Tag Archive for economic development

June 3 – 6: Embracing Change: Empowering Your Community’s Revitalization Effort hosted by the Pennsylvania Downtown Center

“Embracing Change: Empowering Your Community’s Revitalization Effort”
Pennsylvania’s Premier Revitalization Conference

Location:  Chester County Historical Society and Uptown! Knauer Performing Arts Center, Downtown West Chester, PA

Dates:  June 3rd through 6th, 2018

Opening Keynote Speaker:  David Greene, host of NPR’s Morning Edition

Closing Keynote Speaker:  Philip J. Merrill, CEO and Founder of Nanny Jack & Company, an African American heritage consulting business

As Pennsylvania’s program coordinator for the National Main Street Center, a subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Pennsylvania Downtown Center will host its annual statewide conference June 3-6, 2018, in West Chester, PA, with the theme – Embracing Change – Empowering the Future of Your Community’s Revitalization Effort

We anticipate 250 or so attendees not only from Pennsylvania but also from neighboring states of Delaware, New Jersey and even parts of Maryland who represent downtown organizations, municipalities, heritage groups, preservation advocates and other community revitalization professionals.

Throughout the four days we’ll hear from state and national leaders and we’ll discuss new partnerships for creating more entrepreneurial and equitable communities with a focus on innovation, technology, diversity in all its forms and constantly evolving life style preferences. We’ll explore how we shop, how we play, how we engage in our communities and how we interact as a society.

Our concurrent sessions will take place mostly at Uptown! Knauer Theatre and our meals, plenary, and exhibitors will be at the Chester County Historical Society. Mobile tours are also on the schedule both in West Chester, neighboring Kennett Square, and Phoenixville.  We are pleased that our annual awards gala, the Townies, will be in Sykes Hall at West Chester University on Tuesday evening, June 5th.

Find out more at https://padowntown.org/conference

Early Bird rates through April 27, 2018

#pdcwestchester2018

#embracingchange2018

April 20 – Transportation and Tourism

This is a free event. Visit this page to register.

Location: DVRPC, 190 N. Independence Mall West, 8th Floor

Time: April 20th, 9 AM – 11 AM

AICP CM Credits: 2.0

Many older communities and neighborhoods are home to tourist destinations, like museums, historic sites, arts and cultural venues, or parks and trails, among others. Visiting these sites—whether by car, bus, transit, foot, or bicycle—can often present challenges. The first part of this event will feature speakers familiar with transportation, tourism, and community and economic development. The second part of the event will feature a roundtable discussion where participants can ask peers questions about transportation and tourism, and offer advice based on their own experiences. This event is free and open to the public. It will be of particular interest to planners, community and economic development professionals, transportation professionals, arts/cultural/historic site/museum staff, and tourism/marketing professionals.

Speakers:

Maud Lyon, Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance
Shelley Bernstein, Barnes Foundation

DVRPC’s Strategies for Older Suburbs Roundtable Series highlights challenges older suburbs and downtowns are facing. The Roundtable Series provides a means for networking and exchanging ideas with communities and organizations facing similar concerns.

Agenda

8:30 am – Registration, Light Breakfast, and Networking
9:00 am – Welcome and Introductions
9:15 am – Presentations
10:00 am – Q&A Panel Discussion
10:15 am – Roundtable Discussion Discuss with your peers and colleagues