Central Business Districts are under pressure to keep themselves relevant as they face competition from new, vibrant mixed-use neighborhoods emerging across the world’s largest cities. Public-private partnerships could be the answer.
These new mixed-use neighborhoods are attracting more businesses, residents, and investment that might otherwise be directed toward the urban core. Cities can compete with this trend by collaborating with developers, government agencies, and academic institutions to encourage redevelopment of existing buildings—converting office space to residential use, for example, according to a recent report from JLL.
Governments should anticipate real estate market demand changes and provide greater flexibility to developers and investors. Cities and states can expand tax credits to offset the cost of conversion and streamline the planning process to reduce the lead time for redevelopment projects.
These projects also offer environmental benefits. Refurbishing buildings has a lower carbon impact compared to building new structures.
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The Joule Hotel
Dallas, Texas
The Joule Hotel in Dallas, designed by local firm Coburn & Smith, was constructed in 1927 as the Dallas National Bank Building. Originally one of the finest examples of gothic revival architecture in Texas, it had had most of its gothic elements removed over the years after being converted into an office building and later abandoned. What was left had fallen into disrepair.
