September 5, 2023
Before we kick-off the fall 2023 season of programs and council activities, we want to take a moment to share highlights from spring 2023 – March through May. Warmer weather meant the return of many in-person council meetings, tours of exciting new projects in the pipeline and recently completed throughout Philadelphia and the region, as well as a ULI PHL members gathering across the border in Toronto for ULI Spring Meeting.
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The March Member Breakfast Series was a conversation with ULI Member Jim Heid. Jim presented on the benefits and the success of small-scale development, sharing findings from his published book, Building Small: A Toolkit for Real Estate Entrepreneurs, Civic Leaders, and Great Communities.
The ULI NEXT 2022 Cohort presented a lively discussion on the future of parking (or lack thereof). Attendees heard from a dynamic panel of industry leaders, Anne Fadullon, City of Philadelphia Department of Planning and Development, Frank Robinson, Econsult Solutions, Inc., Jon Geeting, Philadelphia 3.0, Leslie S. Richards, SEPTA, Rob Zuritsky, Parkway Corporation, moderated by Inga Saffron, Philadelphia Inquirer.
ULI Philadelphia joined with 18 other BUILDPhilly (Built environment, Urban, Infrastructure, Land use, and Development) coalition partners for a mayoral forum with six of the Democratic candidates.
At the second March Member Breakfast Series program, Members heard from Ryan Johnson, Plenary Group and Scott Mucci, Gilbane Building Company on the redevelopment of 30th Street Station and the public-private partnership model to improve operations, enhance customer experience and modernize the station.
The Women’s Leadership Initiative heard from Sylvie Gallier-Howard, Founder & CEO at Equitable Cities Consulting, and Vaughn Ross, associate with Equitable Cities Consulting as well as Founder & Principal of Rvesta Consulting, for a conversation about fostering inclusive, equitable, and resilient cities.
The Life Sciences Council presented, “Potential Realized: Life Sciences in University City” panel conversation exploring the recently completed and in progress life sciences projects throughout University City. The conversation brought together developers and operators including, Pete Cramer, Wexford Science & Technology, LLC, John Gattuso, Gattuso Development Partners, Jeff DeVuono, Brandywine Realty Trust, Anthony Maher, University Place Associates, Steve Marr, Spark Therapeutics, moderated by Timnit Abraha, University City Science Center. Following the conversation, attendees toured 3.0 University Place. The program was held at Paul Robeson High School and the council presented Principal Richard Gordon with a Recognition of Transformative Impact.
The Lehigh Valley Council met at the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks for a walking tour along the Urban Arts Trail, a 2.75 mile experience that sprawls across Bethlehem’s SouthSide Downtown business district. The tour was led by Erin Zebertavage, Downtown Manager, SouthSide Arts District
The NEXT Group explored North American Street improvements during their April meeting engagement where they heard from guest speakers Jake Borden, Six Acre Capital; Mark Lansmann, Six Acre Capital; Richard Montanez, Department of Streets, City of Philadelphia; and Vadim Fleysh, Department of Streets, City of Philadelphia. Following the discussion the toured the Ray Philly mixed-use residential and communal art studio project along the American Street corridor.
The Small Scale & Impact Development Council met for a hard hat tour of a new boutique hotel opening on South Street, Yowie Hotel, with developer Shannon Maldonado, owner of Yowie gift shop, and her business partner Everett Abitbol. The hotel will also be home to the relocated Yowie store and a café.
As a continuation to a 2021 virtual Advisory Services Panel on Washington Avenue Piers & District, ULI PHL worked again with the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation for a 2-day “Resilience in Place Management Workshop,” with participants from Boston, NYC, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Norfolk, and Houston joiing in person and virtually to share best practices, case studies, and walking tour of the Delaware River waterfront on the future of resilient waterfront district management.
The WLI hosted a new program that paired a panel discussion around the challenges that MBE/WBE businesses are facing in our industry and the success stories of how these partnerships can contribute to better, more equitable development, followed by a MBE/WBE fair and networking opportunity. This program also highlighted participants who recently completed their MBE/WBE Training certificate. Speakers included Maria Gonzalez, HACE CDC, Maura Hesdon, Shoemaker Construction Co., Sharmain Matlock-Turner, Urban Affairs Coalition, moderated by Andreina Perez Hein, Everybody Builds
ULI Philadelphia hosted a Spring Meeting Happy Hour and Networking for our members attending the conference in Toronto. More than 50 members joined to catch up over drinks in between conference activities.
The Lehigh Valley Council hosted a Mayoral Forum with Mayor Sal Panto from Easton, Mayor J. William Reynolds from Bethlehem, Mayor Matt Tuerk from Allentown at Lafayette College in Easton. The mayors shared details of their “3 City Coalition” partnership and how they are working together for a stronger Lehigh Valley.
Part 1 of the 2-part ‘Spring Forward 2023’ series kicked off in May. All members and guests were invited for a conversation around macro economic trends as we explore myths on the state of inflation, interest rates, public safety & health, housing security, urban-suburban convergence, banking, workforce, and more. Featured speakers included a keynote presentation from Ryotaro Tashiro, Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, Paul Levy, Center City District, Marshall Snively, Lancaster City Alliance, moderated by Rebecca DeJoseph, Econsult Solutions Inc.
The Young Leaders toured The Battery project, hearing from Chris McElwee, Construction Manager of the Battery, on this the redevelopment of the historic waterfront property.
In April the Young Leaders Group kicked off our four-part virtual Mentorship Series to engage professionals at every level—senior level leaders and emerging professionals—in making meaningful relationships and deepening efforts and skills to support one another in the industry. The series was facilitated by Clayton Mitchell, Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals with guest presentations from Jerry Sweeney, Brandywine Realty Trust, Derek Green, Former City of Philadelphia Council Member, Douglas Williams, Main Line Health, Carol Horne Penn, Gilbane Building Company.
The Women’s Leadership Initiative heard from guest speaker Erike De Veyra, Leave a Legacy Project Manager for Philadelphia 250. Leave a Legacy is a new, people-centric model for how we leave behind meaningful, lasting legacies from this once-in-a-generation opportunity, leveraging the energy, excitement, and investment around the 250th anniversary.
The Young Leaders had an intimate conversation withoutgoing Center City President and CEO, Paul Levy, on the state of the city and downtown office conversions to residential housing.
The Central PA Council returned to York for a follow up tour of the recently completed renovation of The Yorktowne Hotel. The Council had previously met for a hard hat tour of the project during its renovation.
The Delaware Regional Council held an informal meet and greet with Stonehill PACE at Iron Hill on the Waterfront. Stonehill Pace is a balance sheet PACE Lender that works with commercial property owners and developers looking for a cost-effective solution for construction financing.
Central PA Council Members toured the newly opened Harrisburg University of Science and Technology followed by networking.