LandDesign

LandDesign’s 2008 Conference Schedule:
Stop by and visit LandDesign at the following conferences throughout the year:

06.26.08 LandDesign and Audubon Lifestyles join forces for sustainable development
LandDesign Inc. and Audubon Lifestyles, LLC, today announce a new strategic partnership aimed at helping businesses and municipalities to implement green design and development and build more sustainable communities. The partnership will offer comprehensive, practical and timely assistance for clients that are committed to environmentally responsible green design and sustainable development, and creating long-term quality of life within their communities.

Read the entire press release.

05.30.08 LandDesign’s innovative design contest re-imagines a new generation of sustainable suburbs
LandDesign, Inc. (LandDesign), long known as a national leader in forward-thinking land planning, is preparing for a new generation of sustainable design and low-impact development — one that is environmentally sensitive, makes economic sense and is responsive to the real demands of regional growth. In an innovative firm-wide design contest held over several months, LandDesign challenged professionals across its seven offices to re-imagine an existing site and create a new vision of sustainable development that meets these criteria.

Read the entire ‘Green design for where we live’ press release.

04.17.08 LandDesign was ranked on the 2008 ENR Top 500 Design Firms List
With annual revenues exceeding $35 million in 2007, Engineering News Record (ENR) magazine has ranked LandDesign among the top 500 design firms in its annual survey of professional design firms in the United States. With seven offices in the United States and Beijing, China, LandDesign’s staff of over 280 continues to provide integrated design services encompassing urban design, planning, civil engineering, landscape architecture and branding services for major development projects throughout the world.

04.14.08 LandDesign working with Del Webb on the Celebrate Virginia project
Construction of a new sales and amenity center is nearing completion at Celebrate Virginia, a 1,400-unit active adult community near Fredericksburg, VA. Del Webb sought a design for the center that would demonstrate the active adult lifestyle to prospective home buyers. The design features clubhouse-like amenities such as a bocce court, fire pit, gardens, outdoor kitchen, and a themed basalt fountain and dry stream bed. LandDesign also is currently working with Del Webb to design an amenity center for Celebrate Virginia’s 30,000 square foot clubhouse.

11.2.07 LandDesign named among the fastest-growing architecture, engineering, planning and environmental consulting firms in U.S.
LandDesign is one of the top 50 fastest-growing architecture, engineering, planning (A/E/P), and consulting firms in the United States and Canada, according to The Zweig Letter rankings released this month. Experiencing 122 percent growth between 2003 and 2006, LandDesign was ranked 48th out of 200 firms.

Read the full press release.

10.11.07 Alpha Mills project is honored with a Historic Charlotte’s 2007 preservation award and a 2007 design excellence award from Multi-Housing News magazine.
LandDesign worked with real estate company, Crosland, on the renovation of the historic Alpha Mills project located on the future Northeast Light Rail Transit Line. LandDesign provided the land planning, landscape architecture, civil engineering, schematic site planning, pool design, physical analysis and rezoning documentation for the project’s renovation. The site planning incorporates the adaptive reuse of three historic textile mill structures to apartments with an additional three apartment buildings designed around a centrally located courtyard and amenity pool area. The project design and construction was done in conjunction with the Historic Landmarks Commission.

Read the article on the preservation award from the Charlotte Business Journal.
Read the article on the design excellence award the Charlotte Business Journal.

09.12.07 LandDesign | Nashville involved in designing Berry Farm in Franklin, TN featured in the September 2007 issue of New Urban News
“Complications Don’t Deter Tennessee Developer” is the title of an article that outlines the approach to Berry Farms, a 602-acre project that incorporates the ideals of New Urbanism and traditional neighborhood design to create a true mixed-use environment that reflects the history of the site. LandDesign’s integrated design approach to the master plan uses a transect model to create a well-defined pedestrian-oriented village core that includes residential over specialty retail uses. The overall plan provides for a network of greenways and formal open spaces that allows interconnectivity to the living environment and work force uses. Design guidelines were prepared to provide direction for building types, locations, uses and styles, as well as for landmark signage. LandDesign was also responsible for the preparation and submission of all zoning entitlement documents.

Read the article in the September 2007 issue of New Urban News.

07.24.07 LandDesign | Nashville provides land planning for several projects in Williamson County
Check out the article ‘County highly desirable, lacks master plan for infrastructure’ in the June 1st issue of the Nashville Business Journal. LandDesign’s Nashville office has been involved in several Williamson County projects during the last 11 years and is working on many more. LandDesign's projects include land planning for the Westhaven and Berry Farms communities, site design of the Mars Petcare headquarters, Jamison Station mixed-use development and civil design for The Gates at Carlisle and Franklin High School.

Read the Nashville Business Journal article.

06.15.07 Blakeney Park receives a Merit Award in the 2007 NCASLA Professional Awards Program
Blakeney Park recently received a Merit Award in the 2007 NCASLA Professional Awards Program. LandDesign provided full design services for this project and collaborated with Crosland, the developer, to develop a functional, aesthetically pleasing park that the neighborhood would embrace. Crosland wanted the park to be a focal point of the project and serve as a retreat for residents within the greater mixed-use community.

Located approximately 18 miles south of uptown Charlotte, Blakeney Park is a 1.8-acre park surrounded by 52 acres of retail. The park features seven fountains (one interactive fountain, two anchor fountains and four side fountains), a band performance area on the half-acre lawn, walking trails to the village stores and play areas for the neighborhood’s children. Complementing these common areas are the “conversation nooks” where 12 shade trees at least 25 feet tall and a contemporary vegetated trellis invite park patrons to relax.

06.04.07 LandDesign’s Southborough project featured on CCIM website
Check out the feature article Project Camouflage: How can a big-box be blended into an existing residential neighborhood? by Rhett Crocker posted on the Commercial Investment Real Estate magazine website, which is the official publication of CCIM. The article describes the challenges and innovations that went into the Charlotte project that brings big-box retail into an urban infill site, and satisfied the demands of an adjacent historic neighborhood in the process.

Read the Southborough article.

06.01.07 Parkside of One Bayshore, named “Best of the Best” In National Multifamily Housing Industry Award Competition
The National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB) honored Parkside of One Bayshore as the “best of the best” in the multifamily housing industry as part of its annual Pillars of the Industry Awards program. LandDesign developed the master plan for One Bayshore, provided the landscape architecture design, and coordinated a year-long entitlement and rezoning process. Crescent Resources is the developer for the project, and The Housing Studio was the architect for Parkside, which was selected as the “Best High-Rise Condominium Community.”

Read the Parkside of One Bayshore press release.

05.21.07 LandDesign | Pinehurst is working on the mixed-use waterfront community Bal Gra Harbor for Forest City Land Group
Located on the eastern shores of North Carolina’s Inner Banks, Bal Gra Harbor, is a mixed-use marina waterfront destination community. LandDesign prepared the overall master plan and entitlements for this 1310 acre community. Bal Gra Harbor is planned to be a traditional neighborhood development with a variety of commercial, retail, multi-family and single family housing types planned around the expanse of coastal wetlands and along the Albemarle Sound. A system of boardwalks, interpretive trails and large greenswards link the three distinct neighborhoods, community parks, amenity clubs, and marina village waterfront. Bal Gra Harbor is planned in a manner to exude the latest best management practices for treating coastal storm water runoff as landscape features in a dense urban style development.

04.18.07 LandDesign was ranked on the ENR Top 500 Design Firms List
With annual revenues exceeding $30 million in 2006, Engineering News Record (ENR) magazine has ranked LandDesign among the top 500 design firms in its annual survey of professional design firms in the United States. With seven offices in the United States and Beijing, China, LandDesign’s staff of over 250 is providing integrated design services encompassing urban design, planning, civil engineering, landscape architecture and branding services for major development projects throughout the world.

04.14 – 04.17.07 LandDesign speaks at the 2007 American Planning Association conference in Philadelphia, PA.
Padam Singh, AICP and Dan Dodd, RLA of LandDesign co-authored a presentation delivered at the 2007 American Planning Conference in Philadelphia entitled GIS Technology for Parks and Recreation. The presentation demonstrated how GIS technology can be applied as a site selection model to assist in the process of screening, evaluating and ranking potential sites for future community park development. Fort Mill, SC was used as a case study to demonstrate how GIS could be used with existing data to screen a 31,260 acre planning area. The GIS model was used to identify potential locations as possible future community park sites in a fast growing community facing considerable development pressures. Meg Nealon AICP, Partner, also spoke during the conference at the session called ‘Is Exurban Planning Our Best Opportunity?’ LandDesign was an exhibitor at the conference discussing TOD, TND, corridor planning, comprehensive planning and urban design.

View the ‘GIS Technology for Parks and Recreation’ presentation (PDF).

02.23.07 LandDesign is featured in the February issue of Landscape Architect and Specifier News
LandDesign’s award winning residential developments Carlise in Franklin, TN and CrossWynde in Tampa, FL were featured in Landscape Architect and Specifier News. LandDesign performed the master planning, landscape architecture and design guidelines for Carlise and site planning for CrossWynde. Read details of both projects in the article below.

Read the full article from LandscapeOnline.com.

02.22 – 02.25.07 LandDesign sponsors LAbash 2007
LandDesign sponsored the closing ceremony at LAbash 2007 at Louisiana State University. LandDesign made three presentations during the event and participated in the career fair. A collaborative presentation on storm water management called ‘Enduring the Storm’ was given by Paul Pennell (landscape architect) and Julie Roberts (engineer). Eve Luppert, Director of Human Resource, led two presentations on ‘Surviving Your First Job’ and ‘Surviving the Job Seeking Process’.

View the ‘Enduring the Storm’ presentation (PDF).
View ‘Surviving Your First Job’ presentation (PDF).
View ‘Surviving the Job Seeking Process’ presentation (PDF).

02.15.07 LandDesign | Beijing wins the Wuhan University City and Software Park international design competition
LandDesign won the international design competition for Wuhan University City and Software Park, sponsored by Wuhan Software Industry Base Company Ltd. Located in the Jifueng Mountain area southwest of Beijing, the impressive 2,234-acre (704 hectare) Wuhan University City and Software Park will attract top international enterprises engaged in the software development and information systems industries. These companies will enjoy a world-class research and technology park with a live/work environment that creates opportunities for incubating enterprises. Key elements of LandDesign’s ecologically responsible approach include greenways, multiple open spaces, parks, water features and two heavily forested mountains that were preserved within the plan.

LandDesign’s master planning efforts involve the analysis and appraisal of the current land use for the property, layout of various function areas, infrastructure planning, development of the road network, design of green spaces and landscape systems, and establishment of architectural styles. The long-term plan for the technology park encompasses approximately 125 million sq. ft of floor area (11.6 million m²), including forty percent dedicated to software development and information technology, thirty percent to education and training facilities, and thirty percent to residential and support facilities in a mixed-use setting.

The software park was designed as a series of techno-villages to reduce infrastructure costs and promote community interaction. Each techno-village is planned to be mixed-use in nature with a vibrant core of residential and commercial uses in vertically integrated buildings. A full array of ancillary services will be within a five-minute walk of each core area, creating a human-scaled community fabric.

01.31.07 LandDesign creates an innovative design for Southborough project
LandDesign is responsible for all master planning, entitlements, landscape architecture and civil engineering for the residential portion of the SouthBorough project in SouthEnd Charlotte. This project is designed to disguise a 170,000 square foot home improvement store from a historic neighborhood. This innovative design approach of concealing a big box store with residential is on its way to becoming a national precedent and trend.

Read the Next Big Thing article from the Charlotte Observer.

01.17.07 LandDesign attends portfolio review night at Virginia Tech
LandDesign | Washington attended the Virginia Tech Student Chapter of ASLA’s portfolio review night at Virginia Tech’s Washington Alexandria Architectural Center on Wednesday, January 17, 2007. The students highlighted examples from their personal portfolios and sought feedback from guest reviewers. It was an informal event for guests and students, to speak openly about portfolio standards and professional expectations. The students were a mixed group of undergraduate and graduate students with varying professional and academic backgrounds, all currently enrolled in Virginia Tech WAAC Landscape Architecture program.

The workshop was able to bridge the gap between academia and professional firms. It was a great opportunity for LandDesign to meet some very enthusiastic landscape architecture, planning and architecture students.

11.22.06 LandDesign provides a new master plan for Lake James State Park
LandDesign | Charlotte prepared the master plan for the expansion of Lake James State Park to include over 2,900 acres of newly acquired land. While preserving and protecting the environmental asset that the park land represents, the new park will provide expanded opportunities for public access and outdoor activity. The plan offers a new vision of how Lake James State Park will look and function and considers the unique qualities of the park land, the land’s relationship with the lake, the surrounding mountains, and the community of people who will visit and use the park.

LandDesign | Asheville is designing the residential developments around the State Park area on Lake James for Crescent Resources, which includes the following communities - Old Wildlife Club, 1780 and Grey Ridge.

Read the article from Asheville Citizen-Times (PDF).

10.25.06 LandDesign Announces Their New President
The partners of LandDesign are pleased to announce that Peter Crowley will become the firm's president as of January 1, 2007. Mr. Crowley has been with the firm for 27 years and was the founder and managing partner of LandDesign's Washington, DC office. Most recently, Peter has been leading the efforts to create opportunities in Asia, including opening the firm's Beijing office.

Mr. Crowley will replace Brad Davis who plans to remain with the firm as managing partner of the Charlotte, NC office. During his tenure as president, Mr. Davis oversaw a tremendous growth in the firm, doubling it in size and extending the firms client base. "It has been a tremendous time" says Davis, "still, I am looking forward to focusing on design again everyday."

Read the full press release (PDF)

09.08.06 Suburban Brandon, Florida goes TND
The Brandon Main Street project will create a sustainable center for living and working on a 56 acre site. It is a mixed-use project containing 954 residential units, approximately 160,000 sq.ft of retail use and 190,000 sq.ft. of office use.

LandDesign was hired by Bayfair Properties to provide land planning and civil engineering services. The project incorporates Hillsborough County land development code by providing a pedestrian friendly environment, appropriate block size, mixed uses, a community park, and open spaces/plaza throughout the project.

Read more details on the project (PDF).

08.23.06 LandDesign wins NCASLA Planning and Design Awards for Elizabeth Village in Charlotte, NC and North Carolina Research Campus in Kannapolis, NC.
Elizabeth Village is a residential urban infill project within the historic Elizabeth Neighborhood of Charlotte, NC developed by The Conformity Corporation. LandDesign performed landscape architectural, civil engineering, and survey services, which included guiding the strategy of the development, site design development and gaining entitlements through the rezoning process. Elizabeth Village successfully accomplishes the integration of stately single family residential with higher density multi-family.

North Carolina Research Campus is a 350-acre scientific and economic revitalization project, developed by Castle and Cooke, which encompasses the former Cannon Mills textile plant and entire downtown area of Kannapolis, NC. LandDesign collaborated with the architect to develop a master plan, design guidelines, construction documents, and provide construction administration for the NC Research Campus and surrounding properties. The LandDesign team of engineers, planners, landscape architects, and graphic designers will perform all internal infrastructure, place-making, hardscape and streetscape for this project.

07.12.06 LandDesign develops new infrastructure for the North Carolina Research Campus
The LandDesign team of engineers, planners and landscape architects will perform all internal infrastructure, hardscape and streetscape for the North Carolina Research Campus. The North Carolina Research Campus is a 350-acre scientific and economic revitalization project that encompasses the former Cannon Mills textile plant and entire downtown area of Kannapolis, North Carolina. Read the full article at Salisbury Post.

06.04.06 LandDesign welcomes their 2006 summer interns
LandDesign interns from across the country, gathered for an intense three and a half day workshop in the LandDesign | Washington, DC office. During the workshop, the 15 planning, civil engineering and landscape architecture interns participated in a design charrette for the City of Alexandria, Virginia creating a conceptual plan for the Braddock Road Metro Station site. Along with charrette work sessions, they attended daily educational sessions on topics ranging from the business side of the industry to branding. Their experience included lighter moments, including a sightseeing tour of the nation’s capital as well as a tour of the largest construction project on the East coast, the new I-95 Woodrow Wilson Bridge over the Potomac. Read details on LandDesign’s internship program (PDF).

06.02.06 LandDesign Planning | Washington signs contract to undertake a Corridor Land Development Plan for Pennsylvania Avenue SE in Washington, DC
The LandDesign Planning Group expects to soon begin work on behalf of the District of Columbia Office of Planning on a Corridor Land Development Plan for an important section of Pennsylvania Avenue SE in Washington, DC. LandDesign is the project leader for the urban design, planning, and real estate/market analysis project along the Pennsylvania Avenue corridor from its intersection with Independence Avenue eastward across the Anacostia River.

The plan will provide a revitalization strategy for the neighborhoods along the corridor and also provide a framework to guide future development. Tasks will include an existing conditions analysis, a redevelopment framework plan, and a land development plan. The project is being conducted as part of the District’s Great Streets initiative, which is a corridor-based redevelopment strategy focusing resources along seven major corridors to increase neighborhood livability and economic development. The District has committed more than $100 million over the next four years for physical investments along these corridors. Being awarded this important project is a result of a truly collaborative effort.

05.15.06 LandDesign’s marketing efforts were featured in the May 15 issue of Zweig A/E Marketing Letter
The article highlights LandDesign’s Art of Land Exhibition, print ad campaign, and relates LandDesign's increased name recognition resulting from these efforts. Read excerpts from the original article (PDF).

04.26.06 Check out the articles ‘Mountain Resorts Grown Up’ and ‘Community Builders’ which mentions LandDesign’s projects, Snowshoe Mountain (WV) and Birkdale Village (NC), respectively, in the April 2006 issue of Urban Land magazine
LandDesign performed the master planning for the new center of the ski resort at Snowshoe Village, which includes a series of lodges with ground floor retail, restaurants and entertainment venues connected by a series of interlaced urban plazas and pedestrian streets.

LandDesign prepared the overall master plan and entitlements for the 150 acres comprising Birkdale Village and the Greens at Birkdale, creating an integrated mixed-use development for three development companies. Birkdale Village was the recipient of the NAHB 2003 Pillars of Industry Awards as the 'Best Mixed Use Development' and a 2003 finalist in the ULI National Design Awards competition.

04.20.06 New bocce courts designed by LandDesign | Washington opens in Garfield Park
First a dream, then a plan, now a reality: Washington, D.C.’s newest bocce courts have opened in Garfield Park. LandDesign designed the courts as a pro bono project. The firm donated over $2,500 of billable hours to the D.C. Bocce league, a non-profit entity incorporated with the District of Columbia.

Designers in the Washington, DC office managed the project for LandDesign. “We [LandDesign] are honored to be able to support our community this way. This project will expand the recreational opportunities available in Garfield Park and we hope it improves the experience of park users,” says one designer. LandDesign also enjoyed participating in the league. The firm had two teams in the League last summer and plans to take part again this year.

The collaboration between LandDesign and the D.C. Bocce League shows how designers can impact their community. Peter Crowley, a partner at LandDesign said, "I would like to thank and congratulate our designers for their hard work on this worthy project. This service is a true testament to our pro bono and public services commitment to embrace opportunities that will improve the lives of people in our communities."

03.04 - 03.11.06 LandDesign Planning | Washington leads series of public workshops in Lancaster County, Virginia as part of the Comprehensive Plan update
Lancaster County, VA, located on Virginia’s historic Northern Neck, is facing significant land use and growth management issues, as more people are attracted to its scenic waterfront areas and rural character. LandDesign was selected to conduct an update of the County’s Comprehensive Plan with an emphasis on land use recommendations to help the County more effectively manage future growth. The project also includes revisions to the County’s Zoning and Subdivision Ordinances to reflect the revised Comprehensive Plan. Read details on LandDesign’s public workshops (PDF).

01.25.06 LandDesign provides land planning for Bear Creek at Burris Ridge in Tennessee.
Our Nashville, TN office contributed their expertise on the Bear Creek at Burris Ridge project. Dwight Kiser (partner) and his team provided the land planning, prepared the entitlement documents and coordinated the rezoning effort. They are now spearheading the golf clubhouse facility design. Read the full article at Robertson County Times.

01.20.06 The award-winning project The Sanctuary, a Crescent Resourses development, was selected by Forbes.com as one of the Top 10 Places To Live in 2006.
Read the full article at Forbes.com.

In April 2005, LandDesign won a Telly Award in the Corporate Training Video and Multimedia Categories for The Sanctuary's Builder Education Video.

The Builder Education Video was developed as a supplement to the Green Book, a contractor's guide to sustainable building. As a "How-To" Handbook, the Green Book clearly illustrates ways in which the builder can minimize environmental impacts. It also shows the builder how to incorporate green building techniques that sets the Sanctuary apart from other similar developments by distinguishing itself as an ecologically based, sustainable community.

The presentation shown in the video is an overview of the Green Book and a discussion of the Best Management Practices (BMP's) that should be employed at the site. The Sanctuary's success is confirmation that environmental conservation and great development can go hand in hand.

12.08.05 LandDesign wins ICSC International Design and Development Award: SouthPark Mall Expansion
At the ICSC Center Build Conference in Scottsdale, AZ, LandDesign won the ICSC International Design and Development Award for the SouthPark Mall Expansion in Charlotte, NC. The ICSC International Development and Design Award is given to projects that raise the bar for retail development. Download PDF.

12.1.05 LandDesign Brand Development Group | Washington has been chosen to develop brands for a KB Home and Centex joint venture.
Brand Development is currently underway for Centennial, which will be annexed into Gaithersburg, MD. Centennial is a 2,000 home mixed-use infill community project for KB and Centex.

11.30.05 LandDesign Brand Development Group | Washington has been chosen to develop the brand for Westbury Village in the Chicago suburb of Yorkville Illinois.
Westbury Village is a 4,000 unit Master Planned Development led by Ocean Atlantic Development Corporation in one of the fastest growing towns in the nation.

05.01.05 LandDesign Brand Development Group | Washington has been chosen to develop brands for KB Home's newly formed Mid Atlantic Division.
KB's first community in the D.C. Metropolitan Area, Martin's Chase, features 147 single-family homes in Loudoun County Virginia.

03.01.04 Clarksburg Wins Awards
Two parks in Clarksburg Town Center designed by LandDesign have won 'Keep Montgomery County Beautiful' awards: Ashford Square and Brightwell Square.

Ashford Square won the Award of Excellence, the highest award in the program. This first park in Clarksburg Town Center features paver walkways, a gazebo and sundial with lush landscaping.

Brightwell Square received an Award of Distinction for its unique combination of amenities, including an expanse of grass, trees and shrubs at the center, an adjoining tot lot with play equipment, and a quieter reflection garden with benches and flowering trees.

"We believe that creating a community is more than just building homes," stated Kim Ambrose, Newland Communities Regional Marketing Manager. "From attractive parks to stream bridge crossings, we are determined to create neighborhoods that respect the natural environment while allowing neighbors to connect easily with the great outdoors."

Clarksburg Town Center is designed to be the new American Classic Town, with pedestrian-friendly streets, a true downtown, and an extensive network of parks. LandDesign has provided planning and landscape architectural design services throughout Clarksburg Town Center since it’s inception in 1997.

10.01.03 LandDesign wins Builder’s Choices Awards Grand Award: Jefferson at Carlyle Mill- Alexandria, Va.
Read full article at Builder’s magazine.

10.01.03 LandDesign wins Builder’s Choices Awards Merit Award: Birkdale Village - Huntersville, N.C.
Read full article at Builder’s magazine.

06.04.03 LandDesign Tampa hits the nail on the head for Habitat for Humanity…
The LandDesign team in Tampa spent a recent Saturday morning lending a hand to Habitat for Humanity. After a brief in-house orientation, we were set to drop the hammer on the houses that make up a whole community of Habitat-built homes on the eastern outskirts of town.

Roll call was taken at 7:30 and the team split up to tackle two jobs at once. Ron and Brent wielded power tools to work on roofing a house, while the rest of us spent the morning framing storage sheds behind already-completed houses. The team worked like a well-oiled machine and made commendably quick work of the tasks we were given.

In between assignments, we were able to dedicate some time to mastering the subtleties of construction site etiquette. The engineers worked on standing around while still looking busy. Leigh Ann and Helen found that walking purposefully to the water cooler and back is the perfect way to look important. Finding shade to work in was also a major on-site challenge.

Before we knew it, our day was up and all had a good time. Well, almost all. Even though our 2 absentees missed out on the enriching experience of putting hammer to nail for the greater good, they gracefully volunteered to be joke fodder for some robust chastising on Monday, which was quite fun too. We’re all givers here.

So it turns out that manual labor in the Florida sun is fun after all.