09/12/2026
The Downtown Greenway - Greensboro, NC, a partnership between Action Greensboro and the City of Greensboro, will host a conversation about trails, public infrastructure, and economic development from 8:30-10 am on Tuesday, September 15, at Transform GSO by Thrive, 111 Bain St.
As the third installment of the four-part Downtown Greenway Speaker Series, this event will feature Brian Leary, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Highwoods Properties and former president and CEO of Atlanta BeltLine, Inc.
The Atlanta Beltline is a planned 22-mile loop of trails, parks, and future transit connecting 45 neighborhoods around the heart of Atlanta. Over the past two decades the project has helped catalyze $14.2 billion in private investment, demonstrating how trails and public infrastructure can serve as powerful economic development tools.
Leary brings experience from both the public infrastructure and private development sectors. He will discuss lessons learned through the Atlanta Beltline, ways communities can encourage investment around trails and public spaces, and what these ideas could mean for Greensboro.
“With Greensboro’s four-mile Downtown Greenway now complete, our conversation is shifting from building the greenway to building around it,” said Cecelia Thompson, executive director of Action Greensboro. “This is an opportunity to consider how the Downtown Greenway can continue to support investment, strengthen nearby neighborhoods and contribute to Greensboro’s growth.”
Developers, property owners, business leaders, neighborhood advocates and community members interested in Greensboro’s continued growth are encouraged to attend.
