From Blight to Breakthrough: Turning Underused Spaces into Community Assets

Every community has them—vacant malls, aging fairgrounds, shuttered offices, and forgotten brownfields. The question isn’t whether these spaces exist—it’s what to do with them. This session explores how forward-thinking cities are transforming underutilized and blighted properties into high-performing community assets that drive economic growth, improve quality of life, and reshape local identity. We’ll also examine the cost savings communities attain when using existing infrastructure vs building in a greenfield location. From sports venues and family entertainment centers to housing, mixed-use districts, and commercial hubs, these projects are proving that yesterday’s liabilities can become tomorrow’s anchors.