New Urban Cowboy: Toward a New Pedestrianism

An inspirational look at the "New Pedestrianism," this documentary from filmmakers Michael Arth and Blake Weirs traces artist, urban, and home designer Arth's efforts to transform a crime-ridden Florida crack slum into The Garden District -- a functional, livable community. Convinced that in the coming years suburbanites will begin returning to the cities and relying less on cars, Arth penned a book entitled The Labors of Hercules: Modern Solutions to 12 Herculean Problems, which detailed his vision of urban neighborhoods that were more pedestrian-friendly than they had been in the past. Eventually, he realized it was time to put his ideas into action. Convincing his pregnant wife to sell their cozy Santa Barbara home and move to dangerous DeLand, FL, Arth secured financing from a group of private investors, purchased a nail gun, and went to work. By the time he was finished, property values were rising and skeptical citizens were stunned by the results -- a neighborhood that was previously scheduled for demolition had been miraculously reborn. And DeLand was just the beginning.