Join John McNellis, author of ULI's bestselling title Making It in Real Estate, as he candidly—and humorously—recounts the hard lessons he's learned from four decades of developing commercial real estate. Not only will John dissect his biggest disaster—the loss of a 300,000-foot shopping center to foreclosure—he'll explain why one should never buy real estate for the wrong reasons; why working on "Goldilocks" deals is critical; why one should be wary of partners, bankers, and investment advisors (basically, anyone with money); why only the track wins horse races; and why successful development is invariably based on taking risk . . . but only after accurately gauging it. John will leave plenty of time for an extended Q&A. Each attendee will receive a free eBook version of Making It in Real Estate.

Recent economic and secular shifts have significantly impacted U.S. real estate, particularly the development of large-scale mixed-use districts. Rising interest rates and construction costs—coupled with the rise of hybrid work models, high office vacancies, and recent challenges with brick-and-mortar retail—have made mixed-use development projects particularly hard to capitalize and get off the ground. Despite these challenges, some mixed-use developers are thriving by adapting to the evolving preferences of residents and businesses alike. Example strategies include taking an innovation district approach, partnering with diverse anchors such as universities and sports stadiums, and continuously evolving the definition of mixed-use. This panel discussion will explore underlying elements for successful mixed-use developments in today's challenging times. The session will feature insights from developers and urban planners who are at the forefront of significant mixed-use projects across the United States.

This session will showcase the journey of transforming a former Air Force Base into a national model for redevelopment. Brooks' transformation is not just a story of urban renewal; it's a testament to what's possible, turning a 1,308-acre shuttered military installation into a thriving mixed-use community with more than $2.2 billion in investment and counting. The session will unpack strategic insights and decisions that led to Brooks' success, highlighting how the team navigated complex challenges associated with maintaining the site's historical character while updating it with modern infrastructure and amenities suited for current community needs. A key aspect of Brooks' success story is its impact on employment and regional investment, creating more jobs than the Air Force Base previously supported and catalyzing economic growth in a previously overlooked region. The Brooks regional area (7,500-acres) has seen a 36 percent increase in household income, outpacing the City of San Antonio's 32 percent increase over the same period. Attendees will explore the economic strategies and community engagement practices that contributed to surpassing job creation goals while also developing a vibrant community. This session will provide a valuable blueprint for similar urban development projects, emphasizing how underutilized installations can be transformed.

The renewed focus on office-to-residential conversion projects indicates that the majority of the buildings do not have long-term capacity to accommodate different occupancy types. The "open building" concept as advocated by the Council on Open Building (https://councilonopenbuilding.org/) demonstrates a better way to design, finance, and approve buildings for continuous change. This session will provide an overview of the open building concept; share case studies from residential, health care, and mixed-use markets; and offer insights from open building practitioners on how this approach works. The overarching goal is to introduce the ULI community to a new way of thinking.

A decade ago, Calgary, Alberta, home of Canada's energy sector, battled through the latest oil price crash. As office vacancies loomed large, the city of Calgary embarked on an ambitious journey to transform aging office buildings into vibrant residential hubs, and identify underused but coveted residential and mixed-use hubs in the city's historic east end. By the time the pandemic hit office vacancies, Calgary's foresight was being lauded by media and urbanists globally, with The Washington Post editorial board declaring that "Calgary offers a road map—and a tool kit—for D.C. and other beleaguered cities on how to make the switch rapidly and efficiently." Today, the green shoots of that visionary planning are sprouting across the city, from the largest arts infrastructure investment in Canada to an emerging Culture + Entertainment District packed with mixed-use community that's home to a new convention center and ascendant cultural beacons, room for 8,000 additional residents and 4 million square feet of new development to active transportation links that connect downtown's new residential reuse with the rest of the city.

With falling office property values, soaring housing costs, and the ever-growing climate crisis, repurposing vacant office buildings in central business districts into vital residential units seems like the solution everyone is seeking. However, not all office buildings are ripe for conversion into residential units. Recent studies have found that roughly 10 to 25 percent of office assets prove physically feasible for residential conversion. In the face of this challenge, how might we envision alternative uses for these properties? How can we not only breathe new life into underutilized buildings, to ensure the vibrancy of our central business districts, but seize this as an opportunity to support equity and resiliency of our urban landscapes, all while aligning with the financial imperatives of lenders, developers, and landlords? This is not just a question of innovation—it's a policy and design challenge to reimagine our cities for a sustainable future.