At a time of intense debate about the role of private development in New York City, Essex Crossing—the six-acre, multi-billion dollar mega-project on Manhattan’s Lower East Side—nears completion. This December, Van Alen will bring together the voices, designers, and community organizations that have been reshaping the Lower East Side, and ask what lessons we should take with us as New York crosses into a new decade.

We're excited to welcome Deborah Marton, our new Executive Director! Deborah joins us from the New York Restoration Project, and prior to that, led the Design Trust for Public Space.

Van Alen’s 2019 Fall Party will take place on Thursday, November 14 at 7 pm. Join us for an intimate gathering to toast Deborah Marton as our new Executive Director, and celebrate 125 years of advancing design as a catalyst for change.

July witnessed important milestones for Keeping Current, our ongoing project searching for responses to the impacts of sea level rise in the Greater Miami area. We are excited to announce Department Design Office as the winner of our Repetitive Loss Properties competition, which seeks design solutions to flood-prone vacant lots in North Miami.

On June 6th, our annual Spring Party brought together more than 800 guests to celebrate our 125th year of catalyzing positive change through design to improve people’s lives. Many thanks to all of you for supporting Van Alen's particularly urgent work to create new spaces for civic dialogue and develop innovative solutions to society’s many challenges.

Next week, we look forward to coming together with all of you–our friends and supporters–for our annual Spring Party 2019. It is a particularly special year as we celebrate Van Alen’s 125th year of advancing design.

Van Alen's public program series for the spring, LICNYC: Site City Future, is encouraging significant civic and community engagement in Long Island City and neighboring districts. Professionals, students, and curious residents are exploring the role that design can play in creating more inclusive growth that serves all communities.

This year continues to be defined by Van Alen bringing diverse thinking to design issues, to catalyze change and improve quality of life.

In the weeks ahead, Van Alen Institute is bringing experts and everyday people together in cities around the country to exchange ideas and celebrate opportunities to improve lives by design.

The nights are longer, temperatures are dipping, and winter is about to arrive. At the end of the year comes an opportunity to consider the coming one, to take stock and make decisions that will shape the seasons to come.