Opening Keynote Address Set for Greenprints 2004 Event to be sponsored by ULI Atlanta District Council Harry H. Frampton, III, managing partner of East West Partners, a real estate development company based in Beaver Creek, Colo., is the new chairman of the Urban Land Institute (ULI), a nonprofit education and research institute dedicated to providing responsible leadership in the use of land to enhance the total environment. Established in 1936, ULI has more than 18,000 members representing all aspects of land use and development disciplines.

Frampton’s Greenprints keynote will center around his priorities for ULI during his term of leadership - continuing the incredible momentum begun by ULI for smart growth development, as well as sustainable development and energy efficient building. He sees this as underscoring the importance of designing with an understanding of the people served by the built environment. “ULI is about people, not projects or buildings,” Frampton said. “Behind every great project is someone passionate about that project, someone devoted to it, who provides unique leadership.”

According to Frampton, smart growth, which minimizes the amount of land developed to accommodate growth, has a key role in the suburbs as well as close-in urban areas. “ULI has done a phenomenal job in facilitating urban revitalization—in re-energizing urban areas—over the past several years. But, we need to recognize that 50 to 90 percent of the new growth is going to occur in the suburbs. ULI should be more involved in ensuring that suburban growth is smart growth,” he said.

In addition, he will push for a greater emphasis by ULI on promoting sustainable development techniques that produce more “green” (energy-efficient and environmentally friendly) buildings and preserve more environmentally sensitive land. “Our biggest challenge is to do this in a way that does not impose a significant cost burden on the product,” Frampton said.

Throughout his real estate development career, which spans more than 30 years, Frampton has focused on the importance of instilling a sense of belonging and community to development. His vision enhances the entire community, rather than building isolated projects with no connection to their surroundings. “Humanizing design makes a huge difference. Too often, we think of design only in terms of architecture. What matters is streetscape and the scale of buildings, as well as the architecture...details that make places truly enjoyable and memorable,” Frampton said.

Southface and the Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority (GEFA) look forward to Frampton’s keynote address the morning of Thursday, March 18, 2004 at Greenprints at the Westin Peachtree Plaza. We extend special thanks to the ULI Atlanta District Council for sponsoring this event.