IDA Place Matters 2025: Real Conversations, Real Solutions

The people working in downtown districts bring something truly valuable to our cities. You make our communities more vibrant and resilient by showing up daily, creating welcoming spaces, and strengthening local connections. That spirit was unmistakable at IDA Place Matters 2025 in Downtown Cleveland, and it’s precisely why this work is so important.

This year’s theme, Cultivating Connections, was about building stronger relationships to create better places. Whether it was rethinking how we use public space, creating cleaner and safer streets, or addressing homelessness in compassionate and effective ways, every conversation came back to one thing: people matter, and place matters.

Here are a few sessions that stood out to us and left us thinking differently.

Open Streets Create Community

Speakers:

• Kurt Cavanaugh, Vice President of Planning, Streetscape & Capital Projects, Flatiron NoMad Partnership (New York, NY)
• Mikako Murphy, Senior Planning Associate, Flatiron NoMad Partnership (New York, NY)
• Carolyn Playdon, Projects Coordinator, Public Space Activations, Edmonton Downtown Business Association (Alberta, Canada)

This session was full of insights on how to reclaim streets for people. We heard from Edmonton’s Carolyn Playdon about turning Rice Howard Way into Alberta’s first entertainment district. What made it work? Getting businesses on board, cutting red tape, and teaming up with city leaders. It’s proof that collaboration makes change possible.

From New York, the team at Flatiron shared how they’ve activated streets and plazas by closing them to cars and bringing in thoughtful programming. The viral NYC to Dublin Portal installation was just one piece. What stood out was their focus on design and data. Cyclists and pedestrians spend more money, so creating space for them isn’t just thoughtful; it’s smart. Their approach to safety and operations, like flexible furniture, trash containerization, and real-time pilot testing, felt like a masterclass in doing public space right.

Collaborative Approaches to Addressing Urban Encampments and Homelessness

Speakers:

• Mandy Chapman Semple, Managing Partner, Clutch Consulting Group (Houston, TX)
• J. Allen Douglas, COO, Downtown Houston+ (TX)
• Emily Collins, Environmental Services Manager, City of Akron Department of Public Service (Akron, OH)

One of the most powerful sessions we attended focused on how cities like Houston address homelessness. Their model is simple but bold. Close encampments, house everyone, and reclaim the community space. It was a clear reminder that empathy and accountability can go hand in hand. We also appreciated the honest conversations about how difficult but necessary this work is and the importance of long-term partnerships to make it last.

Cultivating Placemaking with Economic Impact

Moderator:

• Josh Yeager, Partner/Co-founder, Bright Brothers Strategy Group (Philadelphia, PA)

Speakers:

• Cate Irvin, MPH, Senior Director of Economic Development, Downtown Pittsburgh Partnership (Pittsburgh, PA)
• Josh Nachowitz, Senior Vice President for Economic Development, Alliance for Downtown New York (NY)
• Jenny Starkey, President, Starkey Strategies (Denver, CO)

We loved the session on how public space can drive real economic impact. From Littleton to Pittsburgh, downtown leaders shared how they’re turning once-forgotten places into active, creative destinations. Whether it was art in vacant storefronts, evergreen trees turning a space into a winter wonderland, or new lighting and landscaping, the message was clear. When you invest in a place, people show up. And when people show up, business follows.

One of our favorite lines from this session was: “It’s not people who HAVE to be there; it’s people who WANT to be there, so we need to figure out how to make people WANT to be there!” That stuck with us.

Green Infrastructure and Urban Tree Health

Speakers:

• Corey Kunz, Senior VP of Operations, Hudson Square BID (New York, NY)
• Drew Crawford, Senior Director of Planning, Downtown Cleveland (OH)

In this session, we heard how districts are caring for their trees and green spaces. Hudson Square and Cleveland shared some fascinating (and kind of nerdy-in-a-good-way) tips on urban tree care. These include deep root watering, using recycled coffee grounds as mulch, and even rodent control using specialized equipment. All of it is to keep downtown areas green, healthy, and beautiful.

Facilitated Forum - Operations

Facilitators:

• Betsy Boyd, Downtown Outreach & Engagement Manager, Portland Downtown (ME)

Operations sessions always hit home because they highlight what it takes to keep a district running. From fee-for-service models to ambassador walk paths to safety conversations, it’s the nuts-and-bolts stuff that isn’t always flashy but makes all the difference. These are the small decisions that lead to big improvements, and it was great to learn from what’s working in places like Rosslyn, Tampa, and the Golden Triangle.

Final Thoughts

IDA Place Matters 2025 was more than a conference. It was a reminder that downtown work is people's work. When we invest in our people, whether they're business owners, residents, visitors, or the teams keeping our districts running, we strengthen our places.

We came home with ideas, inspiration, and a renewed appreciation for what it takes to make downtowns thrive. If you were there, we hope you left feeling the same. If you weren't, we hope this gives you a window into the ideas and energy that filled the rooms in Cleveland.

Until next time, let’s keep building better places together.