A group of nationally renowned land use and urban planning experts representing the Urban Land Institute (ULI) will be making recommendations next week to the Fort Lauderdale Downtown Development Authority (DDA) on how to enhance parks and open space in the City’s urban core. ULI is a global, multidisciplinary real estate organization whose work is driven by 45,000-plus members dedicated to responsible land use and building thriving, sustainable communities.
The Advisory Services panel is being conducted in conjunction with the 10-Minute Walk Campaign, a national movement striving to ensure that residents of urban neighborhoods throughout America have access to a high-quality park within a ten-minute walk from their homes. The 10-Minute Walk Campaign, which has been endorsed by over 230 mayors, involves a partnership between the Urban Land Institute, The Trust for Public Land, and the National Recreation and Park Association.
The ULI representatives, convened through ULI’s renowned Advisory Services Program, will be visiting the city October 13-18. Sponsored by the Fort Lauderdale Downtown Development Authority, the Advisory Services panelists will consider:
- How to develop a new vision for Huizenga Plaza, including new uses, programming design and operational management, along with identifying funding mechanisms and a recommended implementation strategy to support this vision;
- What criteria is necessary for the acquisition and development of new park space downtown, along with a strategic decision-making process;
- Identifying outreach strategies and partnerships to help gain strong public support for changes and improvements to existing park space; and
- How the public and private sector can work together to explain the benefits for property owners and developers to participate in a public parks program.
The panel will be chaired by leading ULI member Stephen Whitehouse, partner, Starr Whitehouse Landscape Architects and Planners, New York, New York. “Our team is very excited to assist in the transformation of downtown Fort Lauderdale,” said Whitehouse. “We look forward to offering our assistance to help shape public and private consensus to create a welcoming, vibrant and resilient public area for all to enjoy.”
Whitehouse will be joined on the panel by: Nan Rohrer, president, Midtown Community Benefits District, Baltimore, Maryland; David Cheney, principal and director of operations, CORE architecture + design, Washington, D.C.; Jeanne Myerson, principal, The Belgrave Group, San Francisco, California; Garrett Avery, senior designer, AECOM, New York, New York; Josh Murphy, senior geographer, Office for Costal Management, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland; Stacie West, director of parks projects, NoMa Parks Foundation, Washington, D.C.; and Katie Troutman, senior international realty specialist, U.S Department of State, Washington, D.C.
Panelists will tour sites and surrounding neighborhoods and interview a variety of stakeholders in the community before developing a set of recommendations that will be presented at the conclusion of the panel’s visit. “As Fort Lauderdale evolves into a metropolitan destination within the Southeast Florida region, it’s important that our shared public spaces meet the needs of a growing community” said Jenni Morejon, President & CEO of the Fort Lauderdale DDA. “By bringing in ULI member experts we can chart a roadmap of strategies and tactics for future investments in downtown parks and open spaces.”
Now in its 72nd year, the ULI advisory services program assembles experts in the fields of real estate and land use planning to participate on panels worldwide, offering recommendations for complex planning and development projects, programs and policies. Panels have developed more than 700 studies for a broad range of land uses, ranging from waterfront properties to inner-city retail.
According to Thomas Eitler, senior vice president of ULI’s advisory services program, the strength of the program lies in ULI’s unique ability to draw on the substantial knowledge of its 45,000-plus members, including land developers, engineers, public officials, academics, lenders, architects, planners and urban designers. “The independent views of the panelists bring a fresh perspective to the land use challenge,” Eitler said. “The advisory services program is all about offering creative, innovative approaches to community building.”
Past sponsors of ULI advisory service panels include federal, state and local government agencies; regional councils of government; chambers of commerce; redevelopment authorities; private developers and property owners; community development corporations; lenders; historic preservation groups; non-profit community groups; environmental organizations and economic development agencies.
About the Urban Land Institute
The Urban Land Institute is a nonprofit education and research institute supported by its members. Its mission is to provide leadership in the responsible use of land and in creating and sustaining thriving communities worldwide. Established in 1936, the institute has more than 45,000 members worldwide representing all aspects of land use and development disciplines. For more information, please visit uli.org or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
About the Fort Lauderdale DDA
The Downtown Development Authority is an independent taxing district established by the Florida State Legislature in 1965. Led by an appointed board of directors, the DDA has spearheaded legacy projects over the ppast 50 years to stimulate and sustain economid development and livability in Downtown Fort Lauderdale. For more information, please visit ddaftl.org or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
