DPZ Spring Newsletter 2024
DPZ Spring Newsletter 2024
Downtown Vero Beach intersection reimagined with a newly paved Main Street that is animated nightly by digital art projections.
2024 has been off to a running start with a busy calendar of new projects, charrettes, speaking engagements, and special events that have set the tone for the rest of the year.
As we wrap up the first quarter and look ahead to the CNU next month and the summer beyond, we wanted to share some of the recent highlights with you. It’s worth mentioning that DPZ’s first two projects of the year were municipal charrettes: a downtown master plan for Vero Beach, FL, and a future land use map and form-based code for Bentonville, AR.
To read and learn more in depth about our work this past year, check out the other posts on the DPZ Pulse.
Above: The Master Plan Charrette Opening Presentation was held at Vero Beach’s historic Heritage Center. Below: A review of key goals with Mayor John Cotugno, a meeting to discuss homeless outreach, and one of the evening update presentations.
Downtown Vero Beach Charrette
DPZ returned to Vero Beach, FL, this year to produce a master plan for its Downtown. Following meetings in January with City officials and administrators, as well as business and property owners, a February charrette continued the discussions as to how to revitalize the walkable core of this historic Florida town.
Already home to a vibrant nightlife and weekly events (thanks to local entrepreneurs who see its potential), the consensus next step for this downtown is to add more residential units to patronize more shopping and dining.
In addition to enhancements along 14th Ave (Vero’s main street), DPZ will recommend updates to current regulations to make it easier for redevelopments to meet density and parking requirements and remain within the city’s 50ft height limit.
Learn more about the project here.
Photos Courtesy of PlanBentonville
Bentonville Charrette “Design Week”
This February, DPZ led Plan Bentonville, AR’s Design Week. In collaboration with Placemakers, LLC, the workshop was to help residents better understand the growth that had been projected for their community, and how they could shape its vision. Their input informed a new future land use map and form-based code.
Six days of community interaction and discussions with a diverse cross-section of the area citizenry helped answer the questions of how and where the expected growth should occur.
Read more about the Design Week on PlanBentonville’s website here.
Aerial Photo of Playa Vista’s Crescent Park Courtesy of The MLS
Playa Vista Documentary
In 1989, DPZ began a planning project for Playa Vista, a Los Angeles development for the former Howard Hughes airport and aircraft facility. It has since become a successful, mixed-use community proud of its dedicated preservation of history and commitment to the restoration of adjacent natural wetlands.
In an effort to document its history, Playa Vista Institute has created an in-depth documentary detailing the story of its development.
Read more about Playa Vista and where to watch the documentary here.
Topaz Medallion Presentation / ACSA Panel – Lizz Plater-Zyberk
This March, the ACSA held their 112th Annual Meeting in Vancouver, BC. The theme of this year’s meeting was ‘Disrupters on the Edge’ and featured discussions about challenging the status quo to reach effective design solutions for a changing world.
As previously announced in our Holiday Newsletter, Lizz was the recipient of the Topaz Medallion awarded at the event to honor architectural educators for exceptional work in building design, community collaborations,s cholarship, and service.
Congratulations again, Lizz!
Click here to learn more about the event and the award.
Big Sky Resort Celebrates 50th Anniversary
On the weekend of March 22nd – 24th, Big Sky Resort held a celebration to commemorate their 50th anniversary. The celebration, hosted by Stephen and Molly Kircher, included group tours, ski lifts opening to the public, presentations, and parties.
The anniversary also coincides with the unveiling of the new Big Sky Assouline publication.
“This book is meant to be a tribute to Big Sky Resort for the celebration of its fiftieth year in business and all it has meant to so many. Taking the time to organize and share the story of its past while forecasting the vision for its exciting future has reminded us all how fortunate we are to have been a part of Big Sky’s history, and of the responsibility we have for its future.” – Stephen Kircher, CEO of Boyne Resorts.
DPZ has worked with Big Sky since 2022 on developing the vision and master plan for the next several decades.
To learn more about the anniversary and Big Sky Resort’s history, visit their website page here.
Marina Khoury presenting at The Real Deal: Future City Retreat. Courtesy of The Real Deal.
Urban Centers, Affordable Housing, and Author Interviews with Marina Khoury
DPZ Partner Marina Khoury had a busy speaking calendar to start 2024. In February, she addressed a group of real estate executives at The Real Deal: Future City Retreat in the Bahamas where she led a discussion on crafting urban centers. In March, she spoke on affordable housing at Shenandoah University’s 2024 Housing Summit.
Additionally, in April, Marina facilitated an interview and discussion with former CNU board chair Ray Gindroz, who presented his new book, Taking a Pen for a Walk, as a part of CNU’s On The Park Bench series. The full webinar can be viewed here.
Alumni from the Yale School of Architecture gathered at DPZ’s Miami office. Pictured (left to right): Victor Deupi (Yale ’89), David Waggonner (Yale ’75), Britt Hayes (Yale ’13), Dean Deborah Berke, EPZ (Yale ’74), Michelle Badr (Yale ’20), Andrew Clum (Yale ’23), Patrick Giannini (Yale ’04), Ben Norhrup (Yale ’98).
Yale School of Architecture Alumni Event
On February 8th, DPZ hosted a gathering for alumni of the Yale School of Architecture in South Florida. Joining Lizz at the reception were DPZ’s Ben Northrup (Yale M. Arch ’98) and UM Senior Lecturer Victor Deupi (Yale M. Arch ’89).
Dean Deborah Berke gave an update on the school, including news of the Yale Urban Design Workshop led by Alan Plattus. New Haven, like many American cities, has been experiencing an urban renaissance in recent years. Berke and DPZ have a shared past that dates back to the early years of Seaside. It was there that she designed the award-winning Modica Market, one of the first commercial buildings to be built around the Central Square, as well as numerous single-family homes.
Dean Berke observed that the honorary doctorate degree received by Lizz and Andrés last year was the first joint honorary degree to be awarded by the University.
Miami’s Pedestrian-Friendly Centers: The Design District
On May 10th, DPZ Partner Lizz Plater-Zyberk will be leading a Walkshop for the NACTO Designing Cities 2024: Miami-Dade with DPZ Associate Judith Bell and University of Miami’s Ruth Ron as additional support staff.
The walking lecture is a 2-hour on-foot tour exploring Miami’s Design District – a curated architecture and art experience amidst landscaped and shaded city streets and cross-block passages. The District’s design was enabled by the Special Area Plan, a component of DPZ’s Miami 21 form-based code.
To learn more about the conference and how to register, visit the Designing Cities Website here.
2024 Grow Smart Academy in Lexington, Kentucky with Galina Tachieva
On May 7th, DPZ Partner Galina Tachieva will be the keynote speaker at Fayette Alliance’s Grow Smart Academy, a free, five-session program centered around education on land-use planning and its relationship to the economic development, environment, and quality of life in Lexington, Kentucky.
Galina’s keynote session, Retrofitting Urban Sprawl in Lexington, will kick off the event on Tuesday evening at the historic Kentucky Theatre in downtown Lexington. She will reference her 25+ years of experience in sustainable planning, urban redevelopment, and form-based codes to illustrate examples of how city officials and residents can move toward creating a more walkable, pedestrian-friendly city.
To learn more about the program and how to register, visit the Fayette Alliance’s event page here.
Alys Beach Vogue Feature
“A New Urbanist town 20 years in the making, Alys Beach… is an exclusive coastal community unlike any other, in both design and execution. The stunning white stucco enclave comprises a beauty all its own.”
Read the full article here.
Andrés in Sarasota
In January, Andrés participated in Architecture Sarasota’s lecture series “Downtown Sarasota: Hindsight, Insight and Foresight.”
DPZ was the principal consultant for Downtown Sarasota’s master plan.
While in Sarasota, Andrés remarked on how government is “getting in the way” of real progress and efficient development in communities.
Read the full article by the Observer here.
Housing the Nation
This new book edited by Alex Gorlin and Victoria Newhouse features an essay by Andrés that discusses his research on mobile home design.
“Scholars, advocates, and architects assess America’s affordable housing crisis and suggest various strategies to rectify it, including numerous images of important, recently built houses and complexes.”
Read a thorough book review and learn how to purchase it here.
With great sadness we note the surprise departure of our colleague Teófilo Victoria, professor at the University of Miami School of Architecture and partner, with his wife Maria de la Guardia, in the firm DLGV Architects and Urbanists.
Teófilo was the first Town Architect of Seaside, having participated in the community’s design and guiding its early building. He dedicated his academic life to his students, teaching the introductory architecture course for many years, and traveling with students far and wide during summer sessions. In his professional life, he and Maria designed beautiful buildings throughout the greater Caribbean, including the first townhouses in Coral Gables, and for many years he led the Florida chapter of the Institute for Classical Architecture and Art.
A long-time friend of many at DPZ, we are missing his personality and his commitment to shared values. We imagine him happily now in conversation with old friends Vitruvius, Palladio, and Alberti!
Stories about Teófilo are being gathered at social.arch@miami.edu.
Playa Vista – “A Four Decade Overnight Success” Documentary
Aerial view of Playa Vista’s Crescent Park / Photo courtesy of MLS Realty
Playa Vista – “A Four Decade Overnight Success” Documentary
In 1989, DPZ began a planning project for Playa Vista, a Los Angeles development for the former Howard Hughes airport and aircraft facility. It has since become a successful, mixed-use community proud of its preservation of history and restoration of adjacent wetlands. In an effort to document its history, Playa Vista Institute has created an in-depth documentary detailing the story of its development.
Historic image of the Hughes H-4 Hercules (aka the Spruce Goose) aircraft at a Hughes Airport hangar / Photo courtesy of Playa Vista Institute
The early days of Playa Vista’s development was accompanied by controversy. The Summa Corporation, the company that controlled the land and assets following the death of landowner Hughes, did not follow his wishes to leave the property undeveloped to preserve the Ballona Wetlands, historically occupied by the Gabrielinos/Tongva Native Americans. Summa’s plans for 6 million square feet of office space, high-rise buildings, and a million square-feet of retail space was met with public opposition in 1980 when it was announced.
Playa Vista Master Plan / Photo courtesy of Playa Vista Institute
In 1989, McGuire Thomas Partners took over the project and invited DPZ to gather a team to design the master plan that produced the Playa Vista we know today. Among the team were DPZ colleagues in the New Urbanism: Moule & Polyzoides, Moore Ruble Yudell, and Laurie Olin (landscape architect).
The new plan shifted away from a focus on commercial development to a community with a mix of uses and a major dedication to the conservation of the wetlands — 200 acres more than the original 1980 plan. A freshwater marsh, a riparian corridor, and restoration fund were also included.
The active pedestrian realm at Playa Vista / Photo credits to Playa Vista
The fundamental component of the master plan is the residential neighborhood. Each neighborhood has a distinct character related to its location while also sharing common planning principles — highlighted by a street and block structure with frequent paths. The high-density, multi-family buildings are organized around courtyards according to Los Angeles traditions. The architecture gives streets strongly defined edges to encourage pedestrian activity and frames a series of greens and squares with neighborhood amenities like playgrounds.
The Ballona Wetlands / Photo courtesy of Playa Vista Institute
DPZ Holiday Newsletter 2023
DPZ Holiday Newsletter 2023
DPZers and significant others (including alumni who’ve recently co-designed with us) joined together to celebrate at the annual holiday party on December 15th, 2023.
Happy Holidays from DPZ!
As the year comes to a close we want to take a moment to look back at the events and accomplishments of 2023 and share a few updates and achievements.
2023 was a volatile year globally and the development world also remains unpredictable. Yet, for DPZ, it was a year of continued productivity. It brought another round of charrettes, continued research, ongoing implementation of our community codes and plans, speaking opportunities, and a few awards and special recognitions along the way. We are thrilled to wrap up the year by recapping some of these highlights that underscore our mission to enable those who inhabit our communities to live more sustainable, resilient, and happier lives.
To read and learn more in depth about our work this past year, check out the other posts on the DPZ Pulse.
DPZ Founding Partner Lizz Plater-Zyberk with Dolores Hayden and Ellen Dunham-Jones at the National Building Museum in Washington, DC.
Fall Presentations by EPZ
Lizz Plater-Zyberk had an eventful 2023 with a number of presentations and engagements. This past November saw two notable conferences that featured her as a panelist: a keynote lecture at the ICAA National Conference in Charleston, SC, on November 4th (Enduring Places) and a CNU discussion on Gender Equity and Urban Planning on November 14th.
Click here to read more about Enduring Places.
DPZ Partner Senen Antonio speaking at the ULI 2023 Spring Meeting in Toronto.
ULI 2023 Spring Council Day – Toronto
DPZ Partner Senen Antonio was invited by the Urban Land Institute Community Development Council (ULI CDC) Gold Flight to speak at the 2023 Spring Council Day as part of the ULI Spring Meeting in Toronto this past May. Senen was part of a roster of seven speakers comprising leaders in various areas of the development industry.
As the recipient of the Randall Lewis Small Grant program, which seeks to incorporate topics of health and well-being at the Product Council level, Senen spoke on the principles for creating sustainable and resilient communities.
View the full event recap here.
Digital renderings courtesy of NQS-IF Studio
Windsor North Village – Vero Beach, FL
35 years after the original charrette, this coming year sees Windsor break ground on the final large phase of development with the North Village.
Tucked between a pair of lakes, a collection of estate homes and townhouses will join the new fitness center at the northwest corner of the community.
A refreshed evolution of Windsor’s Anglo-Caribbean architecture will exude a more contemporary feel amidst a dense native landscape—acknowledging the proximity to a restored wildlife refuge to the north and Indian River Lagoon to the west.
Click here to read more about the project.
Port of Kennewick – Kennewick, WA
DPZ client, the Port of Kennewick, is celebrating a number of new projects and updates, including habitat restoration, investment in multiple city projects, and way-finding signage added to their waterfront.
This new signage in particular allows for local food, wine, and amenities to be highlighted for visitors.
Click here to learn more.
Vineyard – Utah City, UT
The new TOD in Utah is now breaking ground. The ambitious 300-acre development will host over 20 million square feet of new buildings of every use, including 17,000 residential units and a town center.
This means the Utah development is planned with the density and amenities of a big city downtown that is groundbreaking for the area.
Click here to learn more.
Image courtesy of Gulfshore Business
Naples Design District – Naples, FL
Plans for DPZ’s Naples Design District have started taking shape this past fall. The 2021 Master Plan envisioned a walkable local district that could become as well-known as the nearby Fifth Avenue South (DPZ Master Plan, 1993) but with its own eclectic and art-infused flair.
The CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) approved a Demonstration Project for the Design Walk, intended to serve as an example of the “tactical and lean” activation of the alleys. In November, a workshop with the property and business owners of the first block took place to begin the first phase of the Design Walk.
Click here to read more.
Drawings courtesy of Philippine Daily Inquirer
Evo City – Cavite, Manila, Philippines
Evo City, a 200ha estate in Cavite, Manila in the Philippines, is rapidly becoming a progressive economic center. Partnered with developers, Ayala Land, the area has transformed a visionary concept into a reality.
The continued development and success of this project is shaping up to further cement DPZ’s international presence and accomplishments.
Click here to read more.
Image courtesy of Chapleton’s blog
Chapelton – Aberdeenshire, Scotland
180 new houses and retail units have been approved for DPZ’s community in Chapelton by Abderdeenshire Council. This new planning approval will mark the largest development to date in the town.
The plan includes a neighborhood center and a range of two to five-bedroom houses as well as 11 new retail units.
Click here to read more.
The Messy City
DPZ Partner Marina Khoury joined Kevin Klinkenberg at The Messy City for an interview on her accomplishments in the world of urban design and planning.
The episode explores her work around the world, from Lebanon to Paris and, ultimately, to DPZ.
Listen to the podcast episode here.
CNU Public Square
DPZ’s Downtown Doral project is blossoming into a walkable downtown instead of the previous nondescript office park it once was.
Local developers, Codina Partners, envisioned a family-friendly town center for a diverse community in a rapidly evolving area, and it is starting to really take shape and garner recognition.
Read the full article here.
N Focus Magazine
N Focus Magazine is celebrating the design and conservation elements of DPZ development Alys Beach in North Florida.
For nearly 20 years, the community has been a captivating draw for visitors in the Gulf Coast area. It is instantly recognized by its signature white buildings complemented by the area’s emerald waters and white sandy beaches.
Read the full article here.
Tampa Bay Times
DPZ client John Sullivan, who built the Winthrop Town Centre planned community near Riverview, FL, has been featured in the Tampa Bay Times.
Winthrop was designed by Andres Duany in 1999 after the Sullivans expressed a need for a walkable, close-knit community while remaining in East Hillsborough. It now boasts a population of about 1,200.
Read the full article here.
Topaz Medallion
We are excited to announce that DPZ Founding Partner Lizz Plater-Zyberk is the winner of this year’s AIA/ACSA Topaz Medallion for Excellence in Architectural Education!
This award, presented by AIA and the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture, recognizes outstanding individual contributions to architectural education.
Read the announcement here.
Seafront Residences and Foressa Mountain Town
Congratulations once again to Aboitzland Inc. for receiving two more awards for DPZ-designed communities Seafront Residences and Foressa Mountain Town at the 2023 PropertyGuru Philippines Property Awards this past September.
These honors include Seafront Residences as the Best Housing Development in the Philippines and Foressa Mountain Town as Highly Commended in the Best Subdivision Philippines division.
This marks the seventh award for Seafront Residences.
Civic Arts Award –
Lizz Plater-Zyberk
On November 18th, Lizz Plater-Zyberk was honored to receive recognition alongside five other remarkable women in arts and leadership at the Coral Gables Museum’s “It’s a Woman’s World” gala.
This achievement served to acknowledge her accomplishments in architecture and urban design and how they have shaped Miami’s landscape and the minds of the next generation at the University of Miami.
CNU Public Square: Why We Code
Earlier this year, Andres teamed up with CNU’s Public Square to craft a piece on why we code.
Ultimately, we prepare codes because it is the most “abstract, rigorous, and intellectually refined practice available to a designer.” The default setting in contemporary design is unbecoming of the goals of urban planning, making it necessary and vital to craft codes that will legally allow for the goals of a walkable, urban community.
Andres explores these concepts and more to remind architects, designers, and urban planners why code work is such a crucial part of the process in crafting these communities to their full potential.
Read the full article here.
Lessons from the Future – CNU 31
At CNU 31 in Charlotte, NC, Andres presented Lessons from the Future, discussing innovative community design counter-proposals to high-profile, smart city projects addressing global challenges.
There was also a great deal of focus given to the future of New Urbanism amidst climate change and mitigation, one of the most pressing talking points at this year’s conference.
After careful editing and combined efforts with CNU Latino, the full video is now available to watch and review.
Watch the full video here.
As we welcomed a new crop of designers, this year saw the passing of several beloved members of the DPZ family. Three DPZers and one alumnus lost their moms. Last summer, longtime DPZ comptroller Tony Lopez also passed away. These losses remind us of the need to be grateful for the contributions by our own Co-Designers and the support our work receives from our immediate families.
ICAA National Conference in Charleston, SC
ICAA National Conference in Charleston, SC
On the weekend of November 3rd – 5th of this year, the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art (ICAA) hosted a three-day architecture and design conference featuring DPZ’s Lizz Plater-Zyberk as the Saturday evening keynote. The conference included a diverse selection of panel discussions, talks, and tours focusing on three themes at the heart of classical design: craftsmanship, preservation, and sustainability.
Charles Barrett design for the Johnson & Wales gate, a collaboration with architect Randall Imai, in Providence, RI
Lizz gave the keynote lecture at the conference weaving together the missions and achievements of the ICAA and the Congress for New Urbanism (CNU). Lizz has long observed the relationship of these two organizations, and the collaborations across their memberships that have over several decades produced many beautiful places.
The ICAA mission of recovering a building design language and its craft has been reinforced by the parallel focus on traditional urban design of the New Urbanism. New Urban communities have provided a welcoming context for traditional architecture, extending its presence beyond the individual building to the creation of a sense of place.
The slides in Lizz’s presentation illustrated classical architecture in recently designed traditional urban settings, including Charles Barrett’s gate in Providence, RI, Steve Mouzon’s buildings in Providence, AL, and Scott Merrill’s building in Alys Beach.
I’On development in SC (DPZ and Dover Kohl)
In addition to the beautiful projects, Lizz touched upon the ‘wicked problems’ of the time which designers and architects are addressing, showing examples of designs for affordable housing, rebuilding in response to catastrophes, and adaptation to climate change impacts. The conference also included tours of historic buildings and urbanism in Charleston and surrounding areas — including I’On, where Andres Duany and developer Vince Graham led a guided tour.
DPZ Summer Newsletter 2023
DPZ Summer Newsletter 2023
Top to bottom: DPZ CNU-31 #NotABooth; Andres Duany at CNU-31; Andres presents “Learning from the Future” lecture at CNU-31; DPZers enjoying Charlotte, NC; Tom Low’s garden party at CNU-31
It’s hard to believe that we are past the halfway point of 2023. Since our last news round-up DPZ has been busy with new projects, updates to master plans that are underway, plus various conferences and events. The three offices have been conducting charrettes and active with several CNU activities, including a strong presence at this past May’s annual conference in Charlotte, NC. The well-attended conference hosted over 1,000 New Urbanists, many of them enthusiastic new faces.
And speaking of new faces, this summer DPZ has been also excited to host several interns at our offices in Miami and Puerto Rico. The annual tradition not only offers useful assistance and fresh eyes with our projects, but also an opportunity for the firm to help teach and nurture the next generation of New Urbanists.
DPZ CNU-31 #NotABooth
CNU 31 – Charlotte, NC
At CNU-31, DPZ went to listen, present, and reconnect. The reconnection occurred at our #NotABooth, a hub for coffee, conversation, and networking between sessions. Old friends and new interacted with DPZ team members over Cuban cafecito at what quickly became a favorite spot on the booth floor.
Andrés Duany participated in no less than 6 sessions, including his Learning from the Future and Urbanism for a Difficult Future, both featuring some of his innovative community design counter-proposals to recent high-profile, smart city projects that attempt to address global challenges. Not far behind CNU Board member Matt Lambert contributed to 5 sessions, including a couple where he helped present climate migration studies and other research by PLACE Initiative, a group he helped found with young CNUers dedicated to exploring the intersection of climate change and equity issues. At another session Marina Khoury and Galina Tachieva presented several of our recent corridor projects from Saudi Arabia to South Florida demonstrating innovations in coding and climate change response.
Top to bottom: interactive urban art in Downtown Charlotte; CNU-31 Opening Party; DPZ’s Vermillion
In between, DPZers visited several of the great Charlotte-area neighborhoods like Myers Park, Dilworth, and South End. Venturing north of the city, some of our attendees checked out two vintage DPZ projects from the 1990s: the village of Vermillion in Huntersville, and the town center neighborhoods of Cornelius.
As we admired the volume of research and wealth of New Urbanist built projects that was put on display in Charlotte, DPZ was also proud to witness the participation and recognition of talented DPZ alumni. Frequent collaborator and co-author, Jeff Speck was the recipient of two Charter Awards, while Demetri Baches and Mallory Baches, directors/ co-founders of the former DPZ-Pacific affiliate, were honored with a Charter Award as well.
We will also take this opportunity to belatedly congratulate Mallory on being appointed as the new CNU President earlier this year. Meanwhile, another former DPZer, Mike Lydon, was named to the CNU Board.
Lastly, we also celebrate the hard behind-the-scenes work of current DPZer, partner Matt Lambert, for not only contributing to the success of CNU 31, but especially on being named the new Chair of the CNU Board.
The 5-Minute Neighborhood, 15-Minute City, and 20-Minute Suburb
30 years ago the New Urbanism first proposed a neighborhood of a quarter-mile radius, known now as the “5-minute neighborhood”. More recently, the “15-minute city” began receiving much attention and gave sustainable community design renewed vigor. Despite media controversy earlier this year concerning fears about restricted car usage, the focus of this concept remains on walkability and compact development. Worth including in this conversation is the reality of sub-urban distances to retail and community amenities. This inspires a new term: the “20-minute suburb”.
Click here to read more.
Office Hires
2023 DPZ Summer Interns
DPZ has been excited to work with four interns this summer. We want to acknowledge the energy and contributions they brought to our work.
Soon to be completing his Master of Urban Design at the University of Miami this month, Jayvil Patel hails from India where he is a licensed architect.
Jan Deion (JD) Pagarigan came to DPZ after graduating this past May with a Bachelor of Architectural Science from Andrews University where he was president of the AIAS chapter.
Meanwhile, Karla Fidalgo is a rising third-year student at the University of Miami who plans to receive her Bachelor of Architecture (and French) in May of 2026. She is a member of Students for Classical Architecture.
Finally, also returning to school this fall, Puerto Rico native Charlie Crawford hopes to complete his Master of Architecture degree at Tulane University next spring. He has been interning this summer with our DC office’s outpost in Puerto Rico while researching his hometown of Aguadilla for his thesis project.
Project Updates
Arches Bayfront – Fort Myers Beach, FL
This April saw a productive and successful charrette process in Fort Myers Beach with the newly branded Arches Bayfront project. The clients, the Freeland family, have been in the area for over 6 generations and have operated a marina in the downtown since the 1980s.
Moss Marina was among the many businesses and homes that were devasted by Hurricane Ian last year. Seeing an immediate need to restore the economy, the family seeks to reimagine the marina as a mixed-use hotel development highlighted by a 1000 ft.-long public bayfront park.
The project is located at the north end of Fort Myers Beach’s Main Street, Old San Carlos Boulevard. The redevelopment consists of 2-3 hotels with restaurants and shops that will overlook the new waterfront park. The redevelopment also provides a new seawall, expansion of wet slips, a kayak launch, and a new Bayfront pier.
Click here to read more about the project.
Three Corners – Vero Beach, FL
After nearly 4 years of planning, a public charrette, numerous meetings, and a citywide referendum, the steps are in place to move forward with the development of the Three Corners site in Vero Beach, FL.
Last November, the city’s residents voted overwhelmingly in favor of revising the city charter to allow commercial use on this piece of municipal waterfront land that will also include public park space.
A real estate development consultant has been retained to help market the developer RFP that was just issued this month.
Click here to learn more.
Aria – Sandy Springs, GA
As Aria nears a decade of development, it is time to honor the admirable implementation that has been underway by our client homebuilder Ashton Woods, Builder magazine’s 2023 “Builder of the Year”.
Begun in the spring of 2015, this 75-acre community in the Atlanta suburb of Sandy Springs is in the vicinity of several employment centers near GA-400 and I-285, including the Mercedes-Benz US Headquarters.
Click here to read more.
In the Press
Local Now Feature
Andres was interviewed on Local Now’s “This and That” podcast to discuss the importance of urban walkability and the popularity, as well as recent skepticism and backlash, surrounding the “15-minute city” concept.
Click here to watch the feature
Atlanta Real Estate Forum Podcast: Pam Sessions
Pam Sessions, President of Hedgewood Homes, interviews for an episode of the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast. Hedgewood hired DPZ over 20 years ago to master plan their Vickery Village north of Atlanta.
Click here to listen to the full interview.
Santa Fe New Mexican: Aldea de Santa Fe
With global warming, skyrocketing real estate prices, and housing shortages coming to the forefront of many municipal discussions, it is time to acknowledge the solutions and benefits that New Urbanism can offer these challenging times.
This editorial from the Santa Fe newspaper cites DPZ’s Aldea de Santa Fe community designed in the mid-1990s as just such an example of sustainable development that rejected the suburban sprawl practices of the past.
It highlights the mix of uses and amenities within the walkable Aldea master plan and how, now that most of the residential component is built, it is time to complete the vision with the hospitality, live/work, and other health-related commercial ventures once promised.
Click here to read more of Chris Webster’s comments on climate change and New Urbanism.
Mt Laurel Celebrates its 25th Anniversary
DPZ-planned community Mt Laurel (Birmingham, Alabama) celebrates 25 years since its founding.
The master plan was completed in 1998, and since then Mt Laurel has prospered into a thriving community with coffee shops, restaurants, and civic spaces.
Read Grace Thornton’s feature here.
Awards
Outstanding Smart Growth Project Award
Longtime DPZ friend and client Buff Chace is the recipient of the 2023 Outstanding Smart Growth Project Award from Grow Smart Rhode Island.
The award is specifically honoring his Westminster Street Revitalization efforts, a primary focus of DPZ’s 1991 Downcity Providence Master Plan and follow-up charrette in 2003.
Buff and the company he founded, Cornish Associates, are being recognized for 30 years of innovative and adaptive re-use techniques to save and restore key portions of this historic downtown.
“Now comprising twelve separate projects, the critical mass redevelopment represents more than 300 new residential apartments, 40,000 square feet of retail space, and 27,000 square feet of office space that have systematically catalyzed the central core of Downtown Providence.”
DPZ congratulates Buff and his team on this much-deserved honor.
Watch the full video feature here.
Westhaven
Congratulations to Southern Land Company and Westhaven in Franklin, TN, on being selected as a winner of the NAHB Best in American Living Awards.
DPZ designed the master plan for the community in November 2000. We are delighted to see this recognition for Tim Downey and Southern Land Company.
The Prince’s Foundation
The Prince’s Foundation honored Tornagrain and Chapelton in their annual awards this year. Tornagrain won The Landowner Award for guiding and delivering the conservation area of tomorrow, while Chapelton received a bronze award for Outsanding Contribution to Community Activities. Congratulations!
Seafront Residences
Congratulations to Seafront Residences for receiving the FIABCI Philippines’ Property & Real Estate Excellence Silver Award in the Environmental Category.
The award aims to highlight developments for their commitment to conservation of their respective community’s natural environment.
Yale Honorary Degrees: AMD & EPZ
Congratulations to Lizz and Andres for receiving honorary DFAs (Doctorate of Fine Arts) from Yale University.
“For renewing our concept of the urban environment, and for advocating ‘smart growth’ and walkable cities over unsustainable sprawl, we proudly present you both with your second Yale degrees, Doctor of Fine Arts.”
Click here to read more from Yale.
From Andrés Duany
This year, DPZ also contributed to several local CNU chapter events.
Codes, Marketing Green & The Public Process – CNU FL Summit
At the CNU-FL Summit that took place in February in Orlando, Lizz spoke on the topic of Form-Based Codes. Andrés gave two presentations. One was an update on his Marketing Green; and the other was his Public Participation (The Multiple Publics) keynote on the public process.
Density Without Urbanism / Urbanism Without Density – CNU DC Council
In late March, the CNU DC Chapter hosted a council on the Density without Urbanism / Urbanism without Density Council to discuss the delicate relationship between climate mitigation and typical urban design.
This series of lectures and discussions was organized by Matthew Bell, Andrés Duany, and Dhiru Thadani.
At the opening, Andrés presented the ideas that inspired the council topic in comparing the low-density urbanism of Williamsburg, VA, and the high-rise density of Shenzhen, China. He underscored the importance of distinguishing between net and gross densities and being realistic about transportation and transit options. Lizz gave a presentation on urbanism and housing based on the principles of “defensible space” defined by architect, planner, and urban theorist Oscar Newman. Both DPZ and the University of Miami were among the event sponsors.
Click here to view the full lecture series.
Aria – Sandy Springs
Aria – Sandy Springs
As Aria nears a decade of development, it is time to honor the admirable implementation that has been underway by our client homebuilder Ashton Woods, Builder magazine’s 2023 “Builder of the Year”. Begun in the spring of 2015, this 75-acre community in the Atlanta suburb of Sandy Springs is in the vicinity of several employment centers near GA-400 and I-285. The village center features the 355-unit Alastair apartment complex that sits adjacent to the Mercedes-Benz US Headquarters. Consisting of 46,000 sf of commercial space and 1000 multi-family and townhome units, the community is notable for several successes, including an efficient master planning process that maximized the unit count by working with the existing topography.
The plan of Aria is composed of two parcels that straddle Abernathy Road NE. On the south side is the flatter terrain of the village center and across the road is a larger northern parcel comprising a sharply sloping hillside. A prior, preliminary design for the site would have completely flattened the topography of the northern site with a grid of streets. This plan would have required a 1-mile retaining wall. The alternate scheme that resulted from the charrette process kept the existing grade largely intact. This approach produced a more picturesque road network, yielded an increase in the unit count, and massively reduced the site work by eliminating most of the retaining walls.
A tour of DPZ’s Vickery Village in Cumming, GA, confirmed the viability of building townhouses on steeper topography. The Aria site averaged a 15% slope and the design team learned that 13% grade was the workable upper limit for an inclined alley. The key was to provide a sufficiently deep apron to allow a vehicle to negotiate the turn from the 13% alley to the flat surface of the garage.
Marrying a high percentage of townhomes and sloping terrain signaled the need for an architecture that could avoid being overly detailed but could simultaneously accommodate articulations to incorporate stairs and grade changes. The aesthetic explored at the charrette was primarily inspired by the English Arts and Crafts movement, and especially the townhome design work of Raymond Unwin featured in Town Planning in Practice. Key signature buildings include a mixed-use entrance building with a graceful archway that spans over the entry drive. That the fire department allowed it to happen was no small achievement.
Equally impressive was the fast-track design process. A charrette was accomplished one month from the signing of the contract and PUD plans were produced 2-3 months later.
The 5-Minute Neighborhood, 15-Minute City, and 20-Minute Suburb
The 5-Minute Neighborhood, 15-Minute City, and 20-Minute Suburb
The above diagrams explaining the 15-minute city underscore the role of mobility options in enabling access to destinations and determining appropriate scales of development.
That measurement of time in which someone is more likely to walk or bike rather than drive a car to an errand has been the subject of much discussion among urbanists. Thirty years ago the New Urbanism first proposed a neighborhood of a quarter-mile radius. The five-minute walk “pedestrian shed” became the basis for an alternative to suburban sprawl by proposing a walkable scale (120-160 acres) for building or rebuilding community and a sense of place. More recently the “15-minute city” has been receiving much attention and it has given the concept of sustainable community design renewed vigor. It reinforces the importance of improved access within existing urbanism. DPZ has participated in the discussion, identifying the need to define the mode of mobility; fifteen minutes by car will take you to a destination five or more miles away; a 15-minute walk will cover ¾ of a mile – still a reasonable walk to a school, train station, or even shopping.
At either the 5 or 15 minute scale, the guiding principle of a walkable, diverse urban environment, remains a guidepost for amenable, sustainable, and resilient communities. The pandemic experience showed us that walkable proximity is more desirable than ever. As stay-at-home work became increasingly common the surrounding context took on a new importance. In walkable neighborhoods, retail thrived. The walking and biking that prevailed during the lockdown boosted outdoor activity and a sense of community by being on foot.
But what about the still-sprawling suburbs? Should their residents be excluded from the enjoyment and advantages of walking to destinations? Recently, the reality of suburban distances to retail and community amenities has inspired a new term: the “20-minute suburb”. The concept is an evolution of the 15-minute city, focusing on transportation reform, zoning reform, and strategic residential and commercial densification. DPZ’s “sprawl repair” projects acknowledge that the single-family residence, so prevalent in the built environment, and so important to American society, can be maintained and refocused by mixed-use, walkable redevelopment of commercial sites.
Retrofit/Infill of CSD (TNDs and TODs)
This illustration from the Sprawl Repair Manual illustrates how the regional patterns of urban infill and suburban expansion follow the evolution of transportation networks.
For many suburban communities reliant on automobiles, it will take time to accept a shift toward the possibility of walking, biking, and public transit, and to the advantages of some changes to the built reality. Transportation reform in particular remains a continuing challenge. Public transit is a key element: its efficiency requires focused destinations and supportive residential density, as well as an emphasis on all modes of mobility, with complete streets, last mile freebees, bike lanes and paths, and pedestrian passages.
Many suburban malls, office parks, and strip centers are coming to the end of their investment life and are being re-imagined as mixed-use nodes for surrounding communities. However, where ambitious retrofits are not likely in the short term much can be done with small scale infill and strategic improvements to enhance the pedestrian’s experience. Envisioning more direct pedestrian paths to destinations can encourage walking, as can adding sidewalks to streets that have none, trees to shade the walk or the bike ride, and crosswalks for pedestrian safety. Other improvements such as making new pedestrian paths through subdivision cul-de-sacs, may require a property purchase; and making the trajectory as convenient as possible may require opening a pedestrian passage from one walled community to another.
DPZ is dedicated to designing beautiful and diverse environments that support pedestrian-friendly community life. Bringing to suburban locations a new walkable mixed-use focus for existing residents is an important component of our work.
Mashpee Commons Before: A mid-20th century shopping center with an expansive parking lot that prioritized automobile mobility and access.
Mashpee Commons Today
Update on Vero Beach Three Corners
Update on Vero Beach Three Corners
After nearly 4 years of planning, a public charrette, numerous meetings, and a citywide referendum, the steps are in place to move forward with the development of the Three Corners site in Vero Beach, FL. Last November, the city’s residents voted overwhelmingly – 80/20 – in favor of revising the city charter to allow commercial use on this piece of municipal waterfront land that will also include public park space. The one condition is that the chosen developer maintain the program and layout of the DPZ master plan.
Situated at the corner of 17th Street and Indian River Boulevard, at the foot of the Alma Lee Loy Bridge, and for many years the site of two Vero Beach utility plants, the Three Corners lots are among the most valuable waterfront parcels available for redevelopment in Florida. As such, this location has been the subject of conversation for years, prompting both residents and their City Council to proceed with great care and much deliberation.
Much of the discussion surrounding these 38 acres took place at a DPZ-led charrette in January of 2020 and throughout the months that followed it. The above charrette rendering of the waterfront vision, depicting a village of shops, restaurants, recreational facilities, and a promenade-fronted marina, came to be known as “The Standing Ovation Plan” due to the enthusiastic response to Andres Duany’s 2-hour charrette closing presentation.
The official Master Concept Plan for Three Corners as approved by referendum in November of 2022.
Despite the multiple plan options proposed at the charrette and several alternate schemes by DPZ later that year (watch Andres Duany discuss all the various ideas and answer community questions in this video), ultimately the Vero Beach community consensus focused on the following key points that were incorporated into the final Master Concept Plan in 2021:
- Converting Big Blue (the former electric plant) into a hotel.
- Converting land beside Big Blue into a public park with a skate park, marina, restaurants, and shops.
- Fronting the shoreline of the Lagoon with a promenade and a fishing pier.
- Using the land south of the bridge (site of a soon-to-be-relocated wastewater plant) as a field for community events, the home for the Youth Sailing Foundation (a not-for-profit offering free sailing instruction to the children of Indian River County), a visual performing-arts venue, and a nature center.
“The excitement surrounding the realization of the DPZ “Standing Ovation Plan” is like nothing I’ve ever seen in Vero Beach,” said Irina Woelfle, local resident, and community engagement subcontractor. “Getting this done is the number one priority for our elected officials, civic leaders, realtors — absolutely everyone in the community!”
The Aerial View of the Master Concept Plan
The “ next steps” include identifying interested developers and subsequently entering into a development agreement with the winning applicant. In the months ahead, several regulatory adjustments must also be made. These include an amendment to the City’s Comprehensive Plan where the future land use designations and policies for the site must be made consistent with the Master Concept Plan, along with a map amendment to the City’s Official Zoning Map. The process will also involve conducting a traffic-impact study in preparation for the development.
That said, the city doesn’t need to wait until the land use change to receive proposals from developers. City officials are hiring a project manager and will be issuing the RFP for developers in the coming weeks. If you are a developer interested in the upcoming request, please contact Irina Woelfle at irina@iwprgroup.com
Three developers who have already expressed interest in the project via the city’s initial request for information include E1 Equity First (North Carolina), E2L Real Estate Solutions (Winter Park), and Donald J Urgo & Associates (Maryland).
Irina Woelfle added, “The excitement over the potential for Three Corners has even attracted the attention of New York’s Lincoln Center. They are entertaining the possibility of bringing to this location their annual Vero Beach Lincoln Center Chamber Music Society concert series.”
DPZ Holiday Newsletter 2022
DPZ Holiday Newsletter 2022
We are excited to close the year with some updates and news as we prepare to say goodbye to 2022. Even with hiccups from the tail end of COVID-19, hurricanes, and global politics, there has been plenty to celebrate. Between charrettes, webinars, developments in our communities, features in prominent publications, awards, and more, there is much that we are thrilled to share with you.
If you would like to learn more about our work during the last year, read more on the DPZ Pulse.
DPZ Holiday Party
Friday, December 16, we were happy to host our annual holiday party. The evening was complete with the entire DPZ Miami family and friends (dogs included), delicious food, exciting games, and a gift exchange. Team members from other offices were able to join the festivities in person or via Zoom and help us celebrate the ending of another creative and productive year. The evening closed out with a few rounds of karaoke and cheer.
Special thanks to Senen Antonio, Yasmine Benchekroun, and Tori Lutz for planning the food, activities, and atmosphere of the evening!
New Associates
DPZ is proud to acknowledge the achievements and long-standing contribution of three team members: Xavier Iglesias, Judith Bell, and Mike Weich were promoted to DPZ Associates for their management skills and leadership roles. Their varied talents and professionalism have been instrumental in shaping the firm’s vision and mentoring our younger colleagues. Congratulations!
Sprawl Repair Webinar
On October 20th, Galina presented a webinar with 1000 Friends of Florida discussing the prevalence of suburban sprawl in Florida and how to rethink and improve the quality of life in these communities.
This topic is especially timely with post-pandemic migration to Florida. Galina explored the strategies needed to repair the elements of sprawl and “build better burbs”.
From Porta Norte: Breaking Groun
DPZ’s Porta Norte’s first phase is underway! This new settlement outside Panama City, Panama, aims to integrate high-quality housing, associated civic facilities, retail, and new workplace opportunities. Well connected to the region and celebrating the local context, Porta Norte’s traditional urban fabric is compact, walkable, bikeable, and a sharp departure from conventional suburban development trends.
Click here to learn more.
From Montava: An Innovative Intersection Plan
DPZ’s ambitious development in Montava is pushing the envelope on pedestrian and bicycle-centric design, with networks of car-free paths and streets and serious traffic calming. An innovative, Dutch-inspired intersection designed to slow down vehicular speeds was tested in a Fort Collins parking lot this fall.
Maslow Development in Architect Magazine
This October, DPZ client Maslow Development of Memphis, TN, received recognition in Architect Magazine among 12 visionaries commended for reshaping architecture and design today. Maslow was praised for their mission to enhance access to shelter, healthcare, food, and education to low-income areas via their development projects.
They were honored for a design conceptualized by DPZ and A2H for the Lighthouse project—a school that after hours would serve as a community resource center and co-working space.
Click here to read the full feature.
Community Proposed at Allapattah Metrorail Station in Miami
DPZ helped NR Investments develop a non-solicited proposal for an 18-acre city-owned property in Allapattah. This summer, the project was presented to the City of Miami commission. An RFP is expected to be issued early next year.
The project will have 2,500 units (500 will be workforce), 100,000 sq. ft. of retail, 200,000 sq. ft. of office, and a 300-key hotel, plus a library, a market, and a fire station arranged around a walkable structure of urban blocks and open space.
Click here to read the full feature.
‘A Legacy Project’ – Mundelein’s Ivanhoe Village Development
This December, the 800-acre Ivanhoe site was successfully annexed into the Village of Mundelein. DPZ will be working with the Village staff in 2023 to develop a form-based code for the site.
The development will be a mixed-use community to be built over 25 years with a farmstead, approximately 3,000 homes, and 2 million sq. ft. of commercial and light industrial uses.
Click here to read the full feature.
Bader Island
This November, Tower Investments and Post Brothers announced a proposal for the redevelopment of Bader Field–Atlantic City’s former municipal airport.
DPZ’s master plan for this 142-acre, high-density mixed-use project included a network of canals and a variety of marine-oriented facilities.
Click here to read the full feature.
AIA Hall of Fame
We are excited to report that this October, Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk received a well-deserved Hall of Fame Award from the American Institute of Architects Miami Chapter.
The Hall of Fame Award recognizes an individual architect for their exemplary accomplishments over the course of their career.
Seafront Residences
DPZ’s Seafront Residences in the Philippines has been the subject of several awards in 2021 and 2022. Most recently, Seafront Residences took home Lamudi’s The Outlook 2022: Philippine Real Estate Awards 2022 Best Premium House of the Year in Luzon.
Seafront Residences was also named Country Winner at the 2021 Asia Property Awards and Best Housing Development in the Philippines and South Luzon at the 2021 Philippines Property Awards.
OCASLA Honor Award
This December, DPZ was proud to see the Ohio Chapter of Landscape Architects (OCASLA) bestow an Honor Award to the Buckeye Lake Pier Design & North Shore State Park Redevelopment Plan. The pier was a recommendation by DPZ in its 2017 Vision Framework Charrette that studied a range of strategies to further the renaissance of the historic lake 30 miles east of Columbus, Ohio’s first State park. Collaborating with a team of landscape architects and planners led by MKSK, DPZ provided the Village Square design adjacent to the park and pier.
The Vision Framework was produced under the auspices of the Buckeye Lake Region Corporation and a coalition of the three counties that border the lake. A well-attended public workshop helped identify several pilot projects to preserve the ecology and history of the lake, enhance its recreational potential, and leverage its unique characteristics to spur economic development in the area. The framework plan has enabled the BLRC to apply for state and federal grants, including the one that funded the pier design and state park plan.
Click here to learn more about DPZ’s vision plan for the Buckeye Lake Region 2030 Initiative and click here to learn more about the BLRC.
CNU Article: Planning the 15-Minute City
Too often, the “15-minute city” is just a slogan. A better understanding of the 15-minute city, with its walking and bicycling sheds, is critical to achieving the benefits of placing human access at the heart of community planning.
Andrés Duany joins Robert Steuteville to discuss the logistics of accomplishing a successful and beautiful walkable community. The 15-minute city is recognized as a mixed-use metropolis that does not require a car to meet daily needs around the neighborhood.
Click here to read the full article.
1000 Friends of Florida Sprawl Repair Webinar
1000 Friends of Florida Sprawl Repair Webinar
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, a massive influx of migrants to Florida has prompted skyrocketing real estate prices and a rush on the already limited affordable housing. 330,000 people have moved to Florida in the past year, and this migration is only expected to continue and increase through 2025. In terms of real estate, home prices in Florida are up 58% from the start of the pandemic. Fortunately, DPZ’s Sprawl Repair initiative offers a wealth of ideas for repurposing stranded and underperforming real estate assets. These strategies can help make suburban communities more connected, more mixed-use, more walkable, and with a better sense of place. Most importantly, they identify creative opportunities for adding a broad menu of much-needed housing. For more information, check out Galina’s award-winning Sprawl Repair Manual.
Orlando’s The Florida Mall:
Drivable Sprawl
Winter Park:
Walkable, Complete Community
On October 20th, Galina presented a webinar on sprawl repair with 1000 Friends of Florida. The presentation emphasized the critical state of sprawling cities and disconnected, incomplete communities around the country, and showed historical and recent examples in Florida illustrating sprawl repair. An overview of traditional urban design principles and current development trends, the discussion focuses on reinventing large suburban landscapes (e.g. shopping centers, office parks, etc.) into mixed-use communities with infill redevelopment tools. Highlighted in the presentation are two successful sprawl repair stories that benefitted from DPZ master planning input: South Florida’s Downtown Dadeland and Downtown Doral.
You can view the entire webinar here.
Downtown Doral