Jim Pettit, a Board member of NEDA (Northeast Development Alliance) since April 2004 has been elected Vice-President of the organization. He is also a member of the Editorial Board of NEDA VOICE, the group’s quarterly news publication. NEDA is a Community Development Corporation (CDC) formed by a partnership of NECO, Good Samaritan Hospital and Morgan State University in 2003. The mission of NEDA is to serve as a catalyst for programs, policies and initiatives that will foster a healthy and vibrant environment for residents, businesses and institutions within the northeast corridor of Baltimore City. It is the intent of NEDA to address long-range planning issues with an emphasis on community involvement in that process.

PAA is pleased to announce the addition of three new staff members to the firm.

Bryan Fisher joined PAA in May 2005, bringing a wide range of historic, institutional, educational and residential experience to the firm. He earned his Master of Architecture degree from the University of Florida while also serving s a Graduate Teaching Assistant, and a Bachelor of Arts in Historic Preservation and Theater from Goucher College.

Lisa Rasmussen joined PAA in July 2005, after earning both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Architecture from Andrews University, with a minor in Spanish. She has a strong interest in historic preservation and urban revitalization.

Anne Mayer rejoined Penza Associates in 2004 after earning her Diplom-Ingenieur Architektur in Berlin, Germany in 2003. She had worked previously for Penza Associates for six months in 2001 as part of an internship degree requirement.
PAA is pleased to have sponsored the 2005 National Main Streets Conference in conjunction with the Maryland Preservation and Revitalization Conference which was held in Baltimore between May 8-1, 2005. This is the second year that PAA has sponsored this event.
Laura Penza is honored to have been selected as one of Maryland's Top 100 Women in 2005 by the Daily Record. Laura was recognized for her professional accomplishments and her remarkable commitment to community service.
Expanding on her interest in architectural lighting, Laura has recently completed three courses in Lighting at the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA): Lighting Methods, Lighting Applications, and Advanced Lighting Applications, with concentration on Residential, Hospitality and Corporate lighting. She has already put some of her knowledge learned to use, and looks forward to applying it further in future projects.
GBA Streetscape Greening and Loyola College Community Outreach Day

September 19th was Loyola College Community Outreach Day, and the GBA worked with many enthusiastic, energetic Loyola College students and community members to kick off some Autumn beautification of our business corridor and neighboring communities.  We are grateful to have received a Baltimore Parks & People Grant for Streetscape Greening, which allowed us to secure many plants and materials for this valuable effort.  
 
The level of student organization is to be commended!  The main areas of improvement, thus far, include preparing the soil and planting perennials in many tree pits from below Coldspring Lane up to Bellona Avenue, including those along Woodbourne Avenue, adding perennials to the planting area along York Road at the Curran Memorial Woodbourne corner, cleaning out and preparing the Bellona Triangle garden for future planting efforts, and improving the plantings at the Tunbridge planter (across from Subway).  GBA is continuing this effort on a weekly basis with assistance of the GBA/CARES youths.

GBA/CARES is a successful joint venture program provided by GBA (Govanstowne Business Association) and CARES (Civic and Religious Emergency Services), which is a division of GEDCO (Govans Ecumenical Development Corporation). This program provides work opportunities for Govans area youths, while also assisting businesses, neighbors, schools and religious organizations with part-time assistance and streetscape maintenance.  GBA supports a weekly street cleanup in an effort to maintain the beautification efforts.
The Govanstowne Business Association initiated the York Road Streetscape Project, a revitalization plan for the York Road corridor, extending from 43rd Street to the City/County line and Phase One, the 5300-5400 blocks of York Road, has been completed and includes plantings and street furniture. This is just around the corner from our office at the intersection of York Road and Woodbourne Avenue.  We are looking forward to the completion of this new streetscape and the next phase (5500-5700 blocks) is in the planning stages at this time.

The York Road Partnership (YRP) is working with the GBA, continuing these efforts, concentrating on the areas between Phases One and Two, in order to revitalize the rest of the York Road corridor.

Laura's involvement in the Govanstowne Business Association (GBA) and The York Road Partnership (YRP) has included working on various projects. One group worked on a Smart Growth Transit Program Application to the State of Maryland. It included enhancing the intersection of York Road and Woodbourne Avenue with attractive fencing and brick piers, plantings, bus shelters and furniture, intended to dovetail with the GBA Streetscape work.

Continuing the improvements on this Memorial corner, Penza Associates Architects is currently working on the redesign of the existing Curran Memorial clock tower, in an effort to rejuvenate the tower when the carillon bells are removed and installed in a new tower at Stadium Place.

The GBA has a new executive director, Reba Hawkins, and is actively promoting facade improvement grant programs as well as other business incentives and opportunities.

We look forward to more projects and a more beautiful streetscape along York Road. Feel free to contact Laura if you should have questions about any of these projects.
©2005 Penza Associates Architects, Inc.