Mayors’ Institute on City Design
I was invited to a first-of-its-kind session through the Mayors’ Institute on City Design (MICD), a program of the US Conference of Mayors and the National Endowment for the Arts. They brought together four mayors and two Tribal leaders in Albuquerque to spend two days with design experts from around the country. First, an architect from MASS Design Group traveled to Flagstaff to meet with me and city staff. We showed him three potential projects and were all excited when MASS recommended the proposed Indigenous Community Cultural Center be the project I brought forth for design assistance.
The City of Flagstaff Parks, Recreation, Open Space, and Events (PROSE) Division led a year-long public process to determine how the community would like the old public works yard in the Townsite neighborhood be used. Among the complimentary uses, there was consensus that an Indigenous Community Cultural Center take up residence in the building and surrounding area, which the city council supported and still supports. The Indigenous Circle of Flagstaff also facilitated a public process and excitement has been building about what such a center could bring to the people of Flagstaff. The city will write and release a Request for Proposals and the successful bidder will take on the job of creating a center.
At the session, mayors, Tribal leaders, and design team experts came together to discuss projects in our communities related to housing and entrepreneurship, cultural continuance, and climate change resilience. We were also treated to tours of innovative projects undertaken by the City of Albuquerque and local non-profits.
I was eager to participate in this session to bring home design expertise and funding ideas to share with everyone involved. The MICD paid my way and the follow up consulting will also be free to the city. My next steps are to gather city staff and community partners again to determine who will be on the follow up consultation calls with me and then to determine how best to share all of this information with the public.
Host Mayor Tim Keller welcomed us in Albuquerque and other participants were: Caddo Nation of Oklahoma Chairman Bobby Gonzalez, Gresham, OR Mayor Travis Stovall, Oklahoma City, OK Mayor David Holt, and Tejon Indian Tribe Chairman Octavio Escobedo Ill; Resource Team members: Dana Bourland, AICP, Christopher Calott, AIA, Lydia Hausle, AICP, Sam Olbekson, AIA, NCARB, AICAE, NOMA, Michaela Paulette Shirley, Shyla Spicer, MBA, PMP, and Audrey West.
Thanks to partners and hosts: the City of Albuquerque, Pueblo Of Isleta, Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, Indian Pueblo Kitchen, the Open Space Visitor Center, Los Poblanos Historic Inn & Organic Farm, Homewise, Three Sisters Kitchen, Por Vida Tattoo, 4th and Barelas, the Street Food Institute, and the Albuquerque BioPark.
Pictured: special session, tour of 4th and Barelas community commercial kitchen and office building with Homewise Inc., and group photo of mayors and Tribal leaders.
