01:00 AM EDT on Sunday, May 28, 2006

Journal arts writer Bill Van Siclen sent out a message through the Congress for the New Urbanism, asking members why they were coming to Providence for this week's conference. Here are excerpts from replies.

I was first in Providence in 1977. I hitchhiked there with a friend from Boston (in January) to visit a friend of mine who was attending Brown, on my way to New York.

We were picked up by a woman who happened to be the sister of a guy who owned a nightclub -- Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel. My friends all went to Lupo's that night and were greeted at the door by the bouncer whose name was "Mountain," and he looked the part. It was a great and memorable night.

So I am looking forward to seeing the transformation and the current incarnation of Lupo's.

Doug Farr

President, Farr Associates

Chicago

I have been to Providence several times before. . . . It has a great little downtown that is getting better and better. The revitalization of the river is a well-known success story.

Neal I. Payton

Principal, Torti Gallas and Partners Inc.

Los Angeles

The Congress is the one time of the year where people of like mind -- those who dearly love urbanism and care about people places -- migrate to swarm. We gain renewed strength to fight the sprawl battles, and uncover ever-increasing insights into the details of what makes cities beautiful and beloved.

For those of us involved in building neighborhoods from scratch, or repairing the urban fabric so it is much better than before, or even those just interested in how to save their homelands, the lessons are invaluable. If only every man, woman and child could attend. . .

Providence? My dear New Urbanist friends Bill and Mary Dennis gave me a wonderful tour of the city and environs last year. I'm excited about sharing it with my family -- one never knows where they will end up!

Ann Daigle

Special assistant to the director, Mississippi Development Authority

Pass Christian, Miss.

Mainly I'm coming to Providence because I am deeply, fatally involved with New Urbanism . . . but I have also been coming to Rhode Island every summer for each of my 52 years.

My family arrives annually in the bucolic island village of Jamestown and stays put. We never make it up to Providence. I've been a few times at other times of year and love the Colonial and Victorian architecture and the tight walkable urbanism. But they were brief visits -- this time I'm coming for a week, and I look forward to getting to know it better.

I'm leading a SmartCode session -- we're going to calibrate a SmartCode zoning/design template for a portion of Southside. I expect our team will get to know that neighborhood very well!

Sandy Sorlien

Urban Photographs & New Urban Codes

Philadelphia

Despite the fact that I am a moderately paid government employee, despite the fact that my agency does not support the Congress for the New Urbanism, despite the fact that I therefore must use vacation time and my own money to attend, and despite the fact that this is easily the most money I have spent to attend a Congress, I will be in Providence.

I will be in Providence because I hear it is a city not to be missed. . . . I will be in Providence because that is where the Congress will be held and these are the most useful conferences I have attended. . . .

I have been a New Urbanist since before there was New Urbanism. As a child visiting Europe, I wondered what the heck was wrong with the U.S. that we can't build like Europe. Now that I'm a planner, I still wonder what's wrong with us, but I have more of an insider's view.

Looking forward to Providence!

Cindy van Empel

Senior Planner, Community and Economic Development Department

Modesto, Calif.