Though a bit of time has passed, it’s worth noting that USC’s Lusk Center for Real Estate issued their Casden Forecast on December 10th predicting that demand for industrial land is going to come back due to strong demand for US exports.

This higher level of demand suggests a greater need for warehousing that serves the port. But we have a problem, and that problem is that warehousing, even clean, is generally considered to be a nuisance at best and a health threat at worst. The time for a practical vision for green freight and green industry—not just vague lip service—is now. That means shaking urban design out of its current elitist practices to focus on how production, labor, and community all belong in cities. To me, it also suggests new dimensions for industrial ecology and urban design. Exciting, but daunting.