Mahan Rykiel Associates

Full Service Landscape Architecture

Our Services Sectors

Urban Design

Planning and Development

Public Parks and Civic Plazas

International Projects

Mid-Atlantic

Retail and Repositioning

Higher Education

Senior Living

Hospitality

Healthcare

Placemaking

Tom McGilloway

Principal Planning Director

MRA Presenting at 2022 Keep Texas Beautiful Conference

8:30 - 10:30 AM: Drawing People to Place: The Role of Design in Creating Great Public Spaces

Great public spaces are so for many reasons, and this became ever more apparent over the past few years as so many found refuge and comfort in outdoor spaces. They offer lots to do; provide for planned or unplanned engagement with others; have widespread appeal to people of all ages and abilities, and add value to our communities and how we experience them. They are sources of community pride. Keeping these great places beautiful requires the work of professionals and volunteers to draw upon this sense of community pride. But what planning and design decisions can be made to ensure the new spaces we create can also be places people can be proud of and want to protect? Tom McGilloway will draw upon his experience as a landscape architect, downtown and park master planner, and volunteer in his own community to share important design principles that can be applied to creating great spaces that draw people together whether located in a small town or large city.

More details on Keep Texas Beautiful Conference 

Tom McGilloway’s focus is master planning. He has broad experience in downtown/neighborhood revitalization; park planning and design; and campus master planning. Tom is particularly skilled at engaging stakeholders in the planning process and working in “Main Street” communities. Significant projects include the Lancaster, PA Economic Development Strategic Plan; Downtown State College (PA) Master Plan; Downtown Baltimore Open Space Plan; and downtown revitalization for over 40 communities throughout the United States. He worked with several towns in Mississippi impacted by Hurricane Katrina and several towns in Vermont impacted by Tropical Storm Irene. He is currently leading the master plan for Ellicott City, MD, a community devastated by two historic floods in two years. In addition to his professional experience, Tom is active in preservation and revitalization in his own community.