Author: Megan A Gelin

Alexiou offers an overview of the tensions between development and environment while expressing doubt that current practices will ever result in a cleaned-up, safe environment. The Gowanus Planning Study is an overview of a plan to rezone (or upzone) the neighborhood to allow denser residential development. How could New York do things differently, what does “clean” even mean in 2020, and what right do New Yorkers have to a clean and safe place to live? Your reflection could offer a critique of current NYC zoning practices, a critique of the Gowanus draft study, and/or a critique of the EPA cleanup efforts under the Superfund project.

New York could do things differently by putting more effort into projects for the canal before adding housing. It puts a lot of residents at health risk, but it seems that the focus is always on making money instead of making a cleaner, livable environment. If housing was put in a place that is hazardous for floods and the like, money could be made off of individuals paying for repairs or frequent health checkups. In “The Gowanus Canal will never be clean”, the city deliberately denies working on the canal, and I feel it is because it doesn’t seem that serious enough and it won’t provide any other substantial benefits. I feel like “clean” means decent enough in NYC. If it’s not killing anybody at a concerning rate, then it’s “nothing to worry about.” A majority of the five boroughs have been riddled with trash and the streets are only being cleaned for so long until things start getting noticeably uncanny.  I feel that New Yorkers have every right to a clean a safe environment that they live in and pay taxes for. If somebody fell in and eventually came out undead – or something of that nature came out of it as a creation – NYC will be the cause of an apocalypse.

Describe the way each film (My Brooklyn, Citizen Jane, Human Scale) and the lecture presentation (Healing Spaces: Marching On! Blackness and the Spatial Politics of Performance) discuss public space and its role in cities. Which notion of public space appeals to you? How do you feel about public space in New York City?

Public space is described as an open area or place that is accessible to all people such as plazas, squares, or parks. In the film My Brooklyn, the public space was the atmosphere of the Fulton Mall. It brought a lot of people together and a variety of shopping items were available. in Citizen Jane, where there were crowded busy streets was the order of the life of the city. In Human Scale, the main strip of Broadway in Manhattan was reconstructed to provide places where people could sit and connect with the city and others on the corners of the streets. The notation that appeals to me the most is Citizen Jane, because when Jane Jacobs said, “If you can understand the city, then that city is dead,” it provided a perspective on the fact that the best things are hard to understand. I feel that there needs to be more public space in New York City because it feels constricting to be surrounded by so many tall buildings and is a reason why I don’t like to travel there so much.

How would you rate your level of experience doing research in college?

I would rate my level of research experience on an intermediate scale. I have done a lot of research based on various topics throughout my middle school, high school, and college experience. I have learned a lot about databases, catalogs, and Google Scholar, as well as sourcing my evidence and on what types of papers to write between MLA and APA formats. I also do personal research on general topics and questions that I may have personally.

What is your expectation for this class supporting your classes in your major?

My expectation for this class in support of my major is the visual reference and inspirations and may come across. I am majoring in Communication Design with concentrations in Graphic Design, Illustration, and Animation. Since we are going into the field to learn about our city, I can come across many opportunities to think about what to include in my work. I am also looking forward to learning more research skills when I start work with a broader range of clients who may be focused on fields of study that I am unfamiliar with.