For over 30 years, Kay Granger has advocated for cities and supported the revitalization of downtown Fort Worth, Texas. Formerly a planning commissioner and later mayor of that city, Granger is now a congresswoman representing Texas’s 12th District who champions the use of public/private partnerships to revitalize cities. Read what she said ULI members can do to support and advance her efforts.

Four demographic- and age-related factors are converging that will heavily influence the development of urban areas going forward. So says Dr. Ken Dychtwald, chief executive officer of Age Wave and a keynote speaker at ULI’s recent Real Estate Summit at the Spring Council Forum. Read what Dychtwald has to say about the age wave and anticipating the changes needs for boomers, Gen X, and Gen Y.

Moderated by ULI Chairman Jeremy Newsum, panelists at ULI’s Spring Council Forum concurred that the pendulum has now swung to a point in which real estate and land use is viewed far more as a long-term business, yielding long-term gains for those who are patient and have realistic expectations. Read what panelists feel about balancing the interests of investors and owners against those of tenants occupying buildings.

One key takeaway from the 2011 ULI Real Estate Summit Industry Roundtables is that there is now a line to get money invested in income-producing real estate, says ULI’s senior fellow of finance, Stephen Blank. Read Blank’s litany of takeaways from ULI’s Spring Council Forum sessions, “Real Estate Capital and Policy Trends” and “Sourcing Debt and Equity.”

Partnerships, mobility, creativity, and clear vision of the elements necessary for a high quality of life will result in the successful cities of the future say Phoenix Mayor Gordon, Salt Lake City Mayor Becker, former Pittsburgh Mayor Murphy and Story Bellows, director of the Mayors’ Institute on City Design. Read what advice and examples were offered by the mayors and experts at a ULI Spring Council Summit.

Energy efficiency in existing buildings represents a potential $200 billion savings for owners and tenants. Retrofitting buildings to become more energy efficient creates U.S. construction sector jobs, enhances building value and attracts tenants. Read about the keys to this equation and the efforts underway to quantify the long term value in a manner that can be reflected in building appraisals as discussed by a panel of industry experts on energy efficiency at the 2011 ULI Spring Council Forum.

“In the U.S., we are spending only half the amount that needs to be spent on infrastructure,” says Maureen McAvey, executive vice president of ULI, echoing the conclusion of a new study by ULI and Ernst & Young titled “Infrastructure 2011: A Strategic Priority.” Read why the United States is falling far behind emerging markets when it comes to fulfilling infrastructure agendas.

The housing market will recover, but we just don’t know when, says Brad DeLong at the ULI 2011 Spring Council Forum in Phoenix, Arizona. Mr. DeLong says that while the current, anemic housing market can be attributed to real causes, it is part of the normal business cycle and other factors. Read what Mr. DeLong, Professor of International Economics at UC Berkley, sees ahead for the economy.

Cities that will succeed in the 21st Century will have to be well managed, vibrant, educated, have raw materials, be entrepreneurial and have available capital, according to ULI senior resident fellow and former Pittsburgh Mayor Tom Murphy. Read what he and other panelists offered as keys to building a city that will succeed.

Resort communities and hotels have suffered the blows of the recession and are beginning to see the light of day. A panel of developers at ULI’s 2011 Spring Council Forum in Phoenix discussed just how this sector is faring and where the opportunities lie now. Read to what degree the panelists think the resort sector is emerging from the recession.