Author: Mallory Baches

Often, it takes stepping back from one’s home environment to really understand it – to understand how and why things work or don’t work, and what makes it a truly great place to live. I recently took a vacation to the beautiful mountain town of Jackson Hole, WY. While most of the trip was dedicated to nature (T1 if you’d like to classify it by transect zone!), I went to town – the actual town of Jackson Hole – a couple of times to enjoy dinner, shopping and the Saturday Farmer’s Market. Those trips, along with a few statistics I picked up while visiting, led me to compare this western town with the City of Beaufort. Here’s what I discovered:

When you hear the phrase “vibrant college town,” what image comes to mind? If you are like many people I know, it’s probably not downtown Beaufort and USCB’s Historic Beaufort Campus.

Prior to the 1950s, civic institutions were the icons of towns and cities throughout America. The City Hall, the Courthouse Square, the Fire Station, the Theater, Churches – many of these still exist as focal points of towns and cities around our state and are emblematic of their context and community. Drawings and etchings of them are found in city seals and logos. Their presence and frequent representation boldly declares, “This place is founded upon civic pride.”

  Using local food sources to nourish our children during the school day makes a lot of sense, especially with the agricultural history of Beaufort. What we are finding is that it may not be as easy as it sounds…   There is a lot of excitement brewing in our county, and in the nation, about farm to school programs. Nothing could make more sense. We are facing serious problems of obesity in among school age children in Beaufort County. We are also learning from recent studies that eating habits matter even more than exercise when it comes to obesity (Harvard School of Public Health, June 2011). We have a tremendous growing season in the Lowcountry and a fantastic variety and quantity of fresh fruit and vegetables on our farms.

 Everyone needs to eat; that is a fact of life. Food is personal. It can be fun, therapeutic, family-building, nostalgic, or just simply nourishing. Considering most of us have such a personal relationship with our food, the interesting fact is that most of what we eat is impacted by the global economy.

… for the FUN of it!   One aspect of good city design and planning is retrofitting –...

  Here in the Lowcountry, one has only to look as far as Savannah and Charleston to see examples of places planned around safety and security. Remnants of the original city wall that protected Charleston still are visible beneath the old Exchange Building. And Savannah’s beloved squares that pattern the city were based upon the design of military camps and used for regular military exercises and drills, all in preparation to defend the small, compact settlement on the water. Beyond these camps and walls lay the agricultural lands that fed the cities, ample area to produce everything the citizens needed, literally right outside their limits of development.

  Last month, Beaufort’s newly formed, Office of Civic Investment presented the results of their week long charrette for downtown Beaufort.  Represented were an exceptional range of ideas for infill, redevelopment and extension of the downtown core.  The team offered proposals for where we build, what we build and how we build.  Including both private and public sectors, they set forth alternatives to calm thoroughfares, celebrate the pedestrian, enhance existing and add new civic spaces, re-activate and grow commerce, and provide a broader range of  dwelling options.

  Res Privata or the Private Realm is the main fabric of our communities and daily lives.  It, along with Res Publica – the Public Realm – form the Complete City or Civitas. (The Public Realm and the Complete City have been described in previous articles.)   These two Realms, public and private, describe the physical built form and fabric or the “hardware” of a city.  One without the other is not complete and each realm will contribute to the true nature of a community or place.

  On Thursday, April 21, the CNU Carolinas Chapter is hosting Mary Newsom from Charlotte, NC, at 6:30 pm in the TCL auditorium. She’ll be speaking to Beaufort about the realities of living in, growing and sustaining a vibrant place. Newsom is an associate editor and op-ed columnist for The Charlotte Observer and has been covering growth, neighborhoods, urban design, sustainable development and related topics since 1995.