Skip to Content

ULI Global

  1. Global
    1. ULI Global
    2. Americas
    3. Asia Pacific
    4. Europe
  2. Knowledge Finder

    Explore our latest research and best practices

    For Members Only

  3. Member Directory

    Connect with members around the world

    For Members Only

  4. Navigator

    Find ULI opportunities to lead and volunteer

    For Members Only

    1. Urban Land Magazine
    2. ULI Foundation
    3. ULI Learning
  1. Donate
  2. Contact
Join ULI
ULI Americas

Main Menu

  • About ULI About ULI
    • Overview
    • Mission & Commitment
    • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)
    • Contact Us
    • Staff Directory
    • ULI Career Opportunities
    • Leadership & Governance
    • Advertising & Sponsorship
    • Press Room
    • Annual Report
  • Events Events
    • Overview
    • Upcoming Events
    • ULI Americas Digital Program
    • Housing Opportunity
    • Spring Meeting
    • Fall Meeting
  • Membership Membership
    • Overview
    • Join ULI
    • Refer a Member
    • Corporate Partnerships
    • Benefits
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Code of Ethics
  • Councils Councils
    • Overview
    • District Councils
    • Product Councils
    • ULI Forums
  • Programs Programs
    • Overview
    • Advisory Services
    • Awards & Competitions
    • Career Center
    • ULI Learning
    • UrbanPlan
    • Leadership Network
  • Research Research
    • Overview
    • Case Studies
    • Centers & Initiatives
    • Climate & Energy
    • Economy & Capital
    • Infrastructure
    • Housing
    • Planning & Design
    • Public Sector
  • Publications Publications
    • Overview
    • Urban Land Magazine
    • Bookstore
    • Case Studies
ULI Americas

Search

Full Menu

ULI Americas

ULI Global

  • ULI Global
  • Americas
  • Asia Pacific
  • Europe
Knowledge Finder Explore our latest research and best practices Member Directory Connect with members around the world Navigator Find ULI opportunities to lead and volunteer

More

  • More
    • Urban Land Magazine
    • ULI Foundation
    • ULI Learning

Search

Main Menu

  • About ULI About ULI
    • Overview
    • Mission & Commitment
    • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)
    • Contact Us
    • Staff Directory
    • ULI Career Opportunities
    • Leadership & Governance
    • Advertising & Sponsorship
    • Press Room
    • Annual Report
  • Events Events
    • Overview
    • Upcoming Events
    • ULI Americas Digital Program
    • Housing Opportunity
    • Spring Meeting
    • Fall Meeting
  • Membership Membership
    • Overview
    • Join ULI
    • Refer a Member
    • Corporate Partnerships
    • Benefits
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Code of Ethics
  • Councils Councils
    • Overview
    • District Councils
    • Product Councils
    • ULI Forums
  • Programs Programs
    • Overview
    • Advisory Services
    • Awards & Competitions
    • Career Center
    • ULI Learning
    • UrbanPlan
    • Leadership Network
  • Research Research
    • Overview
    • Case Studies
    • Centers & Initiatives
    • Climate & Energy
    • Economy & Capital
    • Infrastructure
    • Housing
    • Planning & Design
    • Public Sector
  • Publications Publications
    • Overview
    • Urban Land Magazine
    • Bookstore
    • Case Studies
Donate Contact Join ULI
  1. Programs
  2. UrbanPlan
  3. UrbanPlan for High Schools

UrbanPlan National Competition

UrbanPlan hosts an annual National Student Competition in which high school students from across North America compete for a development contract from the fictional city of Yorktown. In UrbanPlan, students are tasked with redeveloping six blocks in the fictional neighborhood, Elmwood. The student’s fictional companies must balance historical preservation, dereliction, and competing neighborhood priorities, along with financial constraints to meet the needs of the city.

For the National Competition, students must think on their feet as they respond to a memo issued by the city that alters the game. In 2020, Yorktown City Council asked students to respond to COVID-19 and the Black Lives Matter movement in their proposal. In 2021, the RFP mandated a specific focus on sustainability by asking students to create a street-level plan for the central corridor and factor in costs for upgrading buildings to LEED Platinum. Winners were awarded a share of the $10,000 prize.

Mike Zane, a teacher at Kalani High School, Honolulu, Hawaii, considers the program an extension of students’ learning in the classroom. “The National Urban Plan Competition gave students an opportunity to dig deeper into the political, social, economic, as well as design aspects that goes into public and private real estate redevelopment efforts they did not consider while involved in their classroom/ school level experience of Urban Plan.  It has been wonderful to see the tremendous growth these students have had in the short amount of time in preparation for the national competition.”

Funding for this competition was generously provided through a donation to ULI’s Annual Fund from ULI Trustee Emeritus and ULI Foundation Governor Ron Nahas, partner, Rafanelli & Nahas LLP, Lafayette, California.


  • Summer 2020 national competition video
  • Summer 2021 Request for Proposals (RFP)  memo
  • Summer 2021 winners:
    • First place: Forma Inc.,  Iolani HS (Honolulu, HI)
    • Second place: Radiant Development, Berkeley HS (Berkeley, CA)
    • Third place: Retro Development, Kalani HS (Honolulu, HI)

Summer 2021 participating teams/schools – see here. 

Contact Us

ULI Global
  • Member Directory
  • Join ULI
  • Career Center
  • Foundation

Customer Service

Phone: 1-800-321-5011

Email: [email protected]

ULI Americas

URBAN LAND INSTITUTE AMERICAS
2001 L STREET, NW
SUITE 200
WASHINGTON, DC 20036-4948

Mission Statement

The mission of the Urban Land Institute:
Shape the future of the built environment for transformative impact in communities worldwide

Footer Links

About ULI

  • Mission & Priorities
  • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)
  • Contact Us
  • Staff Directory
  • ULI Career Opportunities
  • Leadership & Governance
  • Advertising & Sponsorship
  • Press Room
  • Annual Report

Events

  • Upcoming Events
  • ULI Americas Digital Program
  • Spring Meeting
  • Fall Meeting

Membership

  • Join ULI
  • Refer a Member
  • ULI Subscriber
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Benefits
  • Code of Ethics

Councils

  • District Councils
  • Product Councils
  • ULI Forums – Old – Spring 2022

Programs

  • Advisory Services
  • Awards & Competitions
  • Career Center
  • ULI Learning (opens new window)
  • UrbanPlan
  • Leadership Network

Research

  • Case Studies
  • Centers & Initiatives
  • Climate & Energy
  • Economy & Capital
  • Housing
  • Curtis Infrastructure Initiative
  • Planning & Design
  • Public Sector

Publications

  • Urban Land Magazine
  • Bookstore
  • Case Studies
  • Marketplace
Facebook. Will open in a new window. Twitter. Will open in a new window. LinkedIn. Will open in a new window. . Will open in a new window. YouTube. Will open in a new window.

©2023 Urban Land Institute. All Rights Reserved. Legal Notices

Sign in with your ULI account to get started

Forgot password?

Don’t have an account? Sign up for a ULI guest account.