Robert I.

Romo
Selected Works 2024
 Robert I. Romo, LEED Green Associate
Email: romo.robbie@gmail.com
Portfolio: RobertIrwinRomo.com

Career Summary Areas of Practice

Robert is an urban designer based in Chicago, IL. With a background in both urban planning and • Urban Design and Land Use
architecture, Robert approaches the practice of urban design from multiple perspectives. Robert’s • Transit-Oriented Development
work in urban design has focused on how to create engaging, thriving, and resilient places for • Downtown and Urban Infill
Development
diverse groups of users in the face of economic and environmental uncertainty; and how well-
• Station Area Master Planning
integrated transportation systems and land-use mix can lead to transformative change in our cities. • Waterfront Master Planning
Robert’s professional experience in urban design includes TOD plans for private and public sector • Campus Master Planning
clients, mixed-use entertainment district master plans, campus facilities plans, and waterfront • GIS, 3D Rendering, and
public realm design; as well as design and project management for a range of architectural projects. Advanced Visualizations
• Architecture
Education
University of Pennsylvania Stuart Weitzman School of Design Philadelphia, PA
Dual Master of Architecture, Master of City Planning September 2016 - May 2020
Urban Design concentration
The George Washington University Washington D.C.
Bachelor of Arts in International Affairs, cum laude September 2010 - May 2014

Experience
WSP New York, NY & Chicago, IL
Urban Designer February 2021 - October 2023
• Managed production of written and visual master plans that effectively communicated the client’s and stakeholders’ vision and goals, as well as the
complex urban design challenges and opportunities of each project; work includes the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas Master Plan.
• Led concept-level design and feasibility studies for transit-oriented mixed-use development projects and station area planning efforts, working in
collaboration with municipal transit agencies and various stakeholder groups.
• Performed comprehensive land use and zoning analysis at a corridor planning scale to assess and prepare rezoning policy proposals, ultimately
producing data-driven graphics and conceptual build-out scenario visualizations.

LO Design Philadelphia, PA
Project Designer September 2020 - December 2020
• Built and managed BIM models for development of schematic and design development-phase designs for multiple concurrent single and multifamily
new construction projects, contributing to the overall project vision and construction viability.
• Guided new construction projects through the complex Philadelphia zoning and building permit approval processes, ensuring successful compliance
with regulatory requirements.
• Produced immersive 3D renderings and visualizations, effectively communicating design concept alternatives for client consultations and public
presentations.

Cooper Robertson New York, NY

Architectural / Urban Design Intern May 2019 - January 2020
• Facilitated design charettes and collaborated in the writing, graphic development, and delivery of successful university campus master plan proposals,
including the George Washington University Strategic Campus Facilities Master Plan.
• Prepared master plan feasibility studies with 3D building massing diagrams for complex mixed-use projects and competition proposals, including the
Penn’s Landing Development Master Plan Proposal.

MESH Architectures Brooklyn, NY

Architectural Designer Intern May 2018 - August 2018
• Independently conducted project site visits for work documentation, coordinating regularly with subconsultants and contractors on technical issues.
• Produced 3D renderings and interactive VR models of residential and commercial projects for client presentations.

Skills
• Architecture
• Urban Design
• Project Management
• Communication
Revit || Rhino || Grasshopper || AutoCAD || SketchUp || Unity || Lumion || V-Ray || Bluebeam || Physical Model Building
ArcGIS Pro || Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator) || PowerBi || Microsoft Office Suite
Event Planning || Budgeting || Team Coordination || Goal Setting & Visioning
Proposal Writing || Public Speaking || Spanish (working proficiency)
Contents

Urban Design & Industrial Sponge Zone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Architecture
Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas Master Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Penn’s Landing Development Master Plan Proposal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

East Parkside Marketplace. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Urban Planning 95th Street Corridor eTOD Plan Proposal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Academic | Industrial Sponge Zone

INDUSTRIAL SPONGE ZONE

Brooklyn, NY

M. Arch Studio V // Critic: Matthijs Bouw

Team Members: Quan Hao Huynh, Robert I. Romo

This project aims to address issues of environmental, social, and economic resilience
among the communities of Brooklyn and Queens that touch the Newtown Creek, a
historic industrial waterway. Sea level rise and industrial reorganization provide the
catalyst for change for New York City and the Newtown Creek. The charge of the
studio was to engage the site at multiple scales and from multiple actor perspectives.
How can this type of industry survive both flooding and gentrification? How can the
Newtown Creek become a place of recreation for the community? How can heavy
industry and thriving communities coexist in this place?

At the scale of the neighborhood, the project imagines a re-naturalization of the

Newtown Creek based on historic flow patterns, including the reconstruction of
several natural islands to be set aside for the concentration of heavy industrial uses.
The buffer zone created by this land reclamation effort will aid in cleaning the creek,
give residents space for recreation, and protect the surrounding neighborhoods from
flood events of increasing frequency and intensity.

At the scale of the building, the project then imagines this transformation manifesting
architecturally as a new center for urban logistics. Facilities like the one proposed will
combine high-intensity warehousing and transportation with wholesale retail. The
project will also support restoration efforts of the creek through green infrastructure
systems on site. Additionally, the reconfiguration of the site will create new public
access points to the previously hidden creek.

(Opposite page) Master plan for interventions along entire length of the Newtown Creek.

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Robert I. Romo

5
Academic | Industrial Sponge Zone

Existing Site Condition

The Newtown Creek ranges in
width from 100 to 260 ft.

Industrial corridor is dependent

ft.
solely on ground freight logistics
.- 260
100 ft

Rail infrastructure through site is

abandoned

En
g
lis
hK
ills
Parts of the creek as
shallow as 1 ft. deep

Max depth of creek is

12 ft.

Creek is entirely
obstructed from view

nd Proposed Site Intervention

WIDEN THE CREEK! ry Isla
ust
Ind
avy
He

e
e Zon
ong
Sp .
0 ft
+26
nd
ainla
ry M
ust
ht Ind
Lig
En
gli
sh
K
ills

Use fill from dredging to raise

height of industrial island
Raise rail line & reactivate
freight rail corridor
Salt marsh for water quality
remediation

Setback building zone and Creek dredged to Max depth

allow for flooding of 24 ft.

AND OPEN THE CREEK

UP TO EVERYONE!
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 Robert I. Romo

Heavy Industry Island

Re-naturalized Crek Edge

Salt Marsh Park (Opposite page) Existing condition and proposed

intervention site approach diagrams. (Clockwise
High Density Urban from top) Sectional Perspective drawing through
Logistics Center
Wholesale Retail Center project. Perspective render of interior public way.
Aerial render of project on site. (Following page)
Perspective render facing project from creek-side.

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Professional | Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas Master Plan

KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON

CONVENTION CENTER DALLAS
MASTER PLAN
Dallas, TX

Client: City Of Dallas Department of Convention and Event Services

Team Members: WSP (prime / master planner), TVS Design
(convention center architect), Hargreaves Jones (landscape
architecture), Foster + Partners (multimodal station architect), WXY
(architecture / public realm), HR&A Advisors (market and real estate)

The Kay Baily Hutchison Convention Center Dallas (KBHCCD) sits on the southern edge
of Downtown Dallas’ inner loop and presents one of the single largest impediments to
the city’s continued urban growth. Originally built in 1958, the building’s current form
is the result of multiple uncoordinated expansion projects, resulting in numerous
user issues. Additionally, the surrounding area is dominated by interstate highways
and other elements that negatively impact the public realm experience.

The Master Plan was a multifaceted project to develop a strategy that modernizes the
KBHCCD and its surrounding environment, as well as leveraging future transportation
plans to set the stage for 30-acres of private development to create new public open
space and a mixed-use entertainment destination. While this project focused on
producing a master plan that transforms the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center,
it will provide benefits at the city and regional scale. The Master Plan identifies land
use policies and development guidelines, as well as a governance structure and
the funding and financing mechanisms that can capture the value created by these
investments.

Robert’s role on the project included the preparation of existing conditions reports,
development of design concept alternatives for the area plan workstream, and leading
the production of the final master plan document across the four workstreams
(area master plan, convention center master plan, transportation plan, funding and
financing plan). Coordination was essential across the multidisciplinary team to
produce a single comprehensive master plan document.

(Opposite page) Aerial rendering of the proposed convention center and master plan area.

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Robert I. Romo

11
Professional | Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas Master Plan

D HSR
AR
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Cedars R

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erg
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Existing Convention

rid
Center
Sm sine
Bu
all ss

I-30
CC STATION
NEWPARK
DEVELOPMENT Convention
Center
Civic Front
N ST DALLAS Moment Door
N TO
CA CITY HALL
OMNI
Uniquely

LARMAR ST
DALLAS

GRIFFIN ST
Dallas
Y ST

AK ARD ST

HOTEL
ERVA

YOUNG ST
YOUNG ST
EBJ
UNION

Historic Tourist
cial

STATION

Destination
WOOD ST
Walkable
Commer
ncy
Vibra al
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Cultu

Downtown

To Downtown
ERV
To West End To Dallas Farmers
AY S
AK A
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Historic District Market/ Deep Ellum

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ST

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Hall ST
VD OD
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Cit y za ILL A
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BL WO MAR
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Dallas Pla
N Police
N ST
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Memorial
NI

Pioneer
REU

as
Plaza Dall all
ST

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TO

Station
N

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ST
Park
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IZ

Cemetery
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(P ew

Dallas
Hotel
N

Morning Memorial
News Auditorium AY
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(Planned) PA
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High Speed To HSR 0' 500' 1000'

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Rail (Planned)
FF
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 Robert I. Romo

CT
IADU
Residential
HSR Office

ST V
Hotel

S TON
Retail

HOU
BOT
HAM KBHCCD
JE A
NB
Reunion
LVD 3C - West of Lamar (Planned)
Alternative

R Dallas
LD
RIA
MO Morning News
ME
(Planned)
FI
EL Omni
D EBJ Union
TBAAL ST Dallas
Newpark Station
Development Dallas Hotel
(Planned) Memorial L DR
NI A
EMO

GR
Auditorium CER

IF
AK

FI
AR Pioneer Park

N
DS

ST
T Cemetery

LA
ST

M
Pioneer Plaza
N

AR
TO
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ST
A
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City Hall
Dallas Police
T
L AS Memorial
R IL
MA
Program Residential Office Hotel Retail Total

sq. ft 3 - 3.5M 2.5 - 3M 2.1 - 2.3M 325 - 385K 13.7M

ST
G
*Estimated Total Parking Space: 14.5K UN
YO

(Opposite page, top) Diagram of existing

Convention Center and key connections with
Downtown Dallas and the Cedars. (Opposite
page, bottom) Illustrative master plan of proposed
Convention Center and area Master Plan. (Top)
3D massing diagram of potential area plan
development and land use program. (Bottom)
Map of existing Convention Center with existing
and proposed transportation elements related
to the Master Plan. (Following page) street-level
perspective rendering of Master Plan potential
development and re-imagined Dallas Memorial
Auditorium and The Black Academy of Arts and
Letters (TBAAL).

Existing Transit
DART Light Rail Lines

DART Light Rail Stations

Amtrak

Dallas Streetcar

Trinity Railway Express

Planned Transit
City Proposed D2 Alignment

Planned Omni Loop

Streetcar Alignment

Additional Proposed
Streetcar Alignments

Proposed HSR Station

Future Fort Worth High-

Speed Connector

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Professional | Penn’s Landing Development Master Plan Proposal

PENN’S LANDING DEVELOPMENT

MASTER PLAN PROPOSAL
Philadelphia, PA

Client: Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment

Team Members: Cooper Robertson (prime / master planner), CAA Icon
(Owner’s Representative)

The Penn’s Landing Development Master Plan was a proposal response to the
Delaware River Waterfront Corporation’s competition to redevelop Penn’s Landing in
Philadelphia. The redevelopment of Penn’s Landing is part of the Master Plan for the
Central Delaware river that reenvisions the river as an active waterfront home to a
mix of diverse uses, including parks, trails, and mixed-use development.

The competition to redevelop the Penn’s Landing waterfront site solicited proposals
to redevelop almost 60 acres of underutilized water-front land into Philadelphia’s next
great urban district. Key to the proposal was the incorporation of the proposed Penn’s
Landing Park that would bridge I-95 and connect Society Hill and Oldtown Philadelphia
to the waterfront. The Client’s proposal envisioned activating the proposed Penn’s
Landing Park with mixed-use development and a new entertainment and cultural icon
for Philadelphia that would drive city-wide and regional economic development.

Robert’s role on the team was to prepare massing studies for different combinations
of land uses, conduct preliminary site analysis and respond to challenging waterfront
site conditions, identify existing and proposed transportation and connectivity
networks impacting the site, and develop conceptual diagrams and renderings for
the project.

(Opposite page) Aerial rendering of proposed Penn’s Landing Development and Penn’s Landing Park.

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Robert I. Romo

17
Academic | East Parkside Marketplace

EAST PARKSIDE MARKETPLACE

Philadelphia, PA

M. Arch Studio II // Critic: Leopold Lambert

The East Parkside Marketplace is an exploration of the power dynamics associated

with lending and finance in West Philadelphia. What is the relationship between a
lending institution and the historically disenfranchised community that it serves?
What role does the architecture of a bank contribute to this power imbalance?

The project is an attempt to learn from these troupes and create a new type of social
condenser that does the opposite. Some of the guiding points of consideration were
how a public, coop-style, organization would make decisions opposed to a traditional
board of directors. Where and how the placement of bodies in a financial transaction
can make those parties feel and determine the outcome of that transaction. Finally,
how financial literacy in praxis can impact outcomes for the residents of East
Parkside. This project I hope, provides an imagined alternative where the residents of
East Parkside build and control wealth. Both material wealth and immaterial wealth
— namely the freedom and confidence to build their own future.

(Opposite page) Collage depicting the repurposing of local elements to form a new structure.

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Robert I. Romo

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Academic | East Parkside Marketplace

7
8

10

11
12
5

6
3
1 4
2

1. Cafe
2. EPFCU Vault
3. Conference Rooms
4. Skate-Friendly Infrastructure
5. Branch Library Stacks
6. East Parkside Market
7. Community Meeting Steps
8. Computer Lab
9. Deployable Canopy
10. Leasable Office Space
11. Archive/Exhibition Room
12. EPFCU ATMs

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 Robert I. Romo

Check Cashing and Payday Lendors

Banks

ATMs

Credit Unions
East Parkside

(Opposite page) Cutaway axon of project on

site. (Clockwise from top-right) East Parkside
site photographs. Mapping financial institutions
relative to project site. Transverse sectional
perspective through project showing education,
office, and support spaces. (Following page)
Exploded axon drawing of site neighborhood and
the proposed impacts of the project.

21
 Commercial corridor revitalization via small business loans

Mortgage lending assistance

 Home repair improvement loans

Vacant lot acquisition and re-purpose program

Professional | 95th Street Corridor eTOD Plan Proposal

95TH STREET CORRIDOR ETOD PLAN

PROPOSAL
Chicago, IL

Client: Chicago Department of Planning and Development, Chicago Transit

Authority
Team Members: WSP (prime), Ernest R. Sawyer (economic and workforce
development), MUSE Community + Design (public outreach), Rudd Resources
(communications), Francois Blue (health and racial equity assessment), Ross
Barney Architects (urban design and streetscape)

The 95th Street Corridor Equitable Transit-Oriented Development (eTOD) Plan was a
multifaceted proposal to fully leverage the multi-modal transit investments throughout
the 95th Street Corridor (the Corridor) for the benefit of local communities, residents,
and businesses. The Corridor runs through Chicago’s South Side communities of
Roseland, Princeton Park, Longwood Manor, and Brainerd; and has played witness
to periods of historic population decline, disinvestment, and fraught racial tensions.
However, the Corridor is also abundant with opportunity. With some of the highest
rates of Black Homeownership in Chicago, it is an example of Black Chicagoans
upward mobility. Local anchor institutions, like the Trinity United Church of Christ and
Chicago State University, and ongoing infrastructure investments like the Red Line
Extension, have the potential to improve residents’ access to jobs and opportunities
throughout the city and present a significant opportunity for local economic
development.

Robert’s role on the proposal effort was to craft the project understanding component.
Through both historic research and existing conditions assessment, Robert prepared
text and diagrammatic visual representations of the opportunities and constraints of
the corridor. Setting the stage for context-appropriate TOD interventions.

(Opposite page) Exploded Community Opportunities and Axonometric Diagram for the 95th Street
Corridor.

24
 Robert I. Romo

Harlan High METRA Electric 95th

School Street Chicago State
University
Trinity United Princeton Park CTA 95th / Dan Men Concerned
Church Homes Christian at
Ryan Station Wesley United Chicago State Advocate Medical
Methodist
Church
University OBGYN
Trinity United
Church Child Care Resurrection
Center Another Lutheran
Chance Church Abbot
Rudyard Kipling Church Park
Elementary
School

Robichaux
Community Assets
Woodson Park Transit Centers
Regional Faith-Based Orgs
Library Social Services
Education
Parks
UNITY
COMM
TS
ASSES

Urban Form
Building
Footprint

M
N FOR
URBA

I-9 Land Use

4
/D Single-Family
A Multi-Family
N
R Commercial
YA
Mixed-Use
N
EX Institutional
PY Open Space
E Utilities
Under Constr.
Vacant

U SE
LAND

K
AL N
W TIO
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1/2 M

SC
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YAN E
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AL

R
D

DAN R ED
R
ST

95th St Corridor
ED

LI CTA Bus
N
ST

CTA Redline
E
EX PACE Pulse Rapid
TE Bike Lanes
N Key Streets
SI Highways
O
N Rail

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romo.robbie@gmail.com
RobertIrwinRomo.com