MAYOR BILL WHITE NAMES SPECIAL ASSISTANT FOR URBAN DESIGN
May 20, 2004 -- Mayor Bill White today named Guy Hagstette as Special Assistant to the Mayor for Urban Design. The position has been created to help the administration on work with other entities in maintaining and enhancing a vital urban center for Houston.
“We are happy to have someone of Hagstette’s considerable skill and experience joining us in our efforts to make Houston even better,” said Mayor White. “The ongoing transformation of downtown and the Main Street corridor into a vital urban center sends a strong signal about Houston as a great place to live and work.”
Hagstette will serve as a loaned executive from Central Houston Inc. As an employee of Central Houston, Hagstette has served as the Director of Capital Projects and Planning of the Houston Downtown Management District. Initially, he will continue to serve in this capacity since the first responsibilities of the new position will focus primarily on downtown. He will work with stakeholders, the public and City departments to develop ideas, design projects and public policy suggestions that address urban issues, such as transportation, enhanced development strategies, sidewalk improvements and other infrastructure.
“Houston has set the stage to be a leading urban center, but we have much more work to do to achieve that potential,” said Hagstette.
Hagstette has worked for the District and before that the Houston Downtown Management Corporation for 12 years. He has given significant leadership to the transformation of the streets and public spaces in downtown and the central city, including the award-winning Cotswold Project and Main Street. Hagstette’s involvement with downtown began in 1985 with his national competition winning design of Buffalo Bayou Sesquicentennial Park.
“We are delighted by the appointment, and excited that Guy will share his talent with our city,” said Bob Eury, President of Central Houston and Executive Director of the Houston Downtown Management District.
