My favorite locations are often rental apartments — best connectivity,,,, car-freedom, walkable community ,,,, clean streets.,,, kids/exercise friendly,,,,,

I think it has to do with developer’s economic analysis. Developers want to justify high rent for many many decades, so they must pick the best location in any city, and they bid up land price at that location.

In Chinese-centric cities, those locations would become condo towers for sale. In U.S. renters are willing to pay very high rentals.