In late 2023, MICD has been bringing follow-up assistance to the mayors who attended 2023 programming, in order to expand the Institute’s impact and provide actionable advice on next steps for the mayors’ projects. Through our MICD Alumni Advising pilot program, each mayor is invited to bring two of their staff and explore a key question about implementing the advice received at MICD. Our team then combs our network of national experts in architecture, planning, real estate development, and the allied design fields to identify a pair of leaders with ultra-focused expertise in addressing those specific challenges and opportunities. Over two meetings, each group dives deep into guiding principles and concrete next steps for the project at hand.
The key questions explored through these engagements have included:
- What are the next steps for drafting an RFQ based on equitable development frameworks? What temporary activations will inform this effort and build early momentum?
- Where should the city focus its early energy to create a strong 1-2 block anchor of activity in this district?
- How should the city start setting up a community governance structure for this site and begin putting anti-displacement measures in place?
We are proud to offer this program to continue the spirit of open, candid, and trusted advising that is the hallmark of MICD. As always with MICD, there is no cost to participate in this program, and MICD offers a modest honorarium to the participating design and development professionals.
“Mayors take away valuable strategic insights from the classic MICD experience. And we know the aspirations that emerge out of that week require concrete steps to become implementable back home. It’s every mayor’s responsibility to be constantly walking in two worlds – the aspirational and the concrete. The Alumni Advising program acknowledges that, and enables the Resource Team to support mayors in connecting the dots between those worlds.”
Kjersti Duval, Owner, Duval Companies, Minneapolis, MN | MICD 77 Kansas City 2023, MICD Alumni Advising 2023
Participating mayors thus far represent 17 cities in 10 states, with an average population of 284,000. Resource Team members bring specific expertise in a wide variety of topics such as vacant mall redevelopment, equitable park planning, engagement and cultural asset mapping, supporting immigrant-owned business districts, structuring public development teams, and more. Thank you to the Resource Team members who have contributed their time and energy to the 2023 projects underway:
Rodrigo Abela | GGN
John Anderson | Rjohn Consulting
Philip Barash | Public Sphere Projects
Jamie Bennett | Lord Cultural Resources
Chris Calott | University of California, Berkeley
Rebecca Cordes Chan | The Rail Park
Connie Chung | HR&A Advisors
Kjersti Duval | Duval Companies
Julie Eizenberg | Koning Eizenberg Architecture
Jeff Fugate | University of Kentucky
Carlos Augusto Garcia | Brooks + Scarpa
Gerardo Garcia | The Urbanism Bureau
Brie Hensold | Agency Landscape + Planning
Elizabeth Kennedy | ELKA Studio
Matthew Kwatinetz | NYU Urban Lab
James Lima | James Lima Planning + Development
Marc Norman | Ideas + Action
Sarah Nurmela | Town of Erie, CO
Dan Pitera | University of Detroit – Mercy
Chris Reed | STOSS Landscape Urbanism
Sheba Ross | HKS Architects
Roberto Rovira | Studio Roberto Rovira
Mitchell Silver | McAdams
Kennedy Smith | Institute for Local Self-Reliance
Elizabeth Timme | Office of: Office
Ramona Westbrook | Brook Architecture
Ernest Wong | site design group
Cindy Zerger | Toole Design Group