Mixed-Use Development Insights

Not Every Housing Solution Needs to Be Big to Be Transformative We’ve gotten into a habit of confusing size with impact. In housing, bigger is treated like better: more units, taller buildings, bigger checks, bigger headlines. And to be clear, we do need more housing. We need production at scale, especially in the places where scarcity has become the default. But some of the most meaningful work doesn’t dominate the skyline. It fits the block. It respects the rhythm of a neighborhood. It shows up in ways that people can actually absorb. A duplex where there used to be a vacant lot. A fourplex that feels like it belongs. A small rehab that keeps a family in place. An ADU that helps an elder age nearby, or helps a homeowner stay when costs rise. A corner mixed-use building that brings back a daily need and gives the street life again. That’s transformative too. Because transformation isn’t only unit count. It’s trust. It’s whether a project feels like development is happening with a community, not just around it. It’s whether the building reflects the character of a place or ignores it. Whether it responds to what people actually need or only what the market most easily rewards. A smaller project, done well, can build credibility in a way a bigger project often struggles to do. It can strengthen relationships. It can support local businesses and add life to a corridor. It can help longtime residents feel like change isn’t automatically something being done to them. And it can create housing that feels integrated into the fabric of a neighborhood instead of imposed on top of it. This isn’t an argument against large development. We need large projects too. Some problems require real scale. It’s an argument against using size as the main measure of value. Sometimes smaller projects create something larger than themselves: momentum. Proof points. A track record that lenders understand and neighbors can actually feel. The kind of “we did this, and it worked” that makes the next project possible without turning every conversation into a fight. And here’s where the line matters: Policy creates permission. Delivery creates belief. A zoning reform can make duplexes legal. A plan can declare support for missing middle. But belief shows up when those homes actually get built, in a way that fits the neighborhood and keeps people rooted. Small-scale projects are often the delivery layer that turns new rules into real outcomes on real blocks. Not every housing solution needs to dominate the skyline to matter. Some of the most transformative projects are the ones that fit the neighborhood and help hold it together. Not just what we build, but how we build.

Jersey City broke ground on the largest mixed-income development in the region. 100+ acres. 8,000+ units. 80% affordable and workforce housing. Ambitious, but the design might make this a mistake: Bayfront would be the largest mixed-income development in the region. The first building is six stories with 210 units: • 74 units for families earning 60% or below area median income • 93 workforce units for moderate-income families at 120% AMI Jersey City acquired the contaminated site for $170M in 2018 and is transforming it into a transit-oriented, mixed-use community with public waterfront access. This is what happens when cities prioritize affordable housing at scale, not just for inclusionary requirements. But there's a real design challenge here. The risk is this becomes "towers in a park" development: standalone large buildings straddling windswept, empty plazas. That style has failed repeatedly. Towers isolated by empty green space don't create vibrant neighborhoods. They create dead zones. What would work better? • Dense townhomes • 3-5 story residential • Corner retail anchors More traditional urban fabric. You could achieve higher density without towers, with more units, street-level activity, and neighborhood feel. The problem is modern building and fire codes make that traditional footprint difficult to build. So developers default to towers. Easier to permit, faster financing, but harder to activate at street level. This will be worth watching for a few reasons. Can Jersey City implement design that creates real neighborhood fabric? Will the public waterfront promenade connect to surrounding neighborhoods? Can 8,000+ units integrate with existing urban context of Jersey City's south and west sides? Scale matters. Affordability matters. But urban design matters just as much. A project can check every financing and policy box and still fail if the built environment doesn't create places people want to be. Bayfront has the scale and the affordability commitment. Now we'll see if the design delivers.

I finally got to see Hudson Yards New York, an example of urban redevelopment that I had been drawing inspiration from, for mixed-use districts I've worked on. At Dubai World Trade Centre, I had the fun opportunity to work with my team and our real estate development colleagues to reimagine how the historic Dubai World Trade Centre district in Dubai's CBD could look like in the future. We looked at similar redevelopments around the world including Hudson Yards New York, which I got to see recently during a holiday in the US. Hudson Yards is the largest private real estate development in US history and the largest development in New York City since Rockefeller Center was built in the 1930s. This six-block area on Manhattan’s West Side, comprising 28 acres over active railroad tracks and tunnels, reimagines a formerly underdeveloped part of the city into a residential and commercial district with new open space. Related Companies and Oxford Properties Group are the primary developers and equity investors, after winning a bidding contest. What impressed me and the lessons that I think can be taken into similar redevelopments in the Middle East and beyond: 1. Public transit access Hudson Yards New York benefits from a direct extension of the No. 7 subway line and close proximity to Penn Station. I think it's key to have all-weather public transit to a district. In the Middle East, this means connecting the majority of the district to metro stations via AC pedestrian corridors. 2. A great mix of asset classes I am a big believer in mixed use live-work-play masterplans because they increase the performance of each standalone asset class and make it a desirable neighbourhood. Hudson Yards New York has massive Grade A commercial office towers with marquee tenants, residential high-rises with about 5,000 apartments, and over 100 retail shops. It also has great public space and attractions. Apart from DIFC, we don't have enough world-class mixed use districts in the GCC. We need to be able to have people live and walk to their offices and have recreation options in the same neighbourhood. 3. Investment in attractions This is the hardest part because of the business case - but it has to be seen as part of a wider masterplan level business case that also accounts for the increased footfall and even prices of units that have views of the attractions e.g. Emaar secured higher sale rates for residential units that had views of the Burj Khalifa by Emaar and Dubai Fountain. Hudson Yards New York has: Edge: The highest outdoor observation deck in the Western Hemisphere, offering angled glass walls and open-air city views. The Vessel: A honeycomb-like, interactive spiral staircase structure designed by Thomas Heatherwick. The Shed: A cutting-edge cultural center designed for artistic commissions, performance, and visual art. 4. Launching Equinox Hotels Related Companies chose Hudson Yards to be the home of their first Equinox Hotels property. I met their Global Head of Development recently and was very impressed with their success & global expansion. -- What do you think of Hudson Yards? (I took this photo from the ferry)

Most cities struggle to balance growth with affordability. Atlanta found a way to do both. The BeltLine was once nothing more than abandoned rail lines and overgrown lots—a forgotten relic of Atlanta’s industrial past. But a bold vision turned those old tracks into a 22-mile loop of trails, parks, and development that’s now the heartbeat of the city. It’s a story of what happens when developers, city planners, and communities work together—and what the future of urban revitalization could look like. 🚶 It started with walkability and public space. Before the BeltLine became a real estate hot spot, it was an idea to reconnect the city. The first major investment wasn’t luxury condos—it was parks, trails, and green spaces that made Atlanta more livable and accessible for everyone. 🏗️ Developers followed the momentum. Once people saw the potential, private investment poured in. Abandoned warehouses turned into modern lofts, neglected lots became mixed-use developments, and entire districts—like Ponce City Market and Krog Street—were revitalized into thriving community hubs. 💡 The community played a key role in shaping the vision. The BeltLine didn’t just attract developers—it engaged residents, local businesses, and artists. Public art installations, small business grants, and affordable housing incentives ensured that longtime Atlantans could benefit from the transformation. 📈 It boosted property values while prioritizing inclusivity. Real estate near the BeltLine surged in value, bringing in new investment. But city planners worked to ensure affordable housing remained part of the equation, with dedicated funding for mixed-income developments and protections for legacy residents. What cities and developers can learn from the BeltLine: 🌳 Public infrastructure drives private investment. Walkability, parks, and green space increase real estate value and make neighborhoods more desirable. 🏡 Balanced growth is possible. When developers and policymakers collaborate, cities can grow without displacing communities. 📍 Mixed-use is the future. The best developments integrate housing, retail, culture, and public space into one seamless experience. The BeltLine proves that real estate isn’t just about buildings—it’s about creating places where people want to live, work, and connect. When cities and developers think long-term, everyone benefits. — Thank you for reading! More about me: Over the past 6 years, I've worked on dozens of commercial real estate acquisitions, from beginner developer's first deals to institutional portfolio acquisitions of $100M+. If you liked my content on commercial real estate, entrepreneurship, and personal growth, connect with me for more! #RealEstateDevelopment #UrbanRevitalization #AtlantaBeltLine #Placemaking #CommercialRealEstate

🏭How can architecture help in building the city? 🔗In the evolution of modern cities, true development involves not just spatial expansion, but redefining connectivity. 🌿The Hangzhou-Deqing intercity rail forms a critical “C-shaped corridor,” which we have transformed from a mere commuting route into a lifeline that restructures urban frameworks, integrates natural landscapes, and energizes regional growth. Along it, four TOD zones, are emerging as experimental grounds that collectively explore new paradigms for future urban living. The Dixin Town station represents the most forward-looking practice, where architecture and space redefine the possibilities of urban life. 👀Respond to the residence and experience The design emphasizes "vibrant living blocks" by breaking down large blocks, increasing street density, and optimizing pedestrian systems to create walkable, human-scale streets. Ground-floor spaces actively incorporate commercial and cultural functions, forming continuous public interfaces that enhance community interaction and belonging. Flexible spatial products are provided to support businesses throughout their lifecycle, fostering synergy between industry and urban growth. 🗯️Interconnects urban functions  The "mixed-use core" achieves vertical integration above the rail depot, combining transportation, parking, parks, and offices into a highly efficient urban node. The "networking platform" uses elevated corridors to connect different plots, forming a 24/7 open public layer that encourages interaction among enterprises, people, and nature, thereby sparking innovation. 🌳Co-create with Nature and Ecology The "TOD Shared Ecological Corridor" weaves together east-west green axes and north-south urban vitality corridors, with vertical greening, rooftop gardens, pocket parks, and water systems forming a multi-layered green network. Four north-south water corridors are introduced to leverage southeastern winds, facilitating local circulation, mitigating the heat island effect, and creating a resilient, low-carbon microclimate for a nature-immersive ecological experience. 💡As an architect and city enthusiast, I find this project profoundly inspiring. It goes beyond urban planning—embodies a new interpretation of "urban life." #architecturedesign #urbandesign #nature #mixeduse #tod

Could large shopping centres become dynamic, vibrant, mixed-use, live-work communities in the future? Well, possibly if they reinvent themselves like this. While the focus for significant, high-density, mixed-use development will continue to be in town and city centres for the foreseeable future, challenges lie ahead: ⏺️ Our population continues to increase, and our housing crisis grows worse. ⏺️ Development of greenfield and greenbelt land becomes ever more restrictive as urban sprawl is increasingly considered wasteful, inefficient, and unsustainable. ⏺️ The classic shopping mall has been in decline for years as the shopping experience continues to diversify and evolve. Large shopping malls, because of their location, parcel size, ownership structure, and existing infrastructure networks, could offer great opportunities to be transformed into higher-density, mixed-use developments. There are significant benefits and advantages to be gained from doing this: 1️⃣ Mixing Uses: An overabundance of retail space can be rebalanced or replaced by integrating residential, commercial, and recreational spaces to create a more dynamic and lively environment for people to live, work, and play. 2️⃣ Leverage Existing Infrastructure & Transport Networks: Large shopping centres usually have a significant infrastructure network already in place, including utilities, roads, and public transport systems. Meadowhall, for example, already has its own train and bus stations, a Supertram stop, an extensive road network, and is close to the M1. 3️⃣ Accessibility: Large shopping centres are usually built in extremely accessible locations, so they can be easily reached by millions of people travelling by various means. 4️⃣ Transformation Into An Urban Centre: Large shopping centres are usually surrounded by vast parking lots, which can offer great potential for high-density development. They can be repurposed with perimeter blocks or built on top of, retaining some or all of the parking. This allows significant additional development to be delivered on the site and achieves a much better urban fabric. 5️⃣ More Open Space: These can be provided by weaving plazas, playgrounds, and squares around the existing building. 6️⃣ Sustainable Development: Adding more uses increases site density and efficiency. Retrofitting can contribute to environmental sustainability by repurposing an existing structure rather than constructing new ones. 7️⃣ Convenience & Accessibility: Incorporating a variety of uses and amenities will offer convenience and accessibility to users and residents. 8️⃣ Meeting The Needs Of Future Generations: Many large shopping centres are flexible structures that could be repurposed to suit the changing lifestyles and trends of the future. So the range of possibilities for reimagining shopping malls is vast, and with the right vision, there are few limits to how shopping centres and malls may be transformed in the future.

As cities face housing shortages and escalating rents, this mixed-use development could serve as a blueprint for the future. Costco is evolving beyond groceries by reimagining urban space utilization. The company plans to add 800 apartments atop its stores, transforming vacant airspace into valuable housing. This innovative approach focuses on building upward rather than outward, integrating retail and residential spaces within a single footprint. This model offers several advantages: - More homes without consuming additional land - Shorter commutes for residents - More efficient use of urban space An intriguing aspect of this development is that the store below generates consistent commercial revenue, which can support the housing above. This approach avoids large-scale government expansion and prevents suburban sprawl, instead stacking opportunities where existing infrastructure is already in place. Envision supermarkets, malls, and big-box stores converting their rooftops into vibrant neighborhoods. If successful, this initiative could not only transform retail but also redefine urban planning.

The conversion of office spaces into mixed use buildings with a strong residential element is an essential strategy to not just create more vitality in any urban center in the U.S. but it's also required to create more critically needed housing options across the whole socio-economic spectrum of urban residents. Chicago can and should be a pioneer in this massive building conversion initiative that the recently approved "LaSalle Street Reimagined" initiative is focused on. The Wall Street Journal reporter Peter Grant stresses an important advantage for Chicago's downtown when he writes: "Chicago is fortunate in having many buildings developed before World War II that have the right design for conversions. Many of these properties currently face financial distress, but those problems could pave the way for conversions. Their eventual resolution will likely involve a new owner paying a discounted price, which would make a conversion more financially viable." Chicago's conversion strategy, now led by our outstanding Planning Commissioner, Ciere Boatright, could be a role model for other cities in the U.S. , since the private/public initiative will create over 1,000 apartment units with one third classified as affordable. Chicago can reimagine its downtown core as the most inclusive urban core in the U.S., if we continue executing and broadening this private/public partnership approach.

From Office Districts to Vibrant Mixed-Use Hubs Central Business Districts (CBDs) worldwide are at a turning point. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated existing challenges, particularly the rise of hybrid working, leaving many cities with underused office space. The response has been a shift from monofunctional business zones towards mixed-use districts that combine living, working, culture, and leisure. The recent publication by the Centre for Liveable Cities (CLC) in collaboration with Arup (Agnes Won Sohyun, Alison Lee, Chintan Raveshia, Andrew Hodgson, among others) highlights how cities across the globe are navigating this transition. It shows that no single model fits all, but common strategies emerge. Singapore’s CBD Incentive Scheme promotes adaptive reuse of office space. Glasgow’s Avenues Programme redesigns streets to prioritise pedestrians and active mobility. New York’s Open Streets initiative demonstrates the power of reclaiming road space for public life. Bogotá’s Bronx Creative District illustrates how cultural transformation can redefine the identity of a troubled neighbourhood. The study identifies several key directions for the future of CBDs. First, they need to cultivate a distinct identity and clear value proposition in order to compete for talent and investment. Second, they must evolve into vibrant 24-hour destinations by encouraging the night-time economy and placemaking initiatives. Third, flexible regulation and targeted incentives are required to support adaptive reuse, while climate adaptation and sustainability have to be embedded in all interventions. Finally, collaboration between governments, businesses, and communities remains essential to ensure long-term resilience. Examples from Asia-Pacific, Europe, and the Americas illustrate different trajectories of recovery and transformation, but all underline the importance of polycentric development and data-driven governance. Cities such as Sydney and Glasgow already use dashboards to monitor visitor flows and economic performance, turning data into a strategic compass for decision-making. The overarching message: CBDs can no longer rely solely on premium office towers. Their survival and success depend on becoming connected, distinctive, integrative, vibrant, and responsive city districts. #UrbanPlanning #CityMaking #CBD #Placemaking #ResilientCities #MixedUseDevelopment

Most cities are still designed for a past that’s already gone. Take the typical parking garage: concrete, underused, built for a car-heavy era that no longer reflects how many of us want to live. In Wichita, Kansas, Bokeh Development chose a different path. Instead of demolishing a dormant garage, they transformed it into 44 one-bedroom apartments with street-level retail, preserving the original concrete structure while bringing new life to the heart of downtown. What was once a storage space for vehicles became a walkable, mixed-use community for people. This is regenerative placemaking in practice. Not starting from scratch, but seeing possibility in what already exists: Reducing waste. Increasing density where infrastructure is already present. And reshaping our built environment to be more human, connected, and future-ready. Across the United States, thousands of garages sit underutilized. Imagine the collective impact if even a fraction were reimagined this way. The future of cities won’t come only from new construction. It will come from creative reuse, adaptive thinking, and the courage to redesign yesterday’s infrastructure for tomorrow’s needs. What overlooked spaces in your city hold untapped potential? Drop me a comment below.