The Future of Downtown

The Downtown Development District (DDD) will host The Future of Downtown New Orleans on Thursday, October 15th, bringing together national experts, local leaders and Downtown stakeholders for an afternoon focused on the ideas, partnerships and investments shaping the future of Downtown. The event will also mark the unveiling of DDD’s new brand, signaling a new chapter for the organization and its work to strengthen Downtown.

Held from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Board of Trade, the event will explore how Downtowns across the country are evolving beyond traditional employment centers into vibrant places to live, work, learn, visit and innovate — and what that evolution means for New Orleans.

The event will feature a keynote address from Tracy Loh, a nationally recognized expert from the Brookings Institution whose research on the future of American downtowns has been used by practitioners across the country, followed by two panel discussions examining Downtown’s current momentum and the opportunities ahead.

The first panel, “Investing in Downtown’s Next Chapter,” will highlight the major projects and investments underway across Downtown and how they are positioning the area for long-term success. The panel will be moderated by DDD Commissioner Sevetri Wilson Taylor and feature Jasmine Brown DeRousselle with GNO, Inc., Sayde Finkel with the City of New Orleans Canal Street Renaissance Initiative, Casey Candebat with the Tulane Innovation Institute, and Alice Glenn with New Orleans and Company.

The second panel, “Building Downtown’s Future,” will focus on how New Orleans can capitalize on this moment of investment to create a stronger Downtown. Tracy Loh will moderate a conversation with Tom Leonhard with HRI, Jon Atkinson with The Idea Village, DDD Commissioner Michael DiSimone representing The Link Restaurant Group, and Sharonda Williams with Entergy about the pieces still needed to support residential growth, local businesses, public investment and stronger partnerships, as well as what Downtown could look like in the next decade.

The event will begin with networking and welcome remarks, followed by the keynote and panel discussions. A networking reception will follow the brand launch.