Engaging the City: Real Estate and Large-Scale Development

This course provides a first-hand guided exploration of large-scale real estate development through the lens of a 162-acre mixed-use project. Students will examine how historical land usefrom transportation and entertainment to highway infrastructureshapes contemporary development opportunities and constraints. The course addresses the critical human element of real estate, emphasizing relationship-building, partnership development, and stakeholder collaboration as foundational to project success. Students gain practical knowledge of capital markets and financing structures, evaluate climate change impacts and coastal resilience strategies in planning, and gain insight into the complexities of construction processes and union relationships. Through this integrated approach, students learn to navigate the technical, financial, environmental, and interpersonal dimensions of transforming underutilized parcels into vibrant, resilient communities.