Peter D.’s Post

More of this! The fundamentals are here. Let’s all get more engaged and change the narrative.

Alright Chicagoans. I have been talking about Chicago with many recently and a theme has come to mind -  We are like the team you love - all the right players, the right facilities and what should be a championship team, but that same team is playing not to lose instead of to win. NYC is playing to win - win the future of urban living - taking congestion (large costs - productivity mainly) and turning it into an opportunity to invest in the future (funds go to public transit). Even places like ....wait...HOUSTON is having a vision! WTF. Where are the engaged Chicagoans who want to speak up about pedestrian streets, bike lanes, and quality of life measures? While this is a business forum more than politics (should stay that way), we really need the Chicago business community to start having some imagination on what this city can be. We have the infrastructure in place, we have the density, the cultural institutions, the lakefront and the food. Can't we start leveraging that foundation and look ahead? Shit, even a car centric place like Houston is starting to understand quality of life issues matter. https://lnkd.in/gyDFuyyU

Major Development in Chicago's West Loop Our Founder and CEO, Drew Breneman, was quoted in a recent article discussing the $7 billion United Center redevelopment plan, known as the 1901 Project. This significant development aims to transform the surrounding area into a mixed-use district, including a 6,000-seat music hall, hotel, retail buildings, public open space, and thousands of apartments. Drew Breneman emphasized the project's potential impact: "It’s going to be a real shot in the arm for the whole area." The West Loop and nearby Fulton Market have already seen considerable growth, and this plan is set to further enhance the area's economic vitality. This redevelopment aligns with trends in professional sports venues, creating year-round revenue opportunities and encouraging greater engagement with the district. We anticipate it will drive further development, increase hotel demand, and attract high-end retailers to the area, contributing to the overall economic growth and continued appeal of the neighborhood. We will continue to monitor the progress of the 1901 Project and its implications for the West Loop and our strategy. Read the full article at https://lnkd.in/dvg_bRKQ #RealEstate #Chicago #WestLoop #FultonMarket #UrbanDevelopment #BrenemanCapital

In 2013, the Georgetown BID brought together a diverse group of Georgetown merchants, property owners, ANC members, restaurateurs, office tenants, architects, BID Board members, community leaders, and engaged citizens. The goal? To collaborate on enhancing the Georgetown experience for visitors, residents, business owners, and employees. After over 100 hours of meetings and input from 200+ members of our community, we developed a consensus plan with 76 recommendations to tackle key issues—ranging from transportation challenges to public space improvements, reducing office vacancies, and attracting unique shops and restaurants. This effort gave rise to the Georgetown 2028 15-Year Action Plan. By 2021, we completed or made significant progress on 67 of the 76 action items. Since then, we have adapted to changing priorities in a post-pandemic world, continuing to refine efforts to support our neighborhood’s evolving needs. Take a look at some of our progress below! https://bit.ly/4d9aENG

The Future is Cleveland! 🏙️ Have you been following the incredible transformations happening in #TheLand? Cleveland is The Land Taking the World by Storm, captivating attention with its revitalization trends that promise an exhilarating future! Reimagining Downtown Cleveland: The city is evolving into an innovative 18-hour, 15-minute neighborhood, setting a model for urban development. 🗞 The Washington Post acknowledges Cleveland's Public Square as a beacon inspiring other cities to transform. https://lnkd.in/evHcKTPi 🗞 Spectrum News highlights how our city is basking in the national spotlight for downtown revitalization. https://lnkd.in/enDTG6AV Embracing the Waterfront: Connecting the lakefront to downtown Cleveland is a game-changer! 🗞 Bloomberg notes that people now see this post-industrial heart as not just a place to work, but to live. https://lnkd.in/eCg5GgtN 🗞 The Athletic emphasizes the potential impact of revitalizing the lakefront – it could go a long way in shaping our city's future. https://lnkd.in/eMgmRDiN 💭 Now, I'm curious – which trend resonates with you the most? How do you envision these transformative initiatives shaping the future of Cleveland? Share your thoughts below! #TheLandForLife #Cleveland #Revitalization

An old San Francisco bar gets new life, and points to a path forward for downtown A new, old story Robbie Silver, who leads the community benefit district encompassing the Financial District and Jackson Square, is tired of the narrative that downtown is doing nothing but bleed retail businesses. The executive director of the nonprofit Downtown SF Partnership has spearheaded activation efforts designed to make the area a place workers will want to linger after the office or bring their families on weekends. One recent event — a free, first-of-its-kind holiday light show projected onto downtown skyscrapers themselves — drew more than 67,000 people and an estimated $8 million in related spending. Depressing headlines about office leases and big-box store closures, he said, ignore a trend towards fewer vacancies at the pedestrian level. Silver said an upcoming report from his group may show there have been more ground-floor openings than closures over the last two years in his district. For now, he offered this nugget: his group counted 17 new tenants filling empty ground-floor spaces in 2023, primarily food and beverage spots that may indicate renewed demand. Silver is a fervent believer in the need for creativity and an embrace of San Francisco’s unique character as the route to a more dynamic downtown. This summer will see the return of his group’s “Drag Me Downtown” series, consisting of free pop-up performances from local drag queens, kings and trans artists across downtown bars. But the unique spirit also includes places as unsequined as Harrington’s. “I think it’s time for San Francisco to tell a new, old story,” Silver said. Link to San Francisco Business Times article: https://lnkd.in/gZHsSWkj #EconomicDevelopment #LetsGlowSF #DragMeDowntown #DowntownSF #DowntownSanFrancisco #SanFrancisco

St. Louis on the Rise: A City Redefined What an incredible time to be in St. Louis! Catch a City SC win, then celebrate with a post-game drink at Schlafly, a local brewery just steps from the stadium. Even getting home is a breeze – a quick 7-minute drive. Looking for the perfect urban lifestyle? Imagine living in a revitalized loft in Laclede's Landing, just a 15-minute walk from Busch Stadium. Or, start your day with an invigorating yoga session as the sun rises over the vibrant downtown core. St. Louis is shedding its outdated image and embracing a remarkable transformation. Despite facing political challenges, the city is actively addressing past issues. Previously high-crime areas are undergoing exciting redevelopment, bringing new life and a sense of security to neighborhoods. A surge of young professionals is fueling the city's growth, attracted by booming industries in tech, defense, food, and even pet care. It's time to celebrate these positive changes and share what truly makes St. Louis, our county, and our state extraordinary. We need to be louder about our strides. Right now the narrative of our town is being written by distant outlets, strangers to our endeavors, simply based on hear say. Let's become the "Show YOU State" and showcase all that our city has to offer! The Wall Street Journal Morning Brew

There’s nothing to do in Longview…… You want cool things? Well, guess what? You have to start by supporting the cool things we have! Whether it's grabbing a meal at a locally-owned restaurant, shopping at a boutique store downtown, attending community events, or participating in enrichment classes, every dollar spent locally contributes to the vibrancy and sustainability of our community. When that happens – we will attract even more opportunities for us to enjoy. When you think about a town you like to go and visit outside of Longview – what are the things that draw you to it? Then compare it to Longview – and I ask you to look as objectively as you can: You love walking in fun downtowns? When was the last time you walked down Commerce Avenue? Not drive – walk? You love art and culture? Again downtown – 26 sculptures and numerous murals live there! Grab a show at the Columbia Theater or Stageworks. You love to visit vibrant park systems? Longview has 18 parks with an abundance of amenities – take a park tour – there’s more to Longview than Lake Sacajawea. You love eclectic small stores? When you take that walk and move at human speed downtown you would be amazed at all the little places to stop and peruse - confectioners, record store, clothing, coffee shops ~ go explore! You love having sport opportunities? Sign yourself up or your kids for one of the leagues around town or go to the golf course/disc golf course, pickleball/basketball courts, or racquet complex. You love large special events? From concerts to movies, to Go 4th, R2L Bridge Run, Squatchfest, Mud Day, Earth Day, Squirrelfest, and that’s just to name a few!!! The list is long. You love outdoor markets? We have a farmer’s market and the new one at LCC on the weekends. Heck, just the fact that we have a community college is huge! And last but not least - every great town has an awesome book store, so when was the last time you checked out the historically gorgeous Longview Public Library? We have what other cities have and more – we just need to reengage! Our community is more than just a place we live; it's a reflection of who we are and what we value. By supporting local businesses and community initiatives, we not only foster economic growth but also cultivate a sense of pride and belonging among residents. Additionally, investing in our local parks and recreational facilities ensures that we have spaces where families can gather, children can play, and everyone can enjoy the beauty of nature right in our own backyard. When we chose to support local we protect our local economy, our local jobs, our local programs, and we preserve our unique local character. We have all something to give whether its money, time or talent. Change doesn’t happen overnight – having the potential for greatness is just a start – potential is a pilot light – and YOU are the one who can help fan the fire by getting involved. Letter from the Director #38

There’s a fair amount of folks wondering WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THE PAC AVE LOCATION?!? Look. I know. That coming soon sign has been up FOREVER (because it has) But I wanted to pop in to let y’all know what’s really happening with that store and our expansion plans in general. Pac Ave IS coming. Whitni and I met with the landlord and architect a couple weeks ago and the plan to move forward is ambitious to encompass all that is the campfire brand and story. We’re aiming for a late summer opening. Will that happen? That’s the hope but of course even if construction started today we have all sorts of permits and inspections to get through and that’s just time consuming in and of itself. That said, Pac Ave will be our “flagship” store and Market will be designated as our “heritage” store. A big difference will be that Whitni and I can focus solely on how that story is put together in the Pac Ave location whereas we actually built the Market street store ourselves with help from friends. That’s where the story begins, Pac is where it evolves. On that note though - we’ve quietly been working to expand our retail presence in neighborhoods throughout Tacoma (and beyond) We were fortunate to win a few bids on spaces around town that mean a lot to our vision, how we see ourselves and how we want people to see us. Partnerships that marry a great business opportunity with an even greater opportunity to continue our work to remove barriers to access outdoor recreation for our neighbors. The names of those locations are blurred out in the image so good luck deciphering them if you can but something to note is these spaces will most likely be open BEFORE Pacific Avenue gets open later this year. Thank you for seeing us as an advocate for getting you and your loved ones outside. For seeing those bags of coffee and cups of coffee as tools to strengthen our connections to nature as a community. For utilizing our Campfire Explorers Club FREE gear library, for utilizing our free literature library. It’s exciting to see this thing grow and to have the opportunity to serve more people. #Weloveyall #welovecampfire Quincy Co-Owner/CEO

Some former corporate HQs are being transformed into #multifamilyhousing. But in #waynenj, such plans for the former Toys R Us campus have stalled. Story is open for all to read. CoStar News #multifamilyrealestate #multifamilydevelopment #officemarket