How Technology is Affecting Retail and Urban Real Estate Development

1.5 CM / LU Pending

It’s a time of change and challenge for retail. The forces of change are visible, for example, in major store closures such as the Gap and Sears, and in highly visible vacancies on suburban arterials, downtowns, and neighborhood main streets. Sometimes the drivers of change are less visible, from the increasing share of our discretionary spending that happens online, to cultural and technological habits and trends. This session will look at the impacts that technological and cultural change are having on the retail environment; the types of retailers that are struggling and thriving; implications for cities, communities, developers, and retailers; and some actions that can be taken to retain active urban places as retail’s footprint shrinks.