LA Metro's Official Blog

Please check out the official blog of LA Metro. It is called The Source and currently has up to date information on the new Gold Line extension opening November 15th.

http://thesource2.metro.net/

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Planning Resources on Twitter

Richard Florida (urbanist and economist)

LA Streets Blog (transportation news)

BLDGBLOG (architecture musings)

World Changing (green musings)

Next American City (planning magazine)

TransitRiderOC

blogdowntown

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Transit Forum Nov. 12th

High Speed Transit Forum
Design's Impact on High Speed Rail, Maglev Trains and Personal Rapid Transit

Thursday, November 12, 2009 6-8 P.M.
Brown Chapel, Point Loma Nazarene University, San Diego, California

http://www.designinnovationinstitute.org/transitforum.html

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One of the most beautiful images I've seen in a while

INHABITAT GREEN TALK WEBINAR with GAVIN NEWSOM, Wed. 12 pm, Rm. 306

Conference Room 306 at noon. Bring lunch!


From Inhabitat:

CALLING ALL SAN FRANCISCANS & those of you who want to green your cities!

We’re interviewing San Francisco mayor GAVIN NEWSOM next Wednesday the 28th at 12pm PST, and we’re inviting YOU to join us next for this live webcast conversation with the country’s greenest mayor! Join us to find out more about groundbreaking energy projects, mandatory composting, and how San Francisco got to be the greenest city in the U.S!

As cities around the globe strive to become more sustainable, Mayor Newsom has led the charge in San Francisco towards cutting-edge transportation projects, groundbreaking initiatives in waste reduction, such as mandatory composting, and major advances in alternative energy. He’s also a forerunner in the race to be California’s next governor, which makes this a CAN’T MISS opportunity to talk with him about the future of the golden state! We’ll be interviewing Mayor Gavin Newsom next Wednesday at 12pm PST about all of these exciting projects and we want you to participate in the conversation, so sign up today!

We’ll be compiling a list of reader questions to ask Gavin, so if you have any queries about the policies, projects, and initiatives that stand to shape the sustainability of our cities, please submit them to us in the comments below, as soon as possible!

Upcoming Film Screenings

The Orange County Film Society, in affiliation with the Newport Beach Film Festival, is screening two films next week that urban planners may find tantalizing:

8p,Wed., Oct 28
Documenting the City: Beijing
$10 online, Regency South Coast [map below]

Films, including documentaries, have done much to shape American and Chinese perceptions of each other. Beginning in 2006, USC and Beijing’s Communication University of China launched a program to have student filmmakers collaborate in exploring Los Angeles and Beijing. Each summer since seven students from one school have traveled to the other school and spent summer working with their counterparts to produce short documentaries on Los Angeles and Beijing as global cities. See samples of these films as USC professors Mark Jonathan Harris and Johanna Demetrakas and their students from USC present and comment the work following the screening.


View Larger Map

8p, Thurs., Oct 29
Infinite Space: The Architecture of John Lautner
Free, Orange County Museum of Art [map below]

In conjunction with The Moving Image: Scan to Screen, Pixel to Projection and H-Box, the Orange County Film Society is screening films about art, architecture, and design. This film traces the lifelong quest of visionary genius John Lautner to create "architecture that has no beginning and no end." His life was marked by innovation and inspiration, and finally monumental achievement.


View Larger Map

Leave a comment if you're interested and UPSA will arrange carpool.

Hollywood Community Studio Grand Opening 10/15

The Hollywood Community Studio is a research and resource center dedicated to serving and planning with the local community of Hollywood. It is home to the Human Development Overlay Districtproject (HD-OD), which researches the physical and social changes taking place in Hollywood. The project also uses cutting-edge technology to create a multi-dimensional information base and portrait of Hollywood that will be accessible to the public. HD-OD is a project of the Environmental Simulation Center with funding from the Ford Foundation and local support by the Community Redevelopment Agency of Los Angeles.

Hollywood Community Studio

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Hip-Hop's Effect on New York

Joe Conzo gets misty eyed when he recalls his teenage years in the South Bronx.

In those days, taking pictures was his hobby - one which led to him photographing black and Latino youths dancing to a new type of music, with its own distinctive forms of dance and art. The scene would later be christened hip-hop.

more from BBC News...

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LEED Gold Arc Award

It’s UCI’s fifth new construction project to merit the U.S. Green Building Council rating

UC Irvine’s Anteater Recreation Center expansion has earned LEED NC Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings. Gold certification is the second-highest rating possible, and “NC” signifies that the project met standards for new construction.

Expansion of the state-of-the-art sports and fitness complex was completed in September 2008, increasing the facility’s size from 89,000 square feet to 115,000 square feet, including 10,000 square feet for weight training, two additional activity rooms, a demonstration kitchen, and a wellness center with massage, exercise testing and Pilates reformers.

“Both functionally and energy-efficient, this new space seamlessly blends with the original building. This is a great addition to student life and a wonderful way to mark the Anteater Recreation Center’s 10-year anniversary in January 2010,” said Jill Schindele, director of campus recreation.

The project won LEED Gold certification for a number of green design and construction features, including:

• Outperforming California’s Energy Code (Title 24) by 25 percent;
• Obtaining more than 70 percent of the center’s electricity from renewable sources;
• Using 43 percent less water (at least 96,000 gallons annually) than a conventional facility; and
• Diverting 75 percent of construction waste (more than 200 tons) from landfills.

“I am delighted with this accomplishment and how well our efforts merge with UCI students’ recent Green Initiative for sustainable projects that reduce the campus’s carbon footprint,” said Manuel Gómez, vice chancellor for student affairs.

This is the fifth new construction venture at UCI to receive LEED Gold certification. Previously recognized were the Palo Verde II student apartments, the Anteater Instruction & Research Building, the Student Center and Donald Bren Hall.

“We are so pleased that our artfully and sustainably designed recreation center expansion has earned LEED Gold certification,” said Wendell Brase, vice chancellor for administrative & business services. “Our success in achieving this rating belongs to the many members of our community who gave their time, expertise and passion to this project.”

http://today.uci.edu/news/nr_leedgoldarc_090916.php

WTS-LA Upcoming Event

WTS-LA upcoming Metro event “*Strategic Partnering for
Success*” at the City Club on Bunker Hill on October 29, 2009 from 5:30-7:00
pm.

Check out their website for more info

Dia De Los Muertos Event!!

You have to rsvp!!

Saturday, Movie on the Lawn: The Dark Knight (PG-13) @ the Great Park

This Saturday!

Free Admission.

Parking $8 (Carpool!)

Take your blanket...it's getting cold.

The Piano Staircase

A very clever way to promote walking and ditch escalators.

First Fall Quarter UPSA Meeting!!

Be there!

What: UPSA Meeting
Where: SE I ..it's the room next to the lab. You will hear Matt's loud voice (lol)
Why: Discuss cool stuff..like APA New Orleans. Social Events..and.Philanthropy (if you're into that)

When: TODAY at 5pm!

2010 National Planning Conference

2010 National Planning Conference
Poster Presentation Proposal Submissions
Saturday, April 10 – Tuesday, April 13, 2010 • New Orleans

Deadline: October 13, 2009 (student members of APA)

Poster Presentations and Exhibits

Poster presentations highlight individual presentations on planning research, case studies, and planning projects. Members of APA and non-members of APA may submit poster presentation proposals. Student members of APA are invited to submit student poster proposals. Student posters are reviewed separately from general posters. All posters are displayed in the exhibit hall Saturday through Tuesday, with a special time on Monday for informal discussion with attendees.
APA members and APA student members should follow the instructions under "APA Members." Non-members may follow the instructions under "Non-Members of APA." Non-member students must submit by August 18 with the general poster proposals. Please read the instructions carefully.

Guidelines
Posters must be shaped for a planner and planning official audience. Here are some important tips:

Posters are educational and cannot be a promotion of a product, service, or organization.
Posters will focus on research, a case study, project, or program.
Posters are an ideal venue for single presenters or planning research.
Non-members should familiarize themselves with the APA and the work of planners before you submit; study the APA website.