Wherever we go, we plug in to a local network of businesses, developers and authorities to gain as much knowledge as we can about the area. This insight helps us create an environment that inspires progress, while building a local atmosphere that’s unique and true to the spirit of each area.
In February 2019, my friend and colleague from Tech City days Ian Mulcahey, Principal at architects Gensler, invited me to take part in a panel discussion with Guy Nicholson, Cabinet Member for Planning, Business & Investment at the London Borough of Hackney about the renaissance of London’s City Fringe (that is, the area just north of the City of London that includes Shoreditch).
This was part of Urban Land Institute’s (ULI) annual conference, which was held in London in 2019.
Read MoreI was lucky enough to attend Oslo Innovation Week (OIW) last week. It was my third OIW, and my first since it was moved from wintry November to sunny September.
Run by Oslo Business Region, Oslo’s agency for supporting the local startup ecosystem, it has really gone from strength to strength over the last few years, and there is an impressive bond between the government side and the startup clusters. This year’s biggest name was Barack Obama who talked about environment sustainability being the biggest global challenge to a buzzing audience.
Read MoreA group of us doing Masters degrees in Property Finance and Real Estate Management at the University of Westminster had the pleasure of being part of a field trip to New York City. We looked at some of the key property developments in Manhattan and heard from architects, agents, the City, BIDs and developers themselves.
Read MoreI've had the pleasure of visiting New York City on a field trip with the University of Westminster this week. We toured around the biggest developments in Manhattan, visiting the World Trade Center area and the new Hudson Yards development, the largest development site in the western world, on 26 acres of land.
Read MoreAs part of the tour with the University of Westminster we got to meet some of the people behind New York's Business Improvement Districts (BIDs). United States BIDs are non-profit organisations that property owners vote to establish and voluntarily pay into to provide extra safety, cleanliness and 'brand' areas. What's in it for them is that by doing this they see more footfall in their areas, and an uplift in local business revenue and property values.
Read MoreI need to talk about gentrification - a word I don't like, because it is pejorative, but it has stuck. NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio has made affordable housing a central thrust of his administration and is doing some good work providing tax relief for developers who develop affordable housing in their developments.
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