In the News

Proposal for Jakin " Article 2

This is the second in a series of articles about the visions developed for Early County during the recent charrette planning process held by Early County 2055.

In planning a vision for Jakin, PlaceMakers noted that "when thinking 50 years out, one thing you can count on is that you can't count on anything."

According to PlaceMakers, that's why it's important to consider that the modes of transportation that dominate travel and distribution today may, in certain circumstances, change.

One of Early County's key assets is its rail lines and it's not much of a stretch to imagine that, should the cost of oil and gas continue to rise to unaffordable levels, these lines could be used with greater frequency - in service of both freight and travel. So the designers exploring growth and development naturally consider proximity to such infrastructure.

According to PlaceMakers, Jakin has a wonderful opportunity to grow slowly while fostering a unique identity and value as a community. The idea involves what's being called a "trade village" - a collection of modest, lowcost buildings with regionally regionally appropriate facades arranged in proximity to the rail line with visibility from the highway.

Such buildings would make ideal workspaces for craft and tradesmen, artisans, small businesses and artists. Perhaps most importantly, though, is that the place itself is well equipped to adapt to ever-changing economic circumstances over time.

To view this article online, click here.