NEW! Partners for Livable Communities and MetLife Foundation are pleased to announce the translations in Simplified Chinese and Spanish, of Culture Connects All, available for download today.
As a proud partner of the Mt. Pleasant Temporium project, Partners for Livable Communities is pleased to announce the completion of the final report detailing the success of the Mt. Pleasant Temporium.
Culture Connects All, a benchmark report by Partners for Livable communities funded by MetLife Foundation, offers new audience-building opportunities for arts and cultural organizations to engage two of America’s fastest growing populations: immigrant and older adult populations.
The 2010 census confirms what many have observed over the past decade—the population is growing older, and in many areas more diverse. And this change is happening across the face of the nation. Two rapidly expanding population groups present a timely opportunity for communities and their arts and cultural institutions to rethink and retool their outreach.
Download your free copy of Culture Connects All, and free copies translated in both Chinese and Spanish available on May 15.
Peter Stein, 2010 recipient of Partners’ Bridge Builders Award, sat down recently with Hanover’s local newspaperto talk about his work at the Lyme Timber Company.The article explores Stein’s use of public-private partnerships in conservation efforts and his take on how preserving nature can be good for investors' bottom line.
You can read more of the article at the Valley News.
Also, check out our Bridge Builder award for Peter Stein.
Partners for Livable Communities announces its partnership in creating Washington, DC’s own temporary urbanism project: The Mount Pleasant Temporium. The Mount Pleasant Temporium is a temporary, pop-up retailer coming to Mt. Pleasant St. NW, for 24 consecutive dates from February 18 to March 13. Located at 3068 Mt. Pleasant St. NW, the Mt. Pleasant Temporium is the second of the District’s new Temporary Urbanism initiative project grantees—the first opened its doors in the Summer 2010 and was directed by the Pink Line Project , a hub for DC arts and culture.
The Mt. Pleasant Temporium features handmade goods for sale from 30 local, independent crafters and artists and has a special events schedule to include autobiographical and theatrical storytelling, crafting, book readings, and live music. All events are free and open to the public. Opening weekend included a reception on Friday, Feb. 18 from 7 to 9 p.m.
The theme of the Mt. Pleasant Temporium is storytelling, which is woven throughout the retail aspect of the shop to give visitors a truly engaging experience with the products for sale and the stories behind the artists who made them. Visitors will have the opportunity to participate in the theme by leaving their own handwritten stories in the Temporium’s storefront window installation, created by local artists Sean Hennessey and Rania Hassan.
Visitors are highly encouraged to explore the Mt. Pleasant neighborhood and its businesses. During the 24-day run of the project, several Mt. Pleasant businesses will feature their own stories in storefront displays and offer specials to Temporium customers.
The Temporium helps meet several objectives established by the District of Columbia through the Creative DC Action Agenda and the Retail Action Roadmap. They include supporting creative entrepreneurs, activating commercial corridors and highlighting their retail potential, providing residents with unique services and activities, and promoting neighborhoods.
Partners’Board member Geoff Anderson, President of Smart Growth America, was recently named one of the “most influential leaders” in sustainable community planning and development, by Partnership for Sustainable Communities. Alongside Partners’ recent Bridge Builders Award recipient Christopher Leinberger, Geoff Anderson was acknowledged for his dedication and achievements instrumental in growing the Smart Growth field. With a 13 year tenure at the EPA, Anderson was central to creation of the agency’s Smart Growth program, and cofounded the Smart Growth network, the New Partners for Smart Growth Conference, and popular website smartgrowth.org.
Smart Growth America continues to function as one of the nation’s premiere clearing houses reporting on and devising the latest methods for smart growth development. SGA is, “ the only national organization dedicated to researching, advocating for and leading coalitions to bring smart growth practices to more communities nationwide.” Through coalition building, policy development, and research, SGA explores cross-sector efforts dedicated, in the simplest form, to enhance livability for all.
Partners’ board member Mick Fleming, President of American Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE), contributed a cover article to the Winter edition of their publication, Chamber Executive. Mr. Fleming sought to contribute to the thinking and discussion around what makes a person influential.
"Governor Glendening and Partners for Livable Communities understand the relationship between livable, walkable places and economic prosperity. Smart growth results in places and regions with more housing and transportation choices, better access to shops and schools and a healthy environment. These are the neighborhoods—whether urban, rural or suburban—where people and businesses want to be. They attract new jobs and hold on to them over time as well as maintaining a higher level of housing and property values (Governor Parris N. Glendening).”
In his recent mayoral address to Salt Lake City, Partners trustee Ralph Becker announced his plans to construct a new light rail system in a broad attempt to “move Salt Lake forward despite tough economic times (Becker, 01/04/11).” Throughout his speech, Mayor Becker highlighted the role in which light rail transit could enable the city to enhance civic assets ranging from small and vibrant businesses to that of the locally treasured neighborhood known as the Sugar House. With the help of a $26 million federal grant, Mayor Becker has continued forward on his ambitious plans to bring back the street cars of the city by first constructing the Sugar House line and expanding the lines beyond the limits and into downtown Salt Lake.
Partners’ board member Sam Williams, President of the Metro Atlanta Chamber, carried the banner for business leadership in helping to solve urban problems during remarks last month to the TEDxAtlanta conference. Calling for business leaders to fulfill roles as “urban statesmen,” Williams articulated a vision shared by Partners in which business leaders and elected officials can work together as members of a team to find creative and innovative solutions to urban problems. Service on Partners’ board is just one way in which Mr. Williams works daily to translate this vision into reality.
Partners’ board member William “Bill” Reilly, former Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, has recently concluded work with the National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling, which he co-chaired along with former Senator Bob Graham. Preliminary reports issued by the Commission this month criticized BP and its subcontractors for insufficiently prioritizing safety in their management cultures and in their operations. The Commission’s final report is scheduled to be released on January 11.
Partners for Livable Communities will honor eight individuals and organizations for stewardship and innovation in the improvement of communities worldwide. These prestigious awards will be presented by Washington, D.C.-based Partners for Livable Communities at its “Celebration of Vision and Community Spirit” formal dinner and awards program on Tuesday evening, December 7th, 2010 at The Willard Hotel in Washington, D.C.
The “Celebration of Vision and Community Spirit” awards honor both innovative projects in communities and lifetimes of achievement for individuals that have made a true difference in their respective fields of activity. The honorees represent lifetimes of cultivating the arts, historic preservation, regionalism, smart planning practices and neighborhood development that bring life to struggling communities. All of the honorees have sought to build on their assets and improve the communities around them, an effort which Partners believes deserves to be lauded, with individual stories spread far and wide.
More than 35 million Americans are over 65, and that population is rising at an unprecedented rate. The MetLife Mature Market Institute recently responded to this shift with “The MetLife Report on Aging in Place 2.0: Rethinking Solutions to the Home Care Challenge.” The report serves as a “blueprint” for helping our growing population of older adults stay in their homes, or, “age in place”, through adjustments to residential design, health care, and other services. Click here to read the full news release (PDF).
Older adults face limited access to mobility alternatives when public busses are more of an inconvenience then the city had originally intended. For one, city bus routes are often mapped out mainly for commuters, taking riders to the commercial center for work and back out to the suburbs. This often necessitates long and unnecessary trips with transfers to travel around the urban fringe. In addition, buses to the commercial center can be in such a hurry they begin to move before the passenger can even begin to balance and sit down.
Since 1989, Partners has been at the forefront of creating communities that are hospitable for all people, young and old alike. Now, with nearly 22 years passed since Partners laid the initial groundwork for the Aging in Place strategy, the MetLife Foundation has stepped in to help Partners continue the conversation and advance the agenda of livability regardless of age.
On September 22, 2010 Partners released "Livable Communities for All Ages", a thoughtful brochure that reflects years of expertise and findings, as well as resources and case studies, on how all facets of the community can contribute to a more “older adult –friendly” environment.
Livability has become a key element in the agendas of Congress, the Administration, and federal agencies as they make plans to invest in the quality of life, economic competitiveness, and recovery of American communities. However, ‘livability’ is a broad term encompassing many values and entities, all of which must be engaged to create livable communities across America. This endeavor must begin with a definition of livability that recognizes its many complex elements and the creation of a common agenda upon which to build. Only after a solid foundation for action has been laid can the resources of public and private agencies most effectively achieve livability for all.
On August 18th, 2010, Partners President Robert McNulty and Partners Trustee and former Florida Secretary of State and Orlando Mayor Glenda Hood hosted a workshop for over 150 attendees of the annual Florida League of Cities conference in Hollywood, Florida. Entitled “Culture Builds Community,” the 3-hour session explored how in these hard times for local governments and public finance, communities can mobilize a team of new players to support cultural and heritage resources as key infrastructure for their citizens, quality of life, and their ability to attract new investment.
The Alliance for Regional Stewardship (ARS) announced today that Robert H. McNulty has been awarded the 2010 John Parr Award, bestowed by ARS for a lifetime of outstanding individual leadership excellence in advancing regional stewardship of metropolitan areas. Read More>
On August 3rd, the Senate Banking Committee passed legislation formalizing the Interagency Council on Sustainable Communities which is compromised of HUD, DOT and EPA and the creation of the Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities. The Livable Communities Act, introduced by Chairman Chris Dodd, also creates two competitive grant programs designed to help communities develop and carry out comprehensive plans for more sustainable futures.
Partners is excited to announce the release of the second volume of the Economics of Sustainability, “The Dollars and Sense of Green Business,” made possible by support from the Rockefeller Brothers Fund. This publication is a continuation of Partners’ sustainability agenda and explores the innovation and leadership of 22 chambers of commerce from around the country—true champions of the green economy. To read more about Partners’ Economics of Sustainability initiative, click here.