District 2 Councilmember Felicia Williams will be a speaker at Tuesday’s “Future of Valley & Tri-Cities” conference, which will focus on the development, investments, and market challenges across Pasadena, Burbank, Glendale, and the San Fernando Valley.
Local developer and property management firm co-founder and managing partner Pete Kutzer of Edgewood Realty Partners will join Williams. Kutzer is also the founder and President of The Kutzer Company.
The conference comes at a time when the Tri-Cities area — Pasadena, Burbank and Glendale — are experiencing burgeoning development activities. It aims to provide a comprehensive view of the investment and development landscape, offering valuable insights into ongoing investment scenarios, emerging trends, and future prospects for both the San Fernando Valley and the Tri-Cities.
The conference is sponsored by Bisnow, a leading B2B platform in the commercial real estate industry. The event is scheduled for Dec. 12, 2023, starting at 8 a.m. in Glendale.
Williams is set to share her insights and expertise, emphasizing the positive outlook for Pasadena, particularly in the life science and tech sectors.
Her participation underscores Pasadena’s significant role in the region’s growth and development.
“Pasadena has an extraordinary talent base with multiple niches,” Williams said. “Compared to LA County, Pasadena boasts over two times its share of life science and biotech jobs relative to total jobs and population. The city also provides high shares of engineering, computer science, and healthcare jobs. It should continue to build on its competitive advantage and focus on growing its industries of strength.”
Although Pasadena specializes in computer, engineering, and science occupations, the city falls comparatively short in service-based industries, and production and manufacturing. Williams said this is a result of the high home sales prices in the market and a need for affordable housing options through conversions.
In an interview with Pasadena Now, Williams highlighted the importance of maintaining a jobs-housing balance for smart city growth, emphasizing the significance of diverse economic bases.
“It’s important to stay focused on the jobs-housing balance as we plan for smart growth in our city,” she said. “Sacramento is focused on housing, so it is incumbent upon local governments to ensure that people also have good educational opportunities and jobs. Having a diverse economic base is critical for cities to survive and this conference promotes public-private collaboration.”
Williams said she’s recommending that real estate professionals, housing developers, employers, and government employees attend the conference.
The event will take place at the 500 N. Brand and 550 N. Brand complex in Glendale, and will feature discussions on various topics such as the evolution of living and working in Tri-Cities, office and life sciences markets, housing needs, strategies to attract and retain tenants, market challenges, developments, leasing activity, and economic growth strategies.
For those interested in attending, registration and additional information about the event are available at www.bisnow.com/events/los-angeles/neighborhood/future-of-tri-cities-and-san-fernando-valley-7940.