Who is Jeff Speck?
He’s a city planner, architect and advocate for smart growth and sustainable urban design. He served as director of design at the National Endowment for the Arts from 2003 to 2007, where he ran the Mayors’ Institute on City Design and created the Governors’ Institute on Community Design, a federal program that helps governors fight sprawl. He’s the author of “Walkable City: How Downtown Can Save America, One Step at a Time.”
Why is he coming to Boise?
Speck spoke at the Chamber of Commerce’s leadership conference in Sun Valley earlier this year. He was so engaging and insightful that the Capitol City Development Corporation board, the chamber and city of Boise invited him to town to consult about Downtown’s urban environment and current initiatives by the Ada County Highway District and the mayor’s office. Topics include a new conventional center, a multiuse stadium and the city’s walkability and traffic issues. CCDC is Downtown’s redevelopment agency, charged with revitalizing Downtown and its neighborhoods.
What will he do here?
Speck will give a free public talk at 4 p.m. Monday at the Egyptian Theatre, 700 W. Main St., Boise, followed by a QA and book-signing. His book will be on sale in the lobby. Over the next few days, he’ll meet with Mayor Bieter, ACHD directors, area developers and other Downtown stakeholders.
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