Property Types
Hotels and Resorts
Wise choices in fixtures, finishes, and functions may draw guests’ attention.
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The InterContinental Shanghai Wonderland Hotel in China’s Songjiang District, near Shanghai, appears modest when approached from ground level because only two storeys project above ground and green roofs help them blend into the surrounding greenery. But when guests step inside, they see the dramatic construction, attached to the rock like a hanging garden.
Industrial
ULI MEMBER–ONLY CONTENT: The dramatic increase in online shopping in the United States has only further increased the appetite for properties close to population centers.
Global growth in e-commerce spurred by the coronavirus pandemic is boosting investor interest in a “new economy” asset class dominated by data centers and logistics facilities, speakers said in early September at a session during the ULI Asia Pacific REImagine conference.
A recent ULI Europe webinar looked at the “new normal” for urban logistics including the possibilities of drone delivery and how a downturn and changes in regulation could free up more locations in central business districts.
Mixed-Use
Kansas City’s Berkley Riverfront, on the banks of the Missouri River, is rapidly becoming one of the most promising urban developments in North America. With a history rooted in trade and commerce, and an unmatched reputation for world-class sports, the Heartland of America riverfront is on the brink of becoming a diverse, modern-day community hub of activity, blending residential, commercial, and recreational space.
A recent announcement from the Atlanta city government has once again sparked conversation around the redevelopment of a once-vibrant mall in Atlanta’s historic West End neighborhood.
The construction landscape has largely held steady across the United States and Canada.
Multifamily
Setting the tone for this year’s ULI Asia Pacific Summit, moderator Lola Woetzel, senior partner emerita at McKinsey & Company, presented a panel of industry leaders with the perennial question: “How does it feel to live here?” The discussion brought into sharp focus the complex realities shaping housing across the region.
Zed Smith is the chief operating officer for The Cordish Companies. In that capacity—now for almost a decade—Smith oversees all aspects of the company’s operating properties portfolio, which includes numerous high-profile entertainment, mixed-use, and sports-anchored developments located in urban communities nationwide. Many of those developments have been transformative, thanks to their economic and cultural impact.
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Office
In the heart of London’s Covent Garden neighborhood, a complex of five Victorian-era structures—previously housing a seed merchant company, a brass and iron foundry, and a Nonconformist chapel, among other uses—have been restored and adapted into a single, cohesive office building with ground-floor retail and dining space. The three-year restoration preserved the property’s industrial heritage and provides flexibility to meet the needs of today’s workforce.
In late September 2019, 7,300 commuter students were settling into their routines at the University of Southern Maine (USM) in Portland, where the academic year had just begun. Then, at the end of the month, a fire main broke beneath the repurposed industrial building serving as the student center, flooding it with six inches of mud. City officials declared the building uninhabitable, leaving the school without a student center.
Canada’s real estate market is in the midst of a pivotal shift as the Bank of Canada (BoC) rolls back what has been “higher for longer” interest rates. Yet despite welcome relief on financing costs, real estate leaders are still moving somewhat cautiously amid uncertainty and fluid market dynamics.
Residental
As leaders in land use, real estate, and commercial development, ULI members can counter homelessness and advance solutions that are cost-effective and rapidly deployable. Indeed, last summer, through the support of members led by Preston and Caroline Butcher, ULI launched its Homeless to Housed (H2H) program.
Top experts share innovative programming and latest strategies to fund development.
Last year, Massachusetts passed the Multi-Family Zoning Requirement for MBTA Communities (also known as Section 3A). When fully implemented, the law will affect the 175 municipalities—half of the total in the commonwealth—that are served by the state’s mass transit system. Section 3A mandates that there must be at least one zoning district where multi-family housing is allowed “as of right.”
Retail
Neglected yet historic department store remade into a vibrant destination anchored by buzzy health food grocer.
Companies including Macy’s, Nordstrom, Kohl’s, and IKEA are rolling out small-format stores around the country, often in suburban areas, as they try other ways to connect with their customers.
While some big-box retail stores are closing, some developers are eyeing opportunities with retail-to-life science conversions or additions.