The Planning and Principles of Columbia: A Study of the Rouse Company’s New Town Model

Respect for the Environment and the Problem of Sprawl

• James Rouse critiqued the activity of urban sprawl, stating that it "squanders the resources of nature."
• He argued that unorganized development leads to land being "up for grabs," which causes significant suffering for the environment.
• In a speech delivered on 04/19/1966, Rouse expressed that the disruption of the natural environment fundamentally takes away "man's hope for dignity, beauty, growth."
• Planning for Columbia included specific protections for the landscape:     - There were $3,400\,\text{acres}$ of designated open space where development is strictly prohibited.     - Notable protected areas include Symphony Woods.     - The infrastructure includes $114$ pathways (noted as "bottles of pathways" in transcripts).     - Three man-made lakes were created specifically in natural flood plains.
• Rouse Company planners worked with the natural topography rather than imposing a pre-set plan. If experts advised against a lake in a specific spot because of the land's natural state, the planners followed that guidance.
• The Columbia Association was established as the organization responsible for continuing to look after the environmental standards of the community.

Inclusivity, Diversity, and Social Planning

• Inclusivity and diversity were central to Rouse’s vision for developing Columbia, which was considered highly advanced for its time.
• Timeline of development:     - The Rouse Company began planning Columbia in $1963$.     - Columbia officially opened in $1967$ (marking its first birthday).     - The Fair Housing Act was passed in $1968$, legally ending housing discrimination. Columbia had already been implementing non-discriminatory practices for a year before it was legally required.
• Housing diversity was used as a mechanism to ensure a diverse population:     - Options included apartments, condos, and single-family homes.     - The archive contains records of $178$ different builders.     - Low-income housing was a core component.
• The Columbia Interfaith Housing Corporation was founded in $1967$ by religious organizations to develop and manage affordable housing.
• Reverend John Walsh was a primary driving force behind the success of the affordable housing program.

Racial Integration and the "Color Blind Memo"

• Malcolm Sherman, the Vice President of residential land sales and marketing, was a key figure in Rouse's team dedicated to integration.
• Rouse and Sherman were proactive in preventing housing segregation. In $1967$, Sherman suspected a builder and their realtor were actively segregating streets.
• They utilized "dummy families" to test these suspicions. When the discrimination was confirmed, Rouse removed the builder from the Columbia project.
• The "Color Blind Memo" was subsequently sent to all remaining builders and realtors. Rouse wrote: "It is our hope that Columbia's policy as to race may be so clear and vivid from the beginning that it will be unmistakable to everyone."
• Rouse also sent a memo to all Rouse Company employees regarding race relations, stating that people had been historically denied opportunities for education, employment, housing, medical care, and self-respect.
• Rouse and Sherman maintained active surveillance at the neighborhood level, even monitoring individual cul-de-sacs to ensure they did not become segregated.

The Economic Principle: Make a Profit

• The principle of making a profit was essential to provide the means for Columbia to continue its development and maintain its economic structure.
• Location Strategy:     - The site was intentionally chosen between Baltimore and Washington, D.C.     - These two cities were already established economic hubs, and the development was positioned to work between them.
• Land Use and Employment:     - Specific land was zoned for industrial and business centers.     - The company actively recruited businesses like Hittman and Associates.     - Village centers were designed to provide a full spectrum of employment, from large companies to smaller local shops.
• Commercial Infrastructure:     - Office buildings were specifically planned to invite businesses into the community.     - Woodward & Lothrop was the first major "anchor store" recruited for the town.     - Minority businesses were explicitly sought out and invited to Columbia to support the "growth of people" principle.
• Economic information was shared through publications like the Columbia Today magazine (which is now digitized).

Marketing the "Next America"

• Infrastructure construction began in $1966$.
• The first area developed was the lakefront along Lake Hinrichton.
• The Exhibit Center (housed in the building with the red roof) was one of the first structures.
• The center featured an exhibit titled "The Next America," which presented the planning concepts for Columbia in an exhibit style.
• Marketing flow: Visitors would tour the exhibit and then meet with realtors who would take them to view specific lots and model homes for purchase.
• Columbia was marketed as the premier example of what American cities could do to provide for community needs.

Historical Evaluation and the 50th Anniversary

• As an archivist, the speaker notes that their purpose is to provide information rather than promotion; however, as a historian, they argue that Columbia "worked" because it followed Rouse's blueprint.
• While not every aspect succeeded (transportation being a cited failure), the city remains physically and socially dynamic.
• The community is not stagnant; it changes as the values of its people change.
• The month of the presentation marked Columbia’s $50^{th}$ birthday.
• The speaker concludes that Columbia's success is defined by the ongoing goal of bettering the lives of those who live and work there.

Questions & Discussion

• Archive Policy and Access: A participant (Tina Sinclair Smith, a "daughter of pioneers") questioned the archive's appointment-only policy. The archivist explained that the archive is not a welcome center or a library. With only two staff members, appointments ensure they can provide the best possible service for researchers looking at the collection.
• Current Redevelopment: There is a discussion about Howard Hughes (the current developers) possibly building a new library on the lakefront and potentially tearing down the Central Branch. This is a current "talk of the town" in Columbia.
• Architectural History: The architect Frank Gehry started his career in Columbia. Rouse was known for hiring talented architects who often became world-renowned later.
• Zoning and Local Governance: When asked how Rouse worked with Howard County officials, it was explained that he had to present a massive model of Town Center and Wilde Lake Village to get zoning rights.
• Taxes and the Columbia Association: To prevent existing Howard County residents from being burdened by taxes for the new city's development, the Columbia Association was created as a separate entity to fund the new town's infrastructure and services.
• Street Names and Identity: The Post Office requested that Columbia not use existing names. Rouse's team used literary and artistic references (e.g., Lord of the Rings, various poets, painters) to name streets. An online database exists for residents to search the origin of their street names.
• Financial Contributions: It was noted that proceeds from the sale of posters, books, and t-shirts benefit the archive, though entry to the event was free ($0.0$ cost).