Horse and Carriage in NYC

In January, a horse and carriage accident occurred in NYC when a horse became spooked and crashed into a station wagon. The inexperienced driver was thrown from the carriage receiving serious injuries. The horse suffered from a broken leg and was euthanized. The complete story can be found at NY Daily News.
During our class discussions, three definitive stances were taken on the controversy that stemmed from the horse and carriage accident in NYC. They went as follows: those in favor of keeping the horse drawn carriages, those in favor of removing the horse and carriages from the city streets and those who did not have a strong opinion for or against the issue. I was in the group in support of keeping the horse drawn carriages in the city. Our arguments for keeping the carriage business began with statics on horse and carriage accidents within the city. It was discovered that the occurrences were very low for accidents that resulted in the injury of the driver, others, and the death of a horse. Our second point of argument came from the vast amount of people to be affected by the termination of the horse and carriage business. The circle of influence extends far beyond the drivers and owners. Other areas that we felt needed to be clarified were: the recognition of the mounted police officers in NYC and the following question of where does one draw the line to the use of horses within the city; the fact that euthanasia is the primary method of treating a horse once it has become injured. It is very difficult and very expensive to operate on an injured horse. The recovery time and intensive care needed after surgery becomes a very large burden most owners are not willing to endure.
After hearing all sides of the issue and upon doing further research, I do not think the horse and carriage should be banned from the streets of NYC, although I do believe an accurate assessment of the situation is necessary. The technology of the horse and carriage has come and gone and therefore I think its necessity in the city should be questioned. For the aesthetic value the carriage rides add to the city, perhaps additional limitations should be given restricting their routes to appease both parties. In reaction to this specific accident, the driver of the carriage was inexperienced. Upon further research, I feel the carriage licensing and testing is inadequate. According to the following article in the NY Daily News, Risky Horseplay , no carriage driving demonstration is needed to obtain a license. A written test is taken as well as a test on administrating first aid to the horse is all that is examined. Perhaps a more rigorous examination is necessary to prevent future accidents due to inexperience. Overall, I do not believe the carriage rides should be completely taken away from the city for two reasons. The first reason would be the loss of work and community that has been established through the horse and carriage industry. The carriage drivers, owners, veterinarians, inspectors, blacksmiths, harnessmakers, the stable staff and the stables themselves would all be affected. The second reason is because of its gesture to preserve a historical pastime. With today's modern technology and the increased speed at which things move, it appears to be more appropriate for the carriage rides to be restricted to the parks. The following NYC blog provides additional information and perspectives from both positions, NYC metroblog.

Community Map

My current community can be located within the Art Museum district in Philadelphia. I live in one of the 19 floor apartment buildings along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. There are many significant landmarks that I use when describing my location in the city depending with whom I am speaking. For people who are not very familiar with Philadelphia I would tell them that I live on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway close to the Art Museum. For those more familiar with this area I sometimes mention that I am located across from the Rodin Museum. In my map I drew my community at two scales. The one scale shows my location within Philadelphia and its relation to the Art Museum, Logan Circle and some of the other places that I visit regularly such as Wawa and Hollywood Video. The upper portion of my drawing shows the community that is formed by the residents of the apartments and as well as some of the amenities that exist specifically for people who are a part of the immediate apartment community.
For me, the best method of claiming and defining the boundaries of my community begin at my apartment and figuratively extend in concentric circles or rings. The defining of one "ring" from the next is based on ownership and the number of people within the stated boundaries. The central node begins at my apartment and the hallway along which it is connected. I feel the greatest sense of ownership and responsibility over these spaces. From here, the next ring extends to the elevator and down to the lobby. These spaces are used by everyone in the building and therefore an increased degree of public usage occurs which is monitored by the security guard at the entrance. The tertiary community ring extends to all the buildings and grounds within the apartment complex. Various amenities exist within the other buildings such as a fitness center, supermarket, and dry-cleaners. These first three rings make up my immediate community. Within these boundaries I feel the most comfortable. I know and recognize many of the residents and I also have the greatest sense of ownership. Within these boundaries I would be more inclined to pick up a piece of trash or report suspicious behavior. The transition between the third community ring and the fourth is very interesting from the position of ownership. There is a patch of grass and trees that separate the apartment grounds from the Parkway. As I pass through, there is an understanding that an edge is being crossed. These outer rings are used by many different people at all hours of the day. I still consider these areas outside of my apartment complex as a part of my community but there is an understanding that the surrounding institutions, restaurants and commercial facilities attract a much larger group of people and their needs.
A juxtaposition that exists within my larger community are the many different people who come to this area. There are tourists, local employees, students (from elementary to university), residents, as well as a large homeless population. Personally, I enjoy this juxtaposition that exists in this area. Due to the large tourist attractions, the area is kept clean and I enjoy meeting new people randomly on the weekends. I think it is wonderful to be able to make a connection with people and hopefully enhance their experience of Philadelphia, whether it be recommending a restaurant or giving accurate directions. As far as my feelings about the homeless, they are just as much a part of Philadelphia as the tourists. I remembering making a comment once that if I were homeless, I would want to hang around this area because of its relatively calm atmosphere. I wish there were more that could be done to accommodate that population, but I think Philadelphia is realizing its responsibility to care for these people and hopefully changes will be made soon.

Urban Juxtaposition

The urban juxtaposition I analyzed exists in the neighborhood of Francisville in Philadelphia. The Francisville neighborhood is located within the boundaries of Broad Street, Fairmount Avenue, Corinthian, and Girard Avenue. The juxtaposition that was most striking to me is located along Fairmount Avenue between 15th and 17th Streets and extends one block south to North Street. While walking west along Fairmount Avenue from Broad Street, the words that would be used to describe the scene would be; abandoned, rundown, boarded-up, littered, and vacant. Hardly any person could be seen out doors or even in the windows of the public buildings such as the Health Center and a small Café. The first two images show the current conditions of that area. Meandering north of Fairmount Avenue the scene is much the same. There are open lots, rundown row homes, and trash strewn about and collected in the once vibrant gardens. Back here a few more people can be seen leaving or returning to their homes. As I proceed south crossing over Fairmount Avenue to North Street, the street scape makes a sudden unexpected change. The existing homes have been completely demolished and new homes have been built in their place. Hammers, drills, and saws can be heard as new and expensive homes are being built. This scene was completely unexpected. I was intending to see the same conditions that existed north of and along Fairmount Avenue. The third image shows the new residential construction located exactly one block south of the previous two.
One could assume that Francisville will soon be gentrified based on the new construction occurring south of Fairmount Avenue. Based on census research at Factfinder, the median family income in 1999 for census tract 133 was $31,500 and for census tract 140 was $15,833. The combined census tracts include the neighborhood of Francisville. Upon doing real estate research at Philly.com, the new houses along North Street were being listed on average for $500,000. The listing price is very high for the people who are living in Francisville. This is a very delicate situation in that there will be two very different economic classes of people living within close proximity to each other with Fairmount Avenue acting as a buffer. My opinion is that there are two possibilities for the for the future development of Francisville. The first being that the area would continue to be developed in a similar manner as can be seen in the vicinity south of Fairmount Avenue. This would lead to the gentrification of Francisville leaving many current owners either unwelcome in their own neighborhood or forced to relocate. The city has a unique opportunity to celebrate the current juxtaposition by developing Fairmount Avenue into a dynamic commercial corridor equally serving both economic communities. The second option I feel would be the most beneficial to the Francisville neighborhood. With an increased commercial interest along Fairmount Avenue, the existing neighborhood would become revitalized without removing any of the current owners.

Environmental Dilemma

A rising issue pertaining to environmental quality is the amount of energy consumed by buildings and their users. According to a publication, Scenarios for a Clean Energy Future, for the US Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, building energy consumption accounts for one third of total primary energy consumption and greenhouse emissions in the United States. A realization is beginning to sweep the country that our natural resources will not last forever and as they begin to dwindle the cost will rise. A recent example would be the increase in oil prices due to its lack of availability. Also, the byproduct of our energy consumption, carbon dioxide, is being monitored due to its negative affect on the ozone layer. The dilemma of reducing energy consumption just within buildings in the United States affects many people within the industry such as the manufacturers, builders, designers, and the suppliers of products for the building. For the scope of this essay, I will discuss the obstacles faced by energy users in the quest to reduce energy usage.

The are five main obstacles consumers face when it comes to energy consumption, as it is mentioned in Chapter Four of the Scenarios for a Clean Energy Future: not knowing, not caring, unable to find out, can’t raise the money, and split incentives.
1. The consumer at the end of the month has no way of knowing the individual energy consumption of each appliance. This situation leaves the consumer unable to effectively use the products within the home or office. The analogy used in Chapter four describes the situation as going grocery shopping without knowing the prices of the items and at the end given one sum for the total purchases.
2. In most cases the energy costs acquired by consumers has little effect on the overall costs incurred in the ownership of the building. It is easy for consumers to disregard the energy costs and efficiency of their products because choosing energy efficient items do not have large monetary benefits. Total energy savings is realized with the summation of all households using energy efficient products.
3. Purchases by consumers are based on reliable and accessible information. Although determining cost efficient products is not difficult the time and attention of the consumers and sales people is very limited. Also, most people are not energy experts and it can be difficult for them to choose the good from the bad.
4. In many instances the initial costs of using energy efficient systems and products is more than the other non-efficient choices. Although in the long term comparisons between the two products, the energy efficient choices surpass the others in the long term cost savings.
5. The incentive for considering energy efficient products can be eliminated when the operator of the items, is not the same person as the one who pays for the electricity. Methods to counteract the problem begin by requiring minimum efficiency standards for the building.

From my perspective, I think the greatest problem that exists is many people do not realize that the smallest effort can make a difference in the struggle to combat energy usage. As it was mentioned earlier, although the individual cost and energy savings is not great the addition of many energy efficient products and systems has great savings at a scale that includes many households. As an architecture student, energy efficiency is always a factor at all levels of design. I think as a future professional it will be very important for myself to become educated in energy efficiency. It will also be important for me to educate my clients and present the energy efficient options in ways that will be appealing to all users of the future building.



Information for this essay came from http://www.aceee.org/energy/eeassess.htm

Francisville Community Description

Francisville is home to many institutions such as Girard College, St. Joseph’s Hosptial, St. Joseph’s Prep School, the Berean Institute, Headquarters for Project H.O.M.E., and the City Health Center. Despite these various institutions throughout Francisville, the area has seen very little residential improvements. In fact many of the lots have become abandoned, trashed, or completely leveled. Until recently, this neighborhood has seen very little development.
This neighborhood has particular appeal to me because of it location and relationship to the surrounding neighborhoods. The neighborhood to the south along Spring Garden Street has become a very popular neighborhood especially Green Street located on block north of Spring Garden. The reason for its popularity is because of the amenities and attractions that exist within a short walking distance. Philadelphia Community College, the Art Museum, Boat House Row, Whole Foods, and the Philadelphia Sports Club are just a few of the institutions and attractions that are located near Spring Garden. The restoration of the Girard trolley has also resulted in a revitalization of that area as well. These two areas are beginning to have a direct affect on the neighborhood of Francisville which lies in between them. Developers, builders, and future home owners are looking for locations in and around Francisville to accommodate the growing interest in this part of the city. New, expensive homes are being built within the Francisville neighborhood. Some of the once vacant homes are currently being restored as well. These new homeowners are eager to renovate these homes with high quality materials. This new interest in the neighborhood of Francisville is introducing a higher economic population to the current relatively low economic status of the residents of Francisville. Currently, Fairmount Avenue and Ridge Avenue are both zoned as being commercial corridors. Unfortunately neither are attracting any significant consumer business. An interesting situation is beginning to unfold. With the increase of residents to the neighborhood, the rebuilding of commercial buildings will soon follow. It will be a challenge for the original residents of Fairmount Avenue to demand for shops and stores that are accommodating to their needs within their appropriate price ranges.
I think the most appealing part of this neighborhood is that it has such a great potential for being a thriving neighborhood and to push potential even further, it could become a sustainable neighborhood as well if the people with such a vision were to become involved. To me the greatest asset of Francisville is its location. Just from a transportation aspect, there are many bus lines that travel through Francisville. The Broad Street subway makes a stop at Fairmount Avenue and there are two major vehicular routes, Fairmount Avenue and Ridge Avenue, that cross right through the neighborhood. I think it will be very interesting studying the current conditions within Francisville as transformations are taking place.

Key Terms

HORSE AND CARRIAGE IN NYC

Controversy
This term can be defined as a public dispute between opposing views. The horse and carriage argument began receiving great public interest after the accident occurred and PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) began to petition for the removal of the horse and carriages from NYC streets.

Assessment
The term for this essay is defined as a means to determine the significance or value of the horse drawn carriages on the streets of NYC without the biased opinions of others. The result of this particular analysis should be a sort of bare bones, facts only type of outcome. The primary assessment points that were mentioned in this essay were: the carriages are not a necessity, other forms of transportation exist, and the recognition of an appealing aesthetic pleasure for many who live in and visit the city.

Community
For this particular essay, the term community was used to define a network of people linked together by a particular interest. In the essay on the Horse and Carriage controversy, community was used to describe those who took part in the horse drawn carriage industry. Members included but not limited to the drivers, business owners, stable owners and workers, craftsmen, inspectors and veterinarians. Most importantly though community in this essay is used as a means of identification and belonging to something special i.e. the horse and carriage industry.

Pastime
The term is used to define a pleasant activity a person or many people would want to experience. Before the cars became the primary modes of transportation, horse drawn carriages were used to transport people form one destination to another. For the wealthy, a driver would be hired and the carriages would be carved and decorated in very ornate patterns. In the essay, the term historical pastime is used to define this leisurely experience of viewing the city streets at the pace of a horse with an elegantly dressed escort.

COMMUNITY MAP

District
A district can be defined as an area distinguished by a particular feature. The Philadelphia Planning Commission has numerous maps depicting various boundaries concerning for example city council, senate representation and police patrols. The particular district that was mentioned in the essay can be defined but not limited to the area west of Broad St. between Girard and Spring Garden Streets.

Landmark
The term can be defined as a place of prominent importance. Characteristics of a landmark include understanding of its location and popular knowledge of the place and/or its significance to the area as well as any possible historical importance.

Community
For this essay, community was defined as a group of people living within close proximity to each other. This definition can cover many different scales as it is articulated further in the essay.

Boundary
This term is used to establish a limit that can physically and/or mentally exist. The first boundary described in the essay can be seen as well as mentally understood; the recognition of the private interior of the apartment and its connection to the more public hallway describes the first community ring. The second ring which extends to the entrance of the building can also be seen and experienced. The boundary of the third ring is not as physically defined as the previous two, meaning that a clear threshold does not exist between conditions. The difference in landscaping between the apartment community and that which exists beyond forms the boundary. The boundary for the last community ring exists phenomenologically. In other words, a border for this last understanding of community does not exist physically, but within the mind of the occupant.

URBAN JUXTAPOSITION

Urban Juxtaposition
According to the American Heritage Dictionary, to juxtapose is to place side by side for comparison or contrast. For the purpose of this essay, we were to find within the city an example of two unlike conditions within close proximity to each other. The result of this search is an urban juxtaposition.

Scene
For the purpose of this essay, scene includes the immediate surroundings and atmosphere of the area affected by my senses. Although the scene that I encountered on my walk will never occur again, many of the visual conditions described in the essay will remain on future visits to those locations. In fact, they will most likely act as landmarks and references upon which to recognize new or leveled buildings.

Street Scape
Street scapes typically include the facades of the buildings, as well as the addition of porches, furniture, mailboxes, bicycles and cars to the street upon which one might be traveling. The two dimensional depiction as well as the verbal or written description of street scapes tend to change depending on the person. The description either written or drawn of a street scape can be compared to a group of art students asked to paint a still life. Each artist has a different lens through which he/she views the objects which thus gives the final painting a unique style and description of what the artist saw. Therefore the a description of a street scape from a current resident will vary from that of a visitor.

Gentrification
Gentrification is the result of the upgrade and reclamation of neighborhoods by wealthy people leading to the displacement of lower-income people. Gentrification begins with the interest of higher-income professionals in low cost housing usually located in close proximity to places of interest. For example, many places of interest exist near the Francisville neighborhood many of which are located to the west such as the Penitentiary, the Art Museum, and Boat House Row. There is also a subway stop at Broad and Fairmount which would accommodate those working downtown. As previously mentioned, a negative side affect of this revitalization is the subsequent rise in property value which forces many of the poorer residents to find housing elsewhere.

ENVIRONMENTAL DILEMMA

Environment
For the purpose of this essay, the term environment specifically relates to our habitat outside of our homes. Some would define it as our natural environment. Natural environment can have multiple meanings depending on the context in which it is used. In writing this essay, I generally defined environment to mean the external physical conditions that affect and influence those within it.

Energy
This term is defined as a usable source of heat or power. In the essay a specific energy source was not mentioned, although, typically in buildings electricity and natural gas account for 90% of the primary energy usage. (Scenarios for a Clean Energy Future, 4.1.1)

Consumption
This term can be defined: to use up or expend. In this essay, consumption primarily refers to the use of energy by products within buildings. In economics, consumption is defined as the usage of good and services by consumers. In a thorough discussion of energy efficiency, both definitions would be used. The following example shows energy efficiency using both definitions. In terms of heating a house, the furnace could be designed to consume the least amount of energy possible therefore making it energy efficient. Efficient use of the furnace would mean that it was only running when th space was being occupied and then turned to a lower temperature when no one was there. Therefore, the service of the furnace was efficiently being consumed.

Energy Efficiency
Energy Efficiency occurs when energy input is reduced for the same level of expected service. Energy Star is an example of a program that helps businesses and individuals choose energy efficient products that help to protect the environment. For example, Energy Star qualified computers enter a low-power mode using 15 watts or less power. Compared to computers without enabled power management features which can use 25 watts, Energy Star computers are more efficient. (www.energystar.gov)


FRANCISVILLE COMMUNITY DESCRIPTION

Institution
An institution in this essay is defined as an established organization or foundations specifically dedicated to education, public service, or culture. (The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language) Project H.O.M.E. and the City Health Center are both organizations that reach out to those in need of housing, food, and health services.

Attractions
Attractions are commercial buildings that appeal to a large consumer population. Typically they include chain-businesses that are well known by the public. Neighborhood attractions could be made up of well-known grocery stores such as Acme or Whole Foods, fitness centers such as Gold’s Gym or the YMCA, and restaurants/eateries such as Applebee’s or Starbucks.

Original Residents
Original Residents are those people within Francisville who have lived there prior to the new interest and construction in the neighborhood. Taken from the 200 US Census, the majority of the residents are African American.

Sustainable Neighborhood
A sustainable neighborhood is one that provides all necessities for its residents. Items such as food, clothing and other household needs would be available for purchase within the neighborhood. Public transportation is easily accessible and should take the residents to either their jobs, or other destinations such as alternate shopping centers, or institutions. Ideally there should exists a variety of people of many different ages and backgrounds. Another important feature of a sustainable neighborhood is its awareness of its own affect on the environment. Energy efficiency, water collection and drainage, air and light quality are all taken into consideration when constructing and planning for new buildings as well as the renovation of old buildings.