The last two months have afforded me the opportunity to witness the changing of the seasons. It has been a good opportunity to reflect on the changes that are churning beneath the surface, but which require a little help to let them happen.

Aprils article focused on the personal responsibility we each have to make something happen that will add value to the whole community. There is no one magic bullet or super hero that will kill what ailes us and allow us to grow in new ways. We all have a stake in that game.

Success-on-Main-Street-starts-with-you-and-me

May's article starts to explore how planning is a process that will transcend parochial interests and allow us to make advancements for the benefit of all. But to do that we need to be ready, willing and able to get help from professionals especially for complex problems that will affect people and communities across the region.

We-can-plan-for-success-without-a-crystal-ball

Well, in spite of the snow, it is now spring. Time to turn the page and purge old notions and clutter. With this in mind I offer my recent article in the Leader Herald. With all the discussion about revitalizing Main Streets I think it is important to get some historical perspective on how we ended up here. Enjoy!
Urban Renewal Led to Misery on Main Street

I am finding that building a web presence for the business is a bit more labor intensive than I previously imagined. Finding the right combination of words to be picked up by search engines to drive traffic to a website is such a laborious process of trial and error I am getting lost in all the profile iterations and phrasing and test searches. It may be time to head out and shake some real hands.

For those that may not know, I have started a monthly column in our local newspaper, The Leader Herald. The column is titled Design Matters and will cover design issues related to life in our three largest local communities Johnstown, Gloversville and Amsterdam. More generally I will cover ideas and concepts applicable to the wider Capital District Region, Mohawk Valley and Adirondacks. The goal is to elevate the awareness of architecture and design in our communities and advocate for the role the design and planning process has in the quality of our lives and the places we make. Please read and join the discussion.

Time for a meaningful discussion