Urban Design Forum

🏠Meet our cohort of 48 urban leaders who will survey the world to take a big swing at New York City’s housing crisis. Our inaugural class of Fellows is already shaping the future of New York City. Fellows are reforming regulations to allow more office conversions; negotiating policies like Good Cause Eviction, tax incentives, and Local Law 97’s emissions mandates; promoting transparency in NYCHA capital improvements; organizing for tenant rights to counter displacement and much more. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/eFgVmwTk Global Exchange is made possible through support of our Global Circle. We thank lead sponsors Jamie von Klemperer, KPF, and Turner Construction Company, as well as sponsors Apple Bank, CAMBA Housing Ventures, Inc. Charney Companies LLC, Cozen O'Connor, Fogarty Finger, HKS, Inc., One Architecture & Urbanism (ONE), Perkins Eastman, Skylight, Upside Collaboration Co and Zillow.

Read more about the #localcenter project that is working to transform an underused lot beneath the Bruckner Expressway into a thriving community hub in the Bronx. Swing by the Hub every Sunday for the next year to see the space for yourself and the watch the tireless work of Youth Ministries for Peace and Justice, Inc. Ennead Architects Public Works Partners, Association for Neighborhood & Housing Development (ANHD) Buro Happold and Cozen O'Connor Thank you to THE CITY (newsroom) for joining us for the unveiling of the Soundview Economic Hub last weekend. https://lnkd.in/eieBT2gF

For years, communities in the Bronx have worked to reimagine and reclaim a large portion of underutilized space beneath the Bruckner Expressway. Last week, a Local Center team of Youth Ministries for Peace and Justice, Inc. Ennead Architects, Public Works Partners Buro Happold and Cozen O'Connor opened the first phase of the Soundview Economic Hub, to turn the formerly neglected space into a creative community plaza. The Team unveiled an art exhibit featuring work from local artists, celebrated local businesses and launched the new public space. Swing by the Hub every Sunday for the next year for art, music, local vendors and more! Learn more about the project here: https://lnkd.in/ehCu7nnr Urban Design Forum, Association for Neighborhood & Housing Development (ANHD), Youth Ministries for Peace and Justice, Inc., Public Works Partners, Ennead Architects, Buro Happold, Cozen O'Connor, NYC Department of Transportation, NYS DOT This project is made possible with lead support from the Mellon Foundation and with additional major support from the Charles H. Revson Foundation, the ROBERT STERLING CLARK FOUNDATION, INC., the NYC Green Relief & Recovery Fund, and Lily Auchincloss Foundation

Join Urban Design Forum as company members to design, build, and care for a better city. We offer a lifetime of civic leadership opportunities, with opportunities for Fellows at every career stage. Fellows discuss and debate the city’s most challenging issues at 70+ events each year. They shape forward-looking research publications on climate, housing, transportation and more. They make interdisciplinary connections across a community of 1,000+ New Yorkers. Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/eD4tmCHB Please submit an interest form by November 1 at 5:00pm. Reach out to Miranda Bellizia with any questions.

Seven weeks after orientation, the 2024 Global Exchange cohort landed in Berlin for a 3-day study trip. Fellows visited the Berlin Senate to learn about government-led developments, like the redesign of the decommissioned Tegel Airport into a residential neighborhood of 5,000 units and an urban tech industrial hub. They toured housing cooperatives and met with tenant advocates. They learned about how members of the Berlin housing movement are working to  address the need for more housing, and so much more. Read our reflections and see more images of the study trip: https://lnkd.in/euVf_r7j    📷: Cameron Blaylock  and Kasia Zacharko Global Exchange is made possible through support of our Global Circle. We thank lead sponsors James von Klemperer, KPF, and Turner Construction Company, as well as sponsors Apple Bank, CAMBA Housing Ventures, Inc., Charney Companies LLC, Cozen O'Connor, Fogarty Finger, HKS, Inc., One Architecture & Urbanism (ONE), Perkins Eastman, Skylight, Upside Collaboration Co and Zillow

While New York City has made strides in decarbonization through initiatives like Local Law 97, there has been less focus on climate education efforts. As part of Rewire, our Connected Anchors Working Group explored how our public libraries can empower climate literacy to address both decarbonization and environmental justice. Join us on October 8th to hear more from the Fellows. Rit Aggarwala, Commissioner of Environmental Protection and Chief Climate Officer for the City of New York, will deliver keynote remarks and respond to the Fellows’ proposals. Ankita Chachra, Caitlin Harris, Lloyd Helen, ARB, Christina Hernandez, Catherine Joseph, AIA, CPHC, LEED AP, Anna Keleher, Andrew Leung, AICP, Kelley Tapia, YI ZHANG

To help meet citywide and global climate goals, the City must reimagine ways to support circular construction practices to reduce construction and demolition waste. As part of Rewire, our Circular Hubs Working Group explored how to transform New York City’s Industrial Business Zones into assets for a material reuse economy. Join us on October 8th to hear more from the Fellows. Rohit Aggarwala, Commissioner of Environmental Protection and Chief Climate Officer for the City of New York, will deliver keynote remarks and respond to the Fellows’ proposals. RSVP here: https://lnkd.in/eT65twfh #climate #biodiversity #circularwaste #urbandesignforum #climateweek #nyc #rewire #greenjobs #sustainability

Over the weekend, the Richmond Hill Arts Festival brought community members together at Lt. Frank McConnell Park, deep in the heart of Richmond Hill, Queens. The Festival is a culmination of over a year of organizing and engagement in the neighborhood by Chhaya Community Development Corporation. With the help of design team Studio Fōr and Hive Public Space, they unveiled a multi-use installation, the “Richmond Hill Community Arts Hub” to create a public space to celebrate the Punjabi and Indo-Caribbean communities of the area. Chhaya and other neighborhood partners will be hosting programming throughout the Fall. Keep an eye out for the next one! And special shout-out and congratulations to our very own New City Critics alum Sabina Sethi Unni, MSUP for debuting her play, Flood Sensor Aunty! Association for Neighborhood & Housing Development (ANHD) Chhaya Community Development Corporation, Studio Fōr and Hive Public Space NYC Department of Parks & Recreation; fabrication by People of Color Creative Studio and legal support from Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP This project is made possible with lead support from the Mellon Foundation and with additional major support from the Charles H. Revson Foundation, the ROBERT STERLING CLARK FOUNDATION, INC., the NYC Green Relief & Recovery Fund, and Lily Auchincloss Foundation 📸: Cameron Blaylock #thelocalcenter #artintheparks

When Hurricane Sandy hit New York, 11 million daily travelers were affected, over 500 miles of roads were damaged and the subway was shut down for days. In response, the City implemented single-occupant vehicle restrictions and successful “bus bridges” that allowed over 226,000 commuters to cross the East River – nearly triple the usual bus riders. As part of Rewire, our Resilient Commutes Working Group explored how surface transit systems could be the key to building a transportation network resilient to both everyday disruptions and long-term climate change-induced threats. Join us on October 8th to hear more from the Fellows. Rohit Aggarwala Commissioner of Environmental Protection and Chief Climate Officer for the City of New York, will deliver keynote remarks and respond to the Fellows’ proposals. RSVP: https://lnkd.in/eT65twfh #climate #biodiversity #urbandesignforum #climateweek #nyc #rewire #greenjobs #sustainability #surfacetransit #nycbuses 

31% of New York City’s building stock is less than 25,000 square feet and falls out of Local Law 97 requirements, the City’s aggressive emissions law.  How can New York City take action to tackle emissions from these smaller buildings? As part of Rewire, our Green Homes Working Group explored how best to expedite retrofits in buildings that house over half of the city’s population through neighborhood based support for owners and residents. Join us on October 8th to hear more from the Fellows. Rohit Aggarwala, Commissioner of Environmental Protection and Chief Climate Officer for the City of New York, will deliver keynote remarks and respond to the Fellows’ proposals. RSVP here: https://lnkd.in/eT65twfh #climate #biodiversity #urbandesignforum #climateweek #nyc #rewire #ll97 #greenjobs #sustainability #locallaw97