News

  • The State of the Suburbs: Developers search for ways to  make these markets successful

    The State of the Suburbs: Developers search for ways to make these markets successful

    Higher density, residential development and mall redevelopment are driving growth in the Hunt Valley submarket. Photo courtesy of MacKenzie Commercial Real Estate Services. Somewhere in the mix of leasing contracts, vacancy trends, new construction, renovation projects and shifting activity across product types, developers are seeking to cultivate…

  • New master plan aims to target growth  in Baltimore County

    New master plan aims to target growth in Baltimore County

      An “aspirational” plan to guide growth in Baltimore County through the next decade and beyond has some members of the commercial real estate industry asking county officials to provide greater clarity about regulations and more robust tools to support development efforts.  After…

  • Industry Roundtable: Perspectives from the Brokerage Community

    Industry Roundtable: Perspectives from the Brokerage Community

    In recent months, there have been promising economic signs with interest rates stabilizing, the debt ceiling debate settled and an ever-increasing number of employees returning to the traditional workplace. Will this cumulatively result in an uptick in commercial leasing activity during the second half of 2023? Or, are companies…

  • Word on the Street: Harborplace

    Word on the Street: Harborplace

    What is the highest and best use for Harborplace?   “I would like to see a mixed-use attraction that not only sparks and rekindles tourism but can also be sustainable and endure economic cycles. I understand it cannot be all retail or all multifamily but, rather, a…

  • CRE community comes through in Leukemia and Lymphoma fundraiser

    CRE community comes through in Leukemia and Lymphoma fundraiser

    Bill Barroll had a bold, fundraising plan. Unbeknownst to the Chief Business Officer and Managing Senior Vice President for Corporate Office Properties Trust (COPT), Karen Cherry had a similar plan with the potential to completely derail his strategy. Instead, the two NAIOP MD board members together set a fundraising record…

  • State begins studying decarbonization incentives

    State begins studying decarbonization incentives

    On June 29th, the Maryland Department of Environment (MDE) and the Maryland Energy Administration (MEA) kicked off a crucial task force charged with developing incentives and a funding plan for the decarbonization of public and private buildings. The initial meeting focused on existing state and federal building energy and emissions…

  • UMD report proposes pathway to decarbonizing Maryland

    UMD report proposes pathway to decarbonizing Maryland

    The decarbonization goals in the Climate Solutions Now Act will impact every sector of Maryland’s economy. However, exactly how the state will achieve a 60 percent reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2031 and net zero emissions by 2045 has not been detailed. The Maryland Department of Environment has…

  • CRE industry increasingly highlights the great outdoors

    CRE industry increasingly highlights the great outdoors

    Downtown towers, mixed-use developments and massive industrial buildings may dominate coverage of the commercial real estate industry. But CRE professionals also create gorgeous, public outdoor spaces and that activity has expanded since the pandemic began. Photo courtesy of Frederick Ward Associates, Inc. June…

  • NAIOP MD urges Baltimore County to reevaluate draft master plan

    NAIOP MD urges Baltimore County to reevaluate draft master plan

    NAIOP MD believes the proposed Baltimore County Master Plan needs to be revised to support higher density development in designated areas. High density developments, such as Owings Mills Metro Center, have fueled growth in some areas of Baltimore County. Photo courtesy of David…

  • Project teams refine processes for office-to-lab conversions

    Project teams refine processes for office-to-lab conversions

    A weakened office market combined with ongoing, strong demand for life sciences space in Maryland and the Mid-Atlantic has prompted some property owners – and their project teams – to refine processes for creating laboratories within existing office buildings. Bala Consulting Engineers has heard from multiple clients who are looking…