THE EUROPEAN "NEW TOWN" ACROSS THE GOLDEN HORN
A durum is
a Turkish wrap that is usually filled with typical doner kebab
ingredients.
This place,
open since 1969, specializes in chicken, lamb and adana.
The wrap is
made from lavash or yufka flatbreads.
Durum is a common
street food in Turkey, especially beloved late at night.
THE EUROPEAN "NEW TOWN" ACROSS THE GOLDEN HORN
While more
than a few churches have been converted into mosques in Islamic Turkey, cathedrals,
synagogues and churches – orthodox and modern, do remain.
THE EUROPEAN "NEW TOWN" ACROSS THE GOLDEN HORN
In
19th-century, a traditional tram
trundled along the Grande Rue de Pera connecting Taksim Square
Glatasaray and Tunel Square.
The tram was
taken out of service in 1961, replaced by buses.
After Pera
became Istiklal Caddesi, a pedestrian zone, the Nostalgic Tram was restored
and revived in 1990.
THE EUROPEAN "NEW TOWN" ACROSS THE GOLDEN HORN
The Kılıç Ali Pasha Complex is located in the Tophane neighborhood in Beyoglu.
It consists of a mosque, medrese, hamam, turbe and fountain.
CITIES MUST HEAVILY REGULATE MICROMOBILITY TO PREVENT SIDEWALKS, CROSSWALKS AND ACCESSIBLE ROUTES BLOCKING WHEELCHAIR USERS
If I had a dollar for every time greedy careless scooter companies allowed their devices to block wheelchair access, I’d have enough money to move to a city that cared enough about its people with disabilities to regulate lawless micro mobility.
The city of Miami has created a wild west atmosphere by bending over backwards for several for-profit dockless scooter firms.
Bayfront is littered with more than 100 scooters from a half dozen companies along its Biscayne Boulevard-fronting sidewalk.
Cities that care more about profit than people are shameful and dysfunctional.
THE EUROPEAN "NEW TOWN" ACROSS THE GOLDEN HORN
The Kılıç
Ali Pasha Complex is a mosque complex designed and built between 1580 and
1587.
It was
designed by Mimar Sinan, who at the time was in his 90s.
THE EUROPEAN "NEW TOWN" ACROSS THE GOLDEN HORN
Travel to
any town in Turkey and you are sure to find a tea garden.
In the
larger cities and touristic regions, tea houses welcome the young and old, as
well as many foreigners.
Tea gardens gained
popularity in the 1950s, especially in Istanbul, and were the place where
families went for their social outings.
This garden
in Beyoglu overlooks the Bosphorus.
THE EUROPEAN "NEW TOWN" ACROSS THE GOLDEN HORN
Beyoglu
includes a mix of stylish bohemian districts such as Çukurcuma and Cihangir, Galata
and Karaköy.
THE EUROPEAN "NEW TOWN" ACROSS THE GOLDEN HORN
Beyoglu comes
alive in warmer weather with countless outdoor cafes.
The cuisine,
culture, vibe and atmosphere rivals the best of Paris or New York.
And the fare
costs but a third or half of what it would in those pricy cites.
THE EUROPEAN "NEW TOWN" ACROSS THE GOLDEN HORN
The backstreets
of Beyoglu lend themselves to murals and other artsy activity.
Alleys often
have bohemian coffee shops, clubs and little hole in the wall eating/drinking
establishments.
Lower rents
off the beaten path support all kinds of creative shops.
THE EUROPEAN "NEW TOWN" ACROSS THE GOLDEN HORN
Dondurma
typically includes cream, whipped cream, sugar and salep (ground up tuber of orchid)
and mastic (plant resin).
Two
qualities distinguish Turkish ice cream: hard texture and resistance to
melting, brought on by thickening agents that make it chewy.
Dondurma is
commonly sold from street vendor carts and store fronts.
The mixture
is churned regularly with long-handled paddles to keep it workable.
Vendors
often tease the customer by serving the ice cream cone on a stick, and then
taking away the dondurma with the stick by rotating it around, before finally
giving it to the customer.
CITY OF MIAMI ROUTINELY BLOCKS SAFE PEDESTRIAN AND WHEELCHAIR ACCESS |
| A sign for vehicles blocks the sidewalk to wheelchair users and others on SW 16 Avenue near Coral Way in Miami. A neighbor took pictures, sent a complaint and after waiting more than a month with no answer, the city moved the sign three inches -- and left it still in ADA violation. |
My wife uses
a wheelchair for mobility and she's been going out with me while I continue to
walk to lose weight.
We can
barely make it a few blocks without running up against some kind of obstruction
to the sidewalk – a sign in the middle of it, stop light equipment boxes
blocking it, or cars illegally parked over it perpetually and not one police officer
who cares to ticket that illegal behavior.
This isn't
silly or annoying. It's a death sentence.
When my wife
goes out in the street, she is risking her life.
I’m not
always around to try to guard against bad drivers.
The way
Miami drivers drive, the street could be empty one moment, then a person going
45 mph or faster can turn off another road and plow her over.
She cannot
leap out of the way.
She has a top-of-the-line
wheelchair, but it does not move quickly.
It disgusts
me that every day, our city leaders are on national TV, recruiting tech firms
and giving away public land to billionaire developers.
But they
don't spend 10 minutes taking a common-sense approach to removing barriers and
making sure future public works employees never repeat the same mistakes.
Half the
time when there isn't a sign right in the center of the sidewalk, there are too
many driveways at a sharp angle.
Imagine
being in a wheelchair and riding at a nearly 45-degree angle and hoping gravity
doesn't take over your 200-pound mobility device and flip you into oncoming
traffic or topple over on you -- leading to series injury or your death.
Progressive
cities keep the sidewalks level while using more space for the driveway to go
out into the right of way.
But in Miami,
every yard and right of way has been taken for one more lane of breakneck
traffic -- even on sleepy side streets -- so the sidewalks are ruined.
One day,
they hire a consultant for hundreds of thousands to promote walkability and
bike use.
But the
other 364, they are lazily, stupidly creating danger and chaos.
I'm not
genius, but at 10 years old -- without an engineering, architecture or town
planning degree -- I could have figured out that a sign post (think metal or
huge concrete) blocking the safe pedestrian sidewalk…is a damn dumb idea.
How can
trained professionals paid incredible salaries, with top shelf benefits and an
early retirement age unheard of outside city employment -- keep making the same
idiot moves?
Whenever I
need an image of how NOT to do things (close a city block of desperately needed
sidewalk on Calle 8 for 2 years to allow a developer to profit more) -- I only
have to walk within a mile of my house to get images that show idiotic city
design.
I hate to state
these facts and state them in anger – but when my adopted hometown favors
profit over people 99% of the time, the truth must be shared.
THE EUROPEAN "NEW TOWN" ACROSS THE GOLDEN HORN
Opened in
1876, Çiçek Pasajı is a covered arcade with rows of historic cafes, winehouses
and restaurants.
Following the
Russian Revolution of 1917, many impoverished noble Russian women, including a
Baroness, sold flowers in the arcade, giving the arcade it’s modern Turkish
name of Çiçek Pasajı (Flower Passage).
After the
restoration of the building in 1988, it was reopened as a galleria of pubs and
restaurants.
THE EUROPEAN "NEW TOWN" ACROSS THE GOLDEN HORN
The main
thoroughfare is Istiklal Caddesi running into the neighborhood from Taksim
Square to Tunel.
It is a pedestrian-only mile of shops, cafés,
patisseries, restaurants, pubs and clubs.
It also
features bookshops, theatres, cinemas and art galleries.
Some of
İstiklâl Avenue has a 19th-century metropolitan character.
It is lined
with Art Nouveau and Neoclassical buildings.
THE EUROPEAN "NEW TOWN" ACROSS THE GOLDEN HORN
In 1348 the Genoese built Galata Tower, one of the most prominent landmarks of Istanbul.
Pera (Galata) remained under Genoese control until May 29, 1453, when it was
conquered by the Ottomans, along with the rest of the city, in the Siege
of Constantinople.
THE EUROPEAN "NEW TOWN" ACROSS THE GOLDEN HORN
Beyoğlu is
the most active art, entertainment and nightlife center of Istanbul
ENSURING THE 15-MINUTE CITY SERVES ALL
“So, this
pandemic has only made it more clear that having a decent house to live in is a
human right we should all have.”
ENSURING THE 15-MINUTE CITY SERVES ALL
“Access to
housing was already an increasing and unresolved problem in big cities,” she
said of the necessity of affordable housing in the 15-minute city.
OUR ANGELIC FERAL GINGER CAT
He got his name because he cries like a baby for attention.
He lives for hugs during his visits from the streets of Little Havana.
He gets nervous after
10 minutes inside.
But we are
trying to make him an inside cat
ENSURING THE 15-MINUTE CITY SERVES ALL
O'Rourke said to keep essential workers on the job, cities need better transit.
She said the pandemic has underscored
the need for zoning that facilitates a better built and social environment.
“Communities disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, are also under-served by park space, walkability, traffic safety,” she said.
“Communities need to define their own priorities instead of top-down planning.
Communities need to drive the fine grain development, amenities and
ensure different levels of affordability.”
ENSURING THE 15-MINUTE CITY SERVES ALL
O'Rourke said the 15-minute neighborhood/city cannot be a vision in a report, it has to be a shift of spending.
She said a city budget is a reflection of true priorities – is the
spending on infrastructure for people, or cars?
“COVID has definitely helped people understand the importance of their local neighborhood more than ever,” she said.
“Why the interest in 15-minute neighborhood has sparked again?
If they are able to access all their goods and services within 15-minute walk, it’s so much more convenient in the pandemic.
And people are seeing how convenient a neighborhood is where needs
can be met on foot.”
ENSURING THE 15-MINUTE CITY SERVES ALL
Amanda O'Rourke is Executive Director at 8 80 Cities, a Toronto-based planning firm dedicated to making cities accessible and livable to those ages 8 to 80.
“The vision must not be just about the physical built environment, but also about the social environment -- communities participating and being part of the process.”
“Theoretically, it is very much about creating equitable places,” she added, saying the concept must correct the errors of the last century of planning – which fostered disparity, segregation and worse.
“The details really matter. We must really design cites that promote
health and well-being for all.”
ENSURING THE 15-MINUTE CITY SERVES ALL
Johnson-Wright cited Cambridge, Massachusetts’ Storefront Improvement Program as a model for a public-private partnership resulting in access for all.
“The Program improves the physical appearance of independent businesses and enhances access,” she said of the resource available to property owners and tenants.
“Reimbursement grants range from $2,500 to $35,000, based on the scope of work.
For barrier removal,
there’s a 90 percent matching grant up to $20,000 for ADA improvements to
entrances, including ramps, lifts, doors hardware and automatic openers,
accessible parking and signage.”
ENSURING THE 15-MINUTE CITY SERVES ALL
The 15-minute city cannot be inclusive without a major increase in public spending to boost sidewalk and transit access.
Despite the ADA, which turned 30 last year, requiring readily-achievable barrier removal since 1992 – many buildings have barriers that discourage or out-right prevent disabled people from patronizing local businesses within walking/rolling distance of their homes.
These include steps at entrances,
narrow doorways, too-high counters and inaccessible restrooms.
ENSURING THE 15-MINUTE CITY SERVES ALL
When transit is well
maintained, wheelers can access fixed route buses and trains, as well as
paratransit,” Johnson-Wright noted.
Getting to transit requires smooth
sidewalks with a clear path of travel -- free of obstructions such as signs,
utility poles and, street furniture -- at least 36 inches wide with curb ramps
at every corner.
“Another challenge is the recent proliferation of alternative modes of travel, often billed as `first mile, last mile’ solutions -- such as rentable bikes and motorized scooters,” Johnson-Wright said.
“None of these, including rideshare and car share, is accessible to wheelchair users.
All of this results in social isolation and a serious lack of mobility
for disabled people.”
Believes in you when you start Weight Watchers at age 55, 100-plus pounds overweight and fat for more than four decades running.
Takes joy in your overseas trips -- to exotic and fairly difficult or impossible for accessibility – places.
Supports your healthy lifestyle by marinating chicken breasts, grilling finfish, making salads with berries and splurging with thin crust, lots of red pepper, low fat cheese/sauces and turkey ‘roni home baked pizzas.
Makes wonderful homemade birthday, anniversary and Valentine’s Day cards with stories narrated by cats and historical figures.
Finds cool documentaries, great music and other cool things to share with you.
Loves cats. Period. Indoor, outdoor, at cat cafes, in Rome and Istanbul, in cartoons and YouTube clips.
Our actual anniversary date is June 11, but because of calendar conflicts we are celebrating this weekend.
ENSURING THE 15-MINUTE CITY SERVES ALL
Heidi Johnson-Wright, a law school graduate and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance professional, has used a power wheelchair for mobility for 35 years.
“Many people with disabilities would welcome the benefits of the 15-minute neighborhood because of the reduction of car dependence,” she said.
“Some cannot or do not want to drive.
Many who can
drive cannot afford to buy and insure a vehicle.”
People with disabilities have high rates of unemployment and are more likely to live in poverty than any other minority group.
Those who survive on a monthly government (SSI) benefits check
receive less than $800, which is all they have for rent, food, transportation,
etc.
ENSURING THE 15-MINUTE CITY SERVES ALL
“Transportation and climate crisis are intrinsically linked,” she said. “Everyone doesn’t experience space the same way, so have to be thoughtful.
Public works departments rushed to create outdoor space in response to the pandemic, but they didn’t engage diverse views.
No one asked `If you use a wheelchair, is that sidewalk dining accessible for you?’”
Whether it is called the 15-minute
neighborhood or any other term for a neighborhood with diverse offerings, it
must be designed with inclusion in mind, Butler emphasized. She noted few
cities seek input from the LGBTQ community.
“If you are not bringing in that perspective, you’re missing it,” she said.
Talk to people, have a team full of queer folks talk about their experience.
How does it feel to be trans, to feel different?
How can you create a space where people can be themselves?”
ENSURING THE 15-MINUTE CITY SERVES ALL
“We plan spaces, we like to think we’re planning for every man or every woman --but we’re doing everything based on abled-bodied white folks.
They are
not built in a way that others, people that are different, can relate to or use
them,” Butler said, noting she is proud of her diverse background and hopes the
public realm can be designed for all.
Butler said intersectional planning is
not simply about equity for marginalized people, it also implies connectivity
between related issues that must be considered before a viable, sustainable
decision can be made.
ENSURING THE 15-MINUTE CITY SERVES ALL
Tamika Butler – African American, Lesbian rights advocate, attorney and nonprofit manager -- is Founder + Principal of the transportation and urban planning firm, Tamika L. Butler Consulting.
For me, the approach should be ‘how are we able to do this way in the most intersectional way?’” Butler said.
“Who’s
able to talk about race, gender, trans people, undocumented immigrants – and
how transportation and urban planning must consider a project’s impact through
many lenses.”
Butler works on walking, biking and transportation projects, plus she advises non-profits.
All of the work is done
with clients that buy into the idea of equity, of giving a voice to those who
have been ignored in conventional planning processes.
