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Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

Construction / Project Planning

capitalizing-on-the-obbba-before-the-2026-cliff

Capitalizing on the OBBBA Before the 2026 Cliff

Mehdi Sinaki , Attorney, Michelman Robinson (Q1 2026)

Discover how the OBBBA creates a short-lived opportunity for modular developers to accelerate deductions, leverage restored bonus depreciation, and meet tight 2026 energy-incentive deadlines. More
economic-developer-role-shifting-from-deal-making-to-systems-stewardship

Economic Developer Role Shifting from Deal-Making to Systems Stewardship

Nathan Ohle, President, CEO, International Economic Development Council (Q1 2026)

New research shows how economic development leadership is shifting beyond deals and incentives. More
manhattans-old-ramps-new-logistics

Manhattan’s Old Ramps, New Logistics

Kimberly Graulein, Staff Writer, Area Development (Q4 2025)

In an undersupplied NYC market, a historic multistory facility shows why what seemed obsolete is now indispensable for last-mile distribution. More

Peek a Boo Data Centers

Kimberly Graulein, Staff Writer, Area Development (Q4 2025)

AI’s power hunger is pushing data centers underground, underwater—and soon into orbit—redefining cooling, reliability, and sustainable energy. More
data-centers-in-2025-when-power-became-the-gatekeeper

Data Centers in 2025: When Power Became the Gatekeeper

Andy Greiner,  Editor, Area Development (Q4 2025)

The era of easy expansion is over—success now depends on early alignment among utilities, governments, and capital. More
a-single-front-door-for-corporate-investment-in-fort-worth

A Single Front Door for Corporate Investment in Fort Worth

Andy Greiner,  Editor, Area Development (Q4 2025)

Manufacturers and corporate real estate executives often talk about speed to market and clarity of process as deciding factors in site selection. Fort Worth is testing what happens when a city reorganizes itself around those principles. More
the-cold-chain-sector-recalibration

The Cold Chain Sector Recalibration

Amy Binstein, Head of Midwest Research, David Aschenbrand, Strategic Services Advisory Lead, and Lisa DeNight, Managing Director and Head of North American Industrial Research at Newmark (Q4 2025)

A surge of new supply, aging legacy facilities, and shifting operator strategies are creating a widening divide between modern, efficient assets and obsolete space across the nation’s cold storage footprint. More

How to Spot a Community That’s Ready for Your Investment

Taylor Stepp, President, Site Selection and Economic Development, Strategic Development Partners (Q4 2025)

A Site Selector’s Guide for Separating the Real Partners From Pretenders. More
whos-liable-when-ai-builds

Who’s Liable When AI Builds?

Jane Kutepova, Counsel, Michelman & Robinson, LLP (Q4 2025)

Legal risks and the rise of the AI clause in construction contracts. More
why-utilities-are-becoming-developers

Why Utilities Are Becoming Developers

Puanani Norwood, Managing Partner, Los Angeles Office, BCLP (Q4 2025)

The energy transition is reshaping real estate strategy as utilities and corporations compete for control of generation assets. More
gen-z-likes-the-office-everybody-else-not-so-much

The Office Is Back but Is the Portfolio Strategy Aligned?

Michael McDermott, Central Region Lead, Total Workplace Consulting, Cushman & Wakefield (Q3 2025)

Reestablishing the value of the office has driven trends in workplace investment and location strategy More
if-it-a-site-sounds-too-good-to-be-true

If a Site Sounds Too Good to Be True…

Devin Hillsdon-Smith, Principal, Hyphen Strategies (Q3 2025)

Learn how to separate marketing spin from real-world readiness when evaluating community proposals. More

Rethinking Local Governments Through Consolidation and Choice

J. Sebastian Smelko, Partner, co-vice chair, Governmental Affairs & Regulatory Law, Ice Miller  (Q3 2025)

Voluntary regional consolidation can deliver what corporate project teams value most: predictability, speed and scale. Indiana’s experience and international models show how optional, capacity-building frameworks make regions more investable. More
the-permit-puzzle-and-the-path-to-groundbreaking

The Permit Puzzle and the Path to Groundbreaking

Lauren Berry, Director, Location Analysis and Incentives, Maxis Advisors and Andrew Sineni, Senior Vice President, User Development Services, Foundry Commercial (Q3 2025)

Why the most successful projects build permitting strategy into their earliest site and construction decisions. More
scoring-the-site

Scoring the Site

Devin Hillsdon-Smith, Principal, Hyphen Strategies (Q3 2025)

How site selectors score locations — and what executives should know about the process. More
too-much-of-a-good-thing-can-overbuilt-spec-development-benefit-manufacturers

Too Much of a Good Thing: Can Overbuilt Spec Development Benefit Manufacturers?

Bradley Migdal, Executive Managing Director, Americas Strategic Consulting, Cushman & Wakefield (Q3 2025)

Power supply, infrastructure, and specs often fall short for manufacturers eyeing overbuilt logistics sites. More
electrons-are-the-new-gatekeepers

Electrons Are the New Gatekeepers

Bradley Migdal, Executive Managing Director, Americas Strategic Consulting, Cushman & Wakefield (Q3 2025)

As grid capacity tightens, manufacturers must treat energy as a core site selection filter. More

Editor’s Note: Thriving at the Intersection of Change

Andy Greiner,  Editor, Area Development (Q3 2025)

More
site-selection-numbers-vs-reality

Site Selection Numbers vs. Reality

Devin Hillsdon-Smith, Principal, Hyphen Strategies (Q3 2025)

Why You Should Question Every Stat in a Site Proposal. More
automotive-site-selection-is-evolving-as-future-mobility-takes-hold

Automotive Site Selection Is Evolving as Future Mobility Takes Hold

Kimberly Graulein, Staff Writer, Area Development (Q3 2025)

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. More
investors-seek-shelter-in-food-focused-real-estate

Investors Seek Shelter in Food-Focused Real Estate

Ermengarde Jabir PhD, Director of Economic Research, Moody’s (Q3 2025)

Cold storage and grocery-anchored retail are proving to be safe havens as consumer behavior shifts and CRE volatility grows. More
first-person-rick-hoskins-filter-kings-expansion-playbook

First Person: Filter King’s Expansion Playbook

Area Development Research Desk (Q3 2025)

CEO Rick Hoskins explains how the fast-growing air filter company selects its sites, scales its labor-heavy operation, and maintains speed-to-customer across multiple U.S. regions. More
a-new-era-in-conservation-and-economic-opportunity

A New Era in Conservation and Economic Opportunity

Warren Koshofer, Partner, Michelman & Robinson LLP (Q3 2025)

MABA reframes conservation policy by emphasizing incentives, partnerships, and business-friendly opportunities across sectors. More
where-cold-chain-meets-culture-how-karis-cold-is-blending-art-and-infrastructure-in-chicago

Where Cold Chain Meets Culture: How Karis Cold is blending art and infrastructure in Chicago

Amy Matias, Area Development Staff Writer,  (Q3 2025)

Cold storage with character? Karis Cold’s Stockyards Cold facility in Chicago blends infrastructure with public art—redefining what it means to build a logistics hub in a legacy district. More
karis-colds-ken-verne-on-urban-demand-automation-and-the-infrastructure-gap

First Person: Karis Cold’s Ken Verne on Urban Demand, Automation, and the Infrastructure Gap

Area Development Research Desk (Q3 2025)

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. More
reshoring-reality-check-from-construction

Reshoring Reality Check from Construction

Brian Gallagher, Vice President, Corporate Strategy and Development, PPC Partners, Inc. (Q3 2025)

How tariffs and economic incentives are influencing FDI and location decisions. More
how-to-manage-the-surge-in-building-costs

How to Manage the Surge in Building Costs

Brian Gallagher, Vice President, Corporate Strategy and Development, PPC Partners, Inc. (Q3 2025)

Construction firms are navigating supply shocks, labor shortages and policy pressures with smarter, early-stage coordination. More
rewriting-the-rules-of-warehouse-roi

Rewriting the Rules of Warehouse ROI

Joe Dunlap, Chief Supply Chain Officer, Legacy Investing (Q3 2025)

Embedding automation into leases may offer companies a smarter way to balance risk, cost and productivity. More
a-zebra-in-the-room

A Zebra in the Room

Olivia S. Byrne, Esquire, K&L Gates LLP (Q2 2025)

A surprising encounter reveals why environmental due diligence isn’t just paperwork — it’s protection. More
time-for-states-to-shine

Last Word: Time for States to Shine

Charlie Smith, Geopolitical Strategy Consultant,  (Q2 2025)

With federal action slowing and market forces accelerating, private firms are finding that the most effective policy responses—on issues like energy, housing, and workforce—are coming from state and local governments with the agility to act. More
the-legal-limits-of-dei-in-incentives-agreements-hiring-and-contracting

The Legal Limits of DEI in Incentives Agreements, Hiring, and Contracting

Jonathan K. Stock, Of Counsel, Vorys and Allen S. Kinzer, Partner, Vorys (Q2 2025)

States and cities have tied incentives to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) goals — such as subcontracting targets or workforce composition — but a new executive order from the Trump administration and related lawsuits are raising the legal stakes. That raises new questions about what’s lawful and what’s not when it comes to DEI, affirmative action, and the use of contracting targets — and how that may impact your next location decision. More
rebuilding-the-industrial-base-requires-a-commitment-to-ecosystem-formation

Rebuilding the Industrial Base Requires a Commitment to Ecosystem Formation

Ken Biberaj, Executive Managing Director, Savills  (Q2 2025)

A return to American manufacturing demands more than factories — it requires coordinated, community-wide ecosystem development More
how-virginia-minimizes-risk-for-new-facilities

How Virginia Minimizes Risk for New Facilities

Virginia Economic Development Partnership (Q2 2025)

How shovel-ready sites and talent programs are helping Virginia win major manufacturing projects. More
assessing-risk-assessment

Assessing Risk Assessment

John Bourdeaux, President & CEO, AdvanceCT (Q2 2025)

Companies are looking beyond cost and factoring in culture, politics, and community fit for resilience. More
what-you-need-to-know-about-nmtcs

What You Need to Know About NMTCs

Thane Hutcheson, President, Five Points Strategic Advisors (Q2 2025)

New market tax credits offer millions in upfront funding for projects that create jobs and serve underserved communities. More
why-art-belongs-in-industrial-spaces

Why Art Belongs in Industrial Spaces

Jennifer Brener Seay, Founder and CEO , Art + Artisans (Q2 2025)

Once dismissed as decorative, workplace art is now being embraced as a powerful tool for improving employee well-being, productivity, and a company’s public image. More
scaling-up-without-falling-short

Scaling Up Without Falling Short

David Verner, Director, Energy Strategy, Gresham Smith (Q2 2025)

Scaling a pilot into full production requires smart planning, the right team, and constant flexibility. More
get-your-mega-site-project-ready

Get Your Mega Site ‘Project Ready’

Ramya Gowda, Managing Director, Global Strategy Consulting, Newmark and Carrie Zethmayr, Managing Director, Global Strategy Consulting, Newmark (Q2 2025)

Preparing a mega site requires more than acreage and ambition—it means aligning zoning, utilities, and documentation to reduce investor risk, compress timelines, and compete for transformative manufacturing and industrial projects. More
navigating-the-new-era-of-scif-construction

Navigating the new era of SCIF construction

Brian Metras, Senior Vice President, Secure Environments Group Lead, Project Development Services, JLL  and Tom Taylor, Managing Director, Aerospace and Defense Group, JLL (Q1 2025)

Changing compliance standards, heightened geopolitical threats drive SCIF (Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities) construction boom. More
siting-for-things-that-go-boom

Siting For Things That Go Boom

Tyler Keel, Engineering Project Manager, Burns & McDonnell and Courtney Dunbar, Site Selection & Economic Development Leader, Burns & McDonnell (Q1 2025)

Site selectors and engineers must be extra cautious dealing with energetics, like ammunition and explosives. More

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