The 1995 winners have in common a perspective that focuses on the community as a unit, working from the ground up by building on strengths and resources rather than focusing only on problems.
Building Coalitions for Urban Excellence: the 1995 Rudy Bruner Award for Urban Excellence includes detailed case studies and lessons learned about the winning projects including:
- Maya Angelou Community Initiative in Portland, Oregon
A supportive, long-term, affordable housing community for female-headed families
- Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative in Boston, Massachusetts
A community-based initiative that revitalized an underserved neighborhood
- Greenpoint Manufacturing and Design Center in Brooklyn, New York
A nonprofit cooperative supporting artisan businesses and entrepreneurship
- Harlem Meer in New York, New York
Restoration of the northeast corner of Central Park
- Lowertown in St. Paul, Minnesota
Transformation of a historic warehouse district into a thriving urban village
Lessons Learned themes include:
- Non-tradition Organizations–Building Coalitions for Urban Excellence
- Six Parts of a Whole City
- A New Role for Government
- Leadership and Decision Making Styles
- The Microwave versus Crockpot–Differing Styles for Community Development
- The Importance of Design
- Fighting Crime through Urban Design