When the drafters of the federal and New Jersey constitutions established the length of terms for elected leaders from two to six years, they probably thought those were the right lengths to enable those leaders to focus on both short- and long-term issues. Unfortunately, most of the focus has been on the short term with little planning for the longer-term issues. Long-term has come to mean getting past the next election.
Guest Columns
From one professional to another, our guest columnists offer their opinions and their take on the latest trends and issues facing the commercial real estate sector.
The rebirth of the suburbs: The impact of aging millennials and driverless car technology
This multiyear transformation of our downtown areas has led to speculation that the single-family, suburban model of development is dead. In this article, I will make a different prediction. Today, I predict that the next great housing boom will be in the suburbs. The millennials will move out of the city and into the suburbs and will commute farther distances, by car, than previous generations.
The suburbs need to adapt: A roadmap for towns to reinvent themselves
By Peter S. Reinhart We all get older until we don’t. During our lifetime, our bodies age and we do our best to slow down the process of aging, but inevitably the end arrives. The use of our land is…
The federal housing policy mess: Dispelling myths about mortgage subsidies
By Morris A. Davis Since the 1930s, the federal government has actively promoted homeownership as a policy goal. Despite good intentions, our public policy in place after 80-plus years of rules and regulations is not well thought out and poorly…
A new era for commercial real estate: In the built environment, health and wellness is now more important than ever
Designed by NK Architects, the New York Blood Center demonstrates how bringing natural daylight into an interior can enhance the workplace environment. — Courtesy: NK Architects By Ben P. Lee Understanding market trends is a key of successful real estate…
Don’t rule out negative interest rates just yet: Here’s why — and what it would mean for you
Even after accounting for the fact that interest rates and expected inflation jumped after Donald Trump’s election, I would guess there is a 20 percent possibility that short-term interest rates become negative in the next two years.
A tale of two suburbs: Matching tenants, landlords in N.J.
New Jersey’s commercial real estate and business communities are paying significant attention to the repositioning of New Jersey’s aging suburban office campuses as highly amenitized live/work/play environments. And equal focus is being placed on the hyper-customization of interior spaces — especially for headquarters operations — with open layouts and design elements that speak to an organization’s distinct corporate culture.
