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Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

Site Selection Factors / Strategy

what-companies-need-from-modern-manufacturing-sites

What Companies Need from Modern Manufacturing Sites

Beth Buckner, Member, Taxation, Moore & Van Allen and Beth Friedrich, Director of Public Affairs, Moore & Van Allen (Q1 2026)

Capital, infrastructure, power and workforce now define competitive manufacturing locations. More
advanced-manufacturing-isnt-a-buzzword-its-a-different-location-strategy

Advanced Manufacturing Isn’t a Buzzword—It’s a Different Location Strategy

Mario Ochoa, Managing Director, Advanced Manufacturing Practice, JLL (Q1 2026)

Why companies expanding today must rethink labor, sites, and operational resilience. 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

How Georgia Power’s Proprietary Tools and Data Analytics Are Reshaping Site Selection in Georgia

Georgia Power Community & Economic Development (Q1 2026)

In today’s fast-moving business environment, site decisions increasingly hinge on the ability to turn complex data into actionable insights. Companies demand sites that can quickly meet operational, workforce, and infrastructure needs. More
why-uncertainty-not-demand-is-slowing-foreign-investment-in-the-us

Why Uncertainty — Not Demand — Is Slowing Foreign Investment in the U.S.

Nelson Lindsay, Principal, Parker Poe Consulting (Q1 2026)

For first-time foreign investors, confidence — not incentives — has become the gating factor. More
life-sciences-successes-validate-virginias-partnership-focused-economic-development-model

Life Sciences Successes Validate Virginia’s Partnership-Focused Economic Development Model

Virginia Economic Development Partnership (Q1 2026)

Virginia’s life sciences surge in 2025 reflected years of coordinated workforce, education, and site readiness, attracting major investments from Lilly, AstraZeneca, and Merck through fast permitting and partnership-driven economic development. More
2026-data-center-outlook-what-actually-changes-next

2026 Data Center Outlook: What Actually Changes Next

Area Development Research Desk (Q1 2026)

Demand is a given. Power, timelines, and execution are not — and that’s where 2026 decisions are getting made. More
when-property-law-becomes-a-location-constraint

When Property Law Becomes a Location Constraint

Tom Croteau, Senior Managing Director, Maxis Advisors (Q1 2026)

How ownership restrictions are complicating industrial site selection. More
industries-of-the-future-arent-speculative-anymore

Industries of the Future Aren’t Speculative Anymore

Mark Cote, Vice Chairman, Savills (Q1 2026)

How federal capital, private investment, and place are quietly reshaping U.S. manufacturing. More
the-real-differentiator-for-2026-site-selection-projects

Speed Built In—The Real Differentiator for 2026 Site Selection Projects

Andy Greiner,  Editor, Area Development (Q1 2026)

After a year where “shovel ready” often unraveled under scrutiny, the forward play is fewer unknowns and faster paths to operation—because constraints decide the field before incentives do. More
the-geography-of-packaging-why-location-strategy-matters-more-than-ever

The Geography of Packaging: Why Location Strategy Matters More Than Ever

Ramya Gowda, Managing Director, Global Strategy Consulting, Newmark (Q1 2026)

Smarter expansion begins with smarter location decisions — especially as automation, sustainability, and supply chain risk redefine the packaging industry. More
koreas-blueprint-for-sustainable-us-expansion

In Focus: Korea’s Blueprint for Sustainable U.S. Expansion

Eric Stavriotis, Vice Chairman, CBRE (Q4 2025)

Why advanced manufacturers are treating site selection as a long-term business strategy, not a transaction. More
why-industrial-developers-are-turning-to-on-site-energy

Why Industrial Developers Are Turning to On-Site Energy

Courtney Dunbar, Site Selection & Economic Development Leader, Burns & McDonnell and Kevin Fox, Program Director and National Engineering Manager, Burns and McDonnell (Q4 2025)

Facilities facing interconnection bottlenecks are accelerating production by investing directly in resilient, on-site energy systems. More
leading-metro-locations-2025-smaller-markets-stronger-momentum

Leading Metro Locations 2025: Smaller Markets, Stronger Momentum

Andy Greiner,  Editor, Area Development (Q4 2025)

Smaller and mid-sized U.S. metros are outpacing big cities, leveraging workforce agility, affordability, and livability to redefine competitiveness and attract investment in 2025. 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

Editor's Note: The Year Site Selection Grew Up

Andy Greiner,  Editor, Area Development (Q4 2025)

Energy availability takes center stage as companies compete for grid capacity and rethink growth strategies 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
strategy-driven-location-decisions

Strategy Driven Location Decisions

Tommy Hyde, Chief of Staff, AdvanceCT (Q4 2025)

How aligning operations with regional strengths drives better long-term performance than cost-focused site selection. 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
navigating-generational-differences-in-location-and-workplace-strategy

Navigating Generational Differences in Location and Workplace Strategy

Chris Volney, Managing Director, Americas Consulting, CBRE (Q4 2025)

Workforce demographics are reshaping how and where companies design and locate their offices. More
smart-executives-are-paying-attention-to-rural-opportunity-zones

Last Word: Smart Executives Are Paying Attention to Rural Opportunity Zones

Kate Crowley, Principal, CapCivic (Q4 2025)

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. 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
the-site-selection-corporate-checklist

The Site Selection Corporate Checklist

Ramya Gowda, Managing Director, Global Strategy Consulting, Newmark (Q3 2025)

Site selection doesn’t start with “where” — it starts with alignment, clarity and structure. 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

Around the Horn: Advanced Manufacturing’s Next Move

Greg Matter, Vice Chair, Industrials, JLL and Meaghan Elwell, President, Industrials Division, Work Dynamics, JLL (Q3 2025)

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. 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
site-readiness-is-broken-what-manufacturers-should-demand-from-their-locations

Site Readiness Is Broken: What Manufacturers Should Demand From Their Locations

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

Manufacturers can’t afford delays—here’s what to ask for before picking your next site. More
where-medtech-grows-best

Where MedTech Grows Best

Matt Jackson, Executive Managing Director , JLL (Q3 2025)

How data, labor, and logistics drive location decisions for next-gen MedTech manufacturing. More
your-next-factory-might-already-be-built

Your Next Factory Might Already Be Built

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

Vacant factories might be the smartest place to expand—if you know what to look for. 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
the-compliance-reckoning-is-here

The Compliance Reckoning Is Here

Brooklin Salemi, Senior Managing Director, Economic Incentives Advisory, Newmark and Joseph Gioino, Senior Managing Director, Economic Incentives Advisory, Newmark (Q3 2025)

New challenges—from automation to federal fallout—are testing how companies manage risk in incentive-backed projects More
2025s-top-states-for-business

2025’s Top States for Business: How the Winners Are Outpacing the Rest

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

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. 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
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

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