On occasion, I receive a message on twitter that is both flattering and exciting; usually it is from someone who I have great a great amount of respect for. This week was no exception and I really received a lot from different Twitter followers. The one that stands out most though was from Hazel, because it was an invitation to a webinar that was absolutely brilliant. The message was from @hborys and it was an invitation to a SmartCode Mixed-Use Tweetchat. A lot in that one sentence that needs explained.
Hazel Borys (@hborys) is a Principal and Managing Director of PlaceMakers. Placemakers is one of the country’s leaders in developing form-based codes, and a key to the SmartCode education process.
The SmartCode is the most popular format of form-based codes, which is based on the rural-to-urban transect. More information can be found here (SmartCode Central).
Mixed-Use is a term that you may consider yourself to be an expert on at this point, however Victor Dover’s presentation may make your preconceived notion of mixed-use turn itself on its head, more on that later.
Last, a tweetchat, is a moment in time where interested parties on certain subjects, are encouraged to post their thoughts via twitter using the topic’s “hashtag”. As an example, the speaker of the webinar, Victor Dover (@DoverKohl) posted the following:
“The old way of doing things was about bigger is better. Post-boom we must rediscover the increment of the lot. #smartcode”
The SmartCode #tweetchats occur on the 3rd Thursday of each month at 2 pm EST for future reference.
In this blog post, I am going to provide an archive of some of the notable tweets during the Tweetchat. I will follow up with a future blog post and continuation to the Neighborhood Retail BlogOff. Enjoy the tweets!
@DoverKohl: Your great-grandpa probably never had a conversation about mixed-use, because he didn’t need to. –Victor Dover #smartcode
@suhender: New Models for Mixed-Use are pop-ups, improvisations, smaller, quicker, more organic. #smartcode
@suhender: The new economy and lack of financing are changing the world of mixed use development #smartcode
@suhender: Third places grow most quickly in mixed use environments. #smartcode
@DoverKohl: Mixed use shortens and eliminates automobile trips, and cultivates social capital – Victor #smartcode
@suhender: The first few hundred sq. ft. do achieve the most good in establishing a new mixed use area. #smartcode
@DoverKohl: Small, organic, naturally occurring mixed-use tends to be forgotten in the larger conversation – Victor #smartcode
@DoverKohl: Mixed-use is now enshrined in municipal vision documents, but design needs to be included to allow for flexibility – Victor #smartcode
@DoverKohl: Small incremental development allows many people to do small things during bust times. – Victor #smartcode
@suhender: The smallest molecule of mixed use is simply a vending machine. It causes neighbors to interact. #smartcode
@DoverKohl: Boom time urbanism installed a mall’s worth of mixed use at one time, but it lacked authenticity – Victor #smartcode
@suhender: A problem with lifestyle centers is the lack of authenticity. It truly feels like a mall. #smartcode
@suhender: Post boom effective mixed use example is the Dekalb Market in Brooklyn. Basically a pop-up retail. #smartcode
@hborys: Great markets can’t be introverted. They can’t turn their backs on the street, and be optimal. ~Victor Dover #smartcode
@suhender: The incredible explosions of farmers markets are another example of incremental commerce. #smartcode
@hborys: In last 3 years, 100’s of new farmer’s markets. Authentic sprouting of commerce. Can easily shrink. ~Victor Dover #smartcode
@suhender: Food trucks are a social and retail phenomena. They’re even sprouting in and enlivening suburban areas. #smartcode
@hborys: Interesting layer of social media directing buyers to food trucks in new markets. ~Victor Dover #SmartCode
@hborys: Pop-up retail – food truck, farmers market, bars, coffee shop – help reinvigorate Main Street & create community. ~Victor Dover #smartcode
@suhender: The Tipping Point in Hampstead (MGM) is a hot example of temporary retail, and the happening place to be locally. #smartcode
@hborys: Pop-up retail is mobile and scaleable. ~Victor Dover #SmartCode
@suhender: North Americans have been exceptionally good at incremental urbanism. A skill we must relearn in the new economy. #smartcode
@hborys: Small-scale development helps solve all sorts of problems, from steep slopes to steep interest rates. ~Victor Dover #SmartCode
@suhender: One of the places for post-boom mixed use will be suburban redevelopment, reusing existing structures and infrastructure. #smartcode
@DoverKohl: The old way of doing things was about bigger is better. Post-boom we must rediscover the increment of the lot. –Victor #smartcode
@suhender: Small is Beautiful ~E.F. Schumacher. Critical for the new mixed use. #smartcode
@DoverKohl: This is the era of the demonstration project ~Victor #smartcode
@hborys: This is the era of the reversible demonstration project. Finding ways to enable cyclists and pedestrians. ~Victor Dover #SmartCode
@DoverKohl: pop-up retail is the retail equivalent of the transportation demonstration project ~Victor #smartcode
