PlaceSmart — Placemaking, Marketing & Community Engagement

Who We Work With

Real Estate Developers

For mixed-use and master-planned projects, we build the brand, community relationships, and activation strategy that de-risk approvals, accelerate leasing, and create long-term asset value — from pre-development through stabilization.

Start with the PlaceSmart Diagnostic →

Districts, BIDs & Municipalities

For downtowns and business districts, we craft the identity, programming, and stakeholder alignment that attract investment, grow membership and sponsorship, and make districts destinations in their own right.

Start with the Place Buzz Scorecard →

Services

Three disciplines. One integrated practice.

Most consultants do one of these. Places succeed when all three work together — and PlaceSmart leads them as one connected strategy.

Value is created where the three disciplines overlap.

Community Engagement

Build trust and alignment among stakeholders, residents, and local partners, so projects are grounded in place and supported by the people they serve.

Stakeholder interviews and workshops
Community engagement strategy
Public meeting facilitation
Local partnership development
Civic and nonprofit collaboration

Brand, Marketing & Communications

Define the story and positioning that gives a place identity and momentum — and direct the agencies and partners who bring it to life.

Brand positioning and messaging
Marketing and communications strategy
Narrative development and storytelling
Agency selection and oversight
PR and campaign strategy

Placemaking & Experience

Design the programming, partnerships, and experiences that activate places, strengthen identity, and create lasting value.

Placemaking strategy and activation plans
Programming and events frameworks
Tenant experience strategy
Cultural partnerships and creative activations
Public realm and experience planning

How We Work

The PlaceSmart Method

A five-phase framework that takes a place from first listening to lasting momentum — rigorous enough for institutional projects, flexible enough to meet you where you are.

Immersion & Discovery

On-the-ground listening: stakeholders, site, market, and community.

Synthesis & Insight

The honest story of who a place is for and where its value lies.

Strategic Recommendations

Positioning, brand, and activation — prioritized and sequenced.

Activation & Alignment

Teams aligned, agencies briefed, programming launched.

Conductor RoleOngoing

Your fractional strategy lead, directing every partner from one score.

Two ways to start

For real estate developers

The PlaceSmart Diagnostic

A structured outside read on where your project stands today. We score positioning, market fit, community trust, and team capacity, then hand you a clear, prioritized list of what to fix first.

Ask about the Diagnostic

For districts, municipalities & EDOs

The Place Buzz Scorecard

A structured one-week placemaking audit that scores your corridor or downtown across four pillars (Identity, Streets & Spaces, Market, and Crew) and pinpoints the opportunities that matter most right now.

In partnership with Think Place Agency

Ask about Place Buzz

Featured Work

Communities we've helped define.

Places where people live and work, open businesses, dine, play, and keep coming back to.

Pearl Square rendering — plaza with fountain, café seating, and residences, Downtown Jacksonville

Downtown Jacksonville, FL · Current

Pearl Square — Gateway Jax

As fractional marketing & communications lead for a transformative downtown mixed-use development, PlaceSmart sets brand, PR, and marketing strategy and directs the agency roster that brings it to life — creative, PR, social, video, and property marketing, all moving as one.

One strategy, one story, directed across every partner.

461 Dean tower and Barclays Center, Pacific Park, Brooklyn

Brooklyn, NY

Pacific Park — Forest City Ratner

Led marketing, PR, and experience strategy for the 22-acre development's first residential launch — building a new neighborhood identity through wellness programming, arts partnerships, and a data-driven lease-up campaign.

Established a new neighborhood identity and drove lease-up momentum.

Long Island City, Queens

LIC Rebrand — LIC Partnership (BID)

Led the strategic rebrand of one of NYC's fastest-growing neighborhoods: a sponsorship-funded identity and digital platform, membership and sponsorship growth, and public-space programming.

A unified brand that attracted investment and grew the BID's financial base.

Scenes from the work

Murals, markets, dance parties, groundbreakings — places coming to life.

What Partners Say

Jenna is a key partner in shaping the vision, messaging, and brand for Pearl Square — helping translate a complex, long-term plan into a place people can understand, connect with, and get excited about.
Gateway Jax · Pearl Square

Jenna joined the team and immediately saw opportunities to create value for our customers. She led positioning for our portfolio that created a cohesive brand story and voice, and stronger customer relationships.

Her guidance to strategically reposition us from outdated to desired was invaluable. The insights she was able to provide for our team were always impressive. Would happily work with Jenna again.

She adds an element of artistry and sense of creativity to all of her endeavors. Her ability to work on a variety of marketing initiatives makes her a valuable contributor to any business.

About

Jenna Petok, Founder & Principal

Jenna is a leader in experience strategy, passionate about connecting communities through the power of place. She's spent her career with top NYC real estate developers and district organizations, transforming developers into customer-focused brands and neighborhoods into destinations.

Before founding PlaceSmart, Jenna was Global Head of CX for Host, CBRE's tenant experience platform, and led marketing and placemaking for Oxford Properties, Forest City Ratner, REEF Technology, and the Long Island City Partnership. Her early career at Time Out New York, the Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation, and teaching dance in Switzerland is reflective in the creativity she brings to every project.

Jenna lives in Westport, CT, where she serves on the Representative Town Meeting (RTM) and Downtown Plan Implementation Committee, and leads safe-streets advocacy for Walk Bike Westport. She's also a member of the ULI New York MarComm Product Council.

Oxford PropertiesCBRE HostForest City RatnerLIC PartnershipGateway JaxIDA MemberULI NY MarComm Council

Let's Connect

Have a place with potential?

Whether you're a developer shaping a new district or a downtown organization ready for its next chapter, let's start with a conversation.