Kevin Brass

KEVIN BRASS writes regularly about property and development for the New York Times International Edition and the Financial Times.

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Economy, Market & Trends

Former U.S. Vice President Biden: “I’ve Never Been More Optimistic”

Former vice president Joseph R. Biden Jr. sounded an optimistic note in his address to ULI Spring Meeting attendees in Seattle, showing some of the populist spirit that earned him the nickname “Uncle in Chief.”

May 4, 2017

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Kevin Brass

Economy, Market & Trends

Industry Sectors

ULI Forecast Calls for Moderate Growth for Most U.S. Real Estate Sectors

While the growth of e-commerce and the shifting needs for open and smaller office spaces are having a marginal impact, most of these disruptive forces are still years away from having a substantive negative impact on the retail, office, and other industry sectors, said panelists discussing the latest ULI Real Estate Consensus Forecast during a webinar.

April 21, 2017

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Kevin Brass

Resilience and Sustainability

Philanthropic Impact

Improving Seattle’s Lower Duwamish River Area

In 2015, ULI’s Advisory Services program convened a ULI resilience panel to study issues facing the area surrounding the Lower Duwamish Waterway, which is badly polluted with toxins and industrial waste and was identified in 2001 as a Superfund site by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Two years later, the cleanup of the river continues and there is renewed interest in addressing the community issues.

April 17, 2017

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Kevin Brass

Economy, Market & Trends

Infrastructure

Understanding the Hurdles Facing Autonomous Vehicles in Busy Downtowns

Last December, car-sharing giant Uber abruptly loaded its prototype autonomous cars onto a trailer and moved its program from California to Arizona after a dispute with state regulators. If nothing else, the potential conflict over autonomous vehicles in California is a reminder that many complicated hurdles need to be cleared before the much-discussed takeover of autonomous cars. Communities and legislators are wrestling with the realities of regulating and creating infrastructure, even though it remains unclear what role driverless vehicles will play in future mobility.

February 27, 2017

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Kevin Brass

Resilience and Sustainability

News

Focus on Energy Efficiency Shifting from Prescription to Performance

Energy and energy efficiency were recurring topics at a recent event hosted by ULI Los Angeles, as developers and planners wrestle with ways to improve the efficiency of buildings and communities. New technology and government mandates have helped push the issues to the forefront, but speakers emphasized repeatedly the need for a different way of thinking about short- and long-term goals.

February 13, 2017

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Kevin Brass

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Market Trends

Finance – Capital Markets

Investors React to Changing Tourist Patterns in Europe

Europe is a divided continent in many ways. While markets like Spain, Portugal, and Croatia are experiencing a surge in visitors, France, Belgium, and Turkey face a tourism crisis. Performance varies from country to country.

February 3, 2017

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Kevin Brass

Economy, Market & Trends

Office

Outdoor Space, Modern Food Offerings Help Energize Aging Corporate Campuses

Dallas was an appropriate location for a 2016 ULI Fall Meeting discussion on energizing corporate campuses, with several large-scale headquarter developments underway in the region.

November 21, 2016

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Kevin Brass

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Infrastructure

Parking Garages Will Evolve for Adaptive Use and as Multimodal Transit Hubs

From reconfiguring garages for adaptable uses to creating space for storing drones, experts in parking discuss new ways to design garages.

November 17, 2016

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Kevin Brass

Economy, Market & Trends

News

Cautious Optimism, Competitive Markets Characterize Emerging Trends Responses

When the latest Emerging Trends in Real Estate® report for the United States and Canada was unveiled at the 2016 ULI Fall Meeting in Dallas, the panel discussion quickly turned to how to convert the research into action. The report points to an industry in transition, one that is trying to find ways to maximize investments in a time of low interest rates and global uncertainty.

November 16, 2016

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Kevin Brass

Capital Markets and Finance

News

Future of Global Capital: Low Interest Rates, High Volatility

Global finance experts speaking at the 2016 ULI Fall Meeting in late October said that institutional investors were preparing for an extended period of low interest rates and global volatility. But U.S. election results soon added another layer of complexity.

November 8, 2016

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Kevin Brass

Economy, Market & Trends

News

Debunking Economic Myths: U.S. Growth Likely to Continue through 2018 and Beyond

Perhaps it is a sign of uncertain times when top-level economists start talking about feelings. The current U.S. economy is “not quite as bad as it feels,” said JLL Americas managing director Ben Breslau, during a 2016 ULI Fall Meeting panel discussion. “Not that there’s no risk, but it’s not quite as bad as it feels.”

November 8, 2016

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Kevin Brass

Capital Markets and Finance

News

ULI Consensus Forecast Sees Strength in Industrial, but Fewer Transactions Overall in Coming Years

The numbers in the latest ULI Real Estate Consensus Forecastmay show flat to lower growth in the coming years, but there is plenty of both risk and opportunity in the market, as panelists said during a 2016 ULI Fall Meeting session on the report. “Economic growth in the United States is still happening,” said Jeanette Rice, head of investment research in the Americas for CBRE.

November 3, 2016

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Kevin Brass

Urban Land Contributors