We’ve got all hands on deck to redesign Penn Station
Exciting news! Public Works Partners has been selected to support the transformation of Penn Station into a world-class transit hub as part of the design team led by FXCollaborative and WSP. This monumental effort builds on our previous work on the Penn Station Master Plan, which laid out a vision for the new station. For this next round, we will continue to flex our public engagement muscles to advance the public’s vision for this momentous plan. We’re eager to use our dynamic engagement toolkit to bring New Yorkers’ vision for Penn Station and the neighborhood to life. The pivotal role of Penn Station as a driver of regional economic activity and a gateway to New York City makes this work especially exciting and timely.
What We’re Doing
Placemaking is here to stay
On November 4th, Celeste Frye, AICP, shared how we approach placemaking in our urban planning work with the American Planning Association’s Urban Design & Preservation Division through a webinar hosted by the APA Ohio Chapter. The presentation explored the rise of placemaking, the power of placemaking to effect positive change driven by community members, and key engagement strategies that can lead to more impactful interventions. Celeste also discussed the many forms placemaking can take–from organizational efforts to support local initiatives to streetscape designs that support multi-use public space–and shared case studies from our work with the Friends of the High Line and the Syracuse Southwest Gateway Downtown Revitalization Initiative. Thank you to the 250+ planners who joined us for this event!
Don’t worry if you missed it: the recording will be shared online in the coming weeks. You will be able to access it and all the other great events hosted by the APA Urban Design & Preservation Division here.
Countering ableism in community engagement (POSTPONED! Check for updates in early 2023)
Attention to our Philadelphia-based readers! Celeste will be giving a presentation exploring strategies to counter ableism in community engagement with the Philanthropy Network of Greater Philadelphia! Community engagement is an essential tool in a nonprofit’s toolbox, but it can only be used to its full potential if all impacted community members can get involved. It falls to funders and organizational leaders to implement engagement protocols that ensure equitable and inclusive practices. Join Celeste while she unpacks some of the barriers faced by community members and lay out strategies for eliminating them from the ground up. This training will be geared towards funders and service providers looking to learn more about internal strategies that will instill accessibility throughout their processes, but all are welcome to join. Check back for updates in early 2023!
Let’s get circular!
Have you ever noticed those little free libraries in your neighborhood? Super cute, right? Or have you ever struck gold at a thrift store and found the perfect pair of pants? These are elements of a circular economy. A circular economy is a model focused on keeping materials, whether manufactured or raw, in circulation and out of a landfill for as long as possible. Circularity can happen at a number of scales, ranging from the personal scale described above to a systems-based approach, which focuses on the production of materials that can be reused and recycled long-term. Simon Rosenblum-Larson took note of this accelerating trend on a recent trip to Copenhagen where he visited a bytterum, a neighborhood recycling center that allows residents to exchange items that would otherwise end up in the trash. He walks readers through the different strategies being used to advance a circular economy and the importance of adopting these strategies at scale in Circular Economies: Accelerating Sustainable Consumption through Reuse. Check it out on the Public Works IQ.
One More Thing
We’re hiring for multiple positions across our firm. Public Works is a dynamic and welcoming workplace committed to building a team that reflects the diversity of the communities in which we work. Take a peek at our Instagram account (@PublicWorksIQ) and check out our fun activities and corporate culture. Are you looking for impactful, inspiring, and rewarding work with great benefits? Hop over to our careers page to learn more about our open positions.
Public Works Partners is a WBE/DBE-certified urban planning and consulting firm. Our expertise lies in creating innovative, equitable, and sustainable solutions to complex problems.