For occupiers, the value lies in their ability to attract talent, efficiently reach their client base, and achieve their sustainable objectives as good corporate citizens. However, the challenges of aging or insufficient infrastructure, NIMBYism, ("Not In My Back Yard"), and lack of funding and cooperation between the public and private sectors are common themes.

“Developers and governments must find ways to work together to overcome challenges and support continued growth,” Munger adds.

Key report findings across the ten cities explored include: In Atlanta, $61 billion is earmarked for transit oriented projects—70% of this will go toward improving existing transportation facilities; Boston's firms are taking note of the influx of new tenants from suburban locations to the revitalized Seaport district—and taking advantage of the 24/7 transit-oriented locations; Chicago is a public transportation-friendly city with an extensive transit system, which has mainly benefitted the downtown area to date. Initiatives are underway to update the aging infrastructure, remove barriers to Transit Oriented Development, and provide greater connectivity for the area's suburbs; In Los Angeles, the Downtown area is the logical place for transit-oriented development.

Mexico City carries the title of the most congested city in North America, the report continues. Public investment in infrastructure is at record high levels and developers are aligning their plans with these improvements. In Miami, the 5.4 million-square-foot mixed-use Brickell City Centre as well as the 750,000-square foot Miami World Center due to deliver in 2015 and 2016, respectively, are game changers for the CBD. New York City is experiencing its highest level of new office construction in 25 years, with eight million square feet in the works in Manhattan.

San Francisco (and the surrounding Bay Area, including Silicon Valley and Oakland), experienced more than 365,000 new jobs since the economic recovery began in 2010; yet, adequate residential and commercial real estate, transportation and infrastructure support continues to fall behind demand; Toronto is attracting both the younger generation and empty nesters to its urban core. Businesses are following the talent, leading to a near-record boom in office construction but investment in transit and transportation infrastructure has not kept pace.

Washington, D.C.'s projects in the downtown core, or along transit hubs in the suburbs, which offer the live/work/play lifestyle, are attracting businesses and residents alike.