Alan Greenberger: Community connection in the "Village of Philadelphia‪"‬ Parallax

[NOTE: This conversation was recorded in February of 2020, prior to the onset of COVID-19 in Philadelphia.]

Alan Greenberger is a Distinguished Fellow at the Lindy Institute for Urban Innovation and Chair of Architecture and Interior Design at Drexel’s Westphal College.

He began his career practicing architecture at MGA Partners, before co-founding the Design Advocacy Group, an organization of community-driven volunteers with shared interests in design, development and planning in Philadelphia. That civic work eventually led Greenberger to become the Executive Director of the City’s Planning Commission, then Deputy Mayor for Economic Development and Director of Commerce, under Mayor Michael Nutter.

While working in city government, Greenberger helped rewrite the Philadelphia Zoning Code and develop Philadelphia 2035, a comprehensive plan for the future of planning and development in the city. He was also instrumental in the launch of the entrepreneurial support program StartUpPHL and led a successful effort to make Philadelphia a World Heritage City, the first and only city to achieve that designation in the United States.

In this conversation, Greenberger discusses how a life-long passion for cities has propelled his career, ways in which Philadelphia can enhance opportunities for its small business community to thrive, and his work to help Drexel University fulfill its commitment to become one of the most civically engaged universities in the country.