For more information, contact:
Trish Riggs at 202-624-7086
Robert Krueger at 202-624-7051

WASHINGTON (April 26, 2013) – The Urban Land Institute (ULI) has announced the recipients of the 2013 ULI Apgar Urban Land Award, an honor that recognizes industry articles of practical value in Urban Land magazine. Selected articles from the previous calendar year – authored by Jason S. Hellendrung, principal, Urban Studio at Sasaki and Howard J. Kozloff, managing partner, Agora Partners – will both be honored next month at the ULI Spring Meeting in San Diego.

The ULI Apgar Urban Land Award recognizes the authors of articles in ULI’s flagship publication – Urban Land magazine – that best contribute to the mission and current priorities of the institute. The award, which was first presented from 1991 to 2006, was reintroduced last year with intent of encouraging entrepreneurs, executives, and professionals to communicate their ideas, knowledge, research and experience for the benefit of the entire real estate community.

“These winners exemplify ULI’s tradition of producing and sharing expert information on land use and real estate issues,” said ULI Chief Executive Officer Patrick L. Philips. “They are smart reads backed up by balanced reporting and scientific research. Both articles are refreshing examples of reliable writing in an age of information overload.”

Hellendrung’s winning piece, entitled “HealthLine Drives Growth in Cleveland,” explores the shifting role of the private sector in advancing transit in downtown Cleveland. The HealthLine, the city’s bus rapid transit (BRT) system, has stimulated economic growth along the historic Euclid Avenue since it first opened in 2008. His article describes how the project – a diverse partnership of public, private, nonprofit and neighborhood interests – devised a strategy of catalyzing growth by designing a bus system that emulated a rail line. As a result, Cleveland planners have revised the way they view the link between transportation, jobs, housing and business.

Kozloff was selected as an award winner for his Urban Land story that made the case for urban parks providing a measurable bump in value and competitive advantage for real estate properties. “The Payoff from Parks” cites specific case studies and empirical research that support the argument that public space can create a property premium for lots within several hundred feet of a green space. Kozloff attributes this to a market demand for interaction, which translates into more retail shoppers and revenue for retail investors. In turn, this increase in activity attracts tenants and increases property value for residential.

Currently, Hellendrung directs landscape architecture, planning and urban design work for a range of projects at Sasaki. Some of his current projects include the citywide Parks Master Plan for Hartford, Conn.; the re-design of Chaparral Street in downtown Corpus Christi, Texas; and the White Flint Redevelopment in North Bethesda, Md. One of his most notable accomplishments was his time as project manager of the urban design and landscape architecture for the HealthLine BRT and transformation of Euclid Avenue in Cleveland.

In addition to his role at Agora Partners, Kozloff is a lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania. He is the former Director of HH Development Strategies and Director of Operations at Hart Howerton, an international planning, design, and development advisory firm. Prior to Hart Howerton, he held positions at both The Martin Group and Macerich and previously lectured at Columbia University and the University of Southern California.

The award was started in the 1990s by long-time ULI member and Governor, Mahlon “Sandy” Apgar, in order to highlight and recognize the quality of writing in Urban Land magazine. A $500 honorarium is presented for the winning article, judged on the criteria of relevance to current land use and development issues; strength of the authors’ analyses; perceptiveness of the authors’ reasoning; clarity of presentation; and overall contribution to the advancement of ULI’s mission and current priorities.

About the Urban Land Institute
The Urban Land Institute (uli.org) is a nonprofit education and research institute supported by its members. Its mission is to provide leadership in the responsible use of land and in creating and sustaining thriving communities worldwide. Established in 1936, the Institute has nearly 30,000 members representing all aspects of land use and development disciplines.