Author Archives: Brian

Night Pictures by the Hotel

By Brian | Published: November 17, 2009
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I’m not a photographer. Apologies to all.

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Smaller City Blocks

By Brian | Published: November 16, 2009

I’m back from Philadelphia and during my time exploring the city I noticed something really neat about the city blocks in south-eastern Center City. Most of the blocks have alleyways or dividing streets making them significantly smaller than the other…

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Updates

By Brian | Published: November 8, 2009

I think I’ve slept in seven different bed the past seven nights. I am literally living out of my suitcase and it’s exhausting. I’m in Philadelphia for the APHA Conference for the next several days, and after working in a hotel…

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My Sabbath

By Brian | Published: November 3, 2009

sabbath |ˈsabəθ|
noun
1 (often the Sabbath) a day of religious observance and abstinence from work, kept by Jews from Friday evening to Saturday evening, and by most Christians on Sunday.

Elizabeth and I have started a new ritual for Sundays that we are basing…

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State Owned Property

By Brian | Published: October 31, 2009
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The next location of my abandoned spaces project seems to be state owned property of the NCDOT. This entire block of Campbell St. in Wilmington is lined with mostly charming buildings that are full of character. It also looks like…

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N. Front and Brunswick Street Images

By Brian | Published: October 26, 2009
Here are some images from an abandoned building that was a shipping center. It is huge, spanning the entire block of North Front Street and Brunswick Street down to Nutt Street. I can't imagine how valuable this land must be. (Read More)
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16th and Queen St. Images

By Brian | Published: October 19, 2009
Business in the front, party in the back. Here are some images of a very interesting building on the corner of 16th and Queen St. I spoke with a nice gentleman who is leasing the building next door and he told me that this building use to be a military hanger and the arched section in the back was once twice as long, extending into what is now a parking area. I'm not sure when the hanger area was shortened to its current length. I will have a lot more to say on these places later, as I am currently writing an essay on the value of public space and the effects of abandoned places in an urban environment. (Read More)
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Surrey St. Images

By Brian | Published: October 16, 2009
Here are some images from part 1 of my abandoned spaces adventures. I am in the process of writing a much longer essay on the issues of urban spaces and abandoned urban areas. Before I'm done with it I hope to have visited and taken pictures of several more spots similar to this one in downtown Wilmington. I've done a lot of research on this area and I've learned a lot, but if you know anything about the area around 800 Surrey St. just south of the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge, let me know. (Read More)
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The Cape Fear Skyway

By Brian | Published: October 15, 2009
The Cape Fear Skyway is a proposed 9.5 mile roadway/ 165-187 foot cable-stayed bridge that would connect New Hanover and Brunswick Counties. It would also be the region's first toll roadway. This project has already gone through countless changes, but as I understand it now, the Skyway would connect U.S. 17 in Brunswick County to the intersection of Carolina Beach Road and Independence Boulevard in Wilmington. The precise route will be determined later in the planning process. According to news station WWAY, "Previous plans for the bridge would cut directly in to the Brunswick County subdivision, Snee Farm. Wednesday, two new ideas were proposed. They would bypass residential areas, and go north of the Brunswick Forest subdivision. Brunswick County officials are generally in favor of those plans." (Read More)
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The Lost Generation

By Brian | Published: October 13, 2009

Via The Lost Generation

For people just starting their careers, the damage may be deep and long-lasting, potentially creating a kind of “lost generation.” Studies suggest that an extended period of youthful joblessness can significantly depress lifetime income as people get stuck…

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