About

Genius Loci Compass

The term Genius Loci refers to the essence or spirit of place. Our firm is located in the heart of the Catskill Region, a seven-county area rich in natural beauty and cultural history. Much of the area has retained the charm and mystery that have attracted visitors and residents for generations. Traditional settlement patterns, characterized by historic, walkable downtowns and surrounding open spaces, play an important role in the area’s quality of life and influence our work.

At Genius Loci Planning we work closely with local officials and residents to identify your community’s special qualities and develop strategies for leveraging their potential.  With an emphasis on teamwork, we aim to build lasting relationships and create opportunities for local skills and talent to be invested in the realization of your visions. Beyond sound, action-oriented planning, we recognize the critical need for a community to accomplish the initiatives it has set forth for itself. We offer specialized assistance in fostering the sustained engagement and follow-through necessary to implement the goals and objectives of your plan.

Corneel Verlaan
Corneel Verlaan

Peter Manning, Principal

Peter Manning has 20 years’ experience in municipal planning and land use training at the local, county, regional, and statewide levels. He holds a BA in Geography from SUNY New Paltz and a Masters in Landscape Architecture from Cornell University.

Genius Loci Planning