Mixed-use development has been one of the few bright spots in real estate in the last few years. Successful mixed-use projects are almost always located in dense urban or suburban areas, usually close to public transportation. It’s a sign of the times that the residential component tends to be rental rather than for-sale.
Due to the large scale of many mixed-use projects, Building Teams must be effective in communicating and collaborating both internally and with local government entities. For example, L.A. LIVE, the massive entertainment and lifestyle complex that has sprung up around that city’s Staples Center, can attribute much of its phenomenal success to the developer’s close collaboration with the Building Team and its partnership with the city of Los Angeles.
It’s also critical to accurately anticipate the needs of potential tenants. At the Broadway Building in Seattle, downsized office spaces cater to small-business owners who are looking to escape from the congested downtown core. In Chicago, the live/work units and street-level retail of 2000 N. Milwaukee go far to meet the needs of up-and-comers in a rapidly emerging neighborhood.
New buildings in a mixed-use project naturally must take their design cues from the vocabulary and style of the surrounding architecture. They may be hip and glossy, like L.A. LIVE, 2000 N. Milwaukee, and the Meridian at Grosvenor Station in Rockville, Md. Or they may pay their respects to the more toned-down older buildings in the neighborhood, as in the case of the Broadway Building, with its Prairie School influence. There is also a movement afoot to give architecturally significant buildings a new mixed-use identity, as is the case with The Link in Phoenix.
The takeaway: If you’re looking to develop multifamily residential, mixed-use may be the only viable way to go. “I don’t see anything getting built that isn’t mixed-use right now,” says Paul Alessandro, a partner with Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture, Chicago. If that’s the case in your market, take a look at these recent projects for inspiration.
Six Emerging Trends in Mixed-Use Development
Related Stories
| Jul 10, 2013
SmithGroupJJR hires Don Posson as Co-director of Sustainable Design
SmithGroupJJR has hired veteran mechanical engineer Don Posson, PE, CCP, CPD, LEED AP, as the firm’s co-director of sustainable design.
| Jul 10, 2013
World's best new skyscrapers [slideshow]
The Bow in Calgary and CCTV Headquarters in Beijing are among the world's best new high-rise projects, according to the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat.
| Jul 10, 2013
TED talk: Architect Michael Green on why we should build tomorrow's skyscrapers out of wood
In a newly posted TED talk, wood skyscraper expert Michael Green makes the case for building the next-generation of mid- and high-rise buildings out of wood.
| Jul 9, 2013
Where are they now? 40 Under 40 alumni make their mark in D.C.
Every month we’ll be touching base with past 40 Under 40 honorees to see what’s been happening in their professional and personal lives since winning the award. This month, we feature two outstanding professionals: HKS's Shannon Kraus and Roger Chang from Westlake Reed Leskosky.
| Jul 9, 2013
AISC releases Design Guide on Blast Resistant Structures
Design professionals now have a valuable new resource on blast resistant structures with AISC Design Guide No. 26, Design of Blast Resistant Structures.
High-rise Construction | Jul 9, 2013
5 innovations in high-rise building design
KONE's carbon-fiber hoisting technology and the Broad Group's prefab construction process are among the breakthroughs named 2013 Innovation Award winners by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat.
| Jul 8, 2013
RSMeans cost comparisons: offices, daycare centers, convenience stores, fast food
Construction market analysts from RSMeans offer construction costs per square foot for offices, daycare centers, convenience stores, fast food.
| Jul 8, 2013
RSMeans cost comparisons: hotels, motels, and apartment buildings
Construction market analysts from RSMeans offer construction costs per square foot for hotels, motels, and apartment buildings.
| Jul 8, 2013
Learn from the world’s fastest animal: speed isn’t everything
Every schoolchild knows that the cheetah is the world’s fastest land animal—70 mph, no sweat. And, as we all know from National Geographic television documentaries, it is speed that makes Acinonyx jubatus such a fearsome hunter, right?
| Jul 3, 2013
Mid-year special: Top 13 stories for 2013 (so far)
Every six months, we like to take a look back at the stories that generated the most interest from our readers. Here's a roundup of the top 13 articles on BDCnetwork.com for the first six months of 2013.
