By Trinity Simons, MICD Staff
November 6, 2006

The Mayors’ Institute on City Design (MICD) held its 37th National Session in Charleston (SC) October 18 through 20. Hosted by Charleston Mayor Joseph P. Riley, Jr., the event was attended by Rochester Mayor Robert Duffy, Missoula Mayor John Engen, Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory, Sumter (SC) Mayor Joseph McElveen, Galveston Mayor Lyda Ann Thomas, and Billings Mayor Ron Tussing.

Each of the mayors presented a challenge faced by his/her city. Following the presentations, experts in architecture, urban planning and development joined the mayors in a discussion offering advice on everything from urban design and housing to transportation patterns and plans for implementation.

MICD is a partnership program of the National Endowment for the Arts, The American Architectural Foundation, and The United States Conference of Mayors. Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, the program has assisted over 675 mayors in transforming their communities through good urban design.

The event began with a reception and dinner at the City Gallery at Waterfront Park in Charleston. Riley, founder of MICD, gave the keynote lecture for the evening. Discussing his successes in Charleston and their applicability in other cities, Riley set the tone for the event by stressing that mayors are the chief urban designers of their cities.

Throughout the event, mayors focused the discussions on revitalizing their cities. Case study topics ranged from downtown preservation and revitalization to mitigating auto-oriented suburban development. Participants discussed opportunities to create sustainable communities through mixed-use development and public transportation; promote catalytic redevelopment of city center areas that have been abandoned or neglected; aid in the preservation of historically significant buildings; build off of recent successes; and encourage redevelopment of distressed sites. Duffy reflected, “The session was inspiring, educational, practical, and very valuable to me. I leave here with a new level of understanding regarding my role as mayor.” Energized by the lively discussion, Engen added, “I’m stealing at least three ideas!”

In addition to case study presentations made by the mayors, each resource team member had the opportunity to highlight key issues from his/her areas of expertise. Jim Charlier, a transportation planner and Principal of Charlier Associates, Inc. in Boulder (CO), promoted intermodal, pedestrian-oriented design. Maurice Cox, a former mayor of Charlottesville (VA) and Professor of Architecture at the University of Virginia, encouraged mayors to engage their communities in design discussions. Mike Ghielmetti, a developer and President of Signature Properties in Pleasanton (CA), highlighted large'scale projects that emphasize community values and the pedestrian experience while remaining financially and politically feasible. Joan Goody, FAIA, an architect and Principal of Goody Clancy Architecture, Planning and Preservation in Boston, related strategies for developing residential units in varying densities for unique needs within a city.

Robert Peck, an MICD advisory council member and Vice President at The Staubach Company in Washington (DC), recalled his days as the commissioner of public buildings for the General Services Administration in discussing the role of public buildings in cities, while underscoring the positive contribution that a mayor can make to his/her city through the construction and preservation of significant public buildings and spaces. Christine Saum, former Executive Director of MICD and the Director of the Urban Design and Plan Review Division at the National Capital Planning Commission in Washington (DC), evoked her experience with MICD and highlighted significant opportunities mayors have in improving their cities, including programming interstitial spaces for citizens. Kennedy Smith, Co-Founder and Principal of the Community Land Use and Economics (CLUE) Group in Washington (DC), spoke of maintaining authenticity in downtown redevelopment. Michael Vergason, FASLA, FAAR, Principal of Michael Vergason Landscape Architects in Alexandria (VA), promoted ecologically responsive design.

MICD conducts several sessions each year. For a list of upcoming events, past attendees, or for more information, visit us at www.micd.org.