Annual Report FYE 2015

ANNUAL REPORT FY 2014-2015

THINK • DESIGN • CREATE • SUSTAIN

OUR MISSION The Nashville Civic Design Center is a non-profit organization whose mission is “to elevate the quality of Nashville’s built environment and to promote public participation in the creation of a more beautiful and functional city for all.”

NCDC’s work touches all aspects of the built environment: design and development of neighborhoods, transportation, walkability and pedestrian safety, food access, housing, and open space and parks. The organization’s work considers how all these aspects weave together to create truly successful communities.

LETTER FROM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR The Nashville Civic Design Center is pleased to present an overview of our organization’s activities, presentations, publications and financial vitality for the 2015 fiscal year (July 1, 2014-June 30th 2015).

NCDC’s mission is to elevate the quality of Nashville’s built environment and promote public participation in the creation of a more beautiful and functional city for all. Our work touches all aspects of the built environment: sustainable neighborhood development; a multimodal transportation system; a safe, efficient and pleasant pedestrian environment; healthy food access; diverse and affordable housing options; public parks and open space.

This past year marked an exciting time of growth for NCDC. We celebrated the tenth anniversary of the unveiling of The Plan of Nashville: Avenues to a Great City. Our November luncheon, with the generous support of 55 sponsors, was the most well attended (over 500) and financially successful renewal of this annual event to date, raising over $125,000 to support NCDC’s ongoing endeavors.

Over the past fourteen years, since its founding in 2000, NCDC has enabled the community to shape a collective vision, and develop strategies to turn vision into reality through our focus on design excellence in service of livability and quality of life.

We deeply appreciate your consistent support, and will continue to ensure Nashville’s forward momentum.

Gary Gaston Executive Director, Nashville Civic Design Center Lecturer, University of Tennessee College of Architecture + Design

2014 ACHEIVEMENTS • NCDC partners with Urban Land Institute (ULI) Nashville to host a halfday program entitled “Shaping Healthy Communities – Building Healthy Places.” This half day event was held at the Music City Center and had 180 attendees. The program was funded by a national ULI Urban Innovation Grant, and featured a design charrette that used the Charlotte Pike Corridor as a case study. Eight sites were analyzed along a portion of the Pike, from Downtown Nashville to the Davidson County line, to determine how design interventions can help create healthier communities.

• NCDC releases Seeding Spaces: Inspiring Growth of Urban Agriculture in Nashville, TN. The report documents existing urban agriculture projects, evaluates the benefits and challenges in building our local food system, and explores policy recommendations for expanding urban agriculture in Nashville.

• NCDC releases Reclaiming Public Space: Bankers Alley, to address pedestrian connectivity between the riverfront, second ave, Printer’s Alley, the Arcade and Fifth Avenue of the Arts. This project is a continuation of our Reclaiming Public Space series, and will hopefully help guide improvements to this potentially vibrant new pedestrian connection.

• NCDC hosts its third annual PARK(ing) Day, an international event that showcases the numerous ways that even tiny public spaces can have an impact on creating vibrant street life. 2014’s event featured 35 on-street parking spaces turned parks in Downtown Nashville.

• At NCDC’s Golden Cone Awards (honoring PARK(ing) Day participants) Mayor Dean announces a pilot city-wide parklet program that would allow on-street parking spaces to be converted to parks through a permitting process with the Metro Public Works Department.

• NCDC releases Access and Livability: Retrofitting Antioch. The report incorporates UTK CAD student design proposals that respond to the Antioch community’s intense growth, and envisions increased mass transit, office, retail and residential uses that allow the area to function as a complete community.

• UTK CAD’s fourth year of the Summer Studio releases Concepts for a Centennial Park Visitor Center. The publication included a summary of the Centennial Park Master Plan, precedents used for inspiration, a brief bio of the students, their design process, and their final work.

• 2014 marks the Tenth Anniversary of NCDC’s unveiling of The Plan of Nashville: Avenues to a Great City. The 2014 Luncheon was also the Design Center’s largest to date – with 55 sponsors, over 500 attendees and raising over $125,000. Alex Krieger, Principal at NBBJ and professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Design was the event’s keynote speaker

COMMUNITY PARTNER:

“

We had an ambitious dream: to turn a car repair business on Nolensville Pike into a public park and neighborhood asset. Thanks to the assistance of the Nashville Civic Design Center, our ideas became a beautiful vision.

NCDC staff helped us dream even bigger possibilities and inspire the support of important partners for this public-private venture. And now, where once only a parking lot sat, a new public space is sprouting!

RENATA SOTO EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CONEXIÓN AMÉRICAS

”

PROJECTS & PROGRAMS Shaping the Healthy Community: The Nashville Plan Shaping the Healthy Community is a longterm project by the NCDC focusing on the relationship between the built environment and public health. Six built environment “factors” are explored in detail, including: housing, transportation, open space and parks, food resources, walkability, and neighborhood design/ development, throughout a variety of community types.

A book by the same name will be published

by Vanderbilt University Press in 2016.

The transect forms the basic armature of Shaping the Healthy Community: The Nashville Plan. This is in part because the transect recognizes distinct forms of settlement patterns. And inducing healthier behavior requires tailoring strategies to the specifics of each context in order for them to be effective. What applies to downtown would not work in a rural setting.

PRIVATE PARTNER

“ Natural

Rural

Suburban

Urban

Center

Downtown District

It is important to our growing region to have an organization like NCDC to educate, facilitate and shape our communities toward great designs, urban planning and healthy environments, for future generations.

That is why we at ESa are committed to supporting NCDC!

RONALD M. LUSTIG, AIA PRINCIPAL, EARL SWENSSON ASSOCIATES

”

Research The NCDC: Promotes the Ten Principles of The Plan of Nashville; Educates the public about civic design through: lectures by prominent speakers; presentations on the history and practice of urban design; and continuing education opportunities for design and development professionals; Provides professional staff and highly qualified design interns to consult on civic and other community development projects; Facilitates public dialogue about civic design and its impact in Nashville; Researches and publishes reports on various civic design issues.

“

DESIGN FELLOW As the NCDC’s first design fellow, I learned how to work with constituents in a variety of settings, from public forums to task force groups to individuals. My perspective of the city is now richer and more nuanced because of my fellowship with the Civic Design Center.

MELISSA ALEXANDER DESIGN FELLOW 2009-2010 URBAN DESIGNER/ARCHITECT AT NBBJ

”

University of Tennessee Knoxville Design Studios The Nashville Civic Design Center (NCDC) maintains a strong partnership with the University of Tennessee Knoxville College of Architecture and Design (UTK CoAD).

Through this partnership, NCDC coordinates various studies throughout the year that allow architecture students to study potential “real world” projects in Nashville. As a part of this collaborative effort, NCDC partners with UTK CoAD professor TK Davis to create many conceptual projects for Nashville.

UT PARTNER

“

The partnership between NCDC and the University of Tennessee College of Architecture + Design has yielded numerous design proposals that address the most pressing issues and opportunities confronting the Nashville community and its vision for the future.

These efforts, the culmination of nearly 4,200 student hours each semester, have directly influenced Metro Nashville’s development and have since gained national recognition in publications and awards for excellence in service-learning.

THOMAS K. DAVIS, FAIA PROFESSOR, UT COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE + DESIGN

”

Park(ing) Day Each year NCDC organizes PARK(ing) Day, a global event where multiple parking spaces are transformed into parks and seating areas for one day, in over 200 cities. PARK(ing) Day Nashville 2014 grew to over 30 spaces in downtown Nashville.

The creative recreational and aesthetic installations on display show how even the smallest of public spaces can have an incredible impact.

The mission of PARK(ing) Day is to call attention to the need for more urban open space, to generate critical debate around how public space is created and allocated, and to improve the quality of urban human habitat.

During PARK(ing) Day’s awards ceremony, The Golden Cone Awards, Mayor Karl Dean announced a new parklet permit program to allow on-street parking spaces to be converted to parks.

INTERN

“

During my internship with the NCDC I learned how to think about the community and others in relation to my ideas and designs in a more effective way.

”

SHANESE BROWN NCDC SUMMER INTERN 2015 UT COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE + DESIGN, 2ND YEAR STUDENT

Reclaiming Public Space Reclaiming Public Space is an initiative by the NCDC to elevate the quality and expand the diversity of public spaces in Nashville. The best public spaces foster community, elevate quality of life, and connect us to our city and, more importantly, to each other. With Reclaiming Public Space, Nashville citizens and local leaders now have a tool to guide them in a new wave of civic investment that is of and belonging to the people.

COMMUNITY PARTNER

“

As Room In The Inn developed plans to expand our downtown facility for our neighbors struggling with homelessness, we were grateful for the opportunity to partner with the Nashville Civic Design Center. We had the opportunity to dream together with people who believe that good urban design is important for everyone in our community. Our friends at the NCDC share our vision of creating a city where people, regardless of socioeconomic status, have the opportunity to live, work, and play in an environment that pays tribute to our common humanity.

RACHEL HESTER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ROOM IN THE INN

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Urban Design Forum NCDC’s Urban Design Forum was founded in 1995, and meets monthly to discuss how DESIGN impacts Nashville. The Forum features innovative projects, informative speakers, lively discussions and beverages courtesy of Yazoo Brewing Co.

METRO PARTNER

“

As an independent agency, the NCDC is essential in providing the urban design vision for Nashville through its research, education and community engagement.

The Design Center is a critical partner in ensuring that as Nashville evolves, it will be done in a sustainable and livable manner through the use and application of the best community building practices.

RICK BERNHARDT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, (RETIRED) METRO PLANNING DEPARTMENT

”

Young Urbanists NCDC’s Young Urbanists’ group is geared towards young professionals from all backgrounds that have a passion and curiosity about urban design and civic spaces. Successes from other cities around the nation have exemplified how creating pedestrian-friendly places improves our quality of life. Activities include PARK(ing) Day, building tours and tactical urbanism installations (turbonashville.com).

INTERN

“

My internship with NCDC offered me a real feel for what it takes to make sure that a city is designed with intelligence. I understood what makes a smart, beautiful city and how designers can continue to make it better. I also met many great people. People that are working just like me to create great cities. I feel like these are the people I can work with the rest of my life.

MUSTAPHA WILLIAMS NCDC INTERN 2015 UT COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE + DESIGN, 3RD YEAR STUDENT

”

ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET

DONORS

Income:

Over 50,000

Grants (Restricted)

$121,240 25% Grants (Unrestricted) $110,044 22% Institutions $45,030 9% Major Donors $9,800

2% Memberships $11,665 2% Programs and Projects $8,717 2% Special Events $121,460 25% Miscellaneous $1,010 >1% In-Kind $61,450 13% Total Income: $490,417

Metropolitan Government of Nashville _and Davidson County

Metropolitan Planning Organization Steve and Judy Turner

25,000 - 49,999 Tennessee Department of Transportation UT College of Architecture + Design Vanderbilt University

10,000 - 24,999 The Brown Family

Earl Swensson Associates Scott C. Chambers Fund

Expenses:

5,000 - 9,999

Personnel General Operations Programs and Projects Contract Services Special Events Fundraising

$173,700 $94,260 $16,484 $77,623 $24,080 $14,215

43% 24% 4% 19% 6% 4%

Total Expenses: $400,362

AARP Tennessee

AIA Middle Tennessee Colliers International

National Endowment for the Arts Skanska

Village Real Estate

1,000 - 4,999 American Constructors Tara Armistead

Barge Cauthen & Associates

Net Assets: $90,055

Barge, Waggoner, Sumner, Cannon Bell and Associates Construction

Boyle Investment Co, Northwestern _Mutual

Income: >1%

Buckingham Companies C.B. Ragland Company

13%

City Development Co.

25%

9% 2%

Corner Partnership

Lipscomb University

Expenses:

25%

2% 2%

Civil Site Design Group

22%

Frist Foundation

6%

4%

19% 4%

Giarratana Nashville

Gilbert McLaughlin Casella _Architects

43%

Greenways for Nashville

Gresham, Smith and Partners Hardaway Construction

24%

Hastings Architecture Associates Hawkins Partners Clay Haynes

H G Hill Company

Hilton Nashville Downtown

101-499

Mark DeBusk

Ryan Parris

Karl Dean

Lisa Ellis

Allen G. Patton

David Koellein

Johnny Epstein

Michael Roberts

The Housing Fund

Anderson Design Studion

Matt Genova

EOA Architects

Michael Goff

Hodgson & Douglas

Jacqueline Hansom

Kiser Vogrin

Stacey Green Harden

Messer Construction

William Hastings

Commission

Angeline Henderson

R. Claybourne Petrey Jr.

Lawrence Hoke

Rymer Gallery

Katherine Hyde

Keller Williams Realty

Josh Johnson

Tennessee Concrete Association

Tracy Kane

Tolleson McCoy

Teresa Kingery

Seab Tuck

Up to 100

Harrington Law

Universal Construction Company

Kate Armstrong

Van Pond Architect

Catherine Berry

500 - 999

Mike Borgelt

Hodgson & Douglas I.C. Thomasson

J.E. Dunn Construction

Johnson Johnson Crabtree _Architects

Larry Papel

Littlejohn Engineering Associates Manuel Zeitlin Architects

MarketStreet Enterprises

Metropolitan Development & _Housing Agency

Metro Planning Department Miken Development

Nashville MTA & RTA

Nelson Mullins Riley & _Scarborough

oneC1TY Nashville Craig Phillip

David Powell

Ragan-Smith Associates Ross Bryan Associates

RPM Transportation Consultants Jeff Rymer

Smith Seckman Reid Smith Gee Studio

Southern Land Company

Third Coast Studio Design The Rymer Gallery

Thomas Miller Partners TTL

TK Davis

Cary Dunn

David Fox

Jamie Epstein

Rusty Lawrence

Dane Forlines

Allard Ward Architects

Gary Gaston

Anode

Sarah Gibson

HFR Design

Erin Graves

Holladay Properties

Nancy Hardaway

Leadership Knoxville

Penny Harrington

Metropolitan Nashville Arts

Dorothy Hazinski

The Neuhoff Complex

Alana Hibbler

Rubin Group

Brandon Hubbard

Scott Troxel

David Jacobs

Southeast Venture

Bart Johnston

The Architect Workshop

Stefanie Keel

Tuck-Hinton Architects

Kathy Anderson

Urban Land Institute

Robert Arts

Norman Carl

Keith Covington

Centric Architecture Emma

Good People Brewing Company Gobbell Hays Partners

Littlejohn Engineering Associates Paul “Bill” Lockwood

Metro Public Health Dept Urban Blueprint Yazoo Brewing

Doug Betty

Beau Brady

Chip Bratten

Stephanie Brooks

Berdelle Campbell Manuel Carranza Adams Carroll

Elizabeth Cashion

James Kyker Christian Thomas Cooper

Christopher Cotton Timothy Creel

Kaitlin Dastugue

David Kleinfelter Cliff Lippard Justin Lowe

Beverly Mansfield Carol Markum

Emil Mastandrea

Michael Andrew Maxwell Stephanie McCullough Caroline McDonald Katherine McKeel

Elizabeth McLaurin James Miller

Kate Monaghan

James Harris Moore James Moore Cindy Natsch

Michael Nelson

Vanessa Newton

Thomas O’Connell

Celeste Patterson Michael Payne Brian Pitts

Wesley Rhodes Stephen Rick

George Ritzen Ann Roberts

Mike Roberts

Justin Russell Daniel Ryan Phil Ryan

Vickie Saito

Ann Shayne Mary Slater

Colby Sledge

Peter Colby Sledge Shelby Smith

Bennett Smithhart

Leslie Speller-Henderson Frank Stabile Julia St Clair Judy Steele

Cyril Stewart

John Stewart

Alan Thompson

Phillip Tomlinson Meagan Vaughn Jan Walters

Peter Westerholm William White IV Ron Yearwood

Ayers Asset Management Cumberland Region _Tomorrow

Nash Design Lab

T.W. Frierson Contractor

Urban Housing Solutions

2014-2015 Staff

Interns

Gary Gaston, Executive Director

Vanessa Asaro

Abby Wheeler, Development Manager

Dillion Dunn

Ron Yearwood, Assistant Director

Design Fellows Eric Hoke

Janey Nachampasak

Research Fellows Matt Genova

Shanese Brown Emily Kienfelter

Kristen McDaniel Jonathan Nowlin

Susan Steffenhagen Chelsea Velaga

Mustapha Williams

Joseph Mayes Jill Robinson

Kion Sawney

2014-2015 Board of Directors Tara Armistead

Jeff Kuhnhenn

Greg Bailey

Bill Lockwood, Secretary

Owner, Tara Armistead Landscape Architect

Owner, Bailey & Company Norm Carl

Community Member Scott Chambers

Scott C. Chambers Fund Keith Covington, Treasurer

Principal, Third Coast Design Studio T.K. Davis

Senior Architect, Gresham Smith & Partners

Vice President/Senior Landscape Architect, Barge Waggoner Sumner & Cannon, Inc. Ron Lustig

Principal, Earl Swensson Associates, Inc. Larry Papel, Past President Partner, Nelson Mullins Craig Philip

Chief Executive Officer, Ingram Barge Company (retired)

Associate Professor, University of Tennessee

David Powell

Ryan Doyle, President

Jeff Rymer

Debbie Frank

Mary Pat Teague, Past President

College of Architecture and Design

General Manager, OneC1TY

Principal, Urban Blueprint David Koellein

Principal, Hastings Architecture Associates

Owner, The Rymer Gallery

Associate Director, Community, Neighborhood, & Government Relations, Vanderbilt University

Realtor, Zeitlin & Co, Realtors

@ncdc nashvillecivicdesign /nashvillecivicdesigncenter /nashvillecivicdesigncenter

138 Second Avenue North Suite 106 Nashville, TN 37201 Š 2015 Nashville Civic Design Center

Phone: 615-248-4280 info@civicdesigncenter.org civicdesigncenter.org