Born and raised in East New York Brooklyn and the son of Panamanian American immigrants, Richard R. Buery, Jr. is CEO of Robin Hood, one of the nation's leading anti-poverty organizations. Before joining Robin Hood, he led the Achievement First charter school network and managed policy and public affairs for the KIPP Foundation. As New York City Deputy Mayor for Strategic Policy Initiatives, Buery was the architect of Pre-K for All, which guarantees a free, full-day pre-K seat to every four-year-old, increasing enrollment by 50,000 in a year and half while leading and managing a range of City agencies and initiatives. Earlier in his career, he founded Groundwork to support the educational aspirations of public housing residents in Brooklyn, and cofounded iMentor, which matches high school students with committed mentors to guide students on their journey to college graduation. He previously served as President and CEO of the Children's Aid Society, one of New York's oldest and largest child welfare agencies, where he founded the Children's Aid College Prep Charter School.
Speaking at
Thu Apr 11
1:00 PM — 2:00 PM (GMT-05:00) Eastern Time
New York Hilton Midtown - Level 3, Trianon Ballroom
Fostering Next-Generation Central Business Districts
Category
Placemaking
The panel will focus on strategies for developing vibrant, inclusive, healthy central business districts (CBDs) in the post pandemic era, particularly in the context of the work-from-home reality. Panelists will explore approaches, such as office to residential conversions and creative use of ground floor space, that have been implemented in New York City and other global cities, as well as challenges and lessons learned along the way. The panel will delve into the current status of NYC's CBD neighborhoods, including Midtown, Midtown South, and Downtown, and highlight the importance of maintaining a healthy tax base. It will explore how to reinforce the city core amidst the trend of decentralization and debate the ingredients (uses, spaces, etc.) vital to creating a healthy, thriving CBD ecosystem. The panel will highlight successful examples from other cities around the world to provide broader context, with panelists sharing insights on strategies to increase office occupancy and discuss tools and techniques for creating more activity through new uses and conversions. Additionally, it will explore approaches for transforming the public realm to be more attractive and inviting.