Why even the worst-hit cities look likely to recover

The pandemic-driven reduction in office-based footfall in city centres has weighed heavily on many urban environments, particularly in the US. But if cities can find ways to align incentives with other stakeholders and re-shape those environments to reflect the needs and demands of their communities, history suggests they will be able to attract new businesses, inhabitants, and visitors. While we expect cities to successfully negotiate these challenges, some of the hardest-hit – dominated by US metros such as Chicago, Portland and San Francisco – face especially tough tests, and those may take longer than others to return to their former vibrancy, given the hollowing out of their downtowns.