East St. Louis - A Region Transformed

Greening for Urban Revitalization

R. Umashankar

Open space is usually viewed as a community asset. In the case of East St. Louis the perception is often the opposite -- abandoned, wasted, hazardous. Gradual erosion of the city by dereliction of propoerty and land has resulted in a ragged structure of gaps and pockets where revitalization appears difficult and unlikely. The city's sense of place and identity might be regained through "green" strategies using plantings to replace the lost structures with a productive landscape.

Contents:

• Introduction
• The Need
• The Project
• Urban Landscape Analysis Themes
• A conceptual masterplan

East St. Louis Action Research Project