Catalytic development: (Re)making walkable urban places
Past Event
Welcome and opening remarks

Panel 2 – Investing in quality of place
Over the past several decades, demographic shifts and the rise of the knowledge economy have led to increasing demand for more walkable, mixed-use urban places. Catalytic development is a new model of investment that takes a large scale, long-term approach to recreating such communities. The objectives of this model are exemplified in Amazon’s RFP for a second headquarters, which outlines the company’s desire for a vibrant, connected site that’s accessible and appealing to workers.
On Monday, June 11, the Metropolitan Policy Program at Brookings hosted an event featuring the newly released report titled Catalytic development: (Re)creating walkable urban places. The report offers insights from six case study cities, including Amazon’s original HQ in Seattle, Wash., as well as Detroit, Mich., Chattanooga, Tenn., Cincinnati, Ohio, Cambridge, Mass. and Phoenix, Ariz., where private, university, or non-profit developers coalesced to reinvigorate their communities. Event speakers discussed important lessons for those seeking to create economically productive and socially inclusive walkable urban places.
Agenda
Welcome
Jennifer S. Vey
Senior Fellow - Brookings Metro
Director - Anne T. and Robert M. Bass Center for Transformative Placemaking
Opening remarks
Christopher B. Leinberger
Charles Bendit Distinguished Scholar and Research Professor of Urban Real Estate - George Washington University School of Business
Former Brookings Expert
Presentation
Panel 1 – Leveraging innovation partnerships
Christopher B. Leinberger
Charles Bendit Distinguished Scholar and Research Professor of Urban Real Estate - George Washington University School of Business
Former Brookings Expert
Ada Healey
Vice President, Real Estate - Vulcan Inc. (Seattle, WA)
Peter Calkins
Senior Vice President - Forest City Realty Trust (Cambridge, MA)
Duke Reiter
Senior Advisor to the President - Arizona State University
Executive Director, University City Exchange - Arizona State University
Panel 2 – Investing in quality of place
Stephen Leeper
President and Chief Executive Officer - Cincinnati Center City Development Corporation (3CDC)
Christopher Crimmins
Vice President and Partner - Chattanooga Land Company
Robert F. Gregory
Chief Planning and Public Space Officer - Downtown Detroit Partnership
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