Charleston Mayor Will Open ASLA Annual Meeting

Charleston, S.C. Mayor Joseph Riley Jr., here participating in the city's Support Our Students tutorial program for grade schoolers.

It seems like only yesterday that we were in Salt Lake for the ASLA Expo, but tempest fugit, ya'll, as the ASLA has announced the opening keynote speaker for the 2005 ASLA Expo (October 7-10, Ft. Lauderdale), Joseph Riley Jr., mayor of Charleston, South Carolina. Mr. Riley, serving his eighth term as mayor, will speak on design excellence in public spaces.

Under Riley's leadership, Charleston has revitalized the historic downtown area, built more affordable housing and constructed Waterfront Park, among other public spaces.

Riley helped establish the Mayors' Institute for City Design in 1986, which provides suburban design information to mayors across the country.

Riley received the inaugural President's Award from the U.S. Conference of Mayors for outstanding leadership and was the first recipient of the J. C. Nichols Prize from the Urban Land Institute's for Visionary Urban Development. The ASLA named him the Olmsted Medal recipient last year (that award will be presented to him in Ft. Lauderdale).