Souly Austin, the City of Austin’s place-based economic development program which supports local business districts, was awarded a National Planning Achievement Gold Award for Economic Development Planning from the American Planning Association.
We’ve been pleased to work with the City of Austin over several years to develop district strategies for economic growth, livability and sustainability, connectivity and transportation and music, culture and arts for four of the six initial districts in the program. Souly Austin had previously been awarded a Gold Award in Economic Development Planning by the Texas Chapter of the American Planning Association as well. Our team continues to provide services to the program in the development of new districts. Congrats to the City of Austin’s Economic Development team!
The Minnesota Chapter of the ASLA awarded a Merit Award in Planning and Urban Design for the MPRB’s North Service Area Master Plan to Confluence and the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board. This project sported a truly unique approach to community engagement, in which a number of additional landscape architects were engaged to participate in a “Design Week” of community charrettes to craft concept designs for the 31 neighborhood parks and 3 regional trails in North Minneapolis. Keiji Asakura had the opportunity to facilitate community conversations around several of the parks, including Farview Park, one of Minneapolis’ oldest park spaces (and the highest point in Minneapolis), and provide concept sketches, which are already being utilized in implementing improvements to the play area.
Congrats to MPRB, Confluence, and the rest of the Design Week consultants, Aune-Fernandez, Design Jones, Studio Gro, Hoerr Schaudt and Merritt Chase!
