NEXT AT DAG: JULY 1st, 2010

At our next meeting Peter Saylor, FAIA, of SaylorGregg Architects, will present his firm’s design for work at the Franklin Institute.

Thursday, July 1st, 8:00 a.m.
Center for Architecture
1218 Arch Street
Philadelphia

Please enter through the building lobby, not the Bookstore and Design Center.

NUTTER ADMINISTRATION PROGRESS REPORT SURVEY RESULTS

Many of you will recall that before the last mayoral election, DAG issued the Reform Agenda for Planning and Design Review in Philadelphia, which called on the next administration to implement sweeping changes to the ways in which we plan and build our city. Michael Nutter came in to office with a reform platform that had many ties to DAG’s Reform Agenda. Two years later, it is time to review DAG’s recommendations and consider the progress of the administration’s efforts. Twelve questions were sent to DAG members to obtain an understanding for the general opinion of the design community regarding these issues.

You may read a summary of the survey results or read the more detailed breakdown of responses for each survey question.

BILLBOARD ON MARKET STREET AND STREET FURNITURE RFP

SCRUB has alerted DAG about a bill introduced by Councilman Frank DiCicco (Bill 10013) that will change Philadelphia’s non-accessory outdoor advertising regulations in a way that will permit large digitized billboards and mega-sized wall wraps in Center City where non-accessory commercial signs are now prohibited. For details, see SCRUB's website. The DAG Steering Committee is reviewing the information and will be responding to this legislation.

On another front, in part related to advertising, the City has recently issued an RFP for the selection of new street furniture. A new DAG task force will be tracking this issue. See the links below for the two letters DAG sent to Deputy Mayor Rina Cutler concerning the design and process and offering five principles to guide the process.

SHARING DAG MONTHLY MEETING PRESENTATIONS

Our guest speakers at the DAG monthly meetings present us with some wonderful visuals that summarize months or years of thoughtful work – more than can be absorbed during a brief presentation. We feel it’s a shame not to share these presentations with DAG members who cannot attend out meetings, so we will begin asking speakers for permission to do so, and we will begin posting the presentations on the DAG website, here. We hope you will find these presentation as interesting and valuable as we do.

DAG LETTER TO PLANNING COMMISSION ON REDESIGN OF DILWORTH PLAZA

DAG recently sent a letter to the Planning Commission commenting on the proposed redesign of Dilworth Plaza. Click to Read.

DAG LETTER TO CITY ON PROPOSED TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT ZONING

DAG has prepared a statement on the city's proposed Transit Oriented Development zoning that has been sent to Councilmembers Greenlee and Jones, Deputy Mayor Cutler, Planning Commission Chair Alan Greenberger, and Beverly Coleman, Executive Director of Neighborhoods Now.

The statement can be read here.

DAG LETTER TO PLANNING COMMISSION ON PROPOSED DESIGN REVIEW COMMITTEE

Thanks to everyone who submitted comments regarding the Philadelphia City Planning Commission's proposal to establish a Design Review Committee. Your comments helped shape our thoughts, which have been sent to the Planning Commission. You can read the letter here.

To advance DAG's goal of promoting good design by encouraging thoughtful public discussion of design matters, DAG is initiating a monthly opinion piece.  Read DAGSpace articles here.

DAG LETTER TO MAYOR REGARDING FOXWOODS CASINO AT THE GALLERY

DAG recently sent a letter to Mayor Nutter advocating for a careful process and good design in relocating the proposed Foxwoods casino to a location at the Gallery on Market Street.  Read the full letter, with attachments, here.