Larisa Ortiz

This article covers an emerging planning methodology and diagnostic tool used to generate
multi-faceted, data-driven strategies for place-based revitalization efforts. We will consider three
applied case studies, including programs led by the City of New York and the Commonwealth
of Massachusetts, as well as in Puerto Rico, where the Foundation for Puerto Rico led planning
efforts funded by the U.S. Department of Commerce as part of larger Long-Term Disaster Recovery
investments.… Show more

This article covers an emerging planning methodology and diagnostic tool used to generate
multi-faceted, data-driven strategies for place-based revitalization efforts. We will consider three
applied case studies, including programs led by the City of New York and the Commonwealth
of Massachusetts, as well as in Puerto Rico, where the Foundation for Puerto Rico led planning
efforts funded by the U.S. Department of Commerce as part of larger Long-Term Disaster Recovery
investments. This article discusses the application of the methodological approach in each place
and explores program design and strategies for replicability and scalability in a variety of contexts,
from neighborhood corridors to small and large cities, to entire regions. Show less

Retail real estate is in a period of significant disruption, leaving many owners of legacy retail
real estate assets struggling to find solutions that address the cash flow challenges brought
on them by the loss or downsizing of many of their traditional tenants. Many owners are now
looking to alternative uses that push the envelope and embrace a mix in tenancy that requires
considerable planning and in some cases, financial or institutional support from public sector
partners… Show more

Retail real estate is in a period of significant disruption, leaving many owners of legacy retail
real estate assets struggling to find solutions that address the cash flow challenges brought
on them by the loss or downsizing of many of their traditional tenants. Many owners are now
looking to alternative uses that push the envelope and embrace a mix in tenancy that requires
considerable planning and in some cases, financial or institutional support from public sector
partners. This article will explore the ways in which the private and public sectors will increasingly come to rely on one another to address a host of complicated design, regulatory, and
monetary hurdles that will differentiate successful projects from those that fail. Show less

This guide is the product of an innovative public-private partnership between the New York City office of LISC (LISC NYC), Citi Community Development, and New York City’s Department of Small Business Services (SBS). The guide was developed by consultant and former LISC National Director of Corridor Revitalization Programs Larisa Ortiz and the tool was called the Commercial District Needs Assessment (CDNA). The assessment was informed by LISC’s research and extensive experience utilizing… Show more

This guide is the product of an innovative public-private partnership between the New York City office of LISC (LISC NYC), Citi Community Development, and New York City’s Department of Small Business Services (SBS). The guide was developed by consultant and former LISC National Director of Corridor Revitalization Programs Larisa Ortiz and the tool was called the Commercial District Needs Assessment (CDNA). The assessment was informed by LISC’s research and extensive experience utilizing community insights to clarify and help interpret quantitative data, as well as Ortiz’s two decades of consulting experience working with communities around the country, many of them LISC sites. Show less

Improving Tenant Mix: A Guide for Commercial District Practitioners is an invaluable guide for economic development practitioners leading business attraction and retention efforts in downtowns and neighborhood business districts. This guide is written for public-sector officials as well as staff at Business Improvement Districts and community-based non-profits—anyone leading efforts to improve tenant mix along traditional retail corridors and districts. Designed in an easy-to-follow format… Show more

Improving Tenant Mix: A Guide for Commercial District Practitioners is an invaluable guide for economic development practitioners leading business attraction and retention efforts in downtowns and neighborhood business districts. This guide is written for public-sector officials as well as staff at Business Improvement Districts and community-based non-profits—anyone leading efforts to improve tenant mix along traditional retail corridors and districts. Designed in an easy-to-follow format, Improving Tenant Mix will ensure that practitioners have the information they need to design and execute successful retail recruitment efforts, improve retail offerings, and attract more shoppers, resulting in more retail sales for district businesses over time. Peppered with real-world advice from an expert advisory panel, this guide will be the one you reach for again and again. Show less