Five Questions with Jason Sartori
On any given day at the office, Jason Sartori M.C.P. ‘05 might review a development application, offer guidance for a placemaking event, evaluate the state of school infrastructure, or all of the above.A day in the life as a planning director for Montgomery County, Md.—one of the most diverse, populous counties in the country—is never boring. In his role, Sartori tackles a variety of formidable tasks relating to issues such as affordable housing, zoning and transportation—but he wouldn't have it any other way, he said.
Getting the Purple Line and Its Neighbors on Track
The young mother pushed her stroller across University Boulevard in Langley Park, Md., with the focus (if not the raw speed) of an Olympic sprinter. Racing the tick-tick-tick of the neon walk signal, she joined a throng of pedestrians maneuvering from median to median across eight lanes of battered roadway, while a nearby fleet of backhoes and dump trucks helped install track for the state’s new light-rail line.
Changing the Face of Affordable Housing: Mansur Abdul-Malik (MRED ’12)
When Mansur Abdul-Malik crunches a building’s pro forma, he doesn’t see numbers—he sees faces: the 10-year-old boy popping wheelies in Baltimore’s Hollander Ridge neighborhood; the D.C. family who needs a new stove; the dozens of residents who have his personal cellphone number.
Five Questions with Gabrielle Hapi
As a new graduate student in the University of Maryland’s (UMD) Real Estate Development Program, Gabrielle Hapi ’15, MBA & MRED ‘21 often passed by Baltimore’s glassy high-rises wondering, “How can I help people who can’t afford these rents?” She didn’t know that she’d find her answer first at UMD, then creating vibrant, affordable housing as the developme
EFC Water Quality Expert Tapped by Gov. Wes Moore
Environmental Finance Center (EFC) Director Jennifer Cotting has been appointed to Maryland’s BayStat Program Scientific Advisory Panel by Gov. Wes Moore. The advisory panel oversees restoration programs for the Mid-Atlantic’s largest estuary, the Chesapeake Bay, as well as the Atlantic Coastal Bays.
UMD Students, Faculty and Alums Earn Acclaim at 2025 Maryland AIA Awards
A fire station designed from ashes, an homage to a Civil War turning point and a refuge for oyster recovery were just some of the University of Maryland student projects to amass accolades at this year’s AIA Maryland Excellence in Design Awards. They joined nearly a dozen alums and faculty honored for projects that exemplify sustainable and beautiful design and contribute to the public realm.
Faculty, Alums Make Forbes’ “Residential” Experts List
When it comes to residential projects, choosing the right architect can determine whether a home becomes the stunner—or the scourge—of a neighborhood.According to Forbes, the key is to shop local. Last week, the magazine debuted its 2025 America’s Best-In-State Residential Architects, 400 designers that go beyond mastering curb appeal by centering their practice on place, from materials selection and climate to functionality and neighborhood esthetic.
Join Region III TCTAC Mailing List & Support Environmental Justice Initiatives
On April 13, 2023, the EPA announced the TCTAC initiative, which aims to provide grant funding to eligible applicants for the establishment of technical assistance centers nationwide. These centers will offer critical support to communities facing environmental justice concerns, as well as their partners. In partnership with the DOE, the EPA has allocated $177 million to assist overburdened communities across the country.
Celebrating a Sustainable Partnership
By Tom Reynolds, MML Senior Director, Leadership Development
Congratulations to the Sustainable Maryland Class of 2023!
Sustainable Maryland honored 16 Maryland municipalities at the Maryland Municipal League’s annual Fall Conference on Monday, October 16. This Awards Ceremony marks Sustainable Maryland's 11th year of helping communities build a more sustainable future.To date, 89 municipalities, or 57% of the state's 157 towns and cities, participate in the program, and 26% have achieved the "Sustainable Maryland Certified" designation.The complete list of newly certified (denoted by *) and re-certified communities includes: