A tale of good luck and bad, with plenty of suspense, the redevelopment of a 44,000-square-foot Minneapolis property has a happy ending for the developers.
Developer and author Paul H. Maenner offers an insider'sperspective of New Urbanist in-fill project, and six lessons learned by the developers.
"Nationwide, each community has its own higher-end or specialty neighborhood commercial retailing district. In the Minneapolis/St. Paul market, there are three such districts, the most prominent of which is known as the '50th & France' district.
...After watching the occupancy of this building drop from 100 percent to 30 percent over the course of 12 months between January 1996 and January 1997, and after considering one disappointing retail concept after another, we concluded that the time was ripe to pursue a much broader development opportunity.
...Today, the property is 95 percent leased and occupied and is generating a stable and reliable cash flow. It has become a legacy asset for each of the partners. It represents what is truly a 'fortress' piece of real estate: a highly functional and attractive asset, located at a prominent corner in an affluent market. It serves its niche extraordinarily well.
Thanks to Laura Kranz
FULL STORY: Anatomy of an Urban In-Fill Development

Rethinking Redlining
For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

California High-Speed Rail's Plan to Right Itself
The railroad's new CEO thinks he can get the project back on track. The stars will need to align this summer.

Trump Cuts Decimate Mapping Agency
The National Geodetic Survey maintains and updates critical spatial reference systems used extensively in both the public and private sectors.

Washington Passes First US ‘Shared Streets’ Law
Cities will be allowed to lower speed limits to 10 miles per hour and prioritize pedestrians on certain streets.

Montreal Mall to Become 6,000 Housing Units
Place Versailles will be transformed into a mixed-use complex over the next 25 years.
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.
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions