Laura Starr
With over 25 years’ experience working in the New York City area, Landscape Architect Laura Starr is a local champion for sustainability, collaboration, and design excellence. As Chief of Design for the Central Park Conservancy, Starr worked intensively to forge consensus among diverse groups of stakeholders, renovating major destinations such as Harlem Meer, the West Side, and the Great Lawn. Entering the private sector, she collaborated on lauded landscape transformations exemplified by the Battery Upper Promenade, the award-winning designs for the Battery Bosque, and a pair of historic courtyards on Front Street at South Street Seaport. Starr’s leadership was transformative for the ASLA-NY, which she led as president from 2013 to 2014. Under her guidance, the ASLA-NY built new relationships with professional organizations
and the press, ran a successful fund-raising campaign to hire a full-time director, and rebranded itself into the optimistic, highly-connected, and urban organization it is today.
As a founding partner of Starr Whitehouse, Ms. Starr continues to nurture ties between the public, the city, and professional organizations. She has negotiated public/private partnerships both internationally, on master plans for Tel Aviv’s Park Ariel Sharon and Gazelle Park in Jerusalem, as well as locally, collaborating with BIG Architects on the innovative VIA 57 West development, just one of a series of innovative housing developments that make density livable and high-quality housing affordable for thousands of New Yorkers. Ms. Starr has contributed significantly to Sandy recovery efforts through her work with the Special Initiative for Rebuilding and Resiliency, as the Landscape Architect on The BIG U, a winning Rebuild By Design team, and leading the East Harlem Resiliency Project. She has run numerous public outreach workshops that gather vital community feedback and build informed consensus around a series of implementable plans that refortify lower Manhattan while strengthening neighborhood identity, and as a member of Manhattan’s Community Board 1, serves on the Board’s resiliency taskforce. Today, Starr is seen as a leader in the field of sustainable landscape design and a strong advocate for a city that is greener and more responsive to the needs of a twenty-first century public.
Representative Projects:
Park Design
Marsha P Johnson State Park, Brooklyn, NY
The Battery Projects, New York, NY
St. Mary’s Park Master Plan and Reconstruction, Bronx, NY
Jones Beach Energy and Nature Center, Jones Beach, NY
Arverne East Urban Nature Preserve, Queens, NY
Nissequogue River State Park Master Plan, Kings Park, NY
Park Ariel Sharon Concept Plan, Tel Aviv, Israel
Gazelle Park Concept Plan, Jerusalem, Israel
As Central Park Conservancy’s Chief of Design, initiated and directed numerous
designs including the restoration of the Harlem Meer, West Side landscapes,
and the Great Lawn.
Large Scale Site Plans + Housing
Halletts Point Waterfront Development, Queens, NY
Vine Street Waterfront Development, Philadelphia, PA
VIA 57 West Courtyard, New York, NY
Hunter’s Point South Affordable Housing, Queens, NY
New Rochelle Transit-Oriented Development, New Rochelle, NY
Seniors First: Weeksvillage, Brooklyn, NY
Hybrid Industrial/ Commercial Development, Brooklyn, NY
Gowanus Green Site Design, Brooklyn, NY
Vine Street Waterfront Development, Philadelphia, PA
Williamsburg High Rise, Brooklyn, NY
Thompson Park Amphitheater Concept Plan, Watertown, NY
Packer Collegiate Master Plan, Brooklyn, NY
United Nations International School Roof Garden and Entrance, New York, NY
Columbia University Lion’s Court Design, New York, NY
Climate Resilience Planning
Cloudburst Hubs Corona, Queens, NY
Climate Strong Communities, New York, NY
A Vision For A Resilient East Harlem, New York, NY
The Big U, Rebuild by Design, New York, NY
Mayor’s Special Initiative for Rebuilding and Resiliency Report, Manhattan and
Staten Island, NY
Streets, Public Realm, and Infrastructure
Broadway Boulevard Plaza, New York, NY
East Village / Lower East Side Waterfront Access Study, New York, NY
DUMBO and Vinegar Hill Mobility Study, Brooklyn, NY
Randall’s Island Hell Gate Pathway, Randall’s Island, NY
Times Square Alliance, Urban Design coordination and event infrastructure, NY
Stephen is a landscape architect and urban planner whose diverse pursuits share a concern for the environmental quality and social vitality of places. He formerly served as Chief of Planning for the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, where he managed the expansion of the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows and launched the City’s Greenway system. Since co-founding Starr Whitehouse with Laura Starr, he has worked with public and private clients to create dynamic urban districts and engaging landscapes that connect people to nature.
Rather than focusing on a single aspect of the work, he’s always been most fascinated by the juncture points. “Natural systems, patterns of settlement, infrastructure – seeing all these come together to make a place is interesting to me, not just as abstract concepts,” he says, “but in terms of seeing good results at the end.” He describes his role in terms of junctures as well. “I’m the translator,” he says. “I serve as the mediator between the specialists and the public. I like communicating with people, and seeing things shaped by the creative interactions of people and institutions.”
Representative Projects:
Park Design
Bear Mountain Restoration, Bear Mountain, NY
Southwest Resiliency Park and Park Expansion, Hoboken, NJ
Bushwick Inlet Park, Brooklyn, NY
Dinosaur Playground Restoration, Riverside Park, New York, NY
Hart Island Master Plan, Long Island Sound, NY
Freshkills South Park, Staten Island, NY
Roswell River Parks, Roswell, GA
Hamlin Beach State Park, Hamlin, NY
Scout Park, Hamlin, NY
Manhattan Greenway Harlem River Waterfront Park, New York, NY
Harlem River Greenway Link Study, New York, NY
Starlight Park Bronx River House, Bronx, NY
Governors Island Park Planning and Design, New York Harbor
As Chief of Planning for NYC Parks, oversaw expansion of the USTA National
Tennis Center, NYC Greenway Implementation, and open space mitigation
for major development projects such as Riverside South and Queens West
Streets, Public Realm, and Infrastructure
Tibbetts Brook Daylighting, Bronx, NY
Destination Greenways! Leif Ericson Park to Verrazzano Bridge, Brooklyn, NY
Union Square Streetscape and Lighting Plan, New York, NY
Georgia Tech North Avenue Gateway Vision, Atlanta, GA
Empire State Trail Gateway Design Guidelines and Implementation, NYS
Brooklyn Bridge Esplanade and Get-down, New York, NY
Water Street: A New Approach, New York, NY
Brooklyn Queens Expressway Enhancement Study, Brooklyn, NY
Flatiron/23rd Street Partnership Streetscape Master Plan, New York, NY
Times Square “Bowtie” Study, New York, NY
Climate Resilience and Planning
East Shore Shoreline Parks Resilience Plan, Staten Island, NY
Rebuild by Design: The Big U, New York, NY
Mayors Special Initiative for Rebuilding and Resiliency, Staten Island, NY
GreenThumb Community Gardens Irrigation Plan and EIS, New York, NY
NYC Dept. of Environmental Protection, Long Term Control Plan for CSO’s
Large Scale Site Plans + Housing
Compass Residences Affordable Housing, Bronx, NY
Greenpoint Terminal Market Master Plan, Brooklyn, NY
Gowanus Green, Brooklyn, NY
Jeffrey Poor brings more than 20 years of experience in the conceptualization, formulation and implementation of sustainable and compelling site design to Starr Whitehouse. His award-winning work spans a wide range of project scales and types, and consistently contributes creative solutions to the challenges faced in the implementation of sustainable design. Beginning with his work in New York’s Central Park, Poor’s interest in environmental, social and aesthetic considerations dovetailed neatly with the foundational design framework of the Greensward Plan. His work for the Central Park Conservancy emphasized the use of natural materials, native plant communities, and the creative treatment of stormwater. In projects such as the Great Lawn, Harlem Meer, North Meadow, and the Reconstruction of the West Side, Poor, in collaboration with Laura Starr, transformed the landscape and reinvigorated the Park’s ideals of social and environmental stewardship through the implementation of sustainable design practices long before the term gained its present currency.
Such innovations have become a staple of Poor’s career. For the Wildlife Conservation Society, Poor oversaw the design and implementation of an environmental restoration project along the Bronx River. The project restored portions of the riverbank, captured, detained and polished stormwater and implemented a graphic signage system explaining the hydrologic cycle as a public education resource.
As Partner and Studio Director at Starr Whitehouse, Poor plays a lead role in making the design team’s vision a reality. His experience and technical mastery weave together diverse and often competing variables into fully integrated and innovative design solutions, resulting in successful and memorable spaces. His forward-thinking design with Stephen Whitehouse for the Bronx River House in Starlight Park employs landscape and horticultural strategies to mitigate heat loads through controlled evapotranspiration using a layered green wall. In another collaboration with Whitehouse, his DEP Maintenance Facility design introduces stormwater retention swales within the public right of way to capture and polish roof runoff for use in maintenance operations, an innovation that would later be incorporated into the DEP’s manual of best practices.
Representative Projects:
Park Design
The Battery Projects, New York, NY
Marsha P Johnson State Park, Brooklyn, NY
Bear Mountain State Park Restoration, Bear Mountain, NY
Manhattan Greenway Harlem River Waterfront Park Design, New York, NY
Riverside Park Dinosaur Playground, New York, NY
Arverne East Nature Preserve, L+M Development Partners, Queens, New York
Seaside Park and Community Arts Center, New York, NY
Bushwick Inlet Park, Brooklyn, NY
Freshkills South Park, Staten Island, NY
Starlight Park/Bronx River House, Bronx, NY
Paulus Hook Waterfront Park Concept Design, Jersey City, NJ
Morningside Gardens Master Plan & Schematic Design, New York, NY*
Madison Square Park Schematic Design, New York, NY*
The Central Park Projects, New York, NY*
Large Scale Site Plans + Housing
Halletts Point Waterfront Development, Queens, NY
VIA 57 West Courtyard, New York, NYVine Street Waterfront Development, Philadelphia, PA
Packer Collegiate Master Plan, Brooklyn, NY
Harlem River Point Residential Garden and Playground, New York, NY
StuyTown Fitness Park, New York, NY
Central Park West Co-op Courtyard, New York, NY
Jersey City Municipal Services Center, Jersey City, NJ
EF Academy, Thornwood, NY
40th Police Precinct Station House, New York, NY
Orient Point Residence and Nature Preserve, Long Island, NY
Success Academy Playgrounds, New York, NY
ACS Playground, New York, NY
Hunters Point South Affordable Housing, Queens, NY
Caton Street Courtyard and Rooftop Community Garden, Brooklyn, NY
The Easton Bonus Plaza and Terraces, New York, NY
Gowanus Green Waterfront Park, Brooklyn, NY
Brooklyn Academy of Music Fisher Hall Roof Terrace, Brooklyn, NY
United Nations International School Courtyard Design, New York, NY
SUNY Cortland Campus Landscape Design, Courtland, NY
116th Police Precinct, Brooklyn, NY
Oyster Bay RR Museum Plaza Design, Oyster Bay, NY*
School Construction Authority Playgrounds, Brooklyn, NY*
Flatbush Branch Brooklyn Public Library, Brooklyn, NY
Remsen Street DEP Maintenance Facility, Brooklyn, NY*
Bronx River Walk, Wildlife Conservation Society, Bronx, NY*
Columbia University President’s Garden, New York, NY*
Canterbury School Multiple Projects, New Milford, CT*
RPI EMPAC Plaza and Site Design, Troy, NY*
Hamilton College, Kirner Johnson Addition Plaza Design, Clinton, NY*
Dekalb Branch Brooklyn Public Library, Brooklyn, NY
Streets, Public Realm, and Infrastructure
Randall’s Island Hell Gate Pathway, Randall’s Island, NY
Belt-Shore Parkway Bridge Rehabilitation, New York, NY
Manhattan Bridge Plaza Design, Brooklyn, NY*
Vietnam Veterans Plaza, New York, NY*
Hutchinson River Parkway Bike Path, Bronx, NY*
*Work completed prior to joining Starr Whitehouse
Partner and Atlanta Studio Director Jacob Lange leads Starr Whitehouse’s work in the Southeast, where he focuses on waterfront parks, pedestrian-centered urban districts, and community-focused green infrastructure for public, private, and institutional clients. Under Jacob’s direction, the Atlanta Studio leads the design of a multi-phased park system along the banks of the Chattahoochee River in Roswell, GA. In Alpharetta, GA, his team is working on a range of projects to transform a historically vehicle-oriented downtown into a green and multi-modal public realm. At Georgia Tech’s campus, Jacob is leading an ambitious study to transform North Avenue from a vehicle-dominated thoroughfare into a welcoming, pedestrian friendly “front door” for the Georgia Tech community. Previously, Jacob led two of the City of Atlanta’s Green Infrastructure Design Challenge projects, integrating stormwater management with amenity and education to support economic development and environmental advocacy in underserved communities.
Jacob is an active member of the ULI Atlanta Chapter and a graduate of the chapter’s 2020 Center for Leadership program. He has volunteered for Park Pride’s Park Visioning program, he is an annual guest lecturer at Clemson University’s School of Architecture, and he has served as a guest critic at Georgia Tech’s School of Architecture. He remains active on projects in the Northeast, where his recent work includes historic St. Mary’s Park in the Bronx and public open space components for mixed-use developments by The Durst Organization in Queens and Philadelphia.
Representative Projects:
Park Design
Roswell River Parks, Roswell, GA
Lakebottom Park and Theo Mcgee Park Restoration Plans, Columbus, GA
St. Mary’s Anchor Park Master Plan and Reconstruction, Bronx, NY
Queens Plaza Park Development, Queens, NY
Amy Erwin Memorial Garden, Candler Park, Atlanta, GA
Streets, Public Realm, and Infrastructure
North Point Development Framework, Alpharetta, GA
North Point Parkway, Alpharetta, GA
Georgia Tech North Avenue Vision Plan, Atlanta, GA
Sweet Auburn Green and Equitable Framework Plan, Atlanta, GA
Alpha Loop Downtown Link Trail Alignment Study, Alpharetta, GA
Green Infrastructure Challenge: MLK Living Lab, Atlanta, GA
Green Infrastructure Challenge: Continental Colony, Atlanta, GA
FDR Drive Promenade Rehabilitation, New York, NY
Brooklyn Bridge Esplanade, New York, NY
Greenpoint Terminal Market Master Plan and Development, Brooklyn, NY
Large Scale Site Plans + Housing
Atlanta Neighborhood Charter School Expansion Feasibility Study, Atlanta, GA
98 Cone Workforce Housing, Atlanta, GA
Vital Brookdale Affordable Housing, Brooklyn, NY
Georgia Tech Alumni Garden, Atlanta, GA
The Carolina Affordable Housing (AKA Lexington Gardens), New York, NY
Vine Street Development & Park, Philadelphia, PA
The Sven Pool Deck, Queens, NY
New Rochelle Transit-Oriented Development, New Rochelle, NY
Midtown Manhattan High Rise, New York, NY
Covington Town Center Development, Covington, GA
NYPD 40th Precinct Station House, Bronx, NY
St. Barnabas Hospital Annex, Bronx, NY
Equinox Hudson Yards Development, New York, NY
Atlantic Chestnut Affordable Housing, Brooklyn, NY
Ms. Wittwer-Laird has over 20 years of experience designing the public realm. Working as an industrial designer in Milan alongside Ettore Sottsass early on in her career, Gail executed designs for companies such as Alessi, Artemide and Knoll, and oversaw the custom fabrication of limited edition furniture for private clients and galleries.
Gail’s 18-year tenure with New York City Parks began in 1997 as the Landscape Architect and Deputy Administrator for Riverside Park, followed by Director of Greenstreets in the Division of Forestry from 1999 to 2002, Senior Designer for Capital Projects from 2002 to 2010, and Design Director for Staten Island Capital projects from 2011 to 2016, during which time she helped facilitate early construction phases in the reclamation of Freshkills Park.
Ms. Wittwer-Laird is an award-winning designer whose built projects in New York City include the Irish Hunger Memorial (2001) a collaboration with Artist Brian Tolle and 1100 Architects for the Battery Park City Authority, CaVaLa aka Albert Capsuto Park (2007), which received an award for excellence in design from the Public Design Commission, the renovation of Bleecker Street Sitting (2012) which received an 2012 Village Award from the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation and in 2016 an award for excellence in design from the Public Design Commission for Van Pelt Plaza, a joint project of NYCDOT and NYC Parks. In 2004, together with architect Aaron MacDonald and Philip Johnson, she renovated the courtyard for the Morningside House Senior Center in the Bronx.
A native of Northern California, Gail received her Bachelors of Science in Landscape Architecture from the California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo before migrating east to obtain a Masters in Landscape Architecture from the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University. In 1996, she was chosen as a Fellow in Landscape Architecture at the American Academy in Rome. In the Summer of 1997 and 1998, Gail was an artist in residence at the Corporation of Yaddo in Saratoga Springs.
Representative Projects:
Park Design
Nissequogue River State Park Master Plan, Kings Park, NY
Public Square Historic Park Renovation, Hudson, NY
Charles Williams Park, Hudson NY
Teatown Lake Reservation Nature Center Landscape, Ossining, NY
Niagara Falls State Park Wayfinding, Niagara Falls, NY
Promenade Hill Park Universal Access and Plaza Redesign, Hudson, NY
Bronson Park Landscape Vision Plan, Hudson, NY
Jones Beach Energy and Nature Center, Jones Beach State Park, NY
Jones Beach West Games, Jones Beach State Park, NYBayard Cutting Arboretum
Visitor Center Plaza & Parking Expansion, Great River, NY
Manhattan Greenway Harlem River Waterfront Park Design, New York,
NYThompson Park Amphitheater Concept Plan, Watertown, NY
Thompson Park Master Plan, Watertown, NY (2 projects in Watertown)Scout
Park, Hamlin, NY
Crescent Beach Park Plan and Storm Resiliency, Staten Island, NY*
Bleecker Street Sitting Area Renovation, New York, NY*
Tompkins Square Park Playground, New York, NY*
Garden Parterre in Chaumont-sur-Loire, France
Crescent Beach Park, Staten Island, NY*
Van Name, Van Pelt Plaza, Staten Island, NY*
Freshkills East Park Restoration, Staten Island, NY*
Irish Hunger Memorial, New York, NY*
Peter Minuit Plaza, New York, NY*
CaVaLa (Albert Capsouto Park), New York, NY*
Streets, Public Realm, and Infrastructure
Tibbetts Brook Daylighting, Bronx, NY
Empire State Trail Design Guidelines, NYS/Hudson
Empire State Trail Gateways (Buffalo, Tonawanda, Lockport, Syracuse, Manhattan)
Brooklyn Bridge Esplanade, New York, NY
Hudson North Bay Trail Connector, Hudson, NY
Greenstreets Design Citywide, New York, NY*
Hudson River Valley Greenway Bronx Link Study, Bronx, NY*
Large Scale Site Plans + Housing
Phipps Apex Place, Affordable Housing, Queens, NY
StuyTown Fitness Park and Play Areas, New York, NY
Millbrook Senior Housing Center Terrace and Gardens, Bronx, NY
Story Avenue Apartments, Bronx, NY
Compass Residences Affordable Housing, Bronx, NY
Phipps Lambert Houses, Bronx, NY
Morningside House Senior Center Courtyard Renovation, Bronx, NY*
Cooke-Levy Residential Garden, Riverdale, NY*
Klein Residential Garden, Riverdale, NY*
Morrison-Golden Residential Garden, Rhinebeck, NY*
* Work completed prior to joining Starr Whitehouse
Michael Haggerty is a Principal at Starr Whitehouse Landscape Architects and Planners. As Director of Urban Planning and Design, he leads projects related to open spaces, housing, waterfronts, and resilience. His recent work in New York City reimagines connectivity and sustainability in urban systems. The design of the Harlem River Greenway was recognized by AIANY’s Transportation and Infrastructure Design Excellence Award in 2022. The Staten Island Shoreline Parks Plan will integrate five miles of parkland, public beaches, and bicycle paths with coastal flood protection. A Vision for a Resilient East Harlem lays out a framework for making public spaces multi-functional to address climate risks in upper Manhattan. The Streetscape & Lighting Plan for Union Square and 14th Street supports a new vision for downtown Manhattan pedestrian spaces. Michael began his career with the public art organization Creative Time in New York, and subsequently earned professional degrees in architecture and urban planning at Harvard University Graduate School of Design. While at Harvard he was awarded the Presidential Public Service Fellowship to work with MASS Design Group.
Representative Projects:
Climate Resilience Planning
Climate Strong Communities, New York, NY
A Vision for a Resilient East Harlem, New York, NY
East Shore Shoreline Resilient Parks Plan, Staten Island, NY
Corona Cloudburst Hub, Queens, NY
Yonkers Climate Action Plan, Yonkers, NY
Park Planning + Design
Manhattan Greenway Harlem River Waterfront Park, New York, NY
Hart Island Master Plan, Bronx, NY
Marsha P Johnson State Park, Brooklyn, NY
Carroll Park Community Vision Plan, Brooklyn, NY
Streets, Public Realm, and Infrastructure
East Village / Lower East Side Waterfront Access Study, New York, NY
Greenthumb Gardens Water Supply Plan, New York, NY
Union Square Streetscape and Lighting Plan, New York, NY
DUMBO / Vinegar Hill Mobility Study, Brooklyn, NY
Garment District Broadway Vision, New York, NY
New Rochelle Downtown Public Realm, New Rochelle, NY
Sweet Auburn Green & Equitable Framework Plan, Atlanta, GA
Large Scale Site Plans + Housing
Williamsburg IBIA Development Public Realm, Brooklyn, NY
Clarkson Estates Affordable Housing, Brooklyn, NY
Seniors First Kingsborough Affordable Housing, Brooklyn, NY
Bedford Greenhouse Affordable Housing, Bronx, NY
Luna Corporate Plaza and Marketplace, Sao Paulo, Brazil