Charleston mayor Joe Riley announced his retirement on NPR last week.
Riley, the longest serving mayor of any major city in the United States, led the charge for saving one of our greatest urban assets which has become a model for countless other success stories as historic towns have been rediscovered so to speak. This writer had the opportunity to cross paths with him as a young intern under the tutelage of Jaque Robertson, then dean of the School of Architecture at the University of Virginia. His indefatigable commitment to the home of his birth has given rise to countless tales of derring-do and garnered dozens of awards, yet he remains the consummate gentleman devoid of bravado. One look at his home – prominently displayed on Wikipedia – is evidence enough of a leader that remains first and foremost a true citizen within his community.
This NPR interview is worth listening to over, and over and over… :
domus americanus 