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Greenbelt Alliance In the News
December 18, 2007
Lawrence Livingston,
'Mr. Open Space,' dies at 89
Jim Staats
Lawrence Livingston Jr., a pioneering planner
dubbed "Mr. Open Space" for his preservation efforts, died Dec. 5
at his home in Tiburon. He was 89.
During a five-decade planning career based mainly in San Francisco, Mr. Livingston
was a leading member of teams that prepared the original Bay Area Rapid Transit
plan, improvements along the Market Street thoroughfare and redevelopment
of the Yerba Buena Center.
In 1970, he led a study demonstrating Palo Alto would be better off environmentally
and fiscally if thousands of acres were preserved as open space rather than
developed - a proposal he followed with similar plans for municipal clients
including Alameda,
Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Los Angeles and San Diego counties as well as Jackson
Hole, Wyo. and Vail, Colo.In 1987, the American Planning Association honored
Mr. Livingston with its National Distinguished Leadership Award. The agency
dubbed him "Mr. Open Space" for his open space preservation accomplishments.His
son, Jonathan Livingston of Mill Valley, said he is reminded of his father's
efforts and collaborations with environmental champions including Dorothy
Erskine and Jack Kent whenever he strolls trails above Sausalito or drives
through
Tiburon and San Rafael.
"
I see the results of their successful grass-roots efforts to stop inappropriate
development," he said. "All of us in Marin benefit from Larry's
passion that every resident be adequately housed, and that the best open
space and
park land remain for all to enjoy."
Born May 20, 1918, in San Francisco, Mr. Livingston earned a bachelor's degree
in history from Stanford University in 1940 before serving in the Army Air
Force during World War II. After his discharge, Mr. Livingston earned a law
degree
from Yale in 1947 and a master's degree in city planning from the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology in 1949.
Mr. Livingston also is survived by another son, Mathew Livingston of Petaluma,
and a daughter, Eve Livingston Reeves of Santa Paula; and two grandchildren.A
private memorial service is being planned for January.
Memorial donations may be sent to the Greenbelt Alliance, 631 Howard St.,
San Francisco 94105, or to Stanford University.
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