A New Era in Conservation and Economic Opportunity
MABA reframes conservation policy by emphasizing incentives, partnerships, and business-friendly opportunities across sectors.
MABA reframes conservation policy by emphasizing incentives, partnerships, and business-friendly opportunities across sectors.
Companies face growing challenges as tariffs, political shifts, and trade policies disrupt location strategies.
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.
Energy, tariffs, and trade are going to be a moving target in the coming months.
Infrastructure can power your supply chain—but only when planned with foresight.
With supply chain pressures mounting, America’s logistics network is being rebuilt from the ground up and states are competing for the infrastructure edge by investing in ports, air cargo, and cold storage.
How economic developers, manufacturers, and policymakers can prepare for potential trade shifts.
Area Development talked with Norfolk Southern’s GVP of Industrial Development, Craig Hudson, about the evolving importance of rail in site selection, supply chain sustainability, and emerging sectors like metals and advanced materials.
Site selection starts with infrastructure, not charm — here’s how EDOs can prepare.
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.
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.
Manufacturers can’t afford delays—here’s what to ask for before picking your next site.
New challenges—from automation to federal fallout—are testing how companies manage risk in incentive-backed projects
New market tax credits offer millions in upfront funding for projects that create jobs and serve underserved communities.
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.
SCEDA priority legislation could boost state’s economic development efforts.
How to plan manufacturing facilities with safety in mind.
Although records have been set for massive industrial spaces, the market has been shifting to smaller buildings.
New regulations to expand cybersecurity expertise and reporting requirements can only help to eliminate the very real threats companies are facing on a daily basis.
To find out more about the current cyber threats companies are facing and their responses to such threats, Area Development’s staff writer, Lisa Bastian, interviewed Michael Morris, a managing director in Deloitte’s Cyber Detect & Respond practice.
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.
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.
Construction firms are navigating supply shocks, labor shortages and policy pressures with smarter, early-stage coordination.
A surprising encounter reveals why environmental due diligence isn’t just paperwork — it’s protection.
Faced with the prospect of building a massive $700 million surface reservoir, Greeley instead pursued something few communities have dared to try.
Georgia’s newest innovation district bets big on climate-ready infrastructure and long-term planning.
Sustainability has moved from a buzzword to a critical business practice, driven by government regulations and building codes as well as end-user expectations.
The new frontier in site selection for companies has everything to do with keeping things running during increasingly wild storms and weather patterns.
Could a prolonged strike have disrupted U.S. supply chains further?
Salary transparency in job listings offers new insights into wages.
The new year brings some significant changes that will impact employers who have entry-level workers, with 22 states raising their minimum wages effective January 1st.
According to the experts, respecting and listening to employees’ concerns is key to keeping unionizing efforts at bay.
Employers must modernize their training programs if they want to attract and retain the next generation.
The booming data center industry urgently needs more skilled workers to sustain growth.
States with top programs share a few elements that make them standout.
Employers turn to untapped talent pools to address workforce gaps.
Reestablishing the value of the office has driven trends in workplace investment and location strategy
Meaghan Elwell serves as the President of the Industrials Division at JLL Work Dynamics, where she oversees global outsourcing relationships across various sectors, including Manufacturing, Aviation, Automotive, Logistics, Oil & Gas, and Utilities. With over 20 years at JLL, she has extensive experience in managing corporate relationships and large real estate portfolios.
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.
Some AI tools make it easier for recruiters to find top candidates. Here’s the skinny:
Two decades of dealmaking, diversification, and economic momentum — this year’s Shovel Awards celebrate the states digging deepest to build the future.
If you’re reading this magazine, you’re likely grappling with questions that don’t have easy answers: Where will the next constraint show up? What will this election cycle do to capital flows? How do you build resilience without losing speed?
Economic growth shines at the Area Development Shovel Awards, with states like South Carolina and Louisiana leading the charge. Discover which regions are driving innovation and sustainability in industries from automotive to green technology.
Louisiana leads with green, earning the first-ever Green Shovel for its commitment to renewable energy. The state's significant cleantech investments highlight a national shift toward sustainable development.
The fluidity of digital innovation - and its lack of dependence on a traditional industrial infrastructure - means that tech havens are blooming in newer magnets where tech-savvy workers are prevalent, ranging from Ann Arbor, Michigan to Richmond, Virginia.
Faced with the prospect of building a massive $700 million surface reservoir, Greeley instead pursued something few communities have dared to try.
How Mississippi is turning a federal legacy into a commercial space hub.
Georgia’s newest innovation district bets big on climate-ready infrastructure and long-term planning.
Nearly four years after COVID locked down the U.S. economy, the top 50 Leading Metro Locations in 2024 still depict the ripple effect of the shift to remote work.
The 2024 metro rankings reflect a number of small metros that have successfully attracted industrial projects in the last five years.
Area Development’s 2024 Leading Metro Locations report reveals shifting dynamics in America’s cities.
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.
Certain states just have the right ingredients for attracting and nurturing business growth. The 2024 Top States for Doing Business rankings are in, and guess what? The Southern states are shining bright once again.
Having a workforce with the right skills is an integral part of being a Top State for Doing Business — that’s why training programs are so important.
Oil and gas industry consolidation will likely lead to increased demands for higher-quality offices in top locations.
Companies prioritize values and mission when choosing modern headquarters locations.
The post-pandemic remote working trend has resulted in “emerging” or “other” metros performing better than the more established tech markets.
Companies are relocating their headquarters for myriad reasons, including to lower costs, access skilled talent, improve accessibility, and burnish their corporate image.
Pre-leasing slows, location criteria evolve, and real estate tax structures face pressure from leaner buildouts.
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.
LiquidStack CEO Joe Capes on choosing Texas for expansion, working through AI supply chain shocks, and why hot water is the future of cooling.
What developers need to know about how states are regulating data centers—and utilities are shifting the cost burden.
Embedding automation into leases may offer companies a smarter way to balance risk, cost and productivity.
Partnerships with local economic developers and other community stakeholders are key to a company getting approval to site a big-box distribution center.
The exponential growth of e-commerce has, in turn, accelerated the need for both warehouse and data center space.
Given the complexity of the 3PL selection process, it is imperative to begin with a thoroughly planned strategy.
Maritime Prosperity Zones could reshape shipbuilding and repair across the U.S. — if defined and used wisely.
Power supply, infrastructure, and specs often fall short for manufacturers eyeing overbuilt logistics sites.
Automation and policy incentives could reshape the future of American textile production.
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.