Placemaking in Northern Michigan

Congratulations to Northwest Michigan Council of Governments for producing this nice video about Placemaking - the act of creating great places - and for transforming these beautiful communities of northern Michigan, a favorite destination of many.

Hansel Center Readies for Open House

"For decades the red brick building on West Washington Street dispensed health care services and free milk to poor families.
When its halls went silent a decade ago, the building fell into disrepair. Some people wondered if it would be torn down or fall victim to fire or vandals.
The former Hansel Neighborhood Service Center on West Washington Street in South Bend has found a new life as the University of Notre Dame's Center for Arts & Culture. It's being readied for its new role providing artistic and cultural experiences for community residents. 
children's voices again are heard in the hallways, thanks to a pilot after-school tutoring and arts education program that launched this month.
When it officially opens in March, the two-story building will contain:
The Notre Dame Crossroads Gallery for Contemporary Art, featuring changing exhibits; Segura Fine Arts Studio, a commercial print studio led by artist Joseph Segura; Notre Dame's community relations office; programming, including tutoring, art education, public lectures, a summer youth innovation camp and other events.
There will be a community open house March 27 to mark the opening." (You can read the full article in the South Bend Tribune.)

Lehman & Lehman is proud to have been part of the team that helped Hansel Center find its new life. See our blog entry in March, 2012 that chronicles the process and changes made.

Hansel Center - November 2011

Hansel Center - February 2013

Hansel Center Entrance

Hansel Center Art Gallery

Landscape Architecture and Sustainability

Sustainability...The Path To Profitability, an article in Landscape Architect Business magazine's January/February 2013 issue, discusses the commitment of the federal government to sustainable energy and green technology in the overall economic infrastructure. One of the most important drivers of sustainability is landscape architecture. Read more by following this link.

Congratulations to the Town of Cicero

In 1991, the Indiana General Assembly passed an impact fee bill that created an alternative funding mechanism for infrastructure improvements in fast growing areas. The essence of the legislation was to allow local governments the option of passing onto new residents the cost of building the new infrastructure demanded by those same new residents.
This Zone Improvement Plan for Parks and Recreation Facilities (Recreation Impact Fee Study) for the Town of Cicero, Indiana started several months ago, following the process as outlined by the 1991 Indiana Code.
We congratulate the Town of Cicero for finalizing the Plan and approving an Ordinance to solidify future revenue strategies for maintaining their high standards for the quality of life for the citizens of Cicero. It was a pleasure working with all involved.

It's Celebration Time...

The Walkable City

"City engineers have turned our downtowns into places that are easy to get to but not worth arriving at."...From Jeff Speck's new book "Walkable City: How Downtown Can Save America, One Step at a Time".