MIAMI—Savvy developers are taking notice of trends of the future that are starting to show promise today. One of those trends is new urbanism, which relates in part to transit-oriented design and development.

GlobeSt.com caught up with Rey Melendi, COO of 13th Floor Investments, to get his thoughts on this trend and how developers should and are responding. He also discusses the potential impacts of this trend and who the winners will be in our exclusive interview.

GlobeSt.com: What is the impetus behind new urbanism and transit oriented development?

Melendi: Young professionals are consistently proving that when it comes to development, the old paradigm no longer applies. These Millennials prioritize convenience, accessibility and connectivity and as a result, savvy developers are looking at ways to create this kind of environment by building around existing transit hubs and delivering mixed use projects that can sustain a more car-free lifestyle.

GlobeSt.com: What are the potential impacts of this trend?

Melendi: As the urban core becomes more dense and buildable land grows sparse, we will see a number of mixed-use pockets emerge in more suburban neighborhoods that still have the benefit of being located near, or accessible to, public transit. In many ways, this should redefine the way we think about urban living and help connect once disparate parts of our communities.

GlobeSt.com: Who will the likely winners will be?

Melendi: The winners will be developers that are versatile and agile enough to build across asset classes and create large-scale mixed use projects encompassing retail, office, hotel and residential components. At the same time, the public sector will win big as a result of the rising number of public-private partnerships that will enable them to meet growing demand for new product while also investing in upgrades, expansions and enhancements to public transit infrastructure.

Did you read Melendi's big predictions for 2017? You can still find that here.

GlobeSt.com: What is the impetus behind new urbanism and transit oriented development?

GlobeSt.com: What are the potential impacts of this trend?

GlobeSt.com: Who will the likely winners will be?

Did you read Melendi's big predictions for 2017? You can still find that here.

Instant Insights /

What Young Professionals Are Proving

Related Stories

Recommended For You