Leslie Braunstein

Leslie A. Braunstein, APR, is principal of LHB Communications, Inc., a boutique public relations firm located in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. LHB combines the flexibility, creativity, and cost-effectiveness of a small PR firm with the solid experience and outstanding results of a large PR agency. The mission of LHB Communications is to help clients meet their business goals by building their brands and enhancing awareness of their accomplishments among key stakeholders and audiences. Leslie is a seasoned award-winning PR professional with over 25 years of experience working with real estate industry clients and others in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, throughout North America, and abroad. Leslie holds professional accreditation from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) and a master’s degree from the University of Maryland’s College of Journalism. On behalf of clients and under her own byline, Leslie has published millions of words in a variety of prestigious media including The Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, The Washington Post, USA Today, numerous trade publications, and many other well-known publications and online media. Earlier in her career, Leslie served as served as a public information officer with the U.S. Department of Energy and as a communications manager with Booz-Allen & Hamilton, Inc. For more information, see www.lhbcommunications.com.

Decades ago, who would have thought that the graffiti-covered walls of deteriorated industrial buildings would catalyze the regeneration of an entire urban community? A panel at ULI Washington’s recent Trends Conference explored strategies for strengthening communities’ identity and economic vitality with arts programming and local institutions.
Driverless cars will have an even greater disruptive impact on society than elevator did more than a century ago, as soon as public fear gives way to acceptance, said panelists at the ULI Washington Real Estate Trends Conference.
Cities are recognizing the risks associated with rising water levels, natural disasters, and potential epidemics. During ULI Washington’s recent Real Estate Trends event, panelists discussed the business case for employing sound methods and practices to create healthier, safer building environments.
At ULI’s 2017 Spring Meeting in Seattle, attendees heard from voices from outside the land use industry, including Daniel James Brown, author of the New York Timesbest-selling book The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Goldat the 1936 Berlin Olympics. “This is a story that reminds us of who we are at our best,” said Brown.
As part of ULI’s tradition of inviting a chief executive officer from outside the real estate industry at the ULI Spring Meeting, CEO Bradley Tilden of Alaska Airlines spoke with Bill Ferguson, chairman and CEO of Ferguson Partners.
Some of America’s largest and oldest industrial powerhouses are moving their headquarters locations from bucolic suburban office parks to vibrant downtown neighborhoods, positioning themselves for growth in the digital age. Two such relocations—Weyerhauser and General Electric—were discussed at the ULI Spring Meeting in Seattle.
Contrary to some predictions, e-commerce has not made brick-and-mortar retail a thing of the past. Instead, as attendees at a ULI Spring Meeting session learned, shopping and dining are making critical contributions to activating urban spaces and helping shopping centers continuously evolve.
After a sluggish year with just 1 percent growth, backhoes and bulldozers should be busier in 2017 with 5 percent growth in construction starts, for a total volume of $713 billion. That is the prediction from industry leader Dodge Data & Analytics, presented at the group’s annual conference held recently at National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Maryland.
When it comes to the e-commerce explosion, it’s all about “the last mile,” and almost anything is imaginable. “The last mile can be executed on foot, bicycle, hand cart, unicycle, skateboard, jetpack, Uber, Lyft—the list goes on,” said Benjamin Conwell of Cushman & Wakefield, a former director of Amazon’s North American real estate operations, speaking at the 2016 ULI Fall Meeting.
Resort developers are coming up with new ways to create allure in urban locations—where they can’t rely on beaches, golf, or skiing to attract fickle travelers.
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