Jeff Hines: CityCenterDC will be a new focal point for downtown DC. DC is perceived as a federal city and there’s no real “heart” of downtown. This project, with 300,000 square feet of quality retail at the base and other uses including office, condos, apartments, a hotel and park and civic space, will definitely be a new destination. Having the opportunity to build a well-thought-out master plan on 10 acres in the center of a major urban center is almost unheard of…and this happens to be four blocks from the White House. Transit-oriented and mixed-use developments make sense for cities, and we’ll definitely continue to be interested in them.

GlobeSt.com: Hines recently launched a new multifamily division, hiring a well-known veteran to lead the charge. What appeals to you about the multifamily sector and how is this different from any residential projects Hines has worked on in the past?

Jeff Hines: While we built apartments in our distant past and have developed or co-developed several condominium projects, we have not been in the large-scale multifamily business in a meaningful way. Our leadership and our investors are very interested in taking advantage of the near and long-term growth potential. Since the Hines name stands for quality, it was important to get one of the top people in the industry to join our team, which we found in Alan Patton.

GlobeSt.com: Hines is well-known for its commitment to sustainability. What do you consider the biggest challenges that owners and developers face when it comes to sustainability? Is there any reason not to build sustainably?

Jeff Hines: Not building or managing a property in a sustainable fashion would be a big mistake for anyone in real estate. Sustainability is here to stay. Since my father is a mechanical engineer, we have always been extremely sensitive to conservation of energy and creating places with lasting value. When ENERGY STAR