Date: April 7, 2021
Day/Time: 2-3 p.m. ET
Location: Virtual
Format: Webinar

Exclusive NAIOP Developing Leaders Program for Members in our Southwest Chapters

What are the big legislative issues facing businesses in your market? NAIOP Developing Leaders from our Southwest chapters are invited to an exclusive program to hear from industry and legislative leaders on these pressing issues:

• Increasing revenue sources through higher commercial real estate taxes. California defeated this issue in 2020, but as states face declining revenues, CRE could be targeted.
• Barriers to economic growth and CRE development. Our industry contributed $1 trillion in 2020, and the impact on state economies is invaluable. 
• Environment and sustainability. Hear strategies for working with local policymakers on green roof requirements, energy benchmarking mandates, net-zero buildings, and more.
• Business and community topics. From affordable housing to impact fees to supporting businesses as we emerge from the pandemic, how can NAIOP engage with the government to support the industry and the communities in which we operate?

Engage in a discussion with both CRE practitioners and lobbyists who work with chapters in your market, then break into smaller groups for deeper discussions and networking.

Register Now

Examine the biggest trends in commercial real estate employment so you can make more strategic hiring and business decisions. Join these two experts for a discussion on how the pandemic has reshaped the talent management industry, recent findings on industry employment trends and compensation, recruitment and retention tactics, and the future of the commercial real estate workforce. Wondering how your business can address diversity and inclusion, succession planning or managing a multigenerational workforce? Bring your employment questions for our speakers to address during the Q&A portion of the webinar.

Speakers:
Christopher Lee, President and CEO, CEL & Associates
Marc Torrey, Vice President, SelectLeaders

Watch Webinar

We need your voice!

Over the past few months, NAIOP Charlotte, in conjunction with REBIC and other real estate associations, has spent considerable time and energy reviewing the proposed 2040 Comprehensive Plan from the City of Charlotte (the Comp Plan). 

It is a hefty document coming in at 320 pages and is a visionary document for how Charlotte will grow and develop over the next 20 years.  Charlotte Planning created the document with considerable community input, and it will be used as the guide for creating the  Unified Development Ordinance (a replacement for our existing zoning code), so there is a lot riding on the proper execution of the Comp Plan.

The Comp Plan rightfully addresses many concerns the community has, especially around equity and inclusivity   We fully support these goals, yet we want to be able to include goals to create a thriving community into the plan as well.  It is hard to distill such a large document into a few points, but the following are highlights of our concerns with the plan and the process to create it:

We are proud to introduce our new association members! The following is a list of individuals who have joined NAIOP Charlotte since January 1, 2021:

• Kelly Anderson, Claris Construction
• Andrew Burton, S&ME, Inc.
• John Coleman, EastGroup Properties
• Phoebe Dinga, Lincoln Harris
• Michael Henry, The Beck Group
• Daniel Hines, Bohler Engineering
• Zachary Howze, Seedwater Engineering, Inc.
• Eric Little, Keach Construction, Inc.
• Jason Mari, Gilbane Building Company
• Peter Moody, Harkins Builders, Inc.
• John Ratliff, EastGroup Properties
• Joseph Rhodes, Landcare Innovations
• Nathan Walker, United Mechanical Corporation
• Chad Wright, BB&T
• Kate Zawacki, Grandbridge Real Estate Capital, LLC

Listening sessions available for deeper conversations on the Charlotte Future 2040 Comprehensive Plan

Due to the high demand for the opportunity to have deeper conversations around the Charlotte Future 2040 Comprehensive Plan, the city will be hosting several listening sessions. Listening sessions allow city staff to listen to community feedback on the plan. These sessions are separate and in addition to the Planning Community Conversation.

Space is limited to 30 participants per session. We encourage our members to sign up NOW!

These small group listening sessions will not be live-streamed and will allow residents the opportunity to provide open and honest feedback.

Originally published by Trey Barrineau for NAIOP's Winter 2020/2021 Issue,

Investment pours into the sector as the world seeks vaccines and treatments for COVID-19.

Life sciences real estate was performing well before the COVID-19 pandemic struck earlier this year. For example, CBRE’s “U.S. Real Estate Market Outlook 2020” notes that the sector (including medical office) accounted for an annual average investment of $18.7 billion from 2014 to 2019.

However, the challenges and opportunities presented by the public health crisis have boosted interest and investment in the sector at a time when other areas of commercial real estate such as retail and office have struggled.

“If you look at activity from February through May, the repurposing of resources, the new companies that were formed and the investing that went into COVID therapies and treatments, it brought a lightning bolt of energy to the entire industry,” Chris Haskell, Ph.D., head of Bayer’s West Coast Innovation Center in San Francisco, said during a recent webinar for NAIOP’s San Francisco Bay Area chapter. “It’s an immediate call to purpose.”

According to Crunchbase, a service that provides information about public and private companies, investors poured $16.55 billion into the biotech and life science sector in the first half of 2020. By comparison, $13.4 billion flowed into the sector during the same period in 2019.

Originally published by Tony Mecia on March 7, 2021, for Charlotte Ledger Business Newsletter.

The Charlotte Ledger’s Tony Mecia last week interviewed the chairman of Charlotte’s Real Estate & Building Industry Coalition (REBIC), Alan Banks, about the city’s proposed 2040 Comprehensive Plan. Banks is also the founder and president of Evans Coghill Homes, a Charlotte homebuilder.

This interview was part of extended coverage of the 2040 plan in the March 8, 2021, edition of The Charlotte Ledger e-newsletter. [More info / sign up for The Ledger here]

Remarks were edited for brevity and clarity:

Originally published on March 8, 2021, by VTS for CommercialObserver.com. 

VTS, the commercial real estate industry’s leading leasing, marketing and asset management platform, has released a global survey of office landlords showing that while landlords are working hard to bring tenants back to the office in a COVID-safe environment, there is mass uncertainty about exactly which measures will best accomplish this and which are most desired by tenants.

For the “2021 VTS Global Office Landlord Report,” the company partnered with an independent market research firm to survey senior leaders, all with budgetary authority, at 154 office landlords representing 5.3 billion square feet of commercial assets.

Read More

Originally published by Patricia Kirk on March 8, 2021 for WealthManagement.com.

Commercial real estate services firm CBRE has just invested $200 million to acquire a 35 percent share of flexible workspace operator Industrious, with plans to purchase another 5 percent in the near future, making CBRE Industrious’ largest shareholder.

According to Bloomberg, Industrious, which now has more than 100 locations in 50 U.S. cities, plus Singapore, is already backed by approximately $200 million from other investors, including Brookfield Properties.

As part of the deal, CBRE is merging its own flexible workspace operation, CBRE Hana, with Industrious. When the transaction closes, 10 CBRE U.S. and U.K. Hana locations will be operated by Industrious.

Originally published on March 9, 2021, for NAIOP E-Newsletter.

Over the weekend the U.S. Senate passed the $1.9 trillion pandemic relief package backed by President Joe Biden on a partisan vote of 50-49, with all Republicans present voting against the measure. Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan of Alaska was not present due to a family emergency. As a result, Senate Democrats did not need a tie-breaking vote to be cast by Vice President Kamala Harris.

The Senate made some modifications to an earlier version of the American Rescue Plan that had been passed by the House of Representatives, most notably omitting an increase in the minimum wage to $15 an hour that had been a controversial element in the House-passed bill. The House must now pass the bill with the Senate changes, which is expected this week. Democratic leaders want to get a final bill to Biden before March 14, the date when enhanced unemployment benefits expire.

Read More

Originally published on March 3, 2021 for NAIOP News

NAIOP is again partnering with CEL & Associates, Inc. to compile the 2021 NAIOP/CEL Commercial Real Estate Compensation and Benefits Survey. A nationally known real estate advisor, CEL has conducted this survey –the largest in the industry – for 32 consecutive years.

Complete the survey by April 30. 

This valuable survey is the national standard allowing commercial real estate businesses to stay current on salaries, bonuses, and benefits for CRE professionals from executives to entry-level positions. Each company that responds to the survey will receive a complimentary electronic copy of the full comprehensive survey report – a $2,500 value!

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Insights from Both Sides of the Aisle
March 10, 2021 | 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM EDT

This Wednesday!

Hear insights on the current political climate on Wednesday from renowned political strategy consultants, Brad Crone (“The Democrat”) and Chris Sinclair (“The Republican”). Find out what both sides have to say about the changing real estate landscape, the new administration, and what key issues are impacting our state and industry. Submit questions for the speakers in advance here. 

This event is hosted by NAIOP Charlotte. All NAIOP NC members as well as non-members are invited to participate. 

Our Speakers

Brad Crone
Campaign Connections
Brad Crone, 51, is president of Campaign Connections, a Raleigh-based consulting firm specializing in public affairs, public relations, and grassroots campaigns for trade associations, advocacy groups, and corporations. A North Carolina native, Mr. Crone has been providing governmental affairs and public relations consulting services since creating his firm in 1991. Prior to that, he was a daily newspaper publisher at The Thomasville Times in Thomasville, N.C. He was the first desktop newspaper publisher in the state with his weekly publication The Clayton Star, which he sold in 1989. Read more.

Public Input Sessions

The City of Charlotte’s Great Neighborhoods Committee is in the process of reviewing and evaluating the city’s current Non-Residential Building Code (NRBC) Ordinance. The NRBC Ordinance addresses interior, exterior, and property maintenance standards for commercial businesses. The NRBC ordinance was created in 2009 and has not been reviewed since it was originally passed by Charlotte City Council. 

Violations to the NRBC Ordinance can range from buildings open to vagrants and criminal activity to broken windows or major structural issues. If commercial buildings are not properly maintained, they can have a negative impact on surrounding neighborhoods and businesses. Therefore, the City of Charlotte is seeking community input for the review and evaluation of the ordinance through four virtual meetings and an online survey.

MEETING DATES/TIMES

Join the CLT Development Center for the launch of our new Digital Plan Room! 

The CLT Development Center has partnered with ePermitHub to launch the Digital Plan Room, a new electronic document review solution that is seamlessly integrated into the Accela Citizen Access environment. The Digital Plan Room is the next generation of electronic plan review. This solution will introduce many new features to optimize the plan review process, making it easier and faster for design professionals and plan reviewers to communicate so reviews can be approved faster with greater efficiency.

The Digital Plan Room system includes:

• Simple file uploads and automated versioning at the sheet level
• Collaborative issue/condition communication for plan review comments
• Seamless user experience within Accela Citizen Access

Join the CLT Development Center for our virtual customer training session Friday, March 5th from 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM to learn more about the enhancements and latest features, ask questions and get answers. Cate Marshall, ePermitHub Project Manager will be moderating with a live demo/walkthrough conducted by our project consultant, Seth Axthelm. Those unable to attend the virtual training session will also be able to watch the session recording on our website!

Despite the severe economic downturn of 2020, the U.S. construction industry grew. Direct expenditures for building and nonbuilding construction climbed $51.7 billion to reach $1.4 billion for the year. Total jobs supported by construction grew by 400,000. And construction’s percentage of total U.S. GDP rose from 19.5% in 2019 to 21% in 2020.

In the annual NAIOP Research Foundation study, “Economic Impacts of Commercial Real Estate,” Stephen S. Fuller, Ph.D., university professor emeritus, Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University, detailed construction activity and impact across real estate sectors, analyzed factors impacting growth rates and argued that robust support of construction activity in commercial real estate and other sectors could drive America’s economic recovery.

Read More

Insights from Both Sides of the Aisle
March 10, 2021 | 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM EDT

Registration Rates Increase Tomorrow (Wednesday, 3/3)

Next week, hear exclusive insights on the current political climate at the state and federal levels from renowned political strategy consultants, Brad Crone (“The Democrat”) and Chris Sinclair (“The Republican”). Find out what both sides have to say about the changing real estate landscape, the new administration, and what key issues are impacting our state and industry. Submit questions for the speakers in advance here. 

This event is hosted by NAIOP Charlotte. All NAIOP NC members as well as nonmembers are invited to participate.

Our Speakers

Brad Crone
Campaign Connections
Brad Crone, 51, is president of Campaign Connections, a Raleigh-based consulting firm specializing in public affairs, public relations, and grassroots campaigns for trade associations, advocacy groups, and corporations. A North Carolina native, Mr. Crone has been providing governmental affairs and public relations consulting services since creating his firm in 1991. Prior to that, he was a daily newspaper publisher at The Thomasville Times in Thomasville, N.C. He was the first desktop newspaper publisher in the state with his weekly publication The Clayton Star, which he sold in 1989. Read more.

Originally published in the NAIOP Source E-Newsletter on February 23, 2021.

The Budget Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives was scheduled to begin work this week on assembling the $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package following the submissions from nine House committees. The committees submitted their legislative proposals in accordance with the budget reconciliation instructions contained in the budget resolution passed by the House and Senate. The budget reconciliation process allows the legislation to bypass the Senate’s 60-vote filibuster hurdle normally applicable to legislation, enabling the bill to pass with a simple majority vote. 

Read More

Originally published by NAIOP Research Foundation on February 22, 2021.

Strong Growth in Demand for Industrial Space

The NAIOP Research Foundation has published the NAIOP Industrial Space Demand Forecast or Q1 2021.

Key Takeaways

Originally published in the NAIOP Source E-Newsletter on February 23, 2021.

Discussions at NAIOP’s CRE.Converge Virtual 2020 revealed optimism for the future despite current challenges.

The COVID-19 pandemic has created challenging conditions for commercial real estate, particularly for speculative projects and for sectors that are more exposed to cyclical risk. However, it has also created opportunities, particularly as the economy emerges from the crisis.

Both aspects of the pandemic were a major focus of discussion during NAIOP’s CRE.Converge Virtual 2020, held in October.

A Period of Transition for Retail

Compared to industrial activity this year, “it’s been a tougher year overall in retail, although it shows signs of great activity lately,” said John Morris, executive managing director, Americas industrial & logistics and retail leader at CBRE. “In late September we saw the best transaction week we’ve had since last year.”