Pub. 2 2019 Directory

7 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE “One key to helping us do our best work and to addressing the affordable housing crisis is to get Reno’s new zoning code right. It’s vitally important that the new code be simplified to help speed the approval of desirable projects.” BY AUDREY DE LA CRUZ, AIA, LEED AP, CHAPTER PRESIDENT 2 019 has been a busy and successful year for AIANN, from the way-too-much-fun design awards gala to record earnings for our scholarship funds and CANstruction. The chapter leadership and volunteers worked hard to realize our organization’s core purpose of communicating the value of great architecture: DESIGN MATTERS. As we are all aware, northern Nevada is still enjoying economic boom times. While the booming economy is undoubtedly a great thing, it does come with challenges. How do we balance the plentiful work with doing our best work? How do we find the staff to do the work? Most urgently in our area, how can we help solve the affordable housing crisis? While there are no single answers to these questions, I believe there is no substitute for sitting down with other architects to “talk shop” and share our experiences. Each member of our organization has a unique set of knowledge and skills that, when shared, can bring us to solutions that benefit our profession and community. AIA membership has many tangible benefits, but it has been my experience that the real power in our organization is in bringing the design community together. If two heads are better than one, then what can dozens do? I’m very thankful that this chapter has given me a place to learn from my fellow practitioners, and I am sure many of you feel the same. One key to helping us do our best work and to addressing the affordable housing crisis is to get Reno’s new zoning code right. It’s vitally important that the new code be simplified to help speed the approval of desirable projects. In my opinion, the new code should allow for greater density and flexibility for residential and mixed-use projects in our inner neighborhoods, which would help support revitalization and infill development. With the new code slated to be finalized in early 2020, the time to make our voices heard is now. The AIANN advocacy committee has been working with the City of Reno to positively impact the rewrite. I encourage anyone reading this to become informed and engaged in the process. You can start by visiting the City of Reno website to see draft documentation and sign up for updates. You can also attend a community meeting, or you can send in your feedback. Please share your opinions or issues with the our Board of Directors or, better yet, JOIN the advocacy committee. I’d be remiss if I didn’t give a few shout outs to the folks who keep our chapter running. Donna Koepp has been our excellent office manager for many years. She is the organization’s memory and cornerstone. We’d be lost without her. Thank you, Donna! Our superstar is Clare Christensen, with Clark/Sullivan Construction. In the two years that she’s been with the board, she’s made huge improvements to our communications and, most importantly, taken on the creation of the yearly publication that you are currently reading. We appreciate your dedication and energy so much. Thank you! Lastly, I’d like to thank all the members of the executive committee who volunteer their time to make our chapter happen. They are a wonderful bunch of people who strive all year to provide the membership opportunities for education, comradery, networking, visibility, and more. We’ll make 2020 even better than 2019 has been! Speaking of making 2019 better, the best way for us to become all we can be is for members to engage. The Board of Directors would love to hear from you and would love you to volunteer your time even more. In particular, AIANN would like to engage more with area high schools and institutions of higher education. We just need a few members with a passion for education who want to make an impact on students and help build the talent pool in northern Nevada. Could that be you? Lets talk! Lastly, I’d like to congratulate the recipients of this year’s design awards. There is a lot of excellent design going on in our community, and we are thrilled to share it here in this publication. b