Event details:
North County Downtowns from the coast inland are seeing a resurgence that has been planned for years but never fully realized. What changed? Come hear from some of the premier developers making this a reality through their innovative projects, and the public agencies opening their doors to this new wave of development.
— Oceanside’s exploding development scene from anchor resorts
to mixed-use in-fill
— North City’s over 200-acre downtown emerging as the pulsing urban heart
of a largely suburban city
— Found Lofts serving as a cornerstone for arts, culture, and community in Vista
Panelists:
Michelle Geller, Economic Development Manager, City of Oceanside
Gary Levitt, President, Sea Breeze Properties, LLC
Lev Gershman, Managing Partner, Tideline Partners
Moderator:
Dahvia Lynch, Development Services Director, City of San Marcos
Michelle Geller, Economic Development Manager, City of Oceanside: Michelle has 19 years of experience in the public sector, and has served as the economic development manager for the City of Oceanside since 2019. Previously, Michelle had the opportunity to work in a variety of local government roles, including marketing and communications, federal grant administration, neighborhood outreach, and business development for the cities of Escondido and Sunnyvale. Michelle holds a Bachelors degree in English from Chico State University and a Masters of Public Administration from Cal State Long Beach. Michelle serves on the boards of Visit Oceanside, MainStreet Oceanside, and the San Diego North Economic Development Council, and is a member of the first cohort of Accredited California Economic Developers through Fresno State University. Hailing from the Bay Area, Michelle lives in Oceanside with her husband and 12-year-old son.
Gary Levitt, President, Sea Breeze Properties, LLC: Gary has been involved in real estate development since 1984 overseeing projects from early conception, through design, entitlement, financing, construction, and lease-up or sale. He is a chartered accountant, and the founder of Sea Breeze Properties, a full service real estate development, investment, and management firm, specializing in creating unique opportunities through the entitlement process. Focused exclusively in San Diego County, Gary and SBP prefer projects where creative and intelligent planning, local knowledge, and hard work enhance value and long-term appreciation.
Lev Gershman, Founder & Managing Partner, Tideline Partners: Lev is the founding and managing partner of Tideline Partners, a real estate development and investment management firm. The development work is focused on mixed-use in-fill opportunities that cultivate community, increase connectivity, and provide access to green space. Tideline’s management platform provides 3rd party asset management services to institutional clients specializing in complex ground lease assets and workouts. Prior to launching Tideline in 2013, Lev spent over a decade in various institutional finance and risk roles and completed $3B of financing and workouts. Lev is an LAI member, past Global Trustee of the Urban Land Institute, , the founding Co-Chair of ULI’s San Diego Small Scale In-fill Development Council, and former faculty of the National League of Cities Rose Center for Public Leadership.
Dahvia Lynch, Development Services Director, City of San Marcos: Dahvia is the Director of Development Services for the City of San Marcos. Dahvia has been a leader in the public sector working to create great places for 20 years. Her focus has been on collaborative planning of new communities and public facilities, as well as habitat conservation programs and transit planning. Her previous roles include Chief of Resource Management for the County of San Diego (Parks and Recreation) and Chief Planning Officer for North County Transit District. She earned a Bachelors degree in Planning, Public Policy, and Management from the University of Oregon and a Masters of Urban Planning from the University of Michigan. She is an AICP Certified Environmental Planner and LEED Accredited Professional. Dahvia grew up in San Diego North County and lives in Carlsbad with her husband and small pack of rescue dogs.