This project never came to fruition and what I mean by that is nothing more than this graphic came out of this idea.The principle behind this is that there are historic properties that are on a local or National Register of Historic Places that have become an eye sore for the residents of towns and cities. Combined with the issue of urban food deserts- these places can become an asset to the community.
The idea I am getting at is if agriculture joined the local preservation movement and cultivated the historic landscapes in a way that reflects the original garden /lawn/landscape intent. Cities can use land to educate the community while celebrating all types of heritage. In several unrelated examples a historic Italianate landscape is all greenery and no other color accents. An adapted-cultivated reuse would be planting cabbage, artichoke, or kale in long carpeted spreads. The other not shown example is of a Greek Revival; normally plantings are far away from the foundation, four paths that make a cross, and a fruiting or nut tree as a center point of this symmetrical design. The four separate plots of land can let a farmer rotate crops and the focal point could be an apple tree if for example in Central New York.
The example pictured to the right is an abandoned and derelict property on the NRHP. Regardless of the current state, the opportunities is there. Within walking distance between University Neighborhood and the Near Eastside it can weave in and out of biking paths, other historic properties, parks, the Connective Corridor to melt and weld this idea of historic agricultural production with the modern network of landscape elements that Syracuse has to offer.*As a side note and afterthought the building reuse could be handed over to the preservation offices, but ideally it would be used for food storage, processing, consuming or marketing.
