The Municipal Art Society of New York

On November 3, the 2nd Annual Jane Jacobs Forum focused on the question of whether New York can (and should) try to become more sustainable and grow its own food. Expert panelists Dr. Dickson Despommiers of Columbia University, Nevin Cohen of the New School, Jennifer Nelkin of Gotham Greens, Dan Albert of Weber Thompson architects and Colin Cathcart of Kiss+Cathcart architects discuss how this could happen answering questions posed by moderator Neal Peirce of The Washington Post.

For more information about the forum and related issues, visit Jane Jacobs Forum 2009.

The annual Jane Jacobs Forum is sponsored by the Rockefeller Foundation.

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Last week, at the 2nd Annual MAS Jane Jacobs Forum Re-Imagining New York: Designing Urban Farms to Feed our City, moderator Neal Peirce of the Washington Post and panelists Jenn Nelkin of Gotham Greens, microbiology Professor Dickson Despommier of Columbia University, landscape designer Dan Albert of Weber Thompson architects in Seattle, Colin Cathcart of Kiss + Cathcart architects in Brooklyn, and environmental studies Professor Nevin Cohen of The New School, engaged in a fascinating discussion of the future of food production in New York.

Representing a variety of perspectives on sustainable agriculture, architecture and planning, and touching on issues as diverse as zoning, organic farming, national agricultural policy, and climate change, the panelists addressed the question: Can New York, a city with a growing population and shrinking acreage, eventually grow enough food within its boundaries to become self-sufficient? Continue Reading>>

Pressure is mounting to halt the national tide of foreclosures. New York’s housing advocates are working at the frontlines to keep people in their homes and to ensure that solutions currently being generated at the city and state level respond to New York’s unique housing and neighborhood needs.

A MAS Planning Center panel discussion moderated by Eva Hanhardt of the Pratt Graduate Center for Planning and the Environment late last year, tapped the insights of Audrey Waysee, Center for New York City Neighborhoods; Josh Zinner, Neighborhood Economic Development Advocacy Project; Mark Winston-Griffith, Drum Major Institute; Patricia Kerr, Neighborhood Housing Services, Jamaica;and Ingrid Gould Ellen, Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy, to confront the question: how do we stabilize neighborhoods experiencing high rates of foreclosure? Continue Reading>>

In setting out PlaNYC2030, Mayor Bloomberg said the city must prepare for its population to grow by more than 1 million by 2030. Providing these new New Yorkers with affordable and sustainable housing is one of the most important questions facing the city today. This Wednesday, November 5th, at the first annual Jane Jacobs forum, an expert panel will consider exactly how and where this can be achieved.

Jane Jacobs believed a sense of community was critical in creating and maintaining dynamic and diverse neighborhoods, but today, it is increasingly difficult for people of low and moderate income to live in New York City. How can planners, architects, city officials, and developers work with local residents to provide homes that are affordable and sustainable? What role do the dense, mixed-income neighborhoods that Jacobs favored play in creating a strong sense of community?

This forum is underwritten through the generous support of The Rockefeller Foundation in conjunction with its annual Jane Jacobs Medal. With an introduction by Joan Shigekawa, associate director, The Rockefeller Foundation, Vicki Been, director, Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy, will moderate a panel including: Jerilyn Perine, director, Citizens Housing and Planning Council; Holly Leicht, deputy commissioner for development, New York City Department of Housing, Preservation and Development; Michelle de la Uz, executive director, Fifth Avenue Committee; and Mark Ginsberg, FAIA, founding partner, Curtis + Ginsberg Architects, LLP.

Tickets are $15, $12 MAS members/students and can be purchased online or by calling 212-935-2030.

Jane Jacobs Forum 2008: Housing New Yorkers in the 21st-Century, Wednesday, November 5, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. Reception to follow, at Vanderbilt Hall, New York University Law School, 40 Washington Square South, New York City, NY 10012 MAP.

On Sunday, September 14th, MAS will join local vendors and community groups at the Flatbush Frolic — a neighborhood street festival organized annually by the Flatbush Development Corporation (FDC). As part of the Imagine Flatbush 2030 (IF2030) initiative, MAS will come full circle, distributing information on the year-long process that kicked off last September.

MAS launched IF2030 at last year’s Frolic by soliciting video responses from local residents about what mattered to them in their neighborhood. The enthusiastic response propelled MAS’ partnership with FDC, and we continued the dialogue over the course of the year with a series of community workshops hosted at Brooklyn College. Continue Reading>>

While the federal government has sat on the sidelines, local government has provided true leadership in response to global climate change in the United States. Last year, New York City joined a small but growing list of American municipalities such as Boston, Los Angeles, and Seattle in aligning planning and development goals with ambitions to reduce carbon emissions.

Mayor Bloomberg’s PlaNYC2030 was designed to lay the groundwork for achieving and maintaining affordable housing, open space, comprehensive public transportation, and reliable energy, as well as clean air, water, and land. A year has passed and PlaNYC has seen both successes and failures. MAS set about this past year to address what we perceived to be a critical issue that is nonetheless often overlooked: sustainability planning is too important to be left solely to the experts. Continue Reading>>

Imagine Flatbush 2030
Click on the play icon at right to begin watching the movie.

Click here to learn more about the Imagine Flatbush 2030 initiative.

Thursday, January 24, 6:00 p.m., at the Brooklyn College Student Center

Participants will work to finalize the goals and priorities discussed at the last workshop. Refreshments and home work room for school-aged children will be available. If you live in Flatbush, join us! E-mail or call Sideya Sherman on 212-935-3960 to RSVP. More details.

Watch the New Movie

Click on the play icon below to watch a new MAS short movie describing the goals of Imagine Flatbush 2030 and featuring footage of the first of the project’s workshops.

Imagine Flatbush 2030 from MAS on Vimeo.