Don Briggs, president of Federal Realty Boston and the guiding force behind the creation of the much-lauded Assembly Row in Somerville, has been named district council chair of the Urban Land Institute of Boston (ULI Boston). "ULI Boston has emerged as an important voice during a time of unprecedented growth and demand for urban housing, retail and innovation space," said Briggs. "I look forward to harnessing the collective insights of our dynamic membership of land use professionals as our region responds to both the opportunities of a thriving real estate sector and the challenges of issues ranging from traffic mitigation to rising sea levels." An architect by training, Briggs has overseen mixed-use projects and public/private endeavors nationwide. He is responsible for Federal Realty's 2 million s/f portfolio in Mass. that includes Linden Sq. in Wellesley and Dedham Place in Dedham. Since 2009, he has led the effort to build Somerville's Assembly Row, a new urban neighborhood offering a vibrant mix of housing, retail and community space. Briggs will succeed Daniel St. Clair, managing director of Spaulding and Slye Investments. St. Clair served at ULI's District Chair since 2011. "We are enormously grateful to Daniel for his robust leadership in solidifying ULI Boston as a prominent voice in the exchange of ideas valuable to both the business community and policy makers," said ULI Boston executive director Sarah Barnat. "Don is ideally positioned to build on that legacy and leverage the expertise of our members as we enter an exciting new era for both our community and ULI Boston."