Historic 4th Ward Park Makes "Best of Atlanta"

Congratulations Historic 4th Ward Park on these fantastic accolades from Atlanta Magazine: "New Urban Oasis", "More than a greenspace", "Modern, funky playground and splash pad enthrall kids".  #WPi was a park design team leader on this amazing project.

Tanyard Creek Park Amphitheater Open to the Public!

The Tanyard Creek Park recently celebrated its grand opening!  WPi designed the master plan for this 32-acre Quincy, FL park.  WTXL tv reported at the grand opening, click here for link to video.

A Celebration of Perry Wood's Life

We are saddened by the loss of  Perry Wood.  A celebration of Perry's life will be held on Wednesday, November 30th at 11:30 a.m. at Honey Horn Plantation. See Link.

Awards!

Columbia Citi Residential Community is amassing awards!  The newest on the list is the Pillar of the Industry Award for three categories: Best Affordable Apartment Community, Best Multifamily Community Site Plan, and the Multifamily Community of the Year!  Congratulations Columbia City! #WPi provided master planning services and landscape architecture construction documents for this amazing property.

Creating Great Places! November 2011

November's 'Creating Great Places!' focuses on public improvements to increase private sector profit. Click here to learn how Orangeburg, SC has redefined its city center.  Don't miss out on future editions, sign-up for WPi's monthly e-newsletter!

ASLA's 'Interview with Bjarke Ingels'

Bjarke Ingles, an architect by training, calls his style "hedonistic sustainability.”   His use of landscape architecture principles in design is amazing. Read about his philosophy in this article and see his work on his website.

16 Ways Hilton Head Planation is Sustainability Friendly

Hilton Head is known for its natural beauty.  Learn more about what Hilton Head Plantation does as a community to be good stewards of the natural environment and natural resources that have been entrusted to our care.

SITES Pilot Project & Historic 4th Ward Park

Historic 4th Ward Park's Kevin Burke defines SITES as “what we design today should be able to function on its own [tomorrow]" in this nationally published ASLA article.  

North Myrtle Beach Park Charette

#WPi's Mark Baker shares design concepts of the North Myrtle Beach Park planning process with City Officials and the Public.

Mark Baker Interview: Honey Horn Art Exhibition

Mark Baker, Partner at #WPi, speaks to the importance of "sense of place" on Hilton Head Island and its new public art initiative launching this fall, the Honey Horn Art Exhibition.

Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Conference in HHI This Week!

"30 inspiring sessions, 50 leading industry partners, and impactful and engaging keynote presentations, the ESTC 2011 (Hilton Head Island, SC, Sept 19-21) sets the platform for ongoing dialogue promoting innovative ideas and practical solutions, driving change in global tourism."

#WPi Master Planned Pavilion Ready for Construction

Check out WPi's Bluffton Oyster Factory Park Master Plan in this Bluffton Today article: Town Beds Down Park Pavilion.

#WPi's Todd Theodore Quoted in Article

WPi's Todd Theodore comments on redevelopment in this Island Packet Article:  Hilton Head Streamlines Commercial Permit Process to Try to Spur Investment.

Experience Green in the Lowcountry

Experience Green, a new non-profit organization, launched in Beaufort County to educate and encourage sustainable business and living practices.  They often partner with local, green business to host educational sessions. Check out their website to learn more about upcoming opportunities to Experience Green.

Tony Hawks Skates Bluffton

Tony Hawk, world-renowned skateboarder, and his crew skated at Bluffton's Buckwalter skate park Thursday for the awe-inspired crowd.  Check out the Island Packet's Photos.

Tony Hawk- Buckwalter Skatepark - August 25

Before and After- Tomorrow at Noon

Coligny Beach Park @ Noon Tomorrow local Landscape Architects will discuss how they start from scratch to design parks, communities and downtowns.  See the Coligny Beach Park drawings for a before and after visualization!

Money Rains Down!

Rain-harvesting collection systems used to be for water conservation, but with water prices on the rise consumers are looking toward harvesting rain water to save dollar bills.  LandscapeOnline details this  revolutionary, rain-saving system.

8.17.11- A day to Learn about LAs

Landscape Architects all over the country are educating the public about their profession on 8.17.11 during their lunch hour.  Our local volunteers will be at the Beach Access Park @ Coligny on HHI.  Follow the signs to the Landscape Architects to see what the park looked like on paper before it was built and to learn a little more about the profession.

08.17.11

Stay tuned for more information.

Tyger River Park Preview

This 140-acre multi-use sports-park in Spartanburg, SC opens October 1!  Get a sneak-peak at the park on page 96 in the July issue of Sports Destination Magazine.  #WPi designed the park's Master Plan.

IfUD Challenge #2

The Institute for Urban Design placed a call-to-action for NYC design ideas.  They've posted the 500+ ideas on their site and now it's your turn to turn these ponderings into smart, beautiful urban design.  All the submitted designs will be launched in an exhibit and book during Urban Design Week 2011.

Thank you ASLA for sharing this great opportunity!

National Recreation and Park Association Does Good Deed

Atlanta's Selena S. Butler Park gets facelift thanks to NRPA funding as USA Today reports.

Top 10 Bounce-Back Cities

Urban Land Institute reports on the top ten cities with the strongest recession bounce-back and what's driving their resurgence.

WPi's Master Planned Tyger River Park On-Schedule

Tyger River Park, a 140-acre park near Reidville, SC,  is scheduled to open late September.  An article on GoUpstate.com details how the project has overcome internal obstacles to aim for an on-time grand opening just in-time for two ball championships this fall.

Cairo Wins TE Funding

The City of Cairo, Georgia was recently selected to receive $700,000 in Transportation Enhancement (TE) Funding through the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT).  This was the largest amount awarded within Cairo’s Congressional District (2).  The money will be used to fund streetscape improvements in downtown Cairo on Broad Street, the town’s main thoroughfare.  This stretch of road is located in Cairo’s Historic District and has many businesses and shops lining both sides.

WPi worked with Chris Addleton, Cairo City Manager, the City of Cairo, and the public in 2008 and 2009 to create a downtown master plan.  A first phase was selected from this plan which the City used to apply for TE funding from GDOT.  WPi assisted Cairo in applying for the federal monies which are distributed through the GDOT.  Now that Cairo has been selected, they plan to involve WPi to take the vision from conceptual to construction level documentation.

The goal of the streetscape improvements is eventual economic development and a pedestrian friendly downtown which all of Cairo’s residents can enjoy.  WPi has enjoyed a great relationship with the City of Cairo and looks to a continuance of that for years to come.  


Click here to visit The Cairo Messenger's website for a full write-up.

Harbour Town Links Ranked in National Magazine

Harbour Town Golf Links ranked #4 in Celebrated Living's "Platinum List" among the top 20 national and international courses.  The article states this course "boast[s] some of the most breathtaking landscapes in the world".  Congratulations Harbour Town Golf Links!  #WPi is pleased to have worked on the Sea Pines Clubhouse project for this course. 

Tony Hawk Among First to Skate #H4W Skatepark; Compliments #WPi Design Team

 

Historic Fourth Ward Skate Park Grand Opening Celebration

Dave Malcolm of WPi will celebrate the H4W Grand Opening with the skate community this Saturday.  #WPi provided the Master Planning Services for Phase II of the H4W park.  Click here to RSVP

Happy Birthday WPi

WPi celebrates its 23rd birthday in June's Creating Great Places. 
 

Walkability.

Lately, I've read a lot of articles citing the rise in importance of people-friendly, walkable (sub)urban master plans.  In all the articles, walkability was referenced as a theory or a practice that needs to be applied for our health and happiness. I just uncovered this great article from a year ago that references a website that can calculate how walkable your house (or potential new house) is to amenities.  Quantify your house's walkability by checking out the Wall Street Journal article and the Walk Score website.

P.S. My home got a 32.

#WPi Wins Lynn Haven Main Street Revitalization Project

“Throughout Florida there is a growing interest in improving the appearance and economic stability of historic downtown business districts. In many communities, the main street is in a serious state of decline. Effective solutions to the problems of deteriorating building stock, loss of business, and the waning economic strength of downtown are crucial to the survival of the city itself. 

The Florida Main Street Program is an integral part of the state's historic preservation program. The state program and the national model on which it is based are applicable only to communities with historic resources sufficient to create a well-defined sense of place, a tangible link with the past. The Main Street revitalization process is, then, one of rediscovery rather than recreation. The Program does not deal in marketing themes (other than an honest acknowledgement of a community's heritage) and does not engage in recreating or fabricating traditional commercial centers. Such recreation is not historic preservation.

Main Street cities hire a full-time downtown manager, establish a Main Street Board (with representatives from the public and private sectors), and develop a local program to bring about revitalization of the traditional commercial core.” The Board is responsible to choose vendors to assist in the design of a plan which can be implemented. WPi is excited to have been selected by the Lynn Haven Main Street Program as the vendor (and Landscape Architect) to provide conceptual planning services for the Florida Avenue streetscape in downtown Lynn Haven.

Visit the Florida Division of Historical Resources and the National Trust for Historic Preservation sites to read more on this important program.

#WPi's May E-blast Released!

WPi's May issue of "Creating Great Places!" focuses on the Historic Savannah Harbor's Hutchinson Island.  Click here to learn more about the island and to see the master plan.

Does structrual design lead to obesity, diabetes and depression?

Dr. Richard Jackson, former head of the National Center for Environmental Health at the CDC, said there are “deep-rooted structural issues with the built environment that are creating epidemics of obesity, diabetes, and depression.” in this week's ASLA's The Dirt.

Snedeker Sneaks Past Everyone, Wins Heritage in Playoff

What an exciting Heritage Golf Tournament on Hilton Head Island!  The final-round leaderboard shifted 4 times Sunday afternoon to unveil what seemed like an unlikely winner at the start of the day.  If you missed the action, check out the full article here.

United We Serve

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "Life's most persistent and urgent question is: 'What are you doing for others?'"  The MLK Day of Service website answers this question.  Find out where you can impact your community on April 30th at mlkday.gov.

#WPi Releases April Edition of Creating Great Places

This month's Creating Great Places features the beauiful sports fields at Oscar Fraser Community Park in Bluffton, South Carolina.

#ASLA Video Animates Eco Planting

Interesting animation on how to save energy (and the planet) through strategic landscaping in this short video: Designing our Future: Sustainable Landscapes.

Happy April!

Free online issue of Landscape Architecture Magazine in celebration of National Landscape Architecture Month!  Check it out!

Park Economics: Red Fields to Green Fields

Can demolishing failed commercial properties to create parks help a struggling economy?  A billion-dollar hedge fund manager & Georgia Tech tell us in this #NRPA article.

Free Ticket to HHI's First Earth Day Celebration!

Learn new sustainability tips and tricks and about the island's new recycling program at this family friendly event at Shelter Cove.  Register online and get in for free! 

Florida Legislation Update

Landscape architecture will not be deregulated in Florida.  Congratulations to ASLA and its advocates for this great win!

#WPi Published in LASN Magazine

WPi's landscape planning and design work at Simpsonville's Heritage Park is featured in this six-page article (Pg 90).

#FLASLA Advocacy Alert

FL approved a Bill which seeks to deregulate landscape architecture. Get the latest updates and "Call to Action" at flasla.org.

#WPi #Dave_Malcolm Quoted in Lake Tobesofkee Article

WPi is providing the Master Plan for Lake Tobesofkee.  Read the below article from Macon.com to learn more about the plans for a water park, conference center and rental cabin at the lake.

Tobesofkee plan may have up to $51M price tag

By MIKE STUCKA - mstucka@macon.com

A plan to expand the offerings at Lake Tobesofkee with a water park and a conference center weighs in between $38.7 million to $51.4 million, according to figures announced Tuesday.
Consultants said the lake’s master plan could be built in phases and begin with less ambitious additions, such as more picnic shelters and pavilions, then perhaps 10 cabins a year.
The plan presented Tuesday would improve the 1,800-acre lake’s five major parks. Sandy Beach Park, which is now open only part time, would get the biggest transformation and use a majority of the plan’s money. Sandy Beach’s water park would run $11 million to $15 million, according to estimates by Wood+Partners Inc. of Hilton Head Island, S.C.
The conference center would cost about $3.5 million, while some 42 cabins would cost about $5.1 million. The conference center could host three events at the same time, and the cabins would be needed for the conference center and other activities.
“To support the conference center, you have to have lodging,” said David Malcolm, a vice president of Wood+Partners Inc.
Total costs at Sandy Beach would run $26.7 million to $35.1 million, the estimates show.
Other parks would get more modest makeovers. Claystone Park would get $4.5 million to $6.2 million in work, including seven picnic shelters and three enclosed shelters, plus cabins. Arrowhead Park would get 31 more cabins, typically more rustic looking, plus other improvements to total $6.7 million to $8.7 million.
The area known as the Duck Ponds would stay largely undeveloped but would get a better bathroom to accommodate visiting Scout troops and other groups. That would cost roughly $300,000.
And Flint Rock, near the Lake Tobesofkee dam, would be transformed into a location that could be used for weddings or family reunions, including a gazebo on an island. Those costs would run about $561,000 to about $893,000.
Consultants said the plan could be funded through a variety of sources, from sales-tax collections to partnerships with private investors.
Bibb County Commission Chairman Sam Hart said county commissioners likely would vote on the plan.
Malcolm said the county should take ownership of the plan and run with it. “This is your park, your vision, your dream,” he said.

#ASLA's Call to Assist in Japan's Recovery Efforts

ASLA reaches out to the IFLA to identify areas where members can aid in recovery efforts of last week's Earthquake and Tsunami.

City of Walterboro Posts #WPi Streetscape Master Plan Recommendations

WPi was selected to provide master plan recommendations for the City of Walterboro's I-95 Business Loop Streetscape Corridor.  See the plan details at the City of Walterboro's website.

#WPi Releases March Edition of "Creating New Places"!

WPi's Award Winning Design at the Marriott Grand Ocean Resort- Hilton Head Island, SC is the Highlight of this Month's Creating New Places!

Marriott International to Spin Off Timeshare Business

Marriott International Announces Plan to Spin Off Timeshare Business into a Separate Entity Under the Marriott Brand as Reported on their Website.

Seminar Alert!

Learn how to create a real estate development pro-forma in Microsoft Excel at ULI’s Charleston seminar on March 7-8, 2011.

Check out creative Home & Garden ideas at the Landscaping Network

Spring is around the corner!  Browse hundreds of creative Home & Garden photos online at the Landscaping Network.

WPi's Mark Baker featured in Bragg Media's Blog

Bragg Media's Blogspot

ASLA's "The Dirt" features Building a Park out of Waste

ASLA The Dirt

New! Winter 2011 Palmetto Press has been released by SCASLA

Winter 2011 Palmetto Press

Check it out! New Photos of Historic Fourth Ward Under Construction! #WPi is providing Master Planning Services for Phase II

"Revitalizing Communities with Parks" Featured in this week's Addition of ASLA's "The Dirt"

The Dirt

Philly Making the Move - Planning Parks Fit for Seniors featured Online via The Inquirer

Making Parks Fit for Seniors

What A Great Movement..."Turning Toxic Real Estate into Parks" featured in ASLA's The Dirt

The Dirt

Stella del Mare Featured in LASN's January 2011 "Custom Residential" Issue - #WPi provided Master Planning Services

January 2011 LASN Issue
Stella on page 38 to 47

Lake Tobesofkee Master Plan Revealed - #WPi is currently providing master planning services for this recreation project.

Lake Tobesofkee

New! #WPi January E-blast - Happy New Year to All!

January E-blast

"10 Best Cities for Recreation" as featured on Parenting.com

10 Best Cities for Recreation