Cultivating vibrant and healthy downtowns

By Chris Arnold

Building bustling downtowns and supporting small businesses

This episode features Jonathan Berk. Since 2016 he’s served as a Director at the Detroit based placemaking startup Patronicity, and their new Placemaking Advisory firm, Bench Consulting, supporting hundreds community driven placemaking projects across the country. Jonathan is also the co-founder of Retail Reimagined, an organization leveraging creative collaborations and innovative solutions to bring a new vibrancy to vacant storefront spaces and main streets.

Jonathan is a placemaker and New Urbanist in every sense of the word with a voracious appetite for studying and learning about new methods of community and economic development from around the world. His focus remains on building vibrant communities that foster connectivity and creativity and support a thriving, healthy downtown, small business ecosystem and community.

He currently sits on the local advisory board of Leading Cities, a global leader in Smart City solutions, city diplomacy and collaboration advancing sustainability and resilient city strategies and technologies.

Latest Interviews

EP88 Mike Brewer Mike Di Mella LIVE
Aug 28, 2024

The Staging Debate

This week, we share our live staging debate between Mike DiMella and Mike Brewer who tackle leasing, marketing, model units, and more. Grab your popcorn! 

Real Wins Podcast Tile 11
Aug 21, 2024

Property Management Centralization Pod Model

On this episode of Real Wins, Chris and Mike dive into the topic of property management centralization. 

Real Wins Podcast Tile 10
Jul 17, 2024

The Renter Nurturing Game Plan

On this episode of Real Wins, Chris and Mike chat about the best practices for a renter nurturing game plan.

Real Wins Podcast Tile 09
Jun 19, 2024

Onsite Activation Best Practices

On this episode of Real Wins, Chris and Mike discuss onsite activation best practices by way of what they see in the wild, why it's generally a broken approach, and more. 

Want more interviews?

Nominate a Guest

We're always on the lookout for great development, marketing, and industry guests on Transforming Cities. Have someone in mind? Let us know!

Subscribe to the TC:AM Edition

A simple read in under 5 minutes, delivered to your inbox Saturday mornings.