The importance of leisure and recreation in American cities changed during the last half century, particularly in the urbanizing Sunbelt. In the postwar West, suburbs sprawled and civic leaders struggled to provide adequate parks and recreation services. Inactive urban life created a growing need for physical fitness, while rapid economic growth increased disposable family income and leisure time. As a result, families began to look for neighborhoods with amenities such as parks, baseball fields and jogging tracks when considering where to purchase a home.

The city of Mesa, Arizona was a typical suburban boomtown in the postwar era. Rapid population growth occurred simultaneously with corporate expansion in this Phoenix suburb. The warm climate, cheap land and low taxes made Mesa an attractive place for businesses to expand. These factors, along with an increase of high tech jobs, attracted numerous new residents. The city's population grew even more rapidly than employment, however, and Mesa transformed into a bedroom community. By the late 1970's Mesa was struggling to expand its economy, to revitalize its downtown area, to provide city services, and to attract new residents. While the city succeeded in attracting profitable retail facilities, it faced difficulties in other respects. Neighboring cities such as Scottsdale and Tempe were far more successful developing downtown areas and attracting affluent residents. These cities marketed themselves as tourist destinations. Also, decades of rapid growth left Mesa officials unable to cope with soaring demands for various amenities, including parks and recreation services.

While the city stumbled in various areas, it had significant success with efforts to plan for recreation and parks. This eventually connected with efforts to solve larger problems in Mesa.

The importance of leisure and recreation in American cities changed during the last half century, particularly in the urbanizing Sunbelt. In the postwar West, suburbs sprawled and civic leaders struggled to provide adequate parks and recreation services. Inactive urban life created a growing need for physical fitness, while rapid economic growth increased disposable family income and leisure time. As a result, families began to look for neighborhoods with amenities such as parks, baseball fields and jogging tracks when considering where to purchase a home.

The city of Mesa, Arizona was a typical suburban boomtown in the postwar era. Rapid population growth occurred simultaneously with corporate expansion in this Phoenix suburb. The warm climate, cheap land and low taxes made Mesa an attractive place for businesses to expand. These factors, along with an increase of high tech jobs, attracted numerous new residents. The city's population grew even more rapidly than employment, however, and Mesa transformed into a bedroom community. By the late 1970's Mesa was struggling to expand its economy, to revitalize its downtown area, to provide city services, and to attract new residents. While the city succeeded in attracting profitable retail facilities, it faced difficulties in other respects. Neighboring cities such as Scottsdale and Tempe were far more successful developing downtown areas and attracting affluent residents. These cities marketed themselves as tourist destinations. Also, decades of rapid growth left Mesa officials unable to cope with soaring demands for various amenities, including parks and recreation services.

While the city stumbled in various areas, it had significant success with efforts to plan for recreation and parks. This eventually connected with efforts to solve larger problems in Mesa.

" another missing piece of our rich history and profound contribution to western civilization. For history buffs please put this book on your must read list... "

George C. Fraser, Author of Race For Success and
Success Runs In Our Race

"[Mitchell] believes that the entire future of blacks in the field of architecture is in jeopardy He then discusses the impact of the Harlem Renaissance on black architecture and the subsequent emergence of Howard University as the center of the black architectural universe..."

The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education

" seminal "

Architecture Magazine

In this long overdue book, aimed at Black America and her allies, Melvin Mitchell poses the question "why haven't black architects developed a Black Architecture that complements modernist black culture that is rooted in world-class blues, jazz, hip-hop music, and other black aesthetic forms?" His provocative thesis, inspired by Harold Cruse's landmark book, The Crisis of the Negro Intellectual, exposes the roots of an eighty-year-old estrangement between black architects and Black America.

Along the way he provides interesting details about the politics of downtown development in the Marion Barry era of Washington, DC. Mitchell calls for a bold and inclusive "New (Black) Urbanism." He sees the radical reform and "re-missioning" of the handful of accredited HBCU based architecture schools as a critical tool in refashioning a rapprochement between black architects and Black America.

It is hard to imagine that today's New York started hardly 400 years ago as a tiny Dutch settlement named New Amsterdam on Manhattan Island. The Dutch bought the place for US$ 25, a bargain they thought. For the Dutch, who ruled the world at that time, it was not an important place, but only a trading post for beaver and otter skins. The first Dutch governors were not very successful in developing New Amsterdam into a profitable trading or colonizing venture. The last governor, Pieter Stuyvesant, appointed in 1647, turned out to be the best. The one-leg governor proved to be cut from a different kind of wood as his predecessors. But it was not for long, treacherously English naval forces stole the colony, in the name of the Duke of York, brother of King Charles of England. He changed the name of New Amsterdam into New York. The Dutch fought back and recaptured the colony. In the end, however, they changed their northwest American property for more promising territories elsewhere in the world.

“Designing Planned Communities is a clear statement of the design issues that are critical to creating livable and well-designed planned communities. Professor Mandelker draws on his long experience with planned community and land use regulation to explain the meaning of good design for planned communities. He shows how design concepts for planned communities can be translated into effective design guidance by local governments. Examples of design standards are provided from comprehensive plans, design guidelines, design manuals, and planned community regulations. Throughout Designing Planned Communities, the reader is taken through the complex problems of design regulation to an effective design program that can create planned communities in which we want to live.

Planners and lawyers will be interested in what Mandelker has to say about the design issues facing a growing number of planned communities throughout the country. Planning and local government attorneys will find the information about the legality of innovative design plans most interesting and helpful. Mandelker provides examples of localities that have experimented with a variety of design approaches and explores case law that will have an impact on these innovations.”

—Michael Allan Wolf, Professor & Richard E. Nelson Chair in Local Government Law, University of Florida, Fredric G. Levin College of Law

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“Designing Planned Communities is a clear statement of the design issues that are critical to creating livable and well-designed planned communities. Professor Mandelker draws on his long experience with planned community and land use regulation to explain the meaning of good design for planned communities. He shows how design concepts for planned communities can be translated into effective design guidance by local governments. Examples of design standards are provided from comprehensive plans, design guidelines, design manuals, and planned community regulations. Throughout Designing Planned Communities, the reader is taken through the complex problems of design regulation to an effective design program that can create planned communities in which we want to live.

Planners and lawyers will be interested in what Mandelker has to say about the design issues facing a growing number of planned communities throughout the country. Planning and local government attorneys will find the information about the legality of innovative design plans most interesting and helpful. Mandelker provides examples of localities that have experimented with a variety of design approaches and explores case law that will have an impact on these innovations.”

—Michael Allan Wolf, Professor & Richard E. Nelson Chair in Local Government Law, University of Florida, Fredric G. Levin College of Law

" another missing piece of our rich history and profound contribution to western civilization. For history buffs please put this book on your must read list... "

George C. Fraser, Author of Race For Success and
Success Runs In Our Race

"[Mitchell] believes that the entire future of blacks in the field of architecture is in jeopardy He then discusses the impact of the Harlem Renaissance on black architecture and the subsequent emergence of Howard University as the center of the black architectural universe..."

The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education

" seminal "

Architecture Magazine

In this long overdue book, aimed at Black America and her allies, Melvin Mitchell poses the question "why haven't black architects developed a Black Architecture that complements modernist black culture that is rooted in world-class blues, jazz, hip-hop music, and other black aesthetic forms?" His provocative thesis, inspired by Harold Cruse's landmark book, The Crisis of the Negro Intellectual, exposes the roots of an eighty-year-old estrangement between black architects and Black America.

Along the way he provides interesting details about the politics of downtown development in the Marion Barry era of Washington, DC. Mitchell calls for a bold and inclusive "New (Black) Urbanism." He sees the radical reform and "re-missioning" of the handful of accredited HBCU based architecture schools as a critical tool in refashioning a rapprochement between black architects and Black America.

It is hard to imagine that today's New York started hardly 400 years ago as a tiny Dutch settlement named New Amsterdam on Manhattan Island. The Dutch bought the place for US$ 25, a bargain they thought. For the Dutch, who ruled the world at that time, it was not an important place, but only a trading post for beaver and otter skins. The first Dutch governors were not very successful in developing New Amsterdam into a profitable trading or colonizing venture. The last governor, Pieter Stuyvesant, appointed in 1647, turned out to be the best. The one-leg governor proved to be cut from a different kind of wood as his predecessors. But it was not for long, treacherously English naval forces stole the colony, in the name of the Duke of York, brother of King Charles of England. He changed the name of New Amsterdam into New York. The Dutch fought back and recaptured the colony. In the end, however, they changed their northwest American property for more promising territories elsewhere in the world.