In this issue:
· Roundup: Grassroots Legislative and Leadership Conference
· ContextContrast Exhibition, Programming Travel to DC
· AIANY Welcomes New Policy Director

Roundup: Grassroots Legislative and Leadership Conference

AIA New York Chapter leadership joined peers from around the country for the 2010 Grassroots Legislative and Leadership Conference, 02.03-05.10 in Washington, DC. Along with workshops, keynote addresses, and inspiring political speeches from ArchiPAC leaders and government officials (see Rhetorically Speaking), AIANY made its way to Capitol Hill for the AIA’s annual Lobby Day.

The agenda for Lobby Day was presented as a literal blueprinted poster, the Blueprint for Economic Recovery. The document, crafted by AIA National, outlined five major agenda items with tangible action items: helping struggling communities rebuild by supporting community development block grants; making credit more accessible for construction projects to initiate more architecture commissions; encouraging green building by increasing the Efficient Commercial Building Tax Deduction from the current $1.80 per-square-foot to $3 per-foot; providing economic relief to small employers by reducing COBRA requirements; and encouraging the modernization and renovation of America’s schools for the 21st century. Leaders from the AIANY Chapter joined their colleagues to visit Senators and Congressional representatives from their states and districts. The New Yorkers paid visits to the offices of Congresswomen Carolyn Maloney and Nydia Velazquez, Congressmen Charles Rangel and Jerrold Nadler, and Senators Charles E. Schumer and Hillary Clinton.

ContextContrast Exhibition, Programming Travel to DC
The exhibition “ContextContrast: New Architecture in Historic Districts, 1967-2009” traveled to Washington, DC, and was installed at the AIA National Headquarters. The exhibition opening, on02.04.10, coincided with the AIA Open House, during the Grassroots Conference. Next Wednesday, 03.03.10, AIANY, with AIA|DC, and AIA National, will host a program entitled “Panel Discussion on New Architecture in Historic Neighborhoods,” with leading preservationists, government officials, and architects from both Washington, DC, and New York. AIA President George Miller, FAIA, stated: “I am excited for our nation’s architectural and political leaders to see how New York has successfully addressed this ever-present issue. We can all learn from ‘ContextContrast’s’ examples.” AIANY and the New York Landmarks Preservation Commission, which supported the installation in Washington, are planning to travel the exhibition to other venues.

AIANY Welcomes New Policy Director
This week Jay Bond joined AIANY as the Chapter’s new policy director. Bond, who previously served as the Senior Policy Advisor for the NYC Council’s Land Use Committee Chair, and has experience working with the Queens Borough President and the New York State Assembly, will be spearheading the Chapter’s advocacy efforts, local legislative agenda, and relations with city government. Bond is reachable at jbond@aiany.org and 212-358-6116.