Art, Equity, and Urban Development: What We Learned at the 2025 ULI Spring Meeting
This May, nearly 5,000 professionals from 16 countries convened in Denver for the 2025 Urban Land Institute (ULI) Spring Meeting, bringing fresh perspectives, dynamic conversations, and a global spotlight to the Mile High City. NINE dot ARTS was proud to attend, speak, and support this year’s programming, which spanned everything from economic outlooks to bold new approaches in planning, placemaking, and development. Below are key takeaways, including how art and culture continue to play a pivotal role in shaping our communities and cities.
The Blue Bear by Lawrence Argent at the Colorado Convention Center
Economic Headwinds – But Hope on the Horizon
Caution optimism was a theme for ULI’s latest real estate economic forecast. While the industry is bracing for slower growth in 2025 due to policy uncertainty and global instability, experts predict a rebound by 2026–27, with transaction volume rising from $469B to $600B and job growth dipping in the short term before recovering
Opening keynote speaker and notable journalist Fareed Zakaria offered global context, highlighting a shift from relationship-based diplomacy to more transactional geopolitics. He cautioned about the country’s growing economic isolation, yet reinforced our ongoing strength – particularly the critical role immigrants play in sustaining key industries. A major takeaway was that while challenges persist, our foundation remains strong, and creativity, collaboration, and long-term planning will be key to shaping the future.
Denver as a Model for Successful Development
Denver is increasingly recognized as a national model for innovative, sustainable urban development. Its unique combination of adaptive reuse, walkable mixed-use neighborhoods, catalytic public-private partnerships, and forward-thinking planning initiatives has helped shape a vibrant, economically resilient city. Our team was proud to be involved with several project tours at Union Station, Lower Downtown (LoDo), the National Western Center, 1900 Lawrence, and Cherry Creek North + West – highlighting the city’s unique blend of history and innovation.
Redefining Downtown – and Beyond
In a standout panel, Mayor Mike Johnston shared a bold vision: make Denver “the best place to do business in the U.S. – with the best downtown to do it in.” He highlighted the city’s 83% reduction in homelessness in the past year and efforts to activate the urban core through public events and infrastructure upgrades. Nowhere is the transformation more visible than 16th Street, which is reimagining its retail-centric identity and rebranding as a vibrant destination for social life, cultural programming, and community connection. This also involve repositioning the city as more than just a gateway to the mountains, but as a cultural capital in its own right, where creativity, commerce, and community thrive.
Meanwhile, the suburbs are undergoing a reinvention of their own. One panel emphasized how younger generations priced out of city centers are embracing the suburbs for their affordability, access to nature, and growing vibrancy. In response, developers are creating walkable, mixed-use town centers that blend urban energy with suburban flexibility—emphasizing thoughtful design to foster community identity and retain residents.
A Focus on Adaptive Reuse
With construction and demolition waste outpacing municipal waste two to one – not to mention shifting office demand – adaptive reuse is gaining momentum as both a sustainability strategy and a business imperative. Sessions spotlighted its cost-saving, community-serving benefits, especially in helping cities like Denver embrace a new future while honoring their past. And while architecture and design are essential to these transformations, custom art programs can elevate a space’s identity and storytelling – often at a fraction of the cost of structural changes – making art a powerful and accessible tool in adaptive reuse.
CEO Martha McGee on the ULI Panel, “Intentional Design Strategies for Building Healthy and Resilient Places”
Creativity as a Stabilizing Force
Throughout the week, one message rang clear: art and culture are not just nice to have; they’re essential for long-term success. Whether repurposing vacant buildings, revitalizing downtown corridors, or designing healthy, inclusive spaces, it’s clear that artists must play a role in both the aesthetic and experiential appeal of our built environment. This was especially evident at the ULI Art in Place Breakfast, where our CEO Martha McGee presented the transformation of the Dairy Block. With more than 700 curated artworks honoring the site’s industrial history, the project has become a community hub for markets, festivals, and everyday connection, proving that art drives both social meaning and economic momentum in development.
Presentation and Tour of The Maven Hotel and Dairy Block Alley
The Work Continues
The 2025 ULI Spring Meeting was a powerful reminder of what’s possible when interdisciplinary leaders come together over new ideas, meaningful connections, and bold examples of progress in action. And while the meeting has ended, the work has not. The insights and inspiration gained serve as both motivation and a call to action, urging us to continue improving our built environment and its impact on the people who live, work, and gather within it. At NINE dot ARTS, we’re proud to be part of this movement—leveraging the power of art to create engaging, inclusive, and culturally vibrant places that improve quality of life for everyone.
Exploring Denver? Download our Art Tour Map to discover a few of our favorite local installations, made possible by our visionary clients, partners, and talented artists.