With less than a month to go, the 2025 NC Conference promises to be a pivotal event for over 400 CRE professionals eager to advance their careers and expand their networks.

Don't miss your chance to hear from esteemed industry leaders in Sports & Entertainment, including:

• Megan Olgesby — Principal Investor, Carolina Core FC
• Brian Fork — CEO, Carolina Hurricanes
• Jake Burns — Chief Strategy & Development Office, Tepper Sports & Entertainment

And our moderator:

• Demetra Thornton, AIA, NOMA — Co-Managing Director, Principal | Gensler

Engage in discussions shaping the industry's future and take advantage of this dynamic platform provided by the #naiopncconference, the premier CRE development event in North Carolina.

Originally published on January 15, 2025, by Toby Burke for NAIOP.

State lawmakers have started to return to their respective state capitols to begin the lawmaking process following the 2024 election. While the election resulted in a few political control shifts in some chambers between Republicans and Democrats, the “status quo” was essentially maintained according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. This would imply a more predictable and business-as-usual session within state capitols on the issues with one exception: the return of President-elect Trump to Washington, D.C.

Trump and his allies on Capitol Hill have pledged to cut government bureaucracy, lower government spending, and restructure the federal government. This initiative includes less federal oversight of public health and education, including the closure of the U.S. Department of Education, a reduced federal workforce, and ending many environmental regulations enacted under the Biden Administration. The unofficial “Department of Government Efficiency,” led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, has been tasked with identifying opportunities to achieve this through either executive order or federal legislation.

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Originally published on January 6, 2025, by Ed Finkel for NAIOP.

The fortunes of the commercial real estate sector should be somewhere between status quo and modestly improved over the next year, with housing, industrial, data center, and advanced manufacturing among the most dynamic asset classes, according to a cross-section of developers and investors who sit on NAIOP’s board of directors.

Matt McInnis, partner at Front Street Capital in central North Carolina and a NAIOP North Carolina Piedmont Triad member, forecasts a mixed picture. “There are a lot of positive dynamics that are unfolding for us, but for every one of those, there’s something that’s going to constrain euphoric growth,” he said. “We see a lot of people finally in a head space where they’re willing to commit to a project. In 2024, there was a lot of looking. That’s started to change.”

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Originally published on January 9, 2025, by Maria Gatea for NAIOP.

Self-storage construction has been on an upward trend since 2020 as the sector has become increasingly popular with American consumers, offering flexible solutions for life’s many transitions. While new construction has dominated the industry for decades, a significant shift is occurring: Existing industrial and retail buildings are being converted into self-storage facilities. This trend is optimizing urban real estate and meeting the growing demand for storage in densely populated areas.

Conversions account for 9% of the country’s self-storage inventory

Approximately 9% of the U.S.’s total self-storage inventory – nearly 191 million square feet – now consists of converted spaces, according to recent StorageCafe research. These conversions are spread across more than 2,300 facilities nationwide...

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2025 Cornerstone Sponsorship Info

NAIOP Charlotte has a strong and active membership comprised of commercial developers, owners, brokers, bankers, architects, engineers, attorneys, and title companies working to advance all commercial real estate sectors.

The Cornerstone Sponsorship supports and enriches the Charlotte Chapter while offering professionals and organizations an opportunity to build and strengthen relationships, increase brand visibility, attend key industry events, and have an active voice in Charlotte’s commercial real estate activities.

Cornerstone Sponsorship Program

It's time to renew your membership for 2025 to stay connected to NAIOP's extensive resources and North American network.

NAIOP is always working for our members' success.

Renew Today

Originally published on December 16, 2024, by Daniel Maldonado for NAIOP.

As we approach the end of 2024, the life sciences space is undergoing a noteworthy transformation. After a sharp post-COVID-19 downturn for the sector, there is a significant revival in venture capital activity, strategic landlord adaptations, and evolving market dynamics on the horizon that may shape the future of life sciences real estate for the better.

Venture Capital’s Resurgence, Landlord Strategies

Recent trends indicate a notable rebound in life sciences venture capital after a decline in 2022. This has sparked optimism for increased deal activity and value creation compared to previous years. The sector’s resilience, particularly in biotechnology and healthcare advancements, is evident as major pharmaceutical firms and venture capital funds retain substantial reserves.

The renewed activity is not just a signal of confidence; it is expected to stimulate leasing activity and address the current oversupply of life sciences real estate, which has caused landlords to adopt innovative strategies to optimize their portfolios. Many are diversifying their tenant bases by leasing space within newly constructed life sciences projects to traditional office users.

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Originally published on December 18, 2024, by Aquiles Suarez for NAIOP.

Congress is expected to close the year this week by agreeing to pass a continuing budget resolution to avoid a government shutdown before Christmas. That will push the funding debate to at least March 2025, when NAIOP will again advocate for its members in the biggest tax reform fight of the last decade. But a strong year for advocacy in 2024 prepares us well for the future.

NAIOP’s End-of-Year Federal Legislative and Political Update Webinar, held on Dec. 6, detailed strides made on our top public policy and legislative priorities for 2024 and previewed what NAIOP would be working on in 2025. Positive news on the public policy front was also a feature of an earlier NAIOP podcast held shortly after the November elections, which focused on the election results and what Republican control of the White House and Congress would mean for commercial real estate.

The bottom line is...

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Originally published on December 11, 2024, by Erik Spanberg for Charlotte Business Journal

The Charlotte Regional Business Alliance has hired Tracy Dodson to fill the newly created Chief Operating Officer position. Dodson, who now runs the city of Charlotte’s economic development division, will also fill the lead economic development executive role at CLT Alliance. This position has been vacant for a year.

Dodson’s hiring comes amid more changes at CLT Alliance. The nonprofit continues to search for a permanent CEO after Janet LaBar stepped down last spring. Other changes include scaling back the size of the organization’s board, which will directly oversee the CEO, and eliminating the chief marketing and communications officer job.

While those moves and other tweaks are in the works, the search for a new CEO continues with consultant Thadd Jones and Charlotte-based headhunting firm Nexus Search Partners. Interim CEO Andrea Smith said the search is progressing and remains on track for a permanent CEO to be in place early in 2025. Smith has committed to remaining a strategic adviser after a full-time CEO is in place.

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Kelly King, the retired Chairman and CEO of Truist, has just been announced as a keynote speaker and featured industry leader at the 2025 NAIOP NC Conference.

Kelly S. King is the retired Chairman and CEO of Truist, a role he served in following the closing of the merger of equals between BB&T Corporation and SunTrust Banks Inc. Before the merger of equals. King had served as chairman and chief executive officer of Truist's predecessor, BB&T Corporation, since January 2010. Read Kelly's bio here. 

Don't miss King's presentation on The Integration of Success and Happiness! Click below to register for the 2025 Conference - registration is open for a limited time!

Register Here

Originally published on December 11, 2024, by Doug West for NAIOP.

In today’s office real estate market, flight to quality has created a race for landlords seeking to attract tenants and fill vacancies. While some tools are economical, like rent incentives, others are more concrete, including developing shared amenity spaces. In major metropolitan markets such as New York, an amenity offering is now a deal-breaking requirement rather than just nice. But what do these spaces look like, and how can landlords be sure they’re including the right ones?     

Shared Amenities as a Differentiator

While many tenants remain cautious about creating in-office programs to entice employees, property owners can fill this gap by developing hospitality-inspired spaces promoting convenience and engagement. Landlords must ask themselves what types of spaces tenants need to thrive in a modern office environment and develop a plan accordingly. This agenda should include outdoor spaces, conferencing centers, and lounges that cater to day-to-day business and provide opportunities for social interaction and relaxation.

Examples of successful amenities include:

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