Eyes on the Street: Refocusing as a place for perspective

Dearest Streeters:

As you may have heard, we’re shaking things up here at PlanPhilly and Eyes on the Street. We are working with PennPraxis on Blueprint2015: A new project focused on building a conversation about the future of our city’s built and natural environment in anticipation of next year’s municipal elections. As PlanPhilly retools, this space will shift too. And we want your help setting the agenda.

Eyes on the Street will become a place for perspective – mine, yours, maybe even ours. Here’s what you can expect going forward:

• I’ll write a weekly column here that dives into a best practice, interesting project, neighborhood story, or wonky planning issue. I’ve got a background in planning and preservation and I intend to use it more directly. My new mantra: Only do what only you can do. I’ll call it how I see it, and I want to hear how you see it too.

• What kind of a city should Philadelphia become? That’s the core question for Blueprint2015 and we want your thoughts. What would make Philly more livable and equitable? What gives you hope? What are the most critical challenges to address? What are our strengths and opportunities? We’ll be reaching out to professional and citizen experts to hear what they have to say and sharing those viewpoints here. Consider this your platform, so send along your bright ideas.

I’ll still write occasional blog posts, sharing updates about issues we’re following, observations from street corners, and helpful bits of history or background to help inform our ongoing dialogue. Overall I’ll be focused less on turning out daily content. Instead I’ll be spending more time out and about. (You can follow along via twitter @ashleyjhahn.) I hope this means I’ll be out meeting more of you, talking about what your Philly looks like. Want to show me around your neighborhood or just pull up a park bench to talk? I’m game. If you’ve got Philly planning questions you need help answering, don’t hesitate to ask.

This space, like our fair city, is a work in progress and you’re invited to help shape it.

Yours,

Ashley