Year in Review: 2025 Project & People Awards
2025 brought a number of recognitions for our work, our people, and our growth as a firm. From project awards to individual honors and business...
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Hoefer Welker’s Rob Welker discusses mixed-use projects in the Midwest and South, and how catering to Millennials’ lifestyle choices through alternative uses attracts them to the suburbs.
Over the past decade, urban core development has been making a comeback, as Millennials prefer renting close to lifestyle amenities rather than settle in bedroom communities. But that doesn’t mean that the popularity of the suburbs has come to an end, as mixed-use developments are successfully transforming outlying districts. Innovative development trends such as placemaking bring together urban elements from the residential, retail, entertainment, office and hospitality sectors alike in unusual places, becoming focal points to communities.
Rob Welker, partner & president of architecture firm Hoefer Welker, has an extensive history in mixed-use projects. In the interview below, Welker talks about the increasing number of such developments in the Midwest and South, and how they are bringing the urban feel to the suburbs. He also sheds light on what sets a project apart as developers integrate more and more tech into their buildings.
Leadership in Practice: How 40 Under 40 Alumni Foster Collaboration and Culture
Mara Sabatini, Vice President and Senior Project Manager, was recently featured in BD+C’s article, Leadership in Practice: How 40 Under 40 Alumni...
Giving Back to Local Communities Through Design
At Hoefer Welker, we know that architecture plays a key role in enhancing local communities. Effective design not only beautifies a community and...