We offer expertise in design, planning, strategy, change-agent leadership, and collaboration at the regional, watershed, urban, and site scales.

Every community on earth has a unique ecological and cultural identity, shaped by natural systems of hydrology, geology, climate, and vegetation, as well as human systems of civic infrastructure, social networks, and institutions.

 

Working creatively at the intersection of site and society, we offer a suite of complementary skills in landscape architecture, certified arborist services, and community-based revitalization consulting.

 

Through our practice’s interdisciplinary perspective, we are constantly reminded that all life depends on the self-sustaining dynamics of water, air, landscape, and wildlife. At the same time, healthy communities depend on vibrant exchanges of ideas, values, visions, and commerce.

 

Our Services and Philosophy

 

We collaborate with local decision-makers and communities to create cost-effective strategies that maximize benefits through:

 

  • Holistic, sustainable site design and planning
  • Policy innovation and public-sector partnership
  • Strengthening communities through creative collaboration
  • Technical assistance and strategic planning
  • Environmental assessment and mitigation planning
  • Resilient design / Climate change adaptation and mitigation / Post-disaster recovery and reconstruction
  • Green infrastructure and stormwater management
  • Active design to support healthy lifestyles
  • Design for biodiversity support
  • Redevelopment and revitalization in distressed or shrinking cities, and expanding cities, towns, and rural areas
  • Planting design and ecological restoration projects, with strong emphasis on ecosystem services, productive landscapes, and native plant communities
  • Arboriculture (certified arborist services) including assessments, inventories, and tree protection and preservation plans for construction projects 

 

At whatever scale we look, our cityscapes and rural landscapes are morphing, merging, transforming, transitioning, and evolving. Being Here seeks to help communities steer their evolution toward increasing wellness, living systems support, and authenticity—collaborating with them to be well, be alive, and be real.

Our Certifications

 

Being Here is pleased to hold the following certifications:

 

  • New York City Woman-Owned Business Enterprise (WBE)
  • New York State Woman-Owned Business Enterprise (WBE)
  • New York/New Jersey DBE
  • Port Authority of NY & NJ Woman-Owned Business Enterprise (WBE)
  • Port Authority of NY & NJ Small Business Enterprise (SBE)
  • Nassau County Woman-Owned Business Enterprise (WBE)
  • Envision Qualified Company

Selected Client List for Being Here Key Personnel

 

Arora and Associates

City of Mt. Vernon, NY*

Dattner Architects**

Environmental Defense Fund***

Fordham Bedford Housing Corporation*

Frassati Fellowship of Catholic Young Adults 

Goshow Architects**

Hardesty & Hanover

Hazen and Sawyer

Matrix New World Engineering

Michael Baker International

Mosholu Preservation Corporation*

Nelligan White Architects

New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)

New York City Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR)

New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA)

New York Mets**

New York State Dept. of State (DOS)

The Nicotra Group

NV5

Partnerships for Parks*

Riverside Park Fund

Siddiqui Engineering

SLCE Architects**

SOBRO (South Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation)*

STV, Inc.

SWA/Balsley

Tetra Tech, Inc.

Thornwillow Institute

Town of Rye, NY

Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone (UMEZ)*

U.S. National Park Service***

Wave Hill**

WXY architecture + urban design

 

*Denisha Williams with City College Architectural Center

**Denisha Williams, RLA with ABB Landscape Architects

***Jeff Byles with Van Alen Institute