Life in the City

-by Sandra Simmons

Good plans shape good decisions. That's why good planning helps to make elusive dreams come true. - Lester R. Bittel

I was fortunate to be one of the developers of The Brickyard, a truly unique project where 14 entities came together to design, develop, and build our respective living spaces.

I relished the opportunity to create a space uniquely and truly mine.

After determining what portion of the floor I would acquire, I put pencil to paper and drew my floor plan. I considered the view from the kitchen sink, the view I wake up and fall asleep to, the position of my desk so I could watch the ships sailing by as I worked.

The plan became more meticulous: electric plugs, light switches, where pictures would hang, the subtle finishing touches to make my house a home.

After many hours of daydreaming, I created a workable plan that was continually fine-tuned throughout the building process. A good plan made my elusive dream come true.

We the developers, shopkeepers, and residents are building a new community. Just as I took pencil to paper to draw rooms, our community is drawing plans for our future, dreaming of what it would be like to live in an ideal urban environment.

There’s City of Village, North Embarcadero Visionary, Downtown Historical Harborfront, Airport Master, Centre City Community Update, and more comprehensive plans on neighborhood character, traffic flow, and urban open space. Underneath our streets and sidewalks are plans for water, sewer and electrical to service our needs. Above are streetlights, urban furniture, and art for our enjoyment.

These plans can each stand separately, yet they’re inextricably tied to each other.

Are we daydreaming enough to reach our elusive dream? If each plan affects another, who’s looking at the big picture? And, most importantly, are the plans taking into consideration making our community a home?

I wonder…Is anyone planning on scanning all these plans?

Residents wonder if anyone will step up to the role of taking all these daydreams and plans and incorporate them into the greater picture for our Downtown community.

We are fortunate our city leaders have had the passion and vision to propose some amazing new projects Downtown, but now it's time to have the strength and fortitude to lead these plans to their fruition. – Dan D’Amato (Treo)

Joyce Summer (Discovery) believes there are too many governmental agencies and too many hands in the pot, but is hopeful it’ll come together.

There is an inherent conflict in the way the region is governed. The various jurisdictions downtown still do not work together. We have the vision and the visionaries, but not the grit and courage it takes to implement those dreams. - Rob Quigley (Beaumont Manor)

The city is facing challenging times. Downtown is experiencing an unprecedented advancement, a progression encouraged by our past city councils. We need to be particularly mindful in choosing future leaders who will carry out these impressive plans. Downtown is the heart of the region. Let it beat! - August 2005

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