The Municipal Art Society of New York

Micaéla Birmingham, the director of the MAS Planning Center, received the American Planning Association NY Metro Chapter’s William H. Whyte Award June 15, 2005. Awarded annually, it recognizes creativity in planning projects.

Micaéla and Steven Romalowski, of the Community Assistance Mapping Project, were honored for their work on the Community Information Technology Initiative (CITI). CITI created a website, myciti.org, that provides detailed maps of New York City which include information about land use, zoning and planning initiatives. The site is used by community boards, students and others interested in understanding more about city neighborhoods, or even individual properties.

The award, however, went beyond recognizing Micaéla’s work just on the website to note CITI’s “exceptional on-going education campaign…to get the tools in the hands of those most in need.” The Planning Center actively goes into communities and schools to instruct people in how to create and interpret maps from MyCITI.

Micaéla said she was surprised and, naturally, pleased to win the award, which is the second she has won in three years from the APA NY Metro Chapter. Others honored this year by the chapter included Amanda Burden, chairwoman of the New York City Planning Commission, and Linda Cox, the current executive director of the Bronx River Alliance and a former director of the MAS Planning Center.