LAURIE FEINBERG
Department of Planning, City of Baltimore
(retired)
SAY IT LOUD - MARYLAND Exhibitor
Maryland Based Designer
Who or what inspires you professionally?
Planning and urban design projects often take a long time to have impact, but it is thrilling for me to see the quality of life for residents made better by the visible improvements in their built environment.
LAURIE FEINBERG
Bio:
The great designer, Laurie is a trained architect and has served as Assistant Director, Division Chief, and City Planner over her 34 year career with the Baltimore City Planning Department. Prior to that, she was an architect focused on affordable housing in Philadelphia. As assistant director, she oversaw all development review, historic preservation and urban design in Baltimore and led Baltimore’s first comprehensive zoning code rewrite in over 40 years. She has a B. Arch from Cornell University.
How did you first learn about architecture and when did you decide that built environment profession was an area of interest for you?
I had the stereotypical high school guidance experience, ‘you are good at art & math, consider architecture’. In college, I was exposed to urban design & planning as well as architecture and realized I could combine my interest in design & cities.
What do you do?
Over 34 years, my career evolved from urban designer, community planner to the Asst. Director overseeing historic preservation, design and development review.
What excites you in the work you do?
The most exciting part of my work is making cities work better for the people that live there. Sometimes the smallest projects, a green space, a streetscape or an attractive storefront can make all the difference
Who or what inspires you professionally?
Planning and urban design projects often take a long time to have impact, but it is thrilling for me to see the quality of life for residents made better by the visible improvements in their built environment.
What is your proudest professional accomplishment or achievement?
Shaping and witnessing positive physical and social change are the most significant achievements of my career. Additionally, I’m so glad to see the planning/design profession addressing our role in ongoing social challenges and inequities.
Featured Project Name:
Bettering the built environment
Featured Project Location:
Baltimore City
Featured Project Completion Date:
On-going
Role in Featured Project:
Asst. Director responsible for all urban design and development review
Featured Project Description:
In a 34 year career with the Baltimore City Planning Department, I participated in the ongoing city and community-led project to better Baltimore’s built environment. This involved working with community residents to envision everything from parks to broader neighborhood revitalization. I also led the city’s first comprehensive zoning code rewrite in over 40 years designed to both protect neighborhood character and enable new development.
