With U.S. cities increasingly strapped for cash, it comes as no surprise that community benefit districts (CBDs) are gaining in popularity. But will CBDs redefine America’s cities of the future? A growing number of property owners think so.

Community benefit districts (CBDs) were first developed in Maryland during the 1980s, but business improvement districts (BIDs) date back to the early 1970s in the Canadian city of Toronto.

Reuse of cargo containers as building blocks in a small Seattle hybrid commercial building helps contain costs and speed construction.