.jpg)
Bulletin Board:
Baltimore Single Stair Competition Winners Announced!
View All the Submissions HERE
CNU Mid-Atlantic had put out a call for submissions in early March 2025, inviting architects to "design a mid-rise single-stair residential building on a small infill lot of their choice in Baltimore City." Entries had to adhere to accessibility requirements and address sustainability, but the requirements were otherwise loose. Teams could choose any underutilized lot in Baltimore City, resulting in building designs in a wide variety of contexts and locations.
In addition to Councilman Dorsey, the expert jury -- which deliberated for several hours before doors opened to the public at 6pm -- was composed Farr Associates Founder Doug Farr, PI.KL Studio Principal & Co-Founder Pavlina Ilieva, Torti Gallas + Partners Associate and CNU Mid-Atlantic board member Michaela Mahon, Pure Architects Studio Director Marques King, TG+P President Murphy Antoine, and small-scale development expert John Anderson.
After welcoming remarks from CNU Mid-Atlantic President Dhiru Thadani and board member Julian Frost, as well as a recounting by Councilmember Dorsey of the genesis of his single-stair bill, the jury sat for a panel discussion moderated by Michaela Mahon. The conversation touched on fire safety, stairwell design, unit configuration, single-stair's inherent efficiency, development finance reform, embodied carbon, and the implications of single-stair reform for project feasibility, among other topics.
During the panel, the jury members repeatedly emphasized the practical value of the contestants' efforts -- namely, providing compelling visualizations of the single-stair building typology in the context of Baltimore's urban fabric.
At the end of the evening, the winners were announced:
Third Place ($1,000): The Jonestown Stacks - David Otieno, Jo-Elisa Clarke, Brandon Clear, Rafael Gonzalez
Second Place ($2,000): 204 E. Gittings St. - Jeremy Sommer, Natalie Bowback, Sabrina Rugg
First Place ($3,000): Eutaw Street Lofts - Daniel Morales
See our "Single Stair Competition" Page on our Website to see all submissions and learn about the Jury!
Jury Deliberations
First Place Winner, Daniel Morales pictured with Dhiru Thadani and Julian Frost
Single Stair Competition
Awards and Panel
Tickets for the Panel & Awards Ceremony:
Available HERE via Eventbrite
2025 Annual Meeting
With Speaker Alison Hoagland
Our Annual Meeting will take place on Thursday, May 8th! Join us for an evening of conversation with Alison Hoagland, architectural historian and author of The Row House in Washington, DC: A History.
Where:
1923 Vermont Avenue NW
2nd Floor
Washington, DC
When:
Thursday, May 8th
6:00 PM
Please use this link to add the meeting to your calendar:
Single Stair Design Competition
The CNU Mid-Atlantic Chapter is launching an architectural design competition for single-stair buildings on infill lots in Baltimore City!
Visit Our "Single Stair Competition" Website Page for More Info
View the Full Competition Brief Here: Link
Thank You to Our Generous Sponsors!
.png)
November Happy Hour
CNU November Happy Hour🎉
📅 Date: November 14th
🕕 Time: 6:00pm - 8:00pm
📍 Location: Hi-Lawn at Union Market
1309 5th St NE, Washington, DC 20002
CNU-DC will be hosting a happy hour at Hi-Lawn* on the rooftop of Union Market on Thursday, November 14th! Join us to meet fellow New Urbanists and engage in discussion about DC, Urbanism, and more.
First drink is on us!
*In case of rain, Hi-Lawn does have a covered/indoor area!
CNU Public Square:
"Twenty Years of Retrofit with a Form-Based Code"
by Steven Hurtt
Check out CNU Charter Member, Steven Hurtt's article on our Twenty-Year Review of Form Based Codes on Columbia Pike!
September 28th
Twenty-Year Review of Form-Based Codes on Columbia Pike
Join us Saturday, September 28th!
CNU-DC will be hosting a Twenty-Year Review of the Form-Based Codes that shaped Columbia Pike in Northern Virginia. Join us to hear planners, architects, and policy makers discuss the creation of the Form-Based Code in Columbia Pike and how it has shaped the urbanism of the area.
** 4 AIA CEU Credits Available **
** Coffee & Buffet Lunch are Included with Registration **
Online Registration Will Close Wednesday, September 25th
For more information on Columbia Pike and Form Based Codes, check out our resources below!
Background and explanation of Form Based Codes: Click Here
The Development of Columbia Pike: Click Here
The Columbia Pike Neighborhoods Area Plan, Adopted July 2012: Click Here
July 27th Baltimore Hope VI Housing Tour
.png)
Join us for a tour of Baltimore's Hope VI Housing Projects
With walking tours led by professionals at Torti Gallas + Partners
Saturday, July 27th
Depart: 9:15am - from Union Station DC
Arrive: 10:15am - Pickup @ Mother Mary Lange Catholic School (Baltimore attendees meet here)
10:40am - The Terraces & Heritage Crossing
11:30am - Pleasant View Gardens
12:20pm - Albermarle Square
1:10pm - Lunch @ Attman's in Albemarle Square
Return: 2:40pm - Depart from Attmans, drop Baltimore attendees at Mother Mary Lange
4:00pm - Arrive back at Union Station DC
*D.C. Meeting Location: Main lobby of Union Station (50 Massachusetts Avenue NE
Washington, DC) at 9:15 am.*
*Baltimore Meeting Location: Mary Mother Lange Catholic School (200 N Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Baltimore, MD) at 10:15 am.*
Not long ago, the periphery of downtown Baltimore was marked by tower-in-the-park public housing. The HOPE VI program, introduced by HUD in 1992, enabled the redevelopment of these failed experiments into human-scaled, mixed-income neighborhoods. The then-fledgling New Urbanist movement exerted an outsized influence on the HOPE VI program and on the built environment of central Baltimore.
The tour will be led by professionals from Torti Gallas & Partners, the firm that designed three of the HOPE VI projects on the program (and many more elsewhere). CNU-DC is excited to extend its programming to Baltimore, and we hope you will jump on this exciting opportunity to explore and learn about HOPE VI from the experts.
-
A bus will available for transport to and from DC's Union Station, and between the four project sites (see ticket prices)
-
Baltimore meeting location: Mary Mother Lange Catholic School (200 N Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Baltimore, MD) at 10:15 am.
The tour will culminate with an opportunity to buy lunch at Attman's Delicatessen, a classic Jewish deli east of downtown.
Please register at the Eventbrite Link:
CLICK HERE
June 20th Lecture
Join us for a Lecture at The City Tavern in Georgetown!
Climate Resilience for an Aging Nation with Danielle Arigoni
Thursday, June 20th
6:00 Happy Hour Cash Bar
6:30 Lecture
7:15 Q&A
7:30 Book Signing
Danielle Arigoni is an urban planner, community resilience expert, and a committed bicycle and bike advocate in her Arlington, VA home community. She serves as Managing Director for Policy and Solutions at National Housing Trust, providing strategic direction for the organization’s sustainability and resilience policy efforts. She is also the author of which explores the impacts of climate change on a rapidly growing demographic – people over 65 – and the need for community-scale solutions (including improved bike infrastructure) to reduce risk for all.
Danielle previously served as Director of Livable Communities at AARP and held several leadership positions at HUD, EPA, and USAID, working to advance sustainable and equitable communities. She has planning degrees from Cornell University and the University of Oregon. She serves as Chair of the Board for the League of American Bicyclists and as a Board for Smart Growth America member.
Please register at the Eventbrite Link:
CLICK HERE
CNU32 Chapter Meetup
Join us for a Chapter Meetup at Knox Joseph Distillery!🎉
We are so excited for CNU32 in Cincinnati and are thrilled to be hosting a Chapter Meetup for any and all CNU Attendees in the Mid-Atlantic Region. We'd like to use this opportunity to connect with members located throughout Maryland, Virginia, DC, and the larger region! The Meetup will take place after the CNU Opening Party on Wednesday, May 15th at the Knox Joseph Distillery at the OTR Stillhouse.
The Knox Joseph Distillery is in Over the Rhine, a neighborhood just north of the city center in Cincinnati. It is one of the largest, most intact urban historic districts in the united states and features
many beautifully preserved and repurposed historic buildings!
Event Details:
-
Date: Wednesday, May 15th
-
Time: 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
-
Location: Knox Joseph Distillery, 2017 Branch St, Cincinnati
First Drink is on CNU-DC!
How to get there from the CNU32 Opening Party:
Car: Knox Joseph Distillery is a short 6 minute drive (or uber) from Court Street Plaza, the location of the CNU32 Opening Party. If you are driving yourself, there is free and ample parking!
Public Transportation: Take the FREE Cincinnati Connector Street Car 6 stops from Court & Main to Brewery District.
Google Maps Directions
2024 Annual Meeting
Featuring Speaker Liz Price
Our Annual Meeting will take place on Thursday, April 18th! Join us for an evening of conversation with Liz Price, WMATA's Vice President of Real Estate and Development.
Where:
1923 Vermont Avenue NW
2nd Floor
Washington, DC
When:
Thursday, April 18th
6:00 PM
Please use this link to add the meeting to your calendar:
Meet our Speaker, Liz Price:
Vice President of Real Estate and Development
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA)
In her role as Vice President of Real Estate and Development at WMATA, Liz Price oversees a portfolio of nearly 1,000 acres of land and 67,000 parking spaces. WMATA’s nation-leading joint development program has delivered over 17 million square feet of mixed-use development at 30 stations and is responsible for future development of 30+ million square feet.
Ms. Price has been involved in revitalizing neighborhoods in the Washington, DC region for over 20 years. At Hoffman & Associates she served as Director of Public Private Partnerships of the Wharf, a $2.5 billion, 3 million square foot mixed use waterfront redevelopment, where she worked with Federal and local partners to improve transit, pedestrian, bike and water taxi connections. As Vice President of the Anacostia Waterfront Corporation, she led the national developer search for the Southwest Waterfront (SWW) and oversaw the SWW Small Area Plan for the National Capital Revitalization Corporation. As President of the NoMa Business Improvement District, she fostered the renaissance of one of DC’s fastest growing neighborhoods.
Ms. Price also served as Executive Director of the Washington DC chapter of the Urban Land Institute. Ms. Price graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and has a Master’s in Public and International Affairs from Princeton University. She is a member of Leadership Greater Washington and a recipient of the Washington Business Journal’s Women Who Mean Business award.
February 2024 Happy Hour
Virginia is for (Urbanism) Lovers
Come join CNU-DC for a free-entry Happy Hour at Wilson Hardware on Thursday, February 15th starting @6pm.
This is a fantastic opportunity to meet inspiring individuals, exchange ideas, and contribute to the ongoing dialogue surrounding urban planning and design. Whether you're a seasoned expert or just curious about New Urbanism, everyone is welcome!
Help us spread the word by sharing this invitation with colleagues, friends, and anyone intrigued by the prospect of shaping the future of our communities. We look forward to seeing you at the New Urbanism Happy Hour and raising a glass to the positive impact we can create together.
First drink is on us!
Where:
2915 Wilson Blvd
Arlington, VA 22201
When:
Thursday, February 16th
6pm
October Happy Hour
CNU-DC | ASCE-National Capital Section |
APA-NCAC | PRN
Come join the ASCE-National Capital Section, APA-NCAC, CNU-DC, and PRN (Parking Reform Network) for a free-entry joint Happy Hour at Crimson Whiskey Bar on Thursday, October 12th starting @5pm. This will be a unique opportunity to engage with working professionals in the fields of engineering, urban planning, and new urbanism and to learn from one another. Drinks and food are self-pay. Hope to see you there!
Where:
When:
Thursday, October 12th
5pm
Fall Lecture Series:
History & Architecture of Georgetown & Washington
CNU-DC and The City Tavern Preservation Foundation are proud to present a series of 5 lectures on the history and architecture of Georgetown and Washington DC.
Speakers in the series will include esteemed historians, architects, and planners who will share their insights. It will include the establishment of Georgetown as a tobacco trading post on 60 acres and its transformation into a transportation hub to export goods. The visually illustrated lectures will conclude with an overview of the architectural changes in Georgetown and Washington over the past three centuries.
The five lectures over eight weeks (Sept 7 to Nov 2) are free and open to the public but registration is required through Eventbrite. The lecture series will be held at the historic City Tavern Club, 3206 M Street NW, between 6:00 and 8:00 PM.
Attendees are welcome to join the lecturer and hosts for dinner following the lecture by making your separate dinner reservation through Eventbrite.
Location:
City Tavern Club
3206 M Street NW
Time:
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Tour Rockville Town Square and Pike & Rose with CNU-DC Board Member Lee Sobel!
Register Today!
CNU-DC is hosting a tour of Rockville Town Square and Pike & Rose on August 26th at 10:00am. The tour will be led by CNU-DC Board Member Lee Sobel.
Rockville Town Square marks the redevelopment of downtown Rockville due to the ill effects of its urban renewal program into a vibrant, mixed-use, walkable town center and Transit Oriented Development, created through a Public Private Partnership. Pike & Rose is an example of a suburban retrofit project, from an active strip center into a high-end mixed-use, walkable Transit Oriented Development district.
These tours will focus on site histories, and the urban design pros and cons of the projects.
The tour will begin at 10:00am, in the central square at Rockville Town Square. Attendees may drive or take Metro from Rockville Station to North Bethesda Station to access the projects as both are walkable to their metro stops.
Lunch after the tour at Pike & Rose, on your own.
More about Lee Sobel, our tour guide:
Mr. Sobel has been a commercial real estate broker with CB Richard Ellis, in South Florida, and he spent 10 years handling real estate development and finance matters with the U.S. EPA’s Office of Sustainable Communities in Washington, D.C. He is a recognized expert in urban retail, market analysis, economic development, and smart growth.
July Happy Hour
CNU-DC will be hosting a happy hour on Wednesday, July 12th at Casta's Rum Bar! Happy hour will begin at 6pm, all are welcome!
Where:
Casta's Rum Bar
1121 New Hampshire Ave NW
When:
Wednesday, July 12th
6pm-8pm
June PLACE IT! Workshop
.png)
James Rojas from PLACE IT! will be in Washington DC doing a book talk and hands-on workshop on how to engage immigrants in urban planning and civic discourse on Thu. June 29, 2023 from 6-8 pm at Torti Gallas + Partners.
Come for the evening session to learn the power of hands-on, non-verbal community engagement. James Rojas developed this approach when he worked at LA Metro planning for the eastside Gold line. Many Latinos would not speak up so he decided to bring objects and let them build. By tapping into creativity, Rojas found that communities expressed so much information.
That was 15 years ago. Over 1,500 workshops across the US later, it has become a national model for community engagement.
Refreshments will be provided at Torti Gallas. If you are planning to attend in person, please register below:
May 2023 Happy Hour
CNU-DC will be hosting a happy hour on Wednesday, May 24th at Dacha Beer Garden in Navy Yard! Happy hour will begin at 6pm, all are welcome!
We are very excited for the upcoming Congress in Charlotte, NC at the end of May. The "Focus" of this year's Congress is Corridors:
-
The corridor is a significant element of the New Urbanism because of its inherently civic nature. In the age of the metropolis, with villages, towns, neighborhoods and districts aggregated in unprecedented quantity, the most universally used public spaces are the corridors that serve connection and mobility. Of the three elements - the neighborhood, the district and the corridor - the latter, in its optimum form, is the most difficult to implement because it requires regional coordination.
For this month's discussion topic, we'd like talk about how the corridor manifests in DC, with particular attention on the recent updates to the K Street Transitway Plan. The plan has gone through numerous iterations over the years; the most recent version features dedicated bus lanes through the center of the street with two lanes of traffic on either side (6 lanes of traffic total). Notably, the bike lanes present in previous versions have been removed with plans to locate them on L Street to the north. More information can be found at the link below:
K Street Transitway
Where:
Dacha Navy Yard
79 Potomac Ave SE, Washington, DC
When:
Wednesday, May 24th
6pm-8pm
Also, big thanks to Stewart Schwartz from the Coalition for Smarter Growth for acting as our guest speaker at our Annual Meeting!
Friday March 31, 2023 5:30pm - Sunday April 2, 2023 6:00pm
At its worst, urban density has been reduced to the simplistic definition of high-rise living, now blindly adopted by global cities as the way forward. Ingenious lessons in balancing urban density with public life seen in traditional human habitats worldwide remain marginalized and ignored. The human habitat, with its many variables, has been reduced to a hyper-simplistic formula of increasing density.
Hosted by The Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU) DC Chapter, a weekend-long Council about the complex issues communities and cities are facing regarding the balance of density and urbanism. A renowned group of speakers will address differing perspectives on this topic during panel presentations and discussions. The 3-day event will conclude on Sunday with tours of several DC Neighborhoods by local architects and planners.
Schedule
March 31st
April 1st
April 2nd
5:30pm - 9:00pm
9:00am - 7:00pm
9:00am - 12:00pm
1:00pm - 6:00pm
Opening Remarks and Reception
Refreshments
Urbanism/Density Presentations & Discussions
Breakfast & Lunch Provided
Washington DC: Height, Affordable Housing, & Development
Breakfast & Lunch Provided
Tour of Projects in DC by Local Architects
Location
New Year, New Urbanism!
Happy Hour 1/25/23
Check out Dhiru Thadani's pen and ink drawing exhibit
Dhiru Thadani, Chair of the CNU DC Board is having an exhibit of his pen & ink drawings of Washington DC. During the second year of the pandemic he made 26 drawings of his favorite moments in the city, one for each letter of the alphabet.
The exhibit of select drawings will be on display at the Den Cafe gallery at Politics & Prose, 5015 Connecticut Avenue, NW from July 3 to 30.
There is an accompanying publication, Washington Drawings: Abe to Zoo that includes all 26 pen & ink drawings along with text providing context and history of the subject. Framed prints are available for sale.
Our City.
Our Town.
