CNU New York

Register for CNU 29.Design for Change

CNU 29.Design for Change will focus on the intersection between design and power. The power design holds to influence the way we live, to physically change and adapt the spaces we inhabit, as well as how we can use it to achieve the change we want to see in neighborhoods, towns, cities, and across regions. More than that, design is a tool that empowers neighborhood residents to imagine and create the places they want. In a rapidly changing world, design can create more resilient and just places as easily as it can contribute to deepening gaps. 

CNU 29.Design for Change will leverage the full benefits of a virtual event, including:

• A bigger, more accessible environment for attendees to engage with speakers, content, and one another. We are introducing polling in sessions for a two-way conversation, as well as improving our Q&A experience.
• Dedicated spaces for attendees to mingle and network, mimicking more closely the experience of an in-person event.
• Social gatherings tailored to meet the needs of attendees and sponsors alike, including more curated group discussions, passionate debates, and casual interactions to blow off steam after a long day.
• A more uniform experience across the mobile and web apps, providing seamless access to sessions, exhibits, discussion groups, and more.
• One-on-one mentoring and networking to bring newer attendees into established circles.

 

REGISTER TODAY

Local Government Offerings at CNU 28. A Virtual Gathering

CNU’s annual Congress is the preeminent national event on building better places. This year, attendees will convene virtually to participate in panels, collaborate on projects, and learn new strategies from leaders in dozens of fields. CNU 28.A Virtual Gathering will be a dynamic experience that brings nationally significant issues directly to attendees’ homes. By developing a way for attendees to engage virtually, these crucial conversations can happen in real time. 
 
The year’s Congress will include 50+ sessions and a number of pre-Congress webinars. New for 2020 are sessions that directly address the current public health crisis and how it is impacting the work of New Urbanists across the world. 
 
Dates: June 10- 13, 2020 
 
Registration Type               Member        Non-Member 
Live Congress + Archive          $300                $450 
Live Congress                         $200                $350 
One Day (Live)                         $90                 $180 
One Session (Live or Recorded) $18                  $36 
 
Local Gov Membership: $125 per year
Bulk discount: $​2,500 for 6 registrations, 6 Urbanist memberships, and benefits  (contact Scott Shields, [email protected], for more information)
* Prices valid through June 5, 2020 
 
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I earn continuing education credits by attending the Congress?
Yes. CNU will apply for AIA, AICP, LACES and CNU-A continuing education credits for Congress sessions and events. Please check the online Congress ​schedule​ for updates as the event approaches. Credits will be posted as they are approved.  

Do you offer financial assistance to attend the Congress?
Yes, CNU tries to offer as many scholarships as possible to broaden the voices, talents, and perspectives at any Congress. To find out more, visit ​this link​ and apply before May 25.    

Will I receive anything stating that I have attended the Congress​?  
Yes. All Congress attendees will receive a certificate of participation that will be emailed at the conclusion of the Congress. 
 
 
Local Government Sessions
Quantifying Incremental Change  
Speakers:​ Kevin Klinkenberg (Midtown KC Now) and Abby Kinney (Gould Evans) 

Elected Women and Community Design
Speakers:​ Cate Ryba (Urban3), LeVette Fuller (City of Shreveport), Glenda Hood (City of Orlando), and Lisa Bender (City of Minneapolis) 
 
Dealing with Divided Communities Virtually and In-Person
Speakers:​ Bill Lennertz (Collaborative Design + Innovation LLC), Jennifer Hurley (Hurley Franks and Partners), Stacie Nicole Smith (Consensus Building Institute), and Holly Madill (National Charrette Institute at MSU) 
 
Parking Reform: From Theory to Practice
Speakers:​ Tony Jordan (Parking Reform Network), Leah Bojo (Drenner Group), Dr Richard Wilson (Cal Poly Pomona), and Jacky Grimshaw (Center for Neighborhood Technology) 
 
Disassembling the Charrette
Speakers:​ Kevin Wright (Yard & Company), Joe Nickol (Yard & Company), and Mike Lydon (Streetplans Collaborative) 
 
Surviving the Retail Apocalypse: Thoughts on How to Restart Our Country’s Main Streets
Speakers:​ Russ Preston (Principle Group), Gustavo Quiroga (Graffito SP), Francis Sire (O’Connor Capital Partners) 
 
Advancing New Urbanism for Local Governments
Speakers:​ Matt Lewis (Simplecity Design), Edward Erfurt (City of Ranson WV) 
 Affordable Housing Advocates: Looking for Unlikely Partners Speakers:​ Christopher Zimmerman (Smart Growth America), Lisa Bender (City of Minneapolis), William Phillips (AARP) 
 
The Mapping Prejudice Project: Confronting a Legacy of Racial Covenants in Minneapolis Neighborhoods
Speakers:​ Kristen Delegard (University of Minnesota), Peter Musty (Capitol Area Architectural and Planning Board) 
 
Redressing Redlining: Lessons in Realities and Reconciliation, Parts I and II
Speakers:​ Josh McCarty (Urban3), Andrew Faulkner (Van Meter Williams Pollack LLP), Kevin Ehram-Solberg (Mapping Prejudice Project), Ann Juergens (Mitchell | Hamline School of Law), Colin Gordon (University of Iowa), Heather Worthington (Worthington Advisors) 
 
About the Congress for the New Urbanism
The Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU) is an international nonprofit dedicated to building and restoring places people love. We lead a movement of architects, planners, developers, engineers, and citizen advocates working to make their communities walkable, equitable, sustainable, and lovable. Together, united by our charter, we’re building great urbanism in more communities so people of all backgrounds, races, incomes, and abilities can live happy, healthy, prosperous lives. For information on joining CNU, please visit https://members.cnu.org/memberships​.

For more information on CNU 28.A Virtual Gathering, please visit  our website . 

CNU 28.A Virtual Gathering is three weeks away!

CNU and CNU New York are working to bring together new urbanists from across the world at this critical junction in the future of cities for a virtual Congress. 
 
Join us at CNU 28.A Virtual Gathering, the first opportunity to come together and address difficult questions raised by a global pandemic. We are *not* just moving the Congress online, we are creating a new type of gathering that is essential for the progress of our movement in these uncertain times. Right now, we will have more than 50 thought-provoking sessions, in-depth discussions with live Q and A, social gatherings, plenaries, and a number of pre-Congress events. And we are adding more content every week. 
 
What will the future of cities be? How can we collectively advocate for transportation, better land use planning, equity across all investments? What role will the public realm play in recovery?
 
This online event delivers over 50+ live streamed sessions including programming curated specifically to address COVID-19 and its impact on urban design. APA, AIA, CNU-A and LACES continuing education credits will be available for most sessions. The social events that make every Congress unique will be moved to a virtual platform designed to connect new and old colleagues, spark ideas, and provide an element of normalcy in these uncertain times. 
 
For as little as $250 for the live Congress and $350 for the Live Congress + access to the archive for six months, attendees have an opportunity to learn from every single session on their own time. 
 
Benefits to CNU’S Virtual Gathering:

• Gather with New Urbanists from across the world to discuss the challenges that cities are facing during the pandemic. 
• Discuss what our ‘new NU normal’ looks like
• Social gatherings and events to make us feel normal and connected in distressing times
• Over 50+ CEUs will be offered.
• Access to pre-Congress webinars, including a newly expanded New Urbanism core curriculum 
• Cheapest virtual event with the number of sessions and CEUs being offered. 
• Ability to access and/or purchase archives - no pressure to attend every single session
• Inspiration and new ideas
• No travel costs 

 
Register here or at cnu.org/CNU28
 
Want to attend but have been financially impacted by the pandemic? New scholarship applications are available until May 25. 
 
Participating in CNU 28 is an experience that you won’t forget. And if you want to stay engaged more locally, we will be holding virtual and (hopefully) in-person events later this year.
 
We look forward to seeing you (virtually) soon! 
 
CNU New York 

 

“Members + Urbanists” Meeting in Binghamton on September 21

We will be meeting at Number 5, a converted firehouse building from 1897, for a lunch meeting on Saturday, September 21st from 11am-3pm.

This is an opportunity for CNU members and other interested urbanists to meet with members of the CNU New York Board to discuss the future direction of CNU New York and CNU National.  We will be discussing topics that were suggested in our previous survey as well as other issues in the Southern Tier, around the State and in your community. Binghamton is equal distance from Western and downstate New York, and we’re hoping to meet members and interested urbanists from all over the State.

Registration closes Thursday, September 19. RSVP here by 9/19!

Early Registration for CNU27 ends this Friday!

Louisville today is a dynamic global transportation center with growing cultural diversity and a storied bootstrap ethos. Adding heart to its hub, Louisville adopted the Charter of Compassion in a commitment to a future of inclusion and kindness. Louisville is home to gracious historic neighborhoods, walkable New Urbanist communities, and a beloved "emerald necklace" parkway system.

The 27th annual Congress for the New Urbanism welcomes you to enjoy the hospitality of this conscious and compassionate city. In its forward movement, stunning greenspace, and growth challenges at the city's edges, Louisville embodies the quest to blend the very best of old and new urbanism.

To register in time for early registration rates, click here

Major New Development in Buffalo’s Elmwood Village Neighborhood

Buffalo’s Elmwood Village neighborhood, named one of America’s 10 Great Neighborhoods by the American Planning Association, is now seeing a major redevelopment project.  Named “Elmwood Crossing”, it is on an eight-acre site formerly occupied by Buffalo’s Women’s and Children’s Hospital. The Hospital relocated in November 2017 to the City’s Medical Campus about a mile away. 

A team of Sinatra & Company Real Estate and Ellicott Development Company was named designated developer in July 2017 and is developing the site into a 690,000 square-foot mixed-use development that is mostly an adaptive reuse of the vacated Hospital buildings, with demolition occurring on only about 5% of the existing structures.  The development team has reportedly spent $7 million on consultants and specialists related to the project.

The 10-story main Hospital tower will be retrofitted for residential and hospitality use and other buildings will be converted and expanded for use as professional offices, a hotel, and a health and wellness center.  A grocery store of between 25,000 and 40,000 square feet is planned subject to obtaining a user.  One of the buildings will house a 4,500 square foot child care facility with an outdoor play area.  A surface parking lot will be transformed into space for retail stores, offices and apartments.

Housing will include 27 luxury condominiums with prices up to $1 million, 20 for-sale townhomes, and 220 apartments, 20% of which are designated for low to moderate income residents spread out among several buildings.

On Elmwood Avenue, the major street of the Elmwood Village, the urban character of the surrounding neighborhood will be enhanced by a new six-story structure with three floors of apartments above retail space with completion and occupancy projected for late 2019.

Brownfield remediation and site work is now underway.  The overall project is anticipated to have a three to four year buildout time.

For more information click here

One week left to register for CNU New York Chapter Summit - Re-Inventing the Suburbs

CNU New York & The Town of Amherst present:

REGISTER HERE 

Registration is OPEN for this year’s CNU New York Chapter event, Re-imagining the Suburbs, focusing on “new towns” and emerging transit corridors in Amherst.  We will meet in Williamsville, a 200 year old mill town, for a weekend of expert speakers, tours, and charrettes aimed at unique retrofit opportunities.  Please see the program below. 

THE PROGRAM

Friday 10/12

8:00       Breakfast; Welcome Plenary at Milo’s Restaurant

Brian Kulpa, Supervisor, Town of Amherst

Hal Morse, ED, Buffalo Niagara Regional Transportation Council

10:00     Tour of Retrofit Charrette Sites

1:30        Lunch

2:00        Expert Speakers on Retrofit at Town Hall 

2:15        Rob Steuteville, Sr Communications Advisor CNU, Editor, Public Square

3:00        June Williamson, Professor, CCNY Spitzer School of Architecture

3:45        Marc Wouters, Architect and Urban Designer, Marc Wouters Studios

4:15        Norman Garrick, Professor, UCONN Civil/Environmental Engineering

5:00        Victor Dover, Founding Principal, Dover-Kohl & Partners

6:00        Reception at Wyndham 

6:45        Howard Zemsky, President/CEO, Empire State Development Corp.

7:30        James H. Kunstler, Author

Saturday 10/13

8:00        Breakfast; Charrettes at High School

• Niagara Falls Blvd. LRT corridor
  • Boulevard Mall
  • Transit Oriented Development
• New “College Town” along Sweet Home Road                              
• Audubon “New Town”, Civic and Business Uses
• Safety & Walkability, Niagara Falls Blvd. North to 290-Ellicott

12:00  Lunch, followed by Charrette Report Out

1:45    Wrap-Up

2:00    Tour: How CNU 22 Changed Buffalo and Western New York (extra charge)

REGISTER HERE

 

Discounted hotel rates at the Reikert House, 5000 Main Street, Amherst, NY 14221 can be found here until September 27

Other nearby hotels include:

Hampton Inn Williamsville, 5455 Main Street, Williamsville, NY 14221

Hyatt Place Buffalo/Amherst, 5020 Main Street, Amherst, NY 14226

Wyndham Garden, 5195 Main Street, Williamsville, NY 14221

Savannah to Louisville

Now that this years congress in Savannah, Georgia has wrapped up, it's time to start looking forward to next year's in Louisville, Kentucky!  Next year's congress in Louisville will be from June 12-15 and will be a great opportunity to new and old urbanism in a city with a commitment to inclusion and kindness.  For more information click here

If you weren't able to make this year's congress, or want to listen to listen to some of the presentations again, click here

 

CNU Chapter Meetup

In February, representatives from most of the CNU local chapters met in Washington DC to share ideas and experiences so that individual chapters could improve their effectiveness and ability to improve communities within their region.  To better understand the range of chapter types, a matrix was created to see which chapters were more focused on a single center vs. those that were more poly-centric and which were more "scrappy" vs. more professionally organized and led.  

The chapter representatives also shared goals which included providing groundwork for the movement including advocacy and education, and allowing personal involvement for members as well as providing networking and a local talent marketplace.  Others included focusing on the regional differences facing chapters in different parts of the country.

Some of the resources that were shared between the chapters were methods to finance local chapters-including some "bootstrap" methods, types of events that chapters can hold, effective ways to communicate with members, alliances with other local, regional and national organizations, and the Congress itself.  Issues regarding staffing local chapters were also discussed.

At the Savannah Congress, these ideas were shared with a broader audience in a work session entitled "Empowering CNU's Chapters" led by CNU-New York chapter's executive officer, Larry Gould.  For more information, check out the PowerPoint presentation from that session here 

Long Island Smart Growth Awards

On June 8th, over 800 people joined Vision Long Island to honor twelve people and projects that are helping to revitalize downtowns and advance smart growth across the island.  Winners included Riverview Lofts and Village Walk Assisted Living for Housing Choices, The Shipyard for Strengthening Communities, NICE Bus for Transportation, American Organic Energy for Environmental Leadership, and NYS Governor's Office of Storm Recovery for Infrastructure.

The Hicksville Chamber of Commerce as well as the Hicksville Community Council and the Town of Oyster Bay received the award for Revitalizing Communities and The Kings Park Chamber of Commerce and the Kings Park Civic Association won in the category of Citizen Participation.  The Nassau Council of Chambers of Commerce and the Suffolk County Alliance of Chambers each won for Small Business and the Village of Rockville Centre won for Sense of Place.  Finally, Denise Carter of Greenman Pedersen Inc. and John Kominicki won the award for Regional Leadership.

For more information and videos of the winners, click here