Carl Feiss Urban and Environmental Design Award

Carl L. Feiss was born June 18, 1907 in Cleveland, OH. He earned his fine arts degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1931. He was an architect and urban planner who helped create the Federal Historic Preservation Act of 1966, and the National Register of Historic Places; October 18.

Feiss was also credited with elevating urban planning to a distinct discipline, and had aided in the historic preservation of Annapolis, MD., Alexandria, VA, Charleston, SC, and Savannah, GA. He was director of the housing and planning division of the Columbia University School of Architecture before moving on to head the Denver planning commission.

In 1950, Feiss came to Washington as chief planner for what was then called “slum clearance” and running programs that would later become the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Next, he practiced as an independent consultant before returning to teach at the University of Florida.

While on the faculty at UF, Feiss headed the Urban Development Center, was the early organizer of the Urban and Regional Planning Program and taught architecture and planning until his retirement as Professor Emeritus in 1987.

Feiss passed away October 10, 1997 at the age of 90 and his wife, Alleen, passed away in 2000. They had two daughters, both of whom had long careers in planning. Caroline Feiss is writing a biography of her father. This fund was established in his memory in 200