About Urban Transformation

Urban Transformation is dedicated to creating and implementing comprehensive revitalization programs in neighborhoods and urban centers throughout the country. Urban Transformation (UT) has first-hand knowledge of the many unique challenges facing urban districts, from diversity to safety and cleanliness, to adequate funding. From strategic planning to merchant organizing and galvanizing volunteers, Urban Transformation can help tap your neighborhood's full potential and help you "transform" it into a cleaner, safer, more attractive and inviting district with a sense of pride and place. UT serves local governments, redevelopment agencies, business associations and downtown organizations throughout the United States.

About Darlene Rios Drapkin

• Certified Main Street™ Management Professional
• Neighborhood Commercial District Revitalization
• Multi-cultural Programming
• Neighborhood Commercial District Management
• Business Improvement District Formation

Darlene Rios Drapkin, principal, is a commercial revitalization specialist in urban districts and business improvement district (BID) formations. Independently and as a Program Officer for Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), a national non-profit, she has provided assistance to implement comprehensive revitalization programs in urban neighborhoods around the country including the San Francisco Bay Area, Baltimore, Boston, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Toledo, Buffalo and several sites in Michigan, as well as the state-wide New Jersey and California Main Street programs and citywide DC Main Streets.

She served as Main Street manager in Fruitvale for five years, an eclectic commercial district of Oakland, CA. Under her direction, a sense of pride and place emerged in Fruitvale through special events such as the award winning Dia de los Muertos Festival, the "It's Your Business" Series, and the Fruitvale Foreword publication. Over 100 facades were completed and 140 volunteers were active on committees. She launched the Fruitvale Ambassador program involving youth and community members to act as neighborhood guides in the commercial area identifying safety and cleanliness issues and promoting the district to shoppers. In 2001, the culmination of her efforts resulted in the passage of a property owner based Business Improvement District.

Darlene is the acting vice-president of the California Main Street Alliance. She is certified in Downtown Management through the National Main Street Center. She collaborates on Business Improvement District formations and strategic planning for downtown management organizations with Eichenfield & Associates. She has worked on BID formations in Oakland and Richmond and is currently exploring a property owner BID in San Luis Obispo She is in her second year providing BID management to Oakland's Temescal district.

Constantly seeking to provide solutions for commercial district management, Urban Transformation is proud to announce its collaboration with Jennifer Rose on a database template based in Filemaker that provides a solution for handling the numerous stakeholders in commercial district, organizing contacts, businesses and properties in a manageable fashion and user friendly way. Take a look at the possibilities at http://www.allstonvillage.com/template/.

Darlene's professional background includes international sales and marketing experience in high tech and hospitality. She's worked with such companies as Compaq Computers, British Airways, and Marriott Hotels.

Darlene has an MBA from the American Graduate School of International Management. She is a native Spanish speaker and has conducted business in French and Portuguese. Her cross-cultural experience helps her meet the unique needs of multi-cultural communities.