We’re excited to announce Omar Blaik as the 2026 honoree of DesignPhiladelphia’s Edmund N. Bacon Urban Design Awards.

Born to Lebanese parents in Cairo, Omar Blaik has built a career centered on the relationship between people and instituations. From 1996 to 2006, he served as Senior Vice President of Facilities and Real Estate at the University of Pennsylvania, where he led a transformative period of campus and neighborhood development that reshaped Penn and strengthened its relationship with West Philadelphia.

That work helped define Omar’s approach to urban development, one grounded in long-term thinking and the belief that anchor institutions can drive equitable outcomes for surrounding communities. His leadership at Penn became a national model for how universities can engage meaningfully with the cities they call home.

As CEO of U3 Advisors, Omar has applied this philosophy nationwide, leading collaborative efforts to reanimate and reimagine communities across North America. Notable projects include Midtown Detroit Inc., developed in partnership with the Kresge Foundation and local anchor institutions; the Terrapin Development Company in College Park, Maryland; Hazelwood Green and the Cultural District of Pittsburgh; the Memphis Medical District; and the San Diego Civic Center. A founding member of ULI’s University Development and Innovation Council, Omar is a frequent commentator on the future of urban and economic development and resides in West Philadelphia, where U3 Advisors is headquartered.

Join us on March 11th at Quorum as we honor Omar Blaik and celebrate the student winners whose work carries forward this same commitment to thoughtful, people-centered urban design.