National and International Urban Design Experts Converging on Pittsburgh
PITTSBURGH, PA – June 3, 2015 – (RealEstateRama) — Hundreds of national and international urban design and transportation experts are in Pittsburgh this week and next, following outreach by Mayor William Peduto and collaborations with partners such as Carnegie Mellon University.
The Intelligent Transportation Society of America’s Annual Meeting and Exposition is wrapping up today at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, drawing experts and firms with a global reach on transportation issues. Pittsburgh, working in with partnership with CMU’s Traffic 21 institute, has become a world leader in such systems.
“Pittsburgh was a natural choice to host ITS America’s Annual Meeting,” said Regina Hopper, President and CEO of the Intelligent Transportation Society of America. “Our members are developing technologies to increase road capacity, reduce congestion and improve safety. The city’s commitment to using intelligent transportation to solve its transportation challenges, combined with the unique collaboration between Mayor Peduto and Carnegie Mellon University made the city a perfect venue.”
Today marks the beginning of the three-day Mayor’s Institute on City Design, in which seven mayors from across the country, and eight national design experts, will gather at CMU to discuss urban design challenges. The Institute is holding the meeting in Pittsburgh after Mayor Peduto traveled last year to Louisville, Ky., for MICD meetings where he received advice on the best methods for redeveloping the Strip District.
The MICD is a program by the National Endowment for the Arts, the American Architectural Foundation, and the United States Conference of Mayors that helps transform communities through design.
“We were wowed by Mayor Peduto and his team when we came to research Pittsburgh, and when we saw him again in Louisville. Pittsburgh was an obvious choice to host our next Institute, and we look forward to showing off the city to leaders from around the nation,” said MICD Director Trinity Simons.
Additionally, more than 200 leaders from more than 30 cities are expected next week for the Innovative + Inclusive City workshop hosted by CEOs for Cities. At the two day workshop mayors, university presidents, and foundation, business and nonprofit leaders will discuss ways community leaders can use inclusive economic strategies and cross-sector partnerships to tackle important urban issues in concrete and practical ways.
“We chose to have our national workshop in Pittsburgh because Mayor Peduto took the leadership to form a cross-sector team of leaders to join the CEOs for Cities network. From June 10-12, over 200 leaders from over 30 cities will share the smartest ideas for city success and we’ll showcase the innovative work being done in Pittsburgh under Mayor Peduto’s outstanding leadership” said Lee Fisher, President and CEO of CEOs for Cities.
The estimated direct business sales from the Intelligent Transportation Society of America annual meeting and the CEOs for Cities workshop total more than $2 million for the city’s economy, according to VisitPITTSBURGH figures. The ITSA is generating $1,896,518 and CEOs for Cities $176,823.
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