Browsing by Author "Souza de Souza, Aline Soares"

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    City of Whitesburg, KY: Downtown Section of the Tanglewood Downhill Trail Conceptual Master Plan
    Gilboy, Elizabeth; Gray, Shane; Philen, Melissa; Niland, Joe; Browning, Lara; Souza de Souza, Aline Soares (Virginia Tech. Community Design Assistance Center, 2015-12)
    The City of Whitesburg is located within Letcher County, in the eastern portion of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Set in Appalachia along the Pine Mountain, Whitesburg is home to many natural resources including lumber, coal, and the Jefferson National Forest, which includes the Pine Mountain Trail that ultimately connects to the Appalachian Trail. Mountainous topography and the winding Kentucky River define Whitesburg and its development.

    The Tanglewood Downhill Trail is a pedestrian and cyclist trail proposed to transect through the City of Whitesburg, primarily along an abandoned railway bed. This trail connects important destinations within Whitesburg, as well as connecting Whitesburg to contextual destinations such as the Pine Mountain Trail.

    Because the location and route for the Tanglewood Downhill Trail was predetermined by the City, CDAC’s association with the trail consisted of three ‘focal area’ destinations along the trail, in addition to wayfinding and welcoming signage for Whitesburg along the length of the trail. These focal areas include the Farmers Market area, East Main Street, and a Downtown Trailhead.

    The Downtown Section of the Tanglewood Downhill Trail Conceptual Master Plan project aims to visualize Whitesburg as a Trail Town and achieve a cohesive downtown experience along the trail, encourage economic growth, and enhance pedestrian experiences. This project comes in the wake of many new programs and efforts, positive energy, and progressive projects. The following list exemplifies such efforts and includes the connectedness of the Tanglewood Downhill Trail, Whitesburg’s Trail Town Initiative, the Whitesburg Health Department, East Main Street and downtown revitalization, the Farmers Market, as well as a Healthy Living Initiative.

    In anticipation of Trail Town Certification, the City of Whitesburg applied for a grant from the Kentucky Division of Forestry’s (KDF) Restoring Environmental Quality (REQ) grant program for conceptual design work. With the assistance of this grant, the City of Whitesburg accepted a design proposal for the Community Design Assistance Center to assist the city with the following goals and objectives, as outlined by the city and city stakeholders:

    1. To create a vision toward their desire for ‘Trail Town Certification’;
    2. To plan for the downtown section of the Tanglewood Downhill Trail;
    3. To plan downtown streetscape and greenspace improvements;
    4. To conserve, protect, and enhance community natural resources;
    5. To provide opportunities for ‘Healthy Living’ and alternative modes of transportation;
    6. To visualize a downtown gateway experience;
    7. To provide places where the city could showcase local arts and culture;
    8. To locate an access to the Kentucky River;
    9. To conceptualize signage and wayfinding design along the Downtown Section of the Tanglewood Downhill Trail

    The goals and objectives, as outlined by the City of Whitesburg and city stakeholders align with CDAC’s core goals and principles of design for communities that CDAC partners with, as evidenced by CDAC’s mission statement below. The CDAC team worked closely with the Whitesburg community throughout the design process in order to provide the most appropriate design concepts for the Whitesburg community.
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    London, KY : Turning London Green : Conceptual Designs for the Expansion of London's Streetscape and Greenspaces
    Gilboy, Elizabeth; Philen, Melissa; Browning, Lara; Gray, Shane; Gresham, Carter; Souza de Souza, Aline Soares; Jones, Alexander (Virginia Tech. Community Design Assistance Center, 2016-02)
    Located in Laurel County, Kentucky, the City of London is beginning to look to the future of the town and opportunities that exist for downtown improvements. The downtown area already contains several local restaurants and boutique shops, however the area is lacking in any major green space and is in need of streetscape improvements. Main Street exists as a lovely example of streetscape beautification. Urban trees, perennial shrub plantings, benches, and other pedestrian amenities line the corridor. London hopes to expand upon this aesthetic design by including the Broad Street corridor. London’s goal is to create a system of connected greenspace to promote outdoor physical activity such as walking and bicycling. Due to London’s recent designation as the Cycling Capitol of Kentucky, the city also looks to renovate and reassess its current cycling infrastructure. Directional and informational signage are also needed to unite the city under one clear aesthetic.

    The city hopes to incorporate greenspace, provide safe and comfortable walking routes, celebrate their rich culture, and infuse the streets with local public art. By doing this, London hopes to have a more vibrant, welcoming, and economically viable destination for residents and visitors alike.
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    St. Paul, VA : managing stormwater in Market Square
    Gilboy, Elizabeth; Philen, Melissa; Stroud, Patricia; Thomas, Andrea; Williams, Daphne; Chase, Austin; Souza de Souza, Aline Soares; Stelfox, Mike; Hulshult, Amelia (Virginia Tech. Community Design Assistance Center, 2016-09-01)
    The project focus is on Market Square block within St. Paul. St. Paul seeks ways to solve stormwater runoff issues by implementing design solutions closest to the source of precipitation. These conceptual designs address stormwater contaminates and volume while envisioning a pleasing downtown experience.
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    Whitesburg, KY : downtown section of the Tanglewood Downhill Trail conceptual master plan
    Gilboy, Elizabeth; Philen, Melissa; Browning, Lara; Gray, Shane; Niland, Joe; Souza de Souza, Aline Soares (Virginia Tech. Community Design Assistance Center, 2015-12-01)
    The Tanglewood Downhill Trail is a pedestrian and cyclist trail proposed to transect through Whitesburg, primarily along an abandoned railway bed. The trail connects important destinations within Whitesburg, as well as connecting Whitesburg to contextual destinations such as the Pine Mountain Trail.