In Memoriam

Roy W. Potter, International President, 1990-1991
One of Lambda Alpha’s most loyal members passed away last month. Roy Potter, husband of Lambda Alpha member Ruth Potter, died at age 79.

Roy was instrumental in the redevelopment of downtown San Diego. In 1971, he joined San Diegans, Inc. (the precursor of today’s Downtown San Diego Partnership). In the early 1970’s, the newly developing Mission Valley area was drawing away the retail outlets and employment base downtown and Roy was bought in to stop the outflow. Under his leadership, the seeds for developing Horton Plaza regional shopping center were sown and the turnaround that we know today got underway. He worked quietly and diligently and got the job done.

After retiring from San Diegans, Inc., he joined the International Executive Service Corps and served as a planning consultant in Jamaica, Albania, Poland and Egypt. Prior to his service with San Diegans, Inc., he was planning director for the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission.

In Lambda Alpha, he served as president of the San Diego chapter and then in 1990 was named International President.

Our condolences to Ruth and the Potter family. Donations are suggested to Lambda Alpha International Foundation.

Land Economic Foundation Donation Card Program

The purpose of the Land Economics Foundation is to give grants as recommended by the Land Economics Foundation Board, to further the educational efforts of Lambda Alpha International. In the past, the Foundation has helped fund graduate scholarships, fund publications, and conduct public discussions, forums, panels, lectures and similar programs.

Lambda Alpha Foundation is a non-political, tax-exempt non-profit charitable foundation under the U.S. Internal Revenue Code 501(c) (3) and can receive tax-deductible donations. Lambda Alpha International also has a Canadian Land Economics Foundation, registered as a federal charity, that accepts tax deductible donations from Canadian members.

Donations to the Foundation will be acknowledged in the monthly KeyNotes. Lambda Alpha International will send, when appropriate, a special acknowledgement card embossed with the LAI logo.

We encourage Chapters to consider making a donation to the Foundation acknowledging a speaker at a Chapter event. Chapters could announce that a donation has been made to the Foundation in the speaker's name. In addition, donations in the name of a deceased member are a very nice way to honor their memory. LAI will send cards to a surviving family member.

Members and Chapters can make donations to the Land Economics Foundation (or in the case of members from Canada, donations are payable to the Canadian Land Economics Foundation). Please send all checks to LAI’s headquarters and appropriate receipts will be issued. You are now able to make donations on the LAI website using a credit card. If you have any questions, please contact our Executive Director Terry Stevenson at 630-579-3284. or e-mail LAI@LAI.org.

Land Economics Foundation Donations 2004

Mr. & Mrs. Richard Kole      In memory of: Roy Potter
Jim & Pamela M. Hamilton-Lester    In memory of: Roy Potter
Larry Lund     In memory of: Roy Potter
Alan & Nancy Nevin      In memory of: Roy Potter
Roy W. Sheargold      In memory of: Roy Potter
The CAC Group, Inc.      In memory of: Roy Potter
Stephen B. & Stephanie Williams     In memory of: Roy Potter

Boston Chapter     Chapter Speaker Honorarium: Scott Dumont

Letter from the President:

Larry Lund

It is particularly gratifying to see so many Lambda Alpha members involved in important projects throughout the world. During some of our past Weekend Experiences we have had the opportunity to meet the key individuals behind many of these projects. For those of you who attended the New York City Weekend Experience and remember Ken Lewis of SOM, Ken is now the project manager for the Freedom Tower at the World Trade Center. In the fall of 2000 Chicago Weekend Experience, LAI members overlooked the early construction of Millennium Park as we heard LAI member, Ed Uhlir talk about the project from the Cliff Dwellers Club. Well, a few years later, Millennium Park opened to rave critical reviews. It is noteworthy that many Lambda Alpha members were critical to the success of this outstanding project. When LAI celebrates its 75th Anniversary next year, we hope to have a special event on the Frank Gehry designed stage at Millennium Park, so you can appreciate this critically acclaimed park.

Speaking of Weekend Experiences, plans are almost in place for the Sacramento-Napa Weekend Experience November 12-13, 2004. The Sacramento Chapter, under the leadership of Tim Youman, has created an outstanding program that will feature how Sacramento is making long-term plans and how agricultural tourism is benefiting the Napa area. We also have wine tasting tours planned and two outstanding dinner venues.

Also don't forget to, Mark your calendars for 2005! The Spring Weekend Experience will be held in Boston on April 30-May 1, 2005. The Fall Weekend Experience, LAI's 75th Anniversary will be held in Chicago tentatively in late October.

If you would like to participate in the planning of the 75th Anniversary Celebration, please e-mail me, Larry Lund, at: LarryLund@LAI.org.

Finally, I am sure that all of you will join me on giving our condolence to Ruth Potter, whose husband Roy passed away last month. Roy, as many of you read in the earlier article was international president of LAI and had a significant influence on the growth of our organization. Ruth requested that members make a charitable donation to the Lambda Alpha Foundation in honor of Roy. Later LAI will be working with Ruth to plan an appropriate memorial.

Larry Lund
International President
LarryLund@LAI.org

Editor's Collumn

High-Rises Creep West

In the U.S. high-rise residential towers are something that one inevitably associates with New York, Chicago, Washington, D.C. and Miami. They are most difficult to locate in other areas, except for public housing (most of which has been razed by now) and age-restricted buildings. But there appears to be some indication that in many areas out west, the high-rise “bug” has bitten a fair number of developers. Or, more succinctly, there are a number of Vancouver, New York, London, Sydney and Chicago developers who are noticing that most of the western cities in the U.S. are virtually void of residential high-rises.

San Diego was the first major western city to attract the national and international high-rise condominium developers. The result is that in the past five years, more than 4,000 units have been built in downtown San Diego and another 7,000 are in the pipeline, under construction or pre-selling. Better yet, most projects have been sold out long before they were complete.

Land in downtown San Diego is now getting a little pricey. It has moved upward from $50 per square foot to more than $250 in the past five years. As a result, virtually all the developers who prospered in San Diego are out beating the bushes for new success stories.

Interestingly, places like Orange County (CA.), with an exceptionally high household income level, has no high-rise condominiums in the whole County, although Bosa is on the way to building the first one. Las Vegas, Phoenix/Scottsdale, Denver, Dallas, Houston, Austin, downtown Los Angeles and many other western cities, are virtually void of high-rise residential condominium towers.

As we watch the activity in these multitude of cities and, of course, conduct feasibility studies for these adventurous developers, methinks I see an entirely new genre of housing getting ready to make its appearance in the western states. The real key, of course, is figuring out if the market is ready for the product. Stay tuned.

Ely Chapter

On June 16th, the Chicago Ely Chapter initiated 33 new members into Lambda Alpha. Following a recent tradition of having the initiation dinner at the newest hotel in Chicago, the Hard Rock Café Hotel on Michigan Avenue in the landmark Carbon and Carbide building was the venue for this year's black-tie affair. A record turn out of more than 210 guests welcomed the new members.

This year Ely Chapter president Jon B. DeVries initiated a new awards program. The Chapter recognized five members for their outstanding contribution to the Chapter. The awards and recipients were as follows:

THE DANIEL H. BURNHAM DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD to ROBERT J. PIPER, FAIA, FAICP: For his fifty years of contributions to the practice of architecture and urban planning; and for his vision and spirited leadership in developing collaborative civic initiatives that promote a comprehensive understanding of regional stewardship.

THE HOLLEB COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD to DORIS B. HOLLEB and MARSHALL M. HOLLEB: For carrying on the spirit of Ira Bach’s work in the remarkable depth and breadth of their individual and selective contributions to the fields of housing, real estate, education, and urban planning issues.

HARRY CHADDICK DISTINGUISHED PUBLIC SERVICE AWARD to EDWARD J. KUS: For furthering the development of the City of Chicago in promoting its best interests through his extraordinary expertise in real estate and in the zoning code; and his high standards of excellence, professionalism and leadership in the comprehensive zoning code rewrite.

RICHARD T. ELY DISTINGUISHED CHAPTER SERVICE AWARD to MICHAEL D. MAREMONT: For his ten years of service as an invaluable resource to Ely Chapter members; his legacy of thoughtful professional services tangible throughout Chicago; and his contagious energies that continue to challenge the process, encouraging us to examine new directions.

In Memoriam

Ely-Chicago member, George Wasington Overton, Jr. passed away June 15, 2004 at age 86.

George had been an active member of the Ely Chapter since his initiation in 1979. Until this past September when he retired, George was with the legal firm of Wildman, Harrold, Allen & Dixon. He was a long time resident of the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago and had worked with many other nonprofit civic organizations in Chicago including one of the founding members and chairs of the Open Lands Project. 

San Diego Chapter

Assists in Bayfront Planning

At the request of the City of Chula Vista and the San Diego Unified Port District, LAI’s San Diego Chapter recently created a “peer review” group to provide input into one of the largest waterfront planning efforts currently being undertaken in the State of California. The City of Chula Vista is located in San Diego County and is the county’s second largest city with over 35,000 acres and a population of approximately 210,000. The Chula Vista bayfront spans 2.5 miles, from the Sweetwater Marsh National Wildlife Refuge to the Otay River Valley. The Chula Vista Bayfront Master Plan (CVBMP) area includes 500 acres within the City, approximately 360 of which are also within the jurisdiction of the Port District which controls over 5,000 acres of total waterfront property along San Diego Bay within its five member cities. Much of the CVBMP area is either undeveloped or was in industrial uses that are no longer in operation.

To assist in the planning and design of the master plan, the agencies selected the international waterfront design firm of Cooper Robertson & Partners (CR&P) of New York in association with Carrier Johnson Architects (CJA) of San Diego. Randy Morton of CR&P and Gordon Carrier of CJA are the lead designers for the project. The design team prepared three draft concepts that reflect the recommendations of the market study conducted for the project, which forecasted demand for tourism, housing, hotels, retail, and commercial office development. The draft plans also reflect numerous comments received from an extensive public outreach and participation program conducted during a year-long vision-setting process.

In April, Laurie Madigan, Co-Chair of the CVBMP Executive Staff Committee, Director of the Chula Vista Community Development Department and Past President of LAI, San Diego Chapter, along with LAI member Gordon Carrier presented an overview of the master planning effort to members of the San Diego LAI Chapter at their regularly-scheduled monthly luncheon. The attendees showed significant interest in the process and, at the urging of Chapter President Ian Gill, several members volunteered to form a focus group to provide a peer review of the work done to date by the project team.

On April 27, a focus group of nine LAI members joined the consultant team and Port and City staff for a tour of the CVBMP area, followed by a discussion session and buffet dinner. Randy Morton and David Malmuth, a fellow-LAI member and sub-consultant on the project team, led the group through two hours of lively exchange on the alternative land use distribution proposals and draft phasing plan. The group provided the project consultants and staff with invaluable input on development opportunities and constraints, as well as phasing and implementation considerations that were later incorporated by the project team into the draft concepts.

The Chula Vista City Council and the Board of Port Commissioners met jointly on May 25 and took another step toward transforming the Chula Vista bayfront into a world-class waterfront. The land use concept referred to as “Option C” emerged as the preferred plan by both agencies, and received support from residents, environmental groups, and business representatives. “This plan represents the kind of big thinking appropriate for the region’s second largest city. This waterfront will be a treasure not only to the citizens of Chula Vista, but to residents of the entire region,” said Chula Vista Mayor Stephen C. Padilla.

Financial and environmental analysis will now be undertaken on the preferred plan. The land use plan will require approval by both the City and the Port, by the State of California Lands Commission, and by the California Coastal Commission. Final analysis and state approvals are anticipated by Fall 2005.

New Members

Lambda Alpha International is pleased to welcome the following new members:

Ely Chapter
Marvin L. Altur, Frontier Commercial
Taghi Arshami, The Arsh Group
Carmen Pilar Caldero, CPC Electrical Supply
Bernie Citron, Schain, Burney, Ross & Citron, Ltd.
Melissa Copley, Jones Lang LaSalle
Gabriella DiFillipo, Illinois Facility Fund
Peter S. Eisenberg, Lake Shore Development Corporation
Steven M. Elrod, Holland & Knight LLP
Eleanor Esser Gorski, City of Chicago
Christopher L. Groesbeck, VOA Associates Incorporated
David Hanson, Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities
Rich Hitchcock, Hitchcock Design Group
Cindy Holler, Fannie Mae
Allen Joffe, Baum Realty Group, Inc.
Camille Julmy, U.S. Equities Realty
Marla Kaiden, City of Chicago -Committee on Finance
Kelly King Dibble, Illinois Housing Development Authority
Judith Kossy, Policy Planning Partners
Rafael Leon, Chicago Metropolitan Housing Development Corp.
William Little, The Chicago Housing Authoring
Kenneth A. McHugh, Institutional Property Management, LLC
Timothy J. Mitchell, Chicago Park District
Catherine Murray, URS Corporation
Edward W. Paesel, South Suburban Mayors and Managers Assoc.
Judith Paine McBrien, Perspectives Media
Scott Peters, Illinois Institute of Technology
Carol Ross Barney, Ross Barney + Jankowski
Linda Searl, Searl and Associates, Architects
Jonathan Stein, Inland Real Estate Sales
Gina Trimarco, HNTB Corporation
Whitney Weller, The Michaels Development Co.
Charles Wiercinski, McLennan Commercial Properties
Royce A.Yeater, National Trust for Historic Preservation

Memphis Chapter
Jack A. Belz, Belz Enterprises

Minnesota Chapter
Bob Close, Close Landscape Architecture
Robert H. Cunningham, TOLD Development Company
Jeremy Mayberg, RSP Architects
Lee Sheehy, Community Planning & Economic Development
Barb Sporlein, City of Minneapolis
Rich Varda, Target Corporation

New Student Members
Robert Faulkner, John Marshall Law School
Slaven Ilic, John Marshall Law School
Prasanth Bobby Katta, John Marshall Law School

New LAI.org Feature

New search feature is now available in our Members site. The membership directory has been enhanced with a search engine that now allows you to search for a particular term and then provide a table with a list of members that match.

As a result of this new feature please take the time to update your personal profile. The profile will allow you to describe the type of work you do and your availability as a speaker. We also encourage you to enter your website if you or your company has one. Take a look now, go to 209.224.198.102 click on Members and follow the directions.

This enhancement to our website was made at the suggestion of Baltimore Chapter President Andy Lemer. We appreciate these suggestions and encourage members to suggest enhancements to our website. Please e-mail your ideas to LAI@LAI.org.

LAI 75th Anniversary

In 2005, LAI will be celebrating its 75th Anniversary during the Fall Weekend Experience/Biennial Congress in Chicago. Since this is such a milestone event for LAI we would like to open up the planning to all LAI members, While the bulk of the planning will be done by the Chicago-Ely host committee, we want to get ideas from other members from around the world on how to celebrate this special event. So if you would like to participate in "meetings" via e-mail, please contact Larry Lund at LarryLund@LAI.org.