For more information, contact Trisha Riggs 202/624-7086, email: [email protected]

WASHINGTON (March 1, 2010) — An advisory services panel from the Urban Land Institute is visiting Oklahoma City March 1-5, 2010, to provide strategic advice on the redeveloping the “Core to Shore” area of Oklahoma City. The panel, sponsored jointly by the City of Oklahoma and ULI Oklahoma, will be making recommendations on how best to leverage economic growth resulting from the upcoming Interstate-40/Crosstown Realignment.

ULI, headquartered in Washington, D.C., is a global research and education institute dedicated to responsible land use; and ULI Oklahoma serves the Institute’s members in Oklahoma City and throughout the state. Through its widely acclaimed advisory services program, ULI assembles objective experts in the fields of real estate and land use planning to participate on panels worldwide, offering recommendations for complex planning and development projects, programs and policies.

According to Oklahoma City Advisory Services Panel Chairman William H. Hudnut, III, the strength of the advisory services program lies in ULI’s unique ability to draw on the knowledge and experience of its nearly 33,000 members, including land developers, public officials, academics, lenders, architects, land use planners and urban designers. Each panel consists of an interdisciplinary group of land use experts who “seek to provide practical solutions that will ultimately benefit the entire community,” Hudnut said. “It’s often the fresh, outside view provided by the panel that achieves these results. We search for possibilities and opportunities that might have been overlooked and could help build consensus around an effort to move forward.”

Each plan prepared through the advisory services program is informed by significant input from representatives of the communities. Throughout this week in Oklahoma City, panel members will be meeting with a variety of community stakeholders and touring the Core to Shore area as part of developing their analysis. A proposal, including specific recommendations on catalyzing economic development, will be provided in a public presentation March 5 in the city council chambers of City Hall.

ULI advisory panels approach the project from all perspectives, including market potential, land use and design, financing and development strategies, and organizing for implementation. Each panel proposes practical solutions that serve as a blueprint to move the project forward. Panelists have developed strategies for a broad range of land uses, including downtown revitalization; retail/entertainment development, inner-city neighborhood revival, affordable housing, brownfields development, public facility sites such as stadiums, arenas and convention centers, transit-oriented development, resort and master-planned communities, and military base reuse.

“We look forward to evaluating the Core to Shore area. Our goal this week will be to provide practical, feasible solutions to enhance the economic and social fabric of Oklahoma City,” said Thomas Eitler, vice president of ULI’s advisory services program.

Past sponsors of ULI advisory services panels include: federal, state and local government agencies; regional councils of government; chambers of commerce; redevelopment authorities; private developers and property owners; community development corporations; lenders; historic preservation groups; non-profit community groups; environmental organizations; and economic development agencies.

About the Urban Land Institute
The Urban Land Institute (uli.org) is a global 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 33,000 members representing all aspects of land use and development disciplines.