For several years now there has been an ongoing dialogue among government leaders about how best to meet our transportation and mobility challenges within Mecklenburg County and throughout the region.  Last Friday an initial agreement was reached, and the following statement was issued to the media:

The Managers of Mecklenburg County, the City of Charlotte, and a majority of the six towns included within the County have successfully concluded meetings leading to the preparation of draft legislation enabling a countywide referendum on a one-percent local sales tax to fund mobility initiatives countywide, and the ability to establish a regional transit Authority.  

Elected officials for each jurisdiction will now consider this draft legislation and after review will be asked to pass resolutions supporting its advancement to the North Carolina General Assembly.  If approved, the request will be formally submitted to the North Carolina General Assembly where local government, business, and community leaders hope to gain adoption of enabling legislation to allow the voters of Mecklenburg County to determine their transportation future by making a choice for increased regional transportation infrastructure investments for both roads and transit.  

If the referendum is authorized, local leaders will engage the broader community about how previous mobility plans, including those for expansion of our public transit network, may be modified to match available resources and support the continued growth our region is experiencing.  That process will be essential to winning broad public support for the mobility plan.  This is a vital step toward meeting our region’s numerous mobility needs over the coming decades.

Originally published on July 29, 2024, by Malaika Rivers for NAIOP,

How many different commercial areas in your market are in transition? Maybe a professional or minor league sports team is considering a new mixed-use development, or an industrial area is attracting a growing residential community. On the flip side, perhaps the nearby office campus sits partially empty, or the local mall cannot attract shoppers the way it once had. These changes are familiar market landscapes to commercial real estate professionals, but they may not be as familiar with the tools to help maneuver these transitions.

One such tool can channel the voices and dollars of commercial real estate owners to great effect. Known as special purpose districts, special service districts, or a host of other names, special districts harness resources that benefit a variety of commercial centers.

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Iredell County Commissioners recently directed staff to initiate a text amendment to its land development code that would have, among other things, limited density to one unit per five-acre parcel in some parts of the county.  The measure was drafted and presented to the Iredell County Planning Board during last week's meeting where it was considered and debated.  Some board members expressed concern about the adverse impact this amendment could have on housing affordability.  Ultimately, it was determined the proposal necessitated additional discussion and it was tabled for the time being.  We will continue to weigh in as the measure receives future consideration.   

View Text Ammendment

Originally published on June 27, 2024, by Jennifer Lefurgy, Ph.D. for NAIOP.

If an average person’s work hours were aggregated at the end of their career, it would total approximately 13 continuous years. Work consumes so much time and energy that if it doesn’t go well, it can become a psychological drain that impacts employee productivity and engagement. Numerous studies have shown that mental well-being at work is on the decline.

Has remote work hurt employees and is it time to return to the workplace to boost social connections, receive in-person mentoring and reduce isolation? The answer may be yes, but there is also a need for employers to create supportive and well-managed workplaces.

Gallup’s annual State of the Global Workplace report found that just over half of employees in North America are not engaged (51%), meaning they are uninspired by their work and do the bare minimum, and 16% are actively disengaged and seeking a new employer. According to the survey, employee disengagement accounts for $8.9 trillion in lost productivity worldwide.

Originally published on July 24, 2024, by Ethan Harris for NAIOP.

From design/build condos to built-to-suit warehouses, one factor remains the highest priority regardless of the project type: the approach to upholding the highest level of safety. Although safety exists as a core value across all areas of the construction industry, the increased risk of serious injuries or fatalities persists. Construction workers are ranked number four on the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics list of occupations with the most fatality rates.

Considering this heightened risk, it’s important for every team member, from subcontractors to superintendents, to take responsibility for safety compliance, empowering others to take responsibility for not only their own actions but the actions of those around them. To help enhance safety efforts for the project from start to finish, safety leaders are focusing on ways to implement safety standards within each component of the building’s design. Although this approach requires comprehensive planning and strategizing on the front end, it is intended to reduce and mitigate hazards before they become issues. Keeping this idea in mind, the following are a few actionable methods for managing projects designed around safety compliance.

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Originally published on July 16, 2024, by Alexandra Both for NAIOP.

The popularity of new homes built for the purpose of renting is peaking. Two drivers behind this boom are the rise of remote work and millennials reaching prime homebuying age while facing challenges in purchasing property.

But which areas have contributed the most to this growth? To answer this question, and to map out the future of this niche market, RentCafe.com analyzed Yardi Matrix data on single-family homes for rent in professionally managed communities.

In 2023, a record-breaking 27,500 build-to-rent homes opened their doors, up 75% compared to the year prior. Lifestyle changes in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic led to new peaks each year, culminating this past year.

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The Charlotte Future 2040 Team is pleased to announce the release of the Annual Report Mid-Year Highlight video. This video showcases stories from their partners about progress toward implementing the Charlotte Future 2040 Comprehensive Plan. It serves to honor the hard work being done by various city and county departments.

The Mid-Year Highlight offers a snapshot of select projects and programs being implemented by their partners. Additional projects and programs will be featured in the upcoming Charlotte Future 2040 Annual Report. For more comprehensive information on the Annual Report, interested parties can visit the official website.

Viewers are encouraged to watch the Mid-Year Highlight video to learn more about how the City of Charlotte is honoring the vision for their beloved city and advancing the goals of the Charlotte Future 2040 Plan. The video can be accessed via a button provided in the original communication.

Watch Mid-Year Highlight VIdeo

On July 1st, 2024, the City of Gastonia ended public bus operations for its residents and initiated the GoGastonia Microtransit service.  This came about when the Gastonia City Council approved a 36-month contract with River North Transit, LLC to provide on-demand transit services to riders, who currently complete approximately 144,000 trips annually.  This new delivery system will not displace ADA transportation services.

The City also determined that on-demand microtransit would better address its limited-service area, alleviate hour-long wait times, eliminate an aging fleet of buses, and provide better access to the majority of its users.  In the past fiscal year, Gastonia Transit had been operating six fixed bus routes covering nearly 295,000 miles per year while providing service to over 144,000 passengers.  The previous system was averaging only seven passengers per vehicle hour across all routes.

Want to learn more?  Tomorrow, July 17th from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm at the Gastonia Career Center, 116 Armstrong Street, Gastonia, NC 28054, the City of Gastonia will be holding several information sessions about the new service. 

RSVP Here 

The Town of Matthews has initiated an effort to curb Short Term Rentals (STRs) through the introduction of a text amendment to its Unified Development Ordinance (UDO).  Text Amendment 2024-2 does the following:

• STRs would be required to be separated from each other by a minimum of 800 feet, measured from property lines.
• They would be required to have a zoning permit and the permit would need to be posted publicly.
• Renters would not be allowed to hold special events or gatherings.
• A local manager or operator would be required to be located in or adjacent to Mecklenburg County.

During recent Commissioner meetings, several residents spoke in favor of imposing these restrictions but based on information provided by the Town, it is unclear how significant a concern this is to the vast majority of the population.  A review of the minutes of recent meetings indicates there have been a total of ten calls to the police related to STRs during the past three and a half years.  Of those, five were initiated by the STR owners and the other five came from area homeowners.  According to Town Staff, there are currently somewhere between 20 and 40 STR properties located within the Town of Matthews where the current population stands at over 30,000.

The public hearing on the text amendment began last night and has been extended to August 12th (STR conversation runs from 2:50:36 through 4:51:40).  Look for more updates and opportunities for engagement on this topic very shortly.    

Originally published on June 24, 2024, by NAIOP.

NAIOP, the Commercial Real Estate Development Association, has selected Crescent Communities as its 2024 Developer of the Year – the association’s highest honor. The award will be presented during NAIOP’s CRE.Converge conference in Las Vegas this October.  

“It is NAIOP’s honor to recognize the tremendous work of Crescent Communities as the 2024 Developer of the Year. Their ongoing commitment to advancing the commercial real estate industry through cutting-edge innovation and exemplary real estate development across many property sectors is impressive,” said Marc Selvitelli, NAIOP president and CEO. “Crescent Communities has demonstrated significant market resilience and adaptability, overcoming economic headwinds to consistently deliver value.”

Since 1979, the NAIOP Developer of the Year award has been presented to a development company that best exemplifies leadership and innovation in the commercial real estate industry. Crescent Communities was selected from an impressive slate of nominees and was evaluated by a team of seasoned developers on the following criteria: outstanding quality of projects and services; active support of the industry through NAIOP; financial consistency and stability; ability to adapt to market conditions; and support of the local community.

Full Article

Originally published on June 6, 2024, by Natalie Fidlow, CFA for NAIOP.

“Labor availability trumps labor costs as a top concern in the Eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey markets,” said David Hickey, global managing director at Hickey Associates. He led experts in a dynamic discussion at I.CON East this week in Jersey City, New Jersey. They drilled down on the region’s data and provided strategies to navigate the tight talent market.

The War for Talent

“Four out of five employers are concerned about the competitiveness of labor and if they can find it,” said Hickey, whose firm extensively studies labor markets for logistics and industrial customers.

Originally published on June 19, 2024, by Toby Burke for NAIOP.

Members from the three NAIOP chapters in North Carolina traveled to Raleigh last week for their legislative advocacy day within the state capitol. The two-day event provided an important opportunity for attendees to collaborate on the issues facing commercial real estate and advance the industry’s interests with state lawmakers.

NAIOP’s state card on the economic impact of commercial real estate on the national and state economies reflects the industry’s powerful contribution to North Carolina’s economy. The commercial real estate industry in North Carolina is the sixth highest-ranking state in the United States for overall contributions to the state’s gross domestic product with $44.1 billion and 312,000 jobs created and supported in 2023. NAIOP members leveraged this important information in meetings with lawmakers as part of their three legislative priorities – economic development, transportation and infrastructure, and regulatory reform.

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Originally published on June 6, 2024, by Natalie Fidlow, CFA for NAIOP.

When a catastrophe hits an area, nearly one-third of local businesses fail within two years; another third fail after that.

Moderator Anne Strauss-Wieder, freight and public policy instructor at Rutger’s University, opened an expert panel discussion on why businesses and communities need supply chain resilience at the I.CON East conference this week in Jersey City, New Jersey. Fortifying the supply chain is essential to secure the long-term viability of a business and its surrounding community. Disruptions over the past few years like the COVID-19 pandemic, natural disasters, and cyberattacks have underscored the vulnerability of supply chains and the need for robust strategies to mitigate risks.

How should we approach disruption?

Originally published on June 6, 2024, by Brielle Scott for NAIOP.

Rooftop and community solar projects can advance sustainability and ESG objectives, unlock a new revenue stream, enhance community relations, and boost property values. At I.CON East this week, NAIOP New Jersey CEO Dan Kennedy moderated a panel of speakers including Matt Schlindwein, P.E., managing partner for Greek Real Estate Partners; Mark Schottinger, president at Solar Landscape; and Kat West, LEED AP, director of sustainability at Turner & Townsend, to explore the transformative potential of rooftop and community solar projects for the industrial real estate sector.

Schottinger was direct from the start: “If you’ve got a warehouse, I want to lease your roof.”

Solar power, historically, meant solar panels on the roof generated power that was used by whoever was in the building, with zero potential for scalability.

Originally published on June 6, 2024, by Brielle Scott for NAIOP.

Given the explosion in new construction, the important role of Class B (and even C) industrial properties is often overlooked – especially those under 100,000 square feet. These buildings remain a functional and economic solution to a wide range of companies, even without most modern efficiencies.

At I.CON East this week in Jersey City, New Jersey, Jim Scott, principal at Avison Young, moderated a panel that included Nick Aileo, director of acquisitions for Wharton Equity Partners; Itay Ron, senior vice president for Northeast markets at Faropoint; and Stefan Sansone, director at Bridge Industrial.

He started by sharing fundamentals for Class B properties, which account for 8.5 billion square feet or 70% of all U.S. inventory. Class B properties have the lowest vacancy rates by asset class, with much less volatility than Class A properties, and have seen continued rent growth, with a narrowing spread compared to Class A properties, Scott shared.

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Originally published on June 5, 2024, by Brielle Scott for NAIOP.

ABCO Systems started as a pipe and rail provider in New York City’s Garment District over 30 years ago, but as automation and increasing consumer demands have increased the need for more efficient goods distribution, the company has evolved to build and integrate material handling solutions designed for the modern era.

Attendees at I.CON East had the opportunity to tour the company’s facility in Carlstadt, New Jersey, which showcases the latest cutting-edge automation, storage and order fulfillment technologies transforming warehouse and distribution operations. Of the dozens of robotic, artificial intelligence-enabled, cutting-edge tools demonstrated, we’ll highlight a few.

Have you ever received a package with your item thrown inside, surrounded by bubble wrap in an oversized box? The FastFetch IntelliPack® uses AI and computations to select and identify correctly sized packing cartons, tracks replenishment of consumed cartons, and manages carton reordering from a supplier. It cuts shipping costs, reduces packaging labor, reduces landfill waste and reduces fuel consumption required for transporting packages.

Originally published on May 23, 2024, by Chris Grant for NAIOP.

For many decades, the construction industry has played a vital role in reshaping communities, standing as a key indicator of economic performance and prosperity. In more recent years, labor challenges have shifted the industry’s progression, threatening to disrupt integral projects and new developments throughout the country. With issues such as a shortage of skilled laborers and the need for new technology and software, today’s general contractors are faced with many industry-specific challenges that require innovative strategies and effective planning to guarantee continued success.

OVERCOMING THE SKILLED LABOR SHORTAGE

One of the most widely known issues faced by the construction industry is the need for skilled labor. As the current workforce retires and the next generation pursues alternative career paths, the industry must find new ways to retain the knowledge and skills to successfully operate large-scale construction projects. One way to attract more individuals to pursue the trades is to partner with local high schools and technical colleges to showcase the various roles and specialty areas needed on every job site. This gives students a firsthand look at what a construction career could look like and offers a valuable alternative to traditional higher education. It’s also important to retain the processes, insights, and knowledge of the retiring generation and ensure this information is accessible to future project teams and leaders. By taking these extra steps, you can help new laborers achieve confidence in their roles and deliver high-quality results on each job site.

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The Compact Development provision proposed by Planning staff and discussed during a prior council and committee meeting, and ultimately approved by the Planning Commission's Zoning Committee was approved during last night's Charlotte City Council meeting.  This text amendment seeks to partially address the need for entry-level and workforce housing by allowing higher density developments in certain parts of the city.  Next up will be a summer discussion of strategies to increase the amount of allowable townhome developments.  We look forward to further engagement and are optimistic about the potential approval of another text amendment targeting this need this coming fall.

Our attention is also directed toward the City's Alignment Rezoning process that is already underway.  City staff is hosting webinars this evening at 6:00 pm, tomorrow during the lunch hour, and again on Thursday at 2:00 pm.  Please take time to register and participate in one of these informational sessions.

Originally published on May 17, 2024, for Francis Chantree for NAIOP.

The self-storage industry stepped up to the plate during recent challenging years, again proving its resilience to real estate investors. With rising housing prices, shrinking living spaces, and changing lifestyle trends, it continues to offer a lower-cost way to get extra space for keeping all other types of possessions.

A recent StorageCafe survey found that about a fifth of Americans (18%) are currently renting storage space and an additional 14% plan to do so in the future. This ongoing engagement is boosted by the widening of the industry’s customer base during recent years, with more businesses and different types of people now discovering the service’s advantages. These clients include younger renters, more vehicle owners, and greater numbers in regions experiencing growing populations.

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