Máire P. Walsh’s Post

Interesting article by David McWilliams where he outlines Vienna as a template for doing something different. We are all more than familiar with the "keep doing the same thing and expecting different results" madness. We have lots of smart, young people in Ireland who deserve better. As a country, it's time we started being innovative, parking our NIMBYISM ideals, building higher with better infrastructure and transport. We have the money we just need the grasp the nettle, make the difficult decisions now. https://lnkd.in/embEbV-J

On the heels of the recent article in the Independent.ie headed 'Reimagining Dublin: 29 big ideas to make the city a better place to live, work and play' comes the following article in The Irish Times. Some thought provoking and positive ideas, which together with the Independent article form a good basis for further debate about how Dublin might be reinvigorated. https://lnkd.in/ejZbm-j2

Vincent Boland’s Business Post article really hitting the mark this week…. “Any visitor to Dublin contemplating its troubled condition would be forgiven for thinking the city is in terminal decline, like San Francisco or Detroit. Yet it isn’t. For all its dereliction, vacant properties and litter-strewn streets, Dublin is booming like never before….. Few cities outside the developing world face such a proportionate rise in population over the next quarter century as does Dublin. At current levels it is bursting at the seams, because its infrastructure – transport, services, security, healthcare, education and everything else – is manifestly unable to cope. If the city is to do better in the next 25 years, it needs a master plan that incorporates every aspect of its demographics, economy, infrastructure and governance…. The future of Dublin involves building more houses, but it is about a lot more than that. It is about enabling the city to embrace something alien to the Irish bureaucratic and policy mindset – the idea of modernity. A modern city celebrates its history without being hostage to it, which is why great cities such as Tokyo, London and Paris are so successful. Dublin must be enabled to do that, too. And to start, it must be considered as a whole, single European city, not as an overgrown Irish village.”

The public-private partnership between RXR and the City of New Rochelle was one of the first projects under our Superstar Region investment strategy. At RXR, we have long believed that for Superstar Cities like New York City to thrive, it must be part of a thriving Superstar Region. And New Rochelle is a great example of a regional city with all the key components we look for when we choose to invest – a strong education and healthcare system, a robust transportation network, and strong leadership.   This piece in the Wall Street Journal encapsulates how RXR, working with the City of New Rochelle, put together a sustainable development plan that has created thousands of new residential units and thousands of new jobs, all while benefitting the local community.   Finally, one of the most important elements of this public-private partnership is that it can be replicated elsewhere, as we are doing in places like Glen Cove, Long Island, Apex, North Carolina, and more. https://lnkd.in/effCN7Xh

Well done to Kenneth Deery and his team on today's excellent Galway Business Lunch and Panel Discussion. Joe Smyth led an interesting and informative discussion on the challenges that Galway faces, despite its many advantages as a city. The diverse panel, including Elaine Murphy, Orla Flynn, and Maurice O'Gorman, had an open and honest discussion on the significant underinvestment and outdated infrastructure in Galway. They highlighted the requirement for a long-term spatial plan for Galway and the importance of investment in education, housing, public services, port development and transport infrastructure. It's clear that these issues are starting to strangle the growth potential of Galway, and we must take action to address them. #galway #growth #futurepotential

Just as floods have once again hit large parts of the continent and just as Europeans are called to elect their future representatives, the topic of Housing Europe's annual conference could not have been more appropriate: "The Nature of Housing: Biodiversity and Climate Adaptation in Public, Cooperative and Social Housing". We are facing both a housing crisis and a climate crisis and we need both: more affordable housing and more nature. How can this be achieved? Starting from the garden city movement that celebrated its 100ys anniversary, the conference showed many inspiring approaches that share one common principle: Let's build with nature and not against it. In my 3-minutes-pitch (thanks for the idea and the great moderation, Jean-Paul Judson) I tried my best to convince the present "policy investors" that respecting biodiversity in urban development means to move on from „nearly-zero-damage“ to „Plus-value“ neighbourhoods“. ✔ Developing liveable and healthy neighbourhoods via active and passive recreation zones for people, bees, dragonflies & Co 🌼 🐞 🦔 ✔ Creating inclusive communities e.g. through ecological urban gardening initiatives 🤝🍅 🥕 ✔ Using leafy green as the most efficient and cost-effective means of mitigating heat stress by renaturalizing the city and enlarging the green surface to the third dimension of buildings (cf. the concept of Biotope City Vienna) 🌳 🌿 🏢 Thanks Clara Mafé and Housing Europe for the invitation. Housing Europe Gemeente Hilversum Amsterdamse School Museum het Schip Aedes vereniging van woningcorporaties #nonprofithousing #socialhousing #inclusivecommunities #biodiversity Biotope City Journal

New Week, New Reads! We know Mondays can be a drag, but guess what? We've got the perfect remedy! The Q2 Developers Digest Magazine is here, and it's packed with fresh insights to jumpstart your week! Ever wondered how robust legal and policy structures can shape the future of our cities? This Issue’s theme: Policy Framework for Sustainable Urban Development dives into thought-provoking articles from KPDA members who are leading the way in sustainable urban development. We hope you enjoy the insightful articles penned by our very own members Kumkang Kind East Africa, Mutungi Kithinji Advocates, MMW ADVOCATES LLP Advocates, Karanja Njenga Advocates showcasing their thought leadership on how robust legal and policy structures are vital for shaping the future of our cities. What's inside: 1.    Chairman's Opening Remarks: Gain valuable insights from our Chairman, Kenneth Luusa BLE MISU REAK MRICS, as he sets the stage for this quarter's focus on policy dialogue and sustainable urban development. 2.    Board Updates: Stay informed with the latest news on board appointments and retirements. Meet the new faces driving KPDA forward and pay tribute to the contributions of our retiring members. 3.    Innovative Advertisements: Discover groundbreaking products and services that are revolutionizing the real estate industry. Our advertisers are pushing the boundaries of innovation—don't miss out on what they have to offer! 4.    Event Highlights: Relive the excitement of Q2 events through our detailed recaps. From networking opportunities to expert panels, catch up on everything you might have missed. 5.    KPDA Membership Directory: Connect with KPDA members in good standing. Our directory is an invaluable resource for building professional relationships and finding potential collaborators. Grab your FREE and shareable copy now here: https://shorturl.at/FkUTq Share your thoughts, favorite insights, and remember, knowledge is best enjoyed together! Catherine Mutungi Sam Muihia Stella Muraguri

What can be done to save our capital city?

The scale of the challenges facing London – from the cost-of-living crisis to the growing climate emergency - call for new solutions and approaches.  That’s why back in 2021 during the COVID pandemic, Mayor of London brought together some of London’s biggest organisations to create what we call LAIN (London Anchor Institutions’ Network). LAIN is London’s first ever city-wide initiative, that commits institutions to work together, using their procurement, recruitment and estate management capacity for social and economic benefit.  Together these organisations spend tens of billions, employ hundreds of thousands of Londoners, and own or occupy many millions of square feet of office space. They are already set up to do good - progress and public benefit is in their DNA. But with LAIN they are doing good while they are doing good by levering the power of their common activity to deliver change and progress for London. It takes great level of vision, leadership and humility to challenge long-standing policies and procedures, champion and advocate for change and to act in the best interests of all Londoners. Today, I joined 100 people representing London’s anchor institutions from across the public, private, faith-based, education and cultural sectors at LAIN’s annual conference, hosted at City Hall. Professor Wendy Thomson CBE the Vice-Chancellor of the University of London is the Chair of LAIN and she set out the collective achievements made to date. As Deputy Mayor for Business I’m particularly proud that we’ve helped small business get access to £1.75bn of contracts. And that in this area of responsible procurement, LAIN members are exceeding targets. That can only be a good thing for London’s business community. Together, LAIN is building a better London for everyone – a fairer, greener, more prosperous London. https://lnkd.in/eXHVcyPm https://www.anchors.london #LAIN #LondonAnchors #ConnectBeinspiredTakeaction

There are over 600 high streets in London and all of them have unique qualities.    In a city which boasts more than 200 different languages amongst its population, we have a wealth of diversity in the capital, which can contribute to exciting and thriving destinations, but not always and not alone. Without a helping hand, too many struggling places with potential are going to continue a steady decline which is all too familiar, with the economic and social disadvantages that go alongside.   In this piece for EG, I explore how the GLA’s Property X-Change is looking to partner with the real estate sector to build high street destinations reflecting London’s diversity that work economically and socially for investors and communities alike. #PropertyXChange #HighStreets #SocialValue #London