Design Institute News!

May 2008

Ed Mc Mahon, Senior Resident Fellow for Sustainable Development at the Urban Land Institute (ULI) in Washington, D.C., kicked off the Florida Public Officials Design Institute at Abacoa's eleventh session on April 24th with his dynamic keynote address titled, "Sustainability: What Does It Mean and Why Is It Important?"

McMahon is leading ULI’s efforts to conduct research and educational activities related to green and sustainable development practices. He is a nationally renowned authority on sustainable development, land conservation and urban design, and was formerly the vice president and director of land use programs at The Conservation Fund. He specializes in public policy, retail and urban entertainment, transportation, real estate finance, housing and urban development issues.

Design Institute Session

The Florida Public Officials Design Institute at Abacoa, dedicated to improving South Florida communities by offering training in smart growth and design, hosted its eleventh session in Jupiter, Florida, on April 24th and 25th, 2008. Four public officials learned first hand how to apply sound design principles to their cities, based upon the projects they brought to the Institute. This session of the Design Institute included the communities of Lauderdale Lakes, Margate, Miami and Lake Park.

The session began with teams of design experts visiting the communities for site tours hosted by the officials and presentations by staff on or prior to April 24th.. That evening Ed McMahon addressed the Design Institute and over 100 guests on the topic of affordable/workforce housing at a public lecture at FAU. The second day of the Design Institute on April 25th consisted of an all day workshop during which the design team addressed the challenges of each project. Through brainstorming sessions, the team suggested ideas, developed alternative solutions and made recommendations.

Other Design Institute Sessions

Tenth Design Institute Session & Keynote Speaker

A Success!

November 2007

Kathy Madden , Senior Vice President of Project for Public Spaces in New York, NY, started the Florida Public Officials Design Institute at Abacoa's tenth session on November 8th with her vibrant keynote address titled, "Placemaking: Princilples Needed for Communities in Creating a Great Place to Live."

Kathy Madden has guided the development of Project for Public Spaces since 1975. She has directed over 300 research and urban design project along with training programs throughout the U.S and abroad -- from major urban design plans, to small-scale design and streetscape improvements to parks, plazas, central squares, and transit facilities, she is currently directing PPS’s Placemaking Training and Public Space Research and Publications programs.

The Florida Public Officials Design Institute at Abacoa, dedicated to improving South Florida communities by offering training in smart growth and design, hosted its tenth session in Jupiter, Florida, on November 8 and 9, 2007. Four public officials learned first hand how to apply sound design principles to their communities, based upon the projects they brought to the Institute. This session of the Design Institute included the communities of Bradenton, Hallandale, Pinecrest and Vero Beach.

The session began with teams of design experts visiting the communities for site tours hosted by the officials and presentations by staff on November 8th. That evening Kathy Madden addressed the Design Institute and guests on the topic of "Placemaking" at a public lecture at FAU. The second day of the Design Institute on November 9th, consisted of an all day workshop during which the design team addressed the challenges of each project. Through brainstorming sessions, the team suggested ideas, developed alternative solutions and made recommendations.

Other Design Institute Sessions

Ninth Design Institute Session & Keynote Speaker

A Success!

June 2007

John McIlwain, Senior Resident Fellow, ULI/J. Ronald Terwilliger, Chair for Housing at the Urban Land Institute (ULI) in Washington, D.C., started the Florida Public Officials Design Institute at Abacoa's ninth session on June 21st with his dynamic keynote address titled, "Designing for Housing Choice: How Communities Can Provide Housing for Everyone."

Mr. McIlwain is currently leading ULI’s research efforts to seek and
promote affordable housing solutions in the U.S. and other nations,
including development and housing patterns designed to create
sustainable future environments for urban areas.

The Florida Public Officials Design Institute at Abacoa, dedicated to improving South Florida communities by offering training in smart growth and design, hosted its ninth session in Jupiter, Florida, on June 21 and 22, 2007. Four public officials learned first hand how to apply sound design principles to their cities, based upon the projects they brought to the Institute. This marked a special session of the Design Institute that had a workforce/affordable housing focus and included the communities of Palm Springs, Miami Beach, Riviera Beach and West Palm Beach.

The session began with teams of design experts visiting the communities for site tours hosted by the officials and presentations by staff on June 21st. That evening John McIlwain addressed the Design Institute and guests on the topic of affordable/workforce housing at a public lecture at FAU. The second day of the Design Institute on June 22nd, consisted of an all day workshop during which the design team addressed the challenges of each project. Through brainstorming sessions, the team suggested ideas, developed alternative solutions and made recommendations.

Other Design Institute Sessions

Florida Public Officials Design Institute Receives

Award From 1000 Friends of Florida

November 2006

On November 2, the Florida Public Officials Design Institute at Abacoa received 1000 Friends of Florida’s Better Community Award. This award

recognizes “plans that have been implemented and projects which are completed that use the principles of smart growth to create livable, vital environments.” The Florida Public Officials Design Institute at Abacoa was recognized for its innovative approach to promoting the principles of smart growth and design throughout the region. The presentation was made by 1000 Friends President Lester Abberger and Executive Director Charles Pattison at the MacArthur Auditorium at Florida Atlantic University ’s Jupiter Campus prior to the 8th Design Institute keynote address.

 Lester Abberger (left), Mary Beth Hartman, Charles Pattison and Marie York

with the 1000 Friends of Florida Better Community Award

Over the last four years, the Design Institute team has worked with public officials to develop workable solutions for 32 problematic sites in 30 towns and cities in South Florida . The results are impressive. The City of North Miami Beach sought and won concessions from Wal-Mart and Miami-Dade County regarding the design and placement of a new, big-box retail building. The City of Vero Beach went on to hire top talent to create a vision-based plan to protect the community’s historic character while accommodating development. A 400-acre site in Coconut Creek slated for half-acre residential lots will now accommodate a mixed-use, high-density town center, forming a central core for the City. Delray Beach is implementing Design Institute recommendations to develop the market and form a corporate address for regional businesses.

“Facilitating the Design Institute is the most rewarding experience of my career,” says Marie L. York, Director of the Design Institute at Abacoa. She notes that as a result of participating in the Institute, public officials get back in touch with why they ran for office--to make a difference in their communities. “Our team of experts lead the way for them, making recommendations for design that is sustainable and aesthetically pleasing—design that creates a sense of place. This award ultimately belongs to our participants for it is they who have the courage to implement their visions.”

8th Design Institute Session & Keynote Speaker

A Success!

November 2006

Michael Wallwork, with 31 years experience in traffic engineering and transit design, kicked off the Florida Public Officials Design Institute at Abacoa's eighth session on November 2, 2006.  More then 100 people attended the lecture at the Jupiter Campus of Florida Atlantic University.

Mr. Wallwork is internationally recognized and sought after for his expertise in roundabout design, traffic calming, transportation design and training courses in these areas. Being from Down Under, he provided a unique perspective on transportation planning and the creation of people friendly cities. Mr. Wallwork’s company, Alternate Street Design, is located in Orange Park, Florida.

Todd Wodraska (left), Michael Wallwork, Daniel Cary,

Pamela Busha and Gary Rogers

The Florida Public Officials Design Institute at Abacoa, dedicated to improving South Florida communities by offering training in smart growth and design, hosted its eighth session in Jupiter, Florida, on November 2 & 3, 2006. Four public officials learned first hand how to apply sound design principles to their cities, based upon the projects they brought to the Institute. November's session included the communities of Fort Pierce, Indian River County, Jupiter and Sewall's Point.

The session began with teams of design experts visiting the communities for site tours hosted by the officials and presentations by staff on November 2nd. That evening Michael Wallwork addressed the Design Institute and guests on the topic of transportation and a sense of place at a public lecture at FAU. The second day of the Design Institute on November 3rd, consisted of an all day workshop during which the design team addressed the challenges of each project. Through brainstorming sessions, the team suggested ideas, developed alternative solutions and made recommendations.

Other Design Institute Sessions