Speaking about the 2011 ULI Amanda Burden Urban Open Space Award winner, Mayor Francis Slay said, “Citygarden is the most significant development to take place in St. Louis since the competition of the Gateway Arch nearly 50 years ago.” Read how the 2.9-acre amenity—which is part municipal park, part sculpture garden—has had a positive effect on the surrounding real estate market and businesses.

With a weak dollar boosting global demand for U.S. exports and the domestic economy inching back from the brink, the health of most U.S. industrial real estate markets is improving, too. Nonetheless, the national vacancy rate remains stubbornly in double-digit territory at 10.2 percent. Read what advice experts at Cushman & Wakefield and other firms have for savvy landlords with vacancies to fill.

More and more of ULI members understand the philanthropic nature of ULI and see in the institute opportunities to support important industry research and education initiatives. This is critical, because going forward ULI will be relying far more on philanthropic contributions to carry on a consistent, high-quality program of work. Read how you can help the ULI Foundation advance the institute’s mission.

The Commercial Mortgage Alert Trepp weekly survey of 15 active portfolio lenders showed spreads widening an average of 20, repeat 20, basis points during the survey period as financing circles the field, waiting for word from the tower that it’s safe to land and for the markets to decide if it’s 1998 or 2007 again.

On Wednesday, the Federal Housing Finance Agency, HUD, and the Treasury sent out a joint Request for Information on ways the government might rent out the 250,000 homes that Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the FHA currently own. With the inventory of such homes owned by Fannie, Freddie, and the FHA expected to continue growing, is this the right move for the federal government to make?

Hoping to gain footholds in the global marketplace, most of the world’s leading countries have reaffirmed infrastructure repair and development as high priorities this year. But the United States notably continues to lag in the global infrastructure competition. Read the approaches recommended in Infrastructure 2011: A Strategic Priorityfor overcoming substantial political and fiscal obstacles.

Apartments are the one housing sector experiencing a strong recovery—and Forbesmagazine and real estate investment firm Marcus & Millichap recently rated the best big cities for renters.

The Commercial Mortgage Alert Trepp weekly survey of 15 active portfolio lenders showed spreads widening an average of 5 basis points during the survey period with financing remains available in the 5 percent +/- range.

Competition for high-paying jobs has the film industry playing an ever-larger role in economic development in places other than California and New York. Forty U.S. states and most Canadian provinces now offer some type of tax credit for in-state production. And local governments are sweetening the pot with offers of free money, land, public financing, and other incentives.

The ULI Robert C. Larson Leadership Initiative gathering, held in March at ULI headquarters in Washington, D.C., provided peer-to-peer exchange of leadership moments, a dialogue about traits of leaders, and leadership stories from participants. Read what participants say were the most valuable lessons they took home with them from the event.