Projects
- Federal City Sustainable Communities, New Orleans
- MacArthur Boulevard Corridor Plan, Alexandria, LA
- Tupelo, Mississippi Annexation Analysis
- Regional Planning Commission, Greater New Orleans Regional Vision
- Bottomland Hardwood Forest Education Program, New Orleans
- West End Park Redevelopment Plan, New Orleans
- Amite Downtown District Revitalization Plan, LA
- Naval Support Activity “East Bank” Redevelopment, New Orleans
- ICMA Brownfields Conference Outreach, New Orleans
- Orleans Recovery Foundation Outreach, New Orleans East
- New Orleans Master Plan and Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance
- EPA CARE for St. Bernard Parish, LA
- Groundwork New Orleans Strategic Plan
- Unified New Orleans Plan, Planning Districts 3 & 4
- City of New Orleans Brownfields Inventory and Marketing
- Bayou St. John Comprehensive Management Plan, New Orleans
- Mayor’s Office of Environmental Affairs Strategic Plan
- Pontchartrain Beach Improvement Plan, New Orleans
- Orleans Local Coastal Program
- Ascension Parish Visioning and Historic Preservation, LA
- Canal Streetcar Line Event Planning, New Orleans
- Jackson, Mississippi Annexation Analysis
- Grants
MacArthur Boulevard Corridor Plan
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Prime: Frederic Schwartz Architects
Client: City of Alexandria, Louisiana
Services: Public meeting process planning and facilitation. Sustainability planning
Results: Four public workshops engaging a diversity of people on the needs for this busy corridor. North MacArthur Drive Program Completion Report
Time Period: 2010
Tupelo, Mississippi Annexation Analysis
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Prime: Fernandez Plans, LLC
Client: City of Tupelo, Mississippi
Services: Gathered and analyzed land use and demographic data
Results: Provided data for land use expert to reference during preparation and trial
Time Period: 2007-2010
Bottomland Hardwood Forest Education Program
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Client: A Studio in the Woods, New Orleans, Louisiana
Services: Worked with a group of educators, ecologists and artists to develop an education program exposing children to the disappearing bottomland hardwood forest landscape. Conducted program with 6th through 8th grade students from Algiers Charter Schools and one teacher workshop
Results: Reached 60 children and 15 educators. Wrote Nature’s Classroom: Adventures in a Bottomland Hardwood Forest Educator Guide, which can be used locally or adapted nationally
Time Period: 2006-2010
CARE for St. Bernard
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Prime: Toxicological & Environmental Associates, Inc.
Client: St. Bernard Parish Government, Louisiana and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Services: Facilitated and coordinated seven public meetings for a Community Action for a Renewed Environment (CARE) EPA program. Established broad-based collaboration and consensus to collect information, identify issues, prioritize problems and identify solutions. Provided technical writing and outreach
Results: Educated citizenry on air and water quality issues, and problems associated with recovery from Hurricane Katrina and land use issues. The CARE for St. Bernard Pollution Reduction Plan including a plan of action was created. Parish government, neighborhood groups and industry reference this guide to make improvements to clarify conflicts. The plan was officially adopted by the Parish Council in October 2008.
Time Period: 2008
Unified New Orleans Plan
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Prime: Frederic Schwartz Architects
Client: Mayor’s Office of New Orleans, Louisiana
Services: Public meeting process planning and facilitation, technical writing
Results: Recovery plan for Planning Districts 3 and 4 of the City of New Orleans after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Identified projects that would provide momentum for citywide and neighborhood recovery
Time Period: 2006-2007
City of New Orleans Brownfields Inventory and Marketing
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Client: Mayor’s Office of Environmental Affairs, New Orleans, Louisiana
Services: Post-Katrina, assessed and catalogued general conditions of all properties listed and unlisted by the LA Department of Environmental Quality as having underground storage tanks (USTs) in the City of New Orleans. Identified “pivotal” parcels for Phase 1 assessment, clean-up and redevelopment. Developed, coordinated and facilitated two workshops focusing on UST property revitalization. Contributed to a program flyer for outreach purposes
Results: Chamber of Commerce members learned about Brownfields and real estate opportunities related to these properties. UST property owners also learned more about their properties and financial and clean-up tools available to them. Motivated several UST property owners to revitalize their sites
City had an up to date database of all UST properties with photos and written conditions available for people interested in redevelopment opportunities
Time Period: 2007
Bayou St. John Comprehensive Management Plan
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Client: Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation, Metairie, Louisiana
Services: Facilitated committee and public meetings to form consensus about water flow, habitat, recreation, education and public access issues. Created a plan for all stakeholders and bayou managers to use. Provided outreach to advertise meetings and to distribute plans through printed materials and email correspondence
Results: A plan of action and management that neighborhood groups, environmental groups and government agencies agree upon and reference when making improvements along the bayou
Time period: 2004-2006
Pontchartrain Beach Improvement Plan
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Client: Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation, Metairie, Louisiana
Services: Created and implemented a public participation strategy including surveys and charrettes. Facilitated committee meetings and public design charrettes to form consensus on beach improvements. Created a plan to be used as a guide for future improvements by stakeholders, especially the land owners and lease holders. Researched feasibility of action plan
Results: Consensus on keeping the beach “natural” with a few basic amenities. An action plan ready to be implemented by the land owner, lease holder and organized groups and individuals
Time Period: 2004-2006
Orleans Local Coastal Program
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Client: Mayor’s Office of Environmental Affairs, New Orleans, Louisiana
Services: Conducted wetland permit reviews, recommendations and mitigation activities. Coordinated marsh creation and planting projects. Engaged professional and residential communities in coastal restoration and wetlands issues. Conducted coastal restoration research and coordination to attain grants and partnerships
Results: First time the City of New Orleans got involved in the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Preservation and Restoration Act project process. First time the City of New Orleans conducted wetland plantings in Bayou Sauvage National Refuge and City Park. City was up to date on coastal permit applications and provided a solid interface with permitting assistance
Time Period: 2003-2007
Ascension Parish Planning
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Prime: Fernandez Plans, LLC
Client: Ascension Parish Government
Services: Identified best sustainability and historic preservation practices, assisted with public meeting presentations and gathering input
Results: Proposed Historic Preservation Ordinance, vision for future planning process, sustainability presentation
Time Period: 2005
Canal Streetcar Line Event Planning
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Prime: Fernandez Plans, LLC
Client: Regional Transit Authority
Services: Linked area businesses to advertise during event, coordinated concerts, talent and staging areas
Results: Celebration of the reintroduction of the Canal Streetcar Line
Time Period: 2004
Grants
Szapary Strategies conducts research, writes proposals and manages grant-related processes for private, non-profit and public entities.
Funders to which successful grant applications were made include:
- Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act
- Entergy Corporation
- Freeport McMoRan Foundation
- GPOA Foundation
- Greater New Orleans Foundation
- Starbucks COAST Fund
- Environmental Fund
- Groundwork USA
- Harrah’s/New Orleans City Council
- Keller Family Foundation
- Louisiana Department of Natural Resources
- NOAA Community Based Program
- PeyBack Foundation
- Pontchartrain Restoration Program
- Red Dress Run
- RosaMary Foundation
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency