2018 NY Upstate APA Chapter Award Winners
Congratulations to the 2018 NY Upstate Chapter APA Award Winners!
In October, at the Annual Conference held in Ithaca, New York, the New York Upstate Chapter of the American Planning Association recognized a series of projects and one individual in its 2018 Professional Awards Program.
These awards recognize outstanding contributions to the field of city, town, and regional planning. The Professional Awards program recognized outstanding submissions in the following areas: comprehensive planning, best practice, implementation, public outreach, distinguished leadership, and Great Places in Upstate New York.
"The Upstate Chapter Awards Program has been a centerpiece of our Annual Conferences for years and once again we were thrilled to present our membership with 12 exemplary examples of recent projects completed by Chapter Members that are bringing about positive change and benefits for residents of Upstate New York."
“The Professional Awards celebrate the hard and rewarding work that our colleagues do each day,” said Sean Maguire, AICP. Maguire, Vice President of the Chapter and Chair of the Awards Committee said that this year’s program is particularly exciting as it launches some changes that allow the association to focus more on recognizing outstanding work for its merits. “We’re really pleased to highlight these projects and there is no better time to do so than at our conference and doubly so during National Community Planning Month.”
The projects and individual recognized include:
Best Practice
Shelton Square Erie Street Greenway – City of Buffalo, New York
Moving Forward 2050 – Greater Buffalo-Niagara Regional Transportation Council
Rensselaer County Hudson River Access Plan
Complete Streets Prioritization Tool for Quebec City
Rensselaer County Land Conservation Plan
Downtown Albany: A Background Study (Outstanding Student Project)
Public Outreach
Reimagine RTS, Monroe County
Village Vision – Village of Menands, New York (Outstanding Student Project)
Implementation
Schuyler County NYSERDA Comprehensive Planning Project
Comprehensive Planning
Village of Lakewood Comprehensive Plan
Niagara Waterfront Opportunity Area – City of Niagara Falls, New York
Great Places in Upstate New York
Charles R. Wood Park – Lake George, New York
Distinguished Leadership: Upstate Fellow
John E. Steinmetz, AICP
The American Planning Association provides leadership in the development of vital communities by advocating excellence in planning, promoting education and citizen empowerment, and providing our members with the tools and support necessary to meet the challenges of growth and change. The New York Upstate Chapter of the American Association advances the work of the national organization in 48 counties north of the New York City metropolitan region.
NYS Homes and Community Renewal has launched a new funding opportunity available through the state’s recently created Vacant Rental Improvement Program (V-RIP). Grants up to $5 million are available to local governments and nonprofits to administer the program in areas across the state (outside of NYC).
The program will provide grants up to $75,000 per unit for property owners to rehabilitate vacant units into long-term rentals for low- and moderate-income tenants.