Thursday, Oct 21

How livable a city is New York? Municipal Art Society Chairman David M. Childs and President Vin Cipolla will open the inaugural MAS Summit for New York City by posing that question to several prominent New Yorkers, who will kick off the day’s discussions. Philip K. Howard, vice-chairman of Covington & Burling LLP and MAS board member, will set the stage, followed by Ronay Menschel, chairperson for Phipps Houses, who will introduce keynote speaker Janette Sadik-Khan, commissioner of [...]

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Thursday, Oct 21

MAS President Vin Cipolla will release the results of the MAS Survey on Livability.  The Municipal Art Society commissioned the Marist Institute for Public Opinion to conduct the survey of 1,000 New Yorkers to determine what they feel makes New York City livable.  The survey is supported by a grant from the Rockefeller Foundation.

Panelists will react to the results of the survey and discuss how the concerns of New York City residents can be addressed and [...]

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Friday, Oct 22

In a time of limited public resources, what are the new innovations and financing models that can help build resilient, livable cities and new “low-carbon” economies that are both sustainable and prosperous? Drawing from the Rockefeller Foundation’s global and local urban initiatives, President Judith Rodin will deliver a keynote address on new strategies and approaches to plan for climate change, promote “green” jobs, invest in affordable transportation and housing, and strengthen social capital and inclusion in cities. President [...]

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Thursday, Oct 21

What does it mean to have a dynamic population in New York? Why is immigration vital to our city? How do we compare to other urban environments regionally and nationally? Demographics of a Changing New York will address these questions and look at what the statistics mean to New York’s neighborhoods. The panel will be moderated by New York Times Journalist Sam Roberts. Joseph Salvo, a well known demographics expert and director of the Population Division at the [...]

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Friday, Oct 22

What are the economic benefits that cities like New York gain by being more livable? Joe Cortright, president and principal economist for Impresa, a consulting firm specializing in regional economic analysis, will speak about the ways certain urban environments incubate talent, innovation, connections and distinctiveness, and the positive economic effects this has in these areas.  Mr. Cortright, working as a senior policy advisor for CEOs for Cities, developed City Vitals, a report that documents these four key elements [...]

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How can we continue to create an environment that supports the varied needs of our residents? In what ways can new ideas, technology and creativity propel our city into the next decade? Kinshasha Holman Conwill, deputy director of the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of African American History and Culture, will introduce the Summit’s last discussion between Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer and Community Board 1 Chair Julie Menin. They will take a final look at the direction of our city [...]

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Friday, Oct 22

A city’s public realm – its streets, parks and open spaces – is “the defining characteristic signifying the extent to which a city values all its residents,” according to renowned planner Kevin Lynch. A recent wave of redevelopment in New York is generating new public spaces on the waterfront and in former industrial areas. Gordon J. Davis, partner at Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP, will introduce this keynote event on Reclaiming the Public Realm. [...]

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Friday, Oct 22

Streets, parks and the arts, significant components of a city’s public realm, are especially vital to New York. This panel on Vibrant Neighborhoods will look at how all three elements can be best utilized for successful and thoughtful community building and economic development. Elizabeth H. Berger, president of the Alliance for Downtown New York, will moderate the panel, following an introduction by Frances A. Resheske, senior vice president of Public Affairs at Consolidated Edison, Inc.  Jason Schupbach, director [...]

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Thursday, Oct 21

Social media and web technology are changing the landscape of civic engagement in cities across the globe. Innovators at the forefront of today’s virtual dialogue on New York City will discuss the tools they use to report on the city’s ever-changing built environment, as well as the ways in which new media influence how people interact with and communicate within their neighborhoods.  Panelists for People Behind the Screens include Curbed.com President and Founder Lockhart Steele, Gothamist.com Publisher Jake [...]

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Thursday, Oct 21

New and developing technologies are shaping the future of New York City’s built environment. Perhaps the best example of this is Betaville, a project based on gaming technology that invites the public to have hands-on participation in re-creating real urban spaces. This unique project, which currently focuses on Lower Manhattan, was created by Carl Skelton, director of the New York University Polytechnic Institute’s Brooklyn Experimental Media Center.  MAS board member William H. Wright II will set the stage [...]

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Thursday, Oct 21:

New York’s dynamic and diverse arts and cultural organizations contribute significantly to the livability of the neighborhoods they inhabit. They provide opportunities for nurturing creativity and artistic expression; they reinforce placemaking; they stimulate economic activity; and, in many cases, they provide a rich cultural connection for residents.  This panel will explore the symbiotic relationship between arts institutions and their communities.  The panel will be moderated by author and filmmaker Carole Rifkind, following an introduction by Susan K. Freedman, [...]

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Friday, Oct 22

The creation of Moynihan Station, which has been more than fifteen years in the making, is arguably one of the greatest civic projects in New York City. During the Moynihan Station and the Far West Side panel discussion, MAS will explore issues of sustainable development and transportation in an area of New York that is facing sweeping changes in the coming years. This panel will be introduced by Hugh Hardy, principal at H3 Hardy Associates, and it includes [...]

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The second day of the Summit includes a panel discussion on the Garment District, a neighborhood in Manhattan experiencing significant change. Panelists will explore the planning, economic and sustainability concerns affecting this unique neighborhood, and discuss how to best address these issues in the coming years. The panel, comprising design professionals, industry insiders, and a government official, will explore visions for the future of the Garment District.

Read more about the panelists below. Would you like to attend the Summit? Click [...]

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Friday, Oct 22

Developing sustainable and affordable housing is essential to expanding New York City’s creative capital.  This presentation, discussing Sustainable Housing for New York’s Future, will delve into the most significant issues facing New York City’s housing stock and assess new ways to make good housing realistic and accessible. Jerilyn Perine, executive director of the Citizens Housing and Planning Council, will moderate the panel, following an introduction by Charles A. Platt, of Platt Byard Dovell and White Architects, LLP.  Panelists [...]

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Friday, Oct 22

The creation of Moynihan Station, which has been more than fifteen years in the making, is arguably one of the greatest civic projects in New York City. During the Moynihan Station and the Far West Side panel discussion, MAS will explore issues of sustainable development and transportation in an area of New York that is facing sweeping changes in the coming years. This panel will be introduced by Hugh Hardy, principal at H3 Hardy Associates, and it includes [...]

more ›

The second day of the Summit includes a panel discussion on the Garment District, a neighborhood in Manhattan experiencing significant change. Panelists will explore the planning, economic and sustainability concerns affecting this unique neighborhood, and discuss how to best address these issues in the coming years. The panel, comprising design professionals, industry insiders, and a government official, will explore visions for the future of the Garment District.

Read more about the panelists below. Would you like to attend the Summit? Click [...]

more ›

Friday, Oct 22

Developing sustainable and affordable housing is essential to expanding New York City’s creative capital.  This presentation, discussing Sustainable Housing for New York’s Future, will delve into the most significant issues facing New York City’s housing stock and assess new ways to make good housing realistic and accessible. Jerilyn Perine, executive director of the Citizens Housing and Planning Council, will moderate the panel, following an introduction by Charles A. Platt, of Platt Byard Dovell and White Architects, LLP.  Panelists [...]

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Thursday, Oct. 21, Evening:

Seven provocative and innovative architecture and urban design projects have been chosen as the 2010 winners of The Municipal Art Society of New York’s MASterworks Design Awards sponsored by Helaba, Landesbank Hessen-Thuringen

The winners include Cooper Union’s 41 Cooper Square building designed by Thom Mayne as Best New Building, the Empire State Building lobby restoration project as Best Historical Restoration, and the High Line as a Neighborhood Catalyst.
Organized annually by The Municipal Art Society (MAS) and sponsored by [...]

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Friday, October 22

The Yolanda Garcia Community Planner Award acknowledges the hardworking leaders of grassroots community-based planning. This award was created in 2006 to honor the work of the late Yolanda Garcia, a community activist from the South Bronx. Under Ms. Garcia’s leadership, the residents of Melrose founded Nos Quedamos and transformed a neighborhood by successfully creating its own vision and alternative to the city’s urban renewal plan. Each year the Municipal Art Society presents the award to an individual who [...]

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