Liz Swaine story in August 13 Forum

ANNOUNCING THE CULTIVATE COLLABORATIVE KEYNOTE TALK AND WORKSHOP, Thurs-Fri., August 23-24. 

You’re invited to be our guest at two important events featuring the Cultivate Collaborative of Dallas, Tex. On Thursday, Aug. 23 at 6 pm at Central ARTSTATION, 801 Crockett Street, join Re:Form Shreveport for a talk by engineer and sustainability guru Kevin Shepherd and urban designer and expert city planner Matt Lewis. Shepherd and Lewis will recap the concepts discussed in Strong Towns and Urban 3’s research (from talks here in 2017 and 2016) and then explore what it takes to turn ideas into action. On Friday from 9 am- 6 pm, you’re invited to take part in a free workshop at Central ARTSTATION that will feature four different sessions and topics. Come to one, two or all. The event is free, but reservations are required.

Session 1 – 9:30a – Planning and Zoning – How Shreveport can create a culture of P&Z that speeds up approvals and empowers P&Z employees to make decisions on their own to facilitate the speed – all while being strong about the goals of the code. How to identify and correct pain points in the code – especially for redevelopment.

Session 2 – 11am – Infrastructure Funding – Understanding the ins and outs of what infrastructure really costs and how to be smart about where investments are made. Connect what citizens/city officials want and what they are willing/able to pay for.

Lunch – 12:30p – Live acoustic music and food.

Session 3 – 1:30p – Self-Sustaining and Socially-Driven Development – How developers can create developments that spur buy-in and investment from the community. What resources they need to unlock with the city to maximize their investment.

Session 4 – 3:00p – Democratized Economic Development – Understanding the emerging, democratized economy that is focusing more on workers and small business and less on massive corporations. Why investing in local business isn’t just kitchy, it’s necessary to build a lasting foundation on which a great city can be grown.

Wrap Up and Closing Remarks 4:30p

The event is sponsored by Shreveport DDA, Downtown Shreveport Development Corporation, Heliopolis Shreveport News and Culture, Fusiform Design Workshop llc, and Highland Restoration Association.