CNU September 2007 e-Update

[Firstname],

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1. Bright Future of Buffalo's Waterfront Threatened by State Plans to Expand Freeway Infrastructure

Expert Report Says Current DOT Plan to Maintain Freeway and Expand Frontage Road Will Limit Access and Development Potential

DOT Shift to Its Boulevard Alternative Would Lay Groundwork for Waterfront Renaissance

Sept. 6, 2007 -- Buffalo's Outer Harbor has immense potential to be redeveloped into valuable urban neighborhoods of lofts, restaurants, shops and parks -- but leaders need to act now to get the streets designed correctly. That is the message former Milwaukee Mayor John Norquist and transportation planner Norman Marshall delivered in a waterfront press conference and subsequent appearance before the Buffalo Common Council’s Waterfront Development Committee.

Read full story...

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2. New Urbanist Plans Bring Extraordinary Opportunities Amid Post-Katrina Challenges

Media returning for Katrina anniversary find CNU members working alongside locals

Aug. 31, 2007 -- Returning to Mississippi and Louisana this week for the second anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, the national media saw that the enormity of the rebuilding job still dominates daily life along the Gulf Coast. They also found new urbanists -- among the earliest planners to coordinate post-storm efforts, first for the Mississippi Renewal Forum covering 11 cities in October 2005 and then for a string of smaller charrettes in both states -- still hard at work.

Read full story...

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3. Debunking Cato

Why Planning in Portland Works Better Than the Analysis of Its Chief Neo-Libertarian Critic

When the Cato Institute published a report by Randal O’Toole this summer "debunking" planning efforts in Portland designed to promote compact, transit-oriented development and reduce sprawl and automobile dependency, CNU decided to take a closer look. Michael Lewyn, an assistant professor at Florida Coastal School of Law and veteran urbanist, agreed to check O'Toole’s facts and analysis.

Read full story...

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4. London Transportation Summit: Early Registration Ends Oct. 15

Early registration for this year's CNU Transportation Summit ends Oct. 15. The Prince's Foundation for the Built Environment will host this year's summit at the Shoreditch Town Hall in London, November 12-14, 2007.

The focus of this year’s gathering—"The Convenient Remedy: Transport and the Carbon Challenge"—will give us an opportunity to explore transportation reforms and their impact on the environment. We will explore questions such as:
-- What are transport planners' responses to the carbon challenge, and how can emissions reduction be achieved?
-- How can we use transportation as an opportunity to create and design urban places we want?

For more information, a more detailed agenda and to register, please visit http://cnu.org/transportation2007.

Questions? Email Heather Smith at hsmith@cnu.org or call 312-551-7300.

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5. Call for New Urbanist Academic Papers: Deadline November 30

CNU is accepting academic paper submissions for presentation at CNU XVI in
Austin, Texas, to be held April 3-6, 2008. Accepted papers and abstracts will also be published on the CNU website and in a special issue of the Journal of Urbanism. Submissions are welcome on a range of issues and disciplines related to New Urbanism. Selection will be based on the paper's contribution to critical discussion and practice of New Urbanism and for synergies within sessions. All papers should be submitted by Friday, November 30, 2007. Visit http://cnu.org/node/130 for complete submission details.

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6. CNU Seeks Best Practice Examples of Transportation Networks

To prepare for next year's 2008 Charlotte Transportation Summit, CNU is seeking best practice examples of transportation networks. We are looking for policies that support the network and the best examples of planned approaches or built projects that reflect a sophisticated understanding of how multi-modal networks function. We are also looking for examples of how to document the performance of these networks. Some of these ideas will be presented at CNU XVI in Austin and will guide our work in preparation for the November 2008 summit in Charlotte. Submit an initial 200-word description and any photos or examples electronically to Heather Smith by November 16, 2007.

For more on the 2008 Transportation Summit and the upcoming 2007 Summit in
London, please visit http://cnu.org/transportationsummits.

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7. What's New @ CNU.org

Here's a sample of what's new at CNU.org:

CNU Salons -- Adaptability of Seattle Commuters: Evidence That Alaskan Way Viaduct Can Go @ http://cnu.org/node/1381
The recent closure of lanes on Interstate 5 in Seattle was, according to many media outlets, supposed to create commuting nightmares for Seattleites. But as half of 120,000 commuters have sought alternatives to driving, traffic has actually lessened and commuting has been rather smooth in Seattle.

CNU Salons -- Shifts in Consumer Preferences Help New Urbanism Weather Real Estate Storm @ http://cnu.org/node/923
Multiple reports show urbanism holding up better than sprawl in tough market.

CNU Salons -- Ask CNU: What's the Transect? @ http://cnu.org/node/1215
Today in Ask CNU, Matt from Dayton asks: "I'm doing research on urban tier classifications for an upcoming regional plan. Where can I find out more about The Transect?"

CNU Salons -- Call for Submissions: Connecting Active Living Research to Policy Solutions @ http://cnu.org/node/1530
New Urbanism has a lot to contribute to the public health discussion, so if you're doing relevant research, please consider sharing it with ALR.

If you haven't experienced the new CNU.org yet, it's time for you to see what you're missing. We've rebuilt CNU.org to create a more enriching experience for CNU members. Please take a moment to log into the new site and learn about the new features it has to offer. All usernames have been reset with the launch of the new site, so please read our Login Instructions to get started.

Visit http://cnu.org/features to learn more about the website.

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8. Students for New Urbanism Congress I: October 5 - 7 @ University of Notre Dame

The Students for New Urbanism-Notre Dame (SNU-ND) are organizing the first international SNU Congress, October 5 - 7 at the University of Notre Dame. SNU-ND's mission is to discuss development practices and public policies, learn from recent innovative work and explore initiatives that have the power to transform communities.

SNU I will allow students and young practitioners to connect and collaborate with other young people interested in the practice of New Urbanism, to learn the latest new urbanist trends and to contribute ideas and experiences that will help everyone to take New Urbanism to the next level. Students and young professionals from all disciplines are encouraged to attend.

For more information and to register, visit http://architecture.nd.edu/news_and_events/snu_congress.shtml.

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9. Upcoming SmartCode Workshop: Miami, Fla., Nov. 8-10

The SmartCode Workshop hits Lincoln Road on South Beach, Miami, Fla., November 8-10. The SmartCode Workshop delivers tools for successful local implementation of the SmartCode, an increasingly influential form-based solution to community land planning.

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10. Movement for Israeli Urbanism K-8 Intl. Charrette Dec. 2-6

Join the Movement for Israeli Urbanism (MIU) in a fascinating journey that will lead to rebuilding the northern border town into a more human and prosperous place.

The second Lebanon war occurred one year ago and found Kiryat Shmona (K-8) -- the northern town in Israel -- once again in the center of an ongoing battle. This situation is very familiar to the residents -- moving to the bomb shelters for few days and nights and departing the city a few days later in search of security.

MIU volunteered to assist the town, and during a tour with the town engineer just after the war they posed the following questions:
-- What will bring back the local families this time and the next time?
-- What will make citizens want to continue living in a distant and unpredictable place?

MIU believes that local prosperity and high quality of urban life are two of the foremost factors that generate a sense of local pride and belonging, and contribute to forming a sustainable continuity and motivation to return. MIU would like to offer a course of development and rehabilitation, which will build local pride and trust by a public participation planning process involving the residents and stakeholders in Kiryat Shmona -- a charrette.

It will be the first full 5-day charrette in Israel. MIU needs your experience with the success of the charrette to give the Israeli participants (professionals and public) confidence that the process works. Take part in changing urban planning in Israel. Kiryat Shmona needs New Urbanism.

For more information, visit http://www.miu.org.il/MIU_v4/docs_activities/MIU_Projects/K8_Int_Charrette.html.

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11. Reclaiming Vacant Properties Conference

On September 24 & 25 in Pittsburgh, join the National Vacant Properties Campaign and the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland at Reclaiming Vacant Properties:
Strategies for Rebuilding America’s Neighborhoods. Today, a growing number of communities see vacant properties not simply as sources of anxiety, but as opportunities to build strong and healthy neighborhoods. Community members and practitioners know it's not a simple task, but there are lessons and strategies from around the country we can all learn from.

This two-day conference will bring together practitioners, policymakers, and concerned citizens from throughout the country to share model practices and problem solve. Take advantage of this opportunity to design new strategies to prevent and revitalize vacant properties, which will consequently improve public safety and health, and spur economic growth.

For more information and to register, visit http://www.vacantproperties.org/reclaimingconference.html.

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12. 2008 Palladio Awards Call for Submissions

Deadline: November 15, 2007

Submissions are now being accepted for the 2008 Palladio Awards. The seventh-annual competition will recognize outstanding work in traditional design for commercial, institutional, public and residential projects.

The Palladio Awards program is co-produced by Traditional Building and Period Homes magazines and is named in honor of Andrea Palladio, the Renaissance architect who created modern architecture for his time while drawing on past models for inspiration.

For more information, go to www.palladioawards.com.

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13. Greenbuild 2007, Nov. 7-9 in Chicago

If designing, building, living, and working in green buildings -- and green neighborhoods -- is important to you, then come join 18,000 other people who agree that green building is a good idea and good for business at the U.S. Green Building Council's Greenbuild International Conference and Expo, Nov. 7-9, 2007. Greenbuild 2007 will take place in Chicago at the new McCormick Place West Building.

Greenbuild 2007 will explore "Accelerating Green Communities" with educational sessions, exciting speakers, special events and tours, and the largest Greenbuild exhibit hall ever.

For more information, visit http://www.greenbuildexpo.org.

Volunteer with CNU at Greenbuild

Help CNU spread the word about New Urbanism at the Greenbuild Expo! If you'll be attending Greenbuild or live in the Chicago region, CNU could use your help at the Expo. With this year's focus on green communities, we'll have a great opportunity to reach potential new urbanists. Volunteers will receive free entrance to the Expo. To volunteer, email pchung@cnu.org with your contact information and availability for at least one of these time slots:

Tuesday, Nov. 6, 5:30 PM - 8 PM
Wednesday, Nov. 7, 11 AM - 2 PM and 3 PM - 4 PM
Thursday, Nov. 8, 2 PM - 4 PM

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14. Rail~Volution in Miami Beach, Oct. 31 - Nov. 3

This year Rail~Volution stands at a crossroads -- on the precipice of tremendous change, both locally and globally -- as communities all over the world grapple with important issues that affect them.

South Florida -- the site of Rail~Volution 2007 -- serves as a living laboratory for these critical discussions. The region has a diverse population, an increasingly global economy, a series of strong transit systems, a red-hot tourism industry and leaders who seek thoughtful solutions.

For more information, visit http://railvolution.com.

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15. Upcoming Seminars and Workshops from the Seaside Institute

Visit the Seaside Institute website for more information and a full list of events. Current CNU members receive a 10% discount on workshop registrations with their membership card.

Street Smart: Streetcars and Cities in the 21st Century Workshop Series

September 27, 2007
Denver, CO

October 11, 2007
Charlotte, NC

Streetcars were ubiquitous in the early 1900s and are uniquely suited now to serve the higher-density development underway in downtowns across the U.S. They are cheaper than light rail, promote development and street life and fit easily into built environments.

Join Reconnecting America, APTA, the Community Streetcar Coalition and The Seaside Institute to hear practitioners and public officials from around the U.S. explain funding and political strategies that get robust streetcar systems built.

Other Upcoming Events:

Creating Unique Places and Enduring Legacies
October 18 – 20, 2007
Carmel, California

Atlanta on the Cutting Edge: Models for Growth and Renewal
November 7-10, 2007
Atlanta, GA

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16. Upcoming Training Opportunities from the National Charrette Institute

Visit the National Charrette Institute (NCI) website for details on trainings. Current CNU members receive a 10% discount on NCI registration fees for public trainings held in Portland.

Portland, OR • October 8-12
NCI Charrette Planner® certificate trainings
NCI Complete Charrette Manager™ certificate trainings
For more information and to register, please see NCI's website at:
http://charretteinstitute.org/programs/reg_current/pdx_reg.html.

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Congress for the New Urbanism
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