Harness the potential of the innovation economy and emerging technology.
Innovation is increasingly the currency of communities, companies, and cities. Technologists are turning their focus to the “problem of the city.” Urban life as we know it is experiencing seismic shifts towards new levels of convenience, personalization, and hyper connectivity. The scale of the opportunity is massive, rivaled only by the complexities of the challenges. Our urban tech and innovation team brings decades of success in the public, private, and institutional sectors re-imagining the places, programs, and partnerships that are the lifeblood of the innovation economy and the proving grounds upon which urban tech scales.
EXPERTISE
HR&A works with developers, universities, governments, advocates, and technology companies seeking to leverage technology and the innovation economy to foster creativity, increase competitiveness, and improve quality of life in cities.
Create places that spark new ideas and drive economic growth
To drive urban progress, organizations need the appropriate physical spaces and management to harness local strengths while deftly responding to technological advancements and regional economic conditions. HR&A brings management experience, contextual understanding of economic and policy priorities, and expert real estate knowledge to deliver development plans for modern innovation places that attract talent, business, and investors.
Build programs that leverage technology to enhance city life
Technology and data are giving cities new tools to become more productive, equitable, democratic, and efficient. However, designing, integrating, and adopting these new systems requires immense planning, coordination, and collaboration. HR&A evaluates the financial feasibility and economic benefits of potential programs, supports adoption and implementation, and provides strategies for building local capacity and digital literacy to manage technology and change.
Accelerate innovation through partnerships
Industries and economies grow best when government, business, and institutions work together and understand one another. HR&A applies our in-depth understanding of each sector’s priorities and resources to structure partnerships, facilitate negotiations, and recommend policy and regulatory strategies that advance everyone’s goals.
SERVICES
Opportunity & Needs Assessment
Identify key site and project opportunities and challenges based on research, stakeholder input, and community outreach.
Project Vision
Support design team in creating a real estate program that is tied to market realities and stakeholder priorities.
Market Analysis & Financial Feasibility Studies
Inform development strategies through analysis of demographics, economics, real estate and land use, infrastructure, and regulatory conditions and incentives.
Industry & Cluster Analysis
Examine industrial composition and trajectory of local and regional economy to identify optimal innovation sectors for growth.
Benefits Case & Economic Impact Analysis
Frame the full range of project benefits through an assessment of quantitative and qualitative impacts.
Programmatic Analysis
Identify existing research strengths. Recommend investments and new program offerings that will support creation of a competitive innovation cluster.
Development Strategy
Develop roadmaps for governance, financing, and partnerships that support broader implementation plans.
Civic Program Management
Implement and manage large-scale programs, including competitions, public space programming, civic engagement and digital literacy programs, and industry roundtables.
Solicitation & Developer Selection
Draft solicitation materials and conduct outreach to ensure successful interest and responses from development entities. Selection criteria financial assessment of submission for evaluation.
Deal Structure & Transaction Support
Review and confirmation of development program, costs, and economic offer, and drafting of term sheet to support development agreements.
PROJECTS
NYC Internet Master Plan
New York, NY
NYC’s groundbreaking Internet Master Plan lays the foundation for more equitable internet infrastructure, unlocking private sector innovation to connect all New Yorkers to expanded economic opportunity. Learn More →
Defining the Economic Impact of WeWork
New York, Los Angeles & Chicago
As part of an initiative to shape the future of work and cities, WeWork was interested in demonstrating how the WeWork community creates an economic ripple effect for people, businesses, neighborhoods, and cities. Learn More →
Innovation District Roadmap for the University of Georgia
Athens, GA
The University of Georgia, one of the country’s oldest public universities, is quickly becoming a premiere destination for higher-education. To understand the process and resources needed to create an innovation and research campus, the university’s real estate team hired HR&A to evaluate the operational and financial feasibility of such a project. Learn More →