"For years, UVA professor of architecture and former Charlottesville mayor Maurice Cox has been a local design advocate; he was instrumental in creating the City's 2003 zoning laws that have encouraged more urban, pedestrian-friendly development. Now it appears the nation is after his services. Earlier this month, Cox was appointed director of design for the National Endowment for the Arts.

"I'm thrilled to be part of helping the NEA achieve its goal of 'democratizing' design and continuing to expand its reach into every corner of America," said Cox in a UVA press release. "By directly engaging the public in the discourse about design, by placing it within reach of ordinary citizens, I believe we can empower the public to better shape their world."

During the two-year appointment that will commence January 8, 2008-- and which Cox emphasizes is not a political one-- he will oversee the Mayors' Institute on City Design, Governors' Institute on Community Design, and the Your Town programs to help smaller communities preserve their character in the face of economic or social change, providing insight and direction on everything from city planning and urban design, architecture, and landscape architecture to interior design and even graphic and industrial design. In addition, Cox says he'll work to provide funding for non-profits to support their design excellence efforts through workshops, competitions, publications, and exhibitions.

Kind of like our own Charlottesville Community Design Center on steroids!

"Knowing my design advocacy role here in Charlottesville," Cox told the Hook, "you can see how the job seemed tailor made for me."" (Dave McNair, The Hook, October 18, 2007)