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| On the Boards |  | We're happy to report many successes this past quarter with a number of new projects on the boards, including:a revitalization plan for a brownfield area in Chicopee, a land use waterfront plan in Tonawanda, NY with Clark Patterson Lee, development of a permitting guide for Dedham, an update to an urban renewal plan in Salem, development of a site plan for an affordable housing complex in southern Massachusetts, and multiple private commercial and residential landscape architecture projects throughout Massachusetts.
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Plan Views
from The Cecil Group |
From the Editor
Fall is sweeping through New England with its cool night skies and dew kissed mornings. People everywhere are renewed with energy as they pack away the bathing suit in favor of the cardigan. Fall is a time of new purpose and new adventure. Our clients are looking to the future and planning the steps that will take them there. At The Cecil Group, we too are filled with the spirit of fall beginnings, and our energy is expressed in our new entry wall. Deciding against the typical office name sign, we've chosen a more unique way to great our visitors. If you haven't seen it in person yet, we encourage you to visit us. But until then you can see our new wall here.
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 Using Landscape Architecture to Redefine Multifamily Communities Whether it's economic influences, changing demographics, the extreme consumption of home and garden television shows or a combination of all of the above - the landscape is changing for multifamily developments. According to Multifamily Executive, the once popular community/theatre room that was common in larger multifamily complexes is losing favor to grander outdoor gathering spaces. Tenants are demanding that life outside the walls of the buildings be just as engaging as inside. With construction costs remaining 15 to 20 percent below 2008 construction prices, investment toward exterior amenities has become more affordable. Developers are looking to landscape architects to help them enhance brand identity through thoughtful landscape design that attracts tenants to developments and encourages a sense of community, resulting in happier tenants and less turnover. And our Director of Landscape Architecture, Erik Bednarek is responding. His clients, including Asbury Village in North Carolina, Highland Square in Maryland and the Potomac Club in Virginia have added elaborate outdoor entertainment areas with fireplaces, fire pits, pergolas and water features. He's used attractive plantings and decorative LED lighting to soften the hardscapes, creating distinct areas for outdoor entertainment and respite for building occupants. The Potomac Club has gone one step further where Erik designed the landscape to the Earthcraft Multifamily program, which also uses the Home Energy Rating Systems (HERS). The bottom line is smart landscape architecture is resulting in higher value for clients, tenants and the surrounding community. Have you thought about how landscape architecture can accentuate your next project?
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Find us at the SNEAPA Conference
Cecil Group Principal Steve Cecil will be participating in a panel focusing on design review at this year's SNEAPA Conference in Providence, Rhode Island. The panel takes place on Friday, October 21st at 9:15 am.
Design Value That Sticks: Practical Experience with Mandatory and Advisory Design Review
Hear about the practical experiences of programs and communities with mandatory or advisory design review. The session will cover methods that have worked (and some that have not) to overcome challenges and resistance to design review in communities of all sizes. Learn how to make the design review process successful in meeting public goals.
- Tim Sheehan, Executive Director, Norwalk Redevelopment Agency
- Elizabeth Hahn, Program Manager, Massachusetts Downtown Initiative
- David Carlson, AIA, AICP, Executive Director, Boston Civic Design Commission
- Steven D. Cecil, AIA, ASLA, President, The Cecil Group
Click here to download the registration form.
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Time to Apply for Funding for Brownfields Projects
The Environmental Protection Agency is accepting applications for funding of brownfields projects. There are currently three types of grants available: Brownfields Assessment Grants, Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) Grants, and Brownfields Cleanup Grants. The deadline is November 28, 2011 and applications can be found here.
Speaking of brownfields, check out the video we put together for a brownfields area-wide plan we're developing for Chicopee, Massachusetts.
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 First Place in Chalk Art
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We hope you enjoyed this issue of Plan Views, The Cecil Group's quarterly e-newsletter. Our aim is to provide you with useful information and update you on firm news. Is there other information you'd like to hear from us? Reply to this email and give us your feedback.
Sincerely,
The Cecil Group |
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