Scaling-up: an overview of urban agriculture in North America

Scaling-up: an overview of urban agriculture in North AmericaMatthew PotteigerLandscape ArchitectureState University of New York

Franklin Park, Boston1881 before construction“…relieved of a few houses, causeways andfences,left with an unbroken surface of turfand secluded by woods on the hillsides,this would at once supply a singularly completeand perfectthough limited example of a type of scenerywhich is perhaps the most soothing in itsinfluence on mankind of any presented bynature.”-- Olmsted (from Zaitzevsky, Frederick LawOlmsted and the Boston Park System)circa 1916

Franklin Park, Boston1883 before construction“…relieved of a few houses, causeways andfences,left with an unbroken surface of turfand secluded by woods on the hillsides,this would at once supply a singularly completeand perfectthough limited example of a type of scenerywhich is perhaps the most soothing in itsinfluence on mankind of any presented bynature.”-- Olmsted (from Zaitzevsky, Frederick LawOlmsted and the Boston Park System)“Food desert” andCommunity gardenscirca 1916

Questions:How has urban agriculture responded toprocesses of deindustrialization as well asexpansion?What are the strategies to “scale-up” urbanagriculture?How can it have significant impact on thesocial, ecological and spatial systems of thecity?

SeattleTorontoSyracuseNew YorkDetroitOaklandPhiladelphiaCase studies/examplesNew Orleans

Urban Agriculture in 4 directions:Growing up -- vertical farmingGrowing in the urban voidsGrowing systemsGoing public

Urban Agriculture in 4 directions:Growing up -- vertical farmingGrowing in the urban voidsGrowing systemsGoing public

PF 1 (public farm 1) atPS 1 (public school 1)Gallery run byMuseum of Modern ArtSummer 2008

Urban Agriculture in 4 directions:Growing up -- vertical farmingGrowing in the urban voidsGrowing systemsGoing public

Urban agriculture and vacant landUrban agriculture as vacant land strategy

DetroitFrom 2,000,000 in 1950 to 800,000 in 2010Density:1950: 5,114.1/sq.km.2004: 2,469/sq.km.The city’s populationis likely to stabilize atbetween 500,000 and600,000 by 2025

What this means for Detroit:Currently – 100,000 vacant lots77.7 square km of vacant landFuture – 227.92 square km of vacant landReconfiguration of settlementRemoval of infrastructure

East side10 minutes fromcenterDetroitRenaissance Center (General Motors)

Detroit Community Gardens

Limitations of vacant land strategy:• marginalized activity• ambiguous public status• lacks spatial logicPhiladelphia community gardens and real estate values • vulnerable to changes in marketSource: Vittielo and Nairn. Philadelphia HarvestNYC protests over mayor Giuliani’ssale of gardens for development -113 sites spared by $4.2 millionpurchase and held as land trust.

Urban Agriculture in 4 directions:Growing up -- vertical farmingGrowing in the urban voidsGrowing systemsGoing public

Vacant sitesSyracuse, NY

Vacant sitesand community gardensSyracuse, NY

¼ mile walking distanceScaling out, beyond the vacant lot– “Networked Urban Ag.”Social networks of support –Detroit Agricultural Network – now 900 gardensLinking sites into systems and integratingwith social, environmental and spatial patternsVacant sitesCommunity GardensAnd proximity toInstitutions and Organizations:SchoolsFood pantriesPublic housingChurches½ mile walking distanceYouth and senior centers

Scaling out – Networked Urban Ag.– linking urban agriculture to other sectors of food systems-- linking to advocacy around food security & social justice-- linking to paradigm shift in public heath from infectious diseaseto chronic health as a result of environment and dietFood deserts and food access

Linking urban agriculture sites toform coherent urban spatial and ecological infrastructuresProviding ecological servicesMill Creek Farm, PhiladelphiaCommunity garden and entrepreneurial farmLand leased from city Water Authority

Philadelphia, PAMill CreekUrban FarmHistoric pattern of streams Contemporary pattern of streams

Reconfiguring Detroit (AIA design charette)• Urban cores• Urban agriculure• A network of UrbanVillages• ConnectivityLand Use

Urban agricultureas speculativedevelopmentstrategyCreate scarcity ofland to drive upvalues

Urban agricultureas speculativedevelopmentstrategy20 hectare “pod”Create scarcity ofland to drive upvalues

Urban Agriculture in 4 directions:Growing up -- vertical farmingGrowing in the urban voidsGrowing systemsGoing public

Toronto, CanaadaGrowing at rate of 100,000/yearEcological footprint 200 times actualland surface area1/3 of this is from food supply, themajority of which comes from globalsupply chainsPotential for productive urban public spaces:

Public spaces asProductive placesRomanowski Park, DetroitAg lands in Fairmount Park,Philadelphia

Oakland, CaliforniaAssessment of potential for urban agriculture on pubic landsMcClintock, et. al. Cultivating the Commons. (2009)

Orange County Great Park, Irvine California. 540 hectares

Orange County Great Park – Orchard componentSource: ASLA, 2008 Awards

Summary:Beyond the vacant lotgrowing upgrowing in the urban voidsgrowing systems – scaling outgoing publicProspectsnew municipal supportQuestions/comments?