Downtown Denver Partnership’s Post

Repositioning can lead to remarkable outcomes, and we're thrilled to share a success story that came from navigating unexpected post-Covid tenant shuffle. Our skills in working across product types helped deliver a great outcome, and we're proud of the impact it's had for our tenants and the broader community. #repositioning #communityimpact #minnesotarealestate #retailrealestate

The root of crappy leadership is fear. Over eggs, toast, and coffee this morning, Asim and I talked about what it takes to gather a group of people and get them moving toward a positive, unified goal. Clearly one of his strengths because he's done several times in his career, Asim reminded me of the power of understanding the collective benefit of working together when we just decide that's what we're going to do. I saw many examples of bravery, excitement, and success from his experiences. (As a part of our chat, he shared this article from Steve Smith in the St. Louis Business Journal as a response to a The Wall Street Journal article on STL.) These regional issues are the same issues I see within many organizations. They're because a leader and/or group of people are operating from a place of fear. Fear keeps people and organizations not just stagnant, but eventually dry and dusty places where life used to be. What is one practical way you take action to solve problems as a leader? What is the impact you’ve noticed?

Imagine a downtown where interesting and beautiful places keep you wanting to walk further, to see more and experience all of the diverse activity that surrounds you; (kinda like the feeling you had the first time you visited City Museum). I envision a place where people would prefer to not have a car when living in or visiting downtown because of how it takes away from the vibrant experience and sense of adventure one gets just from being there. What if we rebuilt downtown to be a fully livable, self-sustaining community that has everything one needs for a happy and healthy life, (like groceries, parks, schools, jobs, etc.) all without ever needing to get into a car? But let's not stop there. What if we built a place that was truly invigorating... a place that daily inspires creativity and sparks the innovative and creative juices waiting to be unlocked in each of our brains? We can use lessons learned from neuroscience to inform how we create such a place that stimulates our neurons. We can even tap into the brain hacks that gaming and social media companies have used to design this place by creating a compulsion loop that: 1. triggers interest, 2. provokes action (i.e., walking one more block, checking out a store/event/piece of art, etc.), 3. provides a variable reward (things change and you never know what you will experience from one day to the next), and 4. entices an investment (time, money, talent, etc.) back into the community so that each resident or visitor can leave their finger print on the place - which then triggers the interest of the next person. Let's not make the mistake of thinking that we need to build back what once was, (i.e., a central business district where people come for their 9-5 and little else). Downtown hitting "rock bottom" is our chance to build something entirely new and different. It's time to think outside the box. Please share your thoughts in the comments below. Let's start a discussion!

Collaboration is key-

Great places come from: - Creativity - Collaboration - Looking to others - Learning from others. Placemaking is not a one-person job. It’s not something you can do alone. It takes partnership. That’s why we will always champion the importance of partnership and collaboration for the benefit of the West End and beyond. Do we have our own vision for London and the nation? Of course. But it’s one that involves bringing our peers and partners along with us. And, it’s informed and inspired by looking at how other incredible cities around the world are changing for the better, before thinking about how we can achieve similar things. Two partnerships I’ve been particularly proud of last year: - Our work with Westminster City Council developing a long-term vision for Regent Street, and with Zoological Society of London (ZSL) and The Royal Parks to restore the spine between St James’s and The Regent’s Park (a personal passion of mine) - Our collaborative report with National Trust, Peabody, Historic England, and Grosvenor designed to help address the UK skills gap in the area of heritage retrofit, boost the economy and support its net zero future. Here’s to many more placemaking partnerships. #placemaking #partnerships #westend

More of this! The fundamentals are here. Let’s all get more engaged and change the narrative.

HAMILTON STRIKES BACK How a city shed its decaying 1990s image and became a model for post-industrial America - “In a very compressed timeframe, some of the largest and most iconic employers in Hamilton left,” Hamilton City Manager Joshua Smith said. “That’s 5,000 to 8,000 jobs… what do you do?” Thirteen years later, Hamilton is the dream scenario of every midsized Rust Belt town. Its dismal 20th-century fortunes have given way to widespread redevelopment, renewed population growth and every telltale of modern prosperity – coffee shops, breweries, coworking spots, public spaces, dog parks, murals, live music, residential infill, green energy, advanced manufacturing and the rescue of its gigantic former industrial sites from oblivion. The city has around $1 billion in developments waiting in the wings. Hamilton’s comeback wouldn’t be what it is without Spooky Nook, which opened in the Champion Mill in May 2022. The massive sports complex features a fitness area; climbing/adventure center; hardwood, turf and sport courts for volleyball, field hockey, basketball; and more. Local retailers and restaurants including Municipal Brew Works have located inside the facility, and King Corona restaurant will open in fall 2024 at the North B Street entrance. A boutique hotel is in the works. A fourth large adaptive reuse project is also in the early stages, Smith said. Cincinnati-based Bloomfield/Schon could invest $25 million redeveloping the historic Shuler & Benninghofen Woolen Mill on U.S. Route 127 in the Lindenwald neighborhood a mile south of downtown Hamilton. The project could yield 100 apartments and retail spaces. Three more new hotels will come to Hamilton in the next few years “The city has been doing well in recent years, but we’re not taking it for granted,” Smith said. “We need to aggressively recruit housing, hospitality and other amenities to provide a ‘central social district’ that will insulate us if the work-from-home trend continues.” https://lnkd.in/gvy5QTpj #cincinnati #nky #hamilton #cre #commercialrealestate #community #growth #postindustrial #apartments #multifamily #redevelopment #hospitality #retail #restaurants #butlercounty #ohio #projects

Downtown is Louisville’s only neighborhood that has the largest number of businesses, hotels, museums, and attractions — and visitors to our city. Earlier this year, Louisville Downtown Partnership released the 2024 The Downtown Strategy to focus our efforts on creating and maintaining a beautiful, vibrant, and lively downtown that all can enjoy. The strategy is a 10-year plan that guides the development of projects in Downtown, based on core principles taking into account the current-day challenges, opportunities, and desires of Downtown stakeholders and the community at large. The decade-long plan sets forth a vision and implementation projects to improve Downtown Louisville and spur economic growth. The 2024 Louisville Downtown Development Strategy: A New Paradigm for Downtown Louisville sets forth a list of guiding principles and strategic initiatives intended to activate Downtown and create places where people want to be, want to live, and want to invest in. https://lnkd.in/gtk9jbkp

Great article about the state of the office market in Century City

Join me as we evolve as an organization and reshape the future of downtown. Business leaders and community leaders, let’s activate positive change. Read more in my viewpoint with the Pittsburgh Business Times. #downtown #pittsburgh #leadership