Nestled in a relatively quiet East Amsterdam neighborhood, a new kind of hotel has been racking up occupancy rates topping 90 percent for the past two years. Zoku is a modern take on the extended-stay hotel, where the visitors stay in fully outfitted micro-hotel rooms of 260 or 320 square feet (24 or 30 sq m) and relax and connect in the common areas on the top floor.

How can the real estate industry do a better job of meeting the needs of middle-income renters and buyers?

A ULI Advisory Services panel was asked to focus on Beijing’s Qianmen East, a 56-hectare (138 ac) hutongneighborhood, consisting of interlinked communities of low-rise courtyard homes aligned in sequence along narrow alleys.

A panel of experts at a ULI Washington event said that thriving suburbs will continue to become more walkable and dense where appropriate, with fewer big-box stores surrounded by parking lots.

In fall 2016, about 100 residents, business owners, and public officials came together to discuss the Franklin Canal in El Paso, Texas, the adjacent neighborhoods, and an opportunity to connect them: a proposed Active Transportation System (ATS) funded by the El Paso Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO). These community members were participating in an ULI Advisory Services panel, a weeklong workshop convened to develop a strategy for the “International Beltway” portion of the ATS.

In February, ULI South Florida/Caribbean gathered a panel of researchers, real estate developers, and economic development agencies at the new Arts & Entertainment District—the latest neighborhood to emerge as a cultural destination for city residents.

ULI will hold its 2018 Spring Meeting May 1–3 at the Cobo Center in Detroit. A major focus for this year’s gathering will be the reinvention of urban areas into thriving places that are drawing talented workers and becoming magnets for investment.

During my time as ULI’s global chief executive officer, it has become increasingly clear to me that one of the great attributes of the Institute is its ability to embrace change and evolve without losing sight of its core values. After eight very rewarding and fulfilling years at the helm, it’s time for me to step down.

Can the city create a healthier, less automobile-centric environment by closing more streets to traffic?

The Chicago Riverwalk, which reused derelict infrastructure, is a 1.25-mile-long (2 km) civic space between Lake Michigan and the confluence of the Main Stem, North Branch, and South Branch of the Chicago River. This reinvention of urban life is at the heart of a new chapter for Chicago in which public space becomes a gathering ground for residents. Providing sweeping views and new connectivity, this civic amenity reunites the river and the city.