Originally published on May 18, 2020 by Elizabeth Brink and Arnold Levin

At Gensler, we’ve been thinking hard about how to help our clients through these extraordinary times. As we’ve adjusted to the strange reality of the global work-from-home experiment, our clients have begun to ask what the future of work holds post-pandemic.

In order to move forward, we must rethink past workplace design paradigms, mine the present situation for lessons learned, and create smart, scenario-based road maps for how, and when, we return to the office.

The Workplace Context

Originally published on May 14, 2020 by Daniel Levison.

In this crazy pandemic world, do you feel comfortable that your business is operating efficiently? If not, and most of us don’t, the question we should ask ourselves is: How do we prepare our business to operate at maximum efficiency when another catastrophic event occurs or our economy is shut down again due to a shelter in place order?

If the medical experts are accurate, we could have a second wave and possibly another shelter in place ordered next winter unless a vaccine is developed. Whether it’s next winter or next decade, the question really isn’t if something like this will happen again, but when it will happen?

Our research indicates that most real estate business organizations have not yet invested significant time and resources to streamline their back-office operations. A study by Wells Fargo states moving away from desktop, paper-based processes and outdated systems improves productivity and increases accuracy. Automation initiatives can also make a positive impact on cash flow forecasting and budgeting which is especially important in today’s environment.

Click Here to Read More

The COVID-19 pandemic is changing many aspects of how we live, move about our cities, and get essential physical activity. The City of Charlotte is launching Charlotte Shared Streets to support social distancing and pedestrian/bicycle safety amidst this new way of life. Shared Streets is intended to support outdoor exercise; create a safer environment for people walking, wheelchair rolling, biking, skateboarding, and rollerblading; and promote physical distancing of at least 6 feet by identifying low-speed neighborhood streets as “Shared Streets.”

Shared Streets are streets that are temporarily designated and signed as streets for walking, wheelchair rolling, biking, skateboarding, and rollerblading. Through traffic will not be permitted, but emergency vehicles, delivery vehicles, and residents who live on those streets will still be able to access the roads by motor vehicle. Residents should understand that the SHARED streets do not present an opportunity for residents to congregate and that they should continue following social distancing guidelines. Shared Streets are meant to foster solo physical activity and to connect people to destinations. This is a time to bring out the longboard, not the hammock.

The City of Charlotte will continue to monitor guidance from the CDC, the State of NC, and Mecklenburg County Public Health on outdoor recreation, transportation, and physical distancing, and will adjust this pilot program as needed.

Click Here to Read More

The CLT Development Center continues to maintain plan review, permitting, and field inspections as allowed by the stay-at-home order. For the last weeks, we continue to make modifications to the ways we deliver services to protect customers, staff, and the community. 

Requests and scheduling for virtual meetings for urban and commercial pre-submittals continue to be offered. Please contact Nan Peterson, Business Relation Manager, [email protected], or 980-264-9580 with questions or inquiries. 

Click Here to Read More

Originally published on May 5, 2020 by Rich Tucker 

At the beginning of the year, nobody predicted the economic slowdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic. On March 1, the economy seemed to be thriving with record-low unemployment and a booming stock market. Two months later, the economy is in a deep freeze, and everyone wonders how quickly, and how thoroughly, it can thaw out.

For many of NAIOP’s Developing Leaders, those 35 years of age and under, this is the first slowdown of their professional lives. Luckily, NAIOP includes many veteran leaders who’ve come through crises before; more than 600 DLs joined a recent NAIOP webinar to hear advice from industry power players.

Click Here to Read More

Last week, the White House issued an outline containing a three-phase approach for states to follow as they move to restart activities following the coronavirus pandemic. Before a state moves forward, the administration said it should be seeing a downward trajectory of influenza-like illnesses and COVID-like syndromic cases reported over two weeks.

As states reopen, the plan recommends they have plans to:

• Protect the health and safety of workers in critical industries.
• Protect the health and safety of those living and working in high-risk facilities (e.g., senior care facilities).
• Protect employees and users of mass transit.
• Advise citizens regarding protocols for social distancing and face coverings.
• Monitor conditions and immediately take steps to limit and mitigate any rebounds or outbreaks by restarting a phase or returning to an earlier phase, depending on severity.

Click Here to Read More

NAIOP is proud to honor up-and-coming commercial real estate professionals, 35 years of age and under, for their valued contributions and commitment to the industry with the annual Developing Leaders Award. The award is presented to those who have shown exemplary achievements and demonstrated outstanding professional accomplishments in the commercial real estate industry.

Nominations are now being accepted for the 2020 NAIOP Developing Leaders Award.
Deadline: June 26, 2020

Click Here to Read More

Originally published on April 28, 2020 by Mecklenburg County

Mecklenburg County, the City of Charlotte and the six county towns, have agreed to follow the State of North Carolina's Stay at Home Order starting April 30.

Mecklenburg County Manager Dena R. Diorio announced the agreement to the Board of County Commissioners at its public policy meeting Tuesday afternoon, one day before the county's current order was set to expire.

"The unified coalition of the County, the City, and the towns that began working together when this crisis started will stay together," said Diorio. "We have agreed to proceed like the rest of the state as the phased reopening proceeds."

Mecklenburg's Stay at Home Order began March 26 and is more restrictive than the state order regarding certain businesses—including car dealerships, landscaping services, real estate brokerage, and other businesses not considered essential.

Click Here to Read More

Originally published on April 14, 2020 by Marc Rapport for MillionAcres.com 

The coronavirus pandemic has wreaked havoc on Americans' health and on their businesses. April 1 marked the first major due date for rent for millions of enterprises large and small, and reports from around the nation show that many simply couldn't make do.

Unlike the morbid updates from Johns Hopkins University, there's no daily body count of lost businesses, but reports of unpaid April rent have popped up around the country, along with accounts of how landlords and tenants are dealing with the sudden collapse of a huge chunk of the American economy.

The news reports recount the good, the bad, and the opportunistic -- including tenants reportedly seeking the help they may not need and landlords taking advantage of the situation to run-off long-term tenants in favor of new businesses with deeper pockets and expansion plans.

Click Here to Read More

A Forums favorite is back: Economist Mark Dotzour, Ph.D., will talk exclusively with the National Forums to illustrate how the CRE industry and global economies will emerge from the pandemic. Dotzour sees today’s environment as a blend of national unity from the age of World War II, the immediate lifestyle changes that followed 9/11, and the financial catastrophe of 2008. He’ll take on the big topics on everyone’s mind: Will this be another jobless recovery? Are the stimulus packages enough? Where are interest and cap rates headed? And what does all of it mean for commercial real estate?

Submit your questions early and login to the call ready to take a journey as Dotzour synthesizes global, social and economic trends and provides you a tool kit of factual information to help you make sound investment and business decisions moving forward.

Click Here to Read More

• Cabarrus County Order
• Mecklenburg County Order
• Clarifications for Essential Businesses
• Clarifications for Real Estate
• North Carolina Order

Click Here to Read More

Originally published by Heath Abramsohn in the Spring 2020 Issue

The Rockefeller Group Logistics Center in Piscataway, New Jersey, opened in October 2019. It marked the culmination of four years of collaboration between Piscataway Township, Middlesex County and the companies involved with the project. With five buildings totaling 2.1 million square feet across 228 acres, the effort transformed a former brownfield site into a productive asset that should create more than 1,500 permanent jobs.

However, for the commercial real estate industry, an especially newsworthy aspect of this $250 million project could be the introduction of a concept that has the potential to revolutionize the way developers and users approach industrial space.

One of the park’s five buildings will not only be LEED Platinum but will go a step beyond by seeking WELL certification. Once certification is complete, it will be only the second WELL-certified U.S. industrial building, and the first such building in the world to achieve both LEED Platinum and WELL certifications. That means that the facility is not only energy efficient and environmentally friendly; it is also healthy for the people who work there.

Click Here to Read More

I want to take a moment to reach out to see how you are doing. During these challenging times, I want you to consider NAIOP Charlotte as part of your team, helping each other get through things together.

 

If you haven't already seen some of the great work NAIOP is doing to keep commercial real estate flowing, I am happy to share some quick items, all offered to NAIOP members at no cost:

• Periodic virtual Lunch with Leaders (April 27), Developing Leaders Happy Hour (April 24), and more being planned;
• Twice weekly NAIOP webinars on CRE Response to COVID-19
• Advocacy locally to keeping commercial construction operating in the Charlotte region;
• On-demand courses for members through June 1 (typically $795 per course).

Thursday, April 23, 2020, at 2:00 -3:00 p.m. ET

For NAIOP Developing Leaders, the effects of the current pandemic are creating their first career downturn. Whether professional- or career-related, the questions surrounding it are significant:

• What kinds of transactions are happening, or have deals stopped?
• Will remote working, office shifts and coworking be the new norm to reduce exposure, particularly in the next year? 
• How can industrial/logistics tenants prepare for supply and delivery challenges during future potential pandemics?
• How are companies handling the financial crunch, and should we expect furloughs or layoffs? 

Click Here to Register

A key element of the $2.3 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act may run short of funding as soon as this week. Lawmakers initially allocated $349 billion to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) run through the Small Business Administration. In its first week, PPP spent more than $100 billion of that, and could spend the rest by Friday. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin asked Congress to add an additional $250 billion to the fund last week. Democrats blocked that attempt in the Senate; they are demanding additional provisions they said would help hospitals and state and local governments.

Click Here to Read More

Bisnow interviewed Michael Kloppenburg, senior consultant for flexible office solutions at Avison Young, and Daniel Levinson, chairman, CRE Holdings, subject matter experts for NAIOP’s new Real Estate as a Service course on the REaaS model.

Click Here to Read More

The federal government is scrambling to deliver economic help to the American economy under difficult circumstances. A key step is getting the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) up and running. SBA posted its interim final rule to govern the program last Thursday. There have been some glitches, but the SBA began granting loans last Friday, and banks are continuing to work this week to process additional loan applications. Information on the SBA’s loan programs and application information is located here.

Click Here to Read More

As workers largely operate remotely during the COVID-19 crisis, will the shift out of the traditional office permanently change the sector? Register for the next Advantage Series webinar, April 8, 2 p.m. ET, to hear two experts share their perspectives on how the pandemic and its ripple effects have impacted office leasing activities and rates. 

Click Here to Read More

Originally published on April 1, 2020, by ED KLIMEK, AIA, NCARB

Commerce had begun to change before the outbreak of COVID-19; from the exponential trajectory of e-commerce to the rise in consumer demand for more immediate goods to the rise of urban industrial development to fulfill last-mile needs. The unknowns of this novel virus have accelerated that change to a tipping point at which the structures of commerce, and the development that supports it, maybe altered for good. This crisis has exposed the strengths and weaknesses of the market, and in doing so proved the necessity of a resilient supply chain. What will new commerce look like and what will be the industrial development response to support it? Some of this answer may lie in examining the world’s largest commercial enterprise, a company that had already set change in motion, and the one company that may have grown the most as a result of demand driven by the impact of COVID-19: Amazon. Through the lens of Amazon’s keys to success, we can see a path forward for industrial development to be part of the resilient supply chain.

Click Here to Read More