The Complex Game of Public-Private Partnerships

John Calimente reviews a new book that aims to explain the complicated back-and-forth that happens when government teams up with private interests on development projects.

1 minute read

April 20, 2011, 6:00 AM PDT

By Tim Halbur


The book, Partnerships in Urban Property Development by Nigel Dubben and Brendan Williams, primarily covers the public/private partnerships that came out of the U.K.'s Private Finance Initiative (PFI):

"it was launched in 1992 to bring private money into public sector developments, to provide value for money as well as transfer the risks of provision to the private sector, as much as possible. The trend has been increasing since the PFI was introduced, and they now accounts for more than one-fifth of all public capital spending in the United Kingdom. The record is mixed, however, as to whether they save governments money or cost them more, depending on how the contract is laid out. Inexperience by public sector clients seems to be a prime factor that leads to poor design and cost overruns."

Wednesday, March 23, 2011 in re:place Magazine

A road in north eastern Nebraska with power lines on either side, and grassy fields.

Eastern Nebraska is running out of electricity

Data centers and electrification are straining eastern Nebraska’s grid, throttling economic development.

November 6, 2026 - Grist

People walking in downtown St. Louis, walking past shops.

Move over, LA: St. Louis gears up for Olympics, invests millions in downtown redevelopment

The Missouri city will host the 2028 Olympic soccer group stage and knockout matches.

November 1, 2026 - Smart Cities Dive

A rendering of the California high speed rail Fresno station. Two escalators leading into the station are visible.

California High-Speed Rail Authority picks trainset manufacturer

The California High-Speed Rail Authority aims to start servicing passengers by 2033.

November 1, 2026 - Railway News

Construction in Dallas. An aerial shot of a wooden frame of an apartment building.

Dallas releases zoning code overhaul to officials

The drafted overhaul is over 400 pages long.

1 hour ago - Dallas Morning News

Canal street, where pedestrians are packed shoulder to shoulder.

NYC renovations for dangerous, ‘mercilessly crammed’ street delayed until 2027

Construction was supposed to begin this fall.

2 hours ago - Gothamist

A rendering of Midway Rising that shows people mingling in a green space between apartment buildings.

San Diego’s Midway Rising project gets greenlight from city council

The project looks to become the largest affordable housing development in California's history.

3 hours ago - KPBS

FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?

After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.

Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold

The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.