Tag: development

Green Affordable Housing

Most coveted features

The widespread presence of sustainability features in affordable housing is finally underway thanks to changes in government regulations and financing incentives. Key green features are in high demand, forming a new standard in affordable housing. Affordable housing communities are becoming greener from the ground up, beginning with optimal placement: the north-south and east-west orientation of […]

A Winning Combo

Mixing Residential and Retail

The nation’s home ownership rate is on the decline as rising real estate prices and mortgage rates hold back demand. According to the latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the ownership rate dropped to 64.8 percent in the first quarter 2014 from 65.0 percent in the first quarter 2013 and 65.2 in the previous […]

Smart Cities

Getting smarter every day

Technology firms such as IBM, Microsoft, and Cisco have created software that transforms inanimate infrastructure into seemingly animated characters. Pipes identify their own leaks. Streets alert police of accidents and traffic jams. Buildings submit maintenance requests. The innovations offer endless possibilities. Fears of a high-tech dystopia, however, overshadow their efforts. Technology leaders must overcome public […]

Water + Trash

Creative vision in NYC

New York City has more miles of waterfront than Seattle, San Francisco, Chicago, and Portland combined. In fact, the City’s stature grew directly from its connection to the water, but at times throughout its history, the citizens turned their back on the waterfront, both literally and figuratively. That is about to change. Under Mayor Bloomberg’s […]

Healthy Places

Enhancing the Built Environment

The built environment has a huge impact on every aspect of human life. The places in which we live, work and play can affect both our mental and physical wellbeing. As a promoter of healthy communities, the Urban Land Institute (ULI) has launched a series of projects aimed at encouraging sustainable living choices among urban […]

LEED v4 Goes Live

Coherence & Efficiency

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) officially launched LEED v4, the newest version of the LEED green building program, at the Greenbuild International Conference and Expo in Philadelphia. Ever since the first LEED Pilot Project Program (also known as LEED Version 1.0) was introduced at the USGBC Membership Summit in August 1998, the LEED, or […]

Affordability Crisis

Hurting for housing

Every morning at 8am, the construction crews begin working on the neighborhood behind my home in an Atlanta suburb. The sounds of hammers, trucks, and lively music are a sign that the housing market is recovering. While these lots will make lovely homes for some, their $250,000+ price tags exclude buyers most in need of […]

Agriburbia

Developing amidst farmland

The community garden just isn’t big enough anymore. And when it comes to creating a residential neighborhood that will embody sustainable practices, the local food movement, and love of open spaces, agriburbia has come forward as an exciting alternative. Never heard of it? Neither had I, until a few weeks ago. But just the name […]

Greener Pads

Compact Development

Smart growth approaches have proven effective in reshaping the face of the built environment. Communities across the country, be it urban hubs or bedroom communities, cities, towns or rural places, have embraced green building principles in an effort to foster healthy neighborhoods and create strong local economies. Smart growth features in community development include the […]

Adaptive Reuse

New life for old buildings

Among a series of initiatives aimed at improving the urban landscape, adaptive reuse comes as a sustainable solution now embraced by many developers and urban planners. Attempts to revitalize old, unoccupied structures gain importance due to economic and social implications. Projects that involve the restoration of a blighted building or the renovation of a vacant […]

Mills Properties

Developing mixed use in St. Louis

St. Louis isn’t known as a hipster haven. But the city’s developers are gradually embracing the concept of walkable urban neighborhoods. The reinvention of a portion of the city’s downtown, into what’s now known as the MX District, leads the way. MX stands for Mercantile Exchange, hearkening back to the days when downtown St. Louis […]

Changing Skylines

High-Rise Trend Challenges History

The boom in high-rise construction signals a new era of success in multi-family housing. Critics, however, believe that the influx of luxury towers could lead to cities plagued by costly giants. The rise in land prices serves as a catalyst in the vertical construction trend. Reports by Zelman and Associates and The Federal Reserve Bank […]

LCOR

Expanding in Philadelphia

Though Philadelphia is a major city, on the whole, many apartment developers haven’t sought out to construct new buildings in the area. However, Yardi client LCOR, a real estate development, management and investment company, is looking to expand their pipeline in the area, which they consider to have unique attributes. “I think this is an […]

Green Office Design

Enhancing the office environment

A new generation of highly-efficient buildings, focused on carbon reduction and livability, demonstrate that smart living calls for tech and green combined. The green building movement is not limited to new construction projects; green principles can be easily incorporated into existing environments as well by overhauling interiors, using eco-friendly materials and supplies, and educating on […]

Student Housing Trends

College life gets luxurious

Gone are the days when undergraduates settled for shared rooms, communal showers and a weary daily commute to classes. Today everything is about sustainable lifestyles and people’s ability to choose between a wide array of housing options, according to individual needs and preferences. Rising incomes, improving standards of living and a diversified housing inventory have […]

Green and Affordable

Eco-friendly low income options

Green building has gained momentum in the affordable housing sector, providing some of society’s marginalized residents with hip, eco-friendly—and budget friendly—living accommodations. It has been a long time coming but it is finally here: affordable housing has blossomed from the ugly ducklings of architecture into beautiful swans, complete with coveted interiors, state-of-the-art green features and […]

LEED v4

Updated green guide

A thirst for improved building performance, coupled with growing awareness of the planet’s limited resources, have contributed to a new series of impressive commercial developments that boast highly efficient environments as well as reduced carbon footprints. The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has played a major part in the worldwide growth of the green building […]

Micro-Size It!

How small is too small?

SAN DIEGO —Even in markets like New York and San Francisco, it may soon become prudent to ask: Can apartments be too small? In recent years, developers have begun experimenting with layout and design to determine just how tiny a space they can easily lease. During the Urban Land Institute’s 2013 Spring Meeting, Kauri Investments […]

Creative + Sustainable

Green development and design

As capital and operating costs continue to rise, businesses seek creative ways to reduce expenses while passing benefits to their clientele. A solution rests under their feet. Poorly-planned infrastructure leads to long term financial burdens on businesses and the communities in which they reside. By implementing sustainable infrastructure techniques, businesses can reduce maintenance expenses and […]

The Seed Cathedral in Shanghai

Beating Back Boring

Is architectural creativity dead?

Without making a few drastic changes to the way that American students see creativity, Americans will continue to lag behind other nations in innovative architecture. As the daughter of a very zealous architect, I have grown up tuned-in to the trends that pass through the world of architecture. Our coffee table was stacked with photography […]

1 2 3 4 5