Speed has become far more important than storage in moving goods. The success of your regional trade industry will depend on it. Are you planning for it?
The Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach experienced the largest concentration of port activity in the Americas and the third largest in the world in 1999, behind Singapore and Hong Kong.
According to the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, roughly eight million twenty foot equivalent units (TEUs) of goods passed through them combined last year. That represents almost three times the activity of the second largest port in the U.S., New York/New Jersey.
Airfreight activity at LAX also surged last year. According to a report by Trade Inflo Inc., air cargo imports and exports hit $67.3 billion, nearing two million metric tons.
These huge volumes of freight are an indication of the robust global market and are great news for the local economy. However, the sheer volume creates logistical challenges for cargo and transport companies –- challenges further complicated by already clogged freeways.
In moving goods through the supply chain, speed has become far more important than storage. The explosion in expedited commerce among all parties in the supply chain places an even greater premium on speed from production to consumption. Global logistics increasingly are being tailored right down to the individual SKU.
Many freight and transport companies need real estate facilities located and designed for speed, not storage. Airfreight companies can expect new kinds of on- or near-tarmac facilities that facilitate "high throughput" distribution – low cube, narrow, column-free clearspans that are double-loaded so you can ship and receive on both sides of the building. They look to locations near freeway arteries, such as I-105 and the Century Freeway, that save them time.
Transport companies also look to the South Bay industrial market. Given its strategic proximity to the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, it has become a premier industrial market with rents and property values increasing significantly over the last twelve months.
The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach will become an increasingly important part of the flow of goods. High throughput distribution buildings that facilitate the speedy movement of goods and enable time definite deliveries will be in greater demand in the future. This will mean potential profit for thoughtful investors and a driver of economic growth for the region.
W. Blake Baird is President of AMB Property Corporation, one of the leading owners and operators of industrial real estate nationwide. AMB's properties are concentrated in major distribution markets across the country -- located near airports, ports and major freeway systems.

Planning for Congestion Relief
The third and final installment of Planetizen's examination of the role of the planning profession in both perpetuating and solving traffic congestion.

Minneapolis Housing Plan a Success—Not for the Reason You Think
Housing advocates praise the city’s move to eliminate single-family zoning by legalizing triplexes on single-family lots, but that isn’t why housing construction is growing.

Car Noise Is Killing Us
It’s not just traffic collisions that kill—a new study from researcher at Rutgers finds that the loud noises emanating from cars has direct impact on heart health in Americans.

Parks as a Weapon Against Climate Change
The 2022 ParkScore finds that cities are increasingly employing green space as a tool for mitigating heat and extreme weather effects, but the distribution of parks remains inequitable.

Louisiana Capital Shifting to Electric Transit
The Baton Rouge area is now served by a fleet of nine all-electric buses.

New Community Engagement Practices for Seattle’s Comprehensive Plan Update
A major update of Seattle’s comprehensive plan is just getting under way, with new opportunities for local groups to get involved with outreach and engagement.
City of Malibu
EMC Planning Group Inc.
Jefferson Parish
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Harvard GSD Executive Education
City of Rohnert Park
City of Hot Springs
City of Lakeway, Texas
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.
Hand Drawing Master Plans
This course aims to provide an introduction into Urban Design Sketching focused on how to hand draw master plans using a mix of colored markers.