In September 2008, WRT Principal Kathy Garcia and Landscape Designer Jennifer Martel joined 27 other young designers in New Buffalo, Michigan for the second Xtreme LA event. Sponsored by site furniture manufacturer Landscape Forms and co-sponsored by The Landscape Architecture Foundation, the event brought together the designers for an intense three-day planning charrette. The purpose of the event was for the designers to brainstorm a design and development strategy for New Buffalo, a town that currently has no such strategy. The designers were divided into three teams and challenged to present their designs to the mayor and residents of the town.

1. WHERE IT IS
NEW BUFFALO 20/20 VISION

2. THE LUMBER INDUSTRY
THE HARBOR STRUGGLES: 1838-1975
THE RAILROAD BOOMS: 1847; 1870
TOURISM THRIVES 1900-present
WHERE IT’S BEEN
NEW BUFFALO 20/20 VISION

3. WHY PEOPLE COME
NEW BUFFALO 20/20 VISION

4. The N Buffalo / Vision
Th New B ff l 20/20 Vi i
works within natural systems to reveal and capitalize on the
region’s unique natural resources :
•hydrology
•wind
•circulation
•migration
migration
•vegetation
•growth
WHERE IT’S GOING
NEW BUFFALO 20/20 VISION

5. ASSUMPTIONS:
• population increase to 10,000 residents by 2020
• transportation improvements with new Amtrak station
• movement toward a more permanent community
• increased recognition o what it wants to be
c e sed ecog o of so
STRATEGIES:
• improve natural and designed infrastructure
• reference history and natural resources
• sequence arrival through gateways and thresholds
i lh h d h h ld
NEW BUFFALO 20/20 VISION

6. LAND USE FRAMEWORK
NEW BUFFALO 20/20 VISION

7. Jetty
Galien River Bridge
Train St ti
T i Station
Whittaker Street
Natural Greenway Connection
Visitors’ Center
Gateway Bridge
MASTER PLAN
NEW BUFFALO 20/20 VISION

8. GATEWAY BRIDGE
NEW BUFFALO 20/20 VISION

9. GATEWAY BRIDGE
NEW BUFFALO 20/20 VISION

10. VISITOR CENTER
NEW BUFFALO 20/20 VISION

11. MAIN STREET
NEW BUFFALO 20/20 VISION

12. section plan
WHITTAKER STREET
NEW BUFFALO 20/20 VISION

13. TRAIN STATION
NEW BUFFALO 20/20 VISION

14. TRAIN STATION
NEW BUFFALO 20/20 VISION

15. GALIEN RIVER BRIDGE
NEW BUFFALO 20/20 VISION

16. GALIEN RIVER BRIDGE
NEW BUFFALO 20/20 VISION

17. JETTY
NEW BUFFALO 20/20 VISION

18. JETTY
NEW BUFFALO 20/20 VISION

19. You can see Chicago from New Buffalo,
but more importantly, y
p y, you’ll see New Buffalo from Chicago.
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