The Money Tree: Sowing the Seeds of Economic Development: At this years conference, we are all acutely aware impacts of the ongoing economy crisis, add to that the loss of Redevelopment money and we can all agree that it is time to get more creative in how we go about envisioning, funding, and implementing historic preservation projects. The technical tract titled The Money Tree: Sowing the Seeds of Economic Development explores how the economic climate directly affects historic preservation. This track will examine the impact of emerging economic trends on historic properties and identify how preservationists can influence real estate development by knowing what makes public agencies and private developers tick.
What’s Next for Redevelopment Agencies in California
Saturday, May 5 10:45 AM – 12:15 PM
In an era of downsizing or outright elimination of redevelopment agencies, preservationists must ensure that the positive messages and programs the agencies sponsored are sustained. This session will offer strategies for overcoming the challenges imposed by recent changes in redevelopment funding. It will place a particular focus on what the changes mean for California’s Main Street Program and the tools communities can use to ensure that future redevelopment programs keep preservation as a key focal point.
Mike Garavaglia, AIA, LEED AP BD&C and Principal of Garavaglia Architecture, Inc. is serving as the moderator for this session
Mobile Session – Rocking and Rolling in Uptown: How the Fox Theater Renovation Spurred Reinvestment
May 4, 2:00–5:15 pm
Visit the renovated Fox Theater that helped catalyze reinvestment in uptown Oakland and hear views from real estate and financial experts involved in developing the neighborhood. The tour will start with a peek inside the renovated Fox Theater (between sound checks, it is an active theater after all!) and then move on to looking at 
the newly revitalized Uptown District by focusing on businesses that opened in anticipation of and after the re-opening of the Fox Theater. City of Oakland staff will also be on hand to talk about the recent development history of the area and what the City did to enhance the district in anticipation of this key project including infill housing projects.
Dea Bacchetti, Marketing Manager at Garavaglia Architecture, Inc. and head of the Local Steering Committee as a member of the board for Oakland Heritage Alliance is serving as a speaker on this session. She will be focusing on the role advocates had in saving key buildings in the district, such as the Fox Theater.