Reminder: Green Drinks TOMORROW! Coffee Underground 6:15pm!
Victor Chen
Have you ever admired some of the awesomely designed spaces in and around the downtown area? Nicely placed tree canopies? Beautiful sections of the Swamp Rabbit Trail? Dangerous high traffic thoroughfares transformed to being more bicycle and pedestrian friendly??
If you are, you're in luck! This month's presenter is one of the brains behind these wonderful things (like Bikeville), yet often under-appreciated things that contribute so much to our quality of life and sense of community in Greenville. Come out and say hello to the City of Greenville's Senior Landscape Architect, meet some lovely folks, and see what he has to talk about!
Hope to see you there!
Kind regards,
Victor
P.S. I've copy/pasted Andrew's formal bio below, for posterity's sake, in case you're curious!
Andrew is a registered Landscape Architect for the City of Greenville’s Parks and Recreation Department. After graduating from the University of Florida’s Department of Landscape Architecture in 2002, he spent several years in the private sector working with a variety of clients and projects.
Since joining the City in 2005, Andrew has served the Greenville community in a variety of aspects. He has project managed several large-scale master planning efforts and also performs numerous “in-house” design-build projects. Andrew managed the City’s Landscape Ordinance update in 2011, which significantly increased the required amount of greenspace and tree canopy in developments and parking lots. www.greenvillesc.gov/PlanningZoning/landscaping.aspx He has also managed the design and constructed of several sections of the Swamp Rabbit Trail as well as multiple on-street bikeway facility projects throughout the City. Additionally, Andrew was project manager for the Downtown Streetscape Master Plan and is actively working on the implementation of several streetscape projects included in the 10-miles of the project. www.greenvillesc.gov/PlanningZoning/DSMP.aspx
Andrew is fortunate enough to integrate a personal passion for bicycles into his daily work as a landscape architect. In 2006, Andrew initiated the City’s effort to earn a Bicycle Friendly Community (BFC) designation from the League of American Bicyclists. Through the BFC program, Bikeville (www.bikeville.org) was born, which is a 15-member volunteer committee of local advocates, professionals, and stakeholders that work towards Greenville’s bicycle friendly initiatives. After years of support by Greenville City Council and countless hours by dedicated volunteers, Greenville was awarded a “Bronze” Bicycle Friendly Community designation in 2009. Andrew, Bikeville, and the City are already working on several projects and programs for a Silver or Gold BFC re-designation by 2013. One of these initiatives includes the City’s first ever comprehensive Bicycle Master Plan that was completed in 2011 and adopted by City Council. www.bikeville.org/masterplan