Municipal Art Society of New York Hosts 'GLOBAL CITIES' Symposium Today

Today, November 19, the Municipal Art Society of New York (MAS) and Columbia University's Paul Milstein Center for Real Estate will host a thought-provoking and lively series of discussions on the value of creative place-making featuring leading minds in the urban planning, real estate, and arts industries.

"For years, arts and cultural programming were seen as investments the government might make in publicly-owned spaces," said Mary Rowe, Executive Vice President of MAS. "We're witnessing a remarkable industry shift right now as more and more private developers are demonstrating that investing in creative place-making makes their projects more desirable for tenants and better integrated into their neighborhoods. It's a classic case of doing well by doing good."

"The Paul Milstein Center for Real Estate is proud to co-host this event and underscore the role that the real estate industry can play in making our cities more beautiful and engaging," said Lynne Sagalyn, Earle W. Kazis and Benjamin Schore Professor of Real Estate and Founding Director of the Paul Milstein Center for Real Estate at Columbia Business School. "Buildings that enliven our streets as well as our skyline make for good neighbors and good investments."

The event will open at noon for lunch followed by the presentation of MAS's 2015 Livable City Award, an honor recognizing organizations whose commitment to enriching the city's cultural environment makes New York a more interesting, dynamic, and desirable place to live.

The schedule for the symposium is as follows:

A City Within A City: The Pivotal Importance of West Midtown (1:30 PM)

A conversation examining the evolution of the West Midtown district and its renewed position as an economic driver for the City of New York and beyond.

Triple Bottom Line: Making the Economic Case for Shared Investment in Civic Spaces (2:30 PM)

An examination of best practices in building civic spaces that drive economic growth, create place, and contribute directly to enhancing a city's competitive advantage.

Smart Talks (3:30 PM)

Building a Captivating Place: How Design and Programming Shape the Creative City (4:00 PM)

A discussion exploring how innovative design and programming create vibrant places that attract commercial activity.

Speakers will include Jamie Bennett, Executive Director, ArtPlace; Timur Galen, Executive Vice President of Related Companies; Donald Hyslop, Head of Regeneration and Partnerships at the Tate Modern; Ann Markusen, Principal of Markusen Economic Research; and Jörn Weisbrodt, Artistic Director of the Luminato Festival.

Global Cities at the Crossroads: Commerce, Art & the Captivating Power of Place will be held at 450 West 31st Street, 12th Floor, from noon to 5:00PM, with a reception to follow. Immediately prior to the event, attendees are invited to join a walking tour of the rapidly developing West Midtown neighborhood.

Leadership support provided by Brookfield Properties, additional support provided by the Association for A Better New York, Cardiff Council, the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, and Tishman Speyer. For more information or to RSVP, contact MAS at (212) 935-3960.