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We know small businesses, especially in the retail and service industries, were hit the hardest during the COVID19 pandemic. This webinar will look at how downtowns and retail districts can utilize location analytics to develop appropriate strategies and leverage trends within the retail industry in order to plan for a post-pandemic economic recovery.

June 7, 2021 | 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM
1.5 AICP CM credits approved

While the impacts related to the COVID-19 pandemic are most acute in the retail and service industries, not all of Greater Philadelphia’s retail districts and downtowns were equally impacted. Data bears this out as DVRPC conducted an analysis covering 75 of the region's downtowns to determine the pandemic's impacts on downtowns' visitors and trade areas. Panelists will discuss strategies to increase the economic resiliency of the region’s downtowns by growing and diversifying the mix of uses, sharing lessons learned, and understanding rising trends.

Moderated by the Honorable Marian Moskowitz, Chair, Chester County Board of Commissioners and member of the DVRPC Board.

Panelists include:

Spencer Gober, AICP, Senior Planner, Office of Community & Economic Development, DVRPC

Brian Demers, Senior Spatial Analyst, Buxton Company, Dallas, TX

Michael Berne, Founder and President, MJB Consulting, Berkeley, CA

Jesse Blitzstein, Director of Community and Economic Development, The Enterprise Center, Philadelphia, PA

This is one in a series of six webinars, organized as part of DVRPC’s Breaking Ground conference. See the full agenda at www.dvrpc.org/BreakingGround. #BG2021