Article by:
Merilee A. Kern, MBA
As our world rapidly evolves with seismic shifts converging across technological, economic, political, cultural, social and familial landscapes, our cities are in a race to not just keep up with these transformations, but actually pioneer innovation amid the metamorphosis. Urban environments are at the forefront of such innovation, taking proactive measures to adapt to the changing needs and desires of their inhabitants.
While such metro modernization is being driven by a breadth of ever-evolving ideas, advancements and visionary solutions, there are a few standout catalysts that are foundational to revolutionizing cities of the future. According to Weina Zhang, Founder and CEO of Z Life—itself a trailblazing company pioneering sustainable and leading-edge real estate solutions prioritizing sustainability, efficiency and hyper-community-oriented living—there are six strategies in particular that are playing a pivotal role in shaping flagship American cities like Downtown Las Vegas’ new Midtown initiative. Below is Zhang’s take on key trends, some new and some tried and true, that serve as building blocks for creating vibrant, eco-conscious and modernized community-centric urban spaces.
A New Era in Residential Health
As urban landscapes continue to evolve, a pioneering urban innovation is taking root—the concept of biotech wellness communities. These cutting-edge residential areas are ushering in a new era of health and wellness within city living. Accessibility to health programming and wellness facilities is at the forefront of this urban transformation. Today, there are biotech wellness companies providing world-class whole body screening and diagnostic services for patients to explore potential risk factors and identify serious illnesses early on. Access to this advanced biotechnology is giving community residents the unique opportunity to engage in proactive health monitoring and management. Indeed, the fusion of residential living and biotech solutions creates an environment where health and wellness are seamlessly integrated into the daily routine. The emergence of biotech wellness communities heralds a promising future for urban living, where accessibility to health programming and wellness becomes not just a convenience but rather a way of life. These communities represent a significant stride toward healthier, more connected, and forward-thinking cities.
Shared Cars
Shared cars represent a promising future for urban mobility. In an era where cities are grappling with traffic congestion, limited parking, and environmental concerns, the concept of shared cars is gaining traction as a sustainable solution. By pooling resources and sharing vehicles, residents reduce the overall number of cars on the road, alleviating traffic gridlock and decreasing the demand for parking spaces. This not only eases the daily commute but also leads to significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. Concerns about our country’s car usage have been heightened over the past few years as cars are a major source of greenhouse gas emissions. In some cities like Houston and San Francisco, transportation accounted for nearly half of their total emissions. Shared cars promote a sense of community and collaboration, encouraging residents to share the ride and reduce their individual carbon footprint. In addition to environmental benefits, shared car programs often provide economic advantages, reducing the financial burden of car ownership, including fuel, maintenance, and insurance costs. This forward-thinking concept is being embraced as residents in certain communities enjoy access to shared Teslas—an exciting feature that enhances the convenience, eco-consciousness and interconnectedness of urban living.
Co-Working Space
Co-working spaces have emerged as a transformative force in urban areas, redefining the traditional workplace concept. These communal workspaces offer a flexible and collaborative environment that has become a driving force behind innovation in our cities. The proximity of co-working spaces to residential areas has revolutionized the daily work routine, eliminating the need for lengthy commutes and creating a vibrant atmosphere where diverse professionals converge. It's a place where freelancers, entrepreneurs, and remote workers can thrive, fostering a sense of community and cross-industry collaboration. These spaces have disrupted the traditional office model, encouraging creativity and productivity while providing an opportunity for individuals to network, learn, and grow in a dynamic urban setting. As we look to the future, co-working spaces are poised to cater to the needs of multiple industries, offering access to advanced technologies and creating an upscale urban core that supports the growing tech sector and other innovative enterprises.
Walkability
Walkability is at the forefront of reshaping urban living, aligning with the concept of a 15-minute city. This transformative idea seeks to bring all essential amenities within a 15-minute walk or bike ride from one's doorstep. It's about redefining the urban landscape to minimize the reliance on personal vehicles and encourage sustainable mobility. Cities worldwide are embracing a multi-modal approach to transportation, establishing well-connected public transit systems, and comprehensive bike-sharing programs. One of the most noteworthy efforts to decrease car use is in Paris, which is leading the charge to increase walkability in their city and promote bicycling. Reports have indicated Paris hopes to ban gas-powered cars in city by 2030, and there are plans to spend two billion euros ($2.2 billion) through 2027 to improve cycle infrastructure and help people buy bikes in an effort to reduce car use and boost cycling. These kinds of shifts can create vibrant urban hubs where daily necessities and amenities are within a short walk or bike ride, fostering a greater sense of community and reducing traffic congestion.
Walkability encompasses factors such as pedestrian infrastructure, sidewalk quality, street design, safety, accessibility to amenities and the overall pedestrian-friendliness of a neighborhood or city. Improved walkability is often associated with benefits like reduced reliance on cars, increased physical activity, decreased traffic congestion, and a more vibrant and livable urban environment. Pioneering developers across the U.S. are striving to enhance walkability through urban planning and infrastructure improvements to create more pedestrian-friendly communities. Walkability is not just a step towards a greener and healthier urban future; it's the foundation upon which our cities will be built for generations to come.
Micro Retail
Micro retail is a dynamic and innovative concept that is reshaping the retail landscape in urban areas. These small-format retail spaces, characterized by their compact storefronts or kiosks, offer a unique shopping experience to both entrepreneurs and customers. With a footprint typically ranging from a few square feet to a few hundred square feet, micro retail spaces often feature flexible lease terms, making them an attractive option for local artisans, startups, and entrepreneurs. They provide an accessible platform for these businesses to showcase their products without the hefty investment required for a full-scale store. Beyond serving as a launchpad for local talent, micro retail contributes to the vitality of neighborhoods by diversifying the range of offerings available and encouraging foot traffic. In these intimate settings, businesses are challenged to be creative and efficient, fostering innovation as they maximize the use of limited space.
Eco-Luxe Living
Eco luxury living is the embodiment of a sustainable and harmonious urban lifestyle. It's a visionary concept that focuses on reducing the carbon footprint while enhancing the quality of life for urban dwellers. Imagine a city where residents can walk or bike within 15 minutes to meet their daily needs, minimizing the reliance on cars and reducing emissions. In this urban oasis, trees line the sidewalks providing shade and reducing the temperature to create a pleasant climate. Responsible landscaping with water-smart designs create a beautiful yet eco-conscious urban environment. Abundant natural light, streaming through strategically placed windows, not only illuminates every corner but also promotes energy efficiency and a warm, inviting atmosphere by reducing reliance on artificial lighting. This urban landscape doesn't feel like the middle of a desert; instead, it's an oasis of greenery and light. The result is a long term-minded, health-conscious and community-centric urban environment that redefines the essence of luxury living while contributing to a greener and brighter future.
For her part, breaking barriers has something Zhang herself has done throughout her entire career. With an impressive track record in some of the largest U.S. construction projects over the past decade, and with a specialty in unitized construction and ground-breaking cost-saving methods, Zhang has shattered the proverbial glass ceiling in a highly competitive and male dominant industry. Among her many accomplishments at the helm of Z Life was the unveiling of M8TRIX—a proprietary system that, drawing upon over 15 years of engineering expertise, presents an innovative approach to ground-up development that accelerates construction rates and significantly reduces costs.
But, it’s her latest endeavor, coined Midtown by Z Life, that is captivating the hearts and imaginations of residential and commercial developers, alike. Located in Downtown Las Vegas, Midtown is a dynamic, eco-conscious development project designed to foster thriving, well-connected and highly sustainable urban living communities. What enables this transformation is innovative systems like M8TRIX, which are effectively extending urban centers to secondary cities that currently lack vibrant hubs, thus ensuring that residents in sub-major markets can enjoy an equal—or even superior—quality of life compared to major metropolitan areas.
“Starting with our first boutique hotel in Vegas, we continue to highlight our unique building model for affordable housing and millennial-driven commercial spaces,” said Zhang. “As an integrated full-service developer with in-house engineering, feasibility, procurement, and construction management expertise all in-house, our building method for the Midtown Vegas project is a proprietary system that allows us to achieve affordable buildings with high design and sustainable resources—bucking current norms amid an omnipresent ‘either or’ paradigm. Our properties are uniquely designed to elevate quality of living to enrich the typical urban environment.”
The six urban trends Zhang cites above are not only reshaping the physical landscape of our cities but also fostering a sense of community, inclusivity and sustainability. As we continue to grapple with the challenges and opportunities of urbanization, these elements guide us toward a future where cities are not just hubs of activity but also models of environmental sustainability and well-being for all their residents. Ultimately, these communities can transform into urban “blue zones” where residents live exceedingly long lives, the next high-tech “silicon valley,” highly accessible biohacking wellness hubs ... or all of the above.
The journey toward these future cities is a collective effort; one that holds immense promise for a brighter, more connected and more resilient urban world.
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Merilee Kern, MBA is an internationally-regarded brand strategist and analyst who reports on noteworthy industry change makers, movers, shakers and innovators across all B2B and B2C categories. This includes field experts and thought leaders, brands, products, services, destinations and events. Merilee is Founder, Executive Editor and Producer of “The Luxe List” as well as Host of the “Savvy Ventures” business TV show that airs nationally on FOX Business TV and Bloomberg TV and the “Savvy Living” lifestyle TV show that airs in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, Atlanta and other major markets on CBS, FOX and other top networks. Merilee also hosts the Savvy Ventures Podcast & Radio show available globally on W4CY Radio—the #1 ranked live streaming radio station—among others as well as all major podcast platforms, including Pandora, Audible, Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Streamyard, iHeart Radio and dozens more. As a prolific business and consumer trends, lifestyle and leisure industry voice of authority and tastemaker, she keeps her finger on the pulse of the marketplace in search of new and innovative must-haves and exemplary experiences at all price points, from the affordable to the extreme—also delving into the minds behind the brands. Her work reaches multi-millions worldwide via broadcast TV (her own shows and copious others on which she appears) as well as a myriad of print and online publications. Connect with her at www.TheLuxeList.com and www.SavvyLiving.tv / Instagram www.Instagram.com/MerileeKern / Twitter www.Twitter.com/MerileeKern / Facebook www.Facebook.com/MerileeKernOfficial / LinkedIN www.LinkedIn.com/in/MerileeKern.
Sources:
https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/cities-car-bans-greenhouse-gas-emissions/
https://apnews.com/article/bd361a2f8cf749dfbbbcd8a1833e1855
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2023/05/net-zero-paris-city-focused-stories-to-read-now/#:~:text=Paris%20creates%20its%20first%20net%2Dzero%20neighbourhood&text=It%20comes%20as%20the%20French,car%20use%20and%20boost%20cycling.