Victoria Starkey’s Post

🏡 The Labour government has recently formed a New Towns Taskforce. 📖 In this article, head of cities studio Oliver Steele shares his thoughts with Building Magazine on the lessons – positive and negative – that should be considered to create successful developments. The success of new towns depends on four essential factors: 🗺️ location, 🏘️ place-led development, 🔃 joined-up planning, 🤝 and public-private sector partnerships 🤔 Learning lessons from past new towns will be critical to the success of this latest initiative #Placemaking #CitiesStudio #NewTowns

"Revitalized: Baytown Mall Transformed into Mixed-Use Development" Read the full article below..

The Labour government has recently formed a New Towns Taskforce to draw up the New Towns Code and shape how these projects are delivered. In this article, head of cities studio Oliver Steele shares his thoughts with Building Magazine on the lessons – positive and negative – that should be considered to create successful developments. #Placemaking #CitiesStudio #NewTowns

In his opinion piece, Michael Deemer, JD, LPM, President & CEO, Downtown Cleveland, Inc. discusses how downtown Cleveland has become a model for urban revitalization. He emphasizes that a successful region relies on a strong core. A vibrant core begins with a clean, safe, and attractive environment combined with compelling pedestrian experiences. Learn more about the strategies and initiatives that have set Downtown Cleveland up for success in the linked article below. #DTCLE https://lnkd.in/gvJ_-kHf

This research evidences that Coney Street Riverside will create long-term benefits for York, not only for the local economy and job creation, but by creating much-needed public spaces of national standing, enhancing its retail offer, and meeting the demands for student accommodation in the city. Check out our The Press York article for the full story. #York #YorkProperty #YorkPropertyDevelopment

“A good city is like a good party – people stay longer than really necessary because they are enjoying themselves.” I have always loved this quote from world-renowned urban design specialist, Jan Gehl, about what makes a liveable city. This “humanistic urban planning” approach fundamentally puts people at the centre of how we design cities and strengthen communities. His guiding principle – that people are the most important priority of public space in the process of planning our cities – is something that we at @MAV believe in too, and we’ve seen up close how well it can work when done right. When we create cityscapes that are designed for modern public life, people are encouraged to work, live and play there. They stay longer and feel part of the fabric of the community, connecting in ways that not only boost economic activity but promote wellbeing. I love learning from great world thinkers like Gehl, who has taken his vision for people-centred cities from his native Denmark to all corners of the globe, including Melbourne and Sydney. In his research, he’s found that wherever he’s travelled, the common feature that makes a city come alive, is people feeling like they belong there. When he first visited Melbourne in the 1970s, it was a very different place to the city we know today. Gehl observed that it was “utterly dead” and “boring.” He worked with council leaders and harnessed their local knowledge to reimagine the CBD, closing streets off to cars and installing bike lanes and public meeting spaces to encourage more walking, cycling and freedom of movement. The result is what we see now – a vibrant, accessible, 24-hour city that has consistently been voted one of the world’s most liveable. At the heart of that accolade is Gehl’s vision to create public spaces that encourage social interaction and foster community belonging. As he says, “First we shape the cities – then they shape us.” It’s a vision we share. We need to encourage public life in public spaces. And that means prioritising people when planning and designing our communities. #UrbanVisionaries #UrbanDesign #UrbanPlanning #HumanCentredDesign #SustainableCities Cathy Oke Leanne Hodyl Maria Dimopoulos Tahlia Azaria 🗺 Bonnie Shaw Kat Panjari Leanne Mitchell CF James McLean Libby Porter

🏙️ When Public-Private Partnerships Transform a City: A Success Story in Urban Revitalization Can the collaboration between private real estate and local government truly change the urban landscape? Here’s a powerful example of how it can. In 2023, a significant public-private partnership between the City of Detroit and a private real estate investment firm, Bedrock Detroit, delivered a stunning example of urban revitalization. The Hudson’s Site Development Project in downtown Detroit stood as a symbol of collaboration, determination, and the power of working together to create meaningful change. Once an underutilized area in the heart of Detroit, this site had been vacant since 1998. The local government wanted to turn it into a space that would revitalize the downtown core but lacked the resources to make it happen alone. Enter Bedrock Detroit, which partnered with the city to create a 1.5 million-square-foot mixed-use development, blending retail, office, residential, and public spaces. By combining resources, expertise, and vision, the project was designed to not only create a modern, multi-functional development but also bring thousands of jobs and stimulate economic growth in the area. The government streamlined zoning and permitting processes, while Bedrock Detroit invested heavily in construction, design, and tenant recruitment. A once-abandoned site transformed into one of Detroit’s most ambitious urban developments in recent history. This project: - Generated over 5,000 construction jobs and is projected to create thousands of permanent jobs in the retail, office, and hospitality sectors. - Revitalized the downtown area, drawing in new businesses, residents, and visitors. - Became a symbol of Detroit’s ongoing renaissance and the potential for public-private partnerships to drive urban renewal. What other cities do you think could benefit from similar public-private partnerships? Have you seen similar success stories in your market? #UrbanRevitalization #PublicPrivatePartnership #CRESuccess #DowntownDevelopment #DetroitRenaissance #OfficeMarkets #CRETrends

As Paris 2024 draws to a close we have been reflecting on the work we have been doing in East London since London 2012. Since before the London games we have been advising boroughs and London Legacy Development Corporation, providing economic evidence and strategy advice on this generation defining project. We have supported planning policy, advised on economic impact, innovation, night time economy and workspace. We have delivered community engagement, social research and data analysis, driving a deeper understanding of change in London's fastest growing sub-region. A couple of years ago we were asked to support London Borough of Newham to develop a new vision for Stratford Town Centre. This was a different kind of approach, which went beyond a simple masterplan or economic strategy, aiming to put people, place, planet and purpose back into partners work. It considered the need to unite neighbourhoods under 'One Stratford', whilst also working with grain of grassroots sentiment and enthusiasm, to support new approaches. We think Stratford remains one of the most interesting and exciting place to work anywhere in the UK and a pleased with how the new strategy has already started to support new approaches to place and community. With this in mind, Chris Paddock and Carolina Eboli have taken time to reflect on this project here. See what you think - What can other places learn from this? Where might Stratford be by the time of LA '28? https://lnkd.in/e_DBFscV

Toronto's Western Waterfront is facing its biggest transformation since the 1970s. But here's what you might not know about the ambitious Parkshore project... The vision? Transform 30 acres along Lake Ontario into Toronto's next great neighborhood. We're talking about 1.4 kilometers of prime waterfront, currently sitting as "dead space" between Lake Shore Boulevard and the Gardiner Expressway. But let's get real about where this project actually stands: Right now, Parkshore is still in conceptual stages. Designer Brent Haynes has presented to CreateTO, but we're months (if not years) away from seeing any shovels in the ground. The project needs to clear multiple hurdles: environmental assessments, community consultations, infrastructure studies - the works. The stakes? Massive. On one side: 493,600 square feet of new retail space, seamless integration with the future Park Lawn GO station, and a reimagined waterfront experience. On the other: Legitimate concerns about infrastructure strain, environmental impact, and the fundamental character of Humber Bay Shores - a community that's already home to 20,000+ residents. What fascinates me most is how this project could redefine Toronto's approach to waterfront development. We're not just talking about adding density - we're potentially creating a new template for how cities can repurpose underutilized urban spaces. The critical question isn't whether we'll develop this space, but how we'll balance progress with preservation. Can we create density without sacrificing livability? Transform without destroying? As someone deeply invested in Toronto's urban evolution, I believe this project deserves our attention now - while it's still malleable, while community voices can still shape its direction. What's your take? Should we embrace this ambitious vision, or push for a more measured approach to waterfront development? #TorontoRealEstate #HumberBayShores #WaterfrontTO #SmartCities #FutureOfCities