The Maine Real Estate and Development Association (MEREDA) again brings together national and local experts and "big thinkers" to re-set and re-focus how we think of the American city. This year's program is entitled New Urbanism: Creative Models for Innovation and Economic Growth and will feature land use strategist, teacher, developer, researcher and author Chris Leinberger, of the Brookings Institute, and Lara Hodgson, co-founder of Insomnia, LLC, an Atlanta-based firm specializing in investment, development and management of complex and innovative "world-changing" projects.
Experts project that far from being dead or dying, cities are the new hotbeds for development, redevelopment and creative approaches that account for limited resources and changing ways of doing business. This event will help real estate professionals understand better the trends that are quickly changing our established patterns of development and investment, pulling back from the "fringe suburbs" and in to the more dense, pedestrian-friendly city centers that were neglected and abandoned starting in the 1950s.
Complementing our keynote speakers will be distinguished Maine-based experts:
Patrick Venne, Esq., JD/MCP- land use attorney, planner, author
John Rohman, P.E., CID- Maine certified interior designer - professional engineer
Alex Jaegerman, planning division director, city of Portland
All speakers will make a presentation as well as participate in a panel discussion with Leinberger and Hodgson.
The conference will be held on May 17, at the DoubleTree by Hilton from 1:00 - 5:00 p.m., with question and answer sessions, presentations and time to talk to other local business owners and developers. A networking reception will be held after the program between 5:00 - 6:00 p.m.
The conference is sponsored by: People's United Bank, Mainebiz, Building Solutions, Pierce Atwood, LLP, City of Gardiner, SMRT, and PDT Architects.
More than a dozen exhibitors will also be on hand showcasing their products and services.
For more information visit www.mereda.org.