Maine’s communities face the daunting dual challenge of a push for energy-conscious development and planning and existing buildings and developments that are abandoned or in decline that thwart or hinder planning and development efforts. Find out how Maine communities, large and small, can reach their architectural, cultural, and economic potential by making best use of scarce community resources to enhance commerce, walkability, and community heritage. The cutting-edge concept of retrofitting and creative re-use planning is one of the important trends in play all around the country and MEREDA is pleased to host this discussion, and to welcome a leading expert on the topic of retrofitting, Ellen Dunham-Jones.
Dunham-Jones is a leading authority on suburban redevelopment. She has been featured in The New York Times, Harvard Business Review, Harvard Design Magazine, Urban Land, Planning, Architectural Record, TEDx and other venues. Co-author of Retrofitting Suburbia; Urban Design Solutions for Redesigning Suburbs , Dunham-Jones will share case studies of “underperforming asphalt properties” that have been redesigned and redeveloped into walkable, sustainable vital centers of community. Her presentation will focus on adaptive reuse of vacant buildings, environmental repair, revising zoning codes and public works standards, providing easements for future connectivity and adaptability.
This event will inspire and inform developers and their allies (attorneys, architects, engineers, bankers, realtors, et cetera), planners, students, municipal officials, and/or anyone interested in a creative and useful tool that creates value while enhancing community.
Local experts, Sarah Schindler, Associate Professor of Law, University of Maine School of Law, Denis Lachman, Principal, Lachman Architects & Planners, Tex Haeuser, Planning & Development Director, City of South Portland, Vanessa L. Farr, CNU-A , Planning Director, Town of Yarmouth, and Craig Gorris, Senior General Manager, The Maine Mall, who have been involved in the retrofitting movement, will support this discussion by addressing some of the practical challenges and or opportunities with respect to retrofitting suburban layouts in our Maine communities.
MEREDA will also recognize the Top Notable Projects for 2012 and provide an overview of the “MEREDA Index“, a new metric that will illustrate the statistical changes and measure the pulse of the commercial real estate industry in Maine, including sale and lease activity, construction starts and other data.
The conference will be held on May 22 at the Holiday Inn By the Bay in Portland from 1:00-5:00 pm with a social hour from 5:00–6:00 pm.
The conference is sponsored by: Blais Civil Engineers, Libby Hill, Mainebiz, Pierce Atwood, EnviroVantage, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust, SMRT Architects | Engineers, Building Envelope Specialists, and Sevee & Maher Engineers.
For more information and to register, visit www.mereda.org or download the brochure.
