Author: Bendix Anderson

Bendix Anderson has written about commercial real estate, sustainable development, and affordable housing for more than a dozen years. His work has appeared in National Real Estate Investor, Multifamily Executive, Affordable Housing Finance, City Limits magazine, and other publications.

Articles by Bendix Anderson

• Managing a Slowdown: What the Top Investors Said at the 2022 ULI/McCoy Symposium on Real Estate Finance
  Published on January 03, 2023 in Capital Markets
  Rising interest rates have scrambled the plans of many real estate investors and finance leaders. No one knows how much more interest rates will rise, how much property prices will fall, or whether the U.S. economy will dive into a recession, experience a mild downturn, or even continue to grow. Industry leaders discussed this and more at the 29th ULI/McCoy Symposium on Real Estate Finance, a  gathering of real estate leaders held in December.
• Renewed Optimism for U.S. Real Estate at 2021 ULI/McCoy Symposium
  Published on January 04, 2022 in Capital Markets
  Dealmakers and capital providers seemed thrilled with the overall state of the U.S. commercial real estate industry at the ULI/McCoy Symposium on Real Estate Finance, an invitation-only discussion held in early December 2021 in New York City.
• Hotel Developers Planning for Recovery for Chicago’s Loop
  Published on September 01, 2021 in Hotels/Resorts
  Eight new hotels are now under construction in Chicago’s central business district, totaling about 1,500 new rooms, according to the latest list from STR Group. Developers are also planning to start construction on more than a dozen other new hotel projects, totaling an additional 3,700 new rooms.
• Insights from the McCoy Symposium: Confidence in U.S. Real Estate for 2021
  Published on December 21, 2020 in Capital Markets
  ULI MEMBER–ONLY CONTENT: Commercial real estate is likely to have a good year in 2021—despite the devastation caused by the coronavirus, according to industry leaders at the 27th annual ULI/McCoy Symposium on Real Estate Finance.
• CIBC Square Builds a Bridge in Downtown Toronto
  Published on July 06, 2020 in Development
  The two towers of CIBC Square are rising on either side of the busy rail yard and train platforms of Toronto’s Union Station. A new park will span the air between the two buildings, bridging the gap over the train tracks.
• Planning for a Next-Generation Industrial Space Near Columbus, Ohio
  Published on March 17, 2020 in Economy, Market & Trends
  A new kind of industrial and logistics property—a regional hub for e-commerce fulfillment with access to rail networks, airports, and interstate highways—is rising in places like the Rickenbacker Industrial Park, outside Columbus, Ohio.
• Insights from McCoy Symposium: More Time Remaining for the Real Estate Expansion
  Published on January 06, 2020 in Capital Markets
  Some of the best minds in commercial real estate seemed a lot less worried at the 26th annual ULI/McCoy Symposium on Real Estate Finance, held in December in New York City. Participants' top message: investors keep pouring their money into office towers, apartment buildings, and other real estate in the United States despite high prices, worries that the U.S. economy could fall into a recession, and the uncertainty that accompanies a presidential election year.
• Ongoing Demand for Apartments, Strong Job Growth Keeping Philadelphia Optimistic for 2020
  Published on December 02, 2019 in Economy, Market & Trends
  Positive news for Greater Philadelphia going into 2020 includes job growth, a growing population of young people, strong demand for apartments, and a booming, new biotechnology business, said panelists at a ULI Philadelphia event.
• As Economists Forecast for 2020, Some Already Thinking Past the Next Recession
  Published on November 20, 2019 in Capital Markets
  Sam Chandan, associate dean of New York University’s Schack Institute of Real Estate and host of the Real Estate Hour on SiriusXM Radio presented his economic forecast for 2020 at a ULI New York event in November.
• Adding Density and Mixed Use to One of New York City’s Outer Suburbs
  Published on November 04, 2019 in Development
  By the end of 2019, the first families will move into new, million-dollar townhouses at Edge-on-Hudson, a $1 billion development that will eventually bring more than a thousand new residences to Sleepy Hollow, New York.
• Despite Trade Issues, Opportunities Expand Across Asia Pacific Region
  Published on September 24, 2019 in Economy, Market & Trends
  Despite the shock of a trade war between the United States and China, the economies in the vast Asia Pacific region are projected to keep growing—as are the opportunities to invest in commercial real estate. Huge investments in infrastructure are helping keep these economies growing.
• Sustainability Rises as a Goal for Warehouse Developers
  Published on September 23, 2019 in Economy, Market & Trends
  Developers are under more pressure than ever to include features in their buildings that are good for the environment, good for their workers, and good for the surrounding community, said experts speaking at the ULI Fall Meeting.
• Emerging Trends in Real Estate ^® 2020: Investors Still Drawn to Real Estate
  Published on September 19, 2019 in Economy, Market & Trends
  Despite anxieties across the globe, U.S. real estate is still a favored place for investors from all over the world to invest their capital, according to Emerging Trends in Real Estate^® 2020.
• Reston Town Center: Heart of a Utopian Suburb Growing Ever More Urban
  Published on September 09, 2019 in Development
  Over time, Reston Town Center has evolved from a series of grand concepts drawn up by architects, to a few blocks of office buildings, to something very much like a successful urban neighborhood.
• Downtown Nashville’s New Billion-Dollar Gateway: Nashville Yards
  Published on March 28, 2019 in Development
  Nashville Yards, a project that is intended to weave together all the strands of the city’s development boom, will include a new concert venue, a much needed luxury hotel, and a bold new public green space.
• As U.S. Economy Keeps Rolling, Growth Potential of Brooklyn and New York’s Other Boroughs Attracts Investors
  Published on February 11, 2019 in Economy, Market & Trends
  Though real estate experts keep worrying about a possible recession, the U.S. economy continues to perform well, and the prospects for real estate investment are still strong, panelists said at a ULI New York event in Manhattan during January.
• Late-Cycle Opportunities: Perspectives from the ULI/McCoy Symposium on Real Estate Finance
  Published on December 17, 2018 in Capital Markets
  The clock is still ticking on real estate markets. “We are right at the end of a real estate cycle,” says Bowen H. “Buzz” McCoy, who joined the 25th annual ULI/McCoy Symposium on Real Estate Finance, held in December in New York City. Though the closed-door session is strictly confidential, some attendees shared their takeaways.
• How Investors, Lenders Are Responding to the Risk of a Potential U.S. Slowdown
  Published on December 03, 2018 in Capital Markets
  With strong consumer confidence, ongoing economic growth, and low unemployment, there are few signs of an imminent recession in recent U.S. economic data—but real estate experts speaking at a recent industry event in New York City said they want to be prepared. Speakers discussed their plans to manage shrinking investment yields and the risk of investing late in the real estate cycle.
• Building the Infrastructure to Keep Growing Life-Science Companies in New York City
  Published on June 11, 2018 in Development
  Hundreds of millions of dollars are pouring into plans to help incubate and retain life-science startups in New York City, panelists said at a ULI New York event in May. Locating in Manhattan offers the benefit of a variety of possible partners, including universities, hospitals, and other technology firms, as well as the presence of investors and potential employees, they said.
• Exploring Three Models for More Affordable Homes in U.S. Cities
  Published on April 30, 2018 in Planning & Design
  Changes to design, construction, and zoning policies could increase the supply of affordable housing, said panelists at an event hosted by the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, looking at solutions in three U.S. markets.
• Use of PACE Financing for Renovations, Construction Growing for Commercial Buildings
  Published on February 02, 2018 in Sustainability
  Commercial property owners received hundreds of millions of dollars in Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing in 2017—more than twice the total amount of deals closed in 2016. It is now possible to arrange PACE financing in more than half the states in the United States. Also, as more property owners learn how to use this complicated financing tool, deals are becoming larger.
• ULI/McCoy Symposium on Real Estate Finance: Continuing Investment for 2018
  Published on December 18, 2017 in Capital Markets
  Commercial real estate investors are keeping calm and carrying on, even though they are uncertain about what is coming next for fundamental elements affecting their business, such as the federal tax code and interest rate policy. “It makes it difficult to plan. . . . You don’t know what the federal budget is going to be. You don’t know what the Federal Reserve is going to be,” said Bowen H. “Buzz” McCoy, who participated in the 24th annual ULI/McCoy Symposium on Real Estate Finance, held in December in New York City.
• Increasing the Walkable Properties and Values around New York City
  Published on August 14, 2017 in Planning & Design
  At its core, New York City is one of the most walkable places on Earth. But a recent analysis showed the vast majority of the New York metro area is not very walkable—even compared with other U.S. cities, like Boston; Washington, D.C.; or even newer cities like Atlanta.
• In Print: The Permaculture City: Regenerative Design for Urban, Suburban, and Town Resilience
  Published on February 10, 2017 in Sustainability
  Cities and suburbs are natural places for designs inspired by natural systems, according The Permaculture City by Toby Hemenway, a guidebook to permaculture design in the concrete jungle. “Permaculture design is turning out to be beautifully suited to urban contexts,” says Hemenway.
• ULI/McCoy Symposium on Real Estate Finance: Facing Uncertainty
  Published on January 03, 2017 in Capital Markets
  ULI life trustee Bowen H. “Buzz” McCoy shared with Urban Land some key findings and insights from the ULI/McCoy Symposium on Real Estate Finance.
• Food Adds Flavor (and Value) to Real Estate: “Agrihoods” and Other Food-based Concepts
  Published on June 28, 2016 in Sustainability
  Homebuyers and developers have developed an appetite for more food-based amenities, said panelists speaking at a recent ULI Food & Real Estate Forum. “One of the hottest trends in new home development is incorporating agriculture … communities that include working farms are popping up all over the country,” says Sarene Marshall, executive director of the ULI Center for Sustainability.
• At Home in Philadelphia’s Center City
  Published on April 11, 2016 in Economy, Market & Trends
  With arts, office, and recreational offerings, Philadelphia’s Center City is drawing new residents—of various ages—to downtown living.
• ULI Consensus Forecast: Not Too Hot, Not Too Cold for U.S. Economy, Commercial Real Estate
  Published on April 10, 2016 in Capital Markets
  Economists see a pretty good year ahead for real estate, despite a weak world economy. “The data [are] good, but we all feel this uncertainty,” said Jeffrey Havsy, chief economist, Americas, CBRE Econometric Advisors. He spoke at a panel discussion of the semiannual ULI Real Estate Consensus Forecast, as part of a members only webinar.
• Startups Helping Property Owners Through Sensors and Social
  Published on March 21, 2016 in Economy, Market & Trends
  A company called Radiator Labs has a solution to cut the cost of heating an old radiator building in places like New York City by a third. The technology also gives residents the power to control the heat in their own apartments—without replacing the central boiler that supplies the heat. This was one of five technology companies at a real estate-focused Demo Day held in January by MetaProp NYC, which calls itself the “New York Real Estate Technology Accelerator.”
• Blending Farmers’ Harvests with Retail, Multifamily Developments
  Published on January 12, 2016 in Sustainability
  For the first time in 30 years, local farmers have returned to the main floor of the historic Oklahoma City Farmers Public Market. Their heirloom tomatoes and organic kale now share the redeveloped 150,000-square-foot landmark with a long list of high-end shops, restaurant and event space and a “food truck park” next door. Across the country farmers markets are sharing space with more conventional retail space, often in prominent developments and redevelopments.
• No Easy Solutions Funding Transformational U.S. Transit
  Published on November 23, 2015 in Infrastructure
  Transit officials are finding innovative ways to bring private capital and more efficiency to their transit projects, said experts speaking at the ULI Tri-State Infrastructure Summit, held in late October by ULI New York.
• Industry City: Developer Jamestown’s Billion-Dollar Mixed-Use Revival in Brooklyn
  Published on August 31, 2015 in Mixed-Use
  A crumbling industrial site on the fringe of Brooklyn’s real estate boom is becoming a magnet for innovative businesses. Industry City has drawn Fortune 500 companies, technology startups, a professional sports training facility, an ice cream maker, and visual artists to a complex of 15 giant, century-old factory buildings on the Brooklyn waterfront.
• Views on the Passive House Standard from Two Continents
  Published on July 23, 2015 in Sustainability
  The Passive House standard created by Passivhaus Institut of Germany is the latest, toughest standard in sustainable design. Owners and developers around the world have certified Passive House buildings, including U.K. property giant Grosvenor. In the United States, developers are now building hundreds of new units of housing to meet the Passive House standards in states like New York and Pennsylvania.
• Houston Creates a New Neighborhood Downtown
  Published on April 20, 2015 in Planning & Design
  The most expensive apartments per square foot in Houston are in a new tower overlooking a new park in a new residential neighborhood now blossoming downtown. That tower, One Park Place, proved that luxury rental housing can thrive in a central business district still dominated by high-rise office properties.
• Strong Outlook for Real Estate in ULI Consensus Forecast
  Published on April 13, 2015 in Capital Markets
  The ULI Real Estate Consensus Forecast, issued biannually, which surveys 46 economists and analysts, predicts strong demand and value for real estate for the next three years. According to panelists on a ULI members–only webinar, real estate continues to offer strong relative value compared with other investments, and fundamental demand is also quite strong.
• Seven Strategies for Making U.S. Housing More Affordable
  Published on February 23, 2015 in Residential/Multifamily
  As U.S. home prices have bounced back, activists, advocates, and community developers have struggled to make housing more affordable.
• Communication Is Key to Leadership in 21st Century
  Published on November 04, 2014 in Development
  Being a good leader often comes down to good communication: Strong leaders listen to their teams and—sometimes—change their strategies in response.
• Are Multifamily Rentals Headed for a Bust or New American Dream?
  Published on November 04, 2014 in Economy, Market & Trends
  At the beginning of a panel discussion at the ULI Fall Meeting in New York City, a moderator asked the audience to raise their hands if they thought the apartment business was headed for a bust. At the end of the session, the moderator asked the question again—and the number had doubled.
• The Changing Face of Residential: Denser and More Urban Than Ever
  Published on November 04, 2014 in Residential/Multifamily
  Today’s renters and homeowners want to live in bustling neighborhoods with good access to amenities and mass transit.
• The Rebirth of Manhattan’s Downtown
  Published on October 30, 2014 in Development
  By the end of 2014, the writers and editors of Condé Nast will finish moving into the publishing company’s new 1.25 million-square-foot (116,000 sq m) headquarters in lower Manhattan. That’s just the latest good news from that part of Manhattan, which is once again one of the most desirable neighborhoods in the world, despite surviving a hurricane, the global financial crisis, and the 9/11 attacks.
• Low Yields Driving More Investors into Property Markets
  Published on October 30, 2014 in Capital Markets
  Around the world, commercial real estate investors are tired of sky-high prices and low investor yields—but they keep on paying, said panelists at a Capital Markets keynote at the ULI Fall Meeting.
• Inside Mayor de Blasio’s Ambitious New Housing Plan
  Published on October 06, 2014 in Development
  Can New York City really build or preserve 200,000 units of affordable housing over the next ten years?
• Fulton Center: A Grand Central for Downtown Manhattan
  Published on September 29, 2014 in Infrastructure
  Any day now, New York City will open a grand public space at the middle of a web of subway lines in Manhattan, a few blocks away from both the World Trade Center and Wall Street.
• How Big Could Crowdfunding Get for Real Estate Investors?
  Published on June 23, 2014 in Capital Markets
  Crowdfunding has already brought millions of dollars to real estate development projects—and this is just the beginning, said William Skelley, CEO of iFunding, a real estate crowdfunding website.
• In Its Second Year, Crowdfunding Festival Doubles Down
  Published on May 15, 2014 in Economy, Market & Trends
  Jacksonville's One Spark Festival more than doubled the number of attendees from last year and is planning a sister festival in Europe this fall.
• Donovan Calls for Fannie and Freddie Reform
  Published on April 29, 2014 in News
  The U.S. Congress might finally kill Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the two mortgage giants that still raise the capital for the vast majority of home loans.
• ULI Names Jason Ray Chief Technology Officer
  Published on September 30, 2013 in News
  ULI has selected Jason L. Ray as its new chief technology officer. Ray most recently served as the head of technology for the GAVI Alliance, a public/private global health partnership originally chaired by Nelson Mandela and established with a $750 million donation from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
• Twin Cities’ Residents Near Transit Found to Be Happier
  Published on September 27, 2013 in Infrastructure
  Happiness and access to viable transit tend to go together, according to new research by a transportation expert with the University of Minnesota.
• Transforming Chicago’s Public Housing
  Published on September 23, 2013 in Planning & Design
  Chicago’s plan to transform the city's public housing is unfinished after 13 years. But now after a flood of new construction, the agency has 17,000 units of viable public housing.
• Housing Recovery Strengthens, but Credit Remains an Issue
  Published on June 27, 2013 in Sustainability
  The housing sector is finally helping the U.S. economic recovery, rather than holding it back. But more Americans than ever now spend more than half their income on housing, according to a report released by the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University.
• Land Conservation Boosts Home Values in Western Subdivisions
  Published on June 10, 2013 in Sustainability
  Some homebuyers are willing to pay a premium to live in subdivisions with protected open space. These premiums range from 20 to 29 percent on average, according to a new study by Colorado State University.
• Bruce Ratner Honored by ULI New York
  Published on May 14, 2013 in Economy, Market & Trends
  In April of this year, Bruce Ratner handed the leadership of Forest City Ratner Cos. over to its new CEO, MaryAnne Gilmartin. In May, ULI New York honored him as its 2013 Real Estate Legend.
• Is CityScan the Future of Code Enforcement?
  Published on April 01, 2013 in Economy, Market & Trends
  Maybe it was the upcoming holiday weekend. Maybe it was worries about Cyprus’s failing financial health. Maybe it was watching the S&P 500 index reach record levels. Whatever it was, this was the quietest period we’ve seen in a very long time.