial uses.<\/p>\n Taking the demand based public service amenity city building approach<\/em> ensures that we closely match the infrastructure demands with residential requirements like schools, transportation and public services. As a result, one\u00a0maximizes the return on investment from public dollars. Furthermore, one avoids overbuilding too much infrastructure that is not operating at an efficient capacity and minimize the need for more taxes. While this approach will take significant leadership and cohesive civic staff culture, Amsterdam provides several other examples for short-term urban land use corrections to meet unfulfilled demands now.<\/p>\n Adaptive Reuse<\/strong><\/p>\n In terms of balancing the infrastructure deficit, the best solution is often the one that is already built. In Canada, our heritage buildings are treated with little value. For example, in Edmonton several of the historic buildings and infrastructure built in the growth boom of the early 1900’s – such as the Rossdale Power Plant, the Walterdale Bridge or the McDougall United Church – are requiring repairs. Incredulously, the conversations often results\u00a0in demolition.<\/p>\n While these 100 year old buildings may no longer be able to serve their original purpose, they were built in a time when things were built to last (as proven by their existence still today). Modern buildings today are often only built to last twenty years. Therefore, it is in our best interest to set aside a little bit of maintenance funding and to be flexible with tolerated uses within these precious historic buildings. These buildings not only create economic value for the surrounding area, but create cultural value by connecting us to our shared past. Additionally, as community landmarks, they play a critical role in wayfinding and creating a sense of place.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Amsterdam has examples of this creative reuse of infrastructure in spades: whether it is a radio tower rig converted into a restaurant, a former industrial crane converted into a\u00a0hot-tub, an old water tower converted into a flexible development show room, a tram storage facility converted into a shopping and food court facility, warehouses converted into bars or event centres, oil tanks or historic storage buildings are converted into community centres….the list goes on. Amsterdam understands the savings and value generation for the public that come from maintaining and repurposing historic infrastructure.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Part of the reason for this prolific reuse of infrastructure is mixed-use zoning which establishes the tools needed right from the start, in order to ensure that a neighbourhood is complete. The Amsterdam planning department does not blindly follow rigid guidelines dictating what uses can go where. Rather they use sound, case-by-case\u00a0judgment to determine whether specific land uses are appropriate in relation to their context. However, as a rule, one notices that the repurposing of structures ensures that the new buildings meet a high level of architectural standard. This is critical for ensuring that the building creates\u00a0value in its context.<\/p>\n If the cost is prohibitive to reuse a building in a specific way, first try to change the regulations. If that fails, find a\u00a0more\u00a0cost effective way\u00a0to use the building. Even if the municipality\u00a0donates the space for free (more on this later), this can serve to generate more value from new business taxes or the public life new inhabitants create. In the end, the reuse of historic buildings serves to\u00a0create\u00a0an interesting,\u00a0adaptable and resilient city. I mean, a hot-tub at the top of a crane, how cool is that?<\/p>\n Lighter, Quicker, Cost Effective<\/strong><\/p>\n Finally, we need the flexibility to build critical infrastructure now, not two to three years from now. Often, our current regulations structure delay the building of the critical infrastructure that we need today. At Slow Streets, we believe that we should change them or treat them more as guidelines. Common sense should prevail before requiring lengthy and capital\u00a0intensive studies or reviews. Often any solution is better than waiting years for the funding of the perfect solution. Not only can light, quick and temporary solutions be built to the high standards of permanent solutions, but they can also be adapted easier.<\/p>\n To demonstrate: What if more office space or student housing is required\u00a0now and capital is scarce?\u00a0In Amsterdam they\u00a0would build temporary, but attractive housing using recycled shipping containers, until funding can be acquired to replace them with brick and mortar residences.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Another example is the NDSM<\/a> – an artist work centre inhabiting a repurposed, abandoned ship building warehouse. To quickly build working quarters, the City opted to reuse shipping containers. The result is a vibrant, multipurpose and dynamic space for people to experiment with art and other entrepreneurial endeavors.<\/p>\n In another case, there was an empty industrial land that the city of Amsterdam wanted to convert into an office park called De Ceuvel<\/em>. The only problem is that the land is contaminated with industrial chemicals. Most municipalities are faced with the choice of expensive excavation and soil replacement or letting the chemicals naturally breakdown (which takes several years). If you live in North America, you can probably recall\u00a0at least one property – such as a\u00a0decommissioned\u00a0gas station – which has\u00a0sat empty with a cheap chain-link fence around it, serving as an eyesore and contributing little in the way of fostering new businesses or generating tax revenues. In Canada, such properties exist ironically on some of the\u00a0most productive properties on popular retail streets such as Whyte Avenue in Edmonton or Denman Street in Vancouver.<\/p>\n
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