Biotech / Life Sciences Where MedTech Grows Best
How data, labor, and logistics drive location decisions for next-gen MedTech manufacturing.
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Editor's Picks
Site Readiness Is Broken: What Manufacturers Should Demand From Their Locations
Manufacturers can’t afford delays—here’s what to ask for before picking your next site.
A New Course for U.S. Shipbuilding
Maritime Prosperity Zones could reshape shipbuilding and repair across the U.S. — if defined and used wisely.
Understanding the Importance of Speed in Closing Deals
Accelerating the site selection process can help you gain a competitive edge and secure prime locations.
The Battle to Break China’s Rare Earth Supply Chain Dominance
U.S. faces challenges in reducing reliance on China for rare earths.
The Rise of Joint Venture Agreements in New Construction Projects
Collaborative joint ventures spread risk and ensure successful project outcomes.
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Recent Features
Manufacturing / Industrial
Tariff Shockwaves Hit the Industrial Sector
How rising tariffs, weak sentiment, and slowing e-commerce are shifting warehouse vacancy rates across major U.S. markets.
ContinueSite Selection Factors / Strategy
Last Word: Smart Executives Are Paying Attention to Rural Opportunity Zones
The permanent extension of Opportunity Zones under the 2025 OBBBA creates a rare opening for business leaders to shape where federal investment flows — and rural America may hold the strongest opportunities for long-term strategic growth.
ContinueContributed Content
Strategy Driven Location Decisions
How aligning operations with regional strengths drives better long-term performance than cost-focused site selection.
ContinueContributed Content
Montgomery County, Maryland: A Launchpad for Innovation and Development
A top-tier workforce and major developments position the county as a leading destination for modern industry.
ContinueAdvanced Manufacturing
Around the Horn: Advanced Manufacturing’s Next Move
JLL recently launched an Advanced Manufacturing group to meet the moment, and Area Development spoke with group leaders Greg Matter, Vice Chair, Industrials, and Meaghan Elwell, Division President of Global Industrials, to get their real estate playbook for the new era. This conversation has been edited for space and style.
ContinueWorkplace Trends
The Office Is Back but Is the Portfolio Strategy Aligned?
Reestablishing the value of the office has driven trends in workplace investment and location strategy
ContinuePortfolio Management / CRE
Investors Seek Shelter in Food-Focused Real Estate
Cold storage and grocery-anchored retail are proving to be safe havens as consumer behavior shifts and CRE volatility grows.
ContinueTaxes / Incentives
The Compliance Reckoning Is Here
New challenges—from automation to federal fallout—are testing how companies manage risk in incentive-backed projects
ContinuePortfolio Management / CRE
Supply Chain Whiplash Reshapes CRE
Power, ports, and unpredictability are pushing manufacturers to rethink their entire real estate approach.
ContinueSite Selection Factors / Strategy
First Person: Astrobotic CEO on Building the Lunar Economy
Astrobotic CEO John Thornton says the race to establish sites on the Moon is already underway—and location matters as much as it does on Earth.
ContinueSite Selection Factors / Strategy
Your Next Factory Might Already Be Built
Vacant factories might be the smartest place to expand—if you know what to look for.
ContinueManufacturing / Industrial
Too Much of a Good Thing: Can Overbuilt Spec Development Benefit Manufacturers?
Power supply, infrastructure, and specs often fall short for manufacturers eyeing overbuilt logistics sites.
ContinueSite Selection Factors / Strategy
If It a Site Sounds Too Good to Be True…
Learn how to separate marketing spin from real-world readiness when evaluating community proposals.
ContinueSite Selection Factors / Strategy
Lead with Facts, Land the Deal
Site selection starts with infrastructure, not charm — here’s how EDOs can prepare.
ContinueConstruction / Project Planning
Who’s Liable When AI Builds?
Legal risks and the rise of the AI clause in construction contracts.
ContinueAdvanced Manufacturing
In Focus: Korea’s Blueprint for Sustainable U.S. Expansion
Why advanced manufacturers are treating site selection as a long-term business strategy, not a transaction.
ContinueSite Selection Factors / Strategy
The Permit Puzzle and the Path to Groundbreaking
Why the most successful projects build permitting strategy into their earliest site and construction decisions.
ContinueTop States for Business
2025’s Top States for Business: How the Winners Are Outpacing the Rest
Speed, workforce alignment, and energy infrastructure now define the best states for doing business — not just incentives or tax breaks. Our exclusive rankings break down how the top performers are staying ahead in a tightening market.
ContinueBiotech / Life Sciences
Workforce Is the New Incentive in Life Sciences
Companies choosing where to locate life sciences facilities are prioritizing talent pipelines and workforce adaptability.
ContinueAutomotive
Automotive Site Selection Is Evolving as Future Mobility Takes Hold
As the industry accelerates toward electrification and advanced mobility, site selectors and real estate teams are prioritizing adaptable facilities, talent proximity, and logistical readiness over traditional scale.
ContinueGovernment Policy / Business Climate
A New Era in Conservation and Economic Opportunity
MABA reframes conservation policy by emphasizing incentives, partnerships, and business-friendly opportunities across sectors.
ContinueData Centers
Around the Horn: Data Center Supply Chains — What's Next?
Area Development magazine caught up with its Q2 guest editors, Ford Graham and Steven Pearce from McGuireWoods consulting, to talk about their reporting on data center supply chains. We also invited Ermengarde Jabir Director of Economic Research at Moody’s to join the discussion.
ContinueSite Selection Factors / Strategy
The Site Selection Corporate Checklist
Site selection doesn’t start with “where” — it starts with alignment, clarity and structure.
ContinueConstruction / Project Planning
First Person: Karis Cold’s Ken Verne on Urban Demand, Automation, and the Infrastructure Gap
Karis Cold’s Ken Verne joins Area Development to talk about urban infill opportunities, automation readiness, ESG strategy, and why facilities need to be designed for 2030—not just today’s needs.
ContinueSite Selection Factors / Strategy
Scoring the Site
How site selectors score locations — and what executives should know about the process.
ContinueSite Selection Factors / Strategy
Electrons Are the New Gatekeepers
As grid capacity tightens, manufacturers must treat energy as a core site selection filter.
ContinueEconomic Development Best Practices
Site Selection Numbers vs. Reality
Why You Should Question Every Stat in a Site Proposal.
ContinueProject Announcements
QMP Plans Walterboro, South Carolina, Operations
12/06/2025
Ninth Avenue Foods Plans Longview, Texas, Production Operations
12/06/2025
LayerZero Power Systems Expands Streetsboro, Ohio, Manufacturing Operations
12/06/2025
BioStem Technologies Plans Boca Raton, Florida, Headquarters Operations
12/06/2025
Saronic Technologies Expands St. Mary Parish, Louisiana, Operations
12/05/2025
JGA Space and Defense Expands Huntersville, North Carolina, Operations
12/05/2025
SODECIA-AAPICO Plans Orangeburg, South Carolina, Manufacturing Operations
12/05/2025
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