Panelists at this year’s ULI Singapore Conference, held virtually for the first time, discussed the challenges they face as developers with recent workplace disruptions, how to allow for working remotely while catering to the needs of stakeholders, and the lasting impact the pandemic will have on commercial real estate as a whole.

The Hong Kong government’s recent decision to embrace a new tendering process for the sale of a prime parcel of waterfront land adjoining the Central business district marks a welcome departure from longstanding policy. In the past, such tenders were invariably awarded to the highest bidder without regard to the quality of the proposed development. Now, however, use of a “two-envelope” approach to sell the plot, known as Site 3, means that design also becomes part of the equation.

An international study assesses and compares 21 leading global business districts, confirming that business districts in western Europe and North America continue to lead the way amid fierce competition from Asian business districts, but all will need to adapt for the future in response to the COVID-19 crisis. Business districts in Tokyo, Seoul, Singapore, and Beijing all ranked in the top 10 in this year’s study.

Sidewalk Labs recently announced that it would withdraw from a proposed smart city project in Toronto. But Sidewalk is already in talks to repurpose those innovations, said participants in ULI’s Spring Meeting Webinar Series.

The ways in which people use and interact in commercial buildings—particularly office spaces—will likely be changed significantly due to the COVID-19 crisis, with building and workplace health being a top concern, according to two healthy-building experts featured on a ULI webinar.

Seeking innovative ways to accommodate Toronto’s growing population, developers across the city are launching “mega-mixed-use” projects that are redefining urban living for generations to come.

During a period of phenomenal growth in which Toronto has had more cranes in the sky than any other North American city, a new form of city region with multiple urban centers has started to emerge in the Greater Toronto Area. This new city region is propelled by powerful economic and social forces and spurred by the imperative of a more sustainable future.

A retail developer and ULI longtime leader shares how his firm is approaching the current shutdown in the United States and beyond.

Telepresence robots are beginning to appear in intensive-care wards and patients increasingly get access to doctors by phone, mobile app, or computer. The rise of “telehealth” could further shrink or shift traditional office space demand, according to a speaker at ULI Central Florida’s Real Estate Trends 360° Conference.

With Arizona continuing to be among the U.S. leaders in job growth, several of the state’s most successful retail, office, and mixed-use residential developers discussed the opportunities of the past decade at a ULI Arizona event.