Because investing posed a high risk for private developers in this Pittsburgh neighborhood, local government played a pivotal role in early revitalization efforts. Located near downtown, East Liberty borders both a more affluent community and a lower-income community. A key first project, a home-improvement center brought residents together and kicked off two decades of revitalization. As the neighborhood transformed, perceptions of the market changed, and private developers gained the confidence to invest more heavily. The proportion of government subsidies declined, housing values rose dramatically, and crime fell by half.
South Bank occupies a 47-hectare (116 acre), 1.2-kilometer-long (0.7 mi.) riverfront site, former home to World Expo 88, across the Brisbane River from Brisbane’s central business district. The mixed-use precinct features riverside parkland, cultural and educational facilities, 383 residences, 469 hotel rooms, 64,000 square meters (688,890 sq. ft.) of offices, and 43,200 square meters (465,000 sq. ft.) of retail, restaurant, and entertainment facilities. It attracts more than 11 million visitors a year.
Developed by Hines Italia, Porta Nuova is a mixed-use regeneration project near the centre of Milan on 290,000 square metres (72 ac) of land, of which 170,000 square metres (42 ac) is a public and pedestrian area, including a 90,000-square-metre (22 ac) public park. The development comprises 140,000 square metres (1.5 million sq ft) of office space, 403 residential units, 40,000 square metres (430,445 sq ft) of retail and cultural venues, and 3,000 parking spaces. Located to the north of the city centre in Italy’s most-connected transportation hub, Porta Nuova is one of the largest urban development projects in Europe, involving more than 20 architectural firms from eight countries. The 29-hectare (72 ac) project’s master plan is designed to revitalize an abandoned area while connecting the three adjacent neighbourhoods.
Located three miles (4.84 kilometers) northwest of downtown Denver, Highlands’ Garden Village is a mixed-use urban infill project built on the site of a former amusement park. The 27-acre (11-hectare) project features 51 single-family homes, 63 rental apartments for seniors, 54 townhouses, 33 cohousing units, and plans to build ten live/work studios for artists, 14,000 square feet (1,300 square meters) of office space, and 82,400 square feet (7,665 square meters) of neighborhood retail uses. The community boasts a number of outdoor amenities, most notably a series of neighborhood parks and gardens that occupy 3.2 acres (1.3 hectares). Highlands’ Garden Village has garnered national attention for its preservation efforts, as well as the site’s numerous “green features” including recycled wood furniture in the parks and the “Zipcar” share program, which provides compressed, natural gas-powered cars for the use of residents.
The ¥270 billion (US$2.47 billion) Roppongi Hills project, also known as the Roppongi 6-chome Redevelopment project, is the largest private sector redevelopment ever completed in Japan. Covering approximately 11.6 hectares (28.7 acres) of prime real estate in the Minato Ward, Roppongi Hills integrates office, residential, and retail uses, a hotel, a TV broadcasting studio, and cultural functions, such as a museum, with parks and plazas that constitute the majority of open space. Jointly developed by Mori Building Company and the Roppongi 6-chome Redevelopment Association, this urban regeneration scheme aims to create a true cultural center.
Redevelopment of a 43-acre naval installation adjacent to the historic district of Key West, Florida. The redeveloped Truman Annex contains 425 residential units, 60,000 square feet of commercial space, 244 hotel rooms/ time share units, and 22,000 square feet of museum space. The project involved extensive infrastructure development, environmental remediation, historic preservation, and new construction.
Located in the Mount Vernon Square neighborhood of Washington, D.C., the new six-level convention center is the largest building in the city, covering six blocks and rising 130 feet (39.6 meters) from the ground at its tallest point — higher than most buildings in the height-constrained city. This massive, 2.3 million-square-foot (213,670-square-meter), 38,000-ton steel, limestone, and glass structure features five exhibit halls, 725,000 square feet (67,352 square meters) of exhibit space, 150,000 square feet (13,935 square meters) of meeting space, a 52,000-square-foot (4,830-square-meter) ballroom, a 36,000-square-foot (3,344-square-meter) area for registration, and approximately 44,000 square feet (4,087 square meters) of restaurants and shops. The convention center is among the ten largest in the nation, and both the Washington Monument and the Sears Tower in Chicago would be able to fit inside the structure if laid on their sides.
