The master plan for Portland’s historic South Park Blocks received an ORPA Planning Award in recognition of outstanding planning practices and processes. We are proud to have been a part of the complex planning process for this beloved downtown green space.
The South Park Blocks Master Plan develops a long-term concept for the park’s physical rehabilitation as well as a tree succession strategy to improve the resilience of the park’s iconic trees. The recommended design respects the park’s historic character while addressing accessibility and equity considerations throughout. On the MIG-led project, Mayer/Reed provided plaza planning and alignment for the Green Loop that weaves additional pedestrian and bicycle capacity along the park.
City leaders, design team members and the public celebrated the groundbreaking of the first in a series of construction projects to revitalize St. Helens’ waterfront. The November 2nd event marked the start of construction for what’s known as the Streets and Utilities Extension project which will pave the way for future phases of public and private redevelopment of former industrial sites along the Columbia riverfront. Mayer/Reed worked with Otak on this initial phase which extends First and Strand streets. The street extensions feature welcoming, pedestrian-friendly amenities that will interface with a future mixed-use neighborhood and the Mayer/Reed-designed riverwalk which is set for construction in 2023.
Mayer/Reed principal and owner, Kathy Fry, has been recognized as a Women of Vision Awards Honoree by the Oregon Daily Journal of Commerce (DJC). The award honors women who are shaping the built environment in Oregon and Southwest Washington via technical skill, leadership, mentorship, community involvement and promotion of industry diversity. The DJC celebrated the honorees during an October 26th event at Portland’s Sentinel Hotel.
“It’s an honor to be recognized and inspired by the amazing women with whom I share this year’s award,” says Kathy. “These women are shaping the local AE community and creating opportunities for future generations.”
In her role as principal of Mayer/Reed’s visual communications group, Kathy is known for her strong leadership in design, business operations and mentoring. She has been recognized with design awards by the Society for Experiential Graphic Design (SEGD) and the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA). Clients and design partners value her vision, collaborative approach and her ability to engage larger teams in project development. With a belief in an inclusive and collaborative design process, Kathy builds trust and empathy through thought provoking questions, leading with the “why” before the “what” and “how” of a design solution. She has pushed the studio’s approach to workshops and information gathering to consider inequalities relating to gender, identity, neurodiversity, privilege along with physical ability.
As the second-generation of women ownership, Kathy continues the firm’s legacy by providing opportunity for disadvantaged professionals. She spearheaded Mayer/Reed’s diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) program and led an internal process to review and restructure firm practices to recognize and reduce ingrained bias and establish policies that promote diversity. Along with this, she strives to provide an emotionally genuine and humble example as she makes space for ongoing learning and personal growth within the firm.
Kathy is dedicated to mentoring within the Mayer/Reed studio and with design partners, paying forward the guidance she received early in her career. Outside of the studio she has donated her time to academic mentoring, providing architecture and graphic design students opportunities for advice, critique and studio visits as they prepare for their careers.
Committed to advancing the profession, Kathy is deeply involved in SEGD, serving on the Board of Directors Executive Committee as both vice president and her current role as president.
Principal Jeramie Shane, ASLA is participating in a panel discussion, “Climate Responsive Urban Design Concepts” at the Oregon Chapter of the American Planning Association (OAPA) Annual Planning Conference in Pendleton on October 28th.
He joins Tim Smith, Erin Reome and Margaret Raimann (SERA Architects), Fiona Lyon (TriMet) and Brian Campbell, FAICP for an informal exploration of development types that would meet the new state CFEC rules for well-functioning but more dense communities. They’ll provide real-world examples of how these areas can be developed in concert with their surroundings while meeting the climate and equity objectives of the new rules.
