No city agency has been racked by more recent change than the Portland Development Commission. World renowned for its role in re-creating downtown and shaping new urban neighborhoods like the Pearl District, the agency turned from placemaking to economic development under Mayor Sam Adams during the Great Recession. And, ironically, as the economy has begun to boom, the PDC had to shrink, shedding dozens of jobs and institutional memory.

Now, under a new mayor, the PDC is shifting focus again with the most dramatic redrawing of the city’s urban renewal areas in over two decades.

Please join us for a conversation with the PDC’s executive director, Patrick Quinton, about the future of urban renewal in Portland. The event is free. Doors open at 5:30 p.m.

Bright Lights: Discussions on the Future of Portland is a monthly series presented by Portland Monthly magazine with City Club of Portland designed to bring the region’s thought leaders to the stage in an informal, conversational setting. Past guests have included Congressman Earl Blumenauer, advertising guru Dan Wieden, Portland Art Museum director Brian Ferriso, Portland State University president Wim Wiewel, and many others. Many past presentations can be found at vimeo.com/portlandmonthlymag/videos.