Designing Local

10/28/2026

In late September we held our first Open House for community members to visit and help shape the future of how we move and connect on the East Side of Columbus!

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the East Side Rail Trail Community Open House and shared feedback on the proposed 3-mile linear trail. Spanning from E. Broad Street to Bostwick Road, the planned greenway will expand park space, improve transportation options, and connect more than 17,000 residents across East Columbus and Whitehall.

📍 We gathered at the Barnett Community Center to meet the project team, share ideas, and help design a space built for our community.

Thank you for making your voice heard and helping shape the future of the East Side Rail Trail!

Learn more at www.columbusrecparks.com, and take the survey at https://us.maptionnaire.com/q/esrt-survey1.

10/27/2026

⏳ Last chance! There are only a few days left to shape the future of transportation in Central Ohio.

MORPC is closing public feedback for its 2028–2055 Metropolitan Transportation Plan. If you care about the future of our roads, public transit, bike networks, and pedestrian safety, now is the time to speak up. The goals set today will dictate where infrastructure funding goes for the next 30 years.

Make your voice heard before the survey closes!

🗳️ Take the quick survey here: https://us.maptionnaire.com/q/morpcbest

10/26/2026

In this second edition of our newsletter, we are delighted to share highlights from the many inspiring projects we have had the privilege of working on and visiting this summer. Our team has collaborated with communities across the country, each with its own unique character, history, and vision for the future.

From St. Augustine, Florida to Denver, Colorado, our work has truly taken us here, there, and everywhere. Whether we're helping communities celebrate their identity, preserve what makes them special, or envision what's next, every project reminds us why we are so passionate about creating meaningful places.

We hope you'll enjoy this glimpse into our work the last couple of months and the incredible communities we've had the opportunity to partner with.

Follow along with us on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/sun-fun-work-well-done-summer-recap-designing-local-4gyde/?trackingId=8gBKFMwLTfOXnyQgG1s3Ww%3D%3D

10/20/2026

Creativity, teamwork, and a whole lot of Girl Scout spirit!

Our Co-Founder & Managing Principal, Amanda Golden, recently helped her daughter’s Girl Scout troop earn their Art & Design badge! The girls put their creativity to work designing a unique crest that represents the values of their Girl Scout Troop through meaningful words, symbols, and images.

We love seeing the next generation use art and design to express what matters most to them and, of course, having a little fun along the way!

10/13/2026

Join us for our session at the Ohio Transportation Engineers Conference (OTEC) next week!

Principal & Director of Design Matt Leasure and Senior Urban Planner Meredith Reed will be presenting "Cultivating the Experience of Traveling Ohio’s Regional Trail Networks" alongside Melinda Vonstein, Greenways Manager at the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) and Olivia Toth, Executive Director at the Knox County Convention and Visitor Bureau. Their panel will explore how the Central Ohio Greenways are making trail travel more comfortable and dignified through innovative planning, wayfinding, culture-building, and mapping initiatives that include the new Trail Towns of Central Ohio initiative and Regional Cycling Guide, Wayfinding Strategy Guide implementation efforts, and the region’s forthcoming Active Transportation Plan.​

OTEC is the nation’s largest engineering conference and for 80 years has provided a forum for transportation professionals to discover and discuss new ways to safely, efficiently move people and goods throughout the state. Designing Local is proud to contribute to the conversation around safer, more connected transportation networks in Ohio.

📍 OTEC | Columbus, OH | Columbus Convention Center | Rooom C170–171
🗓️ Wednesday, October 21, 2–3:30pm

Are you attending OTEC this year? We’d love to connect—drop a comment below or send us a DM if you plan to be in the audience! 👇

10/09/2026

What a summer! Look back with us at the people, places, and partnerships that made this season unforgettable.

📍 Denver, Colorado

We traveled to Denver to meet with the Advisory Committee formed by the Denver Arts Council. Together, we’re facilitating community engagement, reconciliation, and reflection around Denver’s monuments. While there, we also had the chance to explore downtown Denver’s incredible public art scene!

📍Howard County, Maryland

We joined community members for the final public event before the Howard County Arts & Culture Plan was submitted to the Howard County Arts Council for review. The gathering was an opportunity to share key recommendations and hear community ideas as Howard County looks toward putting the plan into action over the next 10 years. We’re proud to help shape a vibrant, inclusive, and thriving future for arts and culture.

📍 St. Johns County, Florida

We visited St. Johns County as we partner with the St. Johns Cultural Council to develop a new Arts Plan. From connecting with the Hastings community and reaffirming its Placemaking Plan to meeting with leaders across tourism, parks and recreation, libraries, municipalities, and the arts, the visit highlighted the power of collaboration in shaping a vibrant cultural future.

📍Canal Wi******er, Ohio

We are working with the City of Canal Wi******er on developing a comprehensive marketing strategy and are excited to see how the intel gleaned through engagement will shape it. As part of that project we had pop-ups at the Farmer’s Market and the Blues and Ribs Fest.

📍Frederick County, Maryland

We had the pleasure of visiting Frederick County Government, MD for a discovery visit! We explored the county through walking and driving tours, while also meeting with the Mayor and Steering Committee to learn more about the community’s vision for its future. After recently completing a Historic Preservation Plan for Frederick County, we’re incredibly honored to continue our partnership by helping shape an Arts & Culture Plan that celebrates the Frederick's creativity, heritage, and unique sense of place.

We’re grateful to the passionate community members, artists, leaders, and partners who continue to make this work possible.

Here’s to more meaningful conversations, creative collaborations, and community-driven plans!

10/09/2026

09/30/2026

We’re excited to see our Principal & Co-Founder, Josh Lapp, presenting the session, “Planning for Placemaking on Main Street”, at the 2026 Heritage Ohio Annual Conference in Cincinnati tomorrow!

This session will focus on how thoughtful, comprehensive placemaking can transform a Main Street from a collection of individual projects into a vibrant, connected downtown.

Through real-world examples, Lapp will explore how communities can:

-Use local culture to spark long-term economic growth.

-Create authentic experiences and a recognizable community identity.

-Build a strategic blueprint that aligns future projects with a shared vision.

-Strengthen the planning process to support funding and turn ideas into reality.

📅 Tomorrow | 9:45–10:45 AM

📍 Heidelberg Room | 3rd Floor

📌 Cincinnati, Ohio

If you’re attending the conference, we’d love to see you there! Come learn how intentional planning can help communities create Main Streets people recognize, connect with, and love.

09/25/2026

We are so excited for our Managing Principal & Co-Founder Amanda Golden and Principal & Director of Design Matthew Leasure to be presenting the session “Transformative Dialogues, Planner Well-being, and Community Healing: The Reimagining Columbus Story” at the American Planning Association's OKI 2026 conference next week in Dayton, Ohio.

This year’s theme, “Healthy Planners for Healthy Places” strives to remind guests that thriving communities begin with the people who plan them. By sharing ideas, building connections, and investing in our own well-being we strengthen our ability to create places that support health, resilience, and quality of life for all.

Please come to our session and let us know if you plan to attend — we would welcome the chance to meet with you!