February 2023
News + Updates
Highlights
The Effects of LIHTC in Los Angeles
Cityscape has accepted a new paper co-authored in part by ESI Principal Richard Voith and former Associate Director Jing Liu. The paper examines the impact of Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) financed development on neighborhood house prices. 


What is the Potential Impact of the 2023 Flower Show?
In 2022, ESI was commissioned by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) to calculate the potential economic impact of returning to an indoor, in-person flower show. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Philadelphia Flower Show was held outside in FDR Park, during the summer. PHS wanted to know what the economic impact would be if the show returned to a Spring date and take place at the Philadelphia Convention Center.

Meet Our New Vice Presidents!
In December, ESI Directors Frank Robinson and Rebecca DeJoseph were promoted to Vice Presidents! Learn more about them here and check out their profiles on Frank and Beckie in the Philadelphia Business Journal.
Events
ESI Vice President Frank Robinson will serve on a panel at the Urban Land Institute's Parking Wars event on March 9.

Join ULI Philadelphia and the NEXT 2022 Cohort for a lively discussion on the future of parking (or lack thereof). Hear from our expert panelists about their vision for the region amid current and future intersections of the TOD boom, public transit, the electric vehicle wave, as well as the rising density and demand for parking. We look forward to exploring the regional impact of car-centered planning, case studies of successful parking management programs in comparable cities, and other potential uses for our region’s inventory of car storage.
ESI is sponsoring the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia's Vision Zero Conference on March 31.

The 2023 Vision Zero Conference focuses on approaches to Vision Zero that help move toward an equitable future.


Staff and Senior Advisor Updates
Welcome Associate Director Stephen Madsen to ESI!
We welcome Lechuan Huang, an Analyst, to the ESI team!
Welcome Bridgette Salushi to ESI as an Analyst!
Senior Advisor Geoffrey Roche was featured on Thriving Practice Podcast. Listen here.
ESI Senior Advisor Joel Naroff presented a keynote speech at the Economic Outlook Breakfast, hosted by the Southern Ocean Chamber Association.
Congratulations to Melissa Wright on her appointment to President of the League of Women Voters Philadelphia!
Join our Growing Team!
We are currently inviting candidates to check out our open positions and apply today. Please don't hesitate to direct those who might be a good fit as well. We'd love to work with you!

Positions include:

  • Administrative Associate
  • Director
  • Associate Director
  • Senior Analyst
  • Analyst
On February 15, Santander Navigator, in partnership with ESI Center for the the Future of Cities, will present "Paving the Way for EV Policy in America," a webinar for city leaders, urban planners, and practitioners to examine the challenges and opportunities electric vehicles (EVs) present, discuss upcoming policies/strategies, and present new ideas on preparing for broader EV adoption. 
To learn more about the Center for the Future of Cities and to get involved, contact Steve Wray, wray@econsultsolutions.com.
U.S. - China Research
China and Foreign Investment : Policies, Attitudes, Prospects, and Implications

Attracting foreign investment has been a crucial policy for China ever since its reform and opening up. In the past four decades, foreign investment has played important role in the country's economic development, bringing a huge input to it in terms of capital, technology, talents, information, intellectual property, management, industrial standards, service standards, industrial system construction, and supply chain construction. It can be said that foreign capital is an important part of China's reform and opening up, as well as of its development.

Present Value
How has the pandemic impacted mass transit and major metropolitan transit agencies? This week's blog post by ESI Senior Analyst Joyce Liu dives into changes in ridership as well as the spread of mass transit trips across and within different regions of the United States.

This year, to celebrate our 10th anniversary, we’re going to highlight ten big projects from each practice area on a regular basis, and we’re starting strong with transportation and infrastructure. Community and events may connect people emotionally, but infrastructure connects us physically. It shapes how and when we travel, how long it takes, and how often we will do it. Here’s a look at our 10 for 10: Transportation and Infrastructure.

The beginning of the year always brings about fresh new goals, opportunities, and a renewed perspective and evaluation of the prior year’s objectives. As technology continues to evolve, so do our expectations of how these changes are going to manifest in the new year. Here at Econsult Solutions and ESI Center for Future Cities, we listed our top trends for 2023 and our predictions on how technology-driven solutions will make an impact in the coming year.

ESI Principals Lee Huang and Peter Angelides take stock of how the firm currently serves its clientele, while examining what lies ahead for the next ten years and beyond.

Client Spotlight
Celebrate Black History Month in Philly!
Visit Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau are launching their first joint destination marketing campaign, representing a $6.5 million effort to drive more tourism to the region.
Ben Franklin Technology Partners, in partnership with the Invent Penn State Initiative are offering a 10-week business boot camp to local entrepreneurs, grad students, professors, and university researchers to help take the first step in launching their startup.
Congratulations to Katherine Baicker on her appointment as the next provost of the University of Chicago, effective March 20.
Attend the Philadelphia Flower Show March 4-12! The 2023 Philadelphia Flower Show makes its return to the Pennsylvania Convention Center to amaze visitors with an exciting floral experience, bringing together dynamic designers, bold exhibits, world-class shopping, education, music, food, and family fun.
The Offshore Wind Innovation Hub is now open for business and announced its first call for applications. The Brooklyn-based Hub was founded in 2022 to identify and help develop promising start-ups to drive new innovations in the offshore wind industry. The initiative is backed by Equinore and BP, together with Urban Future Lab, the NYU Tandon School of Engineering, the National Offshore Wind Research & Development Consortium, and is supported by the New York City Economic Development Corporation.
“The Bond of Inspiration,” the first event of a year-long celebration of the life of internationally known sculptor J. Seward Johnson, founder of Grounds For Sculpture in Hamilton, is on view now in The Silva Gallery of Art at The Pennington School. On display are eight photographs by Johnson’s daughter, India Blake Johnson, that were the inspirations for 11 “Midnight Snack Art Trays” painted by Seward Johnson displayed with them.
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