Cushman & Wakefield Releases In-Depth Report Providing Blueprint to Reimagine Cities

Rhea-AI Summary

Cushman & Wakefield (NYSE: CWK) has released a comprehensive report titled 'Reimagining Cities: Disrupting the Urban Doom Loop', analyzing 15 U.S. cities to identify their current real estate portfolios and optimal product mix for future success. The study, developed with Places Platform, , reveals that cities, especially downtowns, have violated portfolio theory in real estate markets, with 70% of square footage dedicated to offices.

Key findings include:

• The optimal real estate mix for most cities is 42% Work, 32% Live, and 26% Play
• Walkable urban areas account for 3% of city landmass but 37% of tax revenues and 57% of GDP
• Four strategies to revitalize cities: decrease Work space, increase Live space, boost for-sale housing, and enhance Play components

The report emphasizes the need for action to prevent urban doom loops and proposes solutions for creating more balanced, sustainable urban environments.

Positive

• Comprehensive analysis of 15 U.S. cities' real estate portfolios
• Identification of optimal real estate mix for urban areas
• Proposal of strategies to revitalize cities and prevent urban doom loops
• Reversal of pandemic-induced population losses and drops in visitor foot traffic
• Creation of a unique real estate database covering all property types in walkable urban places

Negative

• Current imbalance in urban real estate portfolios, with 70% of downtown space dedicated to Work
• Risk of urban doom loops if cities fail to adapt to changing economic needs
• Pressure on real estate valuations due to over-reliance on Work spaces

Insights

Urban Development Expert

This report offers a groundbreaking analysis of urban real estate portfolios across 15 U.S. cities, providing important insights for city planners and investors. The study's key finding—that cities have violated portfolio theory with an overconcentration in office space—is particularly significant. The proposed optimal mix of 42% Work, 32% Live and 26% Play could be a game-changer for urban development strategies.

The report's emphasis on walkable urban places, which generate 37% of city tax revenues and 57% of city GDP despite occupying only 3% of land area, underscores the critical importance of these zones. The four key strategies outlined for revitalizing cities, especially the call to decrease Work space and increase Live and Play areas, offer a clear roadmap for urban transformation.

While the findings are compelling, implementation will likely face challenges from existing property owners and zoning regulations. However, the potential for creating more resilient, vibrant urban cores makes this blueprint invaluable for forward-thinking city planners and real estate developers.

Real Estate Market Analyst

This report presents a paradigm shift in urban real estate portfolio management. The current 70% allocation to office space in downtowns is unsustainable in the post-pandemic era. The proposed rebalancing towards more residential and entertainment spaces aligns with evolving work patterns and lifestyle preferences.

The study's comprehensive database, covering nearly all real estate types across 15 cities, lends significant credibility to its findings. The optimal mix of 42% Work, 32% Live and 26% Play could serve as a benchmark for investors and developers in urban markets. This balanced approach is likely to enhance property values and create more resilient urban economies.

The report's acknowledgment of office space's continued importance, albeit in reduced proportion, is realistic. However, the transition to this optimal mix will require substantial capital investment and may face resistance from traditional office-centric investors. The call for cities to facilitate this rebalancing through policy changes and incentives is important for successful implementation.

Economic Policy Advisor

This report offers a data-driven approach to urban revitalization, addressing the critical issue of "urban doom loops" faced by many U.S. cities. The study's findings challenge conventional urban development strategies, advocating for a more balanced mix of real estate uses to drive economic growth and sustainability.

The report's emphasis on the economic importance of walkable urban places is particularly noteworthy. These areas, generating 57% of city GDP from just 3% of land area, represent key economic engines that cities must nurture. The proposed rebalancing of real estate portfolios could lead to more resilient urban economies, potentially increasing tax revenues and attracting diverse businesses and residents.

However, implementing these changes will require significant policy shifts. Cities may need to revise zoning laws, offer tax incentives for adaptive reuse and invest in public infrastructure to support the proposed optimal mix. While challenging, such changes could yield substantial long-term economic benefits, creating more vibrant, resilient urban centers capable of adapting to future economic shifts.

The first-of-its-kind study examines 15 U.S. cities to identify their current real estate portfolio and how that compares to the optimal product mix for thriving in the future

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Cushman & Wakefield (NYSE: CWK), a leading global real estate services firm, today released Reimagining Cities: Disrupting the Urban Doom Loop—an in-depth research report that puts 15 U.S. cities under the microscope to identify the real estate portfolios cities currently have versus what they need, given how much the economy has changed post-pandemic. In doing so, a few key findings emerge.

1. Cities, particularly economically important, walkable urban places near the core, violated portfolio theory in real estate markets. This is especially true for downtowns, where 70% of real estate square footage is currently office.
2. There is an optimal product mix for real estate markets to move towards. This optimal mix, for most cities, on average, is 42% Work (office, owner-occupied, GSA), 32% Live (for-sale and multifamily rental housing) and 26% Play (retail, hotel and other sports/entertainment).
3. Reimagining these walkable urban places will yield dividends for all stakeholders in the city. These small, walkable pockets of cities account for only 3% of the city’s landmass, 25% of the city’s real estate footprint, but 37% of city tax revenues and 57% of city GDP. If these places fail, the entire city suffers.

Developed in partnership with Places Platform, LLC, a real estate solutions technology company co-founded by coauthor Christopher B. Leinberger, who is also the Charles Bendit Distinguished Scholar & Emeritus Professor and Chair, Center for Real Estate & Urban Analysis at George Washington University School of Business, Reimagining Cities looks at the recent past and probable future for 15 key U.S. cities—addressing critical questions about their economic health, how “doom loops” can manifest, and how they can be reversed into “virtuous cycles.”

The report details four key strategies needed to revitalize cities and downtowns to ensure they remain vibrant and engaging, including:

1. Decreasing the share of real estate dedicated to Work, especially in downtowns;
2. Increasing the share of space dedicated to Live, particularly in downtowns;
3. Boosting the ratio of for-sale housing within Live; and
4. Enhancing the Play component, to drive incremental foot traffic from visitors

“Our study is really a call to action,” said Kevin Thorpe, Cushman & Wakefield’s Global Chief Economist. “Some of our great cities and downtowns are at risk of entering into an urban doom loop, which is a very difficult cycle to break. The bottom line is a portion of the real estate most cities have today made sense for the economy 20 years ago, pre-hybrid work, but do not make sense for the economy today. Our downtowns and central cities are transforming with the knowledge economy, but also with the experience economy. Cities are increasingly about experience and consumption, and not just knowledge sector production. From this study, we now have the data, we know where the problems are, and we know what the solutions are. Doom loops are not inevitable, but the time to take action is now.”

To complete the analysis in the report, Places Platform, LLC leveraged its proprietary tools, including its place-based analysis, and worked with Cushman & Wakefield to aggregate a first-of-its kind real estate database which includes nearly 100% of all real estate data from the parcel level up. This place-based analysis includes data covering all real estate products in 15 sample cities, including multifamily rental, for-sale housing, office, retail, hotel, industrial, cultural (museums, theaters, and more), sports and events facilities, convention centers, government buildings and universities.

“By partnering together, Cushman & Wakefield and Places Platform, LLC have been able to compile a never-before-seen real estate database that includes all property types in these walkable urban places,” said Rebecca Rockey, Cushman & Wakefield’s Deputy Chief Economist and Global Head of Forecasting. “This has led to analysis that can help investors, businesses, local governments, and place management organizations understand the current real estate portfolio mix and how to proceed in ways that help urban neighborhoods grow and thrive.”

Additional key findings from the report include:

• Any pandemic-induced ‘doom loop’ is episodic and has shown signs of a reversal: Population losses and drops in visitor foot traffic have reversed in these walkable urban places regained residents and attracted more visitors.
• The optimal urban real estate mix exists: The ideal balance consists, on average, of 31% of space dedicated to Live, 42% to Work, and 26% to Play. This split generates the highest real estate value and GDP per acre. Expanding residential and entertainment offerings will create more vibrant, resilient urban environments.
• Office remains a key component of urban real estate portfolios: In fact, Work should be the plurality of square footage in urban cores, but an over-reliance on Work—especially in downtowns—has pressured valuations. A more balanced mix of residential (Live) and entertainment (Play) space is necessary to improve real estate values.
• Downtowns are extremely Work-centric: Currently, 70% of downtown real estate is dedicated to Work. These areas must increase their allocation of space to Live (currently only 16%) and Play (15%) spaces to create a more balanced and sustainable real estate mix.
• Other economically important, walkable urban places are more balanced, but many still need more Live and Play: With 42% allocated to Live, 44% dedicated to Work, and 14% to Play, Downtown-Adjacent, Urban Commercial and Urban University neighborhoods are more closely aligned with the optimal product mix, which supports higher real estate values and GDP growth.
• Cities must make the right thing easy to do: For example, expediting the entitlement process, moving toward form-based codes and offering incentives to accelerate adaptive reuse of space dedicated to Work—there are multiple options for how cities can facilitate this rebalancing.

“Cushman & Wakefield is dedicated to helping our clients navigate the evolving landscape of commercial real estate,” said Michelle MacKay, CEO of Cushman & Wakefield. “This report reflects the deep and rigorous approach we take toward understanding the full real estate ecosystem, to help our clients develop solutions that address their most complex issues. Our comprehensive advisory offering addresses the full spectrum of client needs, from strategic planning to execution, helping our customers to make critical decisions with confidence.”

To learn more, read the full report.

About Cushman & Wakefield

Cushman & Wakefield (NYSE: CWK) is a leading global commercial real estate services firm for property owners and occupiers with approximately 52,000 employees in nearly 400 offices and 60 countries. In 2023, the firm reported revenue of $9.5 billion across its core services of property, facilities and project management, leasing, capital markets, and valuation and other services. It also receives numerous industry and business accolades for its award-winning culture and commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), sustainability and more. For additional information, visit www.cushmanwakefield.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240919314696/en/

Michael Boonshoft

michael.boonshoft@cushwake.com

Source: Cushman & Wakefield

FAQ

What is the optimal real estate mix for cities according to Cushman & Wakefield's report?

The report suggests an optimal mix of 42% Work (office, owner-occupied, GSA), 32% Live (for-sale and multifamily rental housing), and 26% Play (retail, hotel, and other sports/entertainment) for most cities.

How much of downtown real estate is currently dedicated to Work spaces?

According to the report, 70% of downtown real estate is currently dedicated to Work spaces.

What are the four key strategies proposed by Cushman & Wakefield (CWK) to revitalize cities?

The four key strategies are: 1) Decreasing the share of real estate dedicated to Work, 2) Increasing the share of space dedicated to Live, 3) Boosting the ratio of for-sale housing within Live, and 4) Enhancing the Play component.

What percentage of city GDP do walkable urban places account for, according to Cushman & Wakefield's (CWK) report?

The report states that walkable urban places account for 57% of city GDP, despite only representing 3% of the city's landmass.

How has the pandemic-induced 'doom loop' affected cities, as per Cushman & Wakefield's (CWK) findings?

The report indicates that any pandemic-induced 'doom loop' is episodic and has shown signs of reversal, with walkable urban places regaining residents and attracting more visitors.