As a design competition, St. Charles Streetscape had to contain dramatic elements of change. To clearly delineate concepts, the "tilt-up" drawing was created. Somewhat resembling a one-point prospective (although the vanishing lines do not converge to a single point), the facades were tilted back (to scale) to delineate the relationship between proposed improvements and building facades. The mile-long project was divided into four zones: Historic, Business, Service (residential) and Lee Circle. Improvements were focused to meet each zone's specific needs, while providing a "family" of urban furnishings. Widened sidewalks provided the space for new activities, with utilization of second floor space as underpinning to the expansion of economic activities. The focal piece was a huge space frame which would interconnect two dreary tall buildings and create a major portal and activity center to the project. This, like many "big ideas" which help win competitions, was later unfortunately abandoned.

To help sell the project to the business community after winning the competition, an 85' long fully articulated model was realized and put on public display containing every tree, graphic, bench, light fixture to be contained within the corridor. After much negotiation, the project was finally brought to fruition. The urban furniture vernacular was modern with "shed-roof" trolley stations (matching the shed-roof style of the American Sector), with its support columns as part of a comprehensive information system created by the designer for the client-- the Downtown Development District. Every site furnishing and urban element was custom-designed by Landscape Architect L. Azeo Torre, FASLA, from the pyramid tree grates (with interior lights creating "line-light" bollards at night) to the St. Charles Bench (now copied by an urban furnishings company under another name) and hose bib posts, signage and vending machines.

The New Basin Canal project came to life as a way to fix the problems created by a flood protection project which virtually bulldozed everything in its path, creating a public outcry over the loss of several beautiful large Oak trees. The Landscape Architect recreated a fun, nautical image to the former historic waterfront resort which had become littered with gas stations, seedy bars and open, vacant fields used for temporary parking. Design Consortium themed the development through historic research and recaptured the image of the old historic waterfront resort with fun and colorful elements, materials and furnishings. To reforest the corridor with proper canopy, Live Oaks were chosen (as they would be the first tree to rise from adjacent wetlands) to achieve an ultimate allee of shade connecting land uses. A diagonal pattern of concrete pavers divided by concrete bands were used to create a sense of movement to the edge of Lake Pontchartrain. A custom-designed light fixture was used to evoke a nautical feeling for the site, capable of mounting banners for waterfront festivals, events, etc. The historic element of carriage rings was added to the light stanchion to underpin the area's former waterfront legacy. The sidewalks were widened to ten feet, with both portals accented by bosques of Cabbage Palms. The streetscape has been very successful in creating a dramatic, positive linkage along the project's half-mile length. New restaurants, waterfront housing and activities have been realized, substantially leveraging the Orleans Levee Board's investment of $2 million.

Although these projects represent a span of over a decade (St. Charles was completed in 1984, New Basin in 1995), both offer the same summary: public investment in proper design recognizably elevates the urban aesthetic, private investment follows to leverage that public commitment. In short, these urban streetscapes not only give us a better quality of life and enjoyment, but are simply good business. lasn