Lambda Alpha International’s 75th Diamond Anniversary Weekend Experience

The program will begin Thursday evening October 20 at 5:30 pm. with a hosted reception and dinner at the Signature Room on the 95th Floor of the John Hancock Center on Michigan Avenue. The dinner will feature the Lambda Alpha International Awards.

Friday October 21 will begin at 8:30 am with our “to look and to see” mobile workshops that will end around 1:30 pm.

Your afternoon will be free except for current and in-coming Chapter presidents and the executive committee, who will have a special Leadership Workshop lead by Russell Salzman at the Hotel Sofitel.

At 5:30 pm, we will have a reception and open house at the Chicago Architectural Foundation in the Santa Fe Building at 222 South Michigan Avenue.

Friday evening is then open for you to enjoy any of the wonderful restaurants the city has to offer on your own.

Saturday morning will begin with another “to look and to see” mobile workshop beginning 8:30 am. Saturday afternoon is more free time (unless you are a member of the executive committee, which will have an executive session.)

Saturday evening is the 75th Anniversary Gala that will be held on the stage of the Frank Gehry designed Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park. New Yorker’s architectural critic, Paul Goldberger called it, “One of the great new models for a new kind or urban park.” It should be memorable event.

The Board of Governors, which is the chapter presidents and the executive committee, will meet Sunday morning until noon; but for most of you, the day is free.

The Chicago host committee under the leadership of Ely Chapter President Mike Shymanski and International President Larry Lund are working hard to finalize what will be an outstanding program. Full program details should be ready by the July edition of Online KeyNotes. Book your hotel rooms now. Chicago is a popular destination in the fall and we anticipate that rooms will be in short supply.

75th Anniversary Exclusive Corporate Sponsors

We still have a few exclusive Major Sponsor opportunities left for the 75th Diamond Anniversary Celebration. If you would like to be one of the Major Sponsors or a Contributor, please give Larry Lund, International President a call at 312-751-1250 and find out more about how your company can support  this historic event.

Major Sponsors ($2,500) include:

International Awards Banquet: LR Development www.lrrealty.com
Chicago Architectural Foundation Reception: Lohan Caprile Goettsch Architects www.Lohan.com
Millennium Park Reception: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill – SOM  www.som.com
Millennium Park Pritzker Pavilion Gala: U.S. Equities Realty www.usequities.com
President’s Reception: Appraisal Research Counselors. www.appraisalresearch.com

Contributors ($500) include:

URS Corporation
Thompson Dyke & Associates
The Terrapin Group
Central Federal Savings
Freeborn and Peters
S. B. Friedman & Company
Camiros
Jones Lang LaSalle

If you would like to be add to the list of Major Sponsors or Contributors please call 312-751-1250.  Thank you.

Letter from the President

Larry Lund, by the entry of the Georgian Hotel in Evanston, IL.

Earlier this month, my wife Mary and I visited London and joined the London Chapter in celebrating the 75th Anniversary of our Society with an evening cruise down the Thames River. As we cruised pass Sir Christopher Wren’s Old Royal Navel College, we remembered the 33rd Biennial Congress hosted by the London Chapter in 1999 where we dined in Sir James Thornhill’s (1625-1734) “Painted Hall” (1708-1725). Historically, the Painted Hall was used for dining only on exceptional occasions and the Lambda Alpha event was certainly exceptional – setting the “gold standard” for every event that has followed. While we hope that dining on Frank Gehry’s Pritzker Stage at Millennium Park for the 75th Anniversary in Chicago will be memorable, I am certain that we will never match the London Chapter’s incomparable program.

I also had the opportunity on another evening to have attend a special meeting with the London Chapter Board at the Royal Thames Yacht Club where we discussed Lambda Alpha issues. The important message from my visit is that we have an exceptional organization and we continually need to find ways to share our knowledge and experiences among members and across chapters. And we need to communicate better and find ways for more both formal and informal interaction.

London Chapter Board with Larry and Mary Lund on board the Silver Barracuda, River Thames, London, June 2nd 2005.

Geoffrey McMorrough Kavanagh, John Dallimore, Mari McMorrough Kavanagh, Larry Lund, Alistair Court-Smith, Mary Lund, Jeffrey Cackett, Karen Sieracki, Howard Richman.

One simple recommendation is to e-mail the Chapter President when one plans on visiting another Lambda Alpha city and inquire if a member might be available during your visit to meet informally.  An example, of this informal networking just occurred in Chicago, where a LAI member, Anil Hatkar from Mumbai (Bombay) India, was attending a conference.  I spent a couple of hours providing our guest providing a brief tour of Chicago and then later that evening, we were joined by our spouses along with Les Pollock and his wife for dinner.  It was a wonderful way to share ideas and expand our personal networks.  Lambda Alpha is at the right size to develop these personal contacts.

Finally, Mary and I cannot say enough about the hospitality the members of the London Chapter extended to us during our visit and we along with the other members of the Chicago Ely Chapter look forward to welcoming all the members of our Society when we come together to celebrate our 75th Diamond Anniversary on October 20-23.

On the Road with Ely

This month the Chicago Ely Chapter held its 75th Diamond Anniversary initiation ritual at the Mid-America Club on the 80th Floor of the Aon Building (200 East Randolph St.) in Chicago.  The Chapter initiated almost 30 new members and gave Chapter awards for service to the community to Norm Elkin and Roberta Nechin at the banquet.

This event brought my travels this month to Evanston to explore where Lambda Alpha held its first banquet.  On Sunday, March 29, 1931, eight new members joined LAI.  The event was at the Georgian Hotel at 422 Davis Street (at Hinman) in Evanston.

The Georgian Hotel, designed by Albert S. Hecht opened in 1927 as a luxury apartment hotel, but today it is known as the Mather Place at the Georgian, a retirement center.  The owners are now applying for zoning variances to redevelop the property and continue the existing uses.

The new members initiated that march evening in 1931 included, Morris Ashton, Regional Mortgage Supervisor, the Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York, William S. Becker, appraiser with Equitable Life Assurance of the United States, Lawson E. Bracken of New York City, John E. Burton, Director of the Budget and Chairman of the post war Public Works Planning Commission, State of New York, Louis A. Keller, student, Howell N. Tyson, Jr. of Los Angeles, student, Herman O. Walther, appraiser, consultant, teacher, author, and G. Coleman Woodbury, Executive Director, National Association of Housing Officials.  This brought International membership to fifteen.

The first initiation banquet’s menu featured, fruit or seafood cocktail, celery, olives, choice of half broiled chicken, sirloin steak with mushroom sauce, long branch potatoes, new peas, fruit salad, strawberry sundae or cake for desert.  Evanston, being a “dry” community, offered coffee, tea or milk as a beverage.  Jack Harrington served as toastmaster.

The Lambda Alpha held its annual initiation banquets at the Georgian Hotel until 1938 when they moved to the Lake Shore Athletic Club in Chicago. In 1942, the initiation dinner moved to the Chicago Real Estate Board dining room, in 1946 to the Union League Club. Lambda Alpha International started adding new Chapters in 1949 with the New York City Chapter.

In 1950, the 25th Silver Anniversary was held at the Chicago Athletic Club. Homer Hoyt served as International president and Ely Chapter president, Ira J. Bach presided over the ceremony. In 1980, the 50th Golden Anniversary was at the Tavern Club. Richard H. Rauch served as International president and Ely Chapter president, Eugene Stunard presided over the ceremony.

Larry Lund

International President
LarryLund@LAI.org
312-751-1250

In Memoriam: Walter Hardwick

Walter Gordon Hardwick died June 9, 2005 at the age of 73.  Dr. Hardwick taught at the University of British Columbia (UBC) for 37 years.  He was a visionary urban planner and in his obituary in the Vancouver Sun quoted, an “electric figure.”  He was best known for his contributions as a member of the Vancouver city council from 1969-1974 where he was instrumental in transforming the south shore of False Creek from industrial use to housing.  He later helped carry out the False Creek plan, by heading the Vancouver Urban Futures project from 1971-1974 and a second related project in the late 1980s.  

As an academic, he was instrumental in writing the 1963 MacDonald Report that laid the groundwork for the Simon Fraser University.  He later served as B.C. deputy minister for education, science and technology and was responsible for establishing the Open Learning Institute and the Knowledge Network.

Walter was a key figure in the movement to prevent the construction of the freeway system through Vancouver that would have destroyed the historic areas of Gastown and Chinatown.

In 1997, professor Hardwick was awarded the Order of British Columbia.

His wife, Shirley, predeceased him.  He has four children.

Walter Hardwick had been a member of the Vancouver Chapter of Lambda Alpha International since 1989.  He received Lambda Alpha’s International Urban Affairs Award in 1999 during our Biennial Congress in London, England.

A Memorial service was held June 28, 2005 and we have included a link where you can read more about this remarkable man, which we were very lucky to count in our Society. Please visit the Memorial Program and a “Message from Premier Gordon Campbell of British Columbia” to learn more about Walter Hardwick.
Download information

Memorials to the Canadian Land Economics Foundation of Lambda Alpha International in honor of Dr. Hardwick are appreciated.  Please contact International at 1-630-510-4584.

Chapter Corner

Mumbai Chapter (Formerly Bombay)

Lambda Alpha International member Anil Hatkar meets with Les Pollock, Regional Vice President, and Larry Lund, International President to discuss reviving the Mumbai Chapter (formerly Bombay) in India during a dinner in Chicago (June 19).  Architect Anil Hatkar owner of Arc-Aids in India was initiated into LAI in 1993.  Les Pollock will be visiting India and will be in Mumbai March 2006 where they will continue discussions on reactivating the Chapter.  If you have contacts in India that might be interested in becoming a LAI member, please contact Les Pollock at 630-922-9211 x-225.

Ely-Chicago Chapter

The Ely Chapter celebrated the 75th Diamond Anniversary of Lambda Alpha by initiating almost thirty members into our Society at its annual banquet held at a formal event Wednesday evening June 15 at the Mid America Club.

Ely also continued the second year of providing chapter awards by honoring Roberta F. Nechin with the Richard T. Ely Distinguished Chapter Service Award and by honoring Norman Elkin with the Harry Chaddick Distinguished Public Service Award.  Presenting the Ely award to Roberta Nechin was Kitty Freidheim and James Klutznick presented the Chaddick award to Norman Elkin.

Larry Lund International president at the end of the evening’s ceremony gave Ely Chapter president Michael Shymanski, a copy of Richard T. Ely’s autobiography, The Ground Under Our Feet, to be passed down to future presidents of the Ely Chapter.

Kitty Freidheim, Michael Shymanski, and Roberta F. Nechin

James Klutznick, Norman Elkin, and Michael Shymanski

Ely Members in the News

Stephen Friedman of S.B. Friedman Company was featured in a story on Tax Increment Financing in the June edition of Chicago Magazine and Rodney E. Engelen, AICP wrote an article “The Heart of the Matter” in the American Planning Association’s June 2005 Planning Journal.  The article is about the fight against sprawl and how mixed-use cores are coming to the rescue.

Professor Susanne Cannon, Director of DePaul’s Real Estate Center announced DePaul’s new Master of Science in Real Estate program.  A complete program description is at www.realestate.depaul.edu

New York City Chapter

(from left to right: Hussein Ali Khan, Dean Ken Patton, Miriam Greenwald, Bruce Fowle, and Larry Lund, president of Lambda Alpha International)

The New York City Chapter held a breakfast meeting April 12 at NYU’s Real Estate Institute, 11 West 42 St.

The featured speaker was Bruce Fowle, Principal, Fox & Fowle Architects who presented onDesigning, Structuring and Marketing the New York Times HQ Project, he was joined by Hussein Ali Khan owners representative from NYTimes and Miriam  Greenwald, Project Manager from the Forest City the developers.

Dean Ken Patton of NYU hopes to continue the lecture series this fall for Lambda Alpha Members to attend.

New Mexico Zia Chapter Forming

Larry Lund, International President and James Fawcett, First Vice President will present and answer questions at the upcoming meeting leading to the formation of the Zia Chapter that will represent Mew Mexico

Friday, July 15, 2005 at 3:30 pm
Kokopelli Room
Marriott Pyramid North Hotel
5151 San Francisco Road NE
Albuquerque, NM

The Pro Tempore Officers for the new Chapter are:

Michael D. Maremont President, Tom Mills Vice-President – Membership, Lora A. Lucero Vice President – Programs, Anita P. Miller - Secretary, Roger L. Schluntz - Treasurer.  Other members of the organizing committee include: John Hooker, Christopher B. Leinberger, Harry N. Relkin, and Lee A. Reynis.  Both Michael Maremont and Roger Schluntz are currently active members in Lambda Alpha International.  Maremont was formerly associated with the Chicago-Ely Chapter and Schluntz was with our Phoenix Chapter.

For more information on the Zia Chapter, email ZiaChapter@LAI.org

International Symposium on Ancient Design Principles

August 11-13, in New Harmony, Indiana

Join an international group of experts for a stimulating three-day symposium focusing on research and practical application of ancient design principles for planning, architecture and design education. Design is not a matter of taste but the result of carefully selected application of spatial and design principles. Research has shown many of the greatest places and buildings in the world are the result of applying sophisticated geometric principles. Historic New Harmony Indiana will host this important event and afford its own excellent examples of design including Phillip Johnson's Roofless Church and Richard Meier's Athenaeum.  New Harmony is a utopian community near Evansville, Indiana founded in the 1800s.

This international program features, Jon Allen, architect, architectural partner of Keith Critchlow of the UK, John David Mooney, environmental artist, Ben Nicholson, architect and professor at IIT, Randy Schmidt, architect and director for the Center for Environmental Structures founded by Christopher Alexander, Patrick Horsbrugh, founder of Environic Foundation International, Paul Murrain, former Director of Design for the Princes Foundation in London, Jeffrey Soule, FAICP, policy director, American Planning Association, and Kent Schuette professor landscape architecture at Purdue University.

The Deadline for Registration is July 10th.  

Additional details can be found at: http://www.newharmonysymposium.com/7155/index.html

To register go to: http://www.planning.org/conferences/ancientdesign.htm

Chapter History

Orange County Chapter

Under William L. Waldren’s leadership, the Organizing Committee for the Orange
County Chapter of Lambda Alpha was formed in June 1991.

Read More

Supreme Court

Supreme Court upholds taking property for development.  You can listen to the debate by several eminent legal scholars on this subject that Chicago-Ely conducted at its May Chautauqua -- honoring the memory Earl Neal -- that discussed how they thought the court would rule in the Kelo v. City of New London ( No. 04-108) case.  The audio of the Chautauqua is in the Library at 209.224.198.102 and available for downloading.

New Members

Merrill H. Diamond, Diamond/Sinacori, LLC

Ely/Chicago Chapter

Judy Aiello, City of Evanston
David E. Baker, Illinois Institute of Technology
Pamela H Bennett, Sebastian Company
Michael H. Blue, City of Highland Park
Jennifer Boss, Heitman
Christine L. Carlyle, Solomon Cordwell Beunz
Denise M. Casalino, Department of Planning and Development
Robin S. Coffey, Harris Trust and Savings
William G. Conopeotis, Conopco Realty and Development
John A. Dix, Epstein
Zurich Espostio, Chicago Architecture Foundation
Nancy L. Firfer, Metropolis 2020
Joe Gonzales, Gonzales Hasbrouck
Mary Jo Graf, Cubellis Associates
Elizabeth I. Holland, Abbell Credit Corporation
Bruce K. Huvard, Cohen, Salk, & Huvard
Robert L. Koys, Westfield Corporation
Amy C. Kurson, Greenberg Traurig
Mark Laubacher, New Castle Limited
Philip Y. Levin, GNMAA
Manning Mahaffee, Edwards and Kelcey
Jack Markowski, Department of Housing
Michelle Panovich, Mid-America Asset Management, Inc.
Stephen C. Ross, AMLI Residential
Robin Schabes, Waukegan Renaissance Commissioner
Stephen E. Schlickman, Schlickman and Associates
Sanford M. Stein, Gardner Carton & Douglas
Mark A. Urqhart, University of Chicago Hospitals
Joe M. Valerio, Valerio Dewalt Train Associates

Orange County Chapter

Michael Browning, Uni-Med Realty Advisors, Inc