Raymond Chetti

University at Buffalo
School of Architecture and Urban Planning

P ortfolio of

W orks

1239 America Ave

West Babylon, NY, 11704
direct: +1(631) 943 - 6208
e-mail: rjchetti@buffalo.edu
Introduction & Table of Contents
Dear Viewer,
Thank you for taking the time out to view my portfolio! Following ning and design concepts. The assignments in setion three include
my resume, my portfolio is divided into five sections to reflect the changing “Helvetica” font to change the mood of an original photo-
skills I have learned during my studies as an environmental design graph, designing a poster of M&T Bank Plaza in Buffalo, NY, and de-
undergrad at the University at Buffalo. These sections are: signing a PowerPoint Presentation to promote the Niagara Frontier
Transportation Authority (NFTA) Metro Rail system in Buffalo, NY.
1. Data gathering,analysis, and illustration (p. 3)
2. Unique writing samples (p.5) The fourth section includes GIS maps I created for two separate
GIS classes. The first project is about identifying areas that are
3. Graphic design & digital media (p. 8)
suitable for a community development grant by finding the most
4. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) (p. 12) distressed areas in the City of Buffalo. The other project is about
whether or not financial wellbeing affects whether one may attend
5. Research projects in Environmental Design (p. 14)
a public or private university.
The first section focuses on comparing two central cities and their
MSA’s. We gathered United States Census data and compiled a Section five is a culmination of the research and graphic design
database that contained socioeconomic information for both cities skills utilized in earlier sections in order to produce semester long
and their respective MSA’s. After gathering total population, de- research reports about the concept of “Active Living” as well as
mographic, median household income, and median housing unit the built environment’s influence on human health. The highlighted
values, we developed a series of graphs to visually communicate projects includes posters summarizing the 30 page reports.
large quantities of data in an easy and legible format. For the pur-
pose of this portfolio, only excerpts from the “Findings,” “Charts and Once again, thank you for reading and viewing my portfolio. If you
Graphs,” and “Conclusions” were used. have any questions about the work you may see here, please do not
hesitate to contact me! References are also available upon request.
My unique writing samples include two works. The first work is
about my definition of “urban planning,” while the other work in- Sincerely,
cludes excerpts from a term paper about a plan to revitalize a once
vibrant amusement park area in New York City called the “Coney
Island Redevelopment Plan.” My “urban planning” paper was one of
the first times I questioned, “What is urban planning?” and to this
day, I keep that definition close to my heart. For the other piece we
had to pick any plan of our choosing and describe the justifications
for each action that the plan called for. Similar to the first section,
this work is also excerpted and does not contain the whole report. Raymond Chetti
After taking Environmental Design Workshop II, I learned how to
rjchetti@buffalo.edu
utilize graphic design & digital media tools such as Adobe Photo-
shop, Illustrator, and Indesign to visually communicate urban plan- +1(631)943-6208

1
Resume
Education • Promoted inclusive participation in sustainable community
development by creating a sustainability map of a NYC neighborhood
University at Buffalo, The State University of New York and marketing it to neighborhood residents.
Candidate for Bachelor of Arts; May 2010 • Enhanced NYC Green Apple Map on Open Green Map website
Major: Environmental Design; Minor: Architecture; GPA 3.55/4.0 by educating community members about the importance of
School of Architecture and Planning coursework: Environmental each sustainable site.
Design Workshops I-III, GIS Applications, Basic Real Estate Law,
Professional Practice, Research Project in Environmental Design Seoul Design Olympiad (SDO) Conference 2008 (Oct 2008)
• Prepared grant application for UB’s CURCA Award, a program
Korea University. Seoul, South Korea that awards up to $500 for grant winners.
Exchange Student, Spring 2008. • Attended and developed presentation based off of SDO;
GPA: 3.55/4.0 delivered presentation to students and faculty at UB.
Work Experience Leadership Experience
New York City Department of City Planning (June-Aug 2009) Korean Student Association (KSA) (Fall 2008-Spring 2010)
Transportation Division Intern & Intern Newsletter Coordinator Korean Culture Night Executive Producer, President, and External V.P.
• Conducted parking surveys by performing site visits; data • Organized a student run theatrical performance in April 2010
gathered aided in providing essential information for parking that featured Korean cultural performances by over 75 staff and
study (“Inner Ring Study”) that aims to resolve the debate cast. Sold out venue and attracted over 3350 audience mem-
over the supply of off-street parking. bers. Awarded $300 from SBI Programming Grant; managed Fi-
• Gathered socio-economic, demographic, car ownership, and nance Team and fundraised over $2,500 in private sponsorships.
journey to work data from U.S. Census and scholarly resources • Grew club membership and participation in KSA community
to create charts and graphs; from collected data, performed service events, social gatherings, and fundraising activities by
analysis to better understand how, why and when cars are managing an executive board and facilitating general meetings.
used or alternatively when mass transit is used.
• Created GIS maps from off-street parking garage surveys; University Residence Halls and Apartments (URH&A) (Fall 2007)
generated maps illustrated origins of commuters at times Resident Advisor
when the surveys were distributed. • Resolved conflict amongst residents by developing a positive
• Coordinated the creation of a “Summer 2009 Intern Newsletter” living environment that was designed to link university resources,
and managed a design team to ensure that deadlines were residence hall staff, and residents.
met by the Director of City Planning.

Green Map System, Inc. (Dec 2008-Jan2009) - New York, NY

Awards
Intern Capital One Bank Foundation Scholarship
• Piloted education module designed to engage teens in experiencing, Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society
learning about, and mapping everything their neighborhood offers Dean’s List
for sustainable living.

2
Data Gathering, Analysis, and Illustration
Project 1: City vs MSA Comparison Limitations
It was impossible to find census data for the year 2010. For-
Developed a comprehensive report with charts and tunately, it was possible to base the 2010 population off of the
graphs to illustrate our findings based off United States United States Census estimate for the year 2007 and data from
Census Bureau data from 1950-2010. 2000. The formula to determine the 2010 population of Spring-
field, MA, San Jose, CA, and their MSAs are as follows:
Research Methods
1. Census data was collected from the United States govern-
ment website called American FactFinder. Since decennial census
data had to be collected for total population, racial composition,
median household income, and median housing unit value from
Findings
1950 – 2007, American FactFinder was the perfect resource to Starting from 1950, the
locate data for 1990 and 2000. City of Springfield start-
ed off with a population
2. After collecting data for 1990 and 2000, data had to be then gain of 7%, but quickly
collected for 1950—1980. The only way to do this was to search lost 13% of its total pop-
through printed versions of the United States Census for the ulation within a period of
years 1950 – 1980. 20 years between 1960 –
3. After researching all of the census data that was needed, the 1980 (Fig 1). During the
numbers were then compiled into an Excel document for easy eighties, Springfield ex-
viewing. While monetary values for the years 1950—2000 were perienced a rather small
in their own value (not fixed for 2007 inflation values), these val- population increase of Fig 1: Graph illustrating Springfield MA pop decline while its
MSA’s pop increases.
ues were then converted (median household income and median 3%, only to lose 5% of Source: U.S. Census Bureau
housing unit value) into 2007 dollars (adjusted for inflation) by its total population be- Graph: Generated by author
using the United States Department of Labor inflation calculator tween 1990-2010. The City of Springfield lost a total of 6% of
(http://www.bls.gov/data/inflation_calculator.htm). population from 1950 - 2000 and is expected to lose a total of
4. Based off the modified census data, charts, graphs, and pie 10% of its population by the year 2010.
graphs were then created that portrayed population change, de- Unlike the city’s population loss, Springfield’s MSA experienced a tre-
mographic composition, median household income, and median mendous population gain between 1950 – 2000 and is expected to
housing unit value for the years 1950—2007 (for projecting pop- substantially grow in population between 2000 – 2010 (Fig 1). Accord-
ulation, projected population was calculated for 2010 by using a ing to the US Census, Springfield’s MSA grew by 33% between the fif-
formula noted below). ties and sixties and then experienced a small population loss of 2% in
the seventies. However, after a period of dormitory population growth
in the eighties, the population grew by 11% during the nineties and is
expected to grow by more than a 35% of its total population between
2000 – 2010. Between 1950 - 2000, Springfield’s MSA grew by 45%
and is expected to grow by an additional 35% by the year 2010.

3
Data Gathering, Analysis, and Illustration (cont’d)
Unlike Springfield, there Charts and Graphs
has been continual pop-
ulation growth in the City
of San Jose, since 1950.
The most rapid periods
of growth occurred in
the fifties and sixties.
During each decade, the
population grew by over Fig 3: Graph illustrating rapid increase in Fig 4: Graph illustrating minute increase in
non-white population. non-white population.
110% (Fig 2). The rate Source: U.S. Census Bureau Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Graph: Generated by author Graph: Generated by author
of growth has slowed, Fig 2: Rapid population increase in San Jose and its MSA
but the city’s population Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Graph: Generated by author
continued to grow none-
theless. It grew by 41% in the seventies, 24% in the eighties, and
and 14% in the nineties. The US Census predicts a 7% increase be-
tween 2000 and 2010. When compared with Springfield’s expect-
ed population loss of 11% from 1950 – 2010, San Jose’s population
growth should be immense come 2010. It is expected to have gained Fig 5: Rapid increase in non-black population Fig 6: Similar trend as Fig 5
Source: U.S. Census Bureau Source: U.S. Census Bureau
a 910% increase in population since 1950. Graph: Generated by author Graph: Generated by author

Following a similar population growth pattern to the City of Conclusion

San Jose, San Jose’s MSA continually grew since 1950. The
most rapid periods of growth also occurred in the fifties and
sixties where the population grew over 120% in the fifties and
65% in the sixties (Fig 2). Following the sixties, the popula-
tion growth of San Jose’s MSA slowed down, but continued to
grow. It grew by 21% in the seventies, 15% in the eighties,
and 12% in the nineties. According to the 2010 population
estimate formula and the population growth formula listed
above, San Jose’s MSA is expected to grow by an additional
10% between 2000 – 2010. When compared to the city’s
910% increase in population from 1950, the MSA is expected
to have gained a 580% increase in population since 1950.
According to data from the US Census Bureau, the following con-
clusions may be made: Both cities have become ethnically diverse
over time, but San Jose and its MSA experienced a more rapid
increase in non-black minorities. By 2000, San Jose’s non-black
minority population surpassed the white population. Springfield
saw steady and gradual increases in black population since 1950,
while its MSA experienced a minute increase in both minority
populations. While Springfield’s black population was gradually
increasing, the city experienced a non-black inward migration
during the seventies. In both cities, non-white populations grew
faster than in their MSAs...
Sources Sited
American Factfinder. (2008, October 7). US Census. Retrieved October 7, 2008,
http://factfinder.census.gov
United States, Bureau of Census. (1950). Census of population. California.
United States, Bureau of Census. (1950). Census of population. Massachusetts.

4
Unique Writing Samples
Project 2: “Planning as a Concept” source to their city via the aqueduct system. After developing
this physical infrastructure of the aqueduct, the Romans were
Defined “urban planning” and described what it means to us. able to use fresh water comfortably to live better lives.
"Planning" may be understood different ways by a number of vari- It took hard work and determination by a diverse range of indi-
ous and diverse individuals. If you ask anyone walking around on viduals to complete the task of building this aqueduct system.
the street, “What is your definition of “planning,” they will surely all During the planning process, scholars, early urban planners, ar-
give you different answers. However, when one thinks about what chitects, engineers, government officials and even the commu-
"planning" is, the most general definition is: thinking about a specif- nity had to work together. While focusing on finding solutions to
ic topic or event ahead of time. For example, your mother is turning the problem, gaining a mutual consensus of certain individuals
fifty and you want to PLAN the best "half-a-century-old" surprise and the cooperation of all those involved in the project are key to
party ever. Of course when thinking about this surprise party, there the project’s success. It would not have been possible otherwise.
are a number of factors one must account for: what venue, the
guest list, the presents, what time people will get there, etc. Urban planning was and always will be an important factor that
Unfortunately, the concept of “urban planning” may be a term will help improve the lives of all living things and their environ-
that is unknown to some. Even though the addition of one term ment for the rest of civilization.
might create a whole new concept, the concept of "urban plan-
ning" bears a similar meaning to the previously noted definition
of “planning.” While the thought of “planning” a surprise party,
small get together, or date is clear to many, “urban planning”
involves thinking about a particular project or action that will
have an effect on the social environment of the affected sur-
roundings (humans and environment included). When develop-
ing these projects or actions, the framework thinkers’ intention
is to improve the welfare of not only human beings, but also the
environment as well. By thinking about the physical and built
environment and how it affects our social well being, we can bet-
ter improve our everyday lives and those of future generations.
Since the early days of human civilization, urban planning has
played a critical role in the evolution of the human society in which
we know today. For example, the complex aqueduct system that
was developed by the ancient Romans helped bring fresh water
to their thriving cities. Before the aqueduct system could be built,
scholars, engineers, and early urban planners of Rome identified
the problem of a lack of fresh water to be a problematic issue
to the city’s growth and survival. After discovering the problem,
they developed the theory of bringing fresh water from a distant

5
Unique Writing Samples (cont’d)
Project 3: Coney Island Redevelopment Plan Since the closing of Steeplechase Park in 1964, the amusement
area has kept shrinking year by year. Only a few landmark icons
Analyzed, critiqued, and commented on the justifica- of the historic Coney Island remain. While developing a master
tions of the Coney Island Redevelopment Plan (2007). plan to promote economic growth and development in this area,
the Coney Island Development Corporation calls for the historic
Background and Introduction to Coney Island preservation of existing landmarks in an effort to respect Coney
During the early to mid-20th century, Coney Island was con- Island’s rich history (Fig 3).
sidered the premier urban getaway destination. Devoid of the
stresses associated with urban living, people of all ages, races,
and backgrounds came to gather at Coney Island for its exciting
and vibrant entertainment district that was once defined by its
three prominent amusement parks:
1. Steeplechase Park (1897 – 1964)
2. Luna Park (1903 – 1946)
3. Dreamland (1904 – 1911) Fig 2: Existing C7 zoning and rezoning Fig 3: Historic landmarks marked for preservation
Image Source: New York City Depart- Image Source: New York City Depart-
By 1970, these amusement parks went ment of City Planning ment of City Planning

out of business and Coney Island was Proposed Rezoning Plan

beginning to show signs of decline and While the current C7 zone restriction
disinvestment. According to the Coney limits development only to large, open
Island Development Corporation(CIDC), amusement uses, the new rezoning
the size of the amusement area shrunk plan seeks to create three distinct dis-
by more than half its original size dur- tricts that have varying land uses.
Coney Island amusement area—pre park closures.
ing its transition from one of New York’s
most exciting areas to one of New York’s As illustrated in Figure 5, the plan
fastest declining areas (Fig 1). While los- uses Stillwell Avenue, Surf Avenue,
ing a considerable portion of its amuse- and Keyspan Park as edge bound- Fig 4: Creation of separate districts within
rezoning boundary
ment park area to poor investment and aries to distinguish three separate ment of Source:
Image New York City Depart-
City Planning
restrictive zoning codes, Coney Island’s districts referred to as Coney West,
once historic district is presently defined Coney North, and Coney East. As noted by the illustration,
by vacant areas, empty parking lots, Fig 1: Coney Island amusement area Coney West and North will be zoned for mixed-use properties
shrinking since the closing of its three that integrate both residential and retail land uses. Coney East
limited employment opportunities, and prominent amusement parks, post 1965
Image Source: Coney Island Develop- is specifically designated to build upon and further develop Coney
limited signs of street life. ment Corporation
Island’s open amusements while also adding enclosed amuse-
Existing Conditions ments, entertainment retail and hotels to create an environment
According to the New York City Department of City Plan- that would develop year-round businesses.
ning, the area that is to be rezoned is currently C7, a While each of these three districts are defined by specific land
commercial district limited to large open amusement uses (Fig 2). uses, the City of New York also determined that each district will
Residential housing is not permitted here. be required to abide by certain urban design guidelines. In an

5
Unique Writing Samples (cont’d)
effort to preserve Coney Island’s historic character and landscape, Park and west of the Cyclone would
these guidelines would establish each district with their own set be mapped as newly created park-
of special zoning codes that would define building densities and land. As illustrated in Figure 6, the
maximum heights. In an effort to preserve the historical character remapped parkland area will create
that Coney Island is known for, these guidelines would also help a continuous outdoor amusement
create appropriate transitions into surrounding neighborhoods. park area along Coney Island’s his-
Justifications toric Boardwalk, and will also create a Fig 6: Remapping of existing parkland area
newly mapped park that will embrace (currently used as parking lots) from light
green areas to dark green areas in effort to:
Coney North & West - Residential & Retail District the area’s unique beachfront location. 1) create continuous outdoor amusement
park area, 2) create vibrant mixed use
According to the New York City Depart- Through the creation of a continuous residential neighborhood in Coney West, 3)
ment of City Planning, together, both outdoor amusement park area and create new boardwalk park to enhance pe-
destrian connections between surrounding
of these mixed use development dis- a boardwalk park, the plan hopes to neighborhoods and boardwalk.
Image Source: New York City Department
tricts would create approximately an improve the visibility and walk abil- of City Planning
additional 450,000 new housing units ity for pedestrians from surrounding
(900 of them being affordable hous- neighborhoods to the beach and his-
ing units) while also adding 460,000 toric Boardwalk.
square feet in retail. As illustrated in Fig 5: Detailed Coney Island North, West, and
3. Despite the lack of space designated for
Figure 6, the rezoning plan calls for Image
East rezoning plan
Source: New York City Department parking in the rezoning plan, the Coney Is-
the creation of mixed-use residen- of City Planning
land Development Corporation’s Strategic
tial neighborhoods with ground floor retail within Coney North
Plan encourages private developers to cre-
and West. It would also designate the parcels along Surf Avenue
ate public parking spaces within their own
to be mixed-use residential with ground floor retail.
private lots and parcels. The lack of parking
1. As stated in New York City’s comprehensive document , “PlaNYC areas in the rezoning plan could be an initia-
2030,” New York City will need an additional 265,000 housing units tive led by New York City to create pedes- Fig 7: Gwanghwamun Plaza project—cut of
to accommodate their rapidly growing population by 2030. As es- trian-friendly environments where the focus traffic lanes and creation of public plaza.
Image Source: Seoul Metropolitan Government
timated in their document “New York City Population Projections of the design is the human being, not the
by Age/Sex and Borough 2000 - 2030,” New York City is expected automobile. In a case study based in Seoul, S. Korea, the current mayor is
to grow by over 1 million people while Brooklyn alone is expected attempting to transform their “hard city,” a city revolving around the auto-
to grow by about 250,000 people by that year. In preparation for mobile, into a “soft city,” a city that is human and pedestrian-orientated. In
this rapid population increase, this rezoning plan intends to create Seoul’s Gwanghwamun Plaza project, a major traffic artery located in down-
a bulk of additional housing units to sustain the anticipated needs town Seoul will be transformed from a 16 lane road into a 10 lane road. With
of New York City and the borough of Brooklyn. the extra space from the removal of these six traffic lanes, the Seoul Metro-
2. According to the New York City Department of City Planning, politan Government intends on creating a public plaza that will enhance and
“the proposed demapping of the existing park area requires enrich the neighborhood’s cultural atmosphere (Fig 8). Similar to Seoul’s
the replacement of an equal amount of parkland and approv- Gwanghwamun Plaza project, the lack of space designated for parking and
al of New York State legislation.” While obeying these specific automobiles is a step for New York City in becoming a pedestrian-oriented
guidelines outlined by New York State, the area east of Keyspan society where the focus of the design is the pedestrian, not the automobile.

6
Unique Writing Samples (cont’d)
Coney East - Open & Enclosed Amusements, Entertainment Retail, and Hotel Coney Island Rezoning Plan
According to the New York City Department of City Planning and
New York City Department of City Planning. 2008. Coney Island
the Coney Island Development Corporation, it is possible to revi-
Comprehensive Rezoning Plan.
talize the historic amusement park and entertainment district by
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dcp/html/coney_island/index.
preserving and building upon Coney Island’s iconic landmarks and
shtml (accessed November 10, 2008).
open amusements while adding enclosed amusements, entertain-
ment retail, and hotels. While the amusement park would be an-
Coney Island Development Corporation. 2008. Coney Island
chored by the Wonder Wheel, Parachute Jump, and the Cyclone,
Development Corporation. http://www.thecidc.
the addition of modern and traditional rides, enclosed amusements,
org/ (accessed November 10, 2008).
restaurants, hotels, and entertainment retail (bowling alleys, movie
theatres, and performance venues) would complement the open
Sources Cited
amusement area by creating a vibrant, year-round entertainment
district that would embrace a broader range of entertainment goods
Coney Island Development Corporation. 2008. Coney Island
and services than the previous C7 zoning plan allowed for. Through the Ages. http://www.thecidc.org/News/
Visions and Goals of Coney Island Development PressKit.html (accessed November 19, 2008).
Comprehensive Rezoning Plan
New York City Department of City Planning. 2008. New York
According to the Coney Island Development Corporation, their City Population projects by Age/Sex and Borough,
four primary goals are: 2000 - 2030. http://www.nyc.gov/html/dcp/html/
census/popproj.shtml (accessed November 21, 2008).
1. Create and foster an environment that would develop year
round businesses to strengthen the Coney Island economy. PlaNYC 2030. 2008. Land, Housing.
http://www.nyc.gov/html/planyc2030/html/plan/land_
2. Improve neighborhood conditions and quality of life, parks and housing.shtml (accessed November 21, 2008).
other community facilities.
Seoul Metropolitan Government. 2006. Traffic artery to make
3. Facilitate the development of vacant and underutilized properties. way for public plaza. http://english.seoul.go.kr/today/
news/newsclip/1239894_3675.html (accessed
4. Encourage the development of new housing to create a stable November 21, 2008).
consumer base in the neighborhood.
With these goals in mind, the Coney Island Rezoning Plan and the
Coney Island Strategic Plan successfully create conditions and
possibilities for these visions to become a reality; a reality where
Coney Island is born once again as America’s Playground.

7
Graphic Design & Digital Media
Project 4: “Finding Helvetica”
Found examples of “Helvetica” font in the urban environment and digitally altered the originals to change the “mood.”
Original Photographs

Altered Images

8
Graphic Design & Digital Media (cont’d)
Project 5: M&T Bank Plaza Poster
Designed maps and poster for M&T Plaza using Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator.

9
Graphic Design & Digital Media (cont’d)
Project 6: NFTA Metro Rail Presentation
Designed a PowerPoint Presentation promoting NFTA Metro Rail. Created several graphics for PowerPoint.
1 2 3

4 5 6

10
Graphic Design & Digital Media (cont’d)
Project 6: NFTA Metro Rail Presentation (cont’d)
Designed a PowerPoint Presentation promoting NFTA Metro Rail. Created several graphics for PowerPoint.
7 8 9

10 11 12

11
Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
Project 7: Targeting Community Development Funds
Identified distressed areas in the City of Buffalo that would be suitable for a community development grant by identified Cen-
sus Block Groups who experienced a high level of Intrametropolitan and Intercity Hardship Index (IIHI). The IIHI is measured
by: unemployment, dependency, education, crowded housing, poverty, vacancy, and housing built before 1939.
Grouped together common land use types (ex: 210, 311, etc) by parcel to see which groups of parcels whose total assessed
value is less than $100,000 and whose area is greater than 1/3 of an acre.

12
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) (cont’d)
Project 8: Money, Education, and Race
Identified where wealthy and financially depressed college students lived and analyzed whether or not their financial wellbeing
(measured by median household income) restricted a person’s ability to attend a public or private college.
Lighter parcels represent lower incomes. Red dots represent private college attendees while blue represent public college attendees

13
Research Projects in Environmental Design
Project 9: Bus Shelter Redesign
Researched and authored a 30 page report about the importance of a well designed bus shelter and its relation-
ship in shaping healthy, active lifestyles. Studied best practices in bus shelter design and developed recommen-
dations for Buffalo’s NFTA bus shelter.
Excerpts from the report are provided. A poster was also designed to summarize the primary findings of the study.
Overview lifestyles as people who ride public transit have been proven to
be more physically active and less obese.
The purpose of this study is to suggest design recommendations for
Nigara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA) bus stops to pro-
As outlined in this report, design recommendations for improve-
mote public transit. Improving the physical quality of the bus stop
ments in bus shelters will provide transit users with a better com-
environment will make bus stops safer, convenient, and accessible
mute that has the potential to influence an increase in transit
for all users. By building upon its strength as the public transit lead-
ridership, lower crime, and foster an environment that embraces
er in Western New York, the NFTA has an influence on the public’s
active and healthy lifestyles.
general health as access to quality public transit has been proven
to influence a person’s levels of both physical activity and obesity. Snapshots of Report

Since its founding in 1967, the NFTA has played an intergral role in
the economic development of the Buffalo Nigara region by trans-
porting working people to and from their every day jobs. Just in
the 2008-2009 fiscal year, the NFTA transported about 28.2 million
people. When discussing the NFTA’s role in transporting people to
and from their destinations in 2008-2009, James Fink (2004) of
Buffalo’s Busness First states, “Bus boardings increased by 5% to
21.39 million from 20.38 million while Metro Rail boardings rose
by 20%, increasing to 6.8 million from 5.68 million.

Despite the economic stresses that Western New York is facing in

the 21st century, the National Business Coalition for Rapid Transit
(2005), American Public Transportation Association (2007), and
Transportation for America (2009) emphasize the many bene-
fits of investing in America’s public transportation systems, such
as the NFTA. These organizations outline a number of benefits
such as increased mobility, sustainable economic development,
reduced oil dependence and auto congestion, support during
emergencies and disasters, and increased safety. The focus of
this report is centered on public transit’s role in shaping active

14
Research Projects in Environmental Design (cont’d)
Works Cited
1)Besser, L., Dannenberg, A. (2005). Walking to public
transit: steps to help meet physical activity
recommendations. American Journal of Preventive
Medicine, 29 (4), 273-280. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov

2) Edwards, R. (2007). Public transit, walking, and health:

Assessing the magnitudes. Retrieved from CUNY, School
of Economics Queens College CUNY Website:
http://qcpages.qc.cuny.edu/~redwards/Papers/edwards-ht.pdf

3) Easter Seals Project Action. (2006). Toolkit for the assessment

of bus stop accessibility and safety. Retrieved from
http://projectaction.easterseals.com

4) Lombardi, C. (2009). Solar bus shelters for San Francisco.

CNet News. Retrieved from http://news.cnet.com

5) Environmental Leader. (2006). Chicago pilots solar bus shelters,

rubber sidewalks. Environmental Leader. Retrieved from
http://www.environmentalleader.com

6) Urban Solar Corp. (2009). Solar lighting for transit. Retrieved

from http://www.urbansolarcorp.com/

7) Roth, M. (2009). Mayor Newsom and MTA cut ribbon on new

solar bus shelters. SF.StreetsBlog.org. Retrieved from
http://sf.streetsblog.org

8) Buffalo Rising. (2008). NFTA maps, new ideas. Retrieved from

http://archives.buffalorising.com

9)MIT Sensible Lab. (2009). Eyestop: PPT. Retrieved from

http://senseable.mit.edu/eyestop/

10) New York City Department of Transportation. (2009).

Pedestrians & sidewalks, CSFF coordinated street
furniture: identity and amenity. Retrieved from
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/

15
Research Projects in Environmental Design (cont’d)
Project 10: The Built Environment’s influence on Physical Activity
Prepared a 25 page report about the built environment’s influence on human health, physical activity, and its impact
on the obesity epidemic. Developed literature review, methodology, and gathered data from the American Housing
Survey and Center for Disease Control. After performing a correlation analysis, land use mix was determined to have
a stronger correlation with physical activity versus residential density’s correlation with physical activity.
Excerpts from the report are provided. A poster was also designed to summarize the primary findings of the study.
Abstract This study measures the built environment using indicators pre-
viously used in literature to measure the extent of sprawl in the
Recent studies have proven that poor urban form fosters seden- built environment. As noted in the literature review, sprawl can
tary, inactive lifestyles that discourage routine physical activity. be measured in several ways. This study relies on the measures
The purpose of this research was to analyze the correlation be- in a report written by Ewing, Pendall, and Chen, and published
tween characteristics of urban form (such as residential density by Smart Growth America in 2005. The report offers four broad
and land use mix) to determine their influence on the percentage measures of sprawl which act as independent variables: residen-
of adults who achieve the Surgeon General’s recommended levels tial density, land use mix, street accessibility, and the concentra-
of physical activity. A correlation analyses showed land use mix tion of development focused on a city’s center. Each of these four
had a stronger correlation with physical activity (r = .42) versus factors is measured using several quantitative variables.
the lower, but yet positive correlation between residential density
and physical activity (r = .14). These results support the need for Jaret et al. (2009) concluded that Ewing et al.’s sprawl factors
policies that promote increased densities and land use mix as a of density, land use mix, and street accessibility are all sign-
means to promote active and healthier lifestyles that include walk- ficiantly correlated with each other while centeredness is not.
ing, cycling, and taking public transportation. As a result, this study uses two of Ewing et al.’s original four
Methodology factors, residential density and land use mix; street accessibil-
ity was excluded due to the time and scope limitations of this
To investigate the influence of the built environment on an indi- project. Residential density was measured by the gross popu-
vidual’s level of physical activity, this study relied on a quantitative lation density in persons per square mile and land use mix was
approach using deductive logic. The research design is a quantita- measured by the percentage of residents within satisfactory
tive case study of metropolitan statistical areas (MSA) within the neighborhood shopping within 1 mile.
United States. In gathering data pertaining to residential density,
land use mix, and physical activity, the only data that all three The dependent variable of this study was the percentage of
shared in common was available by MSA. Despite Smart Growth adults who achieve at least 30+ minutes of moderate physical
America’s (2005) call for further research to incorporate communi- activity five or more days per week, or vigorous physical activity
ty level studies, there was no land use mix or physical activity data for 20+ minutes three or more days per week. Physical activ-
accessible for anything smaller than a metropolitan statistical area. ity data for children was either available by state or nationally
through the Center for Disease Control’s Youth Risk Behavior
Surveillance System (YRBSS). The local surveys that the Center

16
Research Projects in Environmental Design (cont’d)
for Disease Control did posses were limited and did not address Findings & Figures
the sampling frame of metropolitan statistical areas.
Land Use Mix & Physical Activity
Despite the limitation of data available for the target population 0.60

Physical Activity (% of people whom achieve recommended)

of children and youth, the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services (2010) acknowledges in their report, “There has been 0.50 Buffalo
Charolette
less research on the relationship between the physical environ- Columbus
0.40
ment and physical activity for children than for adults, however Dallas

the findings for children appear to be consistant with those of 0.30

Fort Worth

the adult population.” By studying the percentage of adults who Kansas City
Miami
achieve the recommended levels of physical activity it is possible 0.20
Milwaukee, WI
to use these findings for the target population as well. Phoenix, AZ
0.10
Portland, OR-WA

The sample for this study included 12 of the 13 MSA’s who had 0.00
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario
San Diego, CA
an American Housing Survey report for the year 2002. The ex- 0 20 40 60 80 100

cluded MSA from the study, Anaheim-Santa Ana, CA, was con- Mix of Uses (% within 1 mile of satisfactory shopping)

sidered to significantly change the results of the study. Residen-

Fig 1: Land use mix and physical activity correlation coefficient of r = .42.
tial density and land use mix variables were clearly written in Source: American Housing Survey (2002) & Center for Disease Control (2005)
the American Housing Survey report and easy to gather. Graph: Generated by author

The Center for Disease Control provided easy access to physical

activity data through their Selected Metropolitan/Micropolitan Residential Density & Physical Activity
Area Risk Trends (SMART) project by using the Behavioral Risk 0.60

Physical Activity (% of people whom achieve recommended)

Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). The first year that physical
activity data could be collected was 2005. By collecting data for 0.50 Buffalo

the dependent variable in a latter year after data was collected Charolotte

0.40 Columbus
for the independent variables, it is possible to see a stronger Dallas
influence on the dependent variable. 0.30
Fort Worth
Kansas City

Once the raw data was collected, correlation analysis was con- 0.20
Miami
Milwaukee, WI
ducted to determine whether a correlation existed between Phoenix, AZ
population density and physical activity. A second correlation 0.10
Portland, OR-WA

analysis was conducted between land use mix and physical ac- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario
0.00
tivity. The purpose of running both analyses was to determine 0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400
San Diego, CA

how the built environment influences physical activity levels. Population Density (persons per square land mile)

Fig 2: Residential density and physical activity correlation coefficient of r = .14.

Source: American Housing Survey (2002) & Center for Disease Control (2005)
Graph: Generated by author

17
Research Projects in Environmental Design (cont’d)
Works Cited
The Built Environment’s influence Raymond Chetti
University at Buffalo 1. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. (2010, January 14).
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Statement Regarding
on Physical Activity
School of Architecture & Planning
rjchetti@buffalo.edu
Release of Estimates of Obesity Prevalence Among U.S.
ABSTRACT Children and Teens. Retrieved from http://www.rwjf.org/
Recent studies have proven that poor urban form fosters sedentary, inactive life-
styles that discourage routine physical activity. The purpose of this research was
to analyze the correlation between characteristics of urban form (such as resi-
1 out of every 3 2. Gunnell, D., Frankel, S., Nanchanal, K., Peters, T., & Smith, G.
American children
dential density and land use mix) to determine their influence on the percentage
of adults who achieve the Surgeon General’s recommended levels of physical are obese
(1998). Childhood obesity and adult cardiovascular
activity. A correlation analyses showed land use mix had a stronger correlation
with physical activity (r = .42) versus the lower, but yet positive correlation be-
mortality: a 57-y follow-up study based on the Boyd Orr
Health Impacts of Obesity
tween residential density and physical activity (r = .14). These results support
the need for policies that promote increased densities and land use mix as a Heart Obese individuals have a 10-to 50-
cohort. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 67(6),
Diabetes
means to promote active and healthier lifestyles that include walking, cycling,
and taking public transportation. Destruction of
Disease percent increased risk of death from
all causes compared with
healthy weight individuals (BMI 18.5-24.9).9
1111-1118. Retrieved from http://www.ajcn.org
3. Alliance for a Healthier Generation. (2010). Childhood Obesity
Weight-Bearing
Joints Depression
INTRODUCTION Childhood
Obesity is associated with
112,000 excess deaths per year in
Costs. Retrieved from http://www.healthiergeneration.org/
Orthopedic
The prevalence of the childhood obesity epidemic has grown to a rate where Problems Obesity 2 Social
the U.S. population relative to healthy
weight individuals.9
approximately one out of every three American children are obese (BMI ≥ 95th
4. Ewing, R., Brownson, R., & Berrigan, D. (2006, December).
Isolation
percentile);1 obese children are susceptible to increased risks for a number of short-
Moderate obesity (BMI 30 to 35)
life threatening diseases as well as a higher risk for increased mortality risk High ens lives by 3 years and the seri-
Relationship between urban sprawl and weight of United
Cholesterol Cardiovascular
during their adult lives.2 For this reason the prevention of childhood obesity is Hypertension
Disease die 10
ously obese (BMI 40 to 50) will
critical in preventing adult diseases that are associated with adult obesity. years before they should.10
Aside from the many direct health impacts of obesity, the economic cost of cov-
Economic Impacts of Obesity3
States youth. American Journal of Preventive Medicine,
ering obesity related illnesses costs the average American family about 9% of
their total medical costs.3 In light of the negative impacts of childhood obesity, Direct Costs Indirect Costs National Economic Costs 31(6), 464-474. Retrieved from http://www.ajpm-online.net/
recent studies have proven that sprawl and poor urban form fosters sedentary, • Economic output lost pro- Associated with Obesity 3
inactive lifestyles that discourage routine physical activity.4-8
• Physician visits
• Clinic services
ductivity (missed work days
and future earnings lost)
5. Frank, L., Andresen, M., & Schmid, T. (2004).
Direct Costs: $61 billion
The purpose of this study is to add to the need of community level studies on
how urban form affects people’s levels of physical activity. How does urban • Mediciations
• Premature death
Indirect Costs: $56 billion
Obesity relationships with community design, physical
form influence physical activity at the community level?
activity, and time spent in cars. American Journal of
• Hospitalization

LITERATURE REVIEW
The negative effects of poor urban form are endless and ranges from socio- obese (≥95 percentile) was associated with sprawl.4 Ewing et al. calculated Preventive Medicine, 27(2), 87-96. Retrieved from http://
economic and quality of life impacts, more rapid consumption of natural re- sprawl by measuring residential density, land use mix, degree of centering,
sources and energy, the destruction of rural and natural areas, and the deple- and street accessibility. www.ajpm-online.net/
tion of our ozone layer.12 Despite these impacts, none of them could influ-
ence us more directly than sprawl’s impact on our indiviudal, personal health
Frank et al. concluded that land use mix, residential density, and street ac-
cessibility (or intersection density) were positively related with the number of 6. Frank, L., Schmid, T., Sallis, J., Chapman, J., & Saelens, B.
as well as the health of our children. minutes of moderate physical activity per day, a person was able to
Supporting Frumkin’s inital argument,7 others have found relationships and as- achieve.5,6 Frank et al. (2004) found that land use mix had the strongest as- (2005). Linking objectively measured physical activity
sociations between the built environment, physical activity levels, and obesity sociation with obesity while also finding each additional hour spent in a car
levels. Lopez performed a multilevel analysis (cross-sectional study) to assess per day was associated with a 6% increase in being obese while each addi- with objectively measured urban form: Findings from
urban sprawl and obesity by gathering 2000 U.S. Census data and individual- tional kilometer walked was associated with a 4.8% reduction in being
level data from the CDC’s BRFSS and found that for each 1-point increase in his obese.5 Frank et al. (2005) found that 37% of the individuals living in denser SMARTRAQ. American Journal of Preventive
urban sprawl index (as urban areas tended to be less dense), the risk for being and more mixed use areas achieved the Surgeon General’s recommended
overweight increased by .2% and the risk for being obese increased by .5%.8 level of moderate intensity physical activity compared to only 18% in more Medicine, 28(2), 117-125. Retrieved from http://
sprawling neighborhoods.6
Ewing et al. found that the likelihood of U.S. adolescents (aged 12-17 years)
being overweight (≥85 percentile) and yound adults (18-23 years) being www.ajpm-online.net/
METHODOLOGY 7. Frumkin, H. (2002). Urban sprawl and public health.
Research Design
Develop research problem and question Perform literature review to
Dependent Variable
Physical Activity Variable Source
Public Health Reports, 117(3), 201-217. Retrieved from
Gather data for variables
study which factors of urban
form influence physical activity
• Adults with 30+ minutes
of moderate physical
• Center for Disease
Control (CDC) - SMART:
http://www.cdc.gov/
activity five or more days
per week, or vigorous
BRFSS City and County
Data (2005) 8. Lopez, R. (2004). Urban sprawl and risk for being
physical activity for 20+
Depending on the limited data available,
the dependent variable, the unit of analy-
Perform correlation analysis
to determine each urban
minutes three or more
days per week.
overweight or obese. American Journal of Public Health,
sis (MSA) and sample size (12 MSA’s)
were determined
form’s influence on health
and physical activity Independent Variables
94(9), 1574-1579. Retrieved from http://ajph.aphapublications.org/
FINDINGS & ANALYSIS Land Use Mix Variable Source 9. National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases.
Both independent variables were found to be correlated with the percentage
of adults who achieve the recommended levels of physical activity. The find-
• Percentage of residents
within satisfactory
• American Housing
Survey - Metropolitan (2007, June). Statistics Related to Overweight and Obesity.
neighborhood shopping (2002)
ings of this study support the results from previous literature that argue resi-
dential density and land use mix are correlated with public health.
within 1 mile.
Retrieved from www.win.niddk.nih.gov
While it is evident that land use mix has a stronger, positive correlation with
physical activity as opposed to residential density, Frank et al. (2004) also
Correlation coefficient of r = .42
w/ Physical Activity
10. Boseley, S. (2009, March 18). Obese die up to 10 years early,
found that land use mix had the strongest association with obesity (BMI≥
30kg/m2) as opposed to residential density and street connectivity.5 Residential Density Variable Source
study of a million people finds. Guardian.co.uk. Retrieved
0.60
Residential Density & Physical Activity
0.60
Land Use Mix & Physical Activity • Gross population density in
persons per square mile.
• American Housing
Survey - Metropolitan
from http://www.guardian.co.uk/
Physical Activity (% of people whom achieve recommended)

Physical Activity (% of people whom achieve recommended)

(2002)
11. ICF International. (2010). Childhood Obesity Prevention.
0.50 Buffalo 0.50 Buffalo
Charolotte Charolette

0.40 Columbus 0.40 Columbus

Dallas Dallas

Retrieved from http://www.icfi.com/

Fort Worth Fort Worth
0.30 0.30

Correlation coefficient of r = .14

Kansas City Kansas City
Miami Miami
0.20 0.20
Milwaukee, WI Milwaukee, WI
w/ Physical Activity
12. European Environment Agency. (2006). Urban Sprawl in
Phoenix, AZ Phoenix, AZ
0.10 0.10
Portland, OR-WA Portland, OR-WA
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario
0.00

WORKS CITED
San Diego, CA 0.00
San Diego, CA
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 0 20 40 60 80 100

Europe: The ignored challenge. Retrieved from

Population Density (persons per square land mile) Mix of Uses (% within 1 mile of satisfactory shopping)

1. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. (2010, January 14). Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Statement Regarding Release of Estimates of Obesity Prevalence Among U.S. Children and Teens. Retrieved from http://www.rwjf.org/

CONCLUSION & RECOMMENDATIONS

2. Gunnell, D., Frankel, S., Nanchanal, K., Peters, T., & Smith, G. (1998). Childhood obesity and adult cardiovascular mortality: a 57-y follow-up study based on the Boyd Orr cohort. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 67(6), 1111-1118. Retrieved from http://www.ajcn.org
3. Alliance for a Healthier Generation. (2010). Childhood Obesity Costs. Retrieved from http://www.healthiergeneration.org/

http://www.eea.europa.eu/
4. Ewing, R., Brownson, R., & Berrigan, D. (2006, December). Relationship between urban sprawl and weight of United States youth. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 31(6), 464-474. Retrieved from http://www.ajpm-online.net/
5. Frank, L., Andresen, M., & Schmid, T. (2004). Obesity relationships with community design, physical activity, and time spent in cars. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 27(2), 87-96. Retrieved from http://www.ajpm-online.net/

Based upon the literature review and the results of this study, future policies should 6. Frank, L., Schmid, T., Sallis, J., Chapman, J., & Saelens, B. (2005). Linking objectively measured physical activity with objectively measured urban form: Findings from SMARTRAQ. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 28(2), 117-125. Retrieved from http://www.ajpm-online.net/
7. Frumkin, H. (2002). Urban sprawl and public health. Public Health Reports, 117(3), 201-217. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/

support high density and mixed use development to help promote more compact
8. Lopez, R. (2004). Urban sprawl and risk for being overweight or obese. American Journal of Public Health, 94(9), 1574-1579. Retrieved from http://ajph.aphapublications.org/
9. National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases. (2007, June). Statistics Related to Overweight and Obesity. Retrieved from www.win.niddk.nih.gov
10. Boseley, S. (2009, March 18). Obese die up to 10 years early, study of a million people finds. Guardian.co.uk. Retrieved from http://www.guardian.co.uk/

and walkable communities where residents will be more physically active. 11. ICF International. (2010). Childhood Obesity Prevention. Retrieved from http://www.icfi.com/
12. European Environment Agency. (2006). Urban Sprawl in Europe: The ignored challenge. Retrieved from http://www.eea.europa.eu/

18
Raymond Chetti
University at Buffalo
School of Architecture and Urban Planning

P ortfolio of

W orks

1239 America Ave

West Babylon, NY, 11704
direct: +1(631) 943 - 6208
e-mail: rjchetti@buffalo.edu