ESI Blog: Present Value
Present Value was created as a platform for sharing ideas, discussing our interests and improving connections with our community. Each week, we invite guest contributors from the ranks of our senior advisors, industry experts, and thought leaders.
Many cities across the United States are faced with two enduring impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic: vacant office space in their central business districts and a high demand for housing. Many cities across the country, including New York City, San Francisco, Boston, and Atlanta, have adopted or are considering policies to encourage the conversion of […]
As cities around the world grapple with the challenges of urbanization, many are turning to nature-based solutions to create more livable, sustainable communities. Here in Philadelphia, the city has taken an ambitious step forward with the Philly Tree Plan, an initiative aimed at increasing the city’s tree canopy cover and enhancing the benefits that trees […]
As part of ESI’s year-long celebration of turning ten, we are looking back on some of our projects over the years. For the month of March, we showcase 10 projects from our real estate practice. Real estate encompasses affordable housing, transit oriented or adjacent development, open space and the environment, and other related concepts. 1. Market […]
The planning profession often has to look ahead, to see the bigger picture, and help connect people to their destination. One principle that helps achieve this is linkage between land use and transportation. This is vital for organizing at the neighborhood, community, county, and regional scales. Transportation services and infrastructure can impact land use patterns, […]
Unique Public Transportation Infrastructure Among major American cities, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania finishes in the top ten for transit ridership. Impressively, Pittsburgh’s public transit system achieved this success without a single heavy rail line: all but one of the major cities with higher transit ridership than Pittsburgh feature at least one heavy rail line (Seattle is the […]
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) calls for historic investments in old mobility—notably, and not surprisingly, a lot of money available for highway development and redevelopment. The bill also calls for investment in new technologies, most notably in the future of electrification across all surface programs (including electric cars and buses). The middle ground […]
The 2019 pandemic has highlighted the crucial role of public transit agencies, albeit their challenging future. Buses, rails, street/cable cars, and on-demand services are among the most common modes connecting people to their daily destinations, like schools, workplaces, hospitals, and recreation centers. Looking across BLS’ four regions of states (Northeast, South, West, Midwest), the Northeast […]
This year, to celebrate our 10th anniversary, we’re going to highlight ten big projects from each practice area on a regular basis, and we’re starting strong with transportation and infrastructure. Community and events may connect people emotionally, but infrastructure connects us physically. It shapes how and when we travel, how long it takes, and how […]
The beginning of the year always brings about fresh new goals, opportunities, and a renewed perspective and evaluation of the prior year’s objectives. As technology continues to evolve, so do our expectations of how these changes are going to manifest in the new year. Here at Econsult Solutions and ESI Center for Future Cities, we […]
Just as today’s forward-looking post builds from last week’s retrospective look, we are honored to stand on the shoulders of the co-presidents who went before us and set the standard for leadership and integrity in economic consulting. Steve Mullin and Dick Voith have set a high bar for us; thankfully, they’re still firing on all […]