Developing Land and Strong Leaders, Too: Urban Land Institute
Research. Educate. Develop. The same practices that create useful and sustainable land development also foster knowledgeable leaders within the industry. The Urban Land Institute (ULI) is known for doing just that. The institute takes pride in their nonprofit research, education and professional development of young professionals.
Their research includes key topics such as sustainability, effective land use, trends and creative solutions to challenges and problems. The ULI uses their extensive research to educate both the public and those in the land development trade.
For decades the ULI has constructed various initiatives and programs centered around bringing knowledge into the industry and also providing professionals with an opportunity to grow. The Minnesota charter provides our public and private leaders with a chance to come together to share industry knowledge and ideas to create a culture of effective land use and sustainability.
Building for the Future
The ULI is a strong advocate for progressive development both in land use and in people. Their mission is to create leaders within the development community who will practice responsible and sustainable land use. As a company that values developing emerging professionals into industry leaders, Kraus-Anderson has partnered with the ULI to achieve this mission.
Doug Jandro, Vice President of Business Development at Kraus-Anderson, says that, “The ULI allows these young professionals to broaden their knowledge and create a network of strong professional relationships. We help them find their niche in this vast industry.”
Jandro mentors four emerging professionals all who play various roles in development: a civil engineer, an attorney, marketing specialist and an asset manager.
David Krco, an attorney with Beisel & Dunlevy, P.A. noted how Jandro placed a strong emphasis on the importance of relationships. He also says, “Doug was everything we could have hoped for in providing insight, guidance, introductions and unique experiences. His knowledge and experience provided an invaluable resource for better understanding the dynamics, complexities, and challenges of real estate development and construction.”
“It is important that we mentor and challenge those who will be building and creating our cities both now and well into the future. Our future lies in the hands of these individuals, the more we can guide and provide them with knowledge and experience, the better everyone’s future will look,” says Jandro.
The Power of the ULI
If we take a look around us we can see the impact that the ULI has had. It is all around us; with city bike paths, more options for public transportation and more sustainable and efficiently designed buildings. KA has seen the impact the ULI has had even in our own projects.
CityPlace, a 100-acre site was recently recognized by the ULI for its creative development plan. Selected as one of two innovative project developments, CityPlace coordinators presented their project to the ULI Market Council. The mixed use campus features accessibility, walk-ability and provides diverse opportunities for recreation, shopping and cultural activities.
The institute has created a culture of sustainability, creative land use and has changed the way we think. Things like “walk-ability,” “bike-able” and “green” were not always a concern when developing and building. “ULI MN has influenced the way we speak and think about our region. How we speak, the words we use, shapes how we think and influences how we act. That’s the power of ULI MN.” – Nick Koch, associate vice president, HGA Architects and Engineers, first chair of ULI MN.
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