Technology

Paul R. Levy Master Talk

Paul R. Levy is the founding president and chief executive of Philadelphia’s Center City District (CCD), serving in that capacity since January 1991. Under Levy’s leadership, CCD secured property owner and legislative approval for its reauthorization in 1994, 2004, 2007, 2012, 2017 and 2023, expanding its ability to finance and carry out capital improvements.

COVID Spending Insights from Mastercard (FKA Mastercard SpendingPulse™)

Mastercard SpendingPulse™ has become a leading economic and industry research service to monitor and forecast consumer spending across multiple industries and markets. Reports use advanced models to calculate total and sector-level retail sales based on aggregate sales activity in the Mastercard payments network, survey-based estimates for other payment types (including cash), and tune for macroeconomic factors.

Smart City Frontier

Cities across the world are becoming “smarter,” integrating technologies that communicate via the Internet of Things (IoT).  What’s on the horizon?  And, what is a district’s role in a burgeoning network of kiosks, cameras, trash compactors, scooters, automated vehicles and more?

Optimizing Operational Efficiency and Reducing Your Carbon Footprint

Global warming is a real concern and each of us has a responsibility to limit our carbon footprint – especially businesses. Typically, improvement districts use gasoline-powered equipment to augment manual labor cleaning efforts. Panelists will introduce alternative ways to achieve your clean and safe goals, and make a case for alternative options related to equipment that will reduce your carbon footprint and operating costs while improving efficiencies.

Craft Data-Informed Persona in Places of All Sizes

Downtown associations know their attraction and retention results are due in part to their marketing efforts. But how do you produce content that helps your downtown stand out from the rest? In this panel, downtown regions like Bozeman, MT; Los Angeles, CA; and Memphis, TN will discuss how marketing their narrative started with understanding the unique pieces of their story – namely, their data.

John Bela Master Talk

John Bela is an urbanist and public space designer with Gehl Studio San Francisco. He combines a background in art, science and environmental design to create vibrant, dynamic and resilient urban human habitats. A pioneer in user-generated urbanism, John has successfully completed many projects that involve radical new formulations of social space. John is a senior lecturer at the California College of Arts in San Francisco and a distinguished lecturer at U.C. Berkeley.

Dan Koh Master Talk

Daniel Arrigg Koh is Chief of Staff to the City of Boston. In this capacity, he advises Mayor Martin J. Walsh on key issues and helps him execute his vision for the city and its 18,000 employees. During his master talk at the 62nd Annual Conference & Tradeshow in Atlanta, Georgia, Sept. 7-9, 2016, Dan discusses the use of data in improving city services, place management and city building.

Curb Appeal: Tools for Prioritizing Curb Uses

Innovative disruption in mobility and economic development have created new demands on curb space in dense urban places. Traditional uses like metered parking and valet stands are often in conflict with new uses like food delivery, rideshare, and dockless mobility services. Learn how to quantify and analyze competing curb uses in existence today and gain tools to advocate for the reallocation of curb space to serve new priorities in your community.

Form Follows Finance: Unplugging Economic and Planning Barriers

Data visualizations, economic impact modeling and policy hacks, oh my! This session is a must for anyone interested in the intersection of downtown economic development, placemaking, Smart Growth and regional infrastructure development. Participants will learn about cutting edge applications of geoaccounting, design and ninja policy moves in downtown Durham, NC and Minneapolis, MN.

Mapping Authenticity: Contemporary Mapping

Maps are the primary way that we orient ourselves to places. But they aren’t neutral: by highlighting some features while obscuring others, they are powerful tools for making meaning. Today, civic data and mobile technologies give us unprecedented control over visualizing place — and new ways for telling authentic, place-based stories.