'Union Market Talks' Event Brings Together City And Business Leaders, Renowned Journalists And Celebrated Author To Explore Inclusive Prosperity And 'The New Urban Crisis'

WASHINGTON, April 19, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- EDENS, a leading national retail real estate developer, hosted Union Market Talks last week at Union Market's Dock 5 with Richard Florida to celebrate the launch of his new book, The New Urban Crisis. 

EDENS partnered with the Urban Land Institute, the Economic Innovation Group and CityLab to bring together nearly four hundred D.C. thought leaders and community advocates. "Discussing inclusive prosperity in an open forum helps us come together and appreciate our communities' rich diversity," EDENS CEO Jodie W. McLean said. "EDENS' purpose has always been about enriching community, and engaging with community leaders, urbanists, neighborhood activists and businesses. It is essential in DC and throughout the country that we all work together to create opportunities for all."

Speakers included Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, former mayor of Pittsburgh Tom Murphy, The Atlantic's Ron Brownstein, Economic Innovation Group's Steve Glickman, EDENS' CEO Jodie W. McLean, CityLab's Rob Bole and author and urbanist Richard Florida.

The program began with the first public discussion of the New Urban Crisis between author Florida and The Atlantic's Brownstein. "We need to shift more power to the cities and public and private partners need to work together, now more than ever, to tackle our inequality and geographic divides to create a better way of life for all."  Following panels included robust discussions exploring the purpose and impact of inclusive prosperity in growing cities like Washington, DC, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Detroit. "Access to opportunity is the key to inclusivity," explained EIG's Glickman. D.C. Mayor Bowser closed out the day's program stating, "to be inclusive we have to increase the incomes of local residents, we have to make affordability in housing a focus for everybody, and we have to be aggressive in holding everybody accountable."

Union Market, renowned for its efforts to cultivate ideas, launch and scale businesses and celebrate its neighborhood, provided the platform for city and business leaders to address the challenges facing our urban communities.

Event Photos Here:
https://edens.app.box.com/s/crbejy01hglk8rnqusc6cjtdfgs38db7 
Photo credit: Joy Asico

What People Are Saying About The New Urban Crisis

"Richard Florida is the great pioneer thinker who first explained how the influx of creative people was reviving cities. Now he takes the next step: looking for ways to make this urbanism more inclusive. Florida takes a hard look at the problems and, as usual, comes up with some smart new policies. Making cities work for all residents is one of the great economic, political, and moral issues of our time." - Walter Isaacson, President and CEO, the Aspen Institute, author of Steve Jobs

"This is the book we have been waiting for. Richard Florida is the greatest American urbanist of our time.  In this book, he thoughtfully and forcefully confronts how Americans' return to our cities has brought incredible cultural and economic renewal but without careful and thoughtful land use, infrastructure, and economic justice initiatives, this renewal is leaving a disappearing middle class in its wake.  This is an indispensable read for policy makers, students, educators, and all urban dwellers alike.  Florida sketches an urgent roadmap to ensure that America's urban revival brings prosperity to everyone, not just a few." - Eric Garcetti, Mayor of Los Angeles

ABOUT EDENS 
EDENS develops, owns and operates community-oriented shopping places in primary markets across the country. Our expertise covers a broad range of areas including pioneering concepts, creating the right merchandise mix, delivering seamless construction projects and maintaining ownership and management. EDENS has regional headquarters in Boston; Washington, D.C.; Atlanta; Miami; Houston; and Columbia, S.C. For additional information about the company and its retail real estate portfolio, visit www.edens.com.

ABOUT UNION MARKET
The Union Market District is a 45-acre district in NE that is one of DC's most vibrant, diverse and thriving neighborhoods— a living laboratory for a sustainable urban community and place for creative minds and businesses to connect, thrive, launch and make DC their own. Since opening in September 2012, The Market at Union Market, the acclaimed food market with more than 40 local scalable businesses, averages 15,000 visitors per weekend and has hosted 400+ community and private events. For more information about Union Market, please visit www.unionmarketdc.com.

SOURCE EDENS