Panelists in Westwood encouraged the community to use murals to create a more vibrant, walkable main street, and to focus resources to redevelop prime sites along the Morrison Road corridor.

The three Colorado assignments were the first time ULI advisory panels have concentrated specifically the connection between health and land use. The panels, each of which was chaired by ULI Senior Resident Fellow for Sustainable Development Edward McMahon, looked at three different communities with different typologies: urban, suburban, and

In Lamar, panelists recommended an district approach, with each focus area centered around a community amentiy like a park.

rural. The specific locations were Arvada, a first-ring Denver suburb, Lamar, a rural community in the eastern part of the state, and Westwood, an urban neighborhood in Denver about 3 miles from downtown.

The Colorado Health Foundation was the sponsor for all three panels, with on-the-ground assistance from local governments and organizations.  Each panel’s presentation can be downloaded from this page, and PDFs of the full reports will be posted here as they become available.

Download Arvada Presentation
Download Lamar Presentation
Download Westwood Presentation (English)
Download Westwood Presentation (Spanish)

The Terwilliger Center for Housing is pleased to announce that the call for submissions for the workforce housing awards has been extended! Submissions for the Jack Kemp Workforce Housing Models of Excellence Awards and Robert C. Larson Workforce Housing Public Policy Awards are  now due Friday, May 31, 2013.

• The Jack Kemp Workforce Housing Models of Excellence Awards recognize exemplary developments that meet workforce housing needs in the local community.
• The Robert C. Larson Workforce Housing Public Policy Awards recognize innovative state and local initiatives that provide ongoing and sustainable support for workforce housing.

Both the Jack Kemp Workforce Housing Models of Excellence Awards and the Robert C. Larson Workforce Housing Public Policy Awards winners will be announced at the ULI Fall meeting held in Chicago, IL, November 5-8, 2013.

New this year, submissions may be received via online or hard copy submission. To view past award winners and for more information about the awards criteria, the submission process, and to learn how your workforce housing development or policy initiative can be recognized by ULI’s Terwilliger Center for Housing, visit www.uli.org/terwilligeraward.

 
The City of Long Beach does not operate within a Civic Center commensurate with its size, its status as a world class center of goods movement or its significance to the regional economy. Long Beach seeks to develop a new Civic Center of which the entire city can be proud and which can assert the importance and value of the public realm.

 
The City is soliciting qualifications from project teams capable of delivering a Project in where the project team will design, build, finance, operate, and maintain the Project throughout a minimum 30-year lifecycle.

Download the full RFQ.

For more information on the RFQ to include important dates, background information, and registration, please go to the link below.
http://www.lbds.info/civic_center_rfq/default.asp

Closing Date:
July 26, 2013 at 4:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time

Delivery Address / City of Long Beach Contact:
City of Long Beach
Attn: Michael P. Conway
Director of Business & Property Development
333 W. Ocean Blvd., 13^th Floor
Long Beach, CA 90802

Must register to compete.
Go to http://www.longbeach.gov/purchasing/default.asp to connect to the City’s online registration and bidding.

RFQ Introductory Meeting:
June 5, 2013; 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
City Hall, Council Chamber
333 W. Ocean Blvd.

For more information/questions, contact:
Michael Conway
Director of Business & Property Development
(562) 570-5282 or
Michael.Conway@longbeach.gov

Generation Y: Shopping and Entertainment in the Digital Age Looks at Where and How Gen Y Shops  

For more information, contact Trish Riggs, 202-624-7086; priggs@uli.org

SAN DIEGO (May 16, 2013) – Despite being far more tech-savvy than previous generations, Generation Y, the 80-million strong cohort of Americans between the ages of 18 and 35, has not forsaken shopping in stores for online purchasing – as long as retailers keep their offerings “fresh” and interesting, says a new report from the Urban Land Institute (ULI).

Generation Y: Shopping and Entertainment in the Digital Age, authored by ULI Trustee M. Leanne Lachman, president of real estate consulting firm Lachman Associates LLC; and Deborah L. Brett, founder of Deborah L. Brett & Associates, was released during ULI’s Spring Meeting this week in San Diego.  It is based on an online survey of 1,251 Gen Yers conducted by ULI and Lachman Associates, a focus group conducted at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Business, and a literature search.

The report explores the shopping preferences of Gen Yers, who associate shopping with socializing, and who place a high value on living close to retail (another ULI report released this week found that 62 percent of Gen Yers prefer developments offering a mix of shopping, dining and office space). It notes that while Gen Yers enjoy shopping and dining out, they tend to bore easily, compelling retailers to constantly update their merchandise and find new ways to engage these consumers.

The study found that 37 percent of Gen Yers love shopping and 48 percent enjoy it. Half of the men surveyed and 70 percent of the women consider shopping a form of entertainment and something to share with friends and family. The appeal of shopping is particularly strong among Gen Yers who are Hispanic and African American.

Gen Yers tend to spread their dollars around generously, the study found, with more than half visiting a variety of retail centers at least once a month, including discount department stores (the retail type most frequently visited by Gen Y), community shopping centers, enclosed malls, department stores, big-box power centers, chain apparel stores, and neighborhood business districts. At the same time, 91 percent of respondents said that they had made online purchases over the previous six months, with 45 percent spending more than an hour a day looking at retail-oriented websites.

“Contrary to what some retailers have feared, we found that Gen Y still does most of its purchasing in stores,” said Lachman, president of real estate consulting firm Lachman Associates LLC and executive-in-residence at Columbia University’s Graduate Business School. “Gen Yers use the Internet to research products, compare prices, envision how clothing or accessories might look on them, or respond to flash sales or coupon offers, as well as to purchase items; they are definitely multi-channel shoppers.”

“Gen Yers have grown up with information technology, and they are accustomed to stimulation in the form of music, light, color, and action,” commented ULI Chief Executive Officer Patrick L. Phillips. “Retailers need to continually change their looks, services, and merchandise offerings in order to keep up with this trend-oriented generation.”

One activity that keeps Gen Y on the move, according to the new ULI report, is dining out: 46 percent of the survey respondents said they dine out at least once a week with friends or family; one quarter do so several times each week. Many consider themselves to be serious “foodies.” When they do eat at home, 65 percent shop at least once a week for groceries.

Gen Y is strong not only in numbers but also in purchasing power. Survey respondents’ median income is over $47,000, even though many are in school and are working only part-time. Over a third of Gen Yers receive financial assistance from their parents. Many grew up relatively wealthy, and less than nine percent have ongoing credit card debt exceeding $6,000.

The findings from the survey have numerous implications for today’s retail property owners, developers and managers, including the following:

• Restaurants at all price points are popular with Gen Y, but owners should be careful of providing tenants with generous improvement allowances to attract them. Young consumers tend to move from one “hot spot” to another; vacancies can result when a hot trend turns cold.
• Enclosed malls remain popular, but can face challenges to retain their appeal among fickle consumers. To keep shoppers visiting, mall owners should refresh interiors frequently, encourage social gatherings, incorporate movie theaters and renovate obsolete ones, add specialty food purveyors and grocery stores, serve as pick-up points for merchandise ordered online, and encourage pop-up stores.
• Malls are big contributors to the chronic inventory of excess retail space in the U.S.; many are ripe for redevelopment. Smaller formats are more suitable for time-conscious shoppers, many of whom may just be looking at goods that they will ultimately buy online.
• Gen Y strongly supports discount department stores and warehouse clubs – a format that could supplant aging malls and be suitable for infill sites. In contrast, power centers with single-focus “big box” stores are losing out to both warehouse clubs and online aggregators such as Amazon.
• Most lifestyle centers target older, affluent shoppers; to attract Gen Y, owners should  focus on apparel brands favored by Gen Y, offer more choice in eateries and include specialties such as a gym, salon, “green” grocer, bike shop, pet store and/or dog run, and uniquely local offerings.

The big winners in Gen Y’s multi-channel purchasing patterns, the report concludes, are warehousing and logistics. E-commerce needs both distribution warehousing and “pick-and-pack” operations. Retailers will continue to experiment with different methods of online and in-store fulfillment in search of cost efficiencies and faster deliveries.

The Generation Y report is now available for download.

NOTE TO EDITORS AND REPORTERS: To speak with a ULI expert about the report and the survey findings, contact Trish Riggs at 202-624-7086 (work); 202-679-4557 (cell); priggs@uli.org.

About the Urban Land Institute
The Urban Land Institute (www.uli.org) is a nonprofit education and research institute supported by its members. Its mission is to provide leadership in the responsible use of land and in creating and sustaining thriving communities worldwide. Established in 1936, the Institute has nearly 30,000 members worldwide representing all aspects of land use and development disciplines.

New global report from the Urban Land Institute and Ernst & Young highlights the critical role of local and state governments in meeting US infrastructure requirements

For more information, contact: Trish Riggs (ULI), 202-624-7086; priggs@uli.org

SAN DIEGO (May 16, 2013) State and local governments in the U.S. are leading the way in delivering infrastructure projects against a backdrop of budget constraints and an ongoing lack of consensus about future investments by the federal government, according to Infrastructure 2013: Global Priorities, Global Insights, a joint report from the Urban Land Institute (ULI) and Ernst & Young.

The report points out that state and local governments account for approximately 75 percent of all infrastructure spending, with the remainder supplied by the federal government. However despite this expenditure, infrastructure spending as a percentage of GDP has shrunk to only 2.4 percent from its peak of more than 3 percent during the 1960s.

With uncertain federal support, state and local governments are advocating local tax rises and higher user fees and tolls to pay for key infrastructure investments. Governors and mayors, notes the report, are promoting these initiatives to their constituents by emphasizing the benefits of infrastructure projects as employment opportunities and as an economic stimulus.

“Many local government officials recognize the strategic need to plan for future requirements,” said ULI Chief Executive Officer Patrick L. Phillips. “With the extent of federal support uncertain, many of these officials are taking action for themselves, often pioneering innovative funding models.”

Howard Roth, Ernst & Young’s Global Real Estate Leader, added, “The U.S. has a continuing substantial need to upgrade its infrastructure to keep up with global competitors. There is a clear and powerful linkage between investments in infrastructure and the future growth, real estate development and vibrancy of cities and regions.  Capitalizing on these connections requires public leadership and investment as well as private initiative and capital.”

Mike Parker, Infrastructure Advisory leader for the Americas Area of the Ernst & Young organization, and Senior Managing Director of Ernst & Young Infrastructure Advisors LLC, commented, “Well-conceived infrastructure is a foundation for growth and a higher quality of life in any city or community. We are encouraged by the growing recognition by leaders in both the public and private spheres of the importance of infrastructure investment.  We are seeing renewed efforts to accelerate needed projects, make hard decisions and bring creativity, foresight and sound economic stewardship to critical infrastructure development.”

State and local officials often must overcome skepticism that expenditures on infrastructure will provide appropriate value for tax payers and system users or that the projects can be delivered on-time and on-budget. To that end, some state and local governments are experimenting successfully with design-build construction and public-private partnerships (PPP) which include turnkey delivery, long term performance responsibilities and financing for new infrastructure projects and maintenance.

Interviewees in this year’s report see a large pipeline of potential deals developing but are mindful of the need to demonstrate good value and not unduly impair flexibility to meet changing needs in the future.  In addition, in sectors where there are not targeted federal credit programs, the disparity between private and federally tax-exempt costs of capital requires a more compelling greater justification for undertaking public private partnerships than in other countries which do not have tax-exempt public financing options.  In the U.S., the cost of borrowing for all levels of government remains near record lows.  Access to capital is constrained by future funding projections rather than capital markets.

A significant number of pension funds and global investors have an unmet demand for domestic, taxable infrastructure investment opportunities. However, many institutional investors remain cautious about investing in infrastructure at the development phase, struggling to project investment performance based solely on revenue forecasts or to accept construction risk. There is governmental interest in projects that combine infrastructure and real estate development, but investors generally perceive these as two separate markets.  There is strong institutional investor interest for completed infrastructure projects which are well into construction and pose limited revenue risk. TIAA-CREF and several large public pension plan sponsors such as the California Public Employees Retirement System are leading the way in investing in infrastructure and more are expected to follow as an increasing number of fund managers and certain types of projects demonstrate solid investor returns.

More states and cities, like Chicago, are considering establishing infrastructure banks to enable more creative financing of local projects. However, these business models remain in development as they work to address governance and tax-exempt finance complications.  Ultimately, financing alone will not address structural needs for greater and more predictable long-term funding mechanisms.

Many cities and regions find they can achieve more by pooling resources. In a promising initiative for regional cooperation along the Pacific Coast, California, Oregon, and Washington have joined forces with British Columbia in Canada to explore funding strategies for upwards of $1 trillion in shared infrastructure projects to promote growth over the next three decades.

Some progress has been made on federal support for key infrastructure sectors, most notably the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21) bill which was enacted by Congress in 2012.  The bill consolidates numerous highway and mass transit programs, allocates $1 billion for projects of national and regional significance, and expands the popular Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) credit-support program. The TIFIA program has a lending capacity of $750 million in 2013 and $1 billion in 2014, representing about $17 billion in lending capacity, however, the deployment of loan funds has been slowed by administrative procedures.

Of critical concern to future road investment in the US is the pending insolvency of the Highway Trust Funds within the next few years at current rates of expenditure.. Reliance on a federal motor fuels tax that does not escalate with CPI or other factors is undermining longer-term planning for critical highway and mass transit investments nationally.
The report cautions that there is an urgent need is to determine the future of the Highway Trust Fund amid spending reductions, erosion of projected revenues on a real dollar basis and a lack of political appetite for new taxes.

Infrastructure 2013: Global Priorities, Global Insights highlights a number of key US projects to watch this year:

• Atlanta Multi-Modal Passenger Terminal – Georgia’s state capital is advancing the planning for a $1.2 billion downtown multimodal (subway-bus-streetcar-passenger rail) terminal through a master developer agreement procured under the state’s PPP framework. This project will help expand the city’s mass transit network and anchor private redevelopment of the surrounding 120 acre study area  into a remodeled commercial center.
• Chicago Union Station – Chicago is considering a makeover of its Union Station as a catalyst for new commercial projects and increased property values that would help finance the renovation.
• Seattle Alaskan Way Viaduct – Seattle is moving forward on replacement of a decrepit downtown viaduct with a $3 billion, 1.8-mile toll tunnel, which will dramatically revamp the city’s waterfront, reduce center-city congestion, and pave the way for new commercial projects.
• New York State has executed a firm-fixed price design-build contract for the building of a new $4 billion Tappan Zee Bridge next to the nearly 60-year-old existing span. The state is making an allowance in the design for the addition of a future mass transit crossing.
• California High-Speed Rail – California is progressing with the development of a San Francisco–to–Los Angeles high-speed rail line. However, the completion of the multibillion-dollar project remains dependent on private financing and additional federal funding, which has not yet been secured.
• Streetcar systems across the country – Encouraged by transit-oriented development successes in Portland, Oregon, cities across the United States are building small-scale, street-running rail systems to link neighborhoods and provide transit connectivity. Dallas, Fort Lauderdale, Atlanta, Charlotte, Arlington (Virginia), and other municipalities are advancing systems, while the District of Columbia is launching a procurement process for a 22-mile system (eventually growing to 37 miles) that would be the most comprehensive in the country.

Scanning the globe, Infrastructure 2013: Global Priorities, Global Insights concludes that emerging markets spenders such as China, Brazil, and the Middle East Gulf states, and mature economies such as the United Kingdom, France, and the United States—now constrained by austerity—can still find a competitive edge. Those who pay attention to urban mobility, setting priorities, wisely incorporating public/private partnerships, and addressing climate change will come out ahead. The report features quotes and insights from infrastructure leaders from around the globe.

Infrastructure 2013: Global Priorities, Global Insights is the seventh of annual infrastructure reports published by the Urban Land Institute and Ernst & Young. The report reviews key global infrastructure trends, policies and issues based on in-depth research and interviews with leading experts from around the world.

A copy of the report can be downloaded at www.uli.org/infrastructurereport.

About the Urban Land Institute
The Urban Land Institute (www.uli.org) is a global nonprofit education and research institute supported by its members. Its mission is to provide leadership in the responsible use of land and in creating and sustaining thriving communities worldwide.  Established in 1936, the Institute has nearly 30,000 members representing all aspects of land use and development disciplines.

America in 2013, released during ULI’s Spring Meeting this week in San Diego, has been cited in a recent Wall Street Journal article, “Is Generation Y a ‘Game Changer’ for Housing?”  ULI’s Infrastructure Initiative and Terwilliger Center for Housing collaborated on the nationwide survey which interviewed 1,202 adults.

Wall Street Journal reporter, Kris Hudson, writes:

ULI heralds Generation Y, with nearly 80 million members, as a potential “game changer” in the U.S. real estate market (they are also known as “millennials”). Of survey respondents in that age range, 59% said they prefer their neighborhood to have a variety of housing types; 62% favor mixed-use developments with shops, restaurants and offices; and 52% like pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods.

In addition, 55% of Generation Y respondents said close proximity of their home to public transportation is important. The survey found that Generation Y is more likely than older generations to live in apartments and in downtowns, with 54% favoring renting and 39% favoring city living.

Click here to read the full article.

To learn more about America in 2013: A ULI Survey of Views on Housing, Transportation and Community visit www.uli.org/communitysurvey.

For more information, contact Trish Riggs, 202-624-7086; priggs@uli.org

SAN DIEGO (May 15, 2013) — A new report from the Urban Land Institute (ULI) underscores the influence that growing demographic groups in the U.S. – in particular Generation Y, African Americans, and Latinos – will have on reshaping urban growth patterns by spurring more development of compact, mixed-use communities with reliable, convenient transit service.

America in 2013, released during ULI’s Spring Meeting this week in San Diego, is based on a nationwide survey of 1,202 adults conducted between January 16 and February 3, 2013. It includes responses from Generation Y (representing 30 percent of the total), born between 1979 and 1995 and numbering near 80 million; Generation X (23 percent), born between 1966 and 1978 and totaling about 50 million; Baby Boomers (31 percent), born between 1947 and 1965 and numbering 75 million; War Babies (12 percent), born between 1932 and 1946; and the Silent Generation (3 percent), born in 1931 or earlier; together War Babies and the Silent Generation number 35 million.

On the whole, the survey suggests that demand will continue to rise for infill residential development that is less car-dependent, while demand could wane for isolated development in outlying suburbs. The survey found that among all respondents, 61 percent said they would prefer a smaller home with a shorter commute over a larger home with longer commute. Fifty-three want to live close to shopping; 52 percent would prefer to live in mixed-income housing and 51 percent prefer access to public transportation.

Of the three major generations in the report (Gen Y, Gen X and Baby Boomers), Gen Y – the largest generation, the most racially and ethnically diverse , and the one not yet fully immersed in the housing and jobs market – is the generation that is likely to have the most profound impact on land use. Fifty-nine percent of Gen Y said they prefer diversity in housing choices; 62 percent prefer developments offering a mix of shopping, dining and office space; and 76 percent place high value on walkability in communities.

Sixty-three percent of the Gen Y respondents said they plan to move in the next five years, along with 63 percent of African Americans, 54 percent of Latinos, and 56 percent of those currently living in a large city. The preferences of Gen Y are similar to those of people of color across all the generations. These different demographic cohorts are all growing in number, and together are creating a significant market shift toward compact, mixed-use development that is close to transit.

Seventy-five percent of African Americans indicated a preference for mixed-use developments; 63 percent prefer to live in mixed-income communities; and 56 percent said they prefer a mix of housing types. Seventy-seven percent desire access to public transit. Nearly half (47 percent) the African Americans surveyed are part of Gen Y.

Fifty-eight percent of Latinos surveyed said they prefer to live in a mixed-use community; 48 percent prefer mixed-income communities; and 50 percent prefer a mix of housing. More than half (54 percent) of the Latinos surveyed are Gen Yers.

“The choices being made by these groups are upending long-held notions about what is considered traditional neighborhood development,” said ULI Chief Executive Officer Patrick L. Phillips. “We’ve entered an era in land use that will be defined by development that conserves land and energy, and which offers consumers plenty of options in where they live and how they get from one place to another.”

The tendency to prefer city living, to rent rather than own housing, and take transit are highest among Gen Y, African Americans and Latinos. Forty percent of Gen Yers, 43 percent of Latinos and 35 percent of African Americans indicated a desire to live in a medium to large city. These were the groups most eager for more employment choices in their communities.

Fifty-four percent of the Gen Yers surveyed are renters; as are 63 percent of African Americans and 52 percent of Latinos. While the survey found an overwhelming reliance on cars for commuting — 85 percent of all respondents said they drive to work or school – use of transit was highest by African Americans (32 percent), Latinos (20 percent) and Gen Y (18 percent). More than half the Gen Y respondents placed a high priority on proximity to public transit, and 23 percent reported walking to destinations, the highest percentage of walkers among the generations.

While not quite as uniform as the preferences of Gen Y, the housing and transportation choices of Baby Boomers also trended toward a break from the past. The report suggests that as Baby Boomers age, many are choosing living environments with characteristics more urban than suburban: the survey found that 72 percent would opt for a shorter commute and a smaller home, over a longer commute and a larger home; and nearly half — 49 percent — want to live near developments offering a mix of shopping, dining and offices. Fifty-two percent said access to public transportation is important.

Responses from Generation X participants indicate that this group, often overshadowed by Gen Y and the Baby Boomers, is the generation most likely to favor single-family suburban neighborhoods and the most likely to have children living at home (70%).  Less than half of the Gen Xers (45 percent) said they wanted public transportation options; 92 percent said they commute by car. Gen Xers were the least likely to value being close to friends and family, medical care, shopping and entertainment.  However, despite these views, 54 percent indicated a preference for a shorter commute with a smaller home. Forty-three percent preferred a longer commute with a larger home.

The War Babies and the Silent Generation are, not surprisingly, the groups least likely to have recently moved or be moving. While most own single-family homes, they want to live in communities that are highly walkable, and which are close to family and friends, medical care, shopping, entertainment and parks. Few are still working, so proximity to employment centers is a very low priority.

Other key survey findings:

• In general, the lure of homeownership remains strong: Seventy-one percent of all respondents said buying a home is a good investment, despite the housing crisis and ensuing home price declines.
• The quality of public transit is acceptable, where it’s available: Of those with access to buses and trains, 75 percent rate the quality as satisfactory. However, half of those with no access to buses and trains were dissatisfied by this situation.  Fifty-two percent of the population said that convenient public transportation was important to them.
• Safety and high-quality schools top the list of most sought-after community attributes: Ninety-two percent of all respondents ranked neighborhood safety as the most important attribute; good schools ranked as the second highest (79 percent).
• Having space and proximity are equally important: In seemingly contradictory responses, 72 percent of the survey participants said having space between neighbors is a priority; yet 71 percent placed a high value on being close to employment , schools, and healthcare facilities, and 70 percent  rated walkability as a key attribute.
• Seventy-seven percent of the respondents reported using a car, truck or motorcycle nearly every day. However, 22 percent said they walk to a destination almost daily, and 6 percent said they take public transit.

America in 2013 was prepared jointly by the ULI Terwilliger Center for Housing and ULI’s Infrastructure Initiative. The ULI Terwilliger Center for Housing engages in a multifaceted program of work that furthers the development of mixed-income, mixed-use communities with a full spectrum of housing. The Infrastructure Initiative works to promote more sustainable infrastructure investment choices and to foster an improved understanding of the links between infrastructure and land use. The survey was conducted by Belden Russonello Strategists LLC. The margin of sampling error for the results is plus or minus 2.9 percentage points.

The full survey report and other materials are available at www.uli.org/communitysurvey.

NOTE TO EDITORS AND REPORTERS: To speak with a ULI expert about the report and the survey findings, contact Trish Riggs at 202-624-7086 (work); 202-679-4557 (cell); priggs@uli.org.

About the Urban Land Institute
The Urban Land Institute (www.uli.org) is a nonprofit education and research institute supported by its members. Its mission is to provide leadership in the responsible use of land and in creating and sustaining thriving communities worldwide. Established in 1936, the Institute has nearly 30,000 members worldwide representing all aspects of land use and development disciplines

Annual infrastructure report from ULI and Ernst & Young, released at ULI’s Spring Meeting in San Diego today, captures global infrastructure insights.

Infrastructure 2013: Global Priorities, Global Insights is the seventh in a series of global infrastructure reports produced by the Urban Land Institute and Ernst & Young. The report assesses the state of infrastructure globally, connecting strong infrastructure investment decisions to national and metropolitan prosperity.

Download the Report Buy the Print Edition

Infrastructure 2013 includes:

• Up-to-date information on the latest infrastructure investment trends, challenges, and innovations;
• Coverage of the Americas, Europe/Middle East/Africa, and the Asia Pacific region;
• Informative charts and graphs;
• Highlights of transformative infrastructure investments from around the world; and
• Insights from the infrastructure field’s leading experts and thinkers.

Release Activities

The report will be shared with ULI’s Council networks through speaking engagements held during the spring and summer of 2013.

ULI North Florida Presents Infrastructure 2013 – May 21st

ULI New York Presents Infrastructure 2013 – June 25th

ULI Cincinnati Presents Infrastructure 2013 – June 27th

For the Media

For media inquiries, contact Trish Riggs at 202-624-7086 or priggs@uli.org. You can also read more on the report’s findings about:

• The Americas
• The Asia Pacific region

Prior Year Infrastructure Reports

Click here to view prior year infrastructure reports.

The strongest candidate will understand the balance of effectively stepping up to lead groups, while knowing when to lead from behind. A strong sense of vision and focus to plan “big picture” is essential. The candidate must be motivated, detail-oriented, highly organized, with passion and an ability to see and steer potential in groups. In addition, the candidate will be a flexible team member who can adapt fluidly and quickly in a fast-paced work environment.

As an integral part of the district council team, the manager serves as a liaison among ULI headquarters, the district council, and ULI Northwest real estate and land use professionals. Often the manager is the face of the local ULI district council program; because members call him/her first for help and information, it is imperative that the Manager be courteous and friendly. The manager will need to travel to ULI district council events throughout Washington State and Oregon and work some early mornings and evenings.

The manager serves as an informed resource for the district council’s advisory board and standing committees, staffing these committees to ensure that all committee work is consistent with ULI’s policies and procedures and that the district council’s goals and objectives are met.

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES:

The manager’s overall responsibility is to coordinate and facilitate the district council’s goals and objectives. This entails working closely with the executive director, director, administrative assistant, advisory board and other committee members to meet the goals of the district council.

Leadership

• Develop and maintain key external strategic alliances with other professional, academic, public sector, and non-profit organizations
• Support the executive director, chair, and management committee in its administration and in leadership development and succession
• Assist membership chair to provide opportunities for active member engagement in our program of work
• Assist in managing all logistical aspects of planning and implementing regional and statewide programs
• Develop and implement community outreach initiatives that are aligned with the ULI mission and the district council’s 5-year strategic plan
• Act as main liaison between ULI Northwest staff in Seattle and the Portland co-chair and local committees; attend various meetings and events as required and report to executive director
• Manage and support the Center for Sustainable Leadership, including all aspects of planning and implementation

Committee Support

• Support committees by sending meeting notices, tracking RSVPs, updating committee lists, assisting with recruiting and retaining volunteers, and preparing for committee meetings
• Work with committees to ensure individual assignments are accomplished between committee meetings
• Attend advisory board and committee meetings, produce minutes, and disseminate to committee members and ULI staff
• Assist committees in producing and implementing their annual plans

Programs

• Prepare event hand-outs and visuals (i.e. agendas, speaker bios, PowerPoint presentations)
• Assist director with all meeting logistics
• Keep list of potential member volunteers and manage volunteer assignments to support events

Administration

• Access records from ULI’s database to generate labels, reports, meeting rosters, badges, etc.
• Receive and answer phone/email inquiries from members and prospects
• Perform various administrative duties and special projects as required as part of the district council team

Communications

• Keep abreast of and master new communication technology, software and social media and assist with implementation (e.g. networking websites, digital video editing, etc.)

Grant Writing

• Research and write grant applications to support the district council’s initiatives

CAPACITIES, SKILLS & EXPERTISE (required):

• Content Knowledge: Substantive expertise in real estate and land use
• Detail-oriented: Meticulous attention to detail
• Communication skills: Professional oral and written communication skills, including exceptional spelling and grammar
• Interpersonal skills: Highly developed interpersonal skills to work with senior executives in the private and public sectors
• Initiative: Ability to initiate tasks and assume responsibility, and to work with minimal supervision in a high production position
• Multi-tasking and follow-through: Ability to prioritize tasks, handle multiple tasks concurrently and completely, and complete tasks on time, with responsible follow-through
• Time management: Strong time management skills
• Organizational skills: Strong organizational skills
• Computer skills: Strong computer skills, including advanced facility with Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and Adobe products; minimum 60 words per minute keyboard skills
• Flexibility: Ability to attend early morning and evening events, and events in other cities across the region and North America
• Vehicle: Use of personal vehicle and/or ability to rent vehicle for business use
• Strength: Ability to lift 30 pound boxes during event preparation and set-up
• Education: Bachelor’s degree required; master’s degree in related field preferred

DESIRED (not required):

• Grant writing: Experience in researching and writing grant applications
• Graphic design: Ability to produce collateral material of a professional quality by using Adobe InDesign or similar software
• Event management/committees: Prior experience in event management or committee facilitation

Despite being far more tech-savvy than previous generations, Generation Y, the 80-million strong cohort of Americans between the ages of 18 and 35, has not forsaken shopping in stores for online purchasing—as long as retailers keep their offerings “fresh” and interesting, says a new report from ULI.

Generation Y: Shopping and Entertainment in the Digital Age explores the shopping preferences of Gen Yers, who associate shopping with socializing, and who place a high value on living close to retail. It notes that while Gen Yers enjoy shopping and dining out, they tend to bore easily, compelling retailers to constantly update their merchandise and find new ways to engage these consumers.

Read the Report

The findings have numerous implications for today’s retail property owners, developers and managers, including the following:

• Restaurants at all price points are popular with Gen Y, but owners should be careful of providing tenants with generous improvement allowances to attract them. Young consumers tend to move from one “hot spot” to another; vacancies can result when a hot trend turns cold.
• Enclosed malls remain popular, but can face challenges to retain their appeal among fickle consumers. To keep shoppers visiting, mall owners should refresh interiors frequently, encourage social gatherings, incorporate movie theaters and renovate obsolete ones, add specialty food purveyors and grocery stores, serve as pick-up points for merchandise ordered online, and encourage pop-up stores.
• Malls are big contributors to the chronic inventory of excess retail space in the U.S.; many are ripe for redevelopment. Smaller formats are more suitable for time-conscious shoppers, many of whom may just be looking at goods that they will ultimately buy online.
• Gen Y strongly supports discount department stores and warehouse clubs – a format that could supplant aging malls and be suitable for infill sites. In contrast, power centers with single-focus “big box” stores are losing out to both warehouse clubs and online aggregators such as Amazon.
• Most lifestyle centers target older, affluent shoppers; to attract Gen Y, owners should  focus on apparel brands favored by Gen Y, offer more choice in eateries and include specialties such as a gym, salon, “green” grocer, bike shop, pet store and/or dog run, and uniquely local offerings.

Authors M. Leanne Lachman and Deborah L. Brett based their report on an online survey of 1,251 Gen Yers conducted by ULI and Lachman Associates, a focus group conducted at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Business, and a literature search.