Peer2Politics

The uniqueness of a place matters. It's an argument that resonates with many of us on an intuitive level, and that countless architects, planners, and sociologists have staked their careers on. ULI senior resident fellow Ed McMahon recently made the case for place in a TEDx talk in Jacksonville, Florida. Physical distinction counts, he argues—not just culturally, but in dollars and cents. "In a world where capital is footloose, if you can't differentiate from any other place, you'll have no competitive advantage," says McMahon.