October 11 – 14, 2021
Chicago | In Person + Digital
October 11 – 14, 2021
In response to COVID restrictions effecting restaurants, the City of Chicago created a program designed to activate restaurant business and provide outdoor community gathering spaces across Chicago. This tour will take us to one of these sites — the 75th Street Boardwalk — in the south side Chatham neighborhood designed to create unique community connections. […]
This tour will visit four sites just southwest of the central business district, one of the earliest areas of entry for immigrants to the City of Chicago. This area covers multiple neighborhoods and has been reinvented many times over the past 150 years. The early history, urban renewal, public housing and education and current status […]
Chicago’s South Loop includes two historic and iconic buildings that have recently undergone major redevelopment and renovation. The Old Post Office, built in 1921 and expanded in 1932, supported Chicago’s booming mail-order business, and was the world’s largest mail terminal with 19M pieces of mail processed daily. The property sat vacant for two decades, until […]
Explore Lathrop, a forward-thinking community rooted in a rich cultural past designed for people from all walks of life. This revitalized community infuses the historic architecture of the original neighborhood with the modern touches of today’s lifestyle. The 34-acre site is situated between Bucktown and Roscoe Village, two of Chicago’s trending neighborhoods, and bordered by […]
In 2019, the City developed the Kinzie Industrial Corridor Modernization Plan to position the industrial corridor to adapt to changing manufacturing climate and the pressure to convert manufacturing to other uses, such as residential. The uses in a portion of the corridor would be broadened from traditional manufacturing to include office and some light food-related […]
Chicago has no shortage of music venues and theaters, all which serve as critical community anchors. This tour will feature two of Chicago’s newest venues including the Steppenwolf Theater, home to the nation’s premier Ensemble theatre group, and will showcase their vision and creativity come to life in a just-completed theater in the round and […]
Chicago’s Pullman neighborhood was one of the nation’s first and most beautifully planned industrial communities. Located on the City’s South Side, the once booming neighborhood was written off 20 years ago. In 2015, though, President Obama designated Pullman a National Monument, giving momentum to turnaround. Pullman is now a national model for revitalization, with new […]
In 2009, the Ricketts family assumed control of the Chicago Cubs and, in addition to bringing home a World Series win and restoring Wrigley Field, they promised to celebrate and enhance their beloved Wrigleyville neighborhood. While the Wrigleyville neighborhood was bustling with activity on game day – on a non-game day, the area was devoid […]
Industrial development is booming, and that certainly is the case in Chicago! Join us as we tour three urban industrial sites, all with different uses within the City of Chicago. This tour will visit a big box, last-mile distribution center along the I-55 corridor and we will hear from both the developer and occupier about […]
Chicago is a city of unique neighborhoods, and getting to know them is a great way to better understand this city. Voted one of TimeOut magazine’s “Coolest 40 Neighborhoods in the World”, Uptown is a diverse community on the north side of the City with spectacular lake side views, a growing entertainment district and a […]
Explore Chicago’s iconic waterfront transformation and development. Walk along the river that cuts through the city which has been transformed into a major public amenity at the river level. Hear from architect Carol Ross Barney, as she explains the vision and challenges related to the river front’s transformation. Visit Lakeshore East, an award-winning 28-acre development […]
Join us for a walking tour of the Fulton Market District featuring the pioneers of Fulton Market District who transformed the former meatpacking, produce, and industrial area into one of the most sought after destinations for food, hospitality, art, technology, and business, and is now home to Google, McDonald’s and Mondelez. The journey will highlight […]
Originally inhabited largely by Czech immigrants in the late 19th century, Pilsen transitioned into one of the primary latino communities of Chicago starting in the 1970’s. This community is known for its authenticity, strong cultural foundations and thriving food and nightlife, while grappling with growth & maintaining its roots. Join us for a bus & […]
Austan Goolsbee, the Robert P. Gwinn professor of Economics at the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business and one of the world’s leading experts on business, government and the economy, will share with us his insights on where the economy is going given all the uncertainty in the world and what it means for […]
There's an old saying in real estate - "location, location, location." Home buyers are, more than ever, trying to understand the "place" they'll be living. Xplorer maps are helping communities and builders tell…
ADUs are emerging as a solution for expanding housing options for people of all ages. ADUs can enhance affordability, diversify housing types, generate wealth and income for owners, enable family or caregivers to live nearby…
The mission of the Obama Foundation is to inspire, empower, and connect people to change their world. That mission begins on the South Side of Chicago, where the foundation is building the Obama Presidential Center…
The ULI Prize for Visionaries in Urban Development (uli.org/visionaries) is the most prestigious and respected award in the land use planning and development community. The $100,000 prize, which the Institute awards annually, spotlights individuals and…
Should you follow real estate's common wisdom and shun leasehold opportunities? Is their short-term nature truly a fatal flaw? Are they too much bother? In the next installment of his series of freewheeling exchanges intended…
Early in 2019, Parkside Realty engaged the design/build team of Lamar Johnson Collaborative and Clayco to create Fulton East—a 12-story office and retail building in the heart of Chicago's Fulton Market—incorporating the principles of biophilic…
“When we design a New Orleans that truly puts children’s interests first, we create a New Orleans that shows love to all of her people.”—Mayor LaToya Cantrell. In 2018, inspired by the publication of Arup’s Designing for Urban Childhoods report, the city of New Orleans embarked on an ambitious undertaking to reimagine the city’s infrastructure […]
The housing market seems to have taken on a life of its own as a result of the pandemic. Normal living patterns were disrupted and were totally transformed as many people realized that they can…
The pandemic has fundamentally altered the way in which we will work for generations to come. How do our office buildings need to shift to accommodate this? Meet with two development teams who needed to pivot projects under construction in 2020 to better address that need. The tour will start with the nearly 700 foot […]
Like many global cities, Chicago has a robust public transportation system, making it a leading market for transit-oriented development (TOD) as real estate firms look to create vibrant, sustainable communities in which residents can live…
Real estate firms across the globe are recognizing the opportunity and responsibility to address the climate crisis. Once a real estate firm commits to decarbonization and net zero goals, it must start operationalizing those goals into action across its portfolio. Net zero isn’t reached in a vacuum: from development to acquisitions, asset management to leasing, […]
In this session, attendees will learn about the importance of basic education, intensive text-based training, and mentorship among historically excluded groups with intentional programs for commercial real estate programs targeting individuals who are Black, Indigenous…
Bronzeville Lakefront is a transformative, $3.1 billion mixed-use redevelopment vision recently approved by the Chicago Plan Commission. The city originally acquired the nearly 50 acres of land in 2008 as part of the bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics. After more than a decade of planning and a developer solicitation process, the selected development team—GRIT—is […]
Retail, sports and recreation, music, performing arts, fitness, food—ever wonder what the world would look like without those staples of urban life? Now we know. Far from being ancillary to the mission of the Urban Land Institute, entertainment development proved to be the glue that held many of the best public spaces together. The pandemic […]
Office may be the sector that was most affected during the pandemic, but as we come out of it, what is happening now? How are investors viewing this asset now? What changes are developers making…
ULI keenly recognizes the opportunity for the real estate industry to accelerate its journey to net zero, fighting climate change by decarbonizing the built environment. It's no longer a long term prospect - real estate…
The RRIF and TIFIA loan programs administered by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Build America Bureau are underused but are potential game-changing tools to encourage investments in sustainable infrastructure and land uses. This session will provide an overview of the Build America Bureau loan programs that may be leveraged for community development, including financing of […]
This session on built-to-rent single-family residences—more commonly referred to as SFR-BTR—is intended to cover institutional capital activity and perspectives. Led by moderator Andrea Finger from Whelan Advisory, the panel provides a Q&A and discussion format for panel members to review what kinds of capital movements they are observing and participating in as the BTR segment […]
*This session will not be recorded. Please join us in person or during the livestream at the time of the event.* Join the ULI Women’s Leadership Initiative for its signature program where we hear from a national industry leader who discusses her path to success and the challenges she has navigated along the way. The […]
This has been a challenging year for everyone, and there are no past comparables from which to learn. What does this mean for industrial development? Will it continue to be one of the fastest-growing sectors…
Competition spurs evolution. In commercial real estate (CRE) investing, that evolution takes many forms, from harnessing technology to drive all aspects of the business, to exploring new markets and delivering new products. Hear from leaders in the industry about how they are innovating to stay one step ahead of the competition.
As investment and innovation have exploded in proptech for commercial and resale applications, the new home industry has largely stayed on the sidelines. But the pandemic and the increase in virtual sales and engagement have kick-started new initiatives across the industry. This panel will focus on how customer behavior is shifting in new homes, how […]
An overview of HRP's approach to sustainability in major cities around the country…
What are leading real estate companies doing to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)? Corporate efforts in this area have ramped up significantly in recent times. Many companies are looking for ways to move beyond…
This session is exclusively for Full Members. The event is not included in the digital package and will not be live streamed or recorded. Studies show that the higher the level of trust, the more successful the outcome will be. Nonverbal communication is a significant data source used to make decisions around trust. […]
The ULI Real Estate Economic Forecast is a semiannual survey of leading industry experts, the latest will be completed on October 8th. How do the experts see key economic and real estate indicators moving by the end of 2021, 2022, and 2023? How have forecasts changed from six months earlier? And why? What signals are […]
The urgency of CRE planning for climate change is accelerating, driven by institutional investors, global lenders, and public policy—as well as by tenants and communities. It is now affecting day-to-day operations by developers, operators, and…
Like many areas of the country, Chicago has a shortage of more than 100,000 affordable housing units. Policymakers have tried to create more affordable housing through policies such as the city's Affordable Requirements Ordinance, the…
The 20-minute neighborhood concept is not new. Its primary focus is to create walkable, pedestrian-friendly streets that offer access to shops, cafés, health care, food, transportation, and other basic amenities, all within a 20-minute walk from one’s home. However, this framework has not been applied to marginalized Black and Latino neighborhoods, where everyday amenities are […]
The ongoing challenges in retail have put a premium on customer experience, creating a strong desire among owners to pivot to mixed use and capitalize on the outdoors as part of their retail developments. Owners have the same property and building footprint but are now challenged with repurposing within the space, increasing patio areas, decreasing […]
In recent years, rising rental costs and stagnating wages among lower-income households have led to renewed calls for rent regulations and tenant protections. These trends were accelerated during the COVID-19 crisis, which saw the adoption of emergency eviction moratoriums and other protections. As the United States emerges from the pandemic, it will be critical for […]
Over the past 10 to 15 years, the real estate industry has made major progress in developing and investing in a more environmentally sustainable way. Now, accelerated by the pandemic, this focus is expanding rapidly to…
As the world’s third-largest intermodal facilitator, Chicago is not only a global logistics center but also the busiest rail hub in North America and is the only metropolitan area where six Class One railroads converge and can interchange traffic. This session will explore how global supply chains were affected during COVID-19 and the meaningful ways […]
Gateway cities have been and always will be attractive from both a resident and investor standpoint. However, the pandemic has accelerated migration trends to a handful of rising-star cities, with investors following suit. Growth markets such as Atlanta, Austin, Charlotte, Dallas, Denver, Miami, Nashville, and Raleigh have witnessed 10-year population growth between 10 and 30 […]
If someone had told you in the early days of the internet that U.S. retailers would ultimately take in $791 billion in online sales in 2020, would you have believed it? Today’s consumers expect online convenience, whether they are ordering goods through Amazon, browsing homes on Zillow, booking their next vacation with Airbnb, or managing […]
Recent years have witnessed an explosion of interest in strategies to embed social equity into real estate practice. But the field has yet to coalesce around common or proven approaches. In this session, learn about…
The ULI Curtis Infrastructure Initiative aims to build a movement to promote infrastructure solutions that are equitable and resilient and that enhance long-term community value. By creating new global and strategic partnerships, providing technical assistance…
As more clarity surrounding the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines became apparent in the United States in early 2021, office workers remained slow to return to their workplaces. Despite this, property transactions gradually began to pick…
Coming out of the pandemic, where do opportunities lie in the Asia Pacific real estate investment landscape? The region was quick to control the spread of COVID-19 via lockdown, but it appears to lag behind in reopening its border. What are the implications for Asia Pacific real estate investors?
Once again, Chicago has transformed itself as a nexus for innovation in science and technology. The building blocks of this transformation include an entrepreneurial spirit, world-class universities, a diverse workforce, and a geographically central location. The presence of renowned research institutions such as Argonne National Laboratory and Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, coupled with the emergence […]
There are over 10 billion square feet of existing buildings in our cities that have value beyond their current use. As new buildings enter the market with higher rental rates and distinct amenities, older buildings…
In the 1970s, the sociologist Ray Oldenburg coined the term "third places" to refer to places which are not home or work. Third places -- coffee shops, parks and plazas, stores, and more -- can…
For nearly a century, cities across the United States and beyond have required developments to provide a set number of off-street parking spots. These regulations have led to a host of unwelcome effects, including car…
As climate change nears the tipping point of irreversible consequences, even high-performance buildings exacerbate the situation with net-negative ecological, social, and health impacts. These are not enough to reverse the course of climate change. Two projects—East Vancouver Integrated Health & Social Housing and Hamilton Center—are embracing the opportunity to think about development not in the […]
How we shop and buy things continues to evolve in the aftermath of the pandemic. Not only are there changes in what we buy, but also why and how we buy it. While e-commerce has…
Real estate stakeholders—including investors, community members, tenants, and others—are increasingly expecting buildings not only to be healthy for those who occupy them, but also to contribute to positive health and social equity outcomes for the community. While social impact has long been considered part of the “triple bottom line” and sustainability movement, in practice, broader […]
The explosive growth of the life-sciences sector over the last several years is fueling strong demand for lab-ready real estate around the world. Building on a paradigm of innovation defined more than two decades ago, life-sciences developments have expanded from single-use facilities to mixed-use ecosystems. Complex challenges related to global wellness, climate impact, economic vitality, […]
This networking lunch is exclusively for Full Members. The event is not included in the digital package and will not be live streamed or recorded. The lunch program will include a keynote by Shola Richards on Unstoppable Resilience™: The Keys to Staying Strong During Any Challenge. This is a uniquely difficult time for leaders and […]
This session will present a case study that exemplifies how to bring diverse stakeholders together and use an equity framework to collectively determine how to meet future housing needs and create more housing units of…
Extreme changes in weather patterns will be a major factor in most community planning and real estate development decisions going forward. Over the coming decades, challenges resulting from sea-level rise, land subsidence, inland flooding, severe…
Communities around the globe are facing unprecedented climate and resilience challenges affecting well-being, economic growth, and livability. Recovery and charting a course for an improved future will require insight, innovation, and investment. Infrastructure investment has…
INVEST South/West is an unprecedented community improvement initiative under Mayor Lori Lightfoot designed to marshal the resources of multiple city departments, community organizations, and corporate and philanthropic partners toward 10 historically disinvested communities on Chicago's…
The COVID-19 pandemic severely affected travel and large-scale events worldwide. With reopening and recovery well underway, the convention and events industry has been adapting rapidly, airports and airlines are repositioning, conventions and group events have…
Daymond John has been a phenomenally successful business person for over 25 years. Along his entrepreneurial journey, through his many successes as well as failures, he has learned a few things about getting the best out of business and life. He believes the keys to his success include establishing the right mindset and following a […]