Jan. 22, 2014 marks the 12th Annual Commercial Real Estate Forecast Conference being hosted and produced by the Illinois Real Estate Journal and the Real Estate Publishing Group.
This year’s event once again will be held at the Sheraton Hotel & Towers. The conference begins with registration and continental breakfast at 7 a.m. The program will begin just after 8 a.m. and feature a one-on-one conversation with Chicago Deputy Mayor Steve Koch, followed by general session panels on the State of the Market and There Grows the Neighborhood.
Added to the event this year are an early start time for the breakout sessions and three extra topics to be covered during that timeframe.
“From a content perspective, the program always has been great, from the start of the program through the last breakout session,” Mark Menzies, Group Publisher, Real Estate Publishing Group, said. “By starting 45 minutes earlier, we’re looking to make the sessions more easily accessible for all who attend.”
With a host of new businesses announcing and making plans to relocate to Chicago, Deputy Mayor Steve Koch is an appropriate choice to be featured in the one-on-one conversation that kicks off the program at 8:15 a.m. Koch, who hails from the business and financial services industry and is not a politician, will discuss with Shawn Mobley, President of the Central Region of Cushman & Wakefield, the city’s economic development initiatives and how they have been so successful of late.
Following that informative discussion, a panel of senior executives from a variety of commercial real estate firms will discuss the state of the market, looking at how the Chicago marketplace is succeeding and what issues and challenges it may face in 2014. Featured speakers on that panel – whose firms are active in office, industrial, retail, investment, medical office and seniors housing – include: Gunnar Branson, National Association of Real Estate Investment Managers; Tony Smaniotto, Colliers International; Tim Hennelly, Ryan Companies US Inc.; Todd Mintz, DTZ; Drew Nieman, US Equities; Michael Flynn, NAI; and Joe Cosenza, Inland Real Estate Acquisitions.
“We’ve assembled another impressive roster of topics and speakers for what has become the largest and longest running commercial real estate forecast event in Chicago,” Menzies said. “We’re proud of that; it’s always rewarding to see how widely accepted the event is, for the networking and the content of the sessions.”
One of the big movements taking place in Chicago – whether it takes place over a couple of years or over decades – is the growth and gentrification of neighborhoods or commercial market areas. Evidence of this can be seen in various locations, from River North and the West Loop and from prime suburban markets to near city neighborhoods. A panel led by Susanne Cannon of The Real Estate Center at DePaul University and including Rand Diamond, GlenStar; Aaron Lanski, BMO Harris Bank; Michael Drew, Structured Development; and Daniel Rosenberg, Cohen Financial will discuss issues and challenges and opportunities to convert old and create vibrant new markets.
At approximately 10:50 a.m., about 45 minutes earlier than in previous years, the program will shift to breakout sessions covering an expanded range of specific topics. Sessions will be held on legal issues impacting real estate, the downtown office, suburban office, industrial, retail and investment markets as well as new offerings on 1031 Exchanges and data centers.
Registration for the event is $99 and includes continental breakfast, networking with sponsors and the ability to meet with approximately more than 90 sponsors that will be showcasing their products and services. Registration can be conducted online at www.rejournals.com/conferences or by calling (312) 644-2804. That website also allows prospective attendees to see the full roster of speakers and sponsors for this year’s event.
