Future of Downtown Boston

Larry DiCara is among Boston’s most recognized attorneys and civic leaders. A frequent speaker at colleges, universities and other venues, as well as a regular go-to source in Boston media, Larry has taught at Harvard, Boston University and the University of Massachusetts. Larry practices real estate and administrative law and has been intimately involved with the development process in and around Boston for more than 40 years.

Douglas J. Manz is a Partner and the Director of Development at The HYM Investment Group, LLC. HYM is currently leading the development of over eighteen (18) million square feet of mixed-use development in Greater Boston, including Bulfinch Crossing (Government Center Garage Redevelopment) and Suffolk Downs. Mr. Manz previously served as a Development Partner for JPI and Vice President of Development for Northland Investment Corporation where he focused on the permitting and development of high-rise, mid-rise and low-rise multifamily projects. Prior to that, he held various positions with Leggat McCall Properties in Boston. In 2013, Mr. Manz was appointed to and served on the City of Cambridge Transportation Advisory Committee and is a member of ULI and NAIOP. Mr. Manz is a graduate of Cornell University and the Harvard University School of Design.

Rosemarie E. Sansone, President & CEO of the Downtown Boston Business Improvement District (BID) Corporation, has focused on business, jobs and community in a career that has spanned the private and public sectors. She has worked in government, community affairs, advertising and fundraising. Rosemarie was twice elected to the Boston City Council, where she served at large, developing a broad understanding of the relationships among city, state and federal agencies. Later she played a pivotal role in attracting businesses, tourism and conventions to the city as the director of the Mayor’s Office of Business and Cultural Development in the Flynn administration. In 1994, she joined Suffolk University as director of public affairs, with responsibilities that included collaborating with public- and private-sector partners on downtown’s ongoing revitalization. In 2007, Rosemarie transitioned to the Downtown Crossing Partnership, the BID’s predecessor organization. As its leader she spearheaded the multi-year campaign that led to the BID’s establishment in 2010. Rosemarie brought a collaborative style built upon teamwork with hundreds of business and property owners as the driving force behind the creation and success of Boston’s first BID. In leading the BID, Rosemarie is committed to serving its members through direct and immediate attention to their needs and those of the district. She works closely with the mayor’s office, the Boston Planning & Development Agency, the Boston Police Department, and a host of other city agencies to ensure the BID achieves the district’s full potential as a premier and vibrant destination. Rosemarie studied liberal arts at Suffolk University and earned a master’s degree in Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She received an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree from the Art Institute of Boston. Rosemarie has served on many boards, including the Greater Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Economic Development Industrial Board. She currently serves on the board of Revolution 250, which commemorates the anniversaries of significant events that led to the outbreak of the American Revolution. In 2013-14, Rosemarie served on Mayor Martin J. Walsh’s transition team, advising the incoming administration about basic city services. In 2016, she served as co-chair of the commission that oversaw the creation of the Raymond L. Flynn Marine Park in Boston’s Seaport.

With 20 years of professional experience, Kishore is an award-winning urban designer, strategist, innovator, teacher, and writer. His influential work in both the public and private sectors has shaped countless cities and communities locally, nationally and internationally. As the Director of Urban Design at CBT, Kishore leads a multi-disciplinary team in the design and development of easily-implementable and highly-sustainable mixed-use master plans. Kishore’s transformational work includes master plans for the Government Center Garage Redevelopment in Boston, MA, the NorthPoint neighborhood in Cambridge, MA, Boston University, Central Wharf at the NEAQ, the Durham Innovation District in Durham, NC and Masdar City’s Phase 2 neighborhood in Abu Dhabi. Kishore holds a M.S. in Urbanism from MIT, a M.Arch from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a B.Arch from the School of Architecture and Planning at Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University in Hyderabad, India.

David Fleming is a founder and principal at PACE Communications Group, a marketing firm that works with commercial and residential real estate brokers and developers, architectural firms, construction companies, retailers, and more. PACE develops omnichannel marketing programs that generate leads, drive brand awareness, and help companies promote and lease space more effectively. Formerly, Fleming was Corporate Marketing Director at WS Development, where he helped launch WS centers such as Legacy Place, Mansfield Crossing, Wareham Crossing and the rebranding of The Street in Chestnut Hill.