IDA Awards Top Industry Honor to Rosslyn Business Improvement District

ROSSLYN, Va., Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The International Downtown Association (IDA) has recognized the Rosslyn Business Improvement District (BID) with the Downtown Achievement Pinnacle Award for its work and initiatives related to O2: Outdoor Office.

Each year, IDA recognizes outstanding projects as winners of the Downtown Achievement Awards which identify advances to urban centers by organizations world-wide. The industry's highest recognition, the Pinnacle Award, represents the most inspiring innovations in urban place management. This year's projects were awarded by a jury of IDA members in the following categories: leadership development; organizational management; economic development; marketing, communications and events; planning, design and infrastructure; policy and advocacy; and public space management and operations. O2: Outdoor Office won in the category of public space management and operations.

"Since launch, our team has felt that O2 provided an innovative solution to meet the future of work in our community and to act as an extension of the office environment. We're proud of the recognition we've received from IDA through the Pinnacle Award and consider this a validation to continue evolving our outdoor office," said Mary-Claire Burick, President of the Rosslyn BID. "In fact, we just launched O2 2.0 in response to the changing needs of our community. In this new iteration, we're further committed to stewarding the wellbeing of local employees through year-round amenities for O2."

O2: Outdoor Office was first launched in the fall of 2020 as a solution to the need for a safe and collaborative place to work in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Focused on helping people get out of their homes, Rosslyn BID worked with Arlington County Parks and Recreation, Design Foundry, and The Brand Guild to meet the needs of the Rosslyn community and beyond by providing a space for safe collaboration that people were missing. The space continues to meet the shifting office environment, leaning into balancing employee holistic wellness and productivity. Since O2's launch, other BIDs and associations have introduced initiatives that follow O2 as an example, both nationally and abroad (including Downtown DC, New York, Pennsylvania, and Canada). The latest iteration of this space will offer year-round amenities to make it more comfortable and conducive for individuals to use the park as a fresh-air workplace and to safely gather with friends and coworkers during planned events and activities.

"Rosslyn BID's innovative project received the IDA Pinnacle Award for setting the new standard for improving cities around the world," said David Downey, IDA President and CEO. "The O2: Outdoor Office has made an impact on its community and the people who live, work and play there, and is evidence of the continued commitment to champion livable, vital and thriving urban centers."

Washington, DC-based IDA is the premier organization for urban place professionals who are shaping and activating dynamic city center districts. Rosslyn BID is the urban place management organization representing the interests of property owners in Rosslyn, Virginia.

Mary-Claire Burick, President, Rosslyn BID was recognized for the award-winning project during the Downtown Achievement Awards ceremony at the 67th Annual Conference & Marketplace, October 20-22, 2021. IDA's Annual Conference & Marketplace is the premier gathering for professional placemakers and urban champions creating vibrant and healthy cities around the world. The conference features educational sessions, Master Talks (short keynotes from industry leaders), marketplace exhibitors and networking opportunities.

IDA's members have a proven track record of creating collaborative public-private partnerships to tackle weighty issues. More than 2,500 downtown management districts exist in cities throughout the U.S. and Canada. Place management organizations affect significant change in every major metropolitan area throughout North America in an industry that is growing rapidly around the globe. Place management work touches every discipline of city building, including economic development, leadership, marketing, events, public space management, policy, planning and infrastructure.

Additional information on the Pinnacle award winners can be found online at downtown.org.

About the Rosslyn BID:
The Rosslyn Business Improvement District (BID) is a designated 17-block mixed-use, urban center in the heart of Rosslyn, Virginia. Through a public/private partnership with Arlington County, the Rosslyn BID provides services for our 25,000 employees, 15,000 residents, and 1.2 million visitors a year to enhance, grow, and connect the neighborhood.

About IDA
IDA is the premier organization for urban place professionals who are shaping and activating dynamic city center districts. Our members are city builders and downtown champions who bring urban centers to life, bridging the gap between the public and private sectors. We represent an industry of more than 2,500 place management organizations, employing 100,000 people throughout North America and growing rapidly around the world. Founded in 1954, IDA is a resource center for ideas and innovative best practices in urban place management. For more information, visit www.downtown.org.

SOURCE Rosslyn BID