Many communities in our country are still struggling to overcome inequitable planning practices from previous eras that made them targets of exclusion and disinvestment. As planners, VHB believes we have a moral and ethical responsibility to help restore the balance of social equity in communities that have been historically underserved.
Parramore is an African-American community that experienced significant depopulation and unemployment due to substantial roadway construction and slowing economic growth. Our team worked with the City of Orlando, education leaders, public and private leaders, and the community to create a plan to revitalize the area, guided by 10 Healthy Community Design (HCD) Principles, such as promoting access to healthy food, investing in people and not cars, and encouraging mixed-use development. By leading multiple community forums involving extensive public engagement to encourage buy-in, together we planned a vibrant Parramore involving transit-oriented development built around a new SunRail station. With a new pre-k to college pipeline and various transit options, Parramore is once again a lively, connected community.
