Reimagining Cities-Disrupting the Urban Doom Loop

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The global pandemic caused significant economic disruption in the U.S., notably impacting the “back to the city” movement that emerged in the late 1990s. The shutdown that ensued from the pandemic, and the subsequent fear of infection and rise of work-from home had profound impacts on regionally significant walkable urban places (also known as WalkUPs). 1 From 2020-2021, most WalkUPs entered a “doom loop” of decreasing foot traffic, real estate occupancy, valuations and public tax revenues, which led to decreased public safety and street level vitality, as well as a spike in crime and homelessness. There were concerns that this doom loop may bring the early 21st century “back to the city” movement to its knees. In response to this fear, this study aims to explore: 1) are WalkUPs facing a structural doom loop that could take decades to reverse, or are they experiencing a more transitory episodic doom loop, and 2) how should cities reimagine their real estate footprint to adapt to a post-pandemic world—particularly to reverse or even escape a doom loop?

1 Our study examines ‘regionally significant’ walkable urban places (WalkUPs). We define this further in the introduction.

4 Cushman & Wakefield