On Thursday November 9th, ULI Philadelphia convened a discussion between two powerful public space advocates, Carol Coletta and Kathryn Ott Lovell, for what was an enjoyable lunch of cerebral exchanges. Kathryn Ott Lovell recounted challenges she encountered while transitioning from the nonprofit sector as Executive Director of the Fairmount Park Conservancy, to government appointment in her current role as the Commissioner of Philadelphia Parks and Recreation. The stimulating, engaging and often hilarious conversation gave attendees access to the wealth of commanding experience and authority around urban spaces that earned Carol Coletta a place on the list of the 100 most influential urbanists in the world.

When asked, if teaching a masterclass on the future of American cities what would you highlight on the syllabus, Coletta gave these key words of advice:

• Listen, visit and experience cities as much as possible.
• Continue to educate yourself. Subscribe to journals, read books and listen to audio or podcasts that are related to city development and management.

As developing vibrant cities is a continuous process, so  is the quest for knowledge towards same. Coletta also shared behaviors that can propel cities forward or hold them back. A good city must amongst others be able to:

• Demonstrate the ability to develop all its talents through equitable education
• Create places to hold and gainfully employ the educated and
• Provide a fair chance for everyone to be better.

On the flip side, she stated further that cities lose when they:

• Operate transactionally rather than on value
• Are Unwilling to create mixed income neighborhoods
• Lack affordable options
• Harbor the idea that neighborhoods are stagnant and cannot change

The conversation took a more personal tone when Coletta and Ott Lovell shared their struggles and guilty pleasures. Coletta acknowledged her struggle with time and advised against procrastination, while Ott Lovell shared that she can struggle with a work-life balance integrating her two worlds.

The duo ended the exchange by expressing their personal mantras. Ott Lovell is guided by sayings, “when things get tough, the tough get going” and “this too shall pass’” and as for Coletta, “what will you be remembered for,’ and on a personal note, “be soft on people; hard on performance.”

Thank you to our event sponsors:

Aminat Akanji is currently a Real Estate Development graduate student at Thomas Jefferson University.