Part of this is the increasing willingness of cities to streamline their permitting process to encourage revitalization. But people are also tired of mowing the lawn and of spending hours every day commuting. Inadequate transportation systems and lengthy commutes are demonstrating to suburban developers that if you build it, they won't come. One interesting trend is the growing cross fertilization among market-oriented design groups. And the retail and entertainment sectors have blended over the past few years.
Hillier notes that there is a similar trend in corporate facilities.
In the general business and manufacturing sector, there is a trend away from specialized or custom facilities. So there is a growing emphasis on a more standardized design. Designs must take into consideration that a facility may be converted to another use down the road. The demise of some of the dot-coms acted as a signal to developers to make sure they have an exit strategy, he says. The industrial process and petroleum markets have not benefited from the overall healthy U.S. market.