Features

CoStar: U.S. Retail Construction Activity Remains Stymied Through the First Quarter

by John Nelson April 9, 2026

ARLINGTON, VA. — U.S. retail construction activity totaled 64.2 million square feet in the first quarter, down from 70 million square feet in first-quarter 2025 and well below the 10-year average (+90 million square feet), according to research from CoStar Group. Brandon Svec, national director of retail analytics at CoStar Group, points to multiple governors for new retail construction, including the popularity of e-commerce, competition from other property types and the previous cycles of broad-based expansion in the retail industry. Additionally, he says elevated costs for land, construction materials, labor and debt have made it difficult for retail developers to justify new construction. “The pullback in construction reflects a development environment that remains difficult to pencil in most markets,” says Svec. “Even in markets with strong population growth and leasing demand, achieving returns that justify ground-up construction has become increasingly challenging.” Data from the Arlington-based commercial real estate information and analytics firm shows that the nation’s retail development pipeline is sinking to levels not seen since the previous two cyclical lows: the early stages of the COVID-19 recovery and coming out of the Great Financial Crisis in 2011. Among markets tracked by CoStar, three Texas markets are leading the way …

April 9, 2026

Features Retail

Gen Z Is Defying Traditional Shopping Patterns, Says NRF Panel

by Abby Cox April 2, 2026

The U.S. retail industry is entering a new era of transformation, and two forces are emerging as the primary architects of change: Generation Z and artificial intelligence (AI). Insights from the National Retail Federation’s recent “State of Retail and the Consumer” webinar underscore the industry’s modern reality — today’s consumer is actively reshaping how products are discovered, evaluated and, ultimately, purchased. While the oldest of Gen Z consumers are on the cusp of turning 30, the youngest are transitioning into high school. “They’re not kids anymore — they’re teenagers, college students and young adults, and it shows in their spending habits and their sentiment,” said Katherine Cullen, vice president of industry and consumer insights at NRF, during the webinar. “We see them increasingly influencing holiday traditions, differentiating themselves and how they manage costs, as well as leading the adoption of AI tools and platforms.” Even with feelings of uncertainty on both the broader macroeconomic and individual levels, Gen Z consumers are still choosing to spend money in moments of joy and looking for ways to “treat themselves.” In the past five years, average apartment rental rates in the United States have risen 25 to 30 percent higher than pre-pandemic levels …

April 2, 2026

Features Heartland Feature Archive Multifamily Seniors Housing

Seniors Housing Industry Faces Predicament of Strong Demand, Limited Supply

by Kristin Harlow March 31, 2026

Supply and demand dynamics within the seniors housing sector are at a crossroads, according to the Emerging Trends in Real Estate 2026 report produced by PwC and the Urban Land Institute. Like most commercial real estate property types, new supply is constrained due to increasing financing and construction costs. However, demand for senior living units continues to grow. According to the report, factors driving demand for seniors housing include a rapidly growing older adult population and an increase in older adults renting. The 75-plus age category is expected to grow by more than 4 million people by 2030, according to U.S. Census Bureau projections. The oldest baby boomers turn 80 in 2026. The National Investment Center for Seniors Housing & Care (NIC) expects that the limited new supply and steady demand will drive the average seniors housing occupancy rate above 90 percent in 2026, potentially reaching the highest occupancy rate reported in the 20 years that NIC MAP has tracked this data. Investors are poised to achieve strong returns. The National Council of Real Estate Investment Fiduciaries (NCREIF), which tracks the performance of institutional-grade U.S. commercial real estate, reports that seniors housing strongly outperformed all other property sectors in 2025, …

March 31, 2026

Features Retail

NRF Projects 2026 U.S. Retail Sales to Rise 4.4 Percent, Exceed $5.6T

by Abby Cox March 26, 2026

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The National Retail Federation (NRF) has projected that 2026 U.S. retail sales will grow 4.4 percent over 2025 to $5.6 trillion, outpacing pre-pandemic averages and signaling continued momentum despite global volatility. This year’s projection was announced during the organization’s sixth annual “State of Retail and the Consumer” webinar held on March 18, which examined the health of American consumers and the overall retail industry. NRF’s calculation, created in partnership with Oxford Economics using a new economic model, excludes auto dealers, gas stations and restaurants. The new model integrates a wider range of real-time data to better capture consumer behavior compared to the previous forecasting methods that relied on broader indicators. Although the forecast is in nominal terms (unadjusted for inflation), this model anticipates that a higher proportion of projected sales growth will reflect real gains, rather than inflation-driven increases. The 2026 sales forecast compares with 3.6 percent average annual sales growth over the past 10 years, excluding the COVID period from 2020 to 2022 when growth was atypical. “While the geopolitical environment and ongoing trade policy challenges warrant close attention, we remain optimistic that the underlying fundamentals of the U.S. economy will support continued stability in the year ahead,” said …

March 26, 2026

Features

Why Commercial Debt, Equity Arrangers Are Excited for 2026

by Taylor Williams March 17, 2026

By Taylor Williams Olympic rings, Great Lakes, stages of grief, military branches and factors that point to a more robust landscape in the world of commercial debt and equity placement in 2026 — they all come in fives. Unlike the other items in that set, however, there is room for debate as to what those five capital markets factors actually are. But according to sources, they are, in no particular order of importance: • Rising investment sales volume, which allows for better pricing and risk assessment in the equity markets • No shortage of deals in need of recapitalization • Strong liquidity and competitive spreads in the debt markets • Short-term stability in the 10-year Treasury yield • Resilient acclimation to a new geopolitical environment Combined, these market forces form the basis of a larger perspective that is defined by optimism — and that optimism is rooted in both qualitative observations and quantitative analysis. And so far, the expectations of at least one major industry research and advocacy organization appear to be in line with the observations of individuals interviewed for this story. In early February, the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) released its 2026 Commercial Real Estate Finance Forecast report, …

March 17, 2026

Features Heartland Feature Archive

General Contractors: Early Collaboration Is Key in Today’s Market

by Kristin Harlow March 12, 2026

Builders have “dampened” expectations for construction activity in 2026, apart from data centers and power projects, according to the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC). Citing broader worries about the direction of the economy, the findings were part of the AGC/Sage Construction Hiring and Business Outlook Survey, which was released in early January. Kurt Steinmann, vice president and residential business unit leader at Swansea, Illinois-based Holland Construction Services, says “the market is clearly more disciplined than it was a few years ago, but that’s not a bad thing. “We’ve moved out of a speculative cycle and into one where projects need to be fundamentally sound to move forward,” he explains. “For general contractors, that means fewer starts overall, but stronger alignment on the projects that do proceed.” In other words, developments are better planned, more realistic on budgets and supported by experienced ownership groups. “Owners are moving forward with intention, prioritizing projects that are well-defined and aligned with long-term operational needs,” echoes Caitlin Russell, president of Davenport, Iowa-based Russell. “While interest rates and financing conditions continue to influence timing, demand for experienced general contractors who can provide cost clarity and early collaboration remains strong. Our outlook for the …

March 12, 2026

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Affordable Housing Conference Coverage Development Features Multifamily

InterFace Panel: Early Planning, Collaboration Are Crucial to Affordable Housing Development

by Taylor Williams March 10, 2026

By Taylor Williams DALLAS — Costs are always a sensitive subject in all types of residential and commercial development. But with projects that draw heavily on alternative and public-sector sources of financing to pencil out — namely affordable housing — the margin for error on cost overruns is even tighter. That’s a very unfortunate reality for developers working to mitigate America’s profound shortage of both affordable housing and housing that’s affordable. But with measured, deliberate upfront planning and collaboration between architects, engineers and general contractors, some of that risk can be mitigated. Editor’s note: InterFace Conference Group, a division of France Media Inc., produces networking and educational conferences for commercial real estate executives. To sign up for email announcements about specific events, visit www.interfaceconferencegroup.com/subscribe. To keep these critical developments on time and on budget, these project partners have had to not only adjust some of their traditional forms of value engineering (VE) — the term given to the collective effort of cost minimization and utility maximization over the course of a project — but also embrace completely new ones. The framework for trying new types of VE hinges on the notion that the whole of the project is greater than the sum of the …

March 10, 2026

Development Features Industrial Midwest Multifamily Northeast Office Retail Southeast Texas Webinar Western

Webinar: Flood Zones & FEMA Compliance — How Developers Avoid Delays, Cut Insurance Costs & Increase Property Value

by Sarah Daniels March 9, 2026

The March 2 France Media webinar “Flood Zones & FEMA Compliance — How Developers Avoid Delays, Cut Insurance Costs & Increase Property Value,” hosted by France Media and sponsored by National Flood Experts, examined how flood zones and evolving regulatory requirements are shaping development and financing outlooks. Flood risk is often treated as a late-stage compliance issue, but it can influence site design, permitting timelines, construction costs (and cost expectations) and long-term insurance expenses. Flood maps established by federal and local authorities define development constraints such as base flood elevations and floodways. Because these maps are updated slowly and regulations vary by municipality, developers frequently encounter unexpected complications during permitting, including the need for additional engineering studies, modeling requirements and extended approval timelines. The webinar panelists emphasized ways that developers can mitigate these risks by approaching flood zones strategically and incorporating flood analysis earlier in the development lifecycle. Early collaboration can identify opportunities to cut costs and avoid delays. Watch this brief webinar to learn about common problems caused by flood zones, changes in regulatory needs and practical pathways to help reduce or eliminate flood zone requirements (to increase the value of properties). Click here to download the slide presentation. …

March 9, 2026

Features Restaurant Retail Western Feature Archive

Gen Z Is Shifting the Future of Retail

by John Nelson March 5, 2026

In the digital age, nearly everything is accessible online — entertainment, shopping, friendship, you name it. With a few taps on a screen, we can order three pairs of jeans, have a pizza delivered and carry on a meaningful conversation without ever leaving the couch. Considering that Generation Z — those born roughly between 1996 and 2013 — has grown up immersed in this digital reality, it would be easy to assume they have little interest in traditional, in-person experiences. Surprisingly, the opposite is true. From pop-ups, influencers, to retail, Gen Z are securing their Labubus to their bags and heading out the door to shake up our understanding of successful contemporary retail experiences. After coming of age during COVID, living through what has been called an “epidemic of loneliness,” Gen Z is craving in person experiences more than ever, and where better to go with your friends than the mall? A reported 69 percent of Gen Z shoppers say they prefer shopping in brick-and-mortar stores over online alternatives. However, their renewed interest in physical spaces doesn’t mean a return to retail as we once knew it. Instead, Gen Z is fundamentally reshaping what in-person shopping and entertainment look like …

March 5, 2026

Features Georgia Southeast Southeast Feature Archive

Why Bankruptcy Is Still Catching Lenders Off Guard

by John Nelson March 3, 2026

The commercial real estate industry has spent the past two years bracing for the next wave of loan losses as elevated interest rates collided with loan maturities. Instead of a wave of payoffs, many loans are still working through extensions and modifications while asset values are being deliberated. Lenders know how to model foreclosure risk. Bankruptcy risk? That’s where the real losses hide. A Class A asset with Class C governance is a Class C risk. Foreclosure risk can be modeled. Expected losses predicted. Timelines are known by state. Recovery assumptions can be debated. Cash flows stress tested and ultimately approved by a committee. Even when outcomes are unpleasant, they are at least visible, quantifiable and expected. Bankruptcy is different — and far more dangerous for lenders. The gap between foreclosure and bankruptcy is where some of the largest loan losses are being created, and painful lessons learned. Counterintuitively, bankruptcy risk runs higher in non-judicial states like Georgia, where 60-day foreclosures create incentive for borrowers to file. In longer-timeline states like New York, foreclosures can stretch 18 months, giving borrowers the luxury of time. Those foreclosure timelines are generally well known and accepted by both sides, which makes outcomes predictable. …

March 3, 2026

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