Rebuilding Communities: Re-Creating Urban Excellence

The book includes case studies of the five winners of the 1993 Rudy Bruner Award, including:

·Harbor Point, Boston, Massachusetts. Renovation of 1504 dilapidated and dangerous public housing units into a 1283-unit, mixed race, mixed income community with integrated social services and a bay-front park.

·New Community Corporation, Newark, New Jersey. One of the oldest community development organizations in the country, providing affordable housing, essential social services, child care centers, training and employment services, health-related services, a K-8 alternative school, and a monthly community newspaper, and owner of several for-profit businesses in the renovated St. Joseph’s Church building.

·Betts-Longworth Historic District, Cincinnati, Ohio. Preservation-based redevelopment plan for a downtown “mini-neighborhood” containing some of the oldest homes in Cincinnati, resulting in the substantial revival of this small neighborhood, including rehabilitation of 200 apartments and homes and building of 60 units of new townhomes.

·Beyond Homelessness, San Francisco, California. A set of projects that deal with many aspects of homelessness and the transition to affordable housing.

·The Park at Post Office Square, Boston, Massachusetts. A 1.7 acre park over a 1,400 space parking garage, intended mainly for passive activities (walking through it, sitting, eating lunch).

In addition to winner case studies, the book contains a distillation of Selection Committee process and discussion.