Agenda

• 9:00 am – Registration and networking/light breakfast
• 9:45 am – Welcome
  Robert Goldsmith Esq., President, Downtown New Jersey
  Michael J. Venezia, Mayor, Bloomfield Township (invited)
• 10:00 am – Keynote

David D. Dixon, FAIA
Planning and Urban Design Leader, Stantec’s Urban Places

David Dixon and his team at Stantec’s Urban Places have recently completed working with IDA to prepare The Value of U.S. Downtowns and Center Cities: Second Edition report. The report includes analysis extending well beyond economic and fiscal benefits to measure downtown’s value in promoting equity and inclusion; diverse economic opportunity; cultural, economic and entrepreneurial innovation; civic engagement; community across increasingly rigid lines of economic, racial and cultural diversity; environmental responsibility and resilience; and related issues. The findings are supported through analysis of real data from 24 downtowns with urban place management organizations across the United States. David will provide an overview of the report findings as a lead into our first panel discussion where we will apply a NJ lens to the downtown value proposition.

• 10:30 am – Panel I

The Value of Downtown: IDA’s The Value of U.S. Downtowns and Center Cities: Second Edition report focuses on understanding the value of downtowns through five principles – economy, inclusion, vibrancy, identity and resilience. Using the report as a basis for discussion, the panelists will share success stories about initiatives that have added to the value of NJ downtowns from the broader perspective of these five principles.

Panelists:
– David D. Dixon, FAIA, Planning and Urban Design Leader, Stantec’s Urban Places (Moderator)
– Susan Adelizzi-Schmidt, President, Suasion Communications Group
– Jef Buehler, Placemaking & Place-Based Revitalization Specialist, NJ Department of Community Affairs (Invited)
– Ollyn Lettman, Executive Director, Bloomfield Center
– Vanessa Quijano, Director, Jersey City Small Business Services

• 11:45 pm – Lunch

Downtown Excellence Awards Presentation: Each year Downtown New Jersey recognizes New Jersey’s best downtown projects and programs completed within the last two years. Winning submissions are considered models worthy of emulation and are promoted on Downtown New Jersey’s website and are recognized at the DNJ Conference.

• 1:15 pm – Panel 2: 

Growing + Retaining Business in Your Downtown: Some downtown districts are bustling with a low retail vacancy rates, while others have problematic gaps in their retail market. No matter the situation, improvement district leaders need to be connecting with business and property owners to keep their downtowns bustling. Whether it’s providing critical services and support to existing businesses or strategically attracting new ones, improvement district managers and board members are critical to sustaining and promoting their downtown as a destination for residents and visitors alike. This panel will teach downtown district leaders strategies to attract retailers and keep those already in your districts thriving.

Panelists:
– Elayne McClaine, Regional Director, NJ Small Business Development Center at Rutgers New Brunswick (Moderator)
– Larisa Ortiz, Managing Director, Streetsense
– Chelsea Selby, CEO/Owner, Witch Baby Soap
– Melvin Sykes, Vice President, Option 1 Realty Group
– Eric Maywar, Economic Development Specialist, City of Trenton Division of Economic Development

• 2:45 pm – Food Tour of Bloomfield (additional ticketed event with discount to conference attendees)
  

Come see what everyone is talking about on a Food Tour organized by the Bloomfield Center Alliance and EMI Strategy. The tour will make stops at 3-4 Bloomfield dining venues where we’ll sample fantastic food, meet the chefs, learn some local Bloomfield history, and find out what’s next from Bloomfield Center Alliance staff. The ticket price is discounted to $15 for conference attendees. So join us on a fun, food-filled guided tour of Bloomfield Center where many of the town’s culinary gems are located.

Read about Bloomfield’s food scene in the Star Ledger, and catch Bloomfield’s feature as one of the 15 Best Under the Radar Dining Destinations in New Jersey.

• 4:15 pm – Networking Reception (Included in conference registration – location TBD)