The West Coast Urban District Forum in Reno, Nevada, held a couple of weeks ago, was a huge success, surpassing attendance expectations. After a two-year absence, the joy and camaraderie felt at the conference were palpable. We kicked off the two-day conference with a pre-conference tour of the much-lauded Nevada Cares campus and then some vibrant Master Talks by Brad Carney on Public Art and Creative Engagement, Ishmael Nunez, BDS Planning and Urban Design, on The Intersection of Race and Place, Derek Kirk, CA Governor’s Office of Business & Economic Development about Go-Biz Community Based Solutions and Carmen Zell, NOW Art, on The Forefront of Democratization and Revolutionizing Public Art. Each one of these Master Talks affirmed much of what we know about managing places and provided thought-provoking ideas to take back to our communities.
As with other industries, there has been a lot of staff mobility with folks retiring and/or moving into new jobs. Approximately 30% of the attendees appeared to be in new jobs or new to the industry. In many ways, our work in place management has become more challenging. There are homelessness and quality of life issues, increases in the perception and reality of crime, rising inflation and housing costs, and vacant storefronts and office buildings. But, being together with colleagues, both new and old, always invigorates us. We are ready and able to take on the next phase of place management.
A special thank you to Alex Stettinski and the staff and board of the Downtown Reno Partnership, the IDA Staff, and the CDA Program Committee, especially the Committee Chair, Chole Shipp. Thank you to all of the speakers and session presenters. Thank you to the following sponsors - we could not do this without you:
Urban Champion: IKE Smart City
District Advocates: District Works, Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada, Reno City Center,
Placer.ai, Streetplus
Ambassadors: Union Square Alliance, University of Nevada Reno, Research & Innovation
Friends: Downtown Sacramento Partnership,
Progressive Urban Management Associates (P.U.M.A.),
San Jose Downtown Association, Uptown & Downtown CBDs/Oakland Central, Walnut Creek Downtown,
Westwood Village Improvement Association
Rena Masten Leddy, CDA President
Urban Place Consulting Group
