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In the Spring of 2016, ULI Center for Sustainability and the ULI Healthy Places Initiative launched a program of work (Cultivating Development: Trends and Opportunities at the Intersection of Food and Real Estate) examining the intersection of food and real estate.  Thus far, the research and programs has explored the relationship between food-based amenities – such as community gardens, farmer’s markets, food halls, restaurants, grocery stores and community building.   The work recognizes how access to fresh, local food is spurring innovation in development projects.

The program will bring together three experts who will speak to the value food venues have had for real estate nationally and start a discussion about the opportunities that might exist in Idaho.

Matthew Norris, Senior Associate at the Urban Land Institute, supports ULI’s Building Healthy Places Initiative and works on projects linking health, sustainability, and development. Matt is leading ULI’s efforts to influence and inform development practice to shape projects and places in ways that improve the health of people and communities.  He has extensive knowledge of policy and practice issues related to land use, infrastructure, social and economic equity, and real estate performance, and is the primary or contributing author of several ULI publications, including Active Transportation and Real Estate: The Next Frontier and Cultivating Development: Trends and Opportunities at the Intersection of Food and Real Estate.

Lloyd Llewelyn COO and General Counsel of the Carlin Company. The Carlin Company is America’s preeminent developer of artisan food markets.  The company’s founder and CEO Steve Carlin developed and continues to oversee the Oxbow Public Market in the Napa Valley, and served as Project Manager of the Ferry Building Marketplace in San Francisco. Mr. Llewelyn is a “recovering” attorney with 15 years’ experience in the areas of finance, real property acquisition and sales, leasing, land use, and alcohol regulatory compliance. Mr. Llewelyn and Mr. Carlin joined forces in April, 2016 in order to pursue development of premium food markets throughout the U.S.

Chris Bennett, is currently the Director of Development for LAB Holdings, LLC, the team behind the LAB and the CAMP retail centers in Costa Mesa and the Packing District and Center Street in Anaheim.  Chris is involved in new project ideation through construction and has been instrumental in the expansion of the LAB’s project portfolio to include new retail centers, office projects, event centers and future mixed-use projects.  Currently the LAB has been dedicated to a revitalization of the retail landscape of downtown Anaheim with three new projects on the boards.

Emcee and Moderator: Shannon McGuire is the chief empowerment officer of Spark! — a social impact agency dedicated to helping brands build vibrant communities. Shannon knows what it takes to make organizations and communities flourish because she’s seen them from just about every angle. For the past 15 years she has helped grow the top line, improve the bottom line and remove divides – all while catalyzing transformational impact. She’s a master at simplifying complexity and is known for sparking collaborative action. Shannon creates realities where health is the first wealth, communities are prosperous, and people are empowered to maximize their potential.