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Nothing changed. We did: What parks projects have taught me about community value

07/22/2026 Voice Tagged Under: Landscape Architecture, Planning, Public Places

By Tim Bargainer, Senior Vice President at RVi Planning + Landscape Architecture

In 1998 I was sitting with a man who had been the mayor of Round Rock for the better part of a decade and he was still giving the city his time on the transportation board. We were talking about the future of the community, the way people who genuinely care about a place do, and somewhere in the middle of it I brought up the Brushy Creek corridor. I said I thought the corridor could one day be one of the finest park and trail assets the community would ever own.

I believed that completely. I was also, I should admit, the youngest and probably the most idealistic person at the table.

He heard me out. He wasn’t a dismissive man, and this was not a dismissive answer. He told me, more or less, what a lot of people who had actually run a city would have told me then. Parks were good and worthy things. But the town had bigger needs first. It needed water. It needed roads. It needed to keep up with growth that was already coming whether anyone was ready or not. A linear park along the creek was a lovely idea. It just wasn’t essential.

At the time, I didn’t have an answer to that, at least not one that could move him. I believed the creek was worth more than that. I just couldn’t show him why. Not in the terms that decision would have been made in, anyway.

For over twenty-five years I’ve thought about that conversation from time to time and I’ve come to believe it was never really about a park along a creek. It was about a single word. Essential.

Every community has to decide what it can’t do without. That decision comes first, before any budget, and everything else lines up behind it. When he said parks were a quality-of-life item, he wasn’t telling me they had no value, he was telling me where they fell in the order of things. Essential on one side. Everything else on the other. And that idea, however much I loved it, was on the other side.

He wasn’t wrong to see it that way. He was describing the world as nearly everyone understood it then. Water and roads were infrastructure. Parks were what you got to once the essentials were covered. That was the real limit in the room that day, and it wasn’t his imagination or mine. It was the language itself.

A way to say it out loud

One of the first things that really started to change my mind was a study.

An economist named Ray Perryman put numbers to what a lot of us had felt for years and couldn’t prove. He looked at parks and open space and measured what they did to the things a city council actually votes on. Property values. Local spending. The tax base. When the report came out, I remember the feeling more than any single figure. It wasn’t that parks suddenly mattered. We already knew they mattered. It was that, for the first time, the value we’d been sensing had a language a budget could hear.

That’s a smaller thing than a revelation and a larger thing than a statistic. It didn’t change the parks. It changed the conversation. A park could now be argued for in the same terms as a road, in the same room, in front of the same people. Research didn’t create the value of parks. It simply helped us recognize value that had always been there.

Then came a flood

The next thing that really started to change my mind didn’t come from a study. It came from a flood.

I was working on a park that sat low in the floodplain like so many do. Memorial Park, on Brushy Creek. It wasn’t the kind of place you typically build on. It flooded. In the old way of thinking, that was its weakness. The reason it was a park and not something more valuable was that it wouldn’t have been good for much else.

Then a major storm blew through, the kind that used to be fairly rare but just really isn’t anymore. I went to look at it afterward. The park was submerged in water. The trails, the fields, all of it, disappeared beneath a slow brown sheet moving through where the ballgames used to be.

And the Flats, the old neighborhood downstream in downtown Round Rock, was still dry.

I don’t remember how long I stood there, but I remember exactly what changed. I began to truly understand something I had known on paper for years and had never really felt. The park wasn’t leftover land that happened to flood. The park was doing a job. It was holding the storm so the Flats didn’t have to. Every acre of it under water was an acre of somebody’s living room that stayed dry. The thing we’d thought of as “useless land” was the entire point.

No one had funded that park to protect those homes. We’d built it for ballfields and trails, and it had been quietly doing something far larger the whole time, without being asked and without being thanked. I had spent years making the case for parks on the basis of what people could do in them. Standing at the edge of that water, I started to understand them by what they do for us whether we ask them to or not.

Seeing the whole picture

After that, I noticed I started asking different questions.

I stopped asking only what was in a park and started asking what it was part of. A stand of old trees stopped being landscaping and became shade over a Texas summer that gets longer every year, which is another way of saying it became public health. A trail stopped being a place to jog and became a way for a kid to get to school without crossing four lanes of traffic. None of this was new. The trees had always thrown shade. The path had always gone from one place to another. What changed was that I finally saw them as part of how a community works, instead of nice things set on top of it.

Looking back, I couldn’t tell you the day my perspective actually changed. It happened gradually, almost without me noticing.

Early on I thought in terms of projects. A park here. A trail there. Each one its own thing, argued on its own terms, defended in its own line of the budget. Over time I stopped seeing them that way. A park isn’t one thing doing one job. It’s a piece of ground doing a dozen jobs at once, most of which nobody is counting. It cools the air and holds the water and moves the children and lifts the houses around it and gives a place its name, all at the same time.

When I say we learned to value these places differently, I don’t mean the parks became more important. I mean our understanding became larger. Recreation was still there. We simply began to recognize that these same places could strengthen our economy, protect our neighborhoods, improve our health, restore habitat, and quietly hold communities together in ways we hadn’t fully appreciated.

Seeing it differently

If I could sit with that man again, I don’t think I’d tell him he was wrong. I don’t think he was.

He asked the right question. What can a growing town afford, and what actually counts as essential? That question never goes away. Every community has to answer it, in every generation, with whatever understanding it happens to have at the time. What’s changed since 1998 isn’t the question. It’s the size of the answer. We know more now, because floods and heat and studies and over twenty-five years of paying attention have taught us more. An idea that couldn’t cross the line into essential back then can cross it easily today, and nobody at the table would blink.

The Brushy Creek Regional Trail came a couple of years after that conversation, and today it’s still evolving. I don’t say that as a victory. I say it because it’s true, and because it makes the point better than any argument I could build. Nothing about the creek changed. We did.

Which leaves me with a harder thought, if the worth of that creek was real long before we had the words to defend it, then there is almost certainly something we undervalue right now for the very same reason. Something already doing quiet work for our communities that we haven’t yet learned to measure, or even to name. I don’t know what it is. That’s the point. He couldn’t see the full worth of the creek, and I’m not at all sure I can see whatever the creek is now.

A hopeful lesson

So I try to hold my certainty a little more loosely than I once did.

The parks never changed. The creek corridor was worth exactly what it was worth on the afternoon I first brought it up. What changed was us. We learned, slowly and usually the hard way, to recognize what these places had been giving us all along. When I sit with that, it strikes me as a hopeful thing. It means a community is capable of understanding more than it once did. It means the next generation will inherit a wider idea of value than we did and will hand down a wider one still.

Nothing changed. We did.

Tim Bargainer has spent over thirty years working with communities as a planner and landscape architect. These essays are his attempt to think out loud about how we come to understand the value of the places we share. You can find more of Tim’s essays here Tim Bargainer | Substack

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Project Spotlight: Elizabeth Morse Genius Children’s Garden

07/14/2026 Project Spotlight Tagged Under: Landscape Architecture, Planning, Public Places

Creating lifelong connections with nature through immersive play at the historic Garfield Park Conservatory

For more than a century, the Garfield Park Conservatory has provided Chicago residents with a place to experience nature, regardless of the season. In an urban neighborhood with limited access to green space, the Conservatory serves as an urban oasis and beloved community resource, welcoming visitors year-round to explore and learn.

For children, the most meaningful connections with nature often come through experience, not just observation. Building on that mission, the Elizabeth Morse Genius Children’s Garden blends environmental education, inclusive play, and immersive storytelling in an indoor play environment that invites children and families to engage with nature firsthand.

Housed within the Garfield Park Conservatory’s century-old glass exterior, among acres of exotic botanical environments, the Children’s Garden challenged our designers to balance delicate architectural preservation with universal accessibility, all while accounting for tropical climate conditions in the heart of the Midwest.

Environmental learning through play

When children and families arrive at the Garden, they’re welcomed into a vibrant world of discovery and movement. More than just a playground, the experience reimagines the Conservatory through the eyes of a child, where climbing, exploring, creating, and imagining become pathways to learning about the natural world.

Learning came first. Before designing the play elements, before navigating the challenges of building within a historic glass structure, the RVi team worked alongside the Conservatory’s education staff to define a set of educational objectives for every garden room that visitors would encounter, and then create the experiences through active play, sensory exploration, art, and interpretive, interactive exhibits.

“We had to think about what we wanted kids to learn, and that helped us frame the experiences for each space,” says Lacey Lawrence, Director at RVi.

The resulting play experiences were woven into a plant palette created by RVi and sourced from across the U.S., creating learning opportunities that felt inseparable from the surrounding gardens.

Visitors learn about plant roots, ecosystems, soil types, and insects by digging in soil, examining underground cross-sections, and crawling through an underground tunnel in the Beneath the Surface area. The Curiosity Canopy invites children to gain an elevated view of the Conservatory gardens by climbing a net structure 20 feet in the air and engaging with others. The Understory section encourages gross motor skills while teaching about the movement of vines and plant support systems with a spiral caterpillar slide and a pitcher plant perch. For quieter moments, the Arbor Alcove provides a calming space where children can recharge before continuing their exploration.

Nature-inspired play elements complement the botanical surroundings and blur the line between play environment and conservatory, where oversized fungi, fallen logs, giant leaves, and custom play structures like the “High-biscus Climber”—modeled after the hibiscus flower—connect children and families with the landscape.

These are just a few examples of more than 30 individual learning objectives and play activities spread across six separate garden rooms and organized around a central Base Camp Explorer theme. The journey begins the moment visitors set foot in the Children’s Garden, equipped with maps and tools for the adventure. And with free, year-round access to the tropical environments you wouldn’t typically find in Chicago, the journey and learning can continue indefinitely.

Building within a living landmark

Originally constructed in 1908, the Garfield Park Conservatory is an iconic Chicago landmark designed by renowned landscape architect Jens Jensen. As one of the largest and most recognizable conservatories in the nation, it pioneered Jensen’s vision of “landscape art under glass.”

Today, it stands as a beloved community destination, providing year-round access to more than two acres of tropical indoor gardens. With a glass canopy reaching 65 feet at its peak, designing play environments within the dense gardens presented unique challenges to the RVi team. And building it within a historic, glass-paneled structure added a new layer of complexity.

“Working inside a living historic landmark is very different than designing a typical park or playground,” says Lawrence. “We had to think beyond the play environment itself and consider how every decision would affect the building, the gardens, and the visitor experience.”

Typical demolition methods weren’t an option. “We couldn’t touch the building at all, and historic buildings weren’t designed for modern construction equipment, so we had to get creative,” Lawrence explains. In addition to protecting the building, this meant preserving the delicate plant life within the Conservatory. With construction occurring through winter in Chicago, exposure to the harsh temperatures could have been catastrophic.

To access the interior, the team built a temperature-controlled enclosure for staging, while crews carefully navigated the space constraints of the landmark structure.

In addition to its impacts on construction methods, the high-humidity climate meant designing an indoor play environment to outdoor specifications. The moisture can accelerate degradation and create slippery, unsafe play surfaces for children.

“We essentially had to design for the outdoors, indoors,” explains Lawrence.

This required careful selection of materials, finishes, and hardware that could withstand constant moisture, resist corrosion, and provide safe footing for children in a tropical environment. Every detail was evaluated for long-term durability while remaining visually consistent with the Conservatory’s lush, historic setting.

Designed for every child

Garfield Park represents a historically underserved community where continued investment in public spaces and community amenities plays an important role in supporting residents and families. With growing research demonstrating that access to nature supports physical, psychological, and social well-being, the Conservatory offers free admission 365 days a year for Chicago residents, providing a place where families can connect with nature and one another.

The Conservatory believes that access to nature is a fundamental right. The Children’s Garden furthers this mission by engaging the younger generations through accessible, inclusive, and culturally relevant play experiences. It offers opportunities for children of all cognitive, sensory, and physical abilities to explore, learn, and discover together, ensuring every family can participate in the wonder of the Conservatory.

“It was important to the Conservatory to be leaders in inclusive nature-based play,” said Lawrence. “Every component of the space considered accessibility. Our goal was to create a place where every child feels welcome.” A dedicated sensory-friendly area and wheelchair-accessible spiral ramp are among the most visible features, but inclusive design decisions are woven throughout the facility—from the colors and fonts on signage to the layout of pathways, play opportunities, and seating areas that support a wide range of physical, cognitive, and sensory needs.

Inspiring lifelong connection with nature

The Elizabeth Morse Children’s Garden at the Garfield Park Conservatory opened its doors to the public in May 2026.

“It’s so rewarding to see the smiles, hear the laughter, and watch families make the space their own,” says Lawrence. “When you spend years designing something like this, you hope it resonates. Seeing the Conservatory’s vision come to life—and the community embracing it—is what makes the project so meaningful.”

Every child who climbs into the canopy, discovers an unfamiliar plant, or simply spends an afternoon immersed in nature leaves with something more valuable than a memory. They leave with a relationship to the natural world. And for many families, that’s exactly where lifelong curiosity begins.

Photography: Scott Hargis Photography www.scotthargisphoto.com

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Employee Spotlight: Director of Parks + Recreation Lacey Lawrence on her passion for creating meaningful parks and public places

07/10/2026 People Tagged Under: Landscape Architecture, Public Places

In celebration of National Park and Recreation Month, this month’s Employee Spotlight features RVi’s Director of Parks + Recreation, Lacey Lawrence, who is based in our Naperville, Illinois office. In this Q&A, Lacey shares her passion for creating parks and public spaces that connect people, strengthen communities, and inspire a lifelong appreciation for the natural world.

With more than 20 years of experience planning parks, trails, and recreation spaces, Lacey combines collaboration, environmental stewardship, and technical expertise to create places where people and nature thrive together.

What first inspired you to pursue a career in landscape architecture, and what drew you specifically to parks, recreation, and environmental planning?

I’ve always loved being outdoors—hiking, camping, kayaking—and I also had a creative side that loved drawing and design. I explored a variety of career paths before starting college in Forestry and working as a Natural Resource Specialist with the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. While I enjoyed the environmental focus, I realized I wanted a career that combined nature, creativity, engineering, and design. An academic advisor suggested landscape architecture, and it immediately clicked. It brought together everything I was passionate about and ultimately led me to parks, recreation, and environmental planning, where I can help connect communities with nature through thoughtful design.

Exploring the outdoors with her family reminds Lacey why creating parks and public spaces that connect people with nature is so meaningful.

Looking back on your career, was there a particular project, mentor, or experience that confirmed you had chosen the right profession?

The experience that had the biggest impact on me was participating in my university’s study abroad program. Spending nine weeks traveling through Europe and studying iconic landscape architecture expanded my world and perspective immensely. But what stayed with me most wasn’t just the landscapes, it was experiencing different cultures and their ways of life.

Seeing how different countries design and care for their public spaces, while also experiencing their history, traditions, and daily life, gave me a much deeper appreciation for the connection between people and place. It sparked a lifelong love of travel and learning, and it continues to influence how I approach design today. It reminded me that every community has its own unique story, and great landscapes should reflect and celebrate that identity.

National Park and Recreation Month celebrates the spaces that bring communities together. In your view, what makes a park or public space truly successful?

A successful park/public space is one that becomes part of people’s everyday lives. It’s a place where children create memories, neighbors gather, families celebrate milestones, and individuals find moments of respite. You know a park is successful when it feels like it belongs to the community, when people return time and again, because it has become part of their routine and identity. The best parks/public spaces aren’t defined by their amenities or iconic design; they’re defined by the experiences and memories they help create.

Leo Creek Preserve, an outdoor learning laboratory, nature preserve and botanical garden in Suttons Bay, Michigan continues to inspire the way Lacey approaches design

What is one park, trail, or recreation project you’ve worked on that had a particularly meaningful impact on the surrounding community?

One project that stands out is the Elizabeth Morse Genius Children’s Garden at the Garfield Park Conservatory in Chicago. Its vision was to create one of the country’s most inclusive nature-based spaces that gave children and families of all backgrounds and abilities a place to connect with nature, play, learn, and feel a true sense of belonging.

Working within a historic conservatory presented unique design challenges—from the tropical plant palette to constructing everything under glass—but it was also an incredible opportunity to grow as a landscape architect. Extensive community engagement and strong public-private partnerships shaped every aspect of the project, and our role was to translate that shared vision into an inspiring design.

Seeing the garden come to life reinforced for me that the most successful park projects are built through collaboration. When community voices, strong partnerships, and thoughtful design come together, the result is a place that will serve and inspire people for generations.

For Lacey, the Elizabeth Morse Genius Children’s Garden embodies what great park design is all about.

What role do you believe parks and natural areas play in helping communities become more resilient in the future?

Parks are some of our most valuable community infrastructures. Beyond recreation, they help manage stormwater, reduce urban heat, support biodiversity, improve public health, and provide gathering spaces during times of need. As communities face changing climate conditions, thoughtfully designed parks will continue to play an increasingly important role in both environmental and social resilience.

You’ve worked on everything from native landscape restoration to riverfront master plans and green infrastructure projects. How have you seen communities’ priorities around sustainability evolve over the years?

Early in my career, sustainability was often viewed as an added benefit. Today, it’s become the baseline expectation, and increasingly, communities are looking for landscapes that go beyond sustainability to be net positive and give back to the environment. There is a growing emphasis on solutions that address stormwater, habitat restoration, resilience, and long-term maintenance while still creating beautiful, functional public spaces. There’s also a much greater appreciation for native landscapes, not only because they’re environmentally beneficial, but because they create a stronger sense of place.

As Director of Parks + Recreation, what do you enjoy most about leading teams and helping shape projects across the country?

One of the most rewarding parts of my role is mentoring others and helping them grow in their careers. I enjoy bringing together talented people with different perspectives and watching those ideas evolve into stronger solutions than any one person could develop alone. Seeing younger designers build confidence and take ownership of projects is incredibly fulfilling.

Lacey and project partners accept recognition from the Wisconsin Park & Recreation Association

What advice do you often give younger landscape architects who are interested in pursuing a career in parks, recreation, or environmental design?

Stay curious and never stop learning. Some of the best ideas come from experiences outside of landscape architecture, such as traveling, volunteering, visiting parks, studying ecology, or simply observing how people use public spaces. Also, spend as much time listening as designing. Great projects begin with understanding people, places, and the stories that make each community unique.

When you’re not working, how do you personally enjoy spending time outdoors?

One of my favorite places to spend time outdoors is our own backyard. We’re fortunate to have several mature oak trees, and we’ve intentionally designed the landscape with native plants that support a diverse ecosystem of insects, birds, pollinators, and other wildlife. It’s incredibly rewarding to see the landscape come to life throughout the seasons.

As a family, we also enjoy traveling to national parks, forests, and rivers to hike, explore, and experience nature together. Sharing those adventures with my husband and our two children is one of my favorite ways to recharge and reminds me why creating memorable outdoor spaces is so important.

Some of life’s best moments happen outdoors. Adventures like these with Lacey’s family continue to shape her passion for creating places where others can experience the same connection to nature.

What is one lesson that nature has taught you, that you apply to your work every day?

Nature has taught me that resilience isn’t about resisting change; it’s about adapting to it. Ecosystems are constantly evolving, responding to new conditions, finding new pathways, and rebalancing themselves to thrive. I think that’s a valuable lesson, both personally and professionally. In a world that’s always changing, I’ve learned the importance of staying curious, being adaptable, and looking for creative solutions rather than trying to force things to stay the same.

What trends or opportunities are you most excited about in the future of parks and recreation?

I’m excited to see parks being recognized as essential community infrastructure rather than simply amenities. They’re expected to support public health, strengthen communities, improve environmental resilience, manage stormwater, and preserve habitat, all while creating memorable places for people to gather and connect.

What excites me most is the growing focus on nature-positive, regenerative design. Instead of simply minimizing our impact, we have an opportunity to restore ecosystems, improve biodiversity, enhance water quality, and leave the land healthier than we found it. I also appreciate that communities are placing greater value on restoring native landscapes and creating authentic places that reflect their local history, ecology, and identity.

I think the future of parks is designing spaces that not only serve people but also actively regenerate the environment. That’s an exciting challenge and one I’m eager to be part of.

If there is one thing you hope people take away from the parks and places you help create, what would it be?

I hope they feel like they belong and that they have fun. Parks should spark curiosity, encourage play, inspire discovery, and create moments of joy. Those experiences are often what build lifelong connections to nature. Whether they’re making memories with family, finding a quiet place to reflect, exploring with their children, or simply spending time outdoors, I hope the spaces become places they return to throughout their lives. If a park becomes part of someone’s story, then I feel we’ve done our job well.

Lacey joins community leaders and project partners at the groundbreaking for Deerpath Community Park in Lake Forest, Illinois.

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RVi Planning + Landscape Architecture promotes Ryan Binkowski to President

06/09/2026 People Tagged Under: Campuses, Community Development, Hospitality + Entertainment, Land Planning, Landscape Architecture, Outdoor Hospitality, Planning, Public Places, Urban Design, Urban Planning

June 9, 2026 (Austin, TX) – RVi Planning + Landscape Architecture (RVi) is pleased to announce the appointment of Ryan Binkowski as President. Binkowski, who served as Senior Vice President of Operations, has assumed the role following the retirement of longtime President Chris Crawford.

Binkowski brings extensive operational leadership experience and a deep understanding of RVi’s business, culture, and clients. Since joining the company, he has played a key role in driving operational excellence, strengthening team performance, and supporting strategic growth initiatives.

“Ryan’s leadership, vision, and commitment to our people and clients make him the right choice to lead RVi into its next chapter as the best outdoor experience design studio in the country,” said Crawford. “His track record of delivering results and fostering collaboration positions the company for continued success.”

Binkowski said he is honored to step into the role. “I’m excited to build on the strong foundation that Chris and our team have established to ‘Design a Better World’.” RVi has an exceptional group of professionals, and I look forward to working together to continue delivering outstanding service to our clients and partners.”

Over the course of his 40-year career, Crawford has been instrumental in RVi’s growth and success. His leadership and dedication have helped shape the firm’s culture, strengthen its reputation, and guide its continued evolution.

RVi remains committed to delivering innovative solutions and exceptional service as it enters this new leadership chapter.

At RVi, we advocate for nature, inspire creativity, tell captivating stories, and forge strong relationships to create places with staying power. Through creative strategy and design, we lead integrated teams to envision the world’s next great communities, public places, campuses, and hospitality experiences. RVi is a part of the Atwell Family of Companies.

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Chris Crawford’s next chapter: Retirement

05/29/2026 People Tagged Under: Campuses, Community Development, Hospitality + Entertainment, Land Planning, Landscape Architecture, Outdoor Hospitality, Planning, Public Places, Urban Design, Urban Planning

After decades of leadership and lasting impact, Chris Crawford is stepping into retirement and closing an extraordinary chapter at RVi. Over the course of his career, Chris has helped shape not only the firm’s growth, but also the culture and relationships that define it today. We sat down with him to reflect on his journey, the moments that mattered most, and the perspective he’s gained along the way.

How did you start working at RVi?

I joined RVi as a new college graduate in May 1986. The firm actually taught my senior design class at Texas A&M, and I was hired through that connection while I was still in school. I graduated on a Friday and started the following Monday. I still remember my first-day outfit: a mauve shirt and matching mauve pants.

Early on, I had the opportunity to work closely with the firm’s founder, Bob Richardson, and build a strong relationship with him. He became a mentor to me. After some time, I left RVi to gain experience at another firm, but seven years later, I returned. I’ve now spent the last 32 years here.

It’s a good reminder of how important relationships are. You never know when your paths might cross again or where those connections might lead.

What moments from your time at RVi stand out most to you?

Leaving RVi is not easy. This place has shaped my life in ways I will always carry with me.

I met my wife here, which makes this chapter even more meaningful, and even harder to step away from. But what I will remember most are the people. The relationships built here have defined my career and made it truly special.

Many clients and colleagues have become lifelong friends. Some of those friendships go back to when I started my career 40 years ago, and even now, we can pick up right where we left off. Even if we haven’t spoken in a long time, the moment we reconnect, it feels like no time has passed.

That sense of connection is what makes RVi different, and it is what I will carry forward.

What was your favorite or most memorable project?

I’ve had the chance to travel widely and work on a variety of meaningful projects. I’m proud of what we’ve created. Our work influences how people live, gather, and play, and I’ve been able to visit these places and see that impact firsthand. What we design becomes part of people’s everyday lives and some of their most meaningful moments. Our communities are the backdrop for first birthdays, graduations, and countless everyday experiences.

We’re not just designing projects; we’re helping shape communities in lasting ways. That’s what made every new project something to look forward to.

Looking back on your time as President, what is one thing you are most proud of?

I’m incredibly proud of how much RVi has grown. Not long ago, we were a firm of about 25 people. Today, we’re nearly 200 strong. Along the way, we’ve expanded our geographic reach and built meaningful relationships with clients and communities across the country.

What matters most is how we’ve grown. We’ve stayed true to who we are. Our creativity, our vision, and our genuine desire to shape the world around us remain at the core of everything we do. As we’ve grown, we’ve stayed grounded in the values that defined us early on, and that balance is something I’m especially proud of.

What excites you most about the future of RVi?

What excites me most is the depth of talent we’ve built, especially as we’ve brought several great firms into the fold. The people who have joined us bring new perspectives, fresh ideas, and a level of creativity that continues to push us forward.

We’re in a position now where we’re not only expanding geographically, but also expanding what we’re capable of as a firm. We’re continuing to lean into innovation, explore new ideas, and take on projects in areas we haven’t worked in before. That combination of experience and new energy is incredibly exciting, and it opens the door to possibilities we’ve never had before.

What is your advice to those just starting out their career in landscape architecture?

Focus on building relationships. Your career is about much more than good work and design. It’s about getting to know your clients, understanding what matters to them, and developing genuine, lasting connections. Those relationships are often the most meaningful part of what we do, and they shape not only the success of a project but the experience of working on it.

What do you plan on doing with your time now that you are retiring?

I’m looking forward to spending more time with my wife, children, and grandchildren. I’m also excited to enjoy some of the things I love, including traveling, fishing, painting, and spending time on our ranch.

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Employee Spotlight: Creative Director Sean McKenna on storytelling, brand design, and creating places people remember

05/13/2026 People Tagged Under: Community Development, Hospitality + Entertainment, Outdoor Hospitality, Public Places

“A well-executed brand makes the intangible unforgettable. Brand design turns business goals into ideas, identities, and environments that delight and inspire.” – Sean McKenna, Creative Director

Based in Austin, Texas, Sean McKenna is a multidisciplinary creative director, designer, and brand strategist who helps clients uncover the unique identity of a place and shape it into memorable, experience-driven brands. As leader of RVi’s Visioning + Brand Design practice, he guides the development of narratives, identities, and environments that connect people to place through thoughtful storytelling, strategic visioning, and purposeful design.

What originally drew you to creative direction and brand design?

I’ve always been drawn to graphic design. As a kid obsessed with motocross, I was fascinated not just by the bikes, but by the logos, colors, and identities behind them. (I mean, how cool is the CZ logo? Simple, powerful, and crafted. Like the bike itself.) Growing up in the golden age of television, rock music, and being raised Catholic, I became deeply aware of the power of culture, design, and the stories symbols can tell.

That fascination became a career path when my sister Kate, then Art Director at the Austin American-Statesman, introduced me to the Macintosh while I was in college. Watching her design newspaper layouts on a computer was a revelation. The idea that you could build a meaningful career at the intersection of creativity and business changed everything for me. Since then, I’ve had the privilege of working at both large and small advertising and design studios alongside talented clients and creative directors—many of whom I still collaborate with today.

How did your path ultimately lead you to RVi?

Honestly, it was the love of tacos.

In spring 2023, after more than a decade running my own design studio, I happened to run into Trent Rush and Joemy Buschur at an Austin taco shop. I knew Trent from a multifamily project in San Antonio years earlier—he was the landscape architect, and I was responsible for the project’s name, identity, signage, and overall brand experience. At the time of our reunion, Trent was leading the Austin office of Hitchcock Design Group (HDG) and mentioned the firm was looking to refresh aspects of its brand.

What began as a small branding engagement quickly evolved into a much larger creative partnership. As I got to know the broader HDG team and the caliber of their work, I became increasingly invested in the company’s vision and culture. Eventually, it made sense to formalize the relationship, and I joined the team full-time. Along the way, I led a comprehensive rebrand of HDG—one that I’d like to think helped position the company as an attractive addition to Atwell and RVi.

What excites you most about leading the Visioning + Brand Design practice area at RVi?

The opportunities! We have an incredibly talented group of planners and landscape architects “shaping the world” across the country. Visioning and brand design adds another layer, helping define why those places exist in the first place, how they’re experienced, and how they connect with people.

It’s a chance to move upstream in the process, align teams early, and create a clear narrative that moves from concept to construction and beyond. What I’m really hoping we do, in large part, is to help clients fall in love with their own story.

When you start working on a new project, what are the first things you look for to uncover the true identity of a place?

Of course, the nature and conditions of the site itself. What does the land and location already tell us? Who are the people we’re creating this for (our true client)? What motivates them? Why should they care about what we’re doing? How will we affect and improve their lives? I’m looking for differentiation. And perhaps some kind of cognitive or creative dissonance. Those seams are where the truth lies.

Why should clients include Visioning + Branding in their project?

We treat visioning as both strategic and creative, in that order. It’s not just mood boards and inspiration. It’s about aligning stakeholders around a clear idea of what the place is, who it’s for, and how it should feel. From there, everything else becomes more focused and more efficient. Done well, it greatly simplifies decision-making.

What separates a brand that simply looks good from one that truly resonates with people? 

Well, a brand isn’t simply the way something looks. A brand isn’t a logo. It’s the feeling people get when they interact with or experience the brand. It’s the way sales teams speak to clients and prospects. It’s the way the brand anticipates someone’s arrival and navigation of a place. In other words, it’s not what we say it is, it’s what they say it is. 

Is there a project in your career that changed the way you think about branding or placemaking? 

One project that truly changed the way I think about branding and placemaking was one I worked on while running Sean McKenna Design, in partnership with agency partner Wick Marketing, for a major Southern California developer. The work was groundbreaking, and I think that was largely because the client, agency, and consultants all aligned around a two-day visioning session held in a construction trailer onsite. Custom invitations were created, and participants were given a list of questions in advance to juice the conversation. We knew from the start that they wanted to keep the working name of the project, “Skyline,” given the expansive vistas provided by the site. That name, and what it conjures, provided a great visual metaphor for visioning (and ultimately the brand). Descriptive language, tone of voice, meeting graphics, posters, charts and more used that to great advantage.

We even wrote a “brand anthem” together, led by Austin-based singer-songwriter Darden Smith. It was an ideal melding of business strategy and out-of-the-box creative thinking but requiring the team to quickly articulate what was truly important to them from a visioning standpoint. It was like trying to create an elevator pitch in 4/4 time. Very fun, very revealing.

Ultimately, we created a brand centered around a new tagline, “Life wide open,” and developed a campaign that included the individual naming and branding of four launch neighborhoods, website design, print, radio, digital and television advertising (including full page ads in the LA Times), signage, wayfinding and more. The work garnered a Gold Award for Best Digital Marketing Campaign at The Nationals, held at the International Builders’ Show.

I look forward to bringing that same spirit of collaboration, openness, and big-picture thinking to the work we’re building at RVi.

Where do you find creative inspiration outside of work? 

I’m an avid guitarist, and I play in a band and absolutely love it. But good ideas are everywhere if you’re looking for them. Being in nature, traveling, and honestly just paying attention. Experiencing and participating in creative expressions outside of what you do for a living will keep the juices flowing, introduce new ways of thinking, and remove some of the constraints we put ourselves under. 

What advice would you give someone interested in getting into brand design or creative direction? 

Listen. Be a sponge. Read everything. Becoming a better writer will help you learn to articulate and defend an idea. Design is important but understanding people and translating ideas clearly are what will really set you apart. Don’t rely solely on AI tools – you have to develop an aesthetic and learn to think for yourself.

Sean McKenna doing his part to keep the trout population humble. Catch, quick photo, clean release — no fish were harmed.

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Rethinking urban value: Turning overlooked spaces into high-impact places

04/28/2026 Voice Tagged Under: Campuses, Community Development, Hospitality + Entertainment, Land Planning, Landscape Architecture, Outdoor Hospitality, Planning, Public Places, Urban Design, Urban Planning

Across cities of every size, there is a growing recognition that some of the most valuable opportunities aren’t found on blank canvases; they exist in the overlooked, the underperforming, and the in-between. Vacant lots, aging plazas, and leftover parcels are increasingly being reimagined as meaningful public places that support daily life, strengthen the city’s identity, and create lasting value and memories.

This shift we’re seeing reflects a broader evolution in how urban spaces are understood and designed. Unlocking that value is not about starting from scratch. It is about recognizing the potential in what already exists and designing with intention, flexibility, and a clear understanding of how people actually use space.

“The best urban spaces aren’t defined by what they were—they’re defined by what they can become when you understand the community around them,” says RVi’s Joel Baldin, ASLA, Director of Urban Design.

From civic plazas in Chicago to adaptive reuse destinations like The Exchange in Fort Collins, we’ve seen how constraints, context, and willingness to see things differently can create something entirely new and impactful.

Seeing opportunity where others see contraints

The foundation of reimagining underutilized urban space starts with a shift in perspective. What may appear to be a limitation, an awkward parcel, aging infrastructure, or financial constraints, often becomes the catalyst for more inventive, more resilient design solutions.

Baldin emphasizes that this process begins with listening: “Every site has a story, even the ones that feel overlooked. Our role is to uncover that story and translate it into a space that feels intentional and relevant to the people who use it.”

Rather than imposing a predetermined design language, the approach should focus on context, community input and engagement, and flexibility. Urban plazas, for example, are no longer treated as static spaces, but as adaptable environments where “cool things happen,” from performances and markets to everyday informal use.

In projects like Monroe Landing Plaza in La Porte, Indiana, we’re helping transform existing parking and part of a street into a flexible community space designed for everyday use and events. The goal is to unlock new value by aligning the space with how people actually live, gather, and connect.

This approach reframes constraints as opportunities. Budget limitations, site challenges, and existing conditions are not barriers; they are design drivers that push teams toward more creative, efficient, and ultimately more authentic solutions.

Ogden Plaza Park, City of Chicago

Designing for flexibility, everyday use, and human experience

A key characteristic of successful reimagined urban spaces is flexibility, both in design and in how people experience and define the space over time.

The Exchange in Fort Collins is a clear example of this shift. What began as a deteriorating parking lot and city block evolved into a vibrant, container-based destination that supports a wide range of uses throughout the day and across seasons.

As RVi’s Paul Mills, Regional Vice President and Principal on this project explains, “We were not trying to program every space to be something—we let it be open and let people choose their adventure.”

That philosophy reflects a broader trend in urban design. Civic open spaces are being designed to accommodate variability—movable seating, open lawns, layered gathering areas, and edges that support both activity and pause. These elements allow people to shape their own experience, whether that’s a family gathering, a casual lunch, or a community event.

Baldin reinforces this idea from an urban design perspective, “The goal isn’t to control how a space is used—it’s to create the conditions for it to be used in many different ways, over time.”

This balance between structure and openness is critical. At Logan Square Plaza in Chicago, for example, layered seating, improved pedestrian connections, and flexible open areas were designed to support both daily use and small-scale gatherings, creating a space that feels active without being overdesigned.

Ultimately, we know that flexibility ensures longevity and improves performance. Spaces that can evolve alongside community needs are more resilient, more inclusive, and more likely to remain relevant over time. They also attract foot traffic, support local businesses, and increase the overall value of the surrounding area.

Designing space for flexibility is not just a design decision. It is a strategic one.

The Exchange, Fort Collins, CO

Identity through contrast, adaptation, and storytelling

We believe that reimagined urban spaces should be expressive, not just functional. They create identity, often by embracing contrast and leaning into what makes a place unique.

This idea of contrast as a design tool is becoming more prevalent. It allows projects to acknowledge their context while also signaling something new, something contemporary, dynamic, and forward-looking.

At The Exchange, that identity is shaped through adaptive reuse. Repurposed shipping containers form the edges of the site, creating intimate, people-oriented environments while framing a more open central green. Rather than blending into the historic red-brick context of Old Town Fort Collins, the project intentionally stands apart.

As Mills noted, “It’s intentionally contrasting… a surprising element.”

Baldin sees contrast and placemaking as part of a larger storytelling approach: “Placemaking is storytelling on a grand scale. Every design decision contributes to how people understand and connect with a place.”

Public art, materiality, planting, and spatial organization all play a role in shaping that story. Whether it’s restoring visibility and safety to an underperforming plaza or introducing new layers of programming and identity, the goal remains the same: create spaces that feel authentic to their community while offering something unexpected.

Reimagined spaces can shift how those in-between places work and what they become over time.

City of Fort Collins alleyway enhancements

A new way forward: Reimagining what’s already there

Looking at overlooked or underperforming urban spaces in a new way reflects a broader change in how cities evolve, respond to new needs, and think about the role of public space.

We believe that “leftover spaces” are opportunities to create connections, support local economies, and enhance everyday life. Through a combination of thoughtful design, community engagement, and a willingness to embrace constraints, these sites are being transformed into places with purpose and staying power.

As Baldin puts it, “When you approach a project with curiosity instead of assumption, you open the door to solutions that are more creative, and more meaningful.”

From Chicago to Fort Collins and in other regions of the country, the takeaway is clear: the future of urban design is about seeing what’s already there and reimagining it into something better.

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Landscape Architecture in Action: Meet the people behind the projects

04/27/2026 People Tagged Under: Campuses, Community Development, Hospitality + Entertainment, Land Planning, Landscape Architecture, Outdoor Hospitality, Planning, Public Places, Urban Design, Urban Planning

April is World Landscape Architecture Month, which is centered on Landscape Architecture in Action – through design, practice, learning, and impact. To bring that theme to life, we connected with three RVi leaders to hear their insights and perspectives.

Brett Anderson, PLA, ASLA – Landscape Architecture in Action through design

Out in the field where ideas take shape. Brett Anderson out on a recent hike taking in the landscape, finding inspiration in every line, slope, and horizon.

We asked Vice President, Brett Anderson to share one design decision he made that had a big impact on a project. “It is hard to point to one decision that made a big impact,” he stated. “It is more a series of small decisions that cumulate into overall project success.” That mindset shapes how he approaches every project, with a clear personal standard: “This has to be the best project I have ever done.”

Rather than seeing constraints as limitations, Brett leans into them as part of the creative process. “Take all of the parameters, restrictions, budgets – things that you could look at as roadblocks – and incorporate them into a creative solution without sacrificing the overall outcome,” he says. “Project restrictions should not be deal-breakers, but challenges to be more creative in our solutions.” It’s a perspective that turns problem-solving into design opportunity and keeps the work both grounded and innovative.

For Brett, a project becomes tangible in the earliest moments of design. “I love to draw and sketch. Design is the language that I use to get out my ideas and thoughts.” That act of sketching is where ideas begin to take shape, where abstract concepts start becoming real places.

Inspiration is “everywhere, constant, and all around,” says Brett. As a keen observer of public spaces, he studies how people move through and interact with their environments—how circulation, materials, and the natural context influence behavior and define the character of a place. He’s especially drawn to the energy and complexity of cities like San Francisco, New York City, and Chicago, where design is constantly on display in how people gather, connect, and experience the built environment.

Andy Howard, PLA, CPSI – Landscape Architecture in Action through practice and learning

Standing small beneath something timeless. Andy Howard and family taking in the scale, perspective, and quiet inspiration only a place like this can offer.

For Andy Howard, Senior Landscape Architect, the most important parts of a project are often the ones no one ever sees.

“People rarely see the depth of the design process,” says Andy. “The rough sketches, iterative concepts, and team discussions all shape a project long before anything is built. What they experience is the final space, but behind it are layers of ideas, testing, and refinement.”

That process is anything but linear. Using Bellaboo’s Imagination Garden as an example, Andy describes the work as an “onion” of design thinking, where ideas are built up, tested, and sometimes intentionally peeled back to create a stronger outcome. Ongoing collaboration plays a key role, especially with play equipment vendors and manufacturers. Through shared sketches and multiple rounds of iteration, concepts evolve into something both imaginative and buildable.

Early in a project, success comes down to alignment. “Strong collaboration with clients, stakeholders, and the community is critical,” Andy explains. “Establishing a clear vision and continually reminding ourselves of the end user helps ground each design decision in purpose from the start.”

But some of the most meaningful lessons come after a space is in use. Watching how families and communities actually engage with parks and play environments has shifted how Andy approaches design. “You can’t fully predict the creative and unexpected ways children play and learn,” he says. “Seeing those interactions firsthand reinforces the importance of designing flexible, layered environments that invite discovery.”

That perspective is shaped by experiences beyond the office, too. Travel and time in nature—whether backpacking through Europe or hiking with family in state and national parks—continue to influence his work. “Nature offers endless inspiration. Its forms, systems, and sense of wonder all inform how I approach creating meaningful, people-centered spaces.”

At the core of it all is a belief that design should bring people together. As Andy puts it, “Families and friends that play together, stay together.”

Joemy Buschur, Sites AP, LEED Green Associate – Landscape Architecture in Action through impact

Joemy Buschur exploring Chinati Foundation in Marfa, TX and how simple forms and big landscapes come together.

For Joemy Buschur, Associate Project Manager, landscape architecture is rooted in growth—expanding how we think about design and understanding its long-term impact. Her perspective has evolved alongside the challenges shaping today’s built environment.

“The acceleration of climate change and the increased need for resiliency have changed the implications and responsibilities of design and construction,” she explains. With a background in adaptive reuse, Joemy approaches projects with a systems-based mindset—looking beyond individual elements to understand how landscapes, infrastructure, and communities work together. “It gives me the tools to take a broader view, analyze existing systems, and work collaboratively to address immediate challenges in both the urban environment and natural systems.”

That approach is grounded in continuous learning, often found outside the office. Time spent observing native plant communities has been especially influential in shaping how she thinks about design. “Spending time in natural settings has deepened my understanding of plant design,” she says. “Mimicking natural plant groupings in designed landscapes creates a true sense of place and a plant palette that’s made to thrive.”

For Joemy, impact isn’t defined by a finished project; it’s revealed over time. “I know a project is successful when I see it evolve with use,” she shares. “Adoption and adaptation by communities is the mark of a project infused with life.”

Through Joemy’s lens, Landscape Architecture in Action is both a learning process and a lasting commitment—one that connects people, ecology, and places in ways that continue to unfold over time. “I see my work as a framework for co-creation with communities for many years to come.”

From process to place

At its core, Landscape Architecture in Action is a continuous process shaped by people, perspective, and purpose. From Brett’s iterative decision-making to Andy’s behind-the-scenes collaboration and learning, to Joemy’s long-term view of impact, a common thread emerges; meaningful design evolves, adapts, and ultimately belongs to the communities who use it.

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Listening, connecting, and building through community and stakeholder engagement

03/31/2026 Voice Tagged Under: Campuses, Community Development, Community Engagement, Hospitality + Entertainment, Land Planning, Landscape Architecture, Outdoor Hospitality, Planning, Public Parks, Public Places, Urban Design, Urban Planning

Every community has a story; it’s shaped by how people gather, how they move, and how they connect to the land around them. The most meaningful places don’t happen by accident. They are shaped through listening closely, asking thoughtful questions, and designing with intention.

At RVi, engagement – ranging from stakeholder collaboration to community input – is a part of how we approach every project. Whether shaping fast-growing master planned communities or park, recreation, and open space systems, the goal is the same: to create places that feel authentic, connected, and built to last.

While community engagement is often associated with public work, stakeholder engagement plays an equally important role in shaping private development and mixed-use environments.

Across our work, we’re seeing a few consistent themes emerge in how engagement continues to shape planning and design outcomes. These insights reflect how engagement is evolving as a practice and how it adapts across different regions of the country, responding to growth, culture, and community priorities.

Rather than a single approach, these themes show up in different ways across regions and project types, but consistently influence how places are envisioned, designed, and experienced.

From feedback to vision: engagement as an early design driver

Engagement is increasingly happening before a clear vision is defined. In fast-growing markets, this shifts its role from gathering feedback to helping shape what a place could become. Rather than reacting to plans, stakeholders, residents, and future users are influencing foundational decisions – how a community connects, where people gather, and what daily life looks like.

Engagement is part of the process from early planning through design, helping ensure that outcome reflects the needs and priorities of the people they serve.

In growth states like Arizona, Texas, Florida, and the Carolinas, this often means engaging early to help define what a community could be. RVi’s work on master-planned communities such as Eastmark (Mesa, AZ) and Meridiana (Brazoria County, TX) reflects this shift. Residents and stakeholders aren’t just reacting to plans; they are helping shape them. Conversations around walkability, access to nature, and everyday gathering spaces translate directly into the framework of parks, trails, and mixed-use environments.

EastVillage (Austin, TX) illustrates how early and ongoing engagement informs not just layout, but experience, blending residential, commercial, and open space into a cohesive, people-first environment.

In more established regions like the Midwest and cities like Denver, engagement often takes on a more iterative, consensus-driven role. Projects like Garfield Park Conservatory Elizabeth Morse Genius Children’s Garden (Chicago, IL) and Central Park Playground (Denver, CO) reflect the layered nature of engagement, where park districts, residents, and stakeholders shape outcomes through multiple rounds of input, helping to ensure the final design reflects long-term community priorities

Across all regions, the most successful places are shaped by engagement from start to finish.

Meridiana Master Planned Community, Brazoria County, Texas

Designing for real use: how engagement shapes experience

Across both public and private work, engagement is becoming less about collecting input and more about understanding behavior. How people want to gather, move, and spend time is directly shaping design decisions – from amenity programming in master planned communities to the activation of public spaces and mixed-use environments.

At its core, engagement is about understanding what brings people together and designing places that make those connections easier and more natural.

In rapidly growing sun belt communities, this often shows up as highly programmed, amenity-rich environments. At Meridiana, for example, community identity is built around shared experiences, from learning-focused amenities to outdoor gathering spaces, creating opportunities for interaction from day one. Similarly, Eastmark uses a network of parks, event spaces, and trails to foster connection across neighborhoods.

Places like The Exchange (Fort Collins, CO) highlight how mixed-use environments can become social anchors, blending retail, dining, and open space into a cohesive destination that encourages both planned and spontaneous interaction.

In more established regions, particularly across the Midwest, the focus often shifts toward strengthening existing community ties. Naperville’s Riverwalk (Naperville, IL) demonstrates how revitalized public spaces can reconnect communities to their surroundings while supporting both daily use and large-scale events.

Additionally, therapeutic environments such as healthcare gardens like the Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital Integrative Medicine Garden (Barrington, IL) show how engagement can reveal deeper needs around wellness, accessibility, and inclusivity.

Across all regions, our goal is the same, to create places where people feel a sense of belonging. The most successful places support everyday use while strengthening connections across the community.

Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital Integrative Medicine Garden, Barrington, IL

Nature as common ground across communities

One of the most consistent patterns across regions is the role of nature as common ground. Regardless of project type, access to open space, trails, and natural systems creates shared experiences that bring people together. Engagement efforts often reveal a strong desire for these elements – not just as amenities, but as essential parts of daily life.

Projects like Oso Bay Nature Preserve (Corpus Christi, TX) demonstrate how natural systems, water, native landscapes, and trail networks, can anchor development and create shared experiences. These environments invite people outside, encouraging everyday interaction with both nature and one another.

Our work across park systems and open space, such as Mueller Greenways (Austin, TX) and various community trail networks reinforces the idea that accessible, well-designed landscapes can support recreation, ecological awareness, and long-term stewardship.

Across geographies, nature serves as common ground. It transcends demographics, invites participation, and creates opportunities for connection that feel both universal and deeply personal.

The Southeast Greenway at Mueller in Austin, Texas.

Community and stakeholder engagement is no longer a one-size-fits-all process, and that’s exactly what makes it powerful. The most successful approaches recognize that every community is different, shaped by growth patterns, cultural expectations, and local priorities.

From master planned communities to public places to campuses and hospitality environments, our work shows that while approaches may vary by region, the core principles remain the same: listen early, engage often, and design with people at the center.

Whether building new communities in fast-growing regions or reinvesting in established ones, thoughtful engagement leads to places that feel authentic, resilient, and connected. We see stronger, more lasting results when we work with designers, developers, and municipalities to align engagement with community priorities.

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How RVi leveraged GIS to design a smarter urban tree canopy in Tampa

11/20/2025 Project Spotlight Tagged Under: Landscape Architecture, Public Places, Urban Design

In Tampa’s historic neighborhoods, residents know exactly where the shade disappears, and how hot those blocks can get. In parts of the city with long stretches of exposed pavement, the heat island effect can swing the temperature up to 10 degrees hotter than areas with fuller tree coverage. For residents, the difference is walkability, safety, and quality of life.

To address these disparities, the City of Tampa launched its Trees for Tampa initiative, with a goal to plant 30,000 trees in public spaces by 2030. In areas like these, urban forestry and a healthy tree canopy can be a prime strategy for climate resilience and community wellness. Leading part of that effort is RVi Associate Principal Hannah McAleer, who managed RVi’s segment of the project across several neighborhoods in Ybor City.

The work is far more involved than simply planting trees. Designing a sustainable canopy to combat heat islands required a block-by-block study of site conditions and a thorough understanding of community priorities. Ultimately, McAleer’s team mapped 88 miles of streetscape and delivered construction drawings identifying opportunities for more than 1,000 trees, each species hand-selected for suitability and community impact.

“We listened to the community organizations and the City to understand their goals and concerns,” says McAleer. “That guided our focus, and we had to put boots on the ground to really understand the constraints we were working around.”

Along stretches of streetscape in Tampa’s Ybor neighborhoods, some developers have already taken initiative to begin planting new trees.

Community resilience and equity impacts

The Trees for Tampa initiative, and RVi’s role in the project, aims to achieve the proven environmental, social, and economic benefits that accompany a treed community. Urban forestry has been shown to reduce the urban heat island effect, reducing average temperatures in areas like Tampa’s heat pockets and decreasing energy expenditure on cooling. They increase air quality and mitigate greenhouse gases through the photosynthetic process at scale. Roots absorb water to aid in stormwater management throughout the City. They also contribute to the aesthetics of the community, creating a better retail and living environment that correlate to economic impacts.

Research conducted by the National Institute of Health (NIH) further demonstrates an unequal distribution of trees among lower-income communities. The City of Tampa’s Tree Canopy and Urban Forest Analysis in 2021 supported this conclusion within the City, but acknowledged the tree-planting potential in areas with less coverage. To identify neighborhoods with the highest potential for climate and socioeconomic impact, the City examined Justice40 census tracts and enlisted RVi and other consultants to develop a plan for implementation. Investing in a sustainable tree canopy across multiple underserved neighborhoods is a significant step toward environmental justice.

GIS tools to drive urban forestry

Striking a balance between the human, environmental, and design factors, McAleer and RVi leveraged GIS technology and field data collection to build a detailed database where every proposed tree is mapped, planned, and field-verified to develop an installation strategy suited for dense urban conditions.

“There wasn’t a playbook for turning site data into a set of construction documents for a project of this scale,” says McAleer. “We approached this as a team effort, bringing together viewpoints to ensure we established a framework that functioned for each phase of the project. That was the key to transitioning smoothly from data collection to community input, construction plans, and beyond.”

The team started with a desktop review to identify low-, medium-, and high-opportunity blocks, screening Google Street View for underutilized tree lawns, empty tree grates, potential utility obstructions, oversized roadways, and overall conditions. On the map, each block received a color-coded line based on opportunity level, assigning preset attributes and including detailed notes of observations. High-opportunity spaces were essentially tree-ready, while low-opportunity would require significant and costly walkway or roadway reconstruction. While planting in the most difficult of areas wasn’t included with our plans, those areas were still identified for future streetscape opportunities with the City.

Using ArcGIS Field Maps, RVi took to the streets for further observations. Our team documented what the desktop study couldn’t see—features such as informal driveways, soil nuances, parking habits, utilities, and infrastructure conflicts. We documented measurements and photos of each proposed site in the GIS app, along with notes on structural modifications and input from residents. A well-planned strategy for field documentation was critical for the team to cover almost 90 miles on foot, with the objective creating a field-verified dataset that flowed directly into construction drawings. The team’s upfront planning with Field Maps established attributes and fields that represented a variety of typical and atypical conditions, making data collection significantly more efficient.

Community-driven planning

Working in Ybor City meant navigating a complex mix of industrial, residential, historic, and economic conditions. It’s a culturally rich area with deep Cuban and Italian heritage, where old cigar factories and historic bungalow-style homes still characterize the neighborhoods. Longstanding light industrial and large commercial districts are evolving, transitioning to residential neighborhoods with small commercial and office developments and further driving the need for walkability.

“The community is proud to live and work in these neighborhoods and they desire to see investment for beautification and environmental benefit,” says McAleer. “In the various meetings with community, it was wonderful to see how excited they were about this project positively shaping the future of their neighborhood.”

Community members brought enthusiasm and insights during engagement workshops, where their tree species preferences helped shape the final planting plan.

The fieldwork created opportunities for informal engagement, with residents meeting to talk over coffee at local shops. Discussions with neighborhood leaders and the City in these informal settings drew out concerns and pointed out the routes people favored in their day to day. Their insights helped inform our data collection and shape the final plan.

Formal community engagement included a workshop bringing all the subject neighborhoods together to learn more about the City’s many tree programs and share their project-specific priorities. Maps of tree locations and image boards of urban tree species offered visualizations for residents to learn and provide feedback. During a “green-dot/red-dot” exercise, community members reviewed tree characteristics such as canopy shape, size, persistence, and flowering habits. Attendees of the workshop filled out surveys and questionnaires, which helped guide the next level of mapping and design.

Right tree, right place: Designing a smarter urban canopy

The team quickly discovered the challenges of utilities, limited soil volume, and tree lawn utilization. The project’s success depended upon the plan’s ability to respect the urban constraints and create the conditions for trees to thrive and withstand heat and wind long after planting. In areas where a proposed high-impact canopy conflicted with hardscape conditions, the team identified installation methods and special root zone improvements to enhance survivability.

With the wealth of data in the new GIS model and substantial community input, RVi developed a species palette of 17 native and Florida-friendly trees, each selected for its suitable streetscape character, drought tolerance, storm resilience, and maintenance needs. For final mapping, the proposed trees received unique identifier numbers and points on a map that correlated to a chart outlining available planting width, presence of site-specific constraints, proposed tree types, location coordinates, and any special requirements such as sidewalk demolition and replacement, tree grates, and soil containment systems. Providing this detailed level of specifications created a construction-ready planting plan.

“The team is excited to see this plan implemented and to realize the ecological and social impact of the project over time,” McAleer says.

RVi’s commitment to creating livable public places ran true throughout this project. The city’s investment in urban canopy renewal will have measurable impacts to heat islands and climate resilience. By combining community insight with digital tools, RVi delivered a plan that will shape Tampa’s urban canopy for years to come and bring equity into underinvested neighborhoods.

More than 1,000 proposed trees have been mapped with construction-ready planning. As the city moves toward its 2030 goal to plant 30,000 trees, RVi’s efforts contribute to building healthy, resilient, and equitable public spaces for the residents of Tampa’s three Ybor neighborhoods.

RVi’s final map lists more than 1,000 trees with unique identifier numbers and detailed modifications to ensure survivability.