The economic stimulus of China has focused billions of dollars on building skyscrapers. Some wonder whether a building bust may soon follow.
"Much of the $1.4 trillion in loans made by Chinese banks last year-with considerable encouragement from officials aiming to boost growth-was spent on skyscrapers and other commercial property. Now empty buildings are sprouting across the mainland. Beijing had an office vacancy rate of 22.4% in the third quarter, the ninth-highest of 103 markets tracked by broker CB Richard Ellis (CBRE) (CBG). That figure doesn't include projects about to open, such as the 74-story China World Tower 3, Beijing's tallest building. 'There's a monumental property bubble and fixed-asset investment bubble under way,' says James Chanos, founder of New York hedge fund Kynikos Associates. 'And deflating that gently will be difficult at best.'"
Officials are calling on banks to ease off lending for such large building projects, fearing a possible collapse of the overinflated building market.
FULL STORY: The Building Bubble in China
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An already impressive skyline will be gaining some very tall additions by 2023.
The Dramatic Evolution of Toronto's Skyline
An image comparing the present day with Toronto from only 13 years ago has some comparing the Canadian city to New York in the 1920s.
Bank Rule Change Could Help Struggling Neighborhoods
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Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
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Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Google Maps Introduces New Transit, EV Features
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Ohio Lawmakers Propose Incentivizing Housing Production
A proposed bill would take a carrot approach to stimulating housing production through a grant program that would reward cities that implement pro-housing policies.
Chicago Awarded $2M Reconnecting Communities Grant
Community advocates say the city’s plan may not do enough to reverse the negative impacts of a major expressway.
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Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
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ULI Northwest Arkansas
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Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
