Parks and Open Spaces
Building Healthy Places makes cities and regions healthier by supporting equitable access to parks. The Building Healthy Places Initiative draws from the experience of ULI members and partners to explore issues of equitable access to parks and open spaces through partnerships for equitable parks, the business case for real estate investment in parks, park finance and construction, community engagement, park design, and other topics.
Key activities
ULI supports the goals of the 10 Minute Walk, a movement dedicated to improving access to safe, high-quality parks and green spaces in cities—large and small—throughout the United States. Led by The Trust for Public Land (TPL), 10 Minute Walk is working to create a world in which all people live within a 10-minute walk of a park or green space. Success in this work will require the expertise, creativity, and close collaboration of public- and private-sector leaders. ULI is catalyzing its members, networks, and partners around a vision of a green, sustainable, connected, and resilient future for all people.
83% of Americans believe they personally benefit from local parks.
The Case for Open Space
Technical assistance activities include Advisory Services panels (ASPs) and national study visits (NSVs) linked to the 10 Minute Walk. These activities engage member experts to help communities identify solutions to park challenges. If you are interested in participating in these technical assistance programs, please reach out to us at health@uli.org.
ULI District Councils have engaged members locally to promote equitable access to parks and open spaces.
Previously, ULI’s Urban Open Space Awards recognized outstanding parks and open spaces that have been instrumental in promoting healthy, sustainable, and equitable outcomes. Now, you can submit your urban open spaces to the ULI Americas Awards for Excellence.
Major Publications
Five Characteristics of High-Quality Parks (2021)
10 Principles for Enhancing Equitable Access to Parks (2021)
Pavement to Parks: Transforming Spaces for Cars into Places for People (2020)
The Case for Open Space (2018)
Case Studies
BHP’s case studies on parks and open space describe how investments in parks and open spaces have contributed to project performance, revitalized communities, catalyzed development, and supported resiliency.