The ULI Robert C. Larson Leadership Initiative held five programs at the 2011 Real Estate Summit at the Spring Council Forum in Phoenix. Read what participants learned from a breakfast cohosted by the ULI Women’s Leadership Initiative, a panel on “Next Generation Cities,” and in sessions titled the Leadership Lab and “Leadership Lessons from the Pros.”

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

When it comes to urban infrastructure—from bridges to transportation systems to master plans—architects impart a sense of place and a human scale. But equally important are basic structural capabilities. Read more to learn what ULI leaders and others have to say about the progress being made in reconciling engineering with architectural values—to the benefit of regions, cities, and the individual.

Top-tier cities like Beijing and Shanghai may be well known to U.S. real estate investors, but lesser-known Chinese cities actually offer better development and investment opportunities, according to the China Cities Survey, a newly published ULI report. Read what nearly 100 real estate investors throughout Asia had to say about development and investment prospects for 16 of China’s leading cities.

Earlier this month, Republicans on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee put forth a six-year, $230 billion proposal that cuts existing federal spending levels by roughly one-third. But last week, a bipartisan group of Senators responded to the House proposal claiming the solution is a shorter bill—only two years—that maintains existing spending levels at $109 billion.

In June 2009, the Obama administration launched the federal livability initiative when three agencies—DOT, EPA, and HUD—formed the Partnership for Sustainable Communities. Read how these agencies over the past two years have advanced livability from a feel-good idea to a core philosophy that is becoming rooted in the federal departments and influencing some real estate patterns in metro areas.

The U.S. and world economies have shown improvement over the past year; however, there are still many uncertainties and troubling trends that worry investors. Last month, Barclays Capital Inc. chief U.S. economist Dean Maki provided his economic outlook during a keynote session at the 2011 Urban Land Institute (ULI) Real Estate Capital Markets Conference in New York City. Hear what Maki said to expect from the U.S. economy over the coming year, interest rates, Federal Reserve policy, and home prices.

Ten projects, all completed in the past five years, show innovative strategies for creating urban breathing spaces, providing residents with opportunities to commune with nature, gather, play, and reflect. Learn how through incorporating large works of public art and leveraging innovative public/private partnerships these parks exemplify the creativity needed to bring respite to city dwellers’ busy lives.

Because of the continued appeal of his unfettered approach to pedestrian-based design, Copenhagen architect and urban designer Jan Gehl has become something of an international celebrity. Read reviews of two of his books, Life Between Buildings, more or less a reprint of his first text published in Danish in 1971, and Cities for People, a Planetizen top ten selection from 2010.

Parks are increasingly being viewed as fiscal drains that further endanger a mayor’s bottom line. To counter that view comes Alexander Garvin, thinker in the realm of cities and public spaces. Read a review of his book Public Parks: The Key to Livable Communities, in which he presents the rationale for considering public parks as fundamental components of the built environment.