Creative Solutions Expand Affordable Housing Supply in Northeast Markets

By Taylor Williams A severe shortage of affordable housing that has been building for years and may soon be exacerbated by the expiration of the federal eviction moratorium is forcing developers to be more aggressive and innovative in terms of how they add much-needed supply in dense, high-growth markets. According to a 2020 report by the National Low Income Housing Coalition, when it comes to housing that American renters whose incomes levels are at or below 30 percent of their area median …

November 23, 2020Market Reports, Multifamily, Northeast, Northeast Market Reports

Pitfalls, Opportunities Abound Within Pittsburgh’s Property Tax Code

By Brendan Kelly, associate, Siegel Jennings Over the past decade, Mr. Rogers’ adopted hometown of Pittsburgh has been named the most livable city in the continental United States — a hipster haven, tech hub and other trendy titles. Affordable housing stock in a stable real estate market, access to the arts in an established cultural community and world-class healthcare and higher education place the Steel City at the forefront of medicine and robotics. This attention has drawn real …

November 13, 2020Market Reports, Northeast, Northeast Market Reports, Pennsylvania

Specialized Labor, Tenant Demand Fuel Growth of Boston’s Life Sciences Market

By Brendan Carroll, research director, Cushman & WakefieldThrough the first three quarters of 2020, the Boston life sciences market is seeing record occupancy, a continuation of large new-building leases, stable rents at record levels, high levels of pre-committed new construction and an insatiable appetite for inventory in new submarket clusters.Cushman & Wakefield defines laboratory properties as facilities optimized for the physical scientific research of biotechnology …

October 30, 2020Healthcare, Market Reports, Massachusetts, Northeast, Northeast Market Reports, Office

Philly Retail Market Responds to COVID-19

By Taylor Williams What a difference a year makes. Around this time in 2019, the Philadelphia retail market was experiencing something of a Renaissance. Driven by forward-thinking projects in chic neighborhoods, such as Fashion District Philadelphia, as well as the delivery of new phases of retail at destinations like Schuylkill Yards and the Philadelphia Navy Yard, the market was embracing new users, customers and spaces alike. The evolution of Philly’s retail market at this time …

October 9, 2020Market Reports, Northeast, Northeast Market Reports, Pennsylvania, Retail

Three Key Trends to Monitor in Philadelphia’s Multifamily Market

By Christine Beechan, area vice president, Morgan Properties If there’s one certainty about the unusual year that is 2020, it’s that COVID-19 has significantly impacted every industry across the globe. For apartment owners and operators, we’ve entered uncharted territory in terms of changing renter demands, unconventional leasing methods and new operational procedures. Consequently, it’s especially important right now for apartment professionals to understand the complexities of the …

September 11, 2020Market Reports, Multifamily, Northeast, Northeast Market Reports, Pennsylvania

New Jersey Industrial Market Displays Remarkable Resiliency Amid Pandemic

By Mark Russo, director of research, Newmark Knight Frank The industrial markets of Northern and Central New Jersey have held strong thus far in 2020 as heightened e-commerce activity has offset the disruption caused by COVID-19. Total e-commerce sales rose by 31.8 percent in the second quarter relative to that period in 2019, according to data from the U.S. Department of Commerce. While demand for retail and office space has been negatively impacted, steady rent growth and stable vacancy …

September 4, 2020Industrial, Market Reports, New Jersey, Northeast, Northeast Market Reports

Philadelphia Office Market Enters ‘Wait-and-See’ Mode

By Tom Weitzel, managing director, JLL The Philadelphia office market at the moment is running in place, which is to say that there is certainly energy being expended, but it is going nowhere fast. Tenants and landlords alike are partnering with real estate experts to navigate this challenging time. However, while office users evaluate businesses and study workforces, the benefit of making a decision has not yet outweighed the downside of making a wrong decision, so most users are adopting a …

September 1, 2020Market Reports, Northeast, Northeast Market Reports, Office, Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, Southern New Jersey Industrial Market: Everything Investors Need to Know

By Marc Isdaner, senior managing director, principal, Colliers International; and Ian Richman, senior managing director, Colliers International Strong job and population growth in recent years have caused the Philadelphia/Southern New Jersey industrial market to continually rise on the radars of both investors and developers. As the nation battles COVID-19, we see demand for industrial space growing as more users look to service last-mile customers in densely populated areas. This market is …

August 28, 2020Industrial, Market Reports, New Jersey, Northeast, Northeast Market Reports, Pennsylvania

Jersey Mike’s Sandwich Chain Invests in Delivery, Pick-Up

By Alex Patton During the business lull caused by the outbreak of COVID-19, fast casual sandwich chain Jersey Mike’s made news by rolling out a $150 million nationwide retrofit project for its stores. The project will include aesthetic and comfortability upgrades for 1,700 franchise stores, as well as expanded functionality for delivery and pick-up services — all paid for by the company. “Paying for the retrofits ourselves is a tactical move on our part,” says Peter Cancro, CEO of …

August 18, 2020Company News, Market Reports, New Jersey, Northeast, Northeast Market Reports, Retail

Northeast Lenders Eye Fourth-Quarter Recovery

By Taylor Williams Decreased acquisition activity across virtually all asset classes is among the most visible impacts that COVID-19 has had on commercial real estate, but capital markets professionals say there’s reason to believe deal volume will rebound sharply toward the end of the year. For most property owners, the net result of the economic disruption and job losses has been a decrease in cash flows. With net incomes faltering or dissolving for property owners, many prospective …

August 11, 2020Market Reports, Northeast, Northeast Market Reports