Orange: A Just & Beautiful City 07050

Orange You Glad You're on Main Street?

2011-07-21T13:12:00.000-07:00

We got off to a quick start when Zach burst into UofO HQ and said, “I’m ready for action.”

In spite of the HOT HOT HOT weather (96 degrees but felt like 115), our intrepid Orange Main Street crew surveyed 75 Main Street businesses between Scotland Road and Center Street. We were all impressed by the range of businesses we encountered in so few blocks including: awesome clothing store (shout out to the Vault), an eye doctor, a photo studio (they’ll give you a makeover so you look good in your pics), lots of good food (of course), an old school pharmacy, a travel agent, a hair braiding shop in a basement (also a nursery) and a bookkeeping business (that has a lot more to it than meets the eye).

Doesn't this sign just suck you right in? (haha)

Who says you can't have your music, phone, disco ball, and jewelry all in one store?!

We caught up with old friends (Loi at Golden Krust) and made some new ones (Manny at the Vault gave Bette some Miami fashion tips).

Now we are tallying our results and about to head out for ice cream stop #2. The first was J. F. Kennedy fried chicken where Iana and Michele sampled cherry vanilla and cookies and cream flavors. The action doesn’t stop here. Our team is ready to take on the rest of Main Street in the very near future.

Restoring a City, 9 Elements At a Time

2011-07-12T09:22:00.000-07:00

What makes New York City so different from Norwich? What makes Chicago so different Collinsville? What makes San Diego so different Vernon? (hint: it isn't the traffic)

8 days from now, the University of Orange will begin unraveling the answers.

THIS?

or THAT?

American cities are fractured physically and socially by policies that enforce segregation and development that tears apart neighborhoods. We can end this cycle by re-knitting our social ties and creating wonderful urban landscapes. Based around Dr. Mindy Fullilove's new book "The Elements of Urban Restoration: Repairing American Cities After Blight, Flight and Disinvestment," the Summer Session urbanism seminar promises to expose unsustainable city practices and enlighten participants on the solutions through Fullilove's theory. The detailed seminar will review the necessary steps to healing, repairing and preparing cities for bright futures.

From what we learn in this seminar, we will start to revitalize Orange. One element at a time.

The Seminar starts at 9:30 a.m. on July 20th at IronWorks.
Please REGISTER for free at www.universityoforange.org before July 20th to attend this urbanism seminar and all other Summer Session events!

For more information on Summer Session, call 973-678-3110 ext.35

10th Annual Valley Arts Music and Poetry (VAMP) Festival this weekend!

2011-06-09T12:26:00.000-07:00

The Valley Arts District lives up to its name with the 10th Annual VAMP Festival this weekend. With all kinds of vendors, local artists, musical acts, spoken word, and some good food, its sure to be a great time.
Two specific activities you should make sure to stop by are:
A "yarn bomb" installation by Jody Leight for International Yarn Bomb Day and frisbee decorating at the
U of O table for our Ultimate Frisbee Tournament on Sunday.
Event Details:
This Saturday, June 11th, from 11am-5pm at the Valley Triangle Park (intersection of Valley St and Forest Ave in front of Hat City Kitchen).
See you there!

Join Us and Compete To Be Hat City's Ultimate Frisbee Champion!

2011-06-01T10:01:00.000-07:00

    Tired of looking for a place to play your favorite sport? Tired of having to wait for available courts and fields? Tired of carrying so much equipment that you're tired before even playing?
    All these issues are resolved as long as you have a tiny flying disc.
    Every major sport can be a hassle to play; basketball and tennis need courts, football and soccer need fields, hockey and skating need rinks. The simplistic joy of playing sports is missing, EXCEPT when it comes to the game of Ultimate, originally known as Ultimate Frisbee.
    Not many sports can call themselves "ultimate" but with a small flying disc and a group of friends, you can play a fun sport unlike all others.

Ultimate is for the spontaneous athlete who disregards the playing field. In regions where courts are destroyed, fields are torn apart, and rinks are ... nonexistent, the sport of Ultimate remains a permanent go-to option. All that's required is a disc and competition.
There is no prototype Ultimate player. The wide array of players allows for unpredictable competition and never-ending excitement.
To prove how exhilarating Ultimate can be, we will be hosting a Ultimate Frisbee Hat Tournament between 6 teams ready to duke it out at Central Playground for the title of Hat City's Ultimate Frisbee Champions!

    Join us on Sunday, June 12th to witness the ultimate in competition on 400 Central Avenue from 12:00pm to 3:00pm.
    All players are welcome! There will be a FREE beginner's clinic from 12:00pm to 1:00pm with experts Emilio Panasci and Paul Lacy.
    All participants will be leaving with a keepsake frisbee to continue their Ultimate experience wherever they go.
    Register Here! individually or with a team!

Join us for Placemaking 3: the River, the Bench, and the Tree this Friday & Saturday!

2011-04-07T12:32:00.000-07:00

We would like to invite you to join us for Placemaking 3: The River, The Bench, and The Tree. Placemaking is an annual event held by the University of Orange to bring people together to envision the future of our city. This year’s theme is how to improve public spaces in the city. Placemaking will take place over three days, all of which you are welcome to attend:

· Friday, April 8^th from 4:30-5:30 we will be planting a tree in Monte Irvin Orange Park. Trees contribute to beautification of the landscape, increased property values, and health of people and the environment. This tree will be dedicated to Kelli Copeland, a dear friend of ours who worked at HANDS, Inc., and who passed away suddenly earlier this year. Our long term goal is to plant many more trees throughout the city. A reception will follow at the Harmony Bar.

· Saturday, April 9^th is the main Placemaking event. It will be 10am-4pm at the Family Success Center, 170 Scotland Rd. Participants can attend morning workshops including: Great Plaza-Vibrant City, Youth Urbanism, Rent Control, and Green Homeownership 101. In the afternoon will be Battle of the Benches. Benches made by local citizens will be displayed and winners will be chosen by both a panel of judges and the votes of Placemaking participants. We hope this temporary installation will show the potential the plaza has to be a vibrant public space and start a conversation about what the residents of Orange would like to see in the plaza. Free lunch and childcare will be provided for this event.

· Saturday, April 23^rdwill be a cleanup the Rahway River in honor of Earth Day. We will also create art with found objects and clear out the lot behind the Harvard Printing Site. Since many people don’t even realize there is a river here, the main goal of this event is to raise awareness and get people involved. The cleanup will be from 10am-12 noon. Meet in the Krauszer’s parking lot at the corner of Central Ave and Scotland Rd.

We hope that you can join us for some or all of these events to help envision the future of Orange! We want it to belong to everyone, and everyone should have a part in shaping it.

Please REGISTER here: http://www.universityoforange.org/placemakingreg.html

If you have any questions please email universityoforange@gmail.com or call (973)678-3110 ext.35

Meet UofO's 2011 Urbanists-in-Residence: Tim Delorm and Lourdes Hernandez-Cordero

2011-02-10T12:23:00.000-08:00

The University of Orange is please to announce our 2011 Urbanists-in-Residence Tim Delorm and Lourdes Hernandez-Cordero.

Join us in welcoming them and learning from them at Placemaking 3: The River, The Bench and The Tree. Saturday April 9 at the Family Success Center, 170 Scotland Road, Orange, NJ.

Timothy N. Delorm, L.L.A., P.P.
President, TerraNoble Design

Tim Delorm founded TerraNoble Design with the aspiration of creating symbiotic relationships between people, place, and nature, thereby achieving truly sustainable solutions to the world’s pressing problems. He believes it is not sufficient to make things less unsustainable, rather we must strive to create regenerative projects that establish an intricate web of interrelationships between natural, socio-economic and man-made systems. Tim has practiced for three decades as an urban designer and landscape architect with two of the globe's most prominent design offices, Hellmuth, Obata & Kassabaum, PC and EDAW, Inc.

He has a broad range of project experience ranging from regenerating urban neighborhoods to the creation of new conservation community master plans to public parks and gardens. In each of these areas of practice Tim is known as an active listener, committed collaborator, accomplished facilitator and presenter, principled creative designer and technically accomplished professional.

He appears regularly before state and municipal agencies and boards to provide expert testimony in the securing of entitlements. His attention to detail in understanding and addressing regulatory requirements and potential community impacts within the context of local policy enable him to address key concerns early in project development.

Lourdes J. Hernández-Cordero, DrPH

Assistant Professor of Clinical Sociomedical Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University

Dr. Hernández-Cordero came to the U.S. in 1996 after completing her undergraduate work in Industrial Biotechnology - a degree combining Chemical Engineering and Microbiology. Born and raised in Puerto Rico, she moved to the United States to attend graduate school. She joined the faculty at SMS upon completing her doctorate in 2004. Her dissertation focused on the role of organizations in community mobilization for trauma recovery post the 9/11 disaster. She conducted her postdoctoral studies at the Conservatoire Nationale des Arts et Metiers in Paris, under the guidance of Michel Cantal Dupart. As part of the Community Research Group at Columbia, she has been able to combine her interest in community mobilization and the application of research. The relationships built with local organizations as a Program Coordinator for the Northern Manhattan Community Voices Collaborative has served as the foundation for her work and are the topic of the book she coedited with Dr. Allan Formicola - Mobilizing the Community for Better Health. She is currently leading the community mobilization efforts of the Columbia Center for Youth Violence Prevention. In addition, she is spearheading the CLIMB (City Life is Moving Bodies) project, a concerted effort in collaboration with northern Manhattan based organizations to promote physical activity. Lourdes lives in northern Manhattan with her husband Rojelio Rodriguez and their three little birds Diego, Alma and Elisa.

Welcome Lourdes and Tim and thank you for being with us this year!

New for 2011: University of Orange launches January Term Certificate Program

2010-12-28T10:43:00.000-08:00

University of Orange is pleased to announce its first program of 2011 and its first certificate program: Jan Term.

UofO Jan Term is a two-week moderately intensive UofO urbanism immersion experience. This program is ideal for students on winter break or those with a flexible schedule that enables them to take courses during the day. Students will deepen their understanding of urbanism and gain hands-on experience.

Requirements:

Urbanism Seminar: Youth Urbanism

Professor: Mindy Fullilove, MD

This course will review the theory and practices of youth urbanism through film, guest lectures, and short readings. The three-part series will culminate in the completion of a poster for presentation at a scientific meeting. All students will be co-authors of the posters.

i8inorange

Students are required to familiarize themselves with the content on i8inorange.blogspot.com and in Two Tons of Yum and to complete at least one piece of culinary writing to be published.

Placemaking Volunteering

Help UofO prepare for our annual Placemaking event. Our theme is Placemaking 3: the River the Bench and the Tree.

Where and When

Urbanism Seminar: Wednesday Jan. 5^th, 11am-1pm; Friday Jan. 7^th, 11am-1pm; Wednesday Jan.12^th, 10am-12 noon at Dr. Fullilove’s studio, The Bakery, 501 Central Ave Orange, NJ

I8inOrange and Placemaking Volunteering: scheduled according to individual student, at HANDS Inc, 15 S. Essex Ave, Orange NJ.

To Register:

Contact universityoforange@gmail.com or 973 678-3110 ext: 24

ANNOUNCING: For the 2011 Placemaking Conference, the 1st ever, BATTLE OF THE BENCHES!

2010-11-04T14:05:00.000-07:00

Right now, Tony Galento Plaza is a boring, underutilized public space in the heart of Orange. But it could be so much more! Situated between bustling Main St and the Orange train station, this plaza could be much more engaging for the many people who pass through it on a daily basis. To give people just a glimpse of the different possibilities, HANDS Inc and University of Orange are holding a "Battle of the Benches" contest for the 2011 Placemaking Conference. All benches will be temporarily placed in Tony Galento Plaza. The Placemaking Conference will be Saturday, April 9th, 2011, so all benches must be ready by that date. There are 7 categories benches can be entered in: Urban Re-usal, Orange Metal, Biobenches, Orange Pride, School Days, People's Choice, and Benchmark. There will be cash prizes for winning entries! See below for rules and category details. Enter your bench here!

Official Rules:

Battle of the Benches

Contestants, Winners, and Prizes

1. The winning benches of each category will be publicly recognized as examples of outstanding public design.

2. Winning entrant will automatically qualify as a judge for subsequent Orange Bench Competitions.

3. The winning entrant of each category shall receive a cash reward of $500. For Benchmark, the second place entrant will receive $250 and $100 for third place. All official entrants will receive a certificate of participation.

4. Upon agreement with entrant, the bench will be installed for public use at one of HANDS Inc. urban development sites in Orange, New Jersey.

Overall Judging Criteria and Rules:

1. A judging panel will consist of 7 community stakeholders.

2. All jurors will assign one winner in each category. Benchmark will be awarded 1^st, 2^nd, and 3rd.

3. All attendees will place be able to place a vote in the People’s Choice category.

4. Each Bench should be considered for the following attributes:

i. Comfort

ii. Design

iii. Appearance

iv. Workmanship, craftsmanship

v. Durability

vi. Creativity

vii. Spirit of the category

All entries automatically qualify for People’s Choice and Benchmark Awards
Any participant may enter more than one bench.
If entry doesn’t match prescribed categories, it is entered into People’s Choice and Benchmark.

Rules:

1. The bench length must be no greater than 6 ft.

2. The bench must be able to sit at least three adults and support the weight of three average adult males.

3. The bench must be safe for public use.

i. The bench must properly support as to eliminate any reasonable amount of tipping and or collapsing during occupation.

ii. The bench may not be designed in any matter that creates a condition that is harmful to its user including:

1. Cuts, sharp edges

2. Chemical reactions

3. Splinters

4. Abrasions

5. Pinching

6. Transfers of pigments or finishes to person or clothing.

4. Any bench found hazardous will be excluded.

5. Each entrant will be assigned a site for the temporary installation of their bench in the green space adjacent to the Orange train station. Sites will be randomly assigned prior to installation. To ensure bench stability on site, entrants are allowed to install either a temporary platform no greater than 1ft in either dimension of the bench. The platform will not be considered in judging.

6. Please consider how you will transport your bench to the site. We encourage cooperation between participants in this respect. If you are having trouble finding transportation, please contact us at handsvistas@gmail.com.

Categories:

1. Urban Re-use-al (Found material): major bench pieces (seating or seating support assemblies) must originate from a location and may not be purchased. Connectors and fasteners needed for assembly may be purchased for no greater than 10 dollars. Photo documentation of found material in original location should be provided to give greater context to the bench user and the judges.

2. Orange Metal: All bench pieces except superficial seating material must be made out of metal materials [For every category]

3. BioBenches: Bench material must be substantially bio-degradable or sustainable for future biological growth. For those benches that are temporary, all material must degraded in a time span no greater than a month and the mechanism for deconstruction can only be natural exposure to normal outside conditions. Connectors or binding material may be biodegradable material or completely recyclable material. Points will be awarded for using material that requires the least amount of manufacturing, natural resource consumption, along with the pervious stated criteria.

4. School Days: An entrant and or a group of entrants must represent an accredited and or certified educational facility or organization.

5. Pride of Orange: This bench will present a theme about Orange, New Jersey. Possible thematic presentations may include the history of, a vision for, or current aspect of the city. Show your pride for your city!

6. People’s Choice: Each Placemaking Conference attendee can place a vote, the bench with the most votes wins! Every bench is automatically entered in this category.

7. Benchmark: This is the “Best-in-Show” category. Every bench is automatically entered, and the judges will choose a 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd place winner. The winners will be the benches that judges think best exemplifies the 7 bench attributes listed above.

C'mon, people, we can do so much better than this! Look at how bored these people are sitting on these everyday benches! They definitely need some exciting, eye-catching, inspired bench making!

Education and Environment Reconsidered: St. Phillips Academy, Newark

2010-10-11T13:37:00.000-07:00

This weekend we attended an open house at St. Phillips Academy in Newark, sponsored by Green Home NYC, an organization dedicated to ‘facilitating the adoption of sustainable building methods and materials by owners of small residential and commercial buildings in New York City [and surrounding areas].’ With vibrant colors throughout the building to emulate the progression of hues from earth to sky, St. Phillips Academy is truly a beacon of light in the midst of darkness. An independent school serving students in grades K-8 throughout Newark, St. Phillips Academy not only sets a high standard for education but also boasts being a LEED Silver Certified facility.

Aeroponic growing system in Science Lab.

The program at St. Phillips manages to marry traditional elementary education with principles of sustainability into the curriculum. One of the most revered features of the St. Phillips Academy building is the PSE&G Outdoor Learning Center. The outdoor learning center is a green roof built on top of the schools’ gymnasium. It features raised beds for growing produce while the entire surface acts a catch basin for rainwater, an important part of the school’s drainage system. With lush green lettuces and hearty turnips growing in the garden, the green roof is a multifaceted learning space. Students learn about the five senses from working in the garden, tending to garden plots also serves to foster a sense of responsibility amongst St. Phillips’ students, and students expand their palates by trying new fruits and vegetables they may not try at home.

Blackboard in Cafeteria

The produce grown on the roof of St. Phillips Academy is just one component of the schools’ closed food system. Food grown on the roof of St Phillips Academy is served as a part of students’ daily lunch. Lunch at St. Phillips is not your standard mystery meat and milk as most U.S public schools serve on a day-to-day basis. Meals at St. Phillips are comprised of largely organically grown foods served family style and each student is designated a task to contribute to cleaning up everyday. Plasma screens in both the cafeteria and the lobby display information about the schools energy uses that are recorded by an internal computer system that is connected to the solar paneling located in the rear of the school, just above the PSE&G learning center.

Entry to PSE&G Outdoor Learning Center (solar panels on left)

St. Phillips' approach to education is second to none; it provides its students with a well-rounded education teaching traditional subjects and life skills using “green” elements to tie it all together. Students who would ordinarily slip through the cracks of the public school system are given a chance to thrive and often go on to some of the nation’s best preparatory schools and colleges. For more information about St. Phillips Academy visit the website: http://www.stphilipsacademy.org/

Newark Arts Parade!

2010-09-24T13:46:00.000-07:00

This was the 3rd annual Newark Arts Parade. A variety of community groups, schools, and city organizations participate in the parade to help promote a positive image for the city. ORNG Ink also joined in the celebration this year, and it was a great learning experience. As you can see from the pics there was some really creative artwork made and it brought a little bit of color and excitement to the streets on an otherwise standard Thursday afternoon. This is a fun event and a good way to support the community, we hope to participate again next year!

Here's some more pics:

Rock Paper Scissors

2010-08-03T13:17:00.000-07:00

Hat City Kitchen Cooks Up Rock-Paper-Scissors
50 gather for national competition spot

--West Orange Patch

By Karen Yi

July 24, 2010 Fifty people gathered Saturday afternoon at Hat City Kitchen, 459 Valley St., for The Orange's first rock-paper-scissors, RPS, tournament.
Two different tournaments were hosted, one for adults and the other for kids under 18. More than a dozen competitors from the New York tri-state area attended the event.

Mike Cicora, of Iselin, won the adult tournament and qualified to compete in next year's World Rock Paper Scissors Society championship in Toronto. There is no qualifying competition for kids.

The competition was hosted by Hat City Kitchen, HANDS Inc., University of Orange and the Orange Recreation Department.

Watch the video for complete details.

http://westorange.patch.com/articles/hat-city-kitchen-cooks-up-rock-paper-scissors-competition#video-846704

Mike Cicora of Iselin, center, earned a trip to Toronto for the World Rock Paper Scissors tournament after he won Saturday’s Hat City competition in Orange. He is joined by, from left, referee Shawn Ring, second-place finisher Diana Henge, third-place finisher Brian Chappell and event organizer Bryan Bennet.

Scissors Cuts Paper!

Tony Galento Plaza Day!

2010-08-03T12:49:00.000-07:00

Tony Galento Plaza Day was a success!
Bright and early, commuters at the Orange Station were treated to free coffee and newspapers. Lunchtime found us chilling out in the heat in our christened Picnic Nook with music as well as fun pictures with Tony Galento and his bear. At rush hour, commuters were again treated to delicious samples from local restaurants: catfish fritters with spicy yogurt sauce from Mandeville, miniature beef patties from Golden Krust, and a fresh sampling of vegetables (basil, peppers etc) from local Garden State Urban Farms greenhouse. We handed out maps of local restaurants in the surrounding area, aptly named "Two Tons of Yum" and collected over 100 surveys of what commuters and residents wish to see in the Tony Galento Plaza and station.

Imagine Tony Galento Plaza

2010-07-20T14:19:00.000-07:00

Imagine Tony Galento Plaza:

Right now Tony Galento Plaza is mostly used as a parking lot. But if we could keep the same amount of parking places AND have a beautiful plaza, what would you like to see in the plaza?

Michel Cantal-Dupart's vision for Heart of Orange

Tony Galento Plaza

Concept Proposal

RPS: the Rules

2010-07-18T16:00:00.000-07:00

So I have heard round the watercooler, "I don't how to play Rock Paper Scissors", or "I suck at RPS". Well one can not suck at RPS! It's statistically impossible! (ok that may not be true)
In this week leading up to the 2010 Hat City Rock Paper Scissors Tournament, held this Saturday July 24th, PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE, and check back here for tips and strategies.

Our first tip: Rock Paper Scissors Rules.
Using a count of Rock Paper Scissors Shoot, or 1, 2, 3, on the fourth beat extend your choice of either rock (a fist), paper (flat hand), or scissors (peace sign, sideways)

Rock beats scissors

Scissors beats paper

Paper beats rock.

Winner has the best hand, or best 2 out of 3, etc.

If you don't have tickets yet for 2010 Hat City Rock Paper Scissors, click here.

HatCityRPS: BUY TICKETS HERE

2010-07-13T14:22:00.000-07:00

BUY TICKETS HERE

Rock Paper Scissors Tournament

2010-07-12T14:18:00.000-07:00

In the intense and drama-filled world of competitive Rock Paper Scissors Tournaments, the mother-of-all bragging rights is the World Rock Paper Scissors Championship in Toronto, Canada. Orange will host New Jersey's qualifying tournaments for the World RPS championship July 24th, at Orange Triangle Memorial Park, Orange, New Jersey.

2 p.m. is a youth tournament, 4 p.m. is the adult tournament.
For youth: $2 in advance, and $3 at the door. Free for Orange youth enrolled in summer programs with Orange Recreation Department who play in a qualifying tournament
Youth prizes include: movie passes, gift cards and a family dinner at a local restaurant

For 18+ : $10 in advance, $15 at the door
1st place: $500 and a trip to Toronto to compete in WRPS for $10,000 grand prize.
2nd place: $250
3rd place: $200

Tickets are available online and at Ironworks (406 Tompkins St, Orange)
The tournament is sponsored by HANDS, Inc., Orange Recreation Department and Hat City Kitchen.

The referees are both veterans of the sport: Bryan Bennett earned second place at the World Championships in 2006 and Shawn Ring aka C. Urbanus is an icon of Philadelphias Rock Paper Scissors as well as executive director of Pabst Blue Ribbon Rock Paper Scissors City League Championship Series

http://www.worldrps.com/

Dedication of Chief Marty DeMarzo Orange Fire Department

2010-07-12T12:58:00.000-07:00

Martin "Marty" P. DeMarzo was the fire chief of the city of Orange until he suddenly passed last year. He joined the Orange Fire Department on June 6, 1980, and became chief 10 years ago. Last week, the Orange Fire Department dedicated the firehouse in his honor.

Orange Firehouse Dedication

Road Tattoo in Orange Valley

2010-06-28T08:41:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, artist Steed Taylor, created a one of a kind road tattoo in the Orange Valley (Freeman Street). The tattoo is visible from NJ Transit trains passing through the Highland Ave Station.

"Road Tattoos are placed at locations of personal significance and are composed of cultural designs previously appropriated to mark skin. Once the design is drawn on the road, names or other specific information is painted within the design, a prayer is said and the design is painted in, covering over the names. They are subtle, usually close in color to the roadway, but made with reflective paint causing them to appear and disappear with passing light. Eventually traffic and weather conditions dissolve them into the road." Steed Taylor website

Check out the Blessing for Dedication and pictures of the road tattoo's creation.

Blessing for Dedication

For this community in transition we ask for grace and ease. As it moves into a brighter future, let us remember its noble past and recognize the honored place it holds in the history of our great country, the prosperity of this region and the development of New Jersey.

As the most valued element of a community is always its members, let the hardworking citizens who came before us share our praise. With great effort, they labored in the factories and businesses still evident around us, allowing this community to flourish. With great affection, they labored to make this community a home. May our thanksgiving and gratitude reach into the past and embrace them.

As this community heads into the future, let it move forward with dignity. May all of its members be included in the prosperity to come. May neighbors and coworkers, parents and grandparents, police and children, teachers and officials, artists and laborers, politicians and those in greatest need, all find inclusion in the good fortune ahead. With this work of art, we honor the past, the present and future of Orange, New Jersey. Amen.

- Steed Taylor

Steed Taylor (artist) and Road Tattoo

Valley Arts Music & Poetry Festival - Saturday June 12th

2010-06-11T09:31:00.000-07:00

The 9th ed. of VAMP (Valley Arts Music & Poetry Festival) will be held Saturday June 12th from 11-6pm on the corner of Valley Street and Forrest Street in Orange, NJ.

Come out to see live music, watch art being made on site and listen to intense poetry contest.

Pop into Hat City Kitchen to watch on the big screen USA square off against the UK squad in FIFA World Cup game at 1:30 pm.

Two Free Fabulous Trips: Rosenwald Art Exhibit

2010-05-17T14:56:00.000-07:00

Two Free Field Trips to

A Force for Change: African American Art and the Julius Rosenwald Fund at the Montclair Art Museum

Thursdays

May 20&May 27

6:00 pm

Meet at

15 S. Essex Ave,

Orange, NJ

(HANDS, Inc.)

These excellent FREE trips are brought to you by JP Morgan & Chase, the Montclair Art Museum and the University of Orange. On May 20th, we will take a bus to the Montclair Art Museum and be treated to a private docent led tour with opportunities to sketch and write among the beautiful artwork.

Refreshments will be provided, and it is open to all ages.

Register now for a space on the bus.

The Julius Rosenfeld Fund gave stipends to hundreds of African American artists, writes and scholars between 1928 and 1948. This wonderful exhibition, now on view at the Montclair Art Museum, includes more than 60 paintings, sculptures and works on paper by 22 Rosenwald fellows. The Montclair Art Museum is provided two free opportunities to University of Orange students in connection with the exhibit.

The Next Trip: Thursday May 27th 6pm. We will meet once more at HANDS, and take a bus to the Montclair Art Museum to participate in a lecture by Dr. Robert Steele (University of Maryland),a nationally recognized scholar in the field of African American visual arts, and assess the diversity of artists included in the exhibition.

Both trips are free, but please R.S.V.P. so we know how many to expect.

R.S.V.P. to universityoforange@gmail.com or call (973) 678-3110 ext: 24

PS- Graduation is right around the corner: June 19th at 2pm, First Presbyterian Church. Look out for more upcoming events to satisfy graduation requirements.

UofO requirement: VOTE! OrangeCouncilElections

2010-05-10T15:03:00.000-07:00

May 11th is Orange's Council Elections

After 24 years in the same town (but only 2 voting years in Orange), I learned definitively last week which ward my house is in. Huzzah! So tomorrow morning I will traipse over to the Orange Middle School to vote and also satisfy one of my requirements for UofO graduation.

Remember June 19th is University of Orange's Graduation.
Graduation requirements are:

Participate in 2 UofO courses (online or otherwise)
Vote in any election: Council elections, student body president elections, 'Don't cut teacher's pay Mr. Christie' polls, Dancing with the Stars, etc
Have Fun with a Neighbor
Volunteer : help plant a garden, clean up a vacant house on your block, help a neighbor with their groceries, volunteer at a local foodback, habitatforhumanity, tutoring...the possibilities are endless!
Attend a City Meeting

~FP

SoundBox Banditz Hot New Song: PassThisTest

2010-05-06T14:59:00.000-07:00

Click to hear SoundBox Banditz New Song just in time for Final Exams: PassThisTest!

Pass This Test by SOUNDBOX BANDITZ

PassThisTest

SoundBoxBanditz and Ashlie Olivierre
Written by Soundbox and Mixed by David Milnes
sample: Miley Cyrus Party in the USA

PassThisTest Lyrics:

I walked in the door of school today
with the test hanging on my mind
welcome to the class the teacher said,
you should all do fine
I hopped in my seat,
here i am for the first time,
my friend looking over here with a big smile
this is all so crazy,
memory is feeling all hazy
my tummy's turning and I'm feeling kind of nervous
too much pressure and I'm hurting
thats when the teacher passes out the NJASK
and I see the test on my desk
and I see the test on my desk
I'm gonna ace this test today

Chorus: It's gonna be alright
It's in my head
I studied all night and day
looking at the test like Yea
I'ma do my best like Yea
I'm gonna do alright
It's in my head
I studied hard everyday
Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
I'm gonna pass this test today
Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
I'm gonna pass this test today

Rap1:
Education is the key for success
if you get stressed
you'll make it further in life if you just think less

Rap2:
Not talking about doing nothing
you need to study for your test
try to aim for an A
you can feel like the best
Now you sitting atyour desk
heart beating in your chest
relax and sit back, keep an eye on the time
look to your friend next to you
and all you have to say is
you should be a winner
think of your future
i dont want to lose you
graduate together
knowledge is forever
Now
I know I can
Pass this Test (Comeon) 3 x

Chorus

Bridge: I feel like I am so bright
I feel like I have the mind
I think i will do alright
cus i bring --------

Chorus 2x

Pass This Test
We gonna pass this test
Pass This Test
We gonna pass this test

Jane's Orange Roll 2010

2010-05-03T13:58:00.000-07:00

In celebration of Jane Jacobs courage and belief that a city's space should belong to its citizens, hundreds of walks and rolls were organized for May 1st and May 2nd, 2010 (http://janeswalkusa.wordpress.com/)

This year's Jane's Orange Roll was led by UofOAthletic Director Patrick Morrissy on May 1st. We met at the Daily Soup parking lot across from Rita's Deli and started our roll by visiting the Valley's historic Hatting District and the [Murmur] sites along the way. Pat explained the history behind the F. Berg hatting factory and the NoName Hatting Buildings.

Talking and Biking

Before they formed the hat behemoth Stetson & Co.,the two Stetson brothers (Napoleon and John) couldn't decide on a name for their hatting company so they settled on NoName Hatting Co. before John reformed the company under the family name in Pennsylvania. Henry Stetson, the son of Napoleon Stetson and nephew of hatmaker John Stetston, later became mayor of Orange and erected a firehouse building in the 1900s that we admired. We rode through these areas and passed by the factories and current businesses that continue Orange's industrial legacy. Stopping at the Stetson Lounge and [Murmur] site, we observed the entranceway whose stone facade are allegedly from the Holland Tunnel excavation. The stones form the image of a bear and moose w/ relief ears and antlers. Opposite this curiousity is a beautiful mural.

And what tour of Jersey would be complete without a visit to the local diner? Gamburger's Diner, recently opened and boasting a tempting Saturday all you can eat breakfast special. We resisted the temptation, but did pose in front of the diner.

Gamburgers Diner!

We next stopped at the future home of LunaStage to admire the beautiful mural by Dan Fenelon on Valley Road. Valley Road is becoming its own bustling main street of the Orange and West Orange Valley area with such wonderful businesses as RockIt Pizza, HatCity Kitchen, Orange Valley Hardware store, local delis, restaurants and the soon to open LunaStage Theatre Company.

Riding through the Heart of Orange, we were greeted by Phill Serrani owner of Serrani's Sanitary Bakery. He joined us for a picture and allowed us to taste the days' delicious Italian bread.

Group with Phil Serrani (red apron) in front of Sanitary Bakery South Essex Ave

The tour of the vally was followed by lunch at MazziDogs where the tired bikers feasted on hotdogs. I had my favorite the Holy Guacamole. We were joined MazziDogs Owner Vinni Mazzarisi, as we traveld the short distance to Tony Galento Plaza. "Two Ton" Tony Galento is Orange's hometown legend, an entertaining boxer known for his extravagant training techniques. He would guzzle beer and eat spaghetti, 6 chickens and hot dogs to prepare for a match. We then rode to St. John's cemetary on a quest for Tony Galento's last resting place. Althought, we were unable to locate Galento's grave marker it is a beautiful place to rest and reflect. Next we went to the First Presbyterian Church on 420 Main Street, the host of this year's Placemaking Conference, and toured the beautiful gravestones that date back as far as the 1700s. The bike ride ended at Orange's MayDay festival. The inspired and slightly tanned Jane's Orange Roll participants were greeted by the wonderful sounds of the Orange High School marching band. We enjoyed italian ice and the vendors as we watched the band perform. It was a perfect end to an enlightening and joyful day.

To see the route of the Jane's Orange Roll 2010 and hear the stories they listened to along the way please visit:

http://murmurorange.com/

And be sure to visit the Jane's Walk Flickr Group to see photos of
Jane's Walks and Rolls from around the world!
http://www.flickr.com/groups/janeswalk2010/

Roll With Us: Jane's Roll 2010: Orange, NJ

2010-04-29T08:39:00.000-07:00

Jane Jacobs

Join us for Jane's Orange Roll

A Bike Ride Through Orange with Patrick Morrissy

Celebrating the Work of Jane Jacobs

Saturday May 1, 10 a.m.

Meet at Rita's Deli, 502 Central Ave.,Orange, NJ

On May 1st and 2nd people around the world honor the life and work of Jane Jacobs, saviour of cities, by walking and biking the streets of their neighborhoods: http://janeswalkusa.wordpress.com/This year's Jane's Walks and Rolls also celebrate the release of a new collection of essays "What We See" about how we carry Jane Jacobs' work forward. Orange's own Mindy Fullilove has a featured essay in the collection!: http://whatwesee.org/

Jane's Orange Roll will include a tour of the historic hatmaking capital and growing arts district, a stop at the May Day Festival, visits to delicious eateries, lunch at two-ton tony's plaza, [murmur] stories and more.

Schedule:

10 a.m. Meet at Rita's Deli, 502 Central Ave.

10 a.m. - noon Rolling around the Valley and the Heart of Orange

Noonish - 1 p.m. Lunch at Two-Ton Tony Galento's Plaza (potential future site of two-tony's pub)

1 p.m. May Day

Want to join late and you can't find the group? Call Rachel Bland at (201) 341-7927.

Bring your own wheels, spending money for lunch and May Day, your favorite Jane Jacob's passage.

"Cities have the capability of providing something for everybody, only because, and only when, they are created by everybody." -Jane Jacobs

Essex County's Hazardous Waste Collection Day

2010-04-27T09:14:00.000-07:00

Saturday, May 1st is Essex County's Hazardous Waste Collection Day

8:30 am - 4:30 pm

Bring your household hazardous materials to the Essex County Fleet Maintenance Garage at

99 W. Bradford Ave, Cedar Grove, NJ for safe disposal FREE of Charge.

Hazardous materials accepted are: Paint thinners, solvents, chemistry sets, propane tanks (bbq), automotive fluids(antifreeze, motor oil, steering fluids), household batteries( AA, AAA, C,D, 9V, NiCad), car batteries, household cleaning fluids, aerosol spray paints...etc

Re-chargeable batteries MUST be bagged or taped on the terminal ends

Please visit the Essex County website to see the complete list of accepted materials. Remember to bring proof of Essex County residency

Gardening, Greenhouse & Y-Art Sale Oh my! ComcastCares Day

2010-04-26T14:35:00.000-07:00

Saturday April 24th, and this year's Comcast Cares Day, was a wonderful day! It was a beautiful day perfect for gardening and planting. Over 30 comcast volunteers, friends and families gathered at Ironworks Studio to help put in a garden at International Central Gospel Church and also help with the construction of the greenhouse in the lot next to Ironworks. Lorraine Gibbons explained her work with Garden State Urban Farms and introduced the Prodigal Sons and Daughter who are working on the Greenhouse Construction. After brief introductions, we all settled in and got dirty! Lettuce, Spinach, collard greens, strawberries etc were planted in EarthBoxes which require limited watering and will have an impressive yield. Can't wait until the vegetables come in! To add to the festive nature of the day, Valley Arts held their Y-Art Sale on Tompkins Street. Various art vendors demonstrated their work and sold their art along Tompkins Street as residents took in the beautiful weather. Many people satisfied their volunteer and have fun with neighbors requirements for the UofO transcripts.
Be on the lookout for more gardening and volunteer opportunities in the coming months!

Upcoming Volunteer Event: Comcast Cares Day!

2010-04-19T13:11:00.000-07:00

Comcast and Garden State Urban Farms present a volunteer opportunity on April 24th at 9am, as part of this year's Comcast Cares Day and in celebration of Earth Day . Comcast employees and volunteers will gather at the Greenhouse construction site at 406 Tompkins Street, Orange, NJ and help create a community garden in the front yard of International Central Gospel Church on 438 Valley Street.

Come join us as we add to the beauty and function of the Orange Valley Arts District. To learn more about Comcast Cares Day and Garden State Urban Farms please click on the links.

---------
This event can satisfy the volunteer requirement on your UofO graduation transcript. Remember all you need to graduate is: Vote (in a school, mayoral election or even American Idol), Attend a City Meeting, Take 2 UofO courses, Have Fun with Your Neighbor, Volunteer. All of your requirements are not restricted to Orange alone, be involved in your community!

2nd Annual Heart of Orange Placemaking Conference a SUCCESS!

2010-04-13T13:31:00.000-07:00

The Second Annual Heart of Orange Placemaking Conference: Building a Just & Beautiful City was a success! Held this past Saturday(April 10th) at the beautiful First Presbyterian Church of Orange, residents and community leaders gathered to hear inspiring speeches by Denys Candy, Rich Brown and Carlos Canales and engage in the wonderful afternoon workshops.

Thank you to Denys Candy for sharing his experience with development of the Hill District and Find the Rivers! and Carlos Canales for his presentation on organizing day laborer's worker centers. Placemaking attendees had a wonderful time in the afternoon with workshops such as envisioning a more interactive Tony Galento Plaza, printmaking using Adinkra symbols, and creating a temporary art installation in the South Essex Tunnel with spray paint chalk and attaching beautiful ribbons with written messages of Orange Love to the bridge at Lincoln Ave. The day wrapped up with graphic designer Rich Brown discussing the importance of art in community organizing. Thank you to all that attended and made the day great. We were able to come away with inspiring thoughts and strategic goals to mold Orange into a truly Just & Beautiful City.

All in all it was a wonderful day! As Mr. Candy exclaimed:

"A Just and Beautiful City is Just Beautiful!".

Enjoy this slideshow of the day's events:

FlickrSlideshow

Denys Candy, 2010 Urbanist-in-Resident

2010-04-07T14:18:00.000-07:00

We are 3 days away from the 2nd Annual Heart of Orange Placemaking Conference: Building a Just & Beautiful City! So we thought we'd share with you a great article from one of our 2010 Urbanist-in-Residents, Mr. Denys Candy !

Below is his article "Field Work" from the Scottish Urban Regeneration Forum in Scotregen, Issue 49:Spring 2010

Also check out his website at: denyscandy.com

Scotregen, Issue 49: Spring 2010
(Scottish Urban Regeneration Forum, Edinburgh, U.K.)

FIELD WORK by Denys Candy

“In a new city, there are ghosts of old cities. There are lies and re-creations. Everyone thinks that a city is full of hope, but it isn’t. Sometimes, it is the end of imagination.”

Dionne Brand, A Map to the Door of No Return, Vintage Canada, Toronto, 2001 (P110)

Currently in the USA we can’t quite imagine giving everyone health insurance, generating new kinds of work, imprisoning fewer people or taxing the mega-wealthy, leading me to wonder how to address this collective lack of imagination. In our desire to craft a healthier future, how do we conduct what poet Seamus Heaney (quoting T.S. Eliot) calls “a successful raid on the inarticulate?” Here are some notes from my field work as a consultant, facilitator and trainer.

Re-making Master Planning: Increasingly, when master plans incorporate sustainable solutions or chapters on green or open spaces, these are subjugated to a primary focus on commercial, housing and transportation markets. But re-making a place can be productively enriched when the native expertise of locals is combined with that of “outsiders” to re-experience and re-imagine places on the way to delivering projects, designs and development proposals. When community organizer Terri Baltimore and I asked residents in Pittsburgh’s Hill District (through a series of experiential events) to look at their landscape to discern their future, before seeking out corporations that might bring jobs to the area, the result was a renewed, deepened awareness of the natural environment and a strategy for civic ecology that can now frame the City’s master plan for the area. Called Greenprint, this strategy builds on the history of the place and its people, proposing an expansion of woodlands from the hillside edges into the central “village” core, and new ways for water, people, animals and vehicles to get around. Our mantra is “Remember the woods, the village and conveyance!” With Greenprint, the City and local partners are collaborating to ground the entire master plan in a focus on the health of the area’s landscape and people, including their relationships to markets. Our human or civic imprint on the landscape can thus remediate, heal and nurture it, hence the term civic ecology. Practical application for the Hill’s residents kicks in, for instance, when a developer proposes new housing: local stakeholders can insist on site plans that expand the woodlands right into the heart of the community. Through Greenprint, the health of the landscape will influence both the master plan and subsequent developments.

Greenprint would be a good example of a successful raid on the inarticulate. To borrow from another poet, Mary Oliver, it is a “truly contemporary creative force… something that is built out of the past, but with a difference.” (1994)

"You need reality to make the imagination do interesting things, to renew itself. Take the reality out of the situation and you simply repeat yourself.” Poet Charles Simic in a newspaper interview. (2005)

Addressing the reality of racial and economic segregation. As a (part-time!) songwriter I have encountered many interesting musicians, visual artists and writers. Several years ago, Terri Baltimore, novelist Fiona Cheong (Scent of the Gods; Shadow Theater) and I wondered aloud how artists might shine a light on the entrenched segregation in our region. The community organizer in me wanted to organize a public dialogue, but noticing that art events and performances tended to reflect the city’s segregated life by drawing segregated audiences, we took a different route and organized a performance series. Our goal was to create an environment – a joyful space – in which a diverse audience could gather to enjoy music, poetry and prose, and to transform social relations on the spot. Confluence (www.confluenceart.org) was designed to attract all kinds of people. It featured both well-known and emerging artists of Asian, African, Hispanic and European heritage. Events (with child care) alternated between two locations – an established arts venue in a middle-class area and a community center in a low-income area, thereby inviting/challenging our audience to move in new ways around the city.

The results were magical, drawing hundreds of people from the unemployed to the well-heeled. Arriving by bus, bike, banged-up and fancy cars, (on one occasion braving hurricane strength winds and rain) many different-looking folk participated. The artists were energized by the format and the mix of people responding to their work. In a welcoming environment, it was easy for poems, songs and stories to work as the glue connecting everyone.

Addressing intractable societal challenges is tough work, and often, success seems fleeting. Confluence was impermanent. But our choice must be to create in microcosm, even temporarily, that which we want to see in the macrocosm, to seek transformative moments in our social relations and be sure to pay attention to and learn from them when they arrive. As pianist Keith Jarrett says, “Transformative moments are very rare, or they seem so due to our inattention. But maybe this is wrong, and they happen constantly, though we are absent.” (2005)

Your Are Cordially Invited...

2010-04-07T09:40:00.000-07:00

Don't Forget Saturday is the 2nd Annual Heart of Orange Placemaking Conference!

Wrestling With Moses: Book Discussion

2010-04-01T12:15:00.000-07:00

UU Orange: Wrestling with Moses.

Rev. Darrell Berger

In January, 2010, members of The First Unitarian Universalist Church of Essex County and members of the greater Orange community met to discuss this book. It is about how Jane Jacobs and other residents of Greenwich Village organized in the 1960’s to stop Robert Moses’ plan to extend Fifth Avenue through the middle of Washington Square Park, meeting a lower Manhattan Expressway which would have destroyed the Village, Chinatown, Little Italy and SoHo.

This book is a primer for community organizing, as well as for understanding the history of urban renewal in New York City. This same battle extended into New Jersey, destroying many neighborhoods in Newark and the Oranges. By understanding this history, we can discover what is needed to recreate and revitalize urban communities today.

This Book Group was supported by the University of Orange’s People of Orange Leadership Institute for Sustainability (POLIS), which has received a grant from JP Morgan Chase.

For those who would like to participate in the Book Group from wherever you are, here are some study questions to stimulate discussion and self-reflection. If you’d like to get “credit” from the University of Orange, please send me your thoughts and I’ll send you back your certificate. The University of Orange is a free people’s university, and we graduate every year to a greater degree of responsibility for our communities. Our degree is the Bachelors of Freedom, otherwise known as the B.Free.

Wrestling with Moses

INTRO:

Who was Robert Moses and what was he trying to accomplish in New York City in the early 1960’s?

Who was Jane Jacobs and why did she oppose Moses?

Chapter 1 – The Girl from Scranton:

What elements in Jane Jacobs’ early life helped her to become a successful writer in New York City? What elements worked against her?

What are the main goals of the urban renewal movement? Did Jacobs’ oppose all of them? If not, which did she support?

Chapter 2 - The Master Builder:

Compare and contrast the childhood and young adulthood of Jacobs and Moses. What were some of the things that might have made them natural adversaries?

What were some of Moses’ first successes in changing the landscape of New York City? Why did the Brooklyn Dodgers not get a new stadium, causing them to leave for Los Angeles?

Chapter 3 - The Battle of Washington Sq. Park:
What was Moses’ Vision for the transformation of Lower Manhattan?

How did opposition to his vision begin, and how did it grow?

Chapter 4 - Urban Renewal in Greenwich Village:

What are the four basic elements of a vibrant neighborhood?

How did both gentrification and historic preservation arise as a result of successful opposition to urban renewal?

Chapter 5 – The Lower Manhattan Expressway:

How did the Interstate Highway Act of 1956 effect cities?

How does just being under consideration for urban renewal effect neighborhoods?

Epilogue:

What other cities began to oppose urban renewal? How?

What has been the long-term effect of urban renewal on urban neighborhoods? How has opposition to urban renewal been sustained?

For Further Thought

How did urban renewal and the interstate highway system effect Orange?

How does the current battle over the Atlantic Yards project in Brooklyn resemble the Jacobs/Moses battle? How is it different?

How does H.A.N.D.S. and other community development organizations carry on the work of Jane Jacobs?

What can residents of Orange do today to help realize the four elements of vibrant neighborhoods?

Upcoming Events: Knitting Circle April 3rd

2010-03-30T15:15:00.000-07:00

Please join Jody Leight

for a Knitting Circle (crocheters welcome) at Arts Unbound

What: Take a knitting break! Spend a relaxing afternoon knitting and socialilizing with friends and neighbors. All levels welcome. Instruction and help available from expert knitter Jody Leight.

Where: Arts Unbound, 542-544 Freeman Street, Orange, NJ

When: Saturday April 3, 2 p.m.- 4 p.m.
What to bring: Whatever you are knitting or would like to knit + a snack to share

Cost: Donations welcome

Questions: Arts Unbound 973.675.2787

Jody Leight 973.673.7354 or j_cyberbunny@yahoo.com

This is an opportunity to take satisfy one of your UofO graduation requirements.
Be on the lookout for more upcoming events and classes!

April 3rd is Cantal-Dupart Day !

2010-03-29T12:30:00.000-07:00

April 3rd is Michel Cantal-Dupart Day

The UofO is wishes you a very

Happy Michel Cantal-Dupart Day

Cantal called us from Paris, where he lives in a houseboat on the Seine, to say on his day we should remember his triptych from last year:

Think about

1) the history of the city

2) something that's not working that you'd like to see work and

3) a wonderful wild idea you'd like to see.

Bring your stories observations, and wonderful wild ideas to Placemaking, Saturday April 10th !

Star-Ledger Article: French Urbanist Sees Potential in Orange

NYTimes: Dissecting the Heart of Orange

Michel Cantal-Duparts visit to Orange, New Jersey

Earth Hour: March 27th 8:30pm

2010-03-27T16:04:00.001-07:00

http://www.myearthhour.org/

'On Earth Hour hundreds of millions of people, organizations, corporations and governments around the world will come together to make a bold statement about their concern for climate change by doing something quite simple—turning off their lights for one hour. In the U.S. where we are already feeling the impacts of climate change, Earth Hour sends a clear message that Americans care about this issue and want to turn the lights out on dirty air, dangerous dependency on foreign oil and costly climate change impacts, and make the switch to cleaner air, a strong economic future and a more secure nation.

Participation is easy. By flipping off your lights on March 27th at 8:30 p.m. local time you will be making the switch to a cleaner, more secure nation and prosperous America...

Sparking a Movement

Since its inception three years ago, Earth Hour’s non-partisan approach has captured the world’s imagination and became a global phenomenon. Nearly one billion people turned out for Earth Hour 2009 – involving 4,100 cities in 87 countries on seven continents.

Last year, 80 million Americans and 318 U.S. cities officially voted for action with their light switch, joining iconic landmarks from around the world that went dark for Earth Hour, including:

Empire State Building
Brooklyn Bridge
Broadway Theater Marquees
Las Vegas Strip
United Nations Headquarters
Golden Gate Bridge
Seattle’s Space Needle
Church of Latter-Day Saints Temple
Gateway Arch in St. Louis
Great Pyramids of Giza
Acropolis and Parthenon in Athens
Christ the Redeemer Statue in Rio de Janeiro
St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City
Big Ben and Houses of Parliament in London
Elysee Palace and Eiffel Tower in Paris
Beijing’s Birds Nest and Water Cube
Symphony of Lights in Hong Kong
Sydney’s Opera House

Let's show our support in Orange, NJ and across the U.S.

Upcoming Events: ART LOOP

2010-03-25T10:35:00.001-07:00

Friday March 26th, 2010

The Valley Arts District presents the first of a series of monthly free events called THE ART LOOPS. Once a month, local art organizations, artists and galleries in the Valley Arts District will unite to give life to a multiple site event of flowing activities, from art exhibits, workshops and demonstrations to live performances and film screenings. This month we are celebrating Youth Artist

Month.

For more information please visit www.valleyartsdistrict.org

Fesitivities begin at 4pm at the IronWorks building, 406 Tompkins Street, Orange, NJ with an Art Jam and Sales by ORNG Ink

5pm Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

Performances by: Jazz House Kids at Studio Luna and the SoundBox Banditz at the Steiner Studio

Participating Studios: Oualie Art, Arts Unbound, CatFish Friday, Jody Lee Open Studio

Participating Restaurants: Daily Soup (501 Central Avenue) DJ Sharif "Back in Da Day" Club, Music begins at 6:00 pm and Hat City Kitchen (459 Valley Street) Live Music at 9:00 pm.

This Month's Featured Artist: Jay Hoffman

Touring the Hill District

2010-03-24T13:18:00.000-07:00

PopCity Article on 2nd Annual Heart of Orange Placemaking Keynote Speaker Terri Baltimore.

Take a tour of the Hill District and discover this fabulous Pittsburgh gem :

http://www.popcitymedia.com/features/hilldist0116.aspx

Don't forget the 2nd Annual Heart of Orange Placemaking Conference, Saturday April 10th

Hello!/Hola!/Ciao!/Bonjour!

2010-03-24T09:05:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Orange: A Just & Beautiful City 07050 !

This blog is a community space for all those who love Orange, New Jersey 07050: residents and fans alike.

Created for University of Orange(UofO) students to talk and share discourse, we welcome all peoples who love to learn and find value in their communities. Come with us as we collaborate and work towards our vision of Orange as the urban village of the 21st century, a just and beautiful city.

Posts will include upcoming UofO and Orange community events, articles of interests to Orange and observations of why Orange is special to us.

Please visit the University of Orange website: UniversityofOrange.org

Heart of Orange Placemaking Conference

2010-03-24T08:36:00.000-07:00

~ Saturday, April 10th, 2010 ~

10 am - 4 pm

(Registration opens at 9 am)

First Presbyterian Church

420 Main Street

At the first annual Heart of Orange Placemaking Conference, neighbors, friends and colleagues came together to create a vision for the future of Orange, NJ as the urban village of the 21st century, a just and beautiful city. Michel Cantal-Dupart, a world-renowned French Urbanist joined them. The result of this momentous gathering was the Heart of Orange Plan. The Plan lays out a strategy for Orange's future as a premiere 21st city. Building on decades of community organizing in Orange, sevearl exciting projects are now in motion that will: reclaim our public spaces, improve our economy and help residents at risk of losing their homes.

Our 2010 Urbanists-in-Residence Terri Baltimore, Rich Brown and Denys Candy will discuss how their community organizing and planning is revitalizing Pittsburgh's Hill District. Denys and Terri foundedand lead Find the Rivers! which is currently developing a "greenprint," for the Hill District. Rich Brown is a graphic designer whose work supports community organizing.

Workshops include:

The Bridge and Tunnel Project: South Essex

Imagining Tony Galento Plaza

Working on the Corner: Re-creating Space for Day Laborers

Tenant and Homeowner's Rights

Graphic Design and Community Organizing

~Lunch is provided ~

Admission is free but please R.S.V.P. to universityoforange@gmail.com with R.S.VP. Placemaking in the subject line.
*We will be collecting donations for earthquake relief. UofO is committed to the long-term struggle to rebuild.

To learm more, please watch these short movies:
2009 Urbanist-in-Residence, the world-renowned French Urbanist Michel Cantal-Dupart

The 1st Heart of Orange Placemaking Conference, 2009

For more information about our speakers, please visit their websites:

Find the Rivers!

The Hill House Association, Pittsburgh

Community Partner Institute

Please visit us at UniversityofOrange.org