September 20, 2010

For the first time in its 24-year history, the Mayors- Institute on City Design (MICD) took place in Los Angeles August 4-6. Hosted by Conference of Mayors Vice President Los Angeles Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa and the city, the event was attended by Portland (OR) Mayor Sam Adams, Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker, Albuquerque Mayor Richard J. Berry, Long Beach (CA) Mayor Bob Foster, Stockton (CA) Mayor Ann Johnston, County of Hawaii Mayor William P. Kenoi, and Omaha Mayor Jim Suttle. Experts in architecture, landscape architecture, urban planning, and transportation joined the mayors in the discussions, offering pragmatic advice on how the mayors could approach the urban design challenges facing each of their cities.

The 47th National Session commenced with a tour along Broadway Street in downtown Los Angeles, led by Jessica Wethington McLean, Executive Director of Bringing Back Broadway. The tour showcased the potential redevelopment of the historic resources and architecture in the old theater district on Broadway. Later that evening, at a reception held at the Disney Concert Hall, Villaraigosa provided the keynote address following opening remarks by American Architectural Foundation President and CEO Ronald Bogle, Hon. AIA; Target Corporation Group Manager of Architecture Scott Jordan-Denny; The Coca Cola Company's Director of Government Relations Charlie Sutlive; The United States Conference of Mayors CEO and Executive Director Tom Cochran; and National Endowment for the Arts Design Director Jason Schupbach.

Berry initiated the design discussions the following morning, presenting on Albuquerque's efforts to redevelop a 27-acre, city-owned former rail yard site south of the downtown core. The city wants to ensure that the area becomes an asset and destination for residents and tourists alike by appropriately leveraging one of its most distinct historic assets that has the potential to create a vibrant area within the city.

Becker discussed the history of the Depot District Project Area in Salt Lake City, created in 1998 by the Redevelopment Agency, to invest substantial tax increment revenues in transit-related infrastructure, including the creation of an Intermodal Hub transit facility that serves as the central transfer point for the regional rail system. The concentration of the RDA's property on both sides of the street and adjacent to the Intermodal Hub presents a unique opportunity to facilitate development of a walkable, mixed-use urban neighborhood at the focal point of the region's transit system.

Villaraigosa presented his city's efforts to revive Broadway Street in downtown Los Angeles through arts-oriented redevelopment projects such as the Broadway Arts Center (BAC), which will offer support for artists and arts service providers. The BAC concept is envisioned as a mixed-use facility integrating affordable housing for artists, performance and visual arts exhibition space, classroom facilities, creative commercial space and ground floor retail with commercial parking and theatrical loading to support reactivation of historic theatres. This project recently received a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, as part of the NEA's MICD 25th Anniversary Initiative, for planning and conceptual predevelopment studies.

Kenoi oriented his discussion around Honohokau Village, a new development project envisioned as the first transit-oriented development project on the Big Island. As the county moves forward with this project, it aims to ensure that the Honohokau Village sets the tone for a new style of development on the Big Island that incorporates authentic, sustainable, accessible mixed-use development critical for the development of new urban communities.

Foster presented the city's vision for the North Village Center development project in Long Beach, a two-block, 6.3 acre site located along Atlantic Avenue. The city envisions that the site be developed as a mixed-use project with ground floor commercial retail space, public use, and for'sale residential units. The North Village Center is intended to be a pedestrian friendly environment where buildings that line wide unhindered sidewalks along Atlantic Avenue create synergy with public spaces to make walking a pleasant experience.

Johnston described Stockton's work to redevelop the waterfront with contiguous trails and housing. One of the most viable areas for infill development lies on the north bank of Stockton's waterfront, across from its active port. This area, currently being called the Warehouse District and Monte Diablo, is located between Stockton's downtown stadium and arena to the east and the active Louis Park to the west. In addition to land for development, this area is a missing link in an otherwise contiguous waterfront bicycle and pedestrian system.

Suttle presented his administration's efforts to increase employment in an underserved area of North Omaha through a redevelopment project in the industrial property located northwest of the Omaha airport. A number of potential industrial users are looking for shovel-ready ground, and Omaha is working to draw them within city limits through creative development strategies.

Adams discussed Portland's work with the Gateway Regional Center, a 660-acre area with excellent access to transit located between the downtown core and the airport. As the area develops, the city hopes to make Gateway an employment center and a destination of choice through strategic design decisions and additional public amenities that will make the area a desirable place to live and work.

Joining the mayors at this National Session were resource team members, including: Dana Bourland, AICP, LEED AP, Vice President of Green Initiatives at Enterprise Community Partners; Debra Campbell, Planning Director for Charlotte (NC); Mami Hara, ASLA, AICP, Principal at Wallace Roberts & Todd, LLC; Mary Margaret Jones, FASLA, FAAR, President and Senior Principal at Hargreaves Associates; Theodore C. Landsmark, M.Ev.D. J.D. Ph.D. Assoc. AIA Hon. D.F.A., President of the Boston Architectural College; Chris Leinberger, Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution; Wellington "Duke" Reiter, FAIA, Principal at Urban Instruments, Inc.; and Jeffrey Tumlin, Principal at Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates.

MICD is a National Endowment for the Arts leadership initiative in partnership with the American Architectural Foundation and The United States Conference of Mayors. The 47th National Session was sponsored in part by Target and the Coca-Cola Company. Since 1986, MICD has helped transform communities through design by preparing mayors to be the chief urban designers of their cities. MICD conducts several sessions each year. For a list of upcoming events, past attendees, or for more information, visit the website www.micd.org.