Decades of
Innovative Placemaking

BRYANT PARK
New York, NY

About BRV

BRV creates active, clean, safe, and densely-used public spaces for which the goal is financial self-sustainability. We have produced a substantial return on investment in placemaking for public and private sector clients around the world, with more than 100 projects across North America, Asia, Europe, Australia, and the Middle East.

Our work began at New York’s Bryant Park in 1980, when BRV founder Dan Biederman was hired to create and execute a plan to redevelop what was once known as the city’s most dangerous park. With Dan’s expertise, Bryant Park was transformed from a crime-ridden public space to one of the most actively used parks in the world, all without public funding for its operations. Since reopening in 1992, Bryant Park has become an international model of urban revitalization and caters to millions of visitors throughout the year.

The park has generated more than $3 billion in incremental real estate value for its 33 abutting properties, and continues to operate without a dollar of public funds. Dan remains president of the Bryant Park Corporation today.

Founded in 1998, BRV has provided consulting services on a variety of projects, from small parks to large urban districts, using the principles first developed at Bryant Park and two affiliated business improvement districts founded by Biederman, 34th Street Partnership and Grand Central Partnership.

BRV regularly develops business and programming plans for public spaces managed by others, such as Houston’s Levy Park, Willamette Falls Riverwalk in Oregon City, and San Francisco’s Mission Rock project.

As the operator of multiple high-profile public spaces, BRV understands the details of day-to-day management of large-scale, prestigious public amenities. BRV doesn’t just re-imagine public spaces—we have the real-world experience to make them reality.

Notable Projects

Cap Parks
Downtown Parks, Plazas, & Public Spaces
Transit

Salesforce Park

San Francisco, CA

Salesforce Park, set on the rooftop of Salesforce Transit Center, is a transformative 5.4 acre park in the massively redeveloping Transbay neighborhood of downtown San Francisco. The park sits four levels above the ground, and offers an urban oasis in a garden-like setting, with constant activity with a robust calendar of daily programming and events. The park opened to record crowds in August 2018. BRV was selected in April 2017 to run the park as the park’s managing entity.

Downtown Parks, Plazas, & Public Spaces

Bryant Park

New York, NY

BRV oversaw the turnaround of a park dominated by drug dealers and other criminals into the most vibrant park in New York City. Winner of over two dozen design and management awards and cited in numerous books and articles as one of the world’s best urban parks, Bryant Park is a huge success from both a design and financial viewpoint. The park created over $3 billion of value for its abutting real estate owners and serves as an international model in placemaking.

Cap Parks
Downtown Parks, Plazas, & Public Spaces

Klyde Warren Park

Dallas, TX

From 2005 to the present, BRV has worked on developing and operating Klyde Warren Park, a transformative public space which decked over a highway in downtown Dallas, Texas. BRV created a programming and operations plan for the park and an organization plan for the dedicated non-profit that manages the park. BRV brought this plan to life by hiring and training staff; implementing programming; advising on sanitation, security, and maintenance; and generating streams of revenue.

Our Projects

Detroit Pistons Neighbors Program
Detroit, MI

Our Parks & Spaces

ENHANCE NEIGHBORHOODS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND SAFETY

Great public spaces are critical for revitalizing neighborhoods, bringing people together, increasing economic development, and improving public safety. Our programming and management philosophy bring spaces to life.

AIM TO BE FINANCIALLY SELF-SUSTAINING

We advise all clients on how to develop diverse revenue streams from sponsorships, events, concessions, brand partnerships, and assessments.

HAVE EFFICIENT OPERATIONS AND STAFFING

Successful parks require the best and most streamlined operations and staffing structures.

Our People:

Put Programming First

We think about park programming first. Inviting programs and amenities, comfort, and safety create places people want to be.

Are Always Innovating

We believe that there is no single correct public space management strategy. A public space is never “done.” That’s why we work with all types of clients, embrace offbeat ideas, and constantly try new things. 

Welcome Challenges

Placemaking is complicated and takes time. We like challenges, like spaces that are currently dangerous or neighborhoods that don’t have “critical mass,” and pride ourselves on delivering solutions for our clients’ most difficult obstacles.