Lehr Jackson is part of a very small group of architects, planners and developers who can say with earned pride that they were part of the legendary team created by Jim Rouse which revolutionized community living and the retail experience in the United States. Challenged by Rouse, Lehr and his colleagues developed innovative, and at times, radical solutions for America’s failing cities with the introduction of food courts and outdoor shopping like Faneuil Hall in Boston. He later formed Williams Jackson Ewing, which counts Union Station in D.C., Grand Central Terminal in New York and Belvedere Square in Baltimore as examples of his work.
Now with full time residence in Bozman, Lehr has also been looking at smaller scale projects for towns such as Easton and Chestertown, where he sees so much potential. With his eye towards returning towns to the robust levels seen before the Great Depression in 1929 or after the end of WW II, Jackson advocates for holding on to the inner-core of community life, the historic downtown, as the best way to compete in the future.
Chestertown Futures is a two-year project of the Chestertown Spy to provide a sustained community conversation on Chestertown’s future and aspirations through the unique voices of twenty-four members of the community representing all aspects of greater Chestertown. By design, these interviews are longer than most broadcast interviews to allow each participant ample time to express their views. It is therefore advisable to allow time for the YouTube video to load the interview fully before viewing, which may take up to three to five minutes.
DLaMotte says
Wonderful interview. This is the voice our area needs to hear more of.