Dive Brief:

• New research from a George Washington University research group and an organization of real estate developers associated with a smart-growth advocacy organization suggests contractors may be building more in densely populated areas if their developer clients pursue trends toward walkable areas.
• The study, published under the title "Foot Traffic Ahead: Ranking Walkable Urbanism in America’s Largest Metros," says that offices in what it calls Walkable Urban Places (WalkUPs) bring developers 74% more rent per square foot.
• The report also found that areas that rank high for walkable development average 38% more GDP than lower-ranking communities.

Dive Insight:

The demand for walkable areas for living, working and shopping likely will push up prices for the available space, and that may create problems for affordable housing. Walkable development is more complex for permitting and perhaps to build, with the report saying that in the 30 top-ranked communities, up to half of the square footage in offices, hotels, apartments, and stores is accumulated on 1% of the land.