HR&A Advisors serves as the retained executive team for the Rowen Foundation, orchestrating the creation of a 2,000-acre innovation community in the Atlanta Metro Region that will connect research, education, and industry across agriculture, medicine, and environmental science. As the operational leadership for this transformative project, HR&A directs all aspects of development including real estate strategy, foundation operations, tenant attraction, board governance, and public-private partnerships spanning Georgia's higher education institutions and government entities.
HR&A worked with Buffalo Bayou Partnership to develop a comprehensive investment framework and master plan for Buffalo Bayou East, a 260-acre waterfront transformation extending Houston's celebrated greenway network four miles east of Downtown. Our strategic planning work created the foundation for securing a historic $100 million catalyst gift from the Kinder Foundation, which will leverage an additional $210 million in public and philanthropic funding to support the first decade of development and operations.
Following years of temporary solutions, Greater Richmond Transit Company (GRTC) engaged HR&A to lead a comprehensive site selection process and transit-oriented development study for a permanent Downtown Transfer Hub. This multi-phase approach culminated in a development concept, funding strategy, and implementation roadmap that has advanced to a formal agreement between GRTC and the City of Richmond as GRTC pursues federal grant funding for construction.
HR&A Advisors is developing a preliminary funding strategy for the Santa Monica Airport Conversion, a transformative project set to repurpose the 192-acre site when airport operations cease in 2028. Working alongside lead consultant Sasaki, HR&A's financial and implementation frameworks will position the City to maximize the site's redevelopment potential while addressing community priorities for this significant civic asset.
HR&A advised the Greater Cleveland Partnership on governance strategies for the Cleveland North Coast Lakefront transformation, a complex waterfront redevelopment along Lake Erie. Our stakeholder facilitation and case study analysis resulted in recommendations for a new independent entity dedicated to lakefront redevelopment — balancing city leadership with organizational flexibility. A new non-profit entity, the North Coast Waterfront Development Corporation (NCWDC), was formed based on our recommendations, which now supports the City's ongoing master planning efforts and will carry the momentum through multiple political cycles.
HR&A conducted comprehensive market feasibility and economic impact analyses for the Chicago Bears Football Club as they have sought to build a new stadium in Chicagoland, with a specific focus on building a mixed-use district anchored by a new stadium on a 326-acre site in Arlington Heights. Our assessment provided critical data that informed stakeholder outreach to local and State government officials, supporting the team's predevelopment planning and regulatory approval processes.
HR&A partnered with the California Service Employees International Union (SEIU) to provide comprehensive research and advocacy support for CalAccount, a proposed zero-fee public banking program that will provide all Californians with access to essential financial services. Through groundbreaking economic analysis and implementation planning, HR&A helped SEIU and its partners secure passage of the landmark Public Banking Option Act (AB 1177) and informed a subsequent market feasibility study, which led to the enacting legislation now being considered in the California State Assembly.
HR&A evaluated land value capture mechanisms for the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG), delivering a comprehensive implementation strategy and dynamic assessment tool to generate sustainable revenue for SANDAG's Regional Infrastructure Plan. Our work included financial modeling for two priority transit projects and produced an actionable roadmap that helps SANDAG and local partner agencies leverage value capture opportunities to fund critical infrastructure while supporting increased housing supply throughout the region.
HR&A developed a comprehensive funding and financing strategy for infrastructure to enable transit-oriented development (TOD) across Hawaiʻi with the goal of helping address the state's critical housing crisis. Working with the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development, we identified viable value capture tools, calculated infrastructure costs across four pilot areas, and created policy recommendations to make transit-oriented development more financially feasible statewide. Our work also supported a successful $6.6 million Pathways to Removing Obstacles to Housing (PRO) grant application.
HR&A created the business plan and implementation strategy for Konza Technology City (Konza Technopolis), a 5,000-acre innovation hub outside Nairobi that is transforming Kenya's technology sector. Working with the International Finance Corporation for the Government of Kenya, we established the Konza Technopolis Development Authority, structured the city's development framework, that continues provide real estate advisory services that are attracting investment to this catalyst for national growth.
HR&A led a multidisciplinary team to develop a comprehensive Master Plan for Seattle's iconic Pike Place Market, addressing financial sustainability, declining farmer presence, and shifting visitor demographics. Working with the Pike Place Market Preservation & Development Authority, we delivered a strategic roadmap to revitalize the Market by embracing Pacific Northwest "Food Life" and reconnecting with local audiences.
HR&A worked with the Los Angeles County Internal Services Department (ISD) across three transformative phases to tackle the digital divide affecting over 400,000 families without reliable home internet access. Through our strategic planning and competitive solicitation process, we helped the County secure $56 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding to launch the Community Broadband Networks program, culminating in a landmark public-private partnership with WeLink Communications announced in May 2024. This breakthrough will serve over 275,000 households with one of the nation's most competitive internet plans—500/500 Mbps service for just $25 per month for low-income families—while also catalyzing significant private investment in underserved communities across Los Angeles County.
HR&A has guided Vanderbilt University since 2023 in its efforts to catalyze Nashville's innovation economy. Through real estate strategy, market and feasibility analysis, developer partnership selection, and project management support, we are helping Vanderbilt to transform approximately 40 acres of underutilized campus land into a dynamic mixed-use neighborhood with cutting-edge spaces for innovation. In addition, we supported the creation of the Nashville Innovation Alliance to strengthen cross-sector partnerships, accelerate research commercialization, and grow talent pipelines to cement the region’s role as a national hub for innovation and entrepreneurship.
HR&A advised Vanderbilt University in developing a plan to transform 40 acres of underutilized campus land into an innovation district that will catalyze Nashville's innovation ecosystem and support research needs. We supported the university to develop a vision and land use program for a dynamic mixed-use neighborhood that strengthens both academic excellence and regional economic development. HR&A managed the master planning process and is currently supporting Vanderbilt in selection of a development partner to move the project towards implementation.
HR&A collaborated with 100 Resilient Cities and Houston's Chief Resilience Officer to develop the city's comprehensive Resilience Strategy, addressing critical challenges including stormwater management, urban heat mitigation, and equitable economic development. Working alongside the Water Institute of the Gulf, Asakura Robinson, the Kinder Institute for Urban Research, and the Rockefeller Foundation, we contributed to a strategy that earned the Gold Planning Achievement Award for Resilience from the Texas Chapter of the American Planning Association.
HR&A led real estate and economic analysis as part of a multidisciplinary team developing a master plan for Dallas' Convention Center District, reimagining the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center and surrounding area as an integrated mixed-use district with a new multi-modal transportation hub. Our feasibility analysis, equity assessment, and funding strategy helped the City of Dallas secure a projected $3.5 billion to advance this transformative project.
HR&A led a multidisciplinary team to develop an updated strategic vision and implementation roadmap for the 300+ acre Panther Island project adjacent to Downtown Fort Worth. Working with a steering committee of public-sector and civic stakeholders, we delivered actionable recommendations that align flood control infrastructure with economic and real estate development opportunities, creating a framework for transformative public and private investment shaped by community ambitions.
HR&A was commissioned by the City of Chicago to develop a comprehensive feasibility analysis for municipally owned grocery stores as a solution to the city’s inequitable access to healthy, affordable food. Through market analysis, operational modeling, and risk assessment, the study demonstrated how Chicago could establish a network of stores to address the city’s food deserts.
HR&A guided the Transbay Joint Powers Authority through the procurement of a facility management and programming partner for the $2.26 billion Salesforce Transit Center in downtown San Francisco. Our strategic structuring of the public-private partnership and solicitation process led to a successful agreement with an interdisciplinary team led by Lincoln Property Company that met all of the Authority's operational and financial criteria.
HR&A developed and continues to advance a comprehensive Strategic Broadband Action Plan for Clark County, Nevada, home to 70 percent of the state's residents. Our multi-phase approach has helped the County secure over $11 million in federal funding, establish a Broadband Program Office, and position Clark County as a national leader in equitable broadband deployment and digital inclusion.
After decades of stalled development caused by fractured ownership and aging infrastructure, HR&A helped SomeraRoad launch a transformative redevelopment project in Kansas City's West Bottoms. Our economic impact analysis and incentive strategy secured crucial city support for the project's rezoning and financing package.
HR&A is working with the San Francisco Labor Council to develop a comprehensive Equity Agenda that presents a fiscally viable alternative to corporate tax relief as the city confronts critical decisions around its economic future. Our work will deliver actionable policy playbooks that translate the Council’s values into concrete budget and legislative proposals, empowering labor leaders to champion equitable economic recovery solutions during the upcoming mayoral election, real estate fee restructuring debate, and 2025 budget season.
HR&A guided GoTriangle through a comprehensive joint development strategy for the Raleigh Union Station Bus Facility, from initial feasibility analysis through partner selection and deal negotiation. Working alongside Gensler and Balfour Beatty, HR&A delivered a complete implementation roadmap and successfully secured Hoffman Associates as the development partner with negotiated ground lease terms.
HR&A led a multidisciplinary team to develop an implementation framework for community-led investment in Atlanta's Sweet Auburn neighborhood, working with local organizations to create the SAGE District model that prioritizes affordability, racial justice, and green infrastructure while building Black wealth and preventing displacement.
HR&A collaborated with JusticeLA and Designing Justice+Designing Spaces to advance transformative restorative justice initiatives through LA County's Care First Community Investment program. We developed a concept plan for a pilot campus in Long Beach and co-authored a 2022 concept paper proposing the FLOW Youth Center, a prototype for juvenile restorative justice that disrupts traditional incarceration models by prioritizing community-based mental health, substance abuse treatment, and holistic wellness programming.
HR&A worked with the World Bank to develop public-private partnership models for transforming the Mohakhali Bus Terminal in central Dhaka into a state-of-the-art mixed-use transportation hub. Through comprehensive market analysis and stakeholder engagement, we created feasible development scenarios and PPP structures that enable private sector investment to fund terminal operations while maximizing the eight-acre site's value, leading to consensus-building efforts between DNCC and municipal leaders for implementation.
HR&A advised Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) on maximizing development value and public benefits for their flagship Downtown San Jose BART station site, part of the BART Silicon Valley Phase II Extension. Our strategic planning has positioned this significant transit-oriented development (TOD) to become a model in Silicon Valley while advancing VTA's policy objectives, including affordable housing creation.
HR&A evaluated real estate value capture potential along San Diego County's 15-station Sprinter rail corridor for the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG), as a subcontractor to Sperry Capital. Our comprehensive analysis produced a data-driven prioritization framework that identified optimal stations to help realize the region’s Enhanced Infrastructure Financing Districts (EIFDs) and Community Facility Districts (CFDs), providing SANDAG with actionable strategies to fund transit-oriented development and infrastructure improvements.
HR&A served as strategic partner and development advisor to Rice Management Company for The Ion and broader 16-acre Ion District in Houston, overseeing real estate and programmatic development. This comprehensive advisory role has successfully transformed a former Sears building into a thriving innovation hub while laying the groundwork for a 3-5 million square foot mixed-use innovation district that fosters an inclusive tech ecosystem and creates equitable economic opportunities.
HR&A guided the Moffitt Cancer Center in master planning and implementing SPEROS FL, Moffitt’s transformative 775-acre innovation campus outside of Tampa, Florida. This strategic advisory work supported Moffitt, Florida’s only National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, in expanding its clinical, research, educational, and treatment activities, directly advancing its mission of preventing and curing cancer through a cohesive, purpose-built campus environment.
HR&A developed the Kips Bay Science District Education and Workforce Vision Report for the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), that articulated the vision of the Kips Bay District as the center of New York City’s health and life sciences ecosystems. Leveraging NYCEDC's first-of-its-kind life sciences innovation, career, and education hub, the Science Park and Research Campus (SPARC), would develop the next generation of talent to support this ecosystem and anchor this District.
