Placemaking as an Economic Development Tool
A unique program is coming to the IDEA Bank next month.
Placemaking is a multi-faceted approach to the planning, design and management of public spaces, which capitalizes on a local community’s assets, inspiration and potential, with the intention of creating public spaces that promote people’s health, happiness and well-being.
Nathan Norris, founding principal at CityBuilding Partnership, LLC, brings this unique program to the IDEA Bank for a discussion of how to incorporate placemaking as a part of your economic development and tourism strategy.
The workshop is particularly ideal for elected officials, local civic leaders, economic developers, property owners, small business owners and anyone who is invested in their community’s growth.
Wednesday, Sept. 29
9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Troy University IDEA Bank
63 S. Court Square, Troy, AL 36081
Price: $95 (includes lunch)
This program is made possible thanks to a partnership with Auburn University’s Government and Economic Development Institute, the city of Troy, and the Pike County Chamber of Commerce.
More on Nathan Norris
Prior to establishing the CityBuilding Partnership, Nathan served as the CEO of the Lafayette Downtown Development Authority where he and his team spearheaded the development of the award-winning Downtown Action Plan and the Creativity Everywhere initiative; co-wrote and secured adoption of a groundbreaking form-based code that subsequently won the Driehaus Award; and established the CityBuilding Exchange Educational Conference for community leaders.
Previously, Nathan was the co-founder and Director of Implementation Advisory for the international urban design firm PlaceMakers, LLC. At PlaceMakers, Nathan worked with developers and municipalities to plan, entitle, develop and market neighborhoods, towns and cities. During this time Nathan started the annual Magical Mystery Tour series of intensive site tours of leading projects and places that continues on today as the CityBuilding Express.
He is a contributor to the Charter of the New Urbanism and the SmartCode Manual; a co-founder of the New Urban Guild; a founding board member of the Transect Codes Council; the primary author of the Smart Growth Schools Report Card; a certified instructor for the National Association of Realtors Smart Growth course; and the project manager for the Appraisal System which rates the merits of development from the perspective of Smart Growth principles. He is the recipient of the 2019 Barranco Award.
He regularly speaks across the country on how communities can leverage placemaking as an economic development tool. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia and his law degree from the University of Alabama.