Lessons in Modernizing Land-Constrained Cities from California to New York

Friday, May 2, 2025

• City limits: In cities already built to their limits, adaptive reuse offers a way to reinvent aging infrastructure and meet modern needs without adding more sprawl.

• The Gilmore: Thompson Thrift has broken ground on a 35-acre, $225 million mixed-use hub in Gilbert, Arizona.

• Street smarts: REBNY awarded the city’s top brokers for ingenious deals that transformed challenging sites into high-value opportunities.

• Multifamily outlook webinar: Join us May 20th to learn how data and tech are helping multifamily leaders adapt to tighter margins and rising renter demands. Sign up

Presented by Avigilon

Smart security: the key to productive office returns

As companies plan their return to the office, smart access control is playing a key role in creating safer, more efficient workplaces. From mobile credentials to unified management, modern security solutions help businesses streamline operations, enhance security and increase profitability.

Discover how your properties can benefit.

Perspectives

Lessons in Modernizing Land-Constrained Cities from California to New York

Cities across the U.S. are seeing renewed energy as people return post-pandemic. But with little space left to grow and aging infrastructure holding them back, the focus is shifting. Instead of building outward, developers and planners are exploring how to adapt and improve what already exists.

Across the country, creative reuse is gaining traction. In California, a former federal site at Moffett Field is becoming a major innovation hub through a public-private effort. In Manhattan, Little Island has turned the remains of a storm-damaged pier into a floating park that adds green space without taking city land.

These examples point to a new model for urban growth. Projects like Berkeley Space Center, Little Island and 30 Morningside Drive show that the future of development lies in transformation, not expansion. With the right vision, cities can meet modern needs by reimagining the past.

Overheard

Security Technology

Thompson Thrift Breaks Ground on $225M Gilbert, Arizona Mixed-Use Project

Thompson Thrift has broken ground on The Gilmore, a 35-acre mixed-use development in Gilbert, Arizona, that will feature 200,000 square feet of retail and dining, a 300-unit luxury apartment complex, and a hotel. Positioned near Loop 202, the development already has over 25 signed leases, including tenants like Safeway, Better Buzz Coffee, and Square 1 Food Hall. The project aims to foster a vibrant, walkable community with thoughtfully designed public spaces, local art, and landscaped gathering areas.

At the April 30 groundbreaking event, Gilbert Mayor Scott Anderson praised the project’s potential to strengthen the town’s economic and social fabric. Thompson Thrift emphasized The Gilmore’s community-centric design and goal of becoming a regional destination for both residents and visitors. Retailers are expected to open in late 2026, with residential move-ins beginning in early 2027.

This project is part of Thompson Thrift’s broader expansion across Arizona, with developments underway in Mesa, Queen Creek, Phoenix, Buckeye, and more. The company, which has invested over $6 billion nationwide, continues to focus on building high-quality, mixed-use spaces that serve the evolving needs of fast-growing markets.

REBNY Honors NYC’s Most Ingenious Real Estate Deals

The Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY) hosted its 81st annual Commercial Sales Most Ingenious Deal of the Year Awards on April 30 at the Lever House in Midtown Manhattan. The event recognized standout real estate professionals for their creativity and problem-solving in complex transactions, with the top honor going to a team from ABS Partners, followed by CBRE and Savills.

ABS Partners earned first place for a decade-long effort at 1450 Third Avenue, where they managed to relocate 17 statutory tenants and partially demolish a multifamily building while the other half remained occupied — a first in New York City. Second place went to CBRE for guiding Sotheby’s through three simultaneous deals, including a new logistics center and a prestigious Upper East Side showroom. Savills took third for helping the nearly 200-year-old Community Church of New York navigate a high-stakes sale and redevelopment amid pandemic-era and legal hurdles.

Are You Enjoying This Newsletter?

Propmodo Daily is written and edited by Franco Faraudo with contributions from readers like you and the Propmodo team.

📧 Forward it to a friend and suggest they check it out.

🔗 Share a link to this post on social media.

🗣 Have ideas for future topics (or just want to say hello)? Share your feedback and tips at [email protected] or connect with us on X through @propmodo.

✅ Not subscribed yet? Sign up for this newsletter here.

📫️ Please add our newsletter email, [email protected], to your contacts to make sure you don’t miss any updates.

Enjoy reading about trends and innovation in commercial real estate? Subscribe to Propmodo.com for unrestricted access to reliable, data-driven journalism and exclusive insights available only to subscribers.