Clifton Corridor Residents Worry About Compensation, Quality of Life

By Eden Landow for Virginia-Highland/Druid Hills Patch

Neighborhood groups involved in planning for a MARTA expansion through the Clifton Corridor say residents are worried they might not be adequately compensated for their property or that the right-of-way would extend virtually to their doorsteps and harm their quality of life.

Planning consultant Heather Alhadeff, who has been hired by Lindbergh LaVista Corridor Coalition Inc. to aid in the communication process, discusses the proposals with LLCC board member Rosalie Townsend, former LLCC president Henry Batten and NPU-F chairwoman and LLCC transportation coordinator Jane Rawlings. Credit Eden Landow

The public got another chance Wednesday night to comment on a proposed $1 billion project to expand MARTA rail through the  Clifton corridor and link Lindbergh Center with Emory, the CDC, Decatur  and Avondale.

The latest configuration proposes heavy rail, including some  underground tracks, from Lindbergh Center to the intersection of  Clairmont and North Decatur roads and then light rail or bus rapid to  the Avondale MARTA station. Three possibilities were detailed among the  presentations up for comment.

Jason Morgan, MARTA

Jason Morgan, regional planner for MARTA and project manager for the Clifton Corridor Transit Initiative, said Wednesday night’s Station Area Planning and Alignment Workshop, held at Torah Day School of Atlanta, concludes the public meetings that will be held during the Alternative Analysis phase of the project development process.

“It’s important that people’s concerns are documented at this stage   so they can be flagged for inclusion in the environmental process and   then we can be ready to mitigate them,” Morgan said.

Three previous formal public-input meetings were held, including this one, two last year and one in May. In addition, several community meetings have been held, including one called by the Lindbergh LaVista Corridor Coalition on July 12 that was attended by more than 200 people.

Neighborhood groups involved in the Clifton Corridor transit development process, so far, have included Morningside/Lenox Park Neighbhorhood Association, Lindridge/Martin Manor Neighborhood Association and Woodland Hills Neighborhood Association.

Planners had explored at-grade options including light rail and bus rapid transit and to utilize the CSX right-of-way, but neighborhood concerns, development density and refusal by CSX to share their space, open up the possibility for subterranean tracks.

Rather than blasting, Morgan said, builders would use a tunnel-boring machine.

“We want to avoid the ‘cut-and-cover’ method, which involves a lot of disruption, which is what we’re trying to avoid,” he said.

LLCC and Lenox Park/Morningside have hired consultant Perkins+Will’s Urban Design practice and their senior transportation planner, Heather Alhadeff, to assist them in getting their concerns heard.

“I am here to coordinate, advise and manage the dialogue between MARTA and their partner, CCTMA, and the neighborhoods,” said Aldaheff, “to communicate things in a meaningful, understandable and productive way, in both directions.”

MARTA and CCTMA boards are expected to vote in November on the proposal, which would send the process to the environmental stage, during which historic and ecological studies would be made, as well as impact studies on what effect would be felt by property owners. Once the environmental stage is cleared, the process moves on to preliminary engineering and then the final design stage.

All four stages of the development process must include public input as well as local and federal approval, Morgan said.

On Thursday, the Atlanta Regional Roundtable’s executive committee meets to adopt a list of transit priorities in the Atlanta region, which will be reviewed and approved by the full roundtable before going to voters as part of the statewide referendum in July or November called the Transportation Investment Act.

“We are trying to position the project so that it will qualify for any federal funds that might be available,” Morgan said, “regardless of what happens with TIA.”

This part of MARTA’s planning process began in 2009. Construction is likely to take upwards of 10 years, unless TIA passes, in which case, Morgan said, the process would speed up by a year or even two.

On one side of the room were posters and flipcharts for community comments on MARTA proposals for heavy rail from Lindbergh Center, through the Emory campus to the intersection of North Decatur and Clairmont roads, then bus rapid transit (BRT) or light rail (LRT) along Scott Boulevard and then to the Avondale MARTA station. Linking to the Decatur MARTA station, for the moment, appeared to be off the table.

Also off the table seemed to be utilizing the right-of-way held by CSX railroad, though one of the planners at the meeting speculated that, once funding is identified and the project moves closer to being a reality, that the company might be willing to discuss the possibility.

On the other side of the room were placards describing how the stations might be designed for optimal entrance and access and amenities.

“We’re trying to find the right balance between having stations placed far enough apart that the trains can move faster, yet making sure we have enough stations so that people can get where they need to go,” Morgan said.

Ridership estimates were included on the posters, indicating that in 2030 about 27,000 “boardings,” or the number of people getting on the train at any given station along the way, each would be expected for heavy rail, about 17,000 for light rail and about 11,000 for bus rapid transit.

“None of the expansion projects could be done the way things are structured now,” said MARTA spokesman Lyle Harris. “Federal funds require that operating funds be available. The current ’50-50′ funding structure probably needs to be revisited.”

Also attending the meeting was DeKalb Commissioner Jeff Rader, who said he did not feel he had a direct role in this portion of the process but that these types of improvements could substantially reduce automobile traffic in his district and the impact of the traffic.

Later, he said, the DeKalb Commission would likely weigh in on land use and development proposals along the corridor.

“I haven’t heard anyone here say that we don’t need transit,” Rader said. “It’s just a matter of how we can get there.”

MARTA also is in the alternatives analysis phase of an expansion plan for an I-20 East Corridor to serve south DeKalb.

2011 Architect 50 / Number 1: Perkins+Will

By Fred A. Bernstein for Architect magazine

As co-director of Perkins+Will’s firmwide sustainability initiative, Paula Vaughan, AIA, has consulted on hundreds of projects, including one very close to home: the firm’s office in Atlanta, a 1980s building that it gutted and rebuilt with an impressive array of green features. Since moving in several months ago, Vaughan has been busy evaluating (and adjusting) the building’s performance, as well as giving tours to everyone from architecture students to Perkins+Will competitors. Of the knowledge the firm developed in designing the new office, she says, “We’re not seeing it as a secret competitive edge, but as something to share with the entire profession.”

Perhaps that openness is the firm’s competitive edge. How else to explain the firm’s rise in revenue over last year (just one reason it tops the ARCHITECT 50). The firm has, for the most part, resisted cutting fees, says president and CEO Phil Harrison, FAIA, despite recession-related pressures. His concern isn’t about short-term profits. “You can go for a long time at break even,” he says. “The problem is devaluation of your services, and what that will mean, long-term, for the profession.” So instead of discussing fee reductions, Harrison says, he talks to clients about bigger-ticket items such as cutting energy use and speeding up construction through prefabrication. Pretty soon, any “give” in the architect’s fee is dwarfed by architect-initiated savings.

The firm’s buildings are also winning design awards, confirming the appeal of what Harrison calls “human-centered modernism”—a crisp but inviting look that is becoming recognizable as something of a firm style—though Harrison says it’s not the result of an aesthetic predilection so much as a commitment to certain principles. Those include “honest use of materials” and, of course, sustainability (which leads to generous use of glass for daylighting).

With more than 1,000 LEED accredited professionals, Perkins+Will has made U.S. Green Building Council standards part of its DNA. But Harrison says that the firm isn’t naïve enough to think that “we’re done as long as we’ve followed the checklist. Our firm strategy is to go beyond LEED, especially on the energy front.” To that end, the firm’s micro-grant program offers employees the chance to spend up to 40 hours of their time—at firm expense—on building-related research.

Perkins+Will has accomplished all of this without a major overseas expansion. (Only three of its 23 offices are outside North America.) One reason is that sectors in which the firm is most active—including education and healthcare—are strong domestically. Harrison would welcome growth abroad, he says, but, “frankly, we’ve been busy with the work we have here.”

LLCC to Host Spring Planning Workshop

The Lindbergh LaVista Corridor Coalition, in conjunction with urban design firm Perkins + Will, is excited to announce an upcoming Spring Planning Workshop on Saturday, 7 May from 8:00am – 1:00pm at The Center for Spiritual Growth & Meditation, to gain community feedback on the future development of our area. The Georgia Conservancy will be the facilitator for the event..

As you know, the LLCC’s aim is to improve the environment around us and the quality of life in our community.  We need your input to be able to influence the type of development we’ll see in the LLCC area.  The upcoming workshop will focus specifically on the area around Cheshire Bridge Road/LaVista Road/Lindbergh Drive.

The Center is located at 1893 Piedmont Road NE and has plenty of free parking.

 MAP

Sponsors for this event include Halpern Enterprises, Selig Enterprises, Java Blues and Nakato’s Japanese Restaurant. 

To register for the Workshop, click HERE!

Spring Planning Workshop & Survey

We Need to Hear From You! The Lindbergh LaVista Corridor Coalition, in conjunction with urban design firm Perkins + Will, is excited to announce an upcoming Spring Planning Workshop on Saturday, 7 May from 8:00am – 1:00pm at the Center for Spiritual Growth & Meditation to gain community feedback on the future development of our area. The Center is located at 1893 Piedmont Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30324. As you know, the LLCC’s aim is to improve the environment around us and the quality of life in our community. We need your input to be able to influence the type of development we’ll see in the LLCC area. The upcoming workshop will focus specifically on the area around Cheshire Bridge Road and LaVista Road and Lindbergh Drive. Please take a few moments to answer the following questions. All feedback is anonymous. The LLCC will use this information to guide our discussion at our Spring planning workshop on Saturday, 7 May, where we will have representatives from the commercial property owners in this area, as well as government officials. For more information on the workshop, please visit www.lindberghlavista.org.

Link to survey: http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07e3kxw9mvglig11ro/start

Creating the Perfect City Is About Illusions, Such as Shorter Blocks

A city planner in Gainesville, Florida and an urban designer from Perkins+Will talk about making American cities more vibrant and livable.

Crumbling infrastructure, two hour commutes, sprawl, economic stagnation, and obesity! These are just some of the problems facing the many increasingly unlivable American cities today.

Cities like Portland, Oregon, hog urban planning’s limelight with their schemes to fix American urban living, but meanwhile, many lesser-known cities and unexpected urban planners are working on quiet revolutions.

Anthony Lyons is not your typical urban planning type. He didn’t go to planning school. He didn’t get an MBA. He went from studying Greek art to starting one of the nation’s first pre-paid phone card companies before turning around Claremont, New Hampshire, a New England mill town. He then became director of Gainesville, Florida’s Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA). Using his progressive outlook and eclectic background, Lyons is rethinking the role of local government in community life.

In four short years, following a theory of “simple innovation,” the CRA accomplished the unthinkable: 1,500 new housing units were built, property values increased more than 60%, fiber optic cables were laid in long-neglected neighborhoods, and a signature park on the site of an abandoned train depot began to be created.

Anthony Lyons and David Green, an urban designer from Perkins+Will, are teaming together to re-imagine how we address the challenges cities face in the coming decades. Here’s their recent conversation about what exactly the urban revolution might look like:

DG: We hear all the time that government is too cumbersome. ‘Simple innovation’ sounds like it might be an answer. But now what? What are you doing to actually change Gainesville?

Downtowns all over the country are struggling.

AL: First, we posed a simple question, “What kind of city do we want to be?” It sounds stupid, right? At some level it is actually more stupid than it sounds, but very few communities ask fundamental questions because their problems have already gotten so complex. For example, in a lot of cities you get planners asking questions like, “How can we shorten commutes?” But without knowing what you want to be, at the most basic level, it is impossible to know where to start.

 

When we asked that question in Gainesville, the answer was clear. We want Gainesville to be a walkable and flexible city. Beyond that, we just want Gainesville to be cool. The question then is how do we make that kind of city? In many ways, we’re dealing with a blank slate in our underutilized downtown. While this is an incredible opportunity, it isn’t something unique to Gainesville. Downtowns all over the country are struggling. Gainesville is a city with good bones and has land ripe for redevelopment.

David, you’re the planner, what’s the trick?

DG: One thing? For new development?

AL: Sure.

DG: Small blocks. If you can’t walk in a city, then a city isn’t walkable. And small blocks tend to be the most flexible in terms of their long-term reuse.

AL: Fair enough.

Walkability is more about perception than reality.

DG: Seriously, it’s simple. On the point about walkability, people like to walk through cities that have small blocks. It is almost coded into our DNA. It’s about making progress when walking but it’s about the perception of progress in space. Think about Manhattan, it’s a great city, an unbelievably walkable city. Manhattan has small blocks. But even so, you feel different walking down different streets in New York. Anyone who has ever been there knows that walking uptown is far more enjoyable than walking crosstown, regardless of the distance. Why? Because the blocks in New York are long and narrow. You walk across the short side, 225 feet, when walking uptown and the long side, generally 600 to 900 feet, walking crosstown.

 

Think about it this way, if you are standing on 32nd and Lexington and someone calls you to get a coffee at 42nd and Lexington, you happily walk the ten blocks uptown. If that same person calls and she is on 32nd and 6th, you do it, but you aren’t as happy about walking the same distance crosstown, although its only four blocks. Walking uptown is more diverse, you cross more streets that take you to different places. Walking crosstown, on the other hand, is a haul to the next street. This goes back to the point above: when it comes to walkability, it’s more about the perception than the reality. This is true of walkable cities all over the world. Going further, look at the front of a typical suburban shopping center, nobody wants to be there. Huge distances between stores. Why do we continue doing this?

AL: That’s a tough one. But one reason is that old ideas get frozen in the complexity of land development regulations. All across the country, the documents that describe how cities are supposed to grow are growing amazingly dense and outdated. Take the block size issue, we are reworking our regulations to take out everything that makes blocks big, like huge parking requirements, large setbacks and unnecessary buffers that make development cumbersome anyway. So we’re supporting the goals of walkability and flexibility and, in so doing, incentivizing innovation by creating an environment conducive to creative solutions from the development community.

 

We’re actually doing this right now with our plans for a new science and research district, Innovation Square, near the University of Florida. The plan will be boiled down to only the few essential things we believe this district needs. We can’t possibly anticipate exactly what buildings will be needed in the future or predict where the market will be. We can, however, predict what conditions will support a more flexible Gainesville, meaning infrastructure that can easily accommodate many development scenarios. And we, the government and our regulations, have to be nimble while still fulfilling our obligations to the public.

What we’re doing now feels like a revolution.

DG: I can’t resist going back to New York. You can see exactly this principle at work in the original plan for Manhattan, a very simple document. It was a single map, really, it was just streets and blocks, everything else was blank, and it generated astounding complexity and variety over the last 200 years. Without ever changing the location of streets, blocks in New York have accommodated everything from farm houses to the Empire State Building. Granted, cities today confront a whole array of challenges that couldn’t have been dreamed of in the past. It puts planners and local governments in a difficult position. And too often we respond to complex problems with even more muddled action. I think the point here is that we need to parse issues for concise solutions.

 

AL: A couple of years ago we adopted a redevelopment plan for an industrial area adjacent to downtown. We started asking ourselves what kind of development might go there, housing or mixed-use? We figured out quickly that we were asking the wrong questions. We had no idea what the market could bear at that time or any time in the future, but we knew we wanted to create an extension of our downtown. So, we did exactly what New York did when they made their plan so many years ago—we kept it simple. The City Commission adopted a plan that laid out streets and blocks, small ones. And that’s it. You’d be hard pressed to find a City that has made a more elemental plan in the last 50 years.

DG: Why aren’t more of your peers thinking this way?

AL: I think it is often hard to ask why because it might mean that a lot of things need to change, that we might have even made some mistakes in the past. Sometimes it’s just easier to keep what you have. But that’s not me and that’s not what the CRA needs to be doing.

DG: So, what does the future look like?

AL: Now we are looking at issues of sustainability and asking why. We‘re preparing a framework to redevelop areas of the city without preconceived notions of what is right. We know a few things, like we want people to be able to walk, but beyond that we are going to question every decision we make. The goal is to only create important things. We’re moving forward like a city at the beginning of its history, we are starting from square one. It feels oddly like a revolution.

Perkins+Will

Established in 1935, Perkins+Will (www.perkinswill.com) is an integrated design firm serving clients from offices in Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Dubai, Hartfo… Read more

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How to make the Beltline happen

Atlanta’s game-changing transit loop won’t succeed without big, bold ideas. Here are five.

by Thomas Wheatley – Creative Loafing

Atlanta Beltline Inc. and Perkins+Will/Field Operations

Atlantans can be forgiven for having become a bit jaded about the shortage of visible progress in the eight years since the Beltline first burst on the scene.

Sure, railroad segments have been acquired and leased, public art’s been displayed and a smattering of parks have sprung to life. And yes, 2011 will be a big year for the 22-mile loop of parks, trails and transit proposed to circle Atlanta’s urban core and improve city life for generations to come. This spring, three new parks will open, including the first 12 acres of Historic Fourth Ward Park, which will feature a scenic lake, amphitheatre and the city’s first public skate park, near Freedom Parkway. Later this year, a highly anticipated 2.5-mile bike trail connecting Piedmont Park and DeKalb Avenue will welcome its first cyclists.

Yet despite these advancements and other small victories, people still wearily — and understandably — ask if the Beltline “actually will happen.” As a reaction to that cynicism, Mayor Kasim Reed has said he wants the $2.8 billion project to be completed much sooner than the current 25-year time line anticipates. How can that be done? Never mind the occasional ribbon-cuttings or other public unveilings — the best way to shake skeptics’ doubts that the project is nothing more than pretty sketches and pipe dreams is for big, bold steps to be taken.

Here are five initiatives — the most pressing per quadrant, as well as a broader proposal that Beltline officials have been quick to reject — that should be given serious consideration for their ability to could reignite the Beltline’s momentum and make the project more relevant to the public.

The Full Loop: Introduce Atlanta to the Beltline — by building a bike path 6

It’s far less expensive than the project’s transit component and far more feasible in the short-term

• by Thomas Wheatley | 01.20.11

Northwest: Turn a giant hole in the ground into Atlanta’s new waterfront

The booming Westside would benefit with a 45-acre reservoir and greenspace that’s twice the size of Piedmont Park

• by Thomas Wheatley | 01.20.11

Northeast: Build a rail segment that links Atlanta’s most booming neighborhoods 1

The crescent-shaped arc between Piedmont Park and DeKalb Avenue has the density to make transit work

• by Thomas Wheatley | 01.20.11

Southeast: Ready the second-most-populous segment for rail — and art

Secure the Beltline’s most prominent gap — a bucolic, gritty stretch of tracks between Glenwood Park and southwest Atlanta

• by Thomas Wheatley | 01.20.11

Southwest: Turn a 31-acre parking lot into a vibrant southside neighborhood

With the right project, some of Atlanta’s most beleaguered communities — and the entire city — could benefit

• by Thomas Wheatley | 01.20.11

I-85/Ga. 400 Interchange Could Ease Traffic

• Images: Proposed I-85/Ga. 400 Interchange

Posted: 7:48 pm EST January 18, 2011Updated: 8:32 pm EST January 18, 2011 – Richard Elliot – wsbtv.com

ATLANTA — Metro Atlanta commuters could get some relief as the Georgia Department of Transportation is in the early planning stages of building a new interchange connecting Georgia 400 southbound to Interstate 85 northbound and I-85 southbound to Georgia 400 northbound. 

“It is definitely the most anticipated (project) in a while,” Georgia DOT Deputy Press Secretary Jill Goldberg told Channel 2 Action News reporter Richard Elliot. “We’ve had more people wanting this done since the road was originally built.” 

Georgia 400 from I-85 north to I-285 was completed in the early 1990s at a cost of $180 million, not adjusted for inflation. Goldberg said there wasn’t enough money budgeted to connect Ga. 400 to I-85, except the southbound lanes. Since then, commuters have had to negotiate Sidney Marcus Boulevard, the Buford-Spring Connector, Lenox Road and Cheshire Bridge Road if they wanted to go between the two major thoroughfares. 

Now, Goldberg said, the state sold $40 million in bonds to pay for the new interchange project. She told Elliot the bonds will be repaid in seven years using money collected from the Ga. 400 toll. 

On Friday, the Georgia DOT issued Requests For Qualifications. That’s the process where interested construction companies submit their qualifications to build the project. After the DOT selects qualified companies, the DOT will ask those companies for bids on the project. 

Many Buckhead neighborhoods have supported the plan for years and pushed the DOT to begin construction. One northeast Atlanta neighborhood, however, did not. Residents of the Lindridge-Martins Manor neighborhood opposed the plan because it directly affects their area. One of the proposed ramps would go along Peachtree Creek, and their properties. 

“We were worried about this for a long time,” said resident Art Schoeck. His property would be in the shadow of the proposed flyover ramp. “Encroachment has always been an issue, and so when we’re going to be encroached upon, we’d like it to be in a positive way.” 

Schoeck and other residents said they changed their opinion of the project when the DOT agreed to build a landscaped walking trail along Peachtree Creek once the project is completed. The DOT worked with the neighborhood association and the Southfork Conservancy on the project and plan to hook it into a series of trails that winds through that area. 

“When we looked at the manner in which they were going to do this with a trail and landscaping and the fencing, if they do what they say they’re going to do, it looks like it’s going to have a positive impact on the neighborhood,” said Schoeck. 

Commuters seemed to like the idea since many do not appreciate navigating their way from I-85 to Ga. 400 on a daily basis. 

“I think it’s absolutely great,” said Catalina Decastillo. “It’s going to make it convenient especially for the people who live around this area. So, whoever thought of that is very smart. It’s about time.” 

The winning construction company will also design the interchange. The DOT hopes to have the project completed in 2013.

LLCC & GIS

This Thursday evening, 13 May, we will hold our next LLCC General Membership Meeting. It will begin at 7:00 PM with David Green (Perkins+Will) presenting our new Geographic Information System (GIS). David will give us a brief introduction to GIS technology, introduce our customized system, and explain how this tool will be used in evaluation of the Blueprints Study recommendations and our future planning efforts. What makes our system unique is that it is customized for the LLCC community, spanning the jurisdictional lines between the City of Atlanta and unincorporated DeKalb County.

OK, so you are asking yourself, “What is GIS and how can I use it?”

A geographic information system (GIS) integrates hardware, software, and data for capturing, managing, analyzing, and displaying all forms of geographically referenced information.

GIS allows us to view, understand, question, interpret, and visualize data in many ways that reveal relationships, patterns, and trends in the form of maps, globes, reports, and charts.

A GIS helps you answer questions and solve problems by looking at your data in a way that is quickly understood and easily shared. We plan to share ours on our website.

In addition to basic demographic data, we hope to displace crime stats, flood plains, zoning, property ownership, tax valuation, real estate trends, traffic patterns, just to name a few. While you are viewing this presentation, we hope you will share with our design team data you would like to see tracked and displayed as well.

To find out more about GIS, in a clear, concise format, visit www.gis.com.

Our meeting will be held in the Fellowship Hall of Westminster Presbyterian Church, 1438 Sheridan Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30324.

Good Urbanism 101

Good Urbanites,

Thanks for your support and interest of past Good Urbanism courses and events. Our Spring 2010 course has been scheduled and I hope that you will share this information with your coworkers and contacts. Richard Dagenhart, Doug Allen, and David Green will again be our lecturers and we have some new material which will add to the enjoyment of the class. We have an added focus on density and will be utilizing the classic work of Jane Jacobs as outside reading and a last class discussion topic. Registrants will receive a copy of The Death and Life of Great American Cities as part of the course material package. Please see the information below for more details. Feel free to contact me with any questions. 

I appreciate your help in spreading the word about this spring’s class!

Sincerely,

Katherine

GOOD URBANISM 101: Lessons for Designing Cities
Tuesday and Thursday evenings, April 15-May 4, 2010
6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

What is Good Urbanism 101?

Good Urbanism 101 is a six-session course on quality urban design. Learn about the history, principles, and current practices of urban design, including an emphasis on walkability, integration of alternative transportation options, sustainability, and the relationship between urban infrastructure and the urban experience. Join the Georgia Conservancy’s Growth Management Program and Georgia Tech professors David Green, Richard Dagenhart, and Doug Allen to learn about urban design and how different professions can collaborate to improve the city of Atlanta and its region. The professors will be joined by different guests each week who are professionals and experts in their field.

Each of the six sessions will explore a different theme and set of issues that are crucial to the development of the built environment today. These themes include platting and subdivision, street design and transportation, zoning, and urban design. The course contextualizes urban issues in the history of urban design while paying special attention to the specific challenges facing Atlanta.

The courses will be presented in informal PowerPoint lectures with questions welcomed at any time.

Sessions will include handouts and time for questions and discussion. Every session will include a midway break with light snacks available. However, meals are not provided and attendees are encouraged to brown bag, given the evening time of the classes.

Who should attend?

Anyone interested in planning, designing and building a better Atlanta – neighborhood residents, government officials, engineers, non-profit advocacy and advisory groups, architects, landscape architects, planners, attorneys, financial professionals, developers, and real estate brokers.

Register Now! – Space is Limited

Instructors:

Richard Dagenhart is associate professor of architecture and urban design at Georgia Tech, where he teaches urban design seminars and studios in both the Architecture and City and Regional Planning programs and heads the master’s of science-Urban Design Program. He is an architect and city planner with more than 35 years’ experience in teaching, practicing and learning about urban design in the United States and across the globe.

David Green is an architect and professor of practice in the College of Architecture at Georgia Tech, teaching urban design and architecture studios while also being involved in an emerging national and international urban design practice as associate principal with Perkins+Will in Atlanta. He has been involved in all stages of urban design practice from urban design visions, neighborhood participation, zoning and subdivision processes and building design.

Doug Allen is professor and associate dean of the College of Architecture at Georgia Tech where he teaches the most popular course in the college, The History of Urban Form. His teaching focuses on the American City and American Landscape and includes undergraduate, master’s degree and Ph.D. students in architecture and city and regional planning. Prior to becoming associate dean, he maintained a landscape architecture practice, winning numerous awards in Atlanta and across the Southeast.

Continuing Education Credit:

In the past, we have been able to offer continuing education credits for some professions. We have been able to offer twelve (12) AIA Health, Safety, and Welfare and Sustainable Design Continuing Education Credits and twelve (12) AICP Certificate Maintenance Credits. For Professional Engineers and other fields that are self reporting, the Georgia Conservancy is happy to provide assistance. Our credits are still pending approval for Spring 2010, and we will update the website and inform registrants as we learn more.

Additional Information: Good Urbanism 101 is sponsored by the Georgia Conservancy in partnership with the Urban Design faculty in the College of Architecture at Georgia Tech.

ALL PROCEEDS from Good Urbanism 101 support urban design education by giving scholarships or research assistantships to Georgia Tech urban design graduate students! Registration: Register Now!- Space is Limited General registration is $200, and registration for those seeking professional education credits will be $300.

Class Scholarships: We may be able to offer a limited number of scholarships for Good Urbanism 101. To be considered for a scholarship, you must be an employee or volunteer of a non-profit organization whose work involves transportation, urban design, housing, or related issues; a citizen member of a civic association, neighborhood planning unit, or planning or zoning commission; or be otherwise clearly involved in volunteer activities that involve the built environment. To apply, please provide a 500 word statement describing your interest in the class, how you will utilize the class lessons in your professional or personal life, and how you are involved in urban design issues. Application statements should be emailed to Katherine Moore, Georgia Conservancy, kmoore@gaconservancy.orgby March 31. You will be notified one week prior to the first class regarding your application, if the scholarship positions become available.

Location: 75 5^th Street NW , Atlanta 30308 (Centergy Building at Tech Square in Midtown). Classes on April 15, 27, and 29 will be held in the 10^th Floor conference room. Classes on April 20, 22 and May 4 will be held in the Hodges Conference Room of Suite 380.

Katherine Moore, AICP
Growth Management/Blueprints Program Manager
The Biltmore
Georgia Conservancy
817 West Peachtree Street, Suite 200
Atlanta, Georgia 30308
404-876-2900 ext. 106
KMoore@gaconservancy.org