Senate lawmakers cancelled a planned recess and will instead remain at work in Washington, D.C., this week, where they will take up a bill passed by the House of Representatives last week that seeks to provide immediate economic relief from the effects of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19. 

The House voted overwhelmingly, 363-40, to approve the measure, for which President Donald Trump had signaled support. The Wall Street Journal reported: “The new measure would still provide two weeks of sick leave to a wide swath of workers affected by the pandemic, including those who are in quarantine, caring for family members with Covid-19, and those who have children whose schools or day-care centers have closed.” The bill would also make free testing for the coronavirus available.

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Originally published on March 15, 2020, by Dees Stribling at Bisnow National

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Originally on March 04, 2020, by Erika Morphy via GlobeSt.com

Construction costs, which have been on the rise for years, were slated for another increase this year. But there was good news: cost growth was expected to be at a slower pace than previous years, according to the JLL 2020 Construction Outlook. Unfortunately there is also bad news: the coronavirus has just added an element of uncertainty to projections about construction costs.

The second annual Summit on the State of Housing in Charlotte has been postponed. This event will address the analysis of the "State of Housing in Charlotte" report, sponsored by Canopy Realtors® Association and include a comprehensive inventory of the current housing.

The NAIOP Charlotte leadership is closely monitoring the rapidly evolving COVID-19 outbreak. The health and well-being of our members is our top priority, and we are taking the threat of this virus seriously. After continued monitoring of events and reviewing protocol of other similar organizations, we have decided the responsible course is to adopt social distancing protocol for all NAIOP Charlotte activities through mid-April. We are doing this not only to protect you, your colleagues and our community. We are looking at manners to deliver programs remotely and encouraging small groups to meet virtually. The specific steps we are taking:

• Programs and Events — All public events during this time, and some larger events that are scheduled to occur later, are postponed or provided with remote access, where is practical. As updates are available, we will post it to our website at www.naiopclt.org.
• Committee and Board Meetings — All internal NAIOP meetings during this time will take place over video/ conference. NAIOP will provide group conferencing capability. If you determine that a virtual platform is not appropriate for your meeting, we will reschedule.
• Stay Connected — During this difficult time, we will explore other ways to continue to do what NAIOP does: allow members to connect and share insights. If you have any ideas for online platforms, webinars, etc. please feel free to share with us.
• And finally — Events and activities the middle of April will proceed with planning efforts, as this is a fluid situation.

The NAIOP State Conference in Pinehurst is postponed. We are working to gather more details about the new dates, transferring room reservations, and registrations. When we have more information, we will notify you as soon as possible. Updates will be available at www.naiopnc.org.

During these times, our NAIOP staff may choose to work remotely as well. You may call our offices at 704-940-7383 and leave a message and our team will return calls within 2-4 business hours, or reach out via email at [email protected].

Thank you for your understanding as we all cope with this difficult situation. You are what makes NAIOP a great organization and we are so very grateful for your support. If you have any questions, please reach out to the NAIOP staff and leadership team directly.

New Conference Date Coming Soon...

Due to concerns regarding the COVID-19 outbreak, NAIOP has made the difficult decision to postpone our upcoming March 26th NAIOP NC Conference. Above all, the health and safety of our members and event attendees remains our top priority.

We are diligently working on a reschedule date and will notify all attendees of the new date.

Regarding Hotel Rooms:
Pinehurst Resort will automatically cancel your room and refund your deposit. Please call 1-855-318-2887 for questions regarding your room.

Regarding Conference Registration:
Your NAIOP NC conference registration will automatically be transferred to the new conference date. Once the new date is released and your schedule does not allow you to attend, refund requests will be honored.

For questions and concerns contact NAIOP Piedmont Triad Chapter at [email protected] or 336-379-0603.

New research indicates a healthier indoor environment can help attract and retain employees — and make properties more attractive to investors.

When the new hire arrives at Webcor’s San Francisco offices, he hangs his commuter bike on the rack outside reception and ducks into the office’s freshly tiled shower. Later, he passes a living green wall, heads into the light-filled kitchen for a healthy breakfast, and moves to an adjustable standing desk designed for ergonomic comfort.

His employer recently embarked on an office renovation, investing in changes that earned a WELL building certification. The wellness attributes on display speak to the company’s underlying values of sustainability and health — and also to the competition among employers to lure and keep talent. In the evolving world of the wellness movement, both landlords and tenants strive to provide a healthy environment and to gain a market edge.

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Originally published on March 17, 2020. 

Senate lawmakers cancelled a planned recess and will instead remain at work in Washington, D.C., this week, where they will take up a bill passed by the House of Representatives last week that seeks to provide immediate economic relief from the effects of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19. 

The House voted overwhelmingly, 363-40, to approve the measure, for which President Donald Trump had signaled support. The Wall Street Journal reported: “The new measure would still provide two weeks of sick leave to a wide swath of workers affected by the pandemic, including those who are in quarantine, caring for family members with Covid-19, and those who have children whose schools or day-care centers have closed.” The bill would also make free testing for the coronavirus available.

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As the Democratic candidates for president prepared for the Nevada caucus last weekend, several discussed infrastructure proposals during an event in Las Vegas.

Former Vice President Joe Biden, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg and businessman Tom Steyer all said they want to repair existing roads and bridges, but also invest in next-generation infrastructure projects. That would include high-speed rail and updated water facilities.

“The Democratic candidates proposing infrastructure upgrades said they would pay for them largely by undoing Mr. Trump’s tax cuts for businesses, along with a variety of other steps,” the Wall Street Journal reported. Upgrading American infrastructure is a priority issue for NAIOP this year.

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Originally published on January 15, 2020.

In their own words, our industry’s collective wisdom believes it will be more difficult to compete for deals and talent in 2020 resulting in slower growth. The outlook for 2020 is overwhelmingly positive, but the legacy from the Global Financial Crisis remains, and our industry continues to run lean, preventing the surges in hiring expected in a market this hot. In 2020 this is exacerbated by “too much capital”. Too much capital chasing deals. And, starting in late 2019, for the first time in years, capital chasing talent, adding to the difficulty to compete in this hiring environment. The rise of New Growth Cities, where deals are traditionally done at a slower pace, also factors into the positive prediction for growth, but slower growth. Retail generated the most negative responses, but others believed it is the forefront of evolutionary and historical time in retail with new blood entering the marketplace. A new issue arose: As lawlessness and runaway crime continues not to be enforced, it destroys markets. Another concern: As a finance executive, I am a bit concerned with some of the assumptions driving transitional loans and the significant amount of capital raised for this strategy (especially late in the cycle).

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Originally published on February 12, 2020. 

Bisnow interviewed Leslie Lanne, managing director at JLL and speaker at the upcoming I.CON Spring 2020, April 2-3 in Huntington Beach, California. See an excerpt of the article below, and register online for the biggest conference in industrial real estate.

What makes urban infill desirable? For infill properties to be attractive, cities need two factors: population density and vehicle congestion, JLL Managing Director Leslie Lanne told Bisnow in a recent interview. This combination provides a large group of consumers plus enough traffic to make it prohibitively expensive or time-consuming to deliver goods from larger suburban facilities.

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Development and construction of new commercial real estate in the United States – office, industrial, warehouse and retail – generates significant economic growth at the state and national levels. This annual study, “The Economic Impacts of Commercial Real Estate, 2020 U.S. Edition,” published by the NAIOP Research Foundation, measures the contribution to GDP, salaries and wages generated and jobs supported from the development and operations of commercial real estate.

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Release Date: January 2020

This course will provide real estate professionals with an understanding of the latest trends and best practices for the real estate as a service model. Students will hear tips from experts in the real estate as a service world, have opportunities to respond to realistic scenarios, read case studies on successful real estate as a service spaces, and create an action plan for next steps in establishing their own real estate as a service space. Course modules focus on some of the most important aspects of real estate as a service, including the real estate as a service mindset, creating community, effective marketing, building design, recruiting a team and understanding finances and documents. Upon completion of the course, students will have a comprehensive understanding of the unique real estate as a service model, and gain critical knowledge to help them to succeed in establishing a real estate as a service space.  

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The City of Charlotte is considering several changes to the Stormwater Pollution Control Ordinance (SWPCO). They include the following:

• Makes “Improper Storage, Handling, and Processing of Materials” a new and separate enforceable violation in cases where this can cause stormwater pollution; 
• Makes “Failure to Comply” with requirements and directives set forth by the Director in an enforcement remedy a new and separate enforceable violation;
• Makes “Violation of Non-Municipal NPDES Discharge Permit Limitation(s)” a new and separate enforceable violation in cases where a permittee’s discharge violates a permitted numeric discharge effluent limitation;
• Makes the use, distribution, and sale of “Coal Tar” and “High PAH” pavement sealants a new and separate enforceable violation;
• Increases the maximum potential civil penalty for each violation from $5,000 to $10,000;
• Authorizes the City to place a lien on real or personal property owned by a violator for unpaid civil penalties, administrative costs, and/or abatement costs associated with an enforcement remedy.
• Formally authorizes the Director of the department over the City’s NPDES MS4 stormwater permit to administer the SWPCO and defines responsibilities, delegates authority, and requires the development of administrative policies and procedures; and
• Makes several minor wording changes to better define the meaning of terms and phrases

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Published by James Heroux in the Winter 2019/2020 Issue

Activated outdoor spaces boost employee engagement and well-being.

Expensive housing in urban areas is sending millennials back to the suburbs, and they’re bringing refined expectations and lifestyles with them. At the same time, employers are questioning the rising costs of their own downtown office spaces, and they’re seeking more affordable locations.

As a result of the movement back to the suburbs, office parks are making a comeback, but this time with a modernity embraced by former city dwellers who prioritize lifestyle and community. (See related article.) Landscape architecture can play a vital role in the new suburban office park.

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Presented annually since 1979, the Developer of the Year Award is given annually to one developer that best exemplifies leadership and innovation in the commercial real estate industry.

Nominations for 2020 are now open!

Nominate your company for NAIOP's highest honor using our online nomination tool. Nominations close on Friday, February 28.

Click here to read the criteria

The Advantage Series is an exclusive member benefit, delivering expert insights into the latest research to help you make informed business decisions.

Retail sales, especially e-commerce, are growing each year and this means more items are returned and pushed back into the already stressed supply chain. Why is reverse logistics so complicated and more costly compared with forward logistics? How do real estate requirements for reverse logistics differ from forward logistics?  How can the commercial real estate industry prepare for better efficiency gains? Joe Dunlap, Managing Director, CBRE and Matthew Walaszek, Associate Director, Industrial & Logistics Research, CBRE will answer these questions and more.

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NAIOP and its 20,000 members are working together to advance the commercial real estate industry. With both our association and the industry experiencing record growth and unprecedented opportunities, the year 2020 is expected to be one that is exciting and successful.

Throughout it all, NAIOP will be hard at work to deliver our members with the connections, advocacy, and knowledge that boost their careers, promote the industry and ensure that their businesses stay ahead of the competition.

Watch our annual report video to learn about our recent accomplishments and what's ahead for 2020.

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Posted on January 15, 2020 by Patricia Kirk

With online retail sales rising by 10 percent annually, the volume of returns is also growing. According to research from market data firm Statista, returns for online sales tend to be two to three times more frequent than returns for in-store sales, with 15 to 30 percent of online purchases returned, compared to 8 to 9 percent of merchandise bought in-store. UPS estimates that nearly $42 billion of the total $138 billion in products sold online during the 2019 holiday season in the U.S. will be returned, which is up from $37 billion the previous year.

The longer it takes for items to be returned and processed, the greater the depreciation on the merchandise, especially for fashion apparel and seasonal products, notes David Egan, CBRE head of industrial & logistics research, Americas & Global. Reverse logistics software provider Optoro estimates that the value of apparel depreciates by 20 to 50 percent within eight to 16 weeks, and electronics lose 4 to 8  percent of their value per month. The challenge for retailers, according to Egan, is to get returned items back into inventory for resale quickly.

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Posted in the Winter 2019/2020 Issue by Shawn Moura, Ph.D.

In October, the NAIOP Research Foundation’s National Research Directors Meeting brought together NAIOP Distinguished Fellows and research directors from national real estate brokerage, data and investment firms at CRE. Converge 2019 in Los Angeles. Attendees discussed current Foundation research and trends in industrial and office development.

Market Tiers and Rankings: Clear as Mud?

Maria Sicola and Charles Warren of CityStream Solutions presented the initial findings of a white paper sponsored by the NAIOP Research Foundation that describes how the commercial real estate industry currently sorts metropolitan markets into tiers or rankings. Sicola and Warren-based their findings on interviews with industry researchers, consultants, and academics, plus published reports that utilize or examine market tiers and rankings.

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