WASHINGTON – Real estate executive Randall Lewis has donated $10 million to the Urban Land Institute, the largest single contribution in ULI’s 86-year history, to accelerate the organization’s efforts to make the built environment more sustainable.
In recognition of the landmark gift, ULI has renamed its former Center for Sustainability and Economic Performance the ULI Randall Lewis Center for Sustainability in Real Estate. The center, which advances healthy, resilient, and high-performance communities worldwide, houses ULI’s Building Healthy Places Initiative, the Urban Resilience program, and the Greenprint Center for Building Performance.
Lewis said he views the donation as a way to address three interconnected priorities: strengthening resilience to climate impacts, creating healthier places to live and work, and cutting carbon emissions. By supporting the integrated work of the center, he aims to tackle these challenges holistically.
“Synergy between the three parts of the center is important to me,” Lewis explained. “Public health and climate action are closely related, and many of the solutions will be linked as well. This gift lets me make a personal contribution toward one of the world’s most urgent problems and transform millions of lives. I encourage other real estate leaders to consider supporting ULI’s broad-reaching work.”
“This gift will transform the Center by providing near-term resources to accelerate our climate adaptation and mitigation work while we continue our comprehensive programs to build healthy communities,” said Ed Walter, ULI Global CEO. “We are grateful for the trust Randall has placed in ULI to mobilize our resources, including our 45,000 members, to make a visible difference on these important issues. I want to thank Randall for his generosity and sustained support of ULI’s vision.”
Lewis is a long-time ULI member and a Governor of the ULI Foundation. He also supports the ULI/Randall Lewis Health Mentorship Program, which pairs graduate students with ULI members to deepen their understanding of how careers in the land use industry can advance public health. His past gifts to ULI include a $1 million donation to support the Building Healthy Places Initiative, which focuses on designing projects and places that improve community health. Lewis has volunteered for more than 25 years on healthy places and placemaking efforts nationwide.
The gift is largely unrestricted, giving ULI flexibility to allocate funding where sustainability programs are most needed as conditions change. The funding will enhance ULI’s ability to decarbonize the real estate sector and accelerate progress toward net-zero outcomes.
“With this funding, we can address the most pressing sustainability challenges in our industry as they arise, helping members understand those challenges and develop practical solutions they can implement,” said Billy Grayson, Executive Vice President for Centers and Initiatives at ULI.
“A transformational gift like this changes the trajectory of ULI and the Center,” said ULI Foundation President Janice Periquet. “It’s catalytic because it enables us to reach broader audiences and present ideas that will drive progress on these initiatives.”
Lewis brings more than four decades of industry experience. He is Executive Vice President and Principal of Lewis Management Corp., a Southern California developer of master-planned communities, shopping centers, apartment complexes, and industrial and residential projects in California and Nevada. The company has built 58,000 homes, developed 24 million square feet of retail, office, and industrial space, and currently owns and manages 11,000 apartments. Lewis oversees the company’s sales and marketing operations.
Throughout his career, Lewis has been active with organizations such as the National Association of Home Builders and has been inducted into the California Homebuilding Foundation’s Hall of Fame. He graduated from Claremont McKenna College in 1973 and recently helped establish the Randall Lewis Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship there.
The Urban Land Institute is a nonprofit education and research organization supported by its members. Its mission is to shape the future of the built environment to create transformative impact in communities worldwide. Founded in 1936, the institute has more than 45,000 members representing all aspects of land use and development disciplines.
Jan. 28, 2022