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.
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.
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.
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.
In the heart of Downtown Fort Collins, a full city block has been reimagined into a vibrant, community-centered destination. The Exchange, designed by RVi in collaboration with Brinkman Development and the City of Fort Collins, reflects what’s possible when thoughtful planning, adaptive reuse, and placemaking come together with a clear purpose.
This project wasn’t about blending in. It was about creating something intentionally different – an “open entertainment district” where people could move freely, explore local businesses, and shape their own experience. As Regional Vice President Paul Mills described, the goal was to create “an eclectic, unique space downtown that’s different… a surprising element” within the historic fabric of Old Town.
A new way to see the block
A bird’s eye view of The Exchange in the heart of downtown Fort Collins.
The Exchange began with a broader challenge: an entire block that had grown tired and underperforming over time. While the parking lot became a visible focal point, it was just one piece of a much larger opportunity. Initially, the property was acquired with plans for a more traditional mixed-use, multifamily development. But as Mills noted, “the fiscal reality to scrape everything and build a whole new building was deemed too expensive.” That constraint became the catalyst for a more creative solution.
Rather than starting from scratch, RVi worked with Brinkman Development to reimagine the site as a community-centered destination. The vision shifted toward creating a place where restaurants, bars, retail, and open space could coexist in a way that felt organic and approachable.
At the heart of the design is a central green lawn, intentionally left open and flexible. This space anchors the site while allowing it to evolve throughout the day and across seasons. It’s not over-programmed or overly defined. Instead, it invites a wide array of use, whether that’s kids playing, friends gathering, or live music activating the space.
“We’re not trying to program every space to be something,” Mills explained. “Just let it be open and let people choose their adventure.”
This mindset shaped every aspect of the project, turning what could have been a conventional development into a dynamic, community-driven environment.
Designing for flexibility, interaction, and everyday use
One of the defining characteristics of The Exchange is its emphasis on flexibility. Rather than prescribing how people should use the space, the design creates opportunities for a wide range of experiences to unfold naturally.
The central lawn is complemented by movable furniture, shaded areas, and interactive elements, such as a putting green and ping pong tables. These features allow users to shape the space as they like, by pulling chairs together, creating gathering spots, or simply finding a place to relax. “That really is the definition of flexible space,” Mills noted.
Surrounding the green, outdoor patios extend the usability of the site, supporting year-round events and entertainment. The integration of a common consumption area further enhances the experience, allowing visitors to enjoy offerings from multiple vendors while remaining within a shared, social environment.
Custom seating, benches, and thoughtfully placed gathering areas encourage people to linger. The design fosters casual interaction. It’s a place where families, students, and visitors can coexist comfortably, each finding their own way to engage in the space.
Mills described it as having “the ability to spread your wings between establishments,” where even children can move freely within a safe, open environment. That sense of freedom—of not being confined to a single use or experience—is what sets The Exchange apart.
The central lawn is complemented by movable furniture, shaded areas, and interactive elements like a putting green and ping pong tables.
Adaptive reuse and a bold design identity
Visually, The Exchange stands in deliberate contrast to its surroundings. Located within the historic context of Old Town Fort Collins, known for its consistent red brick architecture, the project introduces a fresh, contemporary character shaped by adaptive reuse.
Repurposed shipping containers define the perimeter of the site, housing a mix of local food, beverage, and retail vendors. This approach not only reflects a more sustainable, cost-effective solution, but also establishes a distinct identity for the space. “It doesn’t just blend in with the surrounding aesthetics,” Mills said. “It’s intentionally contrasting.”
That contrast is part of the experience.
The Exchange emerges as something unexpected—modern, open, and energetic. The containers create intimate, people-oriented environments along the edges, while the central green opens up to provide breathing room and visibility across the site.
Layered throughout are elements of public art, color, and texture that reinforce the eclectic spirit of Fort Collins. The design bridges indoor and outdoor experiences seamlessly, allowing people to move fluidly between vendor spaces and the open plaza.
Repurposed shipping containers define the perimeter of the site, housing a mix of local food, beverage, and retail vendors.
A thoughtful and meaningful transformation
The Exchange is a clear example of how constraints can lead to better outcomes. What began as a financially driven shift away from traditional development became an opportunity to create something more meaningful, something rooted in community, flexibility, and experience.
Through integrated design, planning, and entitlement services, RVi helped transform an overlooked site into a vibrant, family-friendly destination that supports local businesses and strengthens the cultural fabric of Old Town Fort Collins.
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.
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.
As RVi closes out 2025, we are celebrating a year defined by connection, collaboration, and meaningful growth. This year, we welcomed new teammates from Hitchcock Design Group and Talson Design, along with a number of talented individuals formerly with Manhard Consulting. These additions have energized our practice, expanded our creative reach, and strengthened our ability to serve clients across the country.
We also continued building on the momentum of 2024, when the teams from Anderson Design and Russell + Mills Studios joined RVi. These boutique studios, known for shaping distinctive landscapes across the Southwest and Colorado, have added regional expertise and fresh creative perspectives that enrich our national practice.
This chapter of growth is about more than numbers. It is about the impact we can make together. “When we talk about growth, we are really talking about impact, about the communities and clients we can now serve in bigger, better, and more meaningful ways,” said Senior Vice President of Operations, Ryan Binkowski. His words reflect the heart of this transition: growth not for scale alone, but for purpose.
By uniting our teams under one brand, clients benefit from a seamless network of planners and designers who bring decades of experience, local insight, and fresh perspectives to design places that truly matter – places that connect people to nature and to each other. Or as Hitchcock Design Group (HDG) President, Bill Inman put it, “By bringing together the talents across our combined teams, we are creating a seamless network that can meet clients where they are and support them with the full strength of our collective experience.”
RVi President Chris Crawford expands on this vision, sharing, “Uniting our teams is more than a milestone. It is a commitment to shaping places that inspire connection and elevate the everyday experience. Together, we are designing a future that reflects the needs, values, and aspirations of the communities we serve.”
Designing what connects us
This evolution is not only organizational. It is cultural and creative. Vice President of Planning for RVi, Alexis Crespo, captures this spirit well: “We have grown not simply to be bigger, but to serve better. We are creating places that connect people, purpose, and possibility, all while upholding our unwavering commitment to client care.” Her perspective reflects how our integrated team approaches every project with deeper intention and collaboration.
With expanded expertise across our four core sectors — Community Development, Public Places, Campuses, and Hospitality + Entertainment — RVi is better equipped than ever to deliver a more integrated approach to planning and design. From neighborhood parks and civic plazas to campuses and destination resorts, we help clients shape environments that foster belonging, wellness, and shared experiences.
While our reach has grown, our foundation remains the same: passion, quality, collaboration, creativity, and empathy. These values have guided RVi for more than four decades, and they continue to shape how we work, how we partner, and how we design for the future.
With a growing team and an expanded national presence, we are excited for the projects and partnerships that will shape RVi’s next chapter. As we grow in people and places, we also grow in possibility, and we look forward to deepening our impact in the communities we serve.
A vibrant downtown district is the cultural heart of the city and an engine of economic vitality. It’s where the identity of place emerges and where community is celebrated. When people enjoy spending time downtown, they patronize local businesses and accelerate the local economy. Public and private investment forms a cycle of vitality when cities invest in people-places—businesses thrive, culture evolves, and tax revenues add up to reinvestment.
Successful downtown development is maintained by this state of urban symbiosis, where the inter-related threads of economics and community grow together and reinforce one another. It can be achieved through downtown planning processes rooted in a people-first mindset and authentic placemaking strategies.
“The critical objective is investing in people places, where people want to gather and are comfortable spending time,” says Craig Russell, Principal at RVi.
Russell and Will Wagenlander, Director of Planning at RVi, have worked closely with numerous municipalities, developers, and downtown development authorities (DDAs) focused on creating the conditions for communities to thrive. For both Wagenlander and Russell, a successful planning process focuses on four principles:
Pedestrian experience
Safety and comfort
Character and place
Economic vitality
With these principles in balance, capital investment becomes the catalyst for long-term development.
“When we work with DDAs on both a redevelopment plan and a user-driven plan for public investment, we’re really outlining a future for the entire downtown district,” says Wagenlander.
With the right planning, implementation, and funding strategies, the future Wagenlander describes can bear significant returns, both socially and economically.
Public investment as a catalyst for private development
Public investment draws private investment. The Town of Windsor’s downtown redevelopment planning brought developers to the table before the plan was even complete.
Public investment in downtown infrastructure can spark the cycle of sustainable development. People spend time in places that are comfortable, safe, and walkable. They can be drawn in to attractive storefronts and community spaces that highlight the city’s dynamic character. The foundation is in sidewalks and streetscaping, lighting, open spaces, and the utilities that allow businesses to function.
Investing in these assets can signal to developers that the downtown is ready to grow, attracting additional private investment. The Town of Windsor, Colorado’s downtown master planning efforts drew immediate interest.
“In Windsor, we had developers coming to the table saying, ‘hey, we want to be a part of this,’ even before the plan was finished,” says Wagenlander. “They saw the potential right away.”
Sometimes private momentum appears first. When commercial developers start projects in up-and-coming downtown settings, municipalities can add value through public-private partnerships. In these cases, the municipality recognizes the overall growth impact that the new development will bring, and steps in to fund some of the necessary infrastructure. By supporting development projects with amenities and infrastructure renewal, a municipality helps create the environment for new development to thrive, while also positioning itself to accommodate the growth.
When investing in infrastructure, public entities have the most impact when prioritizing the user experience through safe, comfortable, and walkable downtowns that inspire local spirit.
Prioritizing the pedestrian experience
A pedestrian-first mindset in the city of Fort Collins brought walkability and placemaking to the alleyways in the Alleyway Improvements project
Pedestrian experience is paramount to a vibrant downtown with sustainable economic vitality. Through wider sidewalks, patio treatments, lighting, and amenities in public spaces, municipalities can contribute to the overall sense of comfort and safety.
“The most successful public investments I’ve seen are the ones where the city comes with a pedestrian-first mindset,” says Russell.
The goal is to create spaces that reduce any type of stress for people on foot, giving them a safe, welcoming atmosphere to pause and take time, eat, linger. Including provisions for patio seating on sidewalks and activated storefronts bridges the gap between visitors and businesses, helping people become patrons.
Comfort and perceived safety goes beyond having accessible storefronts and plazas. Traffic and multimodal design should be factored into broader planning and streetscaping strategies. Prioritizing walkability does have its tradeoffs with traffic flow and street parking, but with all elements considered during the master planning stages, downtowns achieve a balance with a pedestrian-first mindset. Based on RVi community survey data across several downtown redevelopment projects, people prefer experience over parking.
“From a user standpoint, people understand that when they’re coming downtown, they’ll be parking somewhere and then walking the rest of the way,” says Wagenlander. “We’ve seen that people are okay with that. They expect it. They feel safer.”
Investment in pedestrian experience brings measurable economic impact. For example, Russell has seen long-term increases is sales tax revenue up to 30 to 50 percent, and in some instances, significantly more.
The City of Fort Collins, for example, established an ordinance prioritizing pedestrians above vehicle traffic as part of its downtown master planning.
“Essentially, the City decided that slightly slower vehicle speeds were okay because it cared more about a comfortable and rich pedestrian environment,” says Russell. “It was a big step, and when you don’t have that mindset, you see less ROI in the long run.”
With subsequent pedestrian-focused projects including the Linden Street Renovations and Downtown Alley Enhancements, the City of Fort Collins has continued to generate increasing sales tax revenue that spurs further investment in its award-winning downtown district.
Investing in authenticity
The City of Louisville showcased authentic character through adaptive re-use of remnant materials from its mining history.
A downtown plan can have several of the markers of success—walkability, attractive streetscaping, private investment, the list goes on. Without genuine character, however, districts fall flat.
“We’ve all been to these places that have a main street feel, but it’s just not the same without authenticity,” says Wagenlander.
Creating a unique experience that stays true to the fabric of the community builds genuine interest and inspires civic pride. It becomes a destination for visitors to experience, and for locals to return. With the potential to become the cultural center of the community, downtowns can reflect and elevate that character through authentic placemaking strategies. Places that leverage the history of the community in the architectural aesthetics and social context tend to attract repeat visitors.
In the example of Lousiville, Colorado, the city’s rich mining history played a major role in streetscaping and downtown aesthetics. Remnants of historic, timber-framed buildings were incorporated into design, connecting past with present to establish a unique sense of place that preserves and enhances its history.
“We’re walking the line between creating something new and highlighting the past,” says Wagenlander. “What makes that place special, but still evolving? That’s what we try to answer.”
Balancing an understanding of where a community has been, where it is now, and where it aspires to be can frame the vision that guides planning. That vision cascades into nuanced details that shape genuine experiences through things like public art, signage and wayfinding, and materials used in everything from building facades to textured sidewalks.
Weaving these principles into design guidelines helps establish a unified, but nuanced, sense of place. Unity, with the right amount of variety, it what ties places together at scale.
Development authorities to drive revitalization
Given the complexity and number of stakeholders in a downtown revitalization project, sustainable vitality benefits from a coordinated effort. This is where Downtown Development Authorities can champion the effort and balance the interests of the city, the developers, and the people. DDAs bring a focused expertise in establishing funding strategies for impactful investment.
Mill levies, tax incremental financing (TIF) districts, and commercial property taxes collect smaller investments from a variety of sources, adding up to major investment in downtown development. The city of Fort Collins is just one example where the development authority annexed a commercial property before it was developed. It ties back to the symbiotic relationship in downtown development:
“A tiny percentage of commercial property taxes added up to help pay for a lot of the new investment downtown,” says Russell. “We’ve got direct evidence that sales tax revenues increase and vacancy rates go down after the downtown improvements. Everybody wins.”
A future built around people
Investing in downtown development brings more than financial returns. It lays the groundwork for communities to flourish and new civic identities to emerge. Downtowns thrive when development centers around the four principles of pedestrian experience, safety and comfort, character and place, and economic vitality.
When these address the needs and desires of the community, while accentuating its dynamic character, it leads to a self-sustaining cycle of further investment and prosperous growth. Public investment lays the foundation, private investment brings momentum, and the guidance of DDAs sets the vision and define the path forward.
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.
When Windsor, Colorado set out to reimagine its downtown, the community wasn’t starting from scratch. They already had history, character, and plenty of passion for what their downtown could be. What they needed was a clear vision, and a way to turn that vision into reality. That’s where RVi came in to help shape Colorado’s first Downtown Master Plan.
Phase I: A vision that won hearts (and awards)
The goal for Phase I of the Windsor Downtown Master Plan simple but ambitious: partner with the Windsor Downtown Alliance (WDA) and the Town of Windsor to create a plan that reflected the community’s aspirations for an active, walkable, and vibrant downtown.
RVi Director of Planning Will Wagenlander and his team brought together foundational planning, design strategy, and a fresh creative approach that resonated with Windsor’s leadership and community members.
“From the start, listening was key,” said Will. “Previous projects had left some residents skeptical, so we focused on rebuilding trust, engaging the community in conversations, capturing their ideas, and shaping them into a plan that felt both bold and realistic.”
Instead of a dense, text-heavy document, the RVi team reimagined how to tell Windsor’s story through a visually engaging and easy-to-understand plan. This approach not only connected with Town staff but also energized residents and business owners.
At the heart of the plan was an exciting idea: transforming 5th Street into a pedestrian plaza that could serve as the true hub of downtown. The one block plaza would provide a safe, family friendly gathering space and a north south connection linking residents to nearby parks and Windsor Lake, an especially meaningful improvement given that Main Street, a busy state highway, intersects with 5th Street.
RVi’s visual plan balanced economic development, placemaking, and enhancing the quality of life for residents.
The plan also identified underutilized parcels, analyzed their redevelopment potential, and demonstrated the economic and community benefits of reinvestment. This gave property owners a clearer picture of how their sites could contribute to the larger vision while creating opportunities for growth.
The final plan, full of color and accessible graphics, was met with overwhelming positivity and went on to win the “Colorful Colorado Award: Best Small Town Downtown Plan” at the Downtown Colorado Inc. Annual Conference.
“We’re especially proud of this recognition because it validated Windsor’s vision on a larger, statewide stage,” said Will. “This is one of the fastest-growing areas in Colorado, and I’m glad we were able to capture its potential in a way that resonated.”
Phase II: Transforming the vision into code
It’s one thing to imagine a more vibrant downtown, it’s another to translate that vision into zoning, regulations, and standards that guide real world development.
Thanks to the strong community trust built during Phase I, Windsor invited RVi to continue into Phase II: rewriting the downtown land development code.
For this stage, RVi Senior Planner Courtney Levingston drew on her deep experience in municipal planning and entitlements. Over six months, she led the RVi team in aligning Windsor’s code with the community’s goals, such as allowing residential uses on upper stories to bring more people downtown and enhancing design standards to ensure that new development adds character and energy. Importantly, these design expectations became requirements embedded in the code rather than suggestions in a manual.
“To translate the vision into effective code, we had to stay focused on the big picture,” said Courtney. “Our role was not only to draft regulations but also to empower Windsor by ensuring the code truly reflected their vision. We wanted the Town and community to feel ownership of what we were building together.”
Through this process, RVi helped balance the needs of the Town, the WDA, and community members, building consensus and embedding it into policy that will guide Windsor’s future.
Community engagement and trust have been central to bringing the downtown vision to life.
The RVi difference: Partnering with communities every step of the way
The Windsor Downtown Master Plan shows how RVi supports communities from start to finish, not just with inspiring ideas but with practical tools to bring those ideas to life. From planning and entitlement to community engagement and design, our team is committed to delivering results that set communities up for long term success.
From award winning vision to real world code, Windsor’s story demonstrates what’s possible when creativity, collaboration, and community come together, and we’re proud to have been part of it.
