News

  • Howard County Council kills proposed fourfold increase in recordation tax

    Howard County Council kills proposed fourfold increase in recordation tax

    June 18, 2020 – On a 3-2 vote, the Howard County Council defeated a recordation tax increase that would have jumped the county’s rate higher than any regional competitor.  Council Resolution 85-2020 would have replaced the current flat rate of $5.00 per $1,000 of value with a stepped tax…

  • NAIOP Maryland supports program helping youth from under-resourced communities

    NAIOP Maryland supports program helping youth from under-resourced communities

    The Choice Jobs team pictured here (staff, youth and AmeriCorps members) at their Flying Fruit Cafe located on the 6th floor of The John and Frances Angelos Law Center at the University of Baltimore. June 11, 2020 – NAIOP Maryland has gifted $5,000 to support The Choice Program at UMBC,…

  • Will companies migrate to the suburbs as COVID-19 persists?

    Will companies migrate to the suburbs as COVID-19 persists?

    June 11, 2020 – Although leasing transactions have largely paused since the beginning of the pandemic, commercial real estate analysts are already predicting the sector could experience a ‘pandemic sprawl.’ As commercial offices begin to reopen in Maryland, employers are facing the challenges of how to adapt existing space to…

  • Maintaining business through COVID-19 — a virtual cornucopia of creativity

    Maintaining business through COVID-19 — a virtual cornucopia of creativity

    June 11, 2020 – The onset of COVID-19 forced companies and its employees to pivot — almost instantaneously — to an all-remote situation with the juggling of work, family and personal responsibilities. Even as shelter-at-home orders begin to loosen, the discovery and successful implementation of new processes to manage workflow…

  • Climate commission takes up decarbonizing existing buildings and new construction

    June 11, 2020 – This summer, the Maryland Commission on Climate Change is evaluating options for decreasing carbon emissions related to commercial, residential and industrial buildings. Maryland’s climate laws require the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions 40 percent below 2006 levels by 2030 and set a goal of an up…

  • Separated & Sanitized: Office Design Embraces New Priorities to Fight COVID-19

    Separated & Sanitized: Office Design Embraces New Priorities to Fight COVID-19

    June 4, 2020 – As employers investigate how to safely migrate their staff back from telework, the office of the near future is shaping up to be a curious combination of Star Trek-like technology, medical-grade touches, 1950s office design, 1920s elevator (and possibly bathroom) attendants, and lots and lots of…

  • Industry Roundtable: Financing

    Industry Roundtable: Financing

    Left to right: Nancy Ferrell, Managing Director, NorthMarq; Spencer Perry, Vice President, BB&T now Truist; Barbara Simmons, Group Vice President, M&T Bank June 4, 2020 – Nancy Ferrell, Managing Director, NorthMarq; Spencer Perry, Vice President, BB&T now Truist and Barbara Simmons, Group Vice President, M&T Bank gathered (virtually and…

  • Re-envisioning restaurants, retail and events in mixed-use centers

    Re-envisioning restaurants, retail and events in mixed-use centers

    Owners and tenants of Hunt Valley Towne Centre (above), Turf Valley Towne Square (image below) and other mixed-use developments are pursuing multiple initiatives to safely revive those commercial center from expanded cleaning protocols  and designated curbside delivery areas, to options for safe outdoor concerts and new concepts in retail. Photos…

  • If you ask me…

    If you ask me…

    Do you think the office of the future will be smaller or larger? Steven CornblattPrincipalTrout Daniel & Associates “We’ve been seeing increased supply and diminished demand for office space overall during the past decade or more and, in the aftermath of COVID-19, we expect to see continued diminishing…

  • Coalition combats food insecurity and sustains local jobs

    Coalition combats food insecurity and sustains local jobs

    May 28, 2020 – A coalition of nonprofits, local businesses and commercial real estate firms has created a network of weekly pop-up markets that are supporting struggling families, easing shopping for consumers and helping companies sustain their operations and staff. Shortly after the pandemic shuttered businesses and triggered layoffs, Baltimore County…