Creating beautiful communities takes collaboration – even for artists and experts..
Holiday Planning Inspiration
Town Design as Legacy
“Thus in all these ways we will transmit this City … greater and more beautiful than when it was transmitted to us.” —The Athenian Oath
Signs of Civilization – Dr. Seuss
“Sign after sign, after sign… And, thus between them, with impunity, They loused up the whole community.” — Dr. Seuss
Creating Community By Neighborhoods
“To create enduring beauty requires intense collaboration between people who share the purpose of creating something truly unique.” —Alan Moore, “Do/Design”
Welcome to the Community + Design + Advocacy blog
As an attorney and consultant for over twenty five years in government and business regulation, I currently focus on community development and urban design issues – through organizations at the national, regional and local levels. It is my sincere belief that quality design, particularly as it relates to community planning, can improve quality of life … Read More
Why Design Review Matters
“…assure that new development projects contribute to the character of the community — and create great places of lasting value where people want to live work and shop.” — Municipal Design Review Network (MDRN) publication
Signs of Aging?
In the eternal balancing between taste and technology, the recent book Signs, Streets and Storefronts provides a valuable historical perspective on local placemaking. In “Signs..” architect Martin Treu convincingly presents a reminder that every decade has its new style and “modernization” for business development purposes. E.g. with the invention of electricity, main street “white ways” demonstrated the … Read More
New Look at Window Signs
“…For now we see through a glass, darkly;…” Corinthians This biblical phrase could also describe the challenging issues for regulating storefront window signage. Few community appearance concerns reflect as much as SIGNage on the image of local shopping districts — and yet can cause such negative reactions with area businesses. Many upscale communities have traditionally … Read More
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