Blake Thomas
Senior Advisor on Real Estate and Capital Projects
Salt Lake City Mayor's Office
Blake advises the Salt Lake City Mayor’s Office on impactful projects like the Green Loop, Main Street Promenade, Grand Boulevards, and the Sports, Entertainment, Culture, and Convention District—generational initiatives that reflect our city’s vision for a vibrant, inclusive, and sustainable community. He previously lead the Salt Lake City Community and Neighborhoods Department and worked as Salt Lake County’s Director of Economic Development and in the Governor’s Office of Energy Development where his focus was on renewable energy development and alternative transportation projects. Thomas earned both his undergraduate and graduate degrees from Utah State University.
Session(s):
Take Back the Streets: Reimagining Streets as Public Space »
2025 APA UT Fall Conference, October 10, 2025 1:45 pmPublic streets are our most abundant shared spaces—but are they serving people or just vehicles? Join us for a walking tour of Salt Lake City’s downtown to explore how streets are being reclaimed as civic and social space. Through on-the-ground examples, including the SLC Green Loop and Main Street pedestrianization project, participants will examine how the city is rethinking the right-of-way to better support community life. A collaborative exercise challenges participants to reimagine a street, considering real-world constraints (e.g., fire access, utility conflicts, funding limitations) and exploring ideas that support public life.
= Keynote
