This is the blog that I should have wrote a long time ago. 

 There a are multitude of factors that make Kennedy Square the perfect site for the urban homestead that all us permaculturists have been dreaming of:

1. Politically whatever development happens will include substantial affordable housing.
2. Proximity to the Center for Excellence, and the up and coming biotech research center.
3. 10 acres with no roads to worry about (yet, see my other kennedy square blog.)
4. Proximity to the groovy eastside, downtown, and the soon to be re-dug canal  (we hope) will allow of pedestrian transportation through most of the city.
5. South facing orientation of the strip.
6. The city has already declared that they want it to be a mixed development of greenspace, housing, and commercial.
7. There are another couple of acres of park space that could be transformed from their mundane baseball/basketball court hood into food producing public orchards/grazing space.

I guess that about covers it.  So, how do all of these factors combine to form a vision?  My dream urban homestead:

Naturally built passive solar earthen huts will be constructed at extremely low cost using mostly material available on or near the site.  A large community center will serve the community as a barn, school, commercial kitchen, greenhouse, farm store, and gathering space.

A bike/pedestrian/golf cart path will run through  the center of the strip and continue on through downtown to connect with the creekwalk, and will connect with the pedestrian pathway that is now Erie Boulevard.  Ample amounts of space will be accessible to the general public while also providing food production and grazing space.  Some areas will be communal space for the residents and guests of the homestead, and small areas will be private yards for individual/family use.  

The school will serve multiple functions: 

• Students will take part in the food producing activities of the farm. 
  
• All grades will be integrated, with older student learning to teach and interact with younger students. 
  
• Students, residents, and workers will take part in the construction of natural material low energy affordable housing, as demonstrated on the site, by hands on construction of new units locally and throughout the city.
• It will be a business incubator working with the biotech research center and the center of excellence to turn academic discoveries into solutions for everyday life and jobs.
• It will be a demonstration site hosting  workshops, and giving  tours to the public.
• Students will run the store and have the opportunity to bring their creations to market.

If this idea excites you, please get in touch with me.  As far as I know the fate of most of Kennedy square is still up in the air.  Only 5 acres of the 15 acre site is being developed for the biotech research center.  The cost of demolition is prohibitive for many developers, but I'm sure the demand for housing for medical employees will draw developer soon, so we much act fast.