by Ann Livingston, Esq.
Director, AIA Center for Communities by Design

Cambridge is a beautiful, historic city of 10,000 on Maryland's Eastern Shore, on the bay at the mouth of the Choptank River. It is also a relatively poor community and has been losing economic ground and population for the past 40 years or more. However, about five years ago it was “discovered.” A huge Hyatt golf resort was built just outside town, and there are now—in a town with an existing housing stock of some 3,800 units—7,000 new housing units in the development pipeline. Markets include second homes, retirement properties, and homes for people who commute an hour and a half (or longer) across the bridge to the Baltimore/Washington corridor. There also is quite an influx of young professionals, artists, and the like buying older houses and fixing them up. Prices are up quite a bit, although still far, far lower than on the other side of the bay.

The single most important fact about Cambridge, perhaps, is that the city traditionally has been and currently remains divided along racial lines. H. Rap Brown became briefly famous here—and people haven't forgotten. It was also the birthplace of Harriet Tubman. In many ways Cambridge has multiple, concurrent rich histories; it also has significant inequities.

In the spring of 2006, the Main Street Program of Cambridge invited the AIA Center for Communities by Design’s R/UDAT program to their city to perform an assessment of how the Cambridge Main Street program could advance its mission for commercial revitalization and economic enhancement of the city’s distinctive and historic core. The application was reviewed by the AIA’s Committee on Design Assistance, the scope of the project was broadened, and both the Cambridge R/UDAT Steering Committee and the R/UDAT program coordinated arrangements for the team to work May 18–22, meeting with the community, seeing various sites within the immediate target area, assessing other areas undergoing change, and visiting yet other parts of town that evoked questions about future development.

The five-day visit consisted of more than 20 concurrent panel interviews, in which more than 110 citizens from various groups presented their perspectives on the strengths, challenges, and opportunities facing the town. In addition, a series of tours conducted by car, trolley, helicopter, and skipjack imparted a real sense of this multifaceted town to the R/UDAT members. These mechanized modes of touring then led to the team walking through the Race Street and Pine Street areas with local guides, seeing the shops, housing, offices, and historic landmarks and potential developments that lend Cambridge’s competitive advantage and are the focus of much of this report’s recommendations.

More than 100 citizens attended a town hall meeting at the Sailwinds on the waterfront overlooking the beautiful Cambridge Creek and Choptank River. A majority of these citizens took time to speak to the R/UDAT members and, more importantly, to each other about their concerns regarding the city’s opportunities, struggles, essential character, shared values, differing viewpoints, and critical concerns. This event concluded in significant fashion with open forums that informed the visiting experts about the citizens’ perspective of the community they call home.

The R/UDAT members comprised a collection of experts in architecture, economic development, housing, urban design, historic preservation, environmental design, and public policy. This group processed the information provided through statistics and ordinances, historic records and images, as well as the strong public engagement previously mentioned to come forward with a series of strategic steps and expected outcomes that will aid the City of Cambridge to realize its potential.

The team’s recommendations range from the evident-and-readily-achievable to the challenging-yet-valuable, from the recognizable to the surprising. In every instance they are the Cambridge R/UDAT’s assessment of what it will take to provide the city with a road map that can guide it to a prosperous future worthy of its illustrious past. This past reflects the lives and contributions of Cambridge’s broad, diverse population; the future that R/UDAT sets forth in the report reflects the community’s deep roots.

The R/UDAT team determined that the approach for the future development of the City of Cambridge must be based upon a clearly articulated set of principles that are interrelated and applicable to the broad range of needs and opportunities facing the city. These guiding principles form the framework which, if implemented in a thoughtful manner, R/UDAT believes will provide the means through which the City of Cambridge may enjoy development that takes advantage of its unique and rich attributes.

Cambridge’s guiding principles

Principle 1: Conserve Community Character
Cambridge boasts a portfolio of natural and manmade assets that must be preserved even as opportunities for change and advancement are pursued. Among these assets are its historic sites, districts, and events; its natural settings that form the edges of the city and connect it to a rich environment throughout the county and region; a carefully crafted scale that makes for comfortable experiences at any range of engagement, whether walking along tree-lined streets or approaching from the Choptank River; and a waterfront that speaks to history and opportunity from land- or bay-side.

Principle 2: Leverage Competitive Advantages
Cambridge should build on its strengths. To develop a sustainable and prosperous economy, the competitive advantages of a location must be fully leveraged to generate economic opportunities. Its competitive advantages are assets and the application of those assets that create value for an industry cannot be easily replicated.

Principle 3: Strengthen Leadership and Cooperation
The successful implementation of these recommendations will be borne of one fundamental principle: leadership. Both short- and long-term successes will result from individual and cooperative initiatives by leaders who see and seize opportunities. To realize these opportunities, government, business, civic, and non-profit leadership will need to intelligently leverage their resources in order to achieve what no one of them can do alone. No one sector of the community can be expected to be the sole catalyst for appropriate planning and implementation, and inherent in the leadership principle is the ability to work effectively across groups and interests.

In the public sector, intergovernmental alliances of mutual interest must be struck in order for Cambridge to access its fair share of available resources from the regional, state, and national levels. These alliances will be formed at the level of elected leaders, appointed officials, and career public servants. The skill set to execute the city’s vision towards its best outcome can be honed by public sector leadership through many resources including the Mayor’s Institute on City Design, and leadership programs for elected leaders, such as at Harvard University.

Principle 4: Value the Heart of Cambridge
Cambridge should recognize its historic core as the anchor of its public life, commercial activity, and regional value. Any project built in this important area should bring a standard of quality in design and use that adds irrefutably to the essential character that makes Cambridge distinctive. The city should first evaluate any potential public project for viable location within the core before considering any remote site.

Principle 5: Encourage Strategic Mixed-Use Infill and Developments
Many historic communities like Cambridge were originally founded and settled with a clear awareness of how the linking of interdependent uses supported their commercial and social success. In looking at new opportunities for revitalization of the historic communities, as well as the development of new, distinctive places, the principle of blending complementary and compatible uses both on site and in their immediate context must be encouraged.

Principle 6: Define and Create Public Domain
Cambridge must look at opportunities from the waterfront to open parcels—from wetlands to boulevards—to create positive public spaces enjoyed by every citizen. By the way in which these spaces are sited, built, and programmed, the city and its partnering agencies must assume the approach that open space is not simply the un-built remnant of developments, but critical components in the overall quality of life for residents and visitors. For many citizens who may never know anywhere else in their lives, Cambridge’s public domain will be the one assurance they have to experience beauty in their world.

Principle 7: Strategically Locate and Plan Attractions and Events
The city should consider locating community attractions in the center of Cambridge and creating a physical connection between attractions; planning community events so that they support businesses in the community and are scheduled in a manner that will enhance participation rather than generate conflicts. The community has a well deserved sense of pride related to its historic assets.

To draw a critical mass of residents and visitors alike, existing attractions should be preserved and new attractions should be located in this area. The attractions should be physically linked in such a way that an exciting and cohesive sense of place is created; people should be able to safely explore the area without having to return to their vehicles and, as a result, discover new aspects over time as they return.

In addition to preserving and creating attractions in the center of Cambridge, one way to enhance the sense of community and draw visitors to the city is to continue to host events, such as the Jazz Fest and Heritage Day Events as well as the Blackwater Eagleman Triathalon. Ideas for additional events that focus on Cambridge’s assets should be explored—the city’s strong maritime heritage, African American history, arts community, and other assets may provide opportunities for new events. A calendar of local events should be maintained in a centralized location to ensure that the events are scheduled in a manner that will maximize attendance and support local businesses.

Principle 8: Create Day/Night Vibrancy
To create a vibrant and thriving downtown, the appropriate attractions and amenities catering to the right audiences are needed. For instance, the Arts and Entertainment District needs to be populated with restaurants, theaters, galleries, and other venues that can provide a day and nightlife. Given Cambridge’s population size, multi-purpose venues (e.g., a location that can operate as a performing arts center, art gallery and movie theater) should be used efficiently.

Principle 9: Connect the Fabric—Linking the Key Places That Define Cambridge
Cambridge enjoys an embarrassment of riches: Cambridge Creek; the historic district including Race and Pine Streets; the Long Wharf; Blackwater Natural Wildlife Refuge; the Choptank River; the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay; neighborhoods, parks, and walkable streets; and a regional network of parks, creeks, and open space. Each attribute is an amenity in its own right, however, they require thoughtful connection to fully realize their benefit as synergistic components for this beautiful region and community. A range of opportunities exist to connect these nodes, such as trails, pedestrian paths, secondary waterways, bike lanes, linear parks, and enhanced transit in addition to streets. Also, the use of strategically placed parking decks can serve as transitional gateways from the car to the sidewalk for many visitors who want to engage Cambridge in the manner in which it was originally developed and is still best enjoyed.

Principle 10: Provide Equal Access to Economic Opportunities
A market-driven economic model that creates jobs by leveraging a location’s competitive advantages to retain, attract, and grow businesses is one very important aspect of economic development. Just as important to job creation is connecting residents to jobs that already exist and preparing them for jobs expected in the future. Therefore, workforce development must be a key component of any economic development plans.

Small and emerging businesses increasingly are becoming the backbone of Cambridge’s economy. Providing support and encouraging entrepreneurship, especially for minority and woman-owned business, is another important component of economic development plans.

Principle 11: Preserve and Create Positive Activities for Existing and Future Residents
Healthy communities embrace the diversity of their populations and seek to promote their inclusion within the social and economic fabric. This diversity in Cambridge spans across: all age groups from children to teenagers and young adults and seniors; family composition, from young families to single parents to empty nesters; racial and ethnic backgrounds, from the existing African-American and white families to the burgeoning Hispanic and Asian populations; and life course, from recent college graduates and young professionals to semi-retired and retired individuals who are moving to the community in increasing numbers.

Principle 12: Promote Sustainable Communities Within Cambridge
As Cambridge continues to evolve, the city must continue to address and meet core needs of both existing and future residents. These include availability of a diversity of housing types and arrangements from affordable to high-end housing; the access to quality educational, health-care, and other social services; and the ability to live in safe and nurturing environments. The achievement and maintenance of these well-rounded communities requires the involvement of not only the public sector but also of place-based community organizations that advocate for and address the needs of their residents.

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