VCU news

By Mike Porter

Associate Professor Morton Gulak has retired from Virginia Commonwealth University’s urban and regional planning and urban studies and geography programs in the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs after a career that lasted nearly four decades.

Gulak was honored at a surprise retirement reception May 14 at the Siegel Center Founder’s Room. Family, friends, colleagues, students and former colleagues and students came from as far away as Washington, D.C., and Wilmington, N.C.

“This is a day of history and emotion for me,” Gulak said. “People ask, ‘how do you feel about retirement?’ and today I feel great. It will give me more time to do things I enjoy like watercolor painting and creating children’s furniture. And, of course, I’ll stay active in urban planning issues.”

Gulak’s long relationship with VCU began in1972 when he was hired to teach in the undergraduate urban studies program. With the exception of a few years when he left to earn a doctoral degree, Gulak’s academic career has taken place at VCU. 

He was remembered for his role in helping to establish VCU’s Master of Urban and Regional Planning program.

“It’s no exaggeration to say that we could not have had a master of urban and regional planning program without Mort, because it is essential in such programs to teach urban design,” said John Accordino, Ph.D., associate professor in the urban and regional planning program. “As both an architect and an urban planner, Mort has been able to provide our program and students with the urban design skills and knowledge that planners need.”

Accordino credited Gulak with shaping the program by focusing on professional planning practices and by placing an emphasis on revitalization of older historic communities.

“He has enabled us to build a strong national reputation and most importantly, a strong rapport among the agencies and firms that employ our graduates,” Accordino said.

Gulak taught courses in urban design, urban revitalization, physical planning and the application of professional planning methods. He also coordinated the Studio II program, in which graduate students apply the methods and skills they’ve learned in their courses to solve an actual planning problem.

His research interests have focused on neighborhood planning, high-speed and commuter rail impacts on local community development, crime prevention through environmental design and international planning and education.

He helped to develop a number of neighborhood and community plans in Central Virginia over the years.

Colleagues remembered him as a soft-spoken but powerful presence.

Megan Gough, Ph.D., assistant professor of urban and regional studies/planning, has worked closely with Gulak since her arrival at VCU in 2008. Gulak and Gough have developed the curriculum for classes on sustainable planning.

“He is very patient and a great listener,” Gough said. “His sense of creativity and his vision have really helped to push students to think outside of the box.”

Gulak’s support of newer associates was noted by several faculty members at the reception.  

“He has been very helpful in mentoring junior faculty. It’s a huge loss for us and he will be dearly missed,” said Xueming (Jimmy) Chen, Ph.D., associate professor of urban and regional studies/planning. “It’s not easy to replace nearly 40 years of experience.”

Gulak lives in Richmond with his wife Paula. The couple has two adult children, Loren and Misha.