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BUSINESS NEWS DETROIT RIVERFRONT CONSERVANCY ANNOUNCES WINNING FIRM OF INTERNATIONAL DESIGN COMPETITION TO REIMAGINE WEST RIVERFRONT PARK The Detroit RiverFront Conservancy announced that New York-based landscape architect firm Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates was selected as the winning firm of its international design competition to transform the 22-acre West Riverfront Park in downtown Detroit into one of the most dynamic public spaces in the world. “This design competition has captured the interest and the imaginations of not only Detroiters, but of people throughout the world,” said Matt Cullen, chairman of the Conservancy’s board of directors. “The creation of West Riverfront Park would be one of the most significant public space projects undertaken in our city’s history. It has the potential to become a world-class gathering place and drive economic growth in Southwest Detroit for generations.” Since the Conservancy opened West Riverfront Park in 2014, it has become a popular destination for Detroiters and tourists who enjoy the park’s wide-open spaces and sweeping views of the Detroit and Windsor skylines. At 22 acres, it is comparable in size to Brooklyn Bridge Park in New York City and Maggie Daley Park in Chicago. “It was love at first sight when I saw the Detroit River,” said Michael Van Valkenburgh, president and CEO of Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates. “I immediately recognized that this new park could draw the city to the water’s edge. My team and I spent a lot of time exploring Detroit and meeting many Detroiters in the process. We’re looking forward to making West Riverfront Park an amazing place.”

MVVA is known worldwide for its creative and unique urban design with projects that include parks, plazas, cultural institutions, colleges and universities, and gardens. Clients include Princeton University, Harvard University, Wellesley College, The Menil Collection and Waterfront Toronto. The firm’s projects have received many significant professional honors for design excellence and for innovation. MVVA’s work with Brooklyn Bridge Park was awarded the Brendan Gill Prize from the Municipal Art Society of New York in 2010, which is given to a work of art that best captures the energy and spirit of New York City. Additionally, the firm was selected as the Firm of the Year by the American Society of Landscape Architects in 2016. Last year, the firm received the Global Award for Excellence from the Urban Land Institute for its work on the Corktown Common Project in Toronto. “This park will have a profound impact on the lives of Detroiters and will be a regional draw for recreation,” said Mark Wallace, president and CEO, the Detroit RiverFront Conservancy. “The work that has brought us to this moment has been one of the most inclusive and transparent processes that has been undertaken in public space design anywhere.” From its launch in 2017, the West Riverfront Park Design Competition has incorporated a unique community-led design process in which the public has been encouraged to share their ideas and input. To date, the Conservancy has held more 20 public meetings on the future of West Riverfront Park. Additionally, the Conservancy created a Community Advisory Team of Detroiters who visited New York, Chicago, and Philadelphia to bring back ideas for the future of West Riverfront Park.

The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation provided a $345,000 grant to make the West Riverfront Park Design Competition possible. The grant comes from the foundation’s “Livable Communities” focus area that seeks to create strong and sustainable communities by supporting parks, trails and green design. “We’re proud to support the design competition and welcome MVVA to this pivotal project for Detroit,” said David Egner, president and CEO of the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation. “Transforming West Riverfront Park into a world-class gathering space allows our community to take a significant step toward revitalizing the entire West Riverfront. This project has the potential to make a significant positive impact that will resonate throughout our region for many decades.” The public first viewed the work of the four firms during formal presentations in February. The presentations were followed by a two week public exhibition at which the models and renderings were on display. The winning firm was selected based on the decision of the jury that the Conservancy assembled for the competition, as well as from feedback during the public exhibition of the models and renderings. “As Detroit’s revitalization continues, one of our guiding principles has been that the riverfront is for everyone, and this design delivers on that promise,” said Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan. “We all remember just over a decade ago when our riverfront was lined with parking lots and cement silos. The fact that four of the best design firms in the world participated in this competition shows just how far our International riverfront has come under the leadership of the Conservancy.”

workforce. Programs such as Health and Safety Committees, Stop Work Authority, near-miss reporting, and blame-free incident investigations empower staff with tools to report and respond to unsafe conditions. So, what is your safety culture? Where do you want to be? Depending on where your firm lies, you may be prone to preventable accidents. Pursuing a resilient safety culture will mitigate risk and improve the workplace. KATE MCGEE is director of health and safety at Pennoni. She can be reached at CMcGee@pennoni.com. “What is your safety culture? Where do you want to be? Depending on where your firm lies, you may be prone to preventable accidents. Pursuing a resilient safety culture will mitigate risk and improve the workplace.”

KATE MCGEE, from page 3

2)Establish clear expectations. In addition to visible com- mitment, leaders must establish clear expectations when it comes to safety. This includes establishing unacceptable levels or risk, lines of authority and responsibility, and safe operat- ing procedures. Expectations and safe work practices should be memorialized in written documents and staff should be well versed in the requirements. Documented training es- tablishes employee understanding. Accountability to these expectations should also be supported through positive and negative consequences. Keep in mind when considering nega- tive consequences for personnel (i.e., disciplinary action), it’s important to first consider what operational factors may have contributed to that person’s actions, rather than defaulting to the convenient response of personnel error. Staff will be resistant to a safety program that appears to unfairly penalize its workers. 3)Provide tools for open communication. Front-line workers and supervisors can be an organization’s best asset for hazard recognition and response. Providing ways to communicate and address safety concerns supports the resiliency of the

THE ZWEIG LETTER May 28, 2018, ISSUE 1250

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