Confluence

Friday, December 5th, the Cedar Rapids office enjoyed its very first—and very merry—cold-weather Open House at the Merry Millwork Market in Dubuque. Drawing on its historic architecture, Dubuque Historic Millwork District has been transforming in recent years, creating a unique and vibrant mixed-use area. Confluence is helping the city develop a Community Open Space to provide flexible outdoor green space, which will become an event space and hub of activity, adding to the district’s vitality.

I'm looking forward to participating in the workshop next week and kudos to Cecilia Dvorak, AICP who inspired the idea for this session. Several months ago, Cecilia posted about the real-world relationship and communication between developers and planners. It was thoughtful and insightful and created a lot of great discussion; but really struck me that this is not talked about more often. How can we re-write the narrative and create a better plan, a better relationship, and better experience for all involved? There are ways to do so but these skills are just not taught to us (or very often aren't). For some reason this isn't a priority, so we are left trying to figure this out on our own. So, thank you Cecilia for starting this brainstorm and also Scott Hanson and Danny Jendusa for helping to develop what should be a great afternoon. Cheers!

We’re excited to announce that Aimee Nassif, AICP will be speaking at the APA St. Louis Metro Section’s 3rd Annual Winter Workshop! 📅 Date: Tuesday, December 9 🕚 Time: 11:00 AM – 2:30 PM 📍 Location: City Winery Session Spotlight: “I’m Right… Right? – Better Ways to Say What We Need to Say” This interactive workshop will explore the planner’s role in building partnerships with developers, elected officials, and consultants. Attendees will work through real-world scenarios and learn practical techniques for achieving positive outcomes.

We’re proud to have contributed to the Block 59 project in Naperville, and we’re excited to see the launch of The Rink on the Event Plaza, a seasonal skating experience that will return each holiday season. This space was designed to bring people together, and we can’t wait to see the Naperville community enjoy it in every season. https://lnkd.in/g6VFWhwk

Welcome, Aimee Nassif, AICP, to Our Leadership Team! We’re proud to announce that Aimee Nassif, AICP, is joining us as Principal. Aimee’s impressive career spans 28 years in public service, including leadership roles in planning and development for cities across Missouri and Kansas. She has championed housing initiatives, comprehensive planning, and strategic growth efforts that strengthen communities. Her collaborative approach and deep expertise will be invaluable as we continue to deliver innovative solutions for our clients and communities. Please join us in welcoming Aimee to the team!

Our Omaha office recently partnered with the City of Omaha’s Economic Sustainability Program and Completely KIDS to help provide warm meals and holiday essentials to Omahans experiencing food insecurity the day before Thanksgiving. Through internal fundraising, we contributed items like cranberries, canned goods, butter, and Tropicana orange juice to support meal preparation. These meals will be prepared by Charley’s Sweet and Savory Shop and distributed through Completely Kids. We’re proud to be part of this grassroots collaboration that strengthens our community. 

We’re honored to be part of the 2050 Comprehensive Plan for the City of Grimes! It was such a pleasure attending the Open House last week and connecting with residents. We loved seeing the excitement, especially from the youngest community members, and can’t wait to watch Grimes grow and thrive over the next 25 years.

On November 7th, Craig Soncrant and Mark Miller attended the Celebrate Ability Gala, a fundraiser supporting Special Leisure Services Foundation (SLSF) and Northwest Special Recreation Association (NWSRA), two local nonprofits dedicated to enriching the lives of children and adults with disabilities.  Confluence was proud to serve as a Gold Sponsor alongside Legat Architects and Water Technology, Inc.. We are grateful to support organizations that create opportunities and foster inclusion in our communities. 

On November 11, Jenn B. and Daniel Tal from our Digital Studio had the privilege of presenting on AI to Colorado State University’s 3rd- and 4th-year landscape architecture students and faculty.  It was an engaging discussion on how emerging technologies are shaping the future of design and practice. We’re proud to contribute to the education of tomorrow’s leaders in landscape architecture.

Today, we honor the courage, sacrifice, and service of all who have worn our nation’s uniform. Your dedication safeguards the freedoms we cherish every day. From all of us at Confluence, thank you for your unwavering commitment.