Harvey Gantt, FAIA, will be a featured speaker at the Regional Urban Design Committee's 2002 conference on mixed-use development, September 27–29 in Des Moines.

Gantt served two terms as mayor of Charlotte and, in 1990 and 1996, challenged Jesse Helms for a seat in the U.S. Senate. The award-winning architect received his BArch with honors from Clemson University in 1965—the first African-American student to enter the program—and a master of city planning degree from MIT in 1970. Prior to heading to MIT, Gantt joined Odell Associates. On returning to Charlotte, he and Jeffrey Huberman, AIA, established Gantt Huberman Architects in 1971.

Focus on development partnerships
The three-day meeting will focus on mixed-use development and examine a variety of development partnerships. The conference will offer seminars on the issues and problems facing downtown neighborhoods, as well as success stories from those areas, such as revitalizing existing neighborhoods; older, inner-ring suburban development; and new community development.

The conference agenda includes:
• Workshops focused on mixed-use development in Des Moines
• A walking tour of downtown Des Moines
• Workshops and small-group breakout discussions on the broader issues of mixed-use development and various partnership arrangements that have proved successful
• An optional bus tour of the metropolitan area.

Des Moines is a prime example of a small city that is growing rapidly and experiencing a wide range of regional and urban design-related projects and issues. It has more than $1.5 billion committed to construction of downtown projects, including civic buildings; a five-block, landmark-quality downtown open space; signature office buildings; housing; riverfront improvements; and roadway construction/reconstruction.

For more information and updates on the conference, visit www.aia.org/pia/gateway and click on the RUDC conference under "Upcoming Events."

Copyright 2002 The American Institute of Architects. All rights reserved.