Presenter: John Caner, CEO, Downtown Berkeley Association

Please join us in person for a discussion on downtown and campus adjacent public realm planning and projects.  Mr Caner will discuss the status of downtown’s 3-Legged Strategy – Retail/Public Realm/Residents, including:

• Retail /Activation endeavors/ activity(including retail, pop-ups, cold shell challenges, services, entertainment and ground floor zoning flexibility;

• New Placemaking Projects (including Addison Catenary Lighting, Harold Way, Civic Center Project, and various complete streets proposals and SOSIP funded improvements); and

• Residential Housing (including for-sales condos and new rental housing).

Mr. Caner has served as CEO of the Downtown Berkeley Association for more than 14 years and currently serves on the boards of the International Downtown Association and California Downtown Association (CDA) and chairs homeless and mental health policy committees for the CDA and International Downtown Association (IDA).  John brings 35 years of business, non-profit, and community development experience to the DBA, Before entering the nonprofit world, he served in many management and strategy positions in the private sector, including Berkeley-based Loansoft and Nextel Communications. And during the thirty years he has lived in Berkeley, he has served on the boards Berkeley Public Schools Fund, Berkeley Alliance, Berkeley Partners for Parks, Aurora Theatre, Willard Neighborhood Association, City of Berkeley Disaster and Fire Safety Commission; and served on fundraising committees for the South Branch Library and Berkeley City College.  John currently serves on the board of the Berkeley Chamber.  John earned an M.B.A. from UCLA and an undergraduate degree in Government from Harvard.

Please join us for this important discussion that provides “lessons learned” as the city considers activation and upzoning in other corridors.

Location: AIA East Bay Conference Room, Brower Center, 2150 Allston Way #310, Berkeley, CA 94709.

Many thanks to AIA East Bay for hosting this event!