Save the Date – FitCity 10

FitCity 10: Promoting Physical Activity through Design, organized by AIANY and the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, will take place on 05.11.15 from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM at the New York Academy of Medicine, 1216 5th Avenue. The 10th annual conference will bring together architects, planners, designers, developers, government officials, community advocates, and public health professionals to discuss how design, policy, and practice decisions can create opportunities to increase physical activity, access to healthier food and beverages, and overall well-being in NYC’s low-income communities.

This year’s program will feature keynote speakers, a Commissioners Panel, and interactive break-out sessions based on actual case studies. Participants will hear how the strategies described in the Active Design Guidelines are being implemented throughout the five boroughs. In addition, attendees will learn how they can implement active design in different settings to achieve more equitable and healthier neighborhoods.

Stay tuned for details on the agenda, speakers, and registration here.

Policy Points

• On 03.16.15, Timothy G. Boyland, AIA, 2015 President, AIA New York State, presented testimony on the Governor’s Office of Storm Recovery’s (GOSR) Natural Disaster Resilience Competition (NDRC) Phase 1 application. Read the testimony here.
• On 03.25.15, AIANY Executive Director Rick Bell, FAIA, submitted testimony at the NYC Department of City Planning public scoping meeting for the Housing New York: Zoning for Quality and Affordability proposal. Read the testimony here.
• After a year of planning and neighborhood outreach, initial renderings of the Brooklyn Strand, a pedestrian-friendly public greenway planned for Downtown Brooklyn, were presented to Brooklyn Community Board 2 on 03.16.15 by WXY Architecture. See the proposal here.
• This month, the Emergency Responder Act was introduced in both the New York State Senate and Assembly (S.4238 Savino/A.6214 Englebright). AIANY is working with AIA New York State and our colleagues from the engineering and building professions to get it passed this year and ensure the protection of design professionals who provide their services after emergencies. Read the bill here.
• At the 03.17.15 AIANY Board meeting, Jonathan Marvel, FAIA, was confirmed as the new AIANY Director of Legislative Affairs overseeing the Chapter’s legislative decisions.
• The third in a series of events related to the presidential theme of Tomas Rossant, AIA, “Dialogues from the Edge of Practice” will take place on 03.30.15 at the Center for Architecture. “Edge Business: New Modes of Profit” will focus on how architects – by virtue of their talents, training, and experience – bring a dynamic and disparate skill set not only to the making of buildings, but also to other settings that call for a design-minded approach. There are two alternatives to traditional practice: new services that redefine traditional practice, and alternative careers outside of the mainstream profession. In each approach, an architectural lens is a tool for value creation. How can this lens be fully utilized to the benefit of both society and the profession at large? This event was preceded by a think-tank roundtable discussion on 03.19.15.
• Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez is holding a public meeting on changes to the National Flood Insurance Program and New Preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Maps on 03.31.15. This marks the beginning of a 90-day public comment period on new maps that include many more people who will be required to get flood insurance. FEMA is sending out 400,000 letters to NYC property owners mapped in or near the special flood hazard areas next week, so FEMA and city officials will be at the meeting to answer questions. Read more about it here.