We welcomed 130 WPA and CPA members to the Ham Yard Hotel for our Global Cities: London and New York seminar exploring the findings of our latest Global Cities Survey and New York briefing paper. An expert panel discussed the investment, development and key placemaking projects in London and New York: exploring the cities’ shared challenges, opportunities and where we can from each other.
Key takeaways include:
- Both cities are similar in a number of metrics, but a key difference between them is office vacancies, with a vacancy rate of 22.4% in Manhattan but 7.5% in central London
- The shared challenge over the future of secondary commercial stock: how it can be repurposed or redeveloped to create vibrant, attractive and environmentally sustainable places and neighbourhoods
- The panel agreed that there is a need for developments in both New York and London to be forward-thinking in order to stand the test of time by catering to the needs of the next generation
Our speakers were:
- Alexander Jan, London Property Alliance – Chief Economic Adviser
- Laura Citron, CEO, London & Partners
- James Cooksey, Old Park Lane Management – Chief Executive and WPA Board member (Chair)
- Michael Philips, Jamestown – President & Principal
- Charles Pinchbeck DL, JLL – Director, Capital Markets and WPA Board member
- Deborah Saunt, DSDHA – Founding Director and CPA Board member
Alexander Jan has been featured in the City Voices column in the Evening Standard, discussing London and New York. Read it here.
Further reading:
Blog: Is London’s Post-Pandemic Rebound ‘Clobbering’ New York? Blog by Alexander Jan
