{"id":2961122,"date":"2026-03-23T08:43:32","date_gmt":"2026-03-23T15:43:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/?post_type=blog&p=2961122"},"modified":"2026-03-25T09:23:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-25T16:23:06","slug":"using-existing-conditions-in-arcgis-urban","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/urban\/design-planning\/using-existing-conditions-in-arcgis-urban","title":{"rendered":"Using Existing Conditions in ArcGIS Urban"},"author":7671,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_searchwp_excluded":""},"categories":[37151],"tags":[25781,406712,549072,26171],"industry":[],"product":[409602],"class_list":["post-2961122","blog","type-blog","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-design-planning","tag-3d","tag-arcgis-urban","tag-esrirdzurich","tag-urban-planning","product-urban"],"acf":{"authors":[{"ID":7671,"user_firstname":"Lisa","user_lastname":"Staehli","nickname":"Lisa Staehli","user_nicename":"lisa8584","display_name":"Lisa Staehli","user_email":"LStaehli@esri.com","user_url":"https:\/\/www.lisastaehli.ch\/","user_registered":"2018-03-26 19:39:56","user_description":"I am a product-minded software engineer & UX designer - combining skills in engineering, design, and leadership. I currently help develop ArcGIS Urban, a web application for urban planners to visualize and plan the future of their cities. I am also an advocate for more diversity in tech & I teach yoga in my free time.","user_avatar":""},{"ID":443076,"user_firstname":"Ester","user_lastname":"Aldaraca","nickname":"Ester Aldaraca","user_nicename":"ealdaraca","display_name":"Ester Aldaraca","user_email":"ealdaraca@esri.com","user_url":"","user_registered":"2026-03-04 20:42:21","user_description":"Ester Aldaraca is a Product Marketing Manager for ArcGIS Urban and ArcGIS CityEngine at Esri. She brings experience in go\u2011to\u2011market strategy, content marketing, and storytelling, helping users understand product value and apply the right tools to real\u2011world challenges.","user_avatar":""}],"short_description":"Learn how to model existing conditions in ArcGIS Urban to establish a solid baseline and explore realistic densification strategies.","flexible_content":[{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

Urban planners are facing a common challenge: supporting growth without further driving urban sprawl. Infill development or densification\u2014adding density within existing urban areas\u2014has therefore become a key strategy to make better use of existing infrastructure and improve housing availability. To successfully pursue this approach, it is essential to analyze and understand existing conditions, as they form the foundation for a realistic and effective densification workflow.<\/p>\n

In this blog post, you\u2019ll learn how to model existing conditions in ArcGIS Urban by working with existing building spaces and parcel parameters. You\u2019ll see how these approaches help establish a reliable baseline for densification workflows and support informed decision\u2011making when exploring future development scenarios directly in Urban.<\/p>\n

Existing\u00a0building\u00a0spaces<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

As an urban planner, you might be tasked with transforming an urban area.\u00a0Before you can start exploring different strategies, you need to know\u00a0what\u2019s\u00a0already there, both visually and\u00a0quantitatively.\u00a0Working with existing spaces in Urban\u00a0allows you to get an overview of the current urban\u00a0fabric\u00a0to base your development on.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As an example, we focus on\u00a0MFO-West\u00a0in Z\u00fcrich, Switzerland, a former industrial site transitioning into a mixed\u2011use urban quarter.\u00a0In the following paragraphs\u00a0you learn how to create and edit existing spaces\u00a0as well as how to use them\u00a0for\u00a0different densification strategies\u00a0in Urban\u00a0based on this example project.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Represent\u00a0existing buildings\u00a0as spaces<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Let\u2019s\u00a0start\u00a0by\u00a0creating\u00a0building\u00a0spaces\u00a0based on existing buildings.\u00a0Currently, this is done by manually tracing the schematic buildings from the basemap of your\u00a0Urban\u00a0model in the existing scenario\u2014a workflow that\u00a0will\u00a0become more automated in a future release.\u00a0As soon as\u00a0you\u2019ve\u00a0recreated the ground floor, simply\u00a0choose the space-use type of the building,\u00a0duplicate the floors\u00a0to model\u00a0the building\u2019s\u00a0upper-levels,\u00a0and adjust floor geometries where needed.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The spaces have the\u00a0development\u00a0status \u201cUnchanged\u201d\u00a0assigned, meaning these spaces are existing spaces.\u00a0The\u00a0development\u00a0status will become important when\u00a0exploring different densification strategies later.\u00a0Continue creating existing spaces for all the buildings you want to include in your existing conditions.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":2961131,"id":2961131,"title":"densification-editing","filename":"densification-editing.gif","filesize":8681749,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/densification-editing.gif","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/urban\/design-planning\/using-existing-conditions-in-arcgis-urban\/densification-editing","alt":"Editing in a densification workflow in ArcGIS Urban.","author":"7671","description":"","caption":"Editing in a densification workflow in ArcGIS Urban.","name":"densification-editing","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":2961122,"date":"2026-03-23 15:37:45","modified":"2026-03-23 15:38:16","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/gif","type":"image","subtype":"gif","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1500,"height":844,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/densification-editing-213x200.gif","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/densification-editing.gif","medium-width":464,"medium-height":261,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/densification-editing.gif","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":432,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/densification-editing.gif","large-width":1500,"large-height":844,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/densification-editing.gif","1536x1536-width":1500,"1536x1536-height":844,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/densification-editing.gif","2048x2048-width":1500,"2048x2048-height":844,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/densification-editing-826x465.gif","card_image-width":826,"card_image-height":465,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/densification-editing.gif","wide_image-width":1500,"wide_image-height":844}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

Copy building spaces to design scenarios<\/strong><\/h3>\n

When you\u2019re finished with tracing the buildings in the existing scenario, you can copy the parcels into a design scenario to start transforming the area. Alternatively, you can also create a new scenario based on the existing scenario. With the existing spaces copied into the design scenario, we can now start to explore different densification strategies.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":2961138,"id":2961138,"title":"densification-copy-scenario","filename":"densification-copy-scenario.gif","filesize":7479593,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/densification-copy-scenario.gif","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/urban\/design-planning\/using-existing-conditions-in-arcgis-urban\/densification-copy-scenario","alt":"Copy existing spaces to a design scenario.","author":"7671","description":"","caption":"Copy existing spaces to a design scenario.","name":"densification-copy-scenario","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":2961122,"date":"2026-03-23 15:53:18","modified":"2026-03-23 15:54:19","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/gif","type":"image","subtype":"gif","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1500,"height":844,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/densification-copy-scenario-213x200.gif","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/densification-copy-scenario.gif","medium-width":464,"medium-height":261,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/densification-copy-scenario.gif","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":432,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/densification-copy-scenario.gif","large-width":1500,"large-height":844,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/densification-copy-scenario.gif","1536x1536-width":1500,"1536x1536-height":844,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/densification-copy-scenario.gif","2048x2048-width":1500,"2048x2048-height":844,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/densification-copy-scenario-826x465.gif","card_image-width":826,"card_image-height":465,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/densification-copy-scenario.gif","wide_image-width":1500,"wide_image-height":844}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

Strategy 1: Repurpose building spaces<\/strong><\/h3>\n

A common example for repurposing existing spaces is an office space that is no longer required due to evolving work\u2011from\u2011home policies. To reactivate these valuable spaces, we can repurpose them to apartments.<\/p>\n

In our MFO-West example, we reuse the upper floors of an existing industrial hall as cultural space, hosting art galleries, youth programs, and other social projects. In ArcGIS Urban, repurposing a space is done in a design scenario by changing its space\u2011use type. The development status automatically updates to \u201cRepurposed\u201d, indicating that the space already exists but is assigned a new use.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":2961141,"id":2961141,"title":"densification-editing2","filename":"densification-editing2-1.gif","filesize":3166646,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/densification-editing2-1.gif","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/urban\/design-planning\/using-existing-conditions-in-arcgis-urban\/densification-editing2-2","alt":"Repurposing existing spaces.","author":"7671","description":"","caption":"Repurposing existing spaces.","name":"densification-editing2-2","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":2961122,"date":"2026-03-23 16:01:48","modified":"2026-03-23 16:02:18","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/gif","type":"image","subtype":"gif","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1500,"height":844,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/densification-editing2-1-213x200.gif","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/densification-editing2-1.gif","medium-width":464,"medium-height":261,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/densification-editing2-1.gif","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":432,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/densification-editing2-1.gif","large-width":1500,"large-height":844,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/densification-editing2-1.gif","1536x1536-width":1500,"1536x1536-height":844,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/densification-editing2-1.gif","2048x2048-width":1500,"2048x2048-height":844,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/densification-editing2-1-826x465.gif","card_image-width":826,"card_image-height":465,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/densification-editing2-1.gif","wide_image-width":1500,"wide_image-height":844}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

Strategy 2: Extend and retrofit existing buildings<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Another approach is to add new floors on top of existing structures. In our example, we build up the existing industrial hall, used for exhibitions, with office and residential space. This strategy increases usable floor area without expanding the building footprint, allowing you to densify the site while preserving the existing structure.<\/p>\n

This strategy can also be used to evaluate the impact of retrofitting. Older buildings can be extended with new materials or additional structures to make them more energy efficient or improve their climate resilience.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":2961143,"id":2961143,"title":"densification-build-up","filename":"densification-build-up.gif","filesize":9787317,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/densification-build-up.gif","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/urban\/design-planning\/using-existing-conditions-in-arcgis-urban\/densification-build-up","alt":"Extend an existing building with additional floors.","author":"7671","description":"","caption":"Extend an existing building with additional floors.","name":"densification-build-up","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":2961122,"date":"2026-03-23 16:03:08","modified":"2026-03-23 16:03:24","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/gif","type":"image","subtype":"gif","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1500,"height":844,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/densification-build-up-213x200.gif","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/densification-build-up.gif","medium-width":464,"medium-height":261,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/densification-build-up.gif","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":432,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/densification-build-up.gif","large-width":1500,"large-height":844,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/densification-build-up.gif","1536x1536-width":1500,"1536x1536-height":844,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/densification-build-up.gif","2048x2048-width":1500,"2048x2048-height":844,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/densification-build-up-826x465.gif","card_image-width":826,"card_image-height":465,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/densification-build-up.gif","wide_image-width":1500,"wide_image-height":844}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

Use the dashboard to see the impact<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Switch to the dashboard to make the impact of densification visible and measurable as existing spaces and future changes coexist within a scenario. We can compare existing conditions with transformation scenarios side by side and track changes such as floor area, housing units, or space\u2011use distribution.<\/p>\n

This helps us communicate results transparently and build a shared understanding of how repurposing and building up affect the neighborhood.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":2961142,"id":2961142,"title":"densification-dashboard","filename":"densification-dashboard.gif","filesize":5261111,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/densification-dashboard.gif","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/urban\/design-planning\/using-existing-conditions-in-arcgis-urban\/densification-dashboard","alt":"Use the dashboard to see the impact of existing, repurposed and new spaces.","author":"7671","description":"","caption":"Use the dashboard to see the impact of existing, repurposed and new spaces.","name":"densification-dashboard","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":2961122,"date":"2026-03-23 16:02:54","modified":"2026-03-23 16:04:01","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/gif","type":"image","subtype":"gif","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1500,"height":844,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/densification-dashboard-213x200.gif","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/densification-dashboard.gif","medium-width":464,"medium-height":261,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/densification-dashboard.gif","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":432,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/densification-dashboard.gif","large-width":1500,"large-height":844,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/densification-dashboard.gif","1536x1536-width":1500,"1536x1536-height":844,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/densification-dashboard.gif","2048x2048-width":1500,"2048x2048-height":844,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/densification-dashboard-826x465.gif","card_image-width":826,"card_image-height":465,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/densification-dashboard.gif","wide_image-width":1500,"wide_image-height":844}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

Parcel parameters<\/strong><\/h2>\n

In addition to existing building spaces, parcel parameters provide another way to represent existing conditions in Urban. When added to the existing scenario, they allow you to capture parcel\u2011level characteristics that help complete the picture of the current condition. We can use parcel parameters to store parcel\u2011specific values such as tax rate, land value, or other relevant attributes.<\/p>\n

Add parcel parameters to your plan<\/strong><\/h3>\n

We want to know the current land value of each parcel in our transformation area. Let\u2019s add a parcel parameter metric to our metrics graph in the configuration of our plan and call it \u201cLand Value\u201d. In the next step, we can import the data from a feature layer. Our parcel parameter is now ready to be used in further metrics calculations.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":2961144,"id":2961144,"title":"parcel_parameter_import","filename":"parcel_parameter_import.gif","filesize":4513848,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/parcel_parameter_import.gif","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/urban\/design-planning\/using-existing-conditions-in-arcgis-urban\/parcel_parameter_import-2","alt":"Import parcel parameters to your plan.","author":"7671","description":"","caption":"Import parcel parameters to your plan.","name":"parcel_parameter_import-2","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":2961122,"date":"2026-03-23 16:04:44","modified":"2026-03-23 16:05:22","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/gif","type":"image","subtype":"gif","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1280,"height":719,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/parcel_parameter_import-213x200.gif","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/parcel_parameter_import.gif","medium-width":464,"medium-height":261,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/parcel_parameter_import.gif","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":431,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/parcel_parameter_import.gif","large-width":1280,"large-height":719,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/parcel_parameter_import.gif","1536x1536-width":1280,"1536x1536-height":719,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/parcel_parameter_import.gif","2048x2048-width":1280,"2048x2048-height":719,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/parcel_parameter_import-826x465.gif","card_image-width":826,"card_image-height":465,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/parcel_parameter_import.gif","wide_image-width":1280,"wide_image-height":719}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

Use parcel parameters in metric calculations<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Using the land value and combining it with the building value and tax rate, we can calculate the tax revenue per parcel. This makes it possible to translate existing parcel\u2011level conditions into measurable indicators and compare how different densification scenarios affect fiscal outcomes across the study area.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":2961145,"id":2961145,"title":"parcel_parameter_tax_revenue_calculation","filename":"parcel_parameter_tax_revenue_calculation.gif","filesize":10164741,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/parcel_parameter_tax_revenue_calculation.gif","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/urban\/design-planning\/using-existing-conditions-in-arcgis-urban\/parcel_parameter_tax_revenue_calculation-2","alt":"Use parcel parameters in metric calculations.","author":"7671","description":"","caption":"Use parcel parameters in metric calculations.","name":"parcel_parameter_tax_revenue_calculation-2","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":2961122,"date":"2026-03-23 16:04:54","modified":"2026-03-23 16:05:55","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/gif","type":"image","subtype":"gif","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1280,"height":719,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/parcel_parameter_tax_revenue_calculation-213x200.gif","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/parcel_parameter_tax_revenue_calculation.gif","medium-width":464,"medium-height":261,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/parcel_parameter_tax_revenue_calculation.gif","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":431,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/parcel_parameter_tax_revenue_calculation.gif","large-width":1280,"large-height":719,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/parcel_parameter_tax_revenue_calculation.gif","1536x1536-width":1280,"1536x1536-height":719,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/parcel_parameter_tax_revenue_calculation.gif","2048x2048-width":1280,"2048x2048-height":719,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/parcel_parameter_tax_revenue_calculation-826x465.gif","card_image-width":826,"card_image-height":465,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/03\/parcel_parameter_tax_revenue_calculation.gif","wide_image-width":1280,"wide_image-height":719}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

Key take aways<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Modeling existing conditions is a critical first step for successful densification workflows. By working with existing building spaces, you can capture what is already built and explore strategies such as repurposing or building up within a realistic context.<\/p>\n

Parcel parameters complement this approach by representing existing conditions at the parcel level, allowing you to incorporate parcel\u2011specific constraints and values directly into your analysis. Together, these tools help establish a reliable baseline, support transparent impact evaluation, and enable informed decision\u2011making when exploring infill and densification scenarios in ArcGIS Urban.<\/p>\n"}],"related_articles":[{"ID":2960265,"post_author":"8122","post_date":"2026-03-25 09:00:23","post_date_gmt":"2026-03-25 16:00:23","post_content":"","post_title":"What's New in ArcGIS Urban (March 2026)","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"whats-new-in-arcgis-urban-march-2026","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2026-03-25 10:55:24","post_modified_gmt":"2026-03-25 17:55:24","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/?post_type=blog&p=2960265","menu_order":0,"post_type":"blog","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2607922,"post_author":"237172","post_date":"2024-12-03 08:02:59","post_date_gmt":"2024-12-03 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02:55:15","post_modified_gmt":"2022-04-14 09:55:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/?post_type=blog&p=1549502","menu_order":0,"post_type":"blog","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"2","filter":"raw"}],"show_article_image":false,"card_image":false,"wide_image":false},"yoast_head":"\nUsing Existing Conditions in ArcGIS Urban<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Learn how to model existing conditions in ArcGIS Urban to establish a solid baseline and explore realistic densification strategies.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/urban\/design-planning\/using-existing-conditions-in-arcgis-urban\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Using Existing 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