James Lima Planning + Development

Big news, indeed! We’re proud to be collaborating with this fantastic team. Read about some of our latest work in Downtown Wilmington, NC, below.

James Lima spoke with Lindsey Tramuta for Condé Nast Traveller on the challenges and transformative potential of hosting the 2024 Summer Olympics for the city of Paris. “The long-term success of the city’s post-Games ambitions, particularly for socially vulnerable communities, relies on deployment and means. Very few Olympics host cities have been successful on this front. Paris has shown itself to be a leader in urban transformation and social programs, however, and is perhaps better positioned than most.” - James F. Lima Read more at the link below.

Yesterday, I had the honor of presenting at The Local Pathways Fellowship’s monthly webinar. At the invitation by the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network – Youth, I spoke about "Urban Parks as Anchors for Equitable Economic Development" and shared James Lima Planning + Development’s work on the economics and governance of open spaces and the interconnection between equity and growth. The audience, a group of young leaders who tuned in from across the world, asked such great questions - their dedication and ambition make me feel incredibly hopeful for our future. Thank you Nnaemeka Phil Eke-okocha for the coordination. Always happy to nerd out about urban planning and economic development topics with people who share that passion! #sustainabledevelopment #urbandevelopment #economicdevelopment #localpathways

The Urban Land Institute Advisory Services program convened a group of experts from across the country to brainstorm strategies to unlock the full potential of Downtown St. Louis. Chaired by JLP+D President James Lima, the panel focused on opportunities to create a more vibrant, active, and inclusive community for all. Read more below.

The Buffalo Broadway Market, the city’s oldest and largest public market, has been a hub of culinary and cultural connection for over a century. Back in March, JLP+D was invited to join leaders in Buffalo, including Mayor Byron W. Brown, President and CEO of Empire State Development (ESD) Hope Knight, Fillmore District Council Member Mitchell Nowakowski, Market Manager Kathleen Peterson, and customers from all over Western NY to celebrate the kick-off of the market’s famous Easter season offerings. Also announced was the selection of two consulting teams, James Lima Planning + Development and Flynn Battaglia Architects, DPC, that will support Broadway Market Management Inc. (BMMI) to advance the market as a year-round food hub and state-of-the-art regional destination. New York State, the City of Buffalo, and philanthropic organizations including the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation have committed a combined $43 million to help create a vibrant neighborhood resource and a regional economic development engine that addresses 21st-century needs. With a multi-disciplinary team of experts including Greensward , Mustard Seed Word Consulting Group, and Bisonwing Planing & Development, JLP+D is proud to be advising BMMI as it builds capacity to bring Broadway Market into a transformative phase in its long history as an iconic public space and community amenity.   

The Buffalo Broadway Market, the city’s oldest and largest public market, has been a hub of culinary and cultural connection for over a century. Back in March, JLP+D was invited to join leaders in Buffalo, including Mayor Byron W. Brown, President and CEO of Empire State Development (ESD) Hope Knight, Fillmore District Council Member Mitchell Nowakowski, Market Manager Kathleen Peterson, and customers from all over Western NY to celebrate the kick-off of the market’s famous Easter season offerings. Also announced was the selection of two consulting teams, James Lima Planning + Development and Flynn Battaglia Architects, DPC, that will support Broadway Market Management Inc. (BMMI) to advance the market as a year-round food hub and state-of-the-art regional destination. New York State, the City of Buffalo, and philanthropic organizations including the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation have committed a combined $43 million to help create a vibrant neighborhood resource and a regional economic development engine that addresses 21st-century needs. With a multi-disciplinary team of experts including Greensward , Mustard Seed Word Consulting Group, and Bisonwing Planing & Development, JLP+D is proud to be advising BMMI as it builds capacity to bring Broadway Market into a transformative phase in its long history as an iconic public space and community amenity.   

At the closing of the fourth annual MICD Just City Mayoral Fellowship – a collaboration between Mayors' Institute on City Design (MICD) and Harvard University Graduate School of Design (GSD) Just City Lab – JLP+D Principal Ben Margolis, along with an invited resource team of experts, worked with a diverse cohort of mayors to support their strategies for addressing racial, social, and environmental injustice in each of their cities, including Mayor Matt Tuerk from Allentown, PA; Mayor Abdullah H. Hammoud from Dearborn, MI; Mayor Sharetta T. Smith from Lima, OH; Mayor Rex Richardson from Long Beach, CA; Mayor Remy Drabkin from McMinnville, OR; Mayor Cory Mason from Racine, WI; Mayor Kate Colin from San Rafael, CA. “It was a gift to spend time with leaders working at the forefront of promoting equity while increasing access to economic opportunities for all. I was grateful to share JLP+D’s equitable development work to inform essential and timely projects. Thank you to MICD, Toni L. Griffin and the Just City Lab, GSD, and especially the Mayors for your work.”  - Ben Margolis, Principal Check out the full recording of the closing conversation: https://lnkd.in/e7UBPg3V Image Credits: MICD Just City Mayoral Fellowship

The Saint Paul Downtown Alliance and the City of Saint Paul are acting boldly to envision and implement the next wave of transformative and catalytic investments in Downtown Saint Paul. We’re excited by the positive reception and recent coverage of our most recent downtown advisory work, the Saint Paul Downtown Investment Strategy (https://lnkd.in/dvqjS9wT). Check out some of the buzz in the publications linked below: MinnPost - New plan for downtown St. Paul is full of good ideas https://lnkd.in/eU5M4Eyt TPT Almanac  - UMN’s Bill Lindeke discusses a proposal for revitalizing downtown St. Paul https://lnkd.in/e9gvunyd Star Tribune - St. Paul leaders have high hopes for lackluster 5th Street https://lnkd.in/e4kFDsYv Thank you to our friends and clients at the Saint Paul Downtown Alliance (SPDA) and the City of Saint Paul for entrusting us with the opportunity, and to our local collaborators NEOO Partners Inc. and Perkins&Will for the great work! Read the full Saint Paul Downtown Investment Strategy report here:

The Stamford Parks Strategic Plan has been released!

JLP+D at the #ULI Resilience Summit!