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New
City -
Michael Shilale, founder and managing partner of
Michael Shilale Architects, LLP recently embarked
on a lobbying tour of our nation’s capital, to
present his support for one of AIA’s (American
Institute of Architects) most serious national
initiatives – affordable housing. Shilale, who was
recently voted in as the new Vice
President/President -Elect of the Westchester
Mid-Hudson chapter of AIA, was part of a contingent
of hundreds of architects from all across the
country, who descended on Washington
D.C. February 8-12
to pitch their representatives on the importance of
this issue. The architects collectively seek to get
the Portman-Jefferson bill passed, which covers
three important objectives – affordable housing,
historic preservation and community revitalization.
“We care very strongly about the importance of
this bill, even though many of us in our profession
may not directly benefit from it’s passage,“ said
Shilale from his company’s headquarters in New City,
explaining that AIA members look to support issues
that make a significance difference in the quality
of life in the community, or that are ripe for some
government attention. According to Mr. Shilale, a
recent bi-partisan survey showed that 28% of the
public felt that
affordable housing should be in the top 10 list of
governments priorities; with 64% of the respondents
giving affordable housing a seven or higher rating
on a scale of one to ten.
Shilale, along with his chapter’s President, Adolph
M. Orlando AIA, and Executive Director, Valerie
Brown, also took part in a grassroots
meeting with other
presidents, vice-presidents and executive directors
from various chapters across the nation, to share
ideas about attracting new members and enhancing
practice.
Shilale, who also
serves as president of RHAC (Rockland Housing Action
Coalition), is the first Rocklander to hold the
position of President-Elect since the chapter’s
inception in October,1936. In his new position, he
will serve on various committees and oversee a range
of objectives, including engaging new members,
continuing education programs, trade show
involvement, and industry-related tours. “These
chapter offerings will benefit new members, as well
as the 500+ current member architects, who hail from
seven counties in the Hudson Valley,” said Mr.
Shilale.
Michael
Shilale Architects, LLP, an eight person
architectural engineering firm founded in 1991,
serves a municipal, commercial, residential and
educational client base, covering Manhattan, and
Monticello, Sullivan, Orange, Rockland and Nassau
counties, in New York, as well as Bergen County, New
Jersey. For more information, please call
845-708-9200, or visit their website at
www.shilale.com. |
