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 As
part of a series of larger city and county redevelopment initiatives,
the County of Berks contacted the Hamer Center in the spring of
2000 requesting assistance in evaluating opportunities for greenspace
development in the downtown and surrounding areas. The city currently
has several adaptive re-use, infill housing, and redevelopment
initiatives underway, and seeks opportunities to link many of
these projects. In the fall of 2001, two landscape architecture
classes worked with the City of Reading and County of Berks to
develop recommendations for the downtown area, city neighborhoods
and the river corridor.
Fifth-year landscape architecture students under the direction
of Professor Ken Tamminga worked individually focusing on the
physical improvements and vacant lot strategies for the Southeast
and 6th Ward neighborhoods, recovery and redevelopment master
plans for the Dana and American Chain and Cable Brownfield sites,
master plan concepts for the 400 block of Penn Street, and greenway
concepts along the Schuylkill River. Fourth-year landscape architecture
students under the direction of Professor Samuel Dennis developed
cultural landscape histories for the Southeast and 6th Ward neighborhoods,
the Schuylkill River corridor, and the Centre Park Historic District.
Both classes conducted analysis and background research with
community members, and had an informational open house in Reading
to interact with the community and obtain feedback as they moved
forward with their recommendations. The student’s final recommendations
were presented to elected officials, public agency directors,
and business leaders in December 2001.
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