Inspired to Serve

You and AIA are hitting the streets and civic halls of Austin:

Bart Whatley, AIA and Ernesto Cragnolino, AIA joined the COA Planning Commission’s task force on stealth dorms, and met with community groups to look at changes to both codes and enforcement.  Bart also collaborated with Planning Commissioner Steve Oliver, AIA on June 3 Land Development Code Roundtable to encourage architects to identify specific projects where ordinances enable or inhibit good design.

I want to commend Michael Hsu, AIA and Paul Detke, AIA for June 24th Commercial Design Standards Roundtable.  Because of the interdisciplinary team that you assembled two years ago, City Council finally passed an amended ordinance that streamlines the document and removes duplicate or circular reviews, potentially cutting six weeks off the permit process for new commercial buildings.  City staff-hosted training is also available here.

Thanks Paul Medrano, AIA for contacting Advocacy about the work you are doing on behalf of the Mexican American Cultural Center, to look at how rapid changes in the Rainey Street neighborhood affect the use and opportunities for the facility and what might be on Fall 2013 City Council agenda.

Good work Stuart Sampley, AIA, keeping us appraised of residential code changes and the 2012 International Building Code Adoption.  You identified City staff to come help teach architects August 22-23 at our summer school.

Other places to get inspired—Beau Frail, AIA over at Design Voice committee is interested in Affordable Housing bonds (November), Ed Wallace, AIA has ideas for a City 2.0 event in partnership with City of Austin and TED (September), and Jana McCann, FAIA steered TxDot in seeking AIA’s input on how IH-35 can create new urban parks.