by Ryan Bowman | Jul 8, 2022 | Landscape Architecture
This high altitude flower may stop you during a hike along the Front Range due to the plant’s showy flowers and leathery leaves. This is the start of a list of plants that are found above 9,500 ft in the Pikes Peak Region. These are not in any order, just plants...
by John W. Olson | Apr 22, 2022 | Events, Landscape Architecture, Urban Planning and Design
It’s Earth Day, so of course, it made perfect sense to plant a tree! Because, we are a Landscape Architecture office, there were a few choices where we could plant a tree. This year, we decided to do so at Working Fusion – Colorado Springs’ Own Tiny...
by John W. Olson | Nov 27, 2021 | Comprehensive Planning and Codes, Streetscapes, Town Planning, Urban Renewal
In 2015, I was approached by former Mayor (2017-2019) of Manitou Springs, Ken Jaray, on behalf of the Friends of Ruxton Canyon to study Ruxton Avenue. The task of the Friends Group was to gather data about how Ruxton Avenue corridor was used by pedestrians, cyclists...
by John W. Olson | Nov 20, 2021 | Comprehensive Planning and Codes, Streetscapes, Urban Planning and Design, Urban Renewal, Urbanism
Old Colorado CIty (OCC) boasts wonderful brick buildings along Colorado Avenue and has the City’s highest concentration of Victorian Homes. It is a neighborhood in Colorado Springs rich with history. “Colorado City,” as it was once known, actually...
by John W. Olson | Nov 14, 2021 | Business, Comprehensive Planning and Codes, Landscape Architecture, Urbanism
The holidays are coming and today, I reflect back on the past two years of Urban Landscapes. Urban Landscapes, LLC was technically created as a business December 1, 2019. The idea and even somewhat of the name of the company has been in place since March, 2010. In the...
by John W. Olson | Oct 4, 2021 | Sustainability, Town Planning, Urban Planning and Design, Urbanism
It’s hard to believe that it has been a decade since our Labor Day visit to South Main. This Labor Day (2021), we did it again. My kids have certainly grown since the last visit and my son, Grant, was born between visits. Similarly, the neighborhood has also...
by John W. Olson | May 18, 2021 | Landscape Architecture, Streetscapes, Urban Interventions, Urbanism
This coming Saturday, we’ll be constructing the parklet at Bread & Butter! I’m so excited to see the store & it’s success to date, Stacey, Aubrey & their team have done a phenomenal job! The following is some prior ink about the store. If...
by John W. Olson | Mar 7, 2020 | Landscape Architecture, Streetscapes, Urban Interventions, Urbanism
It has been a pleasure to work with Stacey Poore and Aubrey Day in developing imagery for Bread & Butter Neighborhood Market, opening this summer in Downtown Colorado Springs! The Colorado Springs Gazette recently published an article on the upcoming market, as...
by John W. Olson | Dec 2, 2019 | Landscape Architecture, Sustainability, Urban Planning and Design
We have a commitment to creating a better Colorado Springs. With that, I am proud to have worked with several non-profit organizations or funded projects while at ALC. I have a great deal of compassion for each of the organizations that we worked with. As a result, I...
by John W. Olson | Dec 9, 2017 | Streetscapes, Town Planning, Urban Interventions, Urban Planning and Design, Urbanism
A few years ago, my good friend Nick Kittle asked for what he called a “list of ten”. For some background, Nick was the Public Works Director at the time, and I often challenged him on what could be done in Colorado Springs. The “list of ten”,...
