Agency Landscape + Planning

We couldn’t be happier to welcome Alyssa T. to the team! Alyssa is a landscape designer with a Master of Landscape Architecture from the Harvard Graduate School of Design and a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Humanities from Whitman College. Across academic disciplines, Alyssa aims to elevate the perspectives of small, gentle, and often-overlooked human and non-human beings. With prior experience in environmental conservation, she is passionate about designing outdoor spaces that are resilient in the face of climate change and accessible to all. In her free time, Alyssa enjoys running, collaging, and reading fantasy novels with her cat, Percy. Join us in welcoming Alyssa!

Today, we revealed the exciting first phase of The New Jersey Greenway! Stretching nine miles from Montclair to Jersey City, this 60 to 100-foot-wide corridor follows the path of the historic Boonton Line Rail, transforming it into a vibrant, green space for visitors from near and far. The first phase, which is a mile-long stretch from Belleville to Newark, will offer multi-modal paths for walking, biking, and rolling, plus community plazas, inclusive playscapes, and a flexible lawn and stage for gatherings big and small. This is just the beginning of an inspiring journey to connect and celebrate our communities in New Jersey’s new urban oasis! To learn more, check out: https://bit.ly/4et0QhR #njgreenway NJ Department of Environmental Protection, NV5, Hive Public Space, Town Square Placemaking, ummo, and Creative Urban Alchemy, LLC

We are overjoyed to welcome Kazia Rodrigo to Agency! Kazia is a landscape designer and urban planner with a passion for approaching complex technical problems with solutions rooted in values of interconnectedness and mutual respect between human and non-human communities. With a Master of Landscape Architecture from the University of Toronto and a Bachelor of Urban and Regional Planning from Toronto Metropolitan University, Kazia leverages her background to collaborate meaningfully with diverse communities and foster inclusive decision-making processes. Her personal research focuses on the exploration of language and stories as tools for opposing predominant colonial narratives of landscapes, rooted in the traditional ecological knowledge of Indigenous Filipino communities. Kazia also enjoys cooking complex meals, reading, and exploring her new city on foot. Join us in welcoming Kazia!

“We need the confidence and the energy of the community to start coming back to the Square on a regular basis. … We have to give them a reason to come.”? - Tania Menesse, President and CEO of Cleveland Neighborhood Progress In September, Agency was in Cleveland to unveil a first glimpse of the community-based vision for reviving Shaker Square, a storied neighborhood retail center that is grappling with the challenges of the modern retail market and the socioeconomic stratification of metro Cleveland. Merchants, residents, and community leaders co-created the draft vision plan that rests on three principles: strengthen and restore the original design and function of the Square, ensure that retail can thrive in a challenging environment, and make Shaker Square both a Cleveland destination and a neighborhood-serving hub.? The consensus-building event was held in the future home of Cafe Indigo, a recently-signed lease with local Black woman entrepreneur, Melissa Garrett. Cafe Indigo will fill the space formerly occupied by sorely-missed Dewey’s Coffee, which residents consistently emphasized provided a needed “third space” for the community to gather. Over 100 attended the event, which featured food from Shaker Square’s own Zanzibar Soul Fusion, live music, and free screen printing. The process is led by local nonprofits and co-owners: Cleveland Neighborhood Progress and Burten, Bell, Carr Development, Inc. Agency is leading a consultant team that includes Seventh Hill and Streetsense. To learn more, check out: https://bit.ly/3Yn2hKg

While she started as a part-time planner in May, Justina Cheng now transitions to a full-time associate urban planner! Justina is an urban planner specializing in spatial data analysis and technical communication. Holding a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Engineering and a Master of Science in Sustainability, both from Tufts University, she is passionate about exploring the power of data to tell human stories that help solve urban and environmental problems. Justina strives to make technical information accessible to non-expert, and believes that relationship-building across disciplines and communities is key to inclusive and equitable planning. When Justina isn’t fiddling with maps or coding in Python, she loves crafting, photography, and spending time outside. Join us in welcoming Justina to her new role! https://bit.ly/4h1xoC7

Join us for a public workshop next week, and share your vision for the future of Brookline, MA! The Town of Brookline is undertaking a comprehensive plan process to help shape the future of the town, including its neighborhoods, connections, and businesses. Running through 2025, the planning process will establish a community vision, goals, and recommendations for the future of Brookline. In-Person Visioning Workshop Wednesday, October 9, 7:00-9:00pm 22 Tappan Street / 111 Tappan Street Cafe (Room 101) Virtual Visioning Workshop Thursday, October 10, 12:10-12:50pm, optional discussion until 1:15pm. Register in advance for the virtual workshop through our link in bio. Online Survey Open October 1 - October 20 Can’t make it to the workshops? Click here to share your thoughts: https://bit.ly/3XVU8uy

One of our amazing interns in 2023, Corey Watanabe, returns to Agency as a landscape designer! Corey is a landscape designer and graduate of the Master of Landscape Architecture program at the Rhode Island School of Design, where he was named the University’s 2024 Olmsted Scholar and received the MIG Scholarship for Equitable and Inclusive Environments. As an artist, maker, and designer, he firmly believes in the power of landscape to uplift marginalized voices, shed light on silenced histories, and dismantle systemic barriers within our built environment. His research focuses on reframing cultural perceptions of “invasive species” and the histories of Asian American vernacular landscapes. Outside of the studio, Corey enjoys nerding out about plants on hikes, surfing, and making textile art. Join us in re-welcoming Corey!

BREC officially adopted "Imagine Your Parks 3," a transformative plan designed to enhance parks and recreation across East Baton Rouge Parish! This ambitious initiative, led by Agency, emphasizes equity, resilience, and community, ensuring that parks and recreational opportunities are accessible to all residents. “Imagine Your Parks 3” reflects input from thousands of community members who shared feedback through a broad range of engagement opportunities: a statistically valid survey, door-to-door canvassing, dozens of pop-up engagement events, stakeholder focus groups, interactive community workshops, online surveys, and beyond. The plan builds upon BREC’s legacy of national recognition, high quality, and innovation, aiming to create award-winning spaces that serve as accessible community hubs. As Baton Rouge continues to grow, "Imagine Your Parks 3" sets a bold vision for the future, ensuring that everyone has a place to connect, play, and thrive in nature. BREC looks forward to working with community members and stakeholders to bring this exciting vision to life. The Agency team includes Center for Planning Excellence (CPEX), Octagon Media, SPACKMAN MOSSOP MICHAELS, LLC, HR&A Advisors, and ETC Institute. To learn more, check out https://bit.ly/4euKUvU

Artist and design residencies are short-term programs that allow creative people to collaborate, grow together through working closely, and expand collective impact. Agency is proud to have hosted an Artist-in-Residence in 2019 with?David Buckley Borden?and a 2022 Designer-in-Residence with Steven Woods Jr. , RLA, NOMA. This fall and winter, we are pleased to build on this tradition by welcoming the talented team of?Omnes?to a Design Residency at Agency. Omnes is a queer-, woman-, and disability-led practice focused on projects at the nexus of planning, landscape architecture, and art. The A x O Design Residency will involve thoughtful collaboration, shared creative engagement, and lots of togetherness. Stay tuned for more as we develop this relationship and its associated work!

We are thrilled to share that we are in the thick of planning for the Palm Springs Parks & Recreation Master Plan! This collaborative effort led by Kounkuey Design Initiative, brings together Agency Landscape + Planning, PROS Consulting, INC., and ETC Institute to support the City of Palm Springs Parks & Recreation in creating its planning process. The Parks & Recreation Master Plan will serve as a strategic roadmap to address community values, future needs, and priorities for parks and recreation facilities, programs, and services. We are excited to hear the community's ideas about this unique and special place. We are gathering the community's thoughts about the plan’s vision, goals, and future projects. And if you’re in Palm Springs, join us at the next community workshop in October 2024! You can learn more at https://bit.ly/3AZh2tt #PalmSpringsParks #PalmSprings?