Meadville, Pa. – Oct. 2, 2007 – Community planner Stephen Goldsmith will speak on “Community Improvements: Best Possibilities on the Individual, Neighborhood and Regional Levels” on Monday, Oct. 8 at 7:30 p.m. in the Tillotson Room of the Tippie Alumni Center at Allegheny College.
The talk, which is free and open to the public, will provide relevant examples from other communities that might assist the Crawford County region in planning and implementation programs.
Prior to the talk, Goldsmith will tour the region and visit sites such as the Meadville Area Industrial Commission, Crawford County Industrial Park, the County Farm/Home and areas in downtown Meadville. His conversation with local leaders and citizens will focus on revitalization and building reuse efforts.
Goldsmith is the co-founder of the Center for the Living City at Purchase College. In addition, he served as director of the Enterprise Community Partners’ Frederick P. Rose Architectural Fellowship, which supports young architects and community-based organizations in low-income communities.
Goldsmith is also the founder of Artspace, a nationally known nonprofit corporation that develops living and work spaces, childcare space, educational facilities and office space for other nonprofit agencies.
Formerly the planning director for Salt Lake City, he was the first artist/planning director appointed in a major city in the U.S.
Goldsmith has ties to Meadville through his involvement with the placement of Steven Utz, who was a Rose Fellow, in a residency in Meadville working with the Crawford County Coalition on Housing Needs. He is also a member of the national advisory board for Allegheny College's Center for Economic and Environmental Development.
The visit is sponsored in part through Allegheny’s participation in the Core Commitments program of the Association of American Colleges and Universities. Allegheny was one of only 28 schools nationwide invited to join the Core Commitments Leadership Consortium. The Core Commitments program explores how higher education can foster engaged citizenship, teach personal and social responsibility, encourage a respect for diversity, cultivate excellence and implement programs that support community engagement.
