WASHINGTON– Nearly 7,000 of the world’s foremost leaders in the real estate and land use industry will convene at the Urban Land Institute’s (ULI) 2019 Fall Meeting, set for September 18-21 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. ULI is a global, multidisciplinary, member-driven real estate organization dedicated to responsible land use and building thriving, sustainable communities.
As the largest of ULI’s events, and the real estate industry’s premier gathering, the Fall Meeting routinely draws internationally renowned land use and urban development experts, including commercial developers, finance executives, economic development specialists, architects, urban planners, property owners and managers, real estate consultants, public officials, academics and property advisers.
The meeting will feature discussions on a range of issues and trends affecting real estate, including technology advancements, demographic shifts, urbanization, changing economic drivers, transportation and other infrastructure needs, and environmental concerns. The meeting will also highlight successful business strategies used by rising stars and experienced professionals to thrive in the rapidly changing industry.
“We are very excited to bring ULI to Washington, a city and a region undergoing dynamic change,” said ULI Global Chief Executive Officer W. Edward Walter. “Our members can look forward to a meeting filled with topical discussions on all aspects of real estate, tours of the area’s cutting-edge developments, and plenty of networking opportunities. This Fall Meeting is a ‘must attend’ for anyone seeking to gain or share expertise on creating thriving communities.”
Washington was named one of this year’s top cities in the United States for overall real estate prospects by the 2019 edition of Emerging Trends in Real Estate®, the annual industry forecast co-published by ULI and PwC. The report cited Washington’s appeal to highly educated millennials and the strong net migration into the area as among the factors creating a favorable environment for investment and development.
The meeting’s Host Committee, which is responsible for highlighting Washington’s considerable assets, is being chaired by leaders in the Washington real estate community: Matthew Kelly, chief executive officer, JBG Smith Properties; Diane Hoskins, co-chief executive officer, Gensler; Raymond A. Ritchey, senior executive vice president, Boston Properties; Jodie W. McClean, chief executive officer, EDENS; and Deborah Ratner Salzberg, chairman, DC Region, Brookfield Properties.
“The revitalization that is occurring throughout the D.C. region has been nothing short of transformational,” Kelly said. “We look forward to showcasing the many projects throughout the area that are making the city and surrounding area a highly sustainable and livable region.”
“The 2019 Fall Meeting presents a prime opportunity to demonstrate the many contributions our members are making to help Washington adapt to the needs of future generations,” Hoskins said.
Wednesday, September 18, will feature tours of iconic buildings and innovative developments throughout region, including tours of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the Kennedy Center, the Watergate, National Building Museum, National Harbor, Bethesda Row, Tysons Corner, and National Landing (the site for Amazon’s new headquarters). The day will conclude with a welcome reception at The Wharf, a new, dynamic development on the Potomac River waterfront.
On Thursday, September 19, and Friday, September 20, real estate sessions will focus on trends and issues affecting all sectors of the industry, as well as leadership lessons learned from real estate experts. Saturday, September 21, will feature more tours, including Glenstone Museum, Union Market and the NoMa neighborhood, a boat tour of the Potomac and Anacostia waterfronts, and bicycle tours of the downtown area and from downtown to the close-in suburb of Bethesda, Maryland.
The 2019 Fall Meeting is made possible with generous support from numerous sponsors, including icon sponsors Boston Properties and JBG Smith; principal sponsor Newmark Knight Frank; platinum sponsors Bank of America Merrill Lynch and HFF; and gold sponsors UDR, AvalonBay Communities, Marcus & Millichap and RealPage.
ULI has a long history of involvement in the Washington metropolitan region. Over the past 60 years, ULI has convened numerous panels of members to advise the city and suburbs on a variety of urban development challenges, including the restoration and revitalization of Union Station; strategies for revitalizing Baileys Crossroads into a more urban area; reclaiming the Anacostia waterfront; catalyzing development around the New Carrollton transit station in New Carrollton, Maryland; repositioning Galludet University to become the focal point of the neighborhood; and reusing the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library.
