Downtown Reinvention as a Road to Recovery
June 11, 2021 – We brought together community leaders to discuss how they reinvented their downtowns to help their business communities survive the COVID-19 pandemic.
Forums & Workshops
Downtown New Jersey offers a variety of in-person and virtual opportunities for downtown managers, economic development professionals, and public officials to exchange ideas about best practices related to downtown economic development. Check out the opportunities to interact with your peers below.
Upcoming Forums
Past Forums
Click “Learn More” for summaries, videos, PowerPoints, and other resources.
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COVID Lessons Learned: From Tactical to Practical
June 2, 2021 – The session provided advice for those looking to transition from tactical to practical implementation of complete streets.
Retail Real Estate Market…1 Year Later
April 16, 2021 – See what’s changed from the early days of the pandemic, and how that impacts “what’s next” for your downtown to recover from economic upheaval.
Preparing for the Post-Pandemic (Part 2)
March 5, 2021 – Part 2 of NJ Department of Community Affairs’ Jef Buehler discussing downtown management best practices during a virtual walkthrough of downtown Frenchtown.
Preparing for the Post-Pandemic (Part 1)
February 19, 2021 – Part 1 of NJ Department of Community Affairs’ Jef Buehler discussing downtown management best practices during a virtual walkthrough of downtown Frenchtown.
Liquor License Reform Town Hall
December 4, 2020 – Downtown New Jersey hosted a panel of legislators, along with a local official and restaurateur to discuss liquor license reform.
Reinventing Your Downtown After Economic Upheaval
November 16, 2020 – Downtown New Jersey facilitated two sessions at the 2020 NJ League of Municipalities Conference.
Winning Winter
October 2, 2020 – Metuchen Downtown Alliance Executive Director, Isaac Kremer, and Storefront Mastery‘s Storefront Ninja, Jaime Izurieta, led a discussion about best practices in placemaking to make your downtown inviting and comfortable during cold weather.
The Retail New Deal
September 18, 2020 – National retail consultant and Downtown specialist Mike Berne, President of New York City and San Francisco Bay Area-based MJB Consulting, led a discussion about harnessing creative thinking, collaboration, and adaptability to encourage the timely emergence of new innovations and business models in response to changing realities and unforeseeable shocks.
Recovery Marketing
August 18, 2020 – At this forum, seasoned communications expert Susan Adelizzi-Schmidt of Suasion Communications Group, led a discussion about public relations, digital marketing, and creative brand strategy for downtowns in recovery.