Perhaps in any other time in the Atlanta office market, this would be a sign that the sky is falling: Atlanta office landlords are facing the most available space on the market in its history. But, optimism reigns supreme as leasing velocity looks to pick up in the coming months, according to a recent Colliers report on the market. 
There was nearly 36.5M SF of vacant office space in Metro Atlanta at the end of the second quarter, according to Colliers. Taking into account space that tenants are expected to empty over the next three years — such as Norfolk Southern's 370K SF headquarters at 1200 Peachtree, which  Read the full story here. | | |
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An Infrastructure Deal Is Finally Close, And It Could Have Huge CRE Impacts A bipartisan infrastructure spending bill introduced in the Senate Sunday night has the potential to shape America’s infrastructure and real estate landscape for generations. 
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is a $1.2 trillion spending plan that includes $550B of new funding for the nation's aging infrastructure, including roads, bridges, seaports and railways. It also includes an expansion of broadband internet access across the country.If passed, the bill could spark new developments along improved roadways…  Read the full story here. | | |
Post-Surfside, Building Inspections Industry Seen As Essential, But Understaffed |  | | A few months ago, Kim Diemer, a residential and commercial building inspector based in Portland, Oregon, was examining a warehouse in nearby suburban Beaverton, and something didn’t feel right about the roof. He had a scissor lift with him during the inspection, so he took a closer look at rafters and the areas where the roof was bolted into the supporting walls. Or was supposed to be bolted in; he discovered the entire top of the building lacked weld joints and bolts, it simply sat there on top of the structure. “It just shocked you,” he said of his discovery, which led to some quick repairs. Diemer, who runs the Building Analyst Group, which does property and environmental inspections for clients across the country, said it’s all part of being a building inspector. He loves the puzzle-solving aspect of the role, identifying problems, figuring out how to fix buildings, and learning about the history and evolution of the building trade, including structures dating back to the 19th century. It’s also a role that’s increasingly in demand. Read the full story here. | | |
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Was The Great Pandemic Migration To Miami Overhyped? | MIAMI — As the coronavirus spread last year, there were stories galore about people moving away from major cities to places that are less dense and more affordable. South Florida was made out as a big beneficiary of this trend, with a governor who resisted mask mandates and lockdowns and warm weather that allowed people to be outdoors even during winter. People were moving because Florida is cheap compared to other regions and has no income tax, people theorized. But how many people actually moved? And as school starts and some bosses hanker for workers to return to offices, will those moves be permanent? Theories around that are mixed, with data suggesting the total population actually dropped, but commercial real estate experts seeing booms across sectors. Read the full story here. | |  | | |
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The Pandemic-Proof Office? One Developer Thinks Small, Secluded, Suburban Suites Are The Answer |  | | BOSTON — The coronavirus pandemic has upended the way people work, so one developer is trying to capitalize on the change in office use with an innovative new project south of Boston, bringing private office suites to a hilly, wooded property that looks more like a suburban subdivision than an office park. Mark Tryder, a former managing director with Boston-based Albany Road Realty Partners, is trying to develop 19 houses that comprise 70 to 75 office suites, each about 350 SF with a private entrance, surrounded by outdoor communal amenities. The 8-acre project, proposed in the wealthy South Shore town of Cohasset, would be called Outpost Scituate Hill. The suites would have private bathrooms and kitchenettes to allow for privacy and rent for $55 to $60 per day, Tryder said. Read the full story here. | | |
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Origin Stories: From Construction And Development To Oil Spill Cleanup, Sara Maffey Has Done It All. Now She's On To Tech | Sara Maffey has been immersed in commercial real estate her entire life, starting from breaking ground on her first project, constructed with a wooden block set crafted by her architect father, when she was a toddler. Maffey always knew she wanted to be in the industry, but her specialty within the space has shifted quite a few times over her career. After getting a bachelor's in architecture and urban design, her first job out of school was in construction. Then she dove into mechanical engineering. She received a Presidential Management Fellowship with the U.S. Department of Commerce and developed projects with the Economic Development Administration, including its response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and post-Hurricane Sandy recovery in New York. She served as a site selection expert at Cushman & Wakefield and a placemaking expert for Transwestern. Now she serves as head of industry relations at Local Logic, a data and analytics firm for the real estate industry. Why land in tech after all that? Maffey said platforms like Local Logic, which looks at property-level data and comps, as well as neighborhood-level data like noise levels, pet-friendliness and nightlife, can help developers and investors make better decisions that can craft more equitable cities. Read the full story here. | |  | | |
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