Triangle Modernist Houses

Management consultant George Smart of Durham launched TMH in 2007 as the website for Triangle Modernist Archive, Inc., now an award-winning North Carolina nonprofit organization committed to documenting, preserving, and promoting Modernist residential architecture.

Since then, with the help of hundreds of volunteers, the site has archived over 8000 photos of over 2400 Modernist houses along with profiles of over 200 architects. Over 3500 people have signed up for 15 successful home tours. Thousands every month monitor the site’s unique listings of Modernist houses for sale or rent. TMH has also sponsored three successful out-of-state tours of Modernist architecture and art, presented lectures on modernism in North Carolina, and received four preservation awards including a national award from the Vernacular Architecture Forum.

TMH’s work has been featured in DWELL, Residential Architect, and other journals on architecture and historic preservation. The organization has been credited with saving endangered mid-century houses from destruction.

“This event celebrates the incredible contributions from our Board, volunteers, and the public, all of which have responded to TMH with generosity of time, donations, and participation beyond my wildest dreams. We’re especially glad to host the party at ALOFT, one of the best-designed hotel chains to come along in years. Aloft is an exciting hotel venue right in the heart of a new hotel/office/residential/shopping complex at the site of the former University Motor Inn/Aurora Restaurant in Chapel Hill,” says Smart.

TMH’s Birthday Party will include a special surprise birthday cake from Piece of Cake Cakes. Aloft is located at 1101 South Hamilton Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27517. For more information on TMH, visit www.trianglemodernisthouses.com.

About Triangle Modernist Houses:
Triangle Modernist Houses (TMH) is a 501C3 nonprofit established in 2007 to restoring and growing modernist architecture in the Triangle. The award-winning website, now the largest educational and historical archive for modernist residential design in America, continues to catalog, preserve, and advocate for North Carolina modernism. TMH also hosts popular modernist house tours several times a year, giving the public access to the Triangle’s most exciting residential architecture, past and present. These tours raise awareness and help preserve these “works of art” for future generations. Visit the website at www.trianglemodernisthouses.com. TMH also has an active community on Facebook.

After record attendance at design events in Winston-Salem, Wilmington, and Salisbury this spring, George Smart of Triangle Modernist Houses.com (TMH) will give his signature talk, “Mayberry Modernism: North Carolina’s Modern Legacy,” at five Triangle events in September, three of which are open to the public.

Smart’s presentation showcases the state’s surprising collection of Modernist residences from the 1950s through today, many in great shape but some endangered or even destroyed. Smart discovered what he calls the Triangle’s residential “works of art” through extensive research that led to the creation of the non-profit website Triangle Modernist Houses.com in 2007. The site is now the largest archive of Modernist residential architecture in the nation.

“Most people, even many architects, are surprised by the numbers,” Smart says during “Mayberry Modernism,” pointing out that North Carolina has the third highest concentration of Modernist houses in the nation, bested only by Los Angeles and Chicago. “During the program, I discuss the history of the Modernist movement in North Carolina and show the audience award-winning houses from past and present.”

• On September 13, Smart speaks at a private gathering at BJAC, one of the largest woman-owned architectural design firms in the Southeast, with offices in Raleigh and Charlotte.
• On September 14, he speaks at the Chapel Hill Rotary Club (members only).
• On September 15 at noon, he will present Mayberry Modernism at the Raleigh Urban Design Center, 133 Fayetteville Street in downtown Raleigh. On September 16, he presents at Raleigh’s Pecha Kucha Night at 7 p.m. at Kings, 14 West Martin Street. Both events are free and open to the public.
• On Thursday, September 23, Smart will speak twice during the afternoon session of Preservation North Carolina’s annual Conference at the Durham Arts Council, 120 Morris Street, Durham.

Smart’s talks are part of TMH’s “September to Remember” marking TMH’s third anniversary plus the upcoming TMH Modern 2010 Homes Tour in Raleigh on September 25. The tour features eight exemplary Modernist houses, plus one iconic Modernist office building, to the public from 1-4:30 p.m. Ticket information and other details are available at www.trianglemodernisthouses.com/2010.

For more information on “Mayberry Modernism: North Carolina’s Modernist Legacy,” go to www.trianglemodernisthouses.com/presentations.htm.

About Triangle Modernist Houses
Triangle Modernist Houses (TMH) is a 501C3 nonprofit established in 2007 to restoring and growing modernist architecture in the Triangle. The award-winning website, now the largest educational and historical archive for modernist residential design in America, continues to catalog, preserve, and advocate for North Carolina modernism. TMH also hosts popular modernist house tours several times a year, giving the public access to the Triangle’s most exciting residential architecture, past and present. These tours raise awareness and help preserve these “works of art” for future generations. Visit the website at www.trianglemodernisthouses.com. TMH also has an active community on Facebook.

photo by Rachel Goldstein

Announcing luxury brand fashion designer Lore Emelio’s premier local Trunk Show! Summer Essentials will be the focus of the Garden Party Event featuring Hats, Headbands, Ties & Bowties. The collection blends classic design with whimsical influence for one-of-a-kind custom creations.

From 10 am – 5 pm on Saturday July 24th, enjoy mimosas at this exclusive opportunity. Held at the prestigious For Garden’s Sake Nursery, 9197 Hwy 751, Durham, NC. Guests are invited to RSVP@LoreEmelio.com

Fashion has been Emelio’s passion since age 6 when she draped her first dress. Her dedication to the industry throughout her teens and undergraduate work at UNC took her to fashion design school at Parsons. Emelio worked for renowned fashion houses Ralph Lauren and Best & Co. but remained decisive in her vision – To create her own brand in what she recognizes as the up and coming fashion center of the south – Charlotte.

Emelio is a graduate of both UNC Chapel Hill and Parsons School of Design in NYC and her work focuses on the integration of fashion, fine art, and the natural world.

To learn more about Lore Emelio visit www.LoreEmelio.com

Fallingwater

Pennsylvania Architecture Tour features Frank Lloyd Wright’s world-famous “Fallingwater,” “Kentuck Knob,” and more.

What special house is on many people’s “bucket list”?

Celebrated architect Frank Lloyd Wright is an American icon and his “Fallingwater” in Mill Run, PA, is a masterpiece of residential architecture.  On Saturday and Sunday, September 18th and 19th, Triangle Modernist Houses (TMH) will take 26 people to Fallingwater, plus Kentuck Knob, a nearby house also designed by Wright, and the Abrams house by the Pritzker Prize-winning architect Robert Venturi.

Fallingwater was originally commissioned for the Kaufmann family in Pittsburgh. The tour will include a special “Sunset Tour” with a private wine and cheese reception on the house’s famous bridge overlooking the waterfall (weather permitting).

“This house is simply incredible. Nothing from a book or video prepares you for the experience of visiting it in person,” says George Smart, who first made the pilgrimage in 2007.  “I came back with my design sensibilities shifted and with renewed priorities with my wife for starting a new Modernist house of our own.”

TMH will visit Wright’s Kentuck Knob house and sculpture garden, still privately owned, plus the Betty and Irving Abrams house designed by Robert Venturi with interior design by Noel Jeffrey. In the Abrams house, no walls separate the home’s kitchen, living room, bars and dining room, all of which are visible as soon as you enter the first floor. The home’s most dramatic feature is a floor-to-ceiling window shaped like a ship’s wheel and divided into eight sections.

Tickets will include round-trip direct air to Pittsburgh, wi-fi equipped bus transportation while there, catered lunches, overnight hotel accommodations, and tour admissions.    Architects receive self-reported CEU hours if arranged in advance with the AIA. Proceeds benefit TMH’s ongoing documentation, preservation, and promotion projects.

The TMH Fallingwater Tour marks the third major out-of-state modernist architecture trip organized and hosted by George Smart, TMH founder and Board Chair. Previous tours included New York City and Washington, D.C.

For all details on the TMH Fallingwater Tour, including schedule and pricing, go to www.trianglemodernisthouses.com/flw.htm.  At the time of this release, there were only 12 places left.

For more information on Triangle Modernist Houses, visit www.trianglemodernisthouses.com.

About Triangle Modernist Houses
Triangle Modernist Houses (TMH) is a 501C3 nonprofit established in 2007 to restoring and growing modernist architecture in the Triangle. The award-winning website, now the largest educational and historical archive for modernist residential design in America, continues to catalog, preserve, and advocate for North Carolina modernism.  TMH also hosts popular modernist house tours several times a year, giving the public access to the Triangle’s most exciting residential architecture, past and present. These tours raise awareness and help preserve these “works of art” for future generations. Visit the website at www.trianglemodernisthouses.com. TMH also has an active community on Facebook.

Joe Rowand’s Fairmont estate © Jim Sink

The Joseph Rowand Residence will be on public tour for the first time.

“Fairmount,” a 4500-square-foot house designed by Chapel Hill architect Phil Szostak, FAIA, for Somerhill Gallery owner Joseph Rowand, will be open for public touring on Saturday, July 24, from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. The tour is part of Triangle Modernist Houses on-going tours of significant architecture.

Designed as a “country home without yielding to literal historicism,” according to the architect, Fairmount is a sleek yet simply proportioned residence sited on a hilltop between Chapel Hill and Hillsborough, NC. The 22.5-acre estate includes a separate guest quarters, a salt-water swimming pool and trellised garden shed. The interior features Rowand’s extensive collection of fine art.

“Naturally, Joe’s beautiful home is a reflection of his gallery with volumes of exceptional paintings, sculpture, fine art glass, and other works by nationally recognized artists and craftspeople,” said TMH founder and director George Smart. “The quality of the art alone is worth a visit.”  Photography is allowed both inside and outside the house.

Fairmount also features landscape design by master landscape architect Richard C. Bell, FASLA. Punctuated by Rowand’s collection of outdoor sculpture, the landscape is integrated into the house’s interior through an abundance of windows that frame vistas of the surroundings. Szostak was also careful to site to house to take advantage of passive solar heat gain in winter and natural lighting and ventilation.

The house was built by Chuck Lewis Construction and completed in 2000. The pool addition was completed in 2003.

Phil Szostak will be on site during the tour to talk about the design of the house, which is currently for sale. Listing agent Susan Peak will also be on hand to take questions.

For more information on the Rowand residence and to reserve advance tickets ($5.95), go to www.trianglemodernisthouses.com/register.htm. For more information on Triangle Modernist Houses, visit www.trianglemodernisthouses.com.

About Triangle Modernist Houses
Triangle Modernist Houses (TMH) is a 501C3 nonprofit established in 2007 to restore and grow modernist architecture in the Triangle. The award-winning website, now the largest educational and historical archive for modernist residential design in America, continues to catalog, preserve, and advocate for North Carolina modernism.  TMH also hosts popular modernist house tours several times a year, giving the public access to the Triangle’s most exciting residential architecture, past and present. These tours raise awareness and help preserve these “works of art” for future generations. Visit the website at www.trianglemodernisthouses.com. TMH also has an active community on Facebook.

The Thompson House courtesy David Davenport

Never-before-seen Modernist House Open on Saturday, June 19.

On a serene, 20-acre swath of land between Garner and Apex, NC, overlooking a small lake, rests one of the most remarkable Modernist houses in the entire Triangle region, according to George Smart, founder and Executive Director of Triangle Modernist Houses (TMH). On Saturday, June 19, from 1-4 p.m., this private home will be open to the public for the very first time.

In 1999, Diane and Bobby Thompson commissioned David Davenport, AIA, of Davenport Architecture + Design in Manteo and Cary. Built by Tom Brown of The Splinter Group in Raleigh, the 6000-square-foot, two-story home was completed in 2001.

“This sleek, white, sculptural modern design evokes immediate comparison to the work of master Modernist architects Richard Meier, FAIA, and Charles Gwathmey, FAIA,” said Smart. “Architect David Davenport had the perfect wave of design talent, a sophisticated client, an exceptional site, and a premium budget.”

The Thompson House is engineered with heavy steel and wood and covered in real stucco. Extensive glazing and architectural forms create framed views of the landscape. The interior features sweeping, multi-use spaces including second-floor balconies behind glass railings. Contemporary interior finishes and furnishings are by Lynda Lankford of Room Service in Raleigh. Lighting designer Stan Pomeranz of LightTech Design in Research Triangle Park created the architectural lighting for the house and grounds.

The Thompson property also features a 3400-square-foot garage/apartment and a full scale go-kart track modeled after the Bristol International Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee.  For sale since March, the list price is $2.5 million. Additional photos and information on architect David Davenport are available at www.trianglemodernisthouses.com/davenport.htm.

Tickets to this one-time-only tour are $5.95. Reserve tickets online at www.trianglemodernisthouses.com/register.htm. Access is limited, so early reservations are recommended.  The event occurs rain or shine.

The TMH Thompson House Tour is co-sponsored by LightTech, Lynda Lankford of Room Service, and Tom Brown of The Splinter Group. Representatives from all three firms, plus Davenport Architecture, will be at the house during the tour.

TMH offers the public access to modernist architecture throughout the year.  The nine-house “TMH Modern 2010” tour in Raleigh is September 25, a lineup ranging from the 1950s to 2008. For more information, visit www.trianglemodernisthouses.com.

About Triangle Modernist Houses
Triangle Modernist Houses (TMH) is a 501C3 nonprofit established in 2007 to restore and grow modernist architecture in the Triangle. The award-winning website, now the largest educational and historical archive for modernist residential design in America, continues to catalog, preserve, and advocate for North Carolina modernism.  TMH also hosts popular modernist house tours several times a year, giving the public access to the Triangle’s most exciting residential architecture, past and present. These tours raise awareness and help preserve these “works of art” for future generations. Visit the website at www.trianglemodernisthouses.com. TMH also has an active community on Facebook.

Two North Carolina masters of modern design – landscape architect Dick Bell, FASLA, and architect Brian Shawcroft, AIA – will headline the final “Appetite 4 Architecture” dinner and discussion on Tuesday, June 1, at Solas restaurant on Glenwood South in Raleigh.

Appetite 4 Architecture (A4A) is sponsored by Triangle Modernist Houses.com (TMH) as a way for the general public to dine with prominent members of the Triangle’s design community in an intimate, small group setting. Dinner guests are able to discuss anything they want with the designers, from their dream home or renovation project, to the designers’ work or modernist houses they’ve admired. Previous A4A dinners have featured award-winning architects and designers Frank Harmon, Dail Dixon, Will Alphin, Vinny Petrarca, Arthur Cogswell, Louis Cherry, Philip Szostak, and Ellen Cassilly.

Dick Bell

Dick Bell, a fellow of both the American Society of Landscape Architects and the American Academy in Rome, is well known in the Capital City for the many landmark-status projects he has designed over his 55-year career. A graduate of the first class of the then-newly established School of Design at North Carolina State University, he designed Pullen Park, the NCSU’s “Brickyard” plaza and sculpture garden, the amphitheater at Meredith College, the serpentine wall and soccer field at St. Mary’s College, the Moore Square Transit block in the central business district, and the grounds for the modernist Legislative Building. His work largely introduced the practice of landscape architecture to the general public back before it was a registered profession. And his former “Water Garden” home/office complex on Highway 70 was the proving ground for generations of young landscape architects as well as the home of “Garden Gallery,” a prominent cultural center from 1960s through the 1980s.

Brian Shawcroft

Brian Shawcroft is synonymous with modernist residential design in the Triangle area. A graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University, he worked with the renowned Harwell Hamilton Harris, FAIA, in Raleigh before establishing the firm Shawcroft-Taylor with architect Clay Taylor in 1971. From that point, the British transplant designed nearly the Triangle area’s entire modernist house inventory from the 1970s through the 1990s.

“These prolific gentlemen know just about everything concerning Raleigh residential architecture and the NCSU College of Design for the last 50-plus years,” said TMH founder and director George Smart. “This A4A dinner event is a rare opportunity to enjoy free-ranging discussions with two giants in their fields in an informal but upscale dining environment.”

Tickets for the Bell-Shawcroft dinner are $49 per person, which includes three courses (appetizer, entree, dessert) from a pre-selected menu, plus coffee, water, tea, tax, and gratuity. Vegetarian options will also be available. Dinner will begin at 6:30 p.m.

For more information on Appetite 4 Architecture, or to reserve tickets for the Bell-Shawcroft dinner, go to www.trianglemodernisthouses.com/a4a.htm.

For more information on Triangle Modernist Houses, visit www.trianglemodernisthouses.com.

About Triangle Modernist Houses
Triangle Modernist Houses (TMH) is a 501C3 nonprofit established in 2007 to restoring and growing modernist architecture in the Triangle. The award-winning website, now the largest educational and historical archive for modernist residential design in America, continues to catalog, preserve, and advocate for North Carolina modernism.  TMH also hosts popular modernist house tours several times a year, giving the public access to the Triangle’s most exciting residential architecture, past and present. These tours raise awareness and help preserve these “works of art” for future generations. Visit the website at www.trianglemodernisthouses.com. TMH also has an active community on Facebook.

1970 Bernstein House

Triangle Modernist Houses.com (TMH) has just announced another not-to-be-missed opportunity for modernist homeowners and anyone who loves modern interior design: “ModShop,” a group excursion to Charlotte, NC, to shop at Design Within Reach and Ikea, and to tour an exemplary Modernist house in the Queen City.

On Saturday, May 22, TMH founder George Smart will host 50 shoppers as they leave for Charlotte, arriving at the 3000-square-foot Design Within Reach (DWR) at 10:30. DWR is one of the nation’s premiere retail centers for modern furniture and accessories. Tour-goers will receive a 10 percent off coupon good for that day only on most purchases.

An hour later, the ModShop bus will depart for a tour of the 1970 Mark Bernstein House, designed by California architect Lawrence Allen Bernstein who studied under Frank Lloyd Wright at Taliesin.

The ModShop bus will then make its way to Ikea, the massive 356,000-square-foot store that includes 10,000 exclusively designed home goods, 49 room settings, three model-home interiors, and a 350-seat restaurant. Tour participants will have three hours to shop and lunch in Ikea.

To accommodate shoppers’ finds, TMH will give each person “storage credits” that represent six cubic feet of storage space under the bus. Shoppers can trade, buy or sell their credits to each other. DWR and Ikea also offer delivery services.

Smart points out the “green” feature of the ModShop trip aboard the air-conditioned, restroom- and Internet-equipped bus: “Think of all the carbon emissions we’ll prevent as a group rather than driving to these stores individually and then having furniture delivered.”

The bus will arrive back in the Triangle by 6:30 p.m.

Tickets for ModShop that are purchased before May 1 are $49.95 per person. (TMH’s ModSquad members receive a five percent discount.) After that date and on the day of the event, tickets are $65. All tickets prior to the day of the trip and more details on ModShop are available at www.trianglemodernisthouses.com/modshop.htm.

For more information on Triangle Modernist Houses, visit www.trianglemodernisthouses.com.

About Triangle Modernist Houses
Triangle Modernist Houses (TMH) is a 501C3 nonprofit established in 2007 to restoring and growing modernist architecture in the Triangle. The award-winning website, now the largest educational and historical archive for modernist residential design in America, continues to catalog, preserve, and advocate for North Carolina modernism.  TMH also hosts popular modernist house tours several times a year, giving the public access to the Triangle’s most exciting residential architecture, past and present. These tours raise awareness and help preserve these “works of art” for future generations. Visit the website at www.trianglemodernisthouses.com. TMH also has an active community on Facebook.

The BrickMagic LEGO® Festival takes place May 8-9 (Mother’s Day Weekend) at the North Raleigh Hilton in Raleigh, NC! This fun, family-friendly event lets you help professional LEGO artist NATHAN SAWAYA create something incredible, see a huge hall filled with custom Lego creations, participate in workshops on building techniques, view animated LEGO films, watch a robotics competition by teams from area schools, cheer for the Great LEGO Boat Race, and see presentations on Mindstorms, creating LEGO Mosaics, and more!

• Tickets: $12 adults, $8 kids (age 4-16) and Seniors
• Save $1 per ticket when you purchase tickets online!
• Moms get in FREE on Sunday (Mother’s Day) with a paying spouse or child
• Preorder your custom Mother’s Day ROSE Kit (75 pieces, only $6), and pick it up at the Festival to assemble for your mom!

For all the details, download the BrickMagic flyer here (http://www.brickmagic.org/files/brickmagic_flyer_10.pdf). For more information on BrickMagic, go to www.brickmagic.org

PLUS: If you book a room at the North Raleigh Hilton, you’ll also receive two special bonuses!

1. All Hilton guests are eligible to attend the special Preview Event that takes place Saturday, May 8 from 8-10am (2 hours before BrickMagic opens to the General Public). Just show your Hilton Room Key with your paid Saturday ticket, and you can get in two hours early, avoid the crowds later in the day, meet Professional LEGO artist Nathan Sawaya, and get a guided tour of the exhibit hall by BrickJournal magazine editor Joe Meno.
2. All Hilton guests will also receive a FREE 41-piece custom LEGO “Stuka Tank Buster” airplane kit (courtesy of BrickMania). Just show your Hilton Room Key at the BrickJournal table in the Vendor area to get this limited edition kit. (Limit one per room number, while supplies last.)

NOTE: To receive these two bonuses, you must be registered with the Hilton through BrickMagic. If you haven’t booked yet, here’s a link to the special BrickMagic Hilton website:

http://www.hilton.com/en/hi/groups/personalized/RDUNHHF-BML-20100506/index.jhtml?WT.mc_id=POG

The Hilton is offering a special discounted rate of $95 per night through this link; a great price for this upscale hotel, and you’ll be right in the middle of all the LEGO fun. We hope to see you there!

Tour Goers Eligible for $1,000 Closing Cost Incentive

See it. Love it. LIVE it! Downtown Raleigh is a diverse, dynamic city neighborhood—a place you’ll want to call home! Discover the comforts of contemporary urban living during the 6th Annual Downtown Raleigh Home Tour on Saturday, May 15 from 10 am-6 pm. This self-guided tour, presented by West and produced by the Downtown Raleigh Alliance, features chic condos, modern spaces, historic neighborhoods, and newly constructed homes, all amidst the bustling center city scene.

The Tour boasts over 30 homes, some for sale and some for show, showcasing the variety of residential options in downtown.  Feel the energy of the vibrant entertainment district from stylish spaces at WEST and 222 Glenwood.  Take in the commanding views from the Plaza Condominiums. Tour beautifully restored homes in Historic Oakwood and Boylan Heights and newly constructed residences in burgeoning neighborhoods. Each building and private residence is unique in its character, design, and style.   Whether you are a young professional, an empty-nester, or have a family, the Tour features a variety of homes to suite any life style.

Meet and talk with the owners and residents, see their space, and find out why they live downtown. Enjoy the Tour at your leisure—stop to shop, eat or drink in one of downtowns’ many restaurants and cafes, or stop by Artsplosure—central NC’s premier arts festival held in Moore Square.

The Tour is walkable, but the R-LINE, downtown’s free circulator service, will also put you in close proximity to most homes on the Tour.  To accommodate the crowds, the city will service a third R-LINE bus from 10 am-7 pm.

In 2009, approximately 1,000 people attended the event solidifying the public’s interest in downtown living. Don’t miss this exciting event as you will discover why so many are choosing to reside in the heart of the capital city.

The Downtown Raleigh Alliance is pleased to announce that for the first time ever, Tour goers will be eligible to receive a $1,000 closing cost incentive (funding made possible by corporate sponsorships).  The first five Home Tour attendees to close on a home in downtown between May 15, 2010 and December 31, 2010 will be eligible to receive $1,000 towards their closing cost.  Visit www.DowntownRaleighHomeTour.com for rules of eligibility.

Tickets are $10 online in advance and $14 on day of event. Children 12 and younger will be admitted free. Buy tickets now at www.DowntownRaleighHomeTour.com.  Tickets purchased in advance will be held at WILL CALL at the Tour Headquarters, Wachovia Capitol Building courtyard, 150 Fayetteville Street.

For more information about the Downtown Raleigh Home Tour visit www.DowntownRaleighHomeTour.com, call 919-821-6975, or email hometour[at]downtownraleigh.org.

Special thanks to: Presenting Sponsor:  West; Tour Headquarters Sponsor:  Poyner Spruill; Gold Sponsor:  222 Glenwood; Silver Sponsor:  The Plaza Condominiums; Bronze Sponsor: Bloomsbury Estates; Patron Sponsors: Hue, CityGate Real Estate Services; Media Sponsors: Curtis Media Group, Raleigh Downtowner Magazine

About the Downtown Raleigh Alliance:
The Alliance is the official nonprofit organization designated to manage and promote downtown as a regional center of commerce, tourism, and livability. Through its dedicated Board of Directors and professional staff, the Alliance team provides a comprehensive array of programs designed to build on the strengths of the downtown business district. The programs are categorized into five main areas: Clean & Safe Ambassadors, Marketing & Events, Economic Development, City Plaza Management, and Advocacy. The Alliance was created in 1996 by a coalition of community advocates, corporate leaders, and government officials. Our website is www.youRhere.com.