South Baltimore Gateway Partnership’s Post

It is possible to make the new arena for the Washington Capitals and Washington Wizards palatable, but only with the removal of the proposed massive #parking garage and a ban on third party parking facilities. I understand that there’s already a street parking zone restriction in this part of #AlexandriaVA, though it probably needs expansion into the late evening hours. The reason for such measures is that ANY additional parking will induce demand for driving, just like a highway expansion does. This will bring more motorists through residential neighborhoods. After games, many of these motorists will be impaired by the alcohol pushed on patrons of games and concerts. This poses a tremendous #publicsafety risk. As this article notes, a previous attempt to foist a stadium on this part of the City of Alexandria, Virginia was defeated by community opposition. There’s a good chance that some political careers will be ended and legacies permanently tarnished if this deal goes through as-is. That would be a shame, as those behind this project have done good things for the city. Unfortunately, ““Alexandria has an appetite for pretty shiny things…” There’s nothing more shiny than a stadium…or more problematic. #transporation #cities #sports #economicdevelopment #WashingtonDC

Dear Concerned Citizens of DC and beyond, We did it. We saved Downtown DC. Sports fans rejoice! We are absolutely delighted (and relieved) that the Caps and Wizards (and the economic benefits that come with them) are staying downtown. And we’re thrilled to have played our part. According to WaPo (https://lnkd.in/etNi9sir), the city’s new Downtown Action Plan—which Friendly designed!—was a key factor driving Leonsis’s decision to keep the teams in the District. The Golden Triangle and DowntownDC business improvement districts (BIDs) have worked in tandem on the Action Plan, with input from the mayor's office, to inform investors on the importance of Downtown DC and why they should put money toward reinvigorating the region. "Leonsis said a number of moves made by Bowser and the council, including the formation of a plan to revive downtown and the council's passage of a new crime bill, gave him greater confidence that he could comfortably grow and expand his business in the District." It’s been our pleasure to partner with the BIDs to bring their new 5-year economic development strategy to life with a brand, website, and series of reports. We designed the Downtown Action Plan to capture the energy of the city and the plan’s vision for its future. Lively colors and directional details carry through the report, designed for print and online, to make the information as accessible and engaging as possible and easy for the BIDs and mayor’s office to circulate. Check out the Action Plan here (https://lnkd.in/eDY7ez7r) —and let’s go Caps/Wizards/DC!! Cheers! Ross #dc #downtowndc #branding #campaign #capitals #wizards

"In the end, understanding what your granddaughters will want and need in the club of tomorrow should be exactly how you should set your course today. The future is extremely bright for private social clubs who craft the right long-term strategic plan," Jeff McFadden CEO The Union League of Philadelphia. Great piece on planning and preparing your club for the future. We've unlocked this article for all clubs.

City Council members gave preliminary approval Tuesday to sell a 20-story, city-owned office tower on the corner of Light and Redwood streets, a move that comes as downtown Baltimore has struggled to hold down commercial tenants in the wake of the pandemic, and as officials have looked to foster a more residential community in the business district. The property, 7 E. Redwood Street, was built in 1924 and currently houses offices for the city law department and health department, among other city and city-affiliated tenants, but an appraisal report issued earlier this month recommends the best use for the property is to convert its office space into new housing units. The 184,000 square foot property was appraised in July at $10 million, according to the report commissioned by the Baltimore Development Corporation, a price tag the report says the property could draw after some minor improvements of around $100,000. #cre #officebuildings #residential https://lnkd.in/e_p33JaG

Some of my thoughts in this Washingtonian Magazine article on how to redevelop parts of #downtown #DC. https://lnkd.in/eS4GAyfi

What a smart move. Everyone knows there's plenty of options out there. Welcome to the "dark side". LOL! Isn't that what some companies try to convince you? Everyone also knows the truth. Hey, are you thinking about making the move? 🤔 Maybe you're feeling "stuck" out of fear... 😨 Fear of losing your clients... ✔ Truth is, you made those clients for the company. ✔ The right ones will follow you. There are plenty out there who need you. Fear of losing deferred compensation... 😱 ✔ Truth is, your company is keeping the lion share of all comp. They're holding back some of the comp you earned. They're giving it as quarterly bonuses to the top producers. They're stuffing some in deferred comp. ✔ Truth is, we don't get that kind of bonus here. We don't have deferred comp. Why? Because we get to keep the entire amount we earned right away. Fear of losing your agents... 😨 ✔ Come on man! Don't you know about the leadership skills of our National Recruiting Director? 🤗 Lyn Godfrey Or her drive? Or her heart? There is no quit. ✔ Truth is, your company is keeping the overwrites on their agents on your team when the agent leaves. You're an employee. ⁉ Why try to train 10 agents a month to watch 9 leave only to give the clients and overrides on the 9 agents' clients to the company? Insert whatever fear you're choosing to believe. Fear is a liar. How do you handle a prospect at the kitchen table in this situation? Use that tactic on yourself. Don't let fear manage your career! 😎

In a recent department meeting, one of our Sparks Bristol team enthusiastically said, “look at what we’ve done in six months, imagine what we will do in the next 12”. And that got me thinking. Sparks 2.0 let’s call it. Beginning Jan 2024, we’ve got some immediate updates coming. And our goal is simple, to do more. Do more learning. Do more educating. And above all, do more good. Sometimes, though, we need to be honest about where our weaknesses lie, and one of those weaknesses is our lack of experience within the design and structure of a retail environment. So, I ask of my network, can you help? We’re looking at you, large retail companies. Can you provide one of your team for an hour/a day? Can you help your local community grow and prosper. After all, those local communities put you where you are now. John Lewis & Partners , Marks and Spencer , Mary Portas and all of my lovely network, help us find some help!

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We ❤️ this approach! When a business or organization intentionally selects local suppliers, particularly diverse local suppliers, money continues to circulate within our region. What else happens? ⬆️Community Investment increases ⬆️Hiring increases 🔗Supply chains grow more resilient and robust. Everyone wins. At BEAM, we are forging a brighter and more equitable future for local businesses. We are designing new procurement practices based on data science and best practices.