NORTH MIAMI, FL — Sullivan 180 community development and communications manager Shannon Cilento was recently selected from a national pool of applicants to lead a team of professional planners in the American Planning Association urban design and preservation division’s third annual Design-Preservation Rapid Assistance Team (D-PRAT) program.

D-PRAT is an annual pro bono program that provides free planning expertise to under-resourced communities and organizations. It collaboratively plans for the future, focusing on urban design and historic preservation issues, according to a Sullivan 180 spokesperson.

Cilento is leading one of three project-based teams in North Miami, focusing on creating and activating vacant lots and underutilized city parks, as well as implementing flood mitigation efforts and native plantings to the parks studied. 

The teams spent three days in North Miami collecting data, meeting officials and creating initial design concepts. 

“It has been a wonderful experience to join professional planners from across the country to develop strategies for the city of North Miami to help them accomplish their planning goals,” said Cilento, who said she will implement what she learns in Sullivan. 

The teams will continue to work remotely, finalizing a plan and recommendations for the city. A draft plan will be presented at the end of January.