New Book Explores Tactical Urbanism Strategies, Success Stories

Download ( 0B)

Washington, DC — What does the closing of Times Square to cars have in common with a curb extension in Ontario? Both started as temporary projects—one sanctioned and one unsanctioned— that led to long-term change. These are two of many successes described in Tactical Urbanism (Publication Date: March 17, 2015), a new comprehensive book from planning and design professionals Mike Lydon and Anthony Garcia. Tactical urbanism is an approach to neighborhood building and implementation using short-term, low-cost, and scalable interventions and policies. This book shows how this innovative and energetic movement is designed to break through the gridlock of the conventional planning process.

Lydon and Garcia have been at the forefront of the movement and in Tactical Urbanism they share their own experiences and detail examples from San Francisco to Memphis to New York, exploring how temporary projects from do-it-yourself bike lanes to Summer Streets can fundamentally change cities and urban life by showing citizens and government officials alike what is possible.

Tactical Urbanism details an in-depth history of the movement, its successes and failures, coupled with first-hand knowledge from key experts on how short-term strategy can lead to long-term success. With inspiring case studies including Dallas’ Build a Better Block and Raleigh’s Walk [Your City], Lydon and Garcia offer a toolkit for how tactical urbanism plans are conceived and delivered effectively while being more creative, faster, and cheaper than traditional planning.

With Tactical Urbanism, Lydon and Garcia offer expert insight and guidance into how to use this fundamental approach across a broad spectrum of cities and communities to enhance and revitalize city life. This new book will inspire and empower citizens, entrepreneurs, developers, business owners, planners, and government officials to take the small steps that result in outstanding transformations.

Mike Lydon is Principal of The Street Plans Collaborative. An internationally recognized planner, he was a co-author of The Smart Growth Manual and the creator and primary author of the reports “The Open Streets Project” and “Tactical Urbanism: Short-term Action, Long-Term Change” Vol.1 and Vol. 2. He serves as a Board Member for Center for a New American Dream and CNU New York, and is an advisor for the Bicycle Coalition of Maine. He works and speaks globally on smart growth, livable cities, active transportation, and tactical urbanism.

Anthony Garcia is Principal of The Street Plans Collaborative. A leader in civic advocacy in South Florida, he was Managing Editor and Publisher of TransitMiami.com, an award-winning blog dedicated to planning and transportation in South Florida. He was also Project Director for six years at the firm of Chael Cooper & Associates Architects. He serves as part-time faculty at the University of Miami School of Architecture and is a member of the Congress for the New Urbanism.

Founded in 1984, Island Press works to stimulate, shape, and communicate the information that is essential for solving environmental problems. Today, with more than 800 titles in print and some 40 new releases each year, it is the nation’s leading publisher of books on environmental issues. Island Press advances environmental science by nurturing the exchange of ideas across disciplines and sectors, and by helping to create a multidisciplinary literature on environmental problems and solutions. For more information and further updates be sure to visit www.islandpress.org.

For more information on Tactical Urbanism, contact Jamie Jennings (202-232-7933, jjennings@islandpress.org) or Meghan Bartels (202-232-7933 x43, mbartels@islandpress.org) or visit www.islandpress.org/tactical-urbanism. For information about Lydon and Garcia's CNU 202 workshop, scheduled as part of CNU23 in Dallas–Fort Worth, click here. CNU Members ordering the book can receive a 20% discount—sign into myCNU to get the discount code.