Mayors’ Institute on City Design Selects Mayor D.C. Reeves to Participate in 78th National Session

Pensacola Mayor D.C. Reeves is one of eight mayors in the U.S. selected to participate in the 78th National Session of the Mayors' Institute on City Design in Boston this week. The MICD National Sessions are centered around the discussion of critical design challenges in municipal projects and provide an opportunity for mayors to present an in-depth case study for peer and expert review.

Mayor Reeves, the first-ever Pensacola mayor to be invited to the program, will present Pensacola’s Hollice T. Williams Greenway project to the mayors and national design leaders. Hosted by Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, the collaborative program will take place from Oct. 11 through Oct. 13. The National Session is an opportunity for mayors to engage with design leaders and each other to find solutions to their city’s most crucial planning and design needs.

“It’s an honor to present a transformational project that means so much to our city to a group of such distinguished mayors and world-renowned designers,” Mayor Reeves said. “I appreciate MICD recognizing this as a vital project for Pensacola and for helping us achieve our goal of creating a generational asset to the surrounding neighborhood and the city as a whole. This is an opportunity to ensure this project creates generational change.”

Mayor Reeves was also selected for an MICD program this spring, participating in the Just City Mayoral Fellowship at the Harvard Graduate School of Design. There he also presented on the Hollice T. Williams Greenway project. While there has been discussion about this project dating back to 2004, the City of Pensacola was awarded its first significant funding totaling $30 million in grants — with more grant applications under review.

The Hollice T. Williams Greenway is a 1.3-mile stretch under Interstate I-110 that will function as a stormwater park and an amenity for the region to enjoy.

MICD hosts several Institute Sessions throughout the year. However, the National Session that Reeves is attending only occurs once a year.

The mayors invited to attend the MICD 78th National Session are:

Mayor Michelle Wu, Boston, Mass. (Host)
Mayor Tim Kelly, Chattanooga, Tenn.
Mayor Mike Duggan, Detroit, Mich.
Mayor Harvey Ward, Jr., Gainesville, Fla.
Mayor Rex Richardson, Long Beach, Calif.
Mayor Sheng Thoa, Oakland, Calif.
Mayor D.C. Reeves, Pensacola, Fla.
Mayor Helen Tran, San Bernardino, Calif.
Mayor Kenneth Welch, St. Petersburg, Fla.

MICD is a leadership initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts in conjunction with the United States Conference of Mayors. The initiative strives to educate mayors on city design and connect them with thought leaders providing collaborative assistance to municipal challenges.

For more information about the MICD Institute Sessions, visit micd.org/institute-sessions.

Mayors' Institute on City Design 78th National Session Graphic

For more information or general questions, email pio@cityofpensacola.com. To stay informed about what's happening with City of Pensacola government, sign up for email or text notifications through Notify Me or follow @CityofPensacola on social media.