Community Design Center Rochester Inc

ANNUAL RESHAPING ROCHESTER SPEAKER:OUR AWARD-WINNING SERIES, NOW IN ITS 19TH YEAR, BRINGS NATIONALLY-KNOWN LEADERS IN THE FIELDS OF DESIGN, TRANSPORTATION, PUBLIC POLICY, ART, HEALTH, AND PLANNING TO THE ROCHESTER AREA. MORE THAN 100 SPEAKERS HAVE SHARED THEIR KNOWLEDGE ABOUT HOUSING, TRANSPORTATION, AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT POLICY/PROJECTS THROUGHOUT THE FINGER LAKES REGION.THE SERIES EDUCATES COMMUNITY MEMBERS, DESIGN PROFESSIONALS, AND POLICY MAKERS ON HOW POSITIVE CHANGES TO THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT LEADS TO BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE OUTCOMES FOR ALL. THE WAY WE SHAPE OUR PUBLIC SPACE DIRECTLY IMPACTS HOW WE BUILD COMMUNITY, AND COMMUNITIES' ECONOMIC, PHYSICAL, SOCIAL, AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. EACH SPEAKER EVENT CONSISTS OF A PRESENTATION, A MORNING GATHERING OF DECISION-MAKERS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS, AND A TOUR THAT INFORMS THE SPEAKER'S KNOWLEDGE TO RELATE THE SUBJECT OF THEIR PRESENTATION TO THE LOCAL CONTEXT. THE LECTURES ARE FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. IN 2023 FIVE INDIVIDUAL SPEAKER SERIES EVENTS TOOK PLACE MONTHLY BETWEEN FEBRUARY AND JUNE. THE SERIES WAS HELD AT ROCHESTER'S MEMORIAL ART GALLERY AND INCLUDED TOPICS OF; URBAN & SUBURBAN RETROFIT; TRANSPORTATION & LAND USE POLICY, PUBLIC REALM DESIGN, AND THE HOUSING MARKET. OUR SEASON FINALE WAS A LUNCHEON EVENT WITH OUR GUEST SPEAKER PRESENTING ON THE TOPIC OF URBAN DESIGN & PUBLIC HEALTH OUTCOMES.ANNUAL RESHAPING ROCHESTER AWARDS:ARRIVING AT ITS 14TH YEAR, THIS EVENT PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR CDCR TO RECOGNIZE INDIVIDUALS AND PROJECTS THAT HAVE A LASTING POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT IN THE FINGER LAKES REGION.EACH PROJECT IS RATED ON THE EXCELLENCE OF THE BUILDING/DEVELOPMENT/PLANNING EFFORT, HOW IT HAS SOLVED AN URBAN DESIGN PROBLEM, AND ITS IMPACT ON THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY. INDIVIDUALS ARE ALSO HONORED FOR THEIR ADVOCACY AND PASSION TO MOVE A DIFFICULT ENDEAVOR FORWARD THAT LEADS TO VISIBLE CHANGES IN A COMMUNITY. THE AWARDS CEREMONY FEATURED ABIGAIL MCHUGH-GRIFA OF THE CLIMATE SOLUTIONS ACCELERATOR, AN UPSTATE NON-PROFIT FOCUSED ON SUSTAINABILITY PRACTICES AND POLICIES.COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DESIGN ENGAGEMENT:SINCE OUR INCEPTION, CDCR HAS ORGANIZED AND FACILITATED MORE THAN 30 DESIGN CHARRETTES AND OVER 40 PLANNING AND DESIGN EXERCISES, RANGING FROM DESIGN STUDIES TO COMPREHENSIVE DESIGN GUIDELINES THROUGHOUT THE FINGER LAKES REGION. THE MOST RECENT OF THESE WAS THE CHARLOTTE VISION PLAN DELIVERED TO THE CHARLOTTE COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION. COLLABORATIVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EXERCISES LEAD TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF VISION PLANS FOR NEIGHBORHOODS THAT SERVE AS A GUIDE FOR PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS TO THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT. THE RESULTING VISION PLANS SERVE AS A CATALYST FOR INFILL HOUSING; COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR REDEVELOPMENT; AND THE CREATION OF POCKET PARKS, BIKE LANES, TRAFFIC-CALMING MEASURES, AND MORE. ADDITIONALLY, AS CDCR WORKS WITH COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS OVER A PERIOD OF MONTHS, CAPACITY-BUILDING IS A NATURAL OUTGROWTH OF THE EFFORT; THE IN-DEPTH PROCESS OVER TIME PROVIDES THE OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD TRUST, EXCHANGE INFORMATION, EDUCATE, AND INFORM.