President’s Report – December 2010
What an exciting year it has been for the Municipal Art Society. From moving our home to the landmark Steinway Building last January to a year of provocative new programs, we’ve enjoyed a period of tremendous growth. As 2010 comes to a close, I’d like to review the progress we’ve made and thank you all for supporting our work. And I’d also like to set the stage for 2011, which promises to be another milestone year.
From an examination of New York’s streetscapes in April and a stimulating summer conference on land use, to our transformative Next For New York events this fall, MAS addressed a wide variety of critical issues related to urban life. Over the past 12 months, we honed and clarified our work in order to more effectively give voice to important concerns about livability.
The enthusiastic response these programs received was truly overwhelming, and I’m happy to report that, thanks to a fall packed with conferences, discussions and other events, MAS has great momentum heading into 2011.
Our first Summit for New York City
Summit for New York City
Held at the Penn Plaza Pavilion within the Penn District, the inaugural Summit for New York City was the standout in a busy fall season, and laid the foundation for future discussions on how to make our city more livable. Over two days in October, hundreds of New Yorkers gathered to learn about and discuss the realities of life in a changing urban environment, from population trends and demographics to the growth of new parks and public spaces.
The release of our first MAS Survey on Livability, which polled New Yorkers across the boroughs about different aspects of urban life, attracted interest from local, regional and national news outlets and provided the frame for discussions at the Summit.
The Summit was the signature event in our Next for New York program series, which also included the Conference on Preservation and Climate Change in New York City and the Jane Jacobs Forum on walkability. We were thrilled to see so many of our supporters in attendance at these important events.
MAS tackles Preservation and Climate Change in New York City
Preservation & Climate Change Conference
In 2010, MAS launched a public policy and education campaign to promote the positive environmental benefits of retaining and improving the efficiency of New York City’s older buildings. Throughout the winter and spring, MAS convened interdisciplinary groups of experts for eight roundtable discussions. The results of the roundtables helped shape our research, and were shared at the MAS Conference on Preservation and Climate Change in New York City, held at Columbia University on October 16.
MAS is proud to continue its leadership in promoting the role of preservation in the fight against climate change, and we will be continuing our campaign with the release of a white paper on our findings, as well as an important demonstration project with the support of the J.M. Kaplan Fund.
The 2010 Jane Jacobs Forum: The Walkable (and Rollable) City
Jane Jacobs Forum
The timely focus of our 2010 Jane Jacobs Forum was the Walkable and Rollable City. MAS was honored to have journalist John Hockenberry, of Public Radio International’s The Takeaway, lead an excellent panel on the issue.
The Jane Jacobs Forum has developed a reputation for informative, affecting discussion, and this year’s event was no different. Those in attendance heard (and took part in) spirited debate over the state of New York’s public spaces for walkers and those using wheelchairs, pushing strollers, or employing other means of wheeled transportation. A special thanks goes to the Rockefeller Foundation for their continued support of this excellent program.
MAS advocacy at work: New York’s Garment District
The Garment District
The Garment District is the story of New York, and has been for generations. The neighborhood, abutting the Penn Station district, has evolved over time as global forces have affected garment manufacturing in our city. Today’s Garment District presents a host of issues well suited for MAS advocacy efforts: it is where planning, preservation, entrepreneurship, urban design, livability, economic development and aesthetic challenges converge.
Our objective is to ensure that the Garment District remains a hub for light manufacturing and, more importantly, that it continues to be an incubator for creative entrepreneurial talent. Fashion in New York is a $55 billion industry that currently contributes nearly $2 billion in annual tax revenue to the city. We oppose rezoning efforts that will weaken the District’s ability to attract new talent – an important asset in keeping New York City a global fashion capital.
In the spring of 2010, MAS contributed research to Made in Midtown, a study of New York’s fashion industry produced by the Design Trust for Public Space and the Council of Fashion Designers of America. In conjunction with the release of this study, MAS and the Design Trust hosted two public panels in June 2010 on the future of the Garment District, featuring renowned designers, academics, and city officials. The District also was featured in a panel discussion at the MAS Summit for New York City this past fall.
Although the City has recently made efforts to aid new fashion designers, the future of the District itself remains uncertain. Upcoming MAS programming will explore the ways in which foreign countries are reacting to the globalization of the fashion industry, and how existing fashion capitals can compete with emerging economies that offer cheaper labor and lower production costs. MAS will look at how the garment industry functions in several budding fashion capitals in Asia, and how New York’s policies can promote the growth of our own Garment District.
MAS advocacy at work: Moynihan Station and the Far West Side
The Far West Side
With the awarding of federal TIGER funds earlier this year, Phase 1 of construction began on the transformation of Penn Station into the grand train hall named in honor of U.S. Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan.
MAS has been active in making this project a reality since the early 1990s, and we’ve worked hard to ensure the necessary funding. The creation of Moynihan Station will undoubtedly anchor the development of the Far West Side, an area that featured prominently in our Summit programming. In an engaging panel discussion, experts examined sustainable development on the west side, as well as the creation of an intelligently designed intermodal transportation hub.
With more than 500,000 people using Penn Station each day, the nation’s busiest hub needs to be one worthy of New York and its residents, and MAS will continue to push for the realization of this goal.
Looking ahead to 2011
Streetscapes
Building on our successful first Summit has been a priority, and preparations are already underway for version 2.0. Our lead up to the Summit includes spring programs that focus on the role of technology in public space. Additionally, we will celebrate our second annual ‘Streets Month’ in April, with programming that examines ways to improve our approximately 6,000 miles of streets and 12,750 miles of sidewalks.
2011 also marks the 50th anniversary of Jane Jacobs’ seminal work, The Death and Life of Great American Cities. Jacobs’ work has had a seismic impact on how urban life is viewed, and her remarkable clarity of vision ensures that Death and Life remains a relevant examination of cities. Spring programs will take a new look at how Jacobs and her contemporaries have shaped our city and our world.
We will join New York City and the world to commemorate the losses we sustained on September 11, 2001. We will again present Tribute in Light to honor those who perished in the World Trade Center attacks, and to acknowledge our city’s strength in the face of terror.
The Municipal Art Society enters it 118th year poised to advance public knowledge on important livability issues and eager to advocate for choices that will improve New York and urban environments everywhere. Stay tuned to MAS.org for announcements about our spring program, including details on a new style of tour.
On behalf of the MAS Board of Directors, staff, and volunteers, I thank you for your steadfast support, and wish you and your loved ones a wonderful 2011.
