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Join eight Local Center teams to celebrate projects to re-envision and activate public spaces across New York City. 

This year, 80 neighborhood leaders, designers, artists, and lawyers have been working in 8 neighborhoods across the city to realize local visions for public space. From an Afro-Caribbean Food and Spice Market in Staten Island to a vibrant lighting installation in Queens, Local Center teams reimagined public spaces to reflect their communities.

Hear from our design and community development partners about what they learned, and help develop our vision for what’s next. Join us to discuss how to create thriving public spaces in every New York City neighborhood, shaped by and for the people who live there.

Urban Design Forum and the Association for Neighborhood and Housing Development will host a program that includes an exhibition of work by project teams, remarks from project teams and neighborhood partners, a short film screening and a reception. 

Meet the Local Center Teams 

Flatbush, Brooklyn: GrowHouse Community Design + Development Group collaborated with Creative Urban Alchemy.  

Richmond Hill, Queens: Chhaya CDC collaborated with Studio Fōr and Hive Public Space. 

Soundview, Bronx: Youth Ministries for Peace and Justice collaborated with Ennead Lab, Public Works Partners, and Buro Happold. 

Tompkinsville, Staten Island: Staten Island Urban Center collaborated with A+A+A. 

Far Rockaway, Queens: Queens Community Justice Center, The Rockaways collaborated with RUEd’ ARCH and Snøhetta.

Bronx Capitol District, Bronx: 161st Street BID collaborated with MUD Workshop, Habitat Workshop, and Sighte Studio. 

Brownsville, Brooklyn: Pitkin Avenue BID collaborated with Studio Cooke John.

Sunnyside, Queens: Sunnyside Shines BID collaborated with di Domenico and the Queens Lighting Collective. 

Teams received support from Kramer Levin, Cozen O’Connor, Phillips Lytle, and Silman Structural Solutions. 

Guest & Accessibility Policies

This event is open to Urban Design Forum Fellows, ANHD members and their invited guests.

We strive to host inclusive, accessible events that enable all individuals to engage fully.

• The main floor of BRIC House has an accessible entrance on Rockwell Place, in addition to an accessible, all-gender bathroom.
• The Gallery level is accessible via a wheelchair lift.
• Portable FM assistive listening devices are available for programs on the Stoop and in the Ballroom upon request.
• If you’re not feeling well, please stay home. Face masks are encouraged, particularly if you have been recently exposed to colds, flus, or other illness. If you have been exposed to someone who tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 10 days, a high-quality, well-fitting face covering is required at all times.
• Please refrain from wearing strong fragrances to accommodate guests with allergies or environmental sensitivities.
• If you have additional needs, we will do our best to accommodate. Please contact rsvp@urbandesignforum.org.

About the Local Center

Urban Design Forum and the Association for Neighborhood & Housing Development (ANHD) are partnering on the Local Center, a community design initiative to equip local leaders with the technical assistance, funding, and connections to re-envision and activate public spaces in their neighborhood. 

We believe every neighborhood should have the power and resources to shape their own public spaces. 

Continuing Education

This event has been submitted for AIA CES credit.

Support

Our cultural projects are made possible with lead support from the Mellon Foundation and with additional major support from the Charles H. Revson Foundation, Robert Sterling Clark Foundation, New York City Green Relief & Recovery Fund and the Lily Auchincloss Foundation. Our commercial projects are made possible with support from National Grid’s Project C, Department of Small Business Services, Charles H. Revson Foundation, Deutsche Bank, NYC Green Fund, administered by City Parks Foundation, and Lily Auchincloss Foundation. The Local Center is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council. 

Urban Design Forum programs are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

To learn more about supporting the Local Center, please contact Katherine Sacco, katherine@urbandesignforum.org and Lauren Nye, lauren.n@anhd.org.