Editor’s Note
The best of The Briefing 2020
With a new year upon us, we’re excited to bring you a look back at our top stories of 2020, including our most-read items and a few editor’s picks. You can catch up on our daily “best of” emails here.
A fresh look
You wouldn’t know it by the last four months, but major news stories are always prone to ebbs and flows. The federal Opportunity Zone program is a case in point when it comes to commercial real estate publications. The investment vehicle has been all the rage at various points since it was created in late 2017, only to take a step back as buzz died down.
In spite of it all
It was a busy spring, surprisingly so, and I know many of you would agree. I’ve seen it firsthand in the lease and sale announcements that have continued to hit my inbox these last three months, with many of them offering praise to the parties involved for getting the deal done in the midst of “challenging economic times” or “uncertain market conditions.” I know full well that much of the industry is still hurting. We won’t lose sight of that. But we will take the opportunity to highlight some of the positive things that are happening in spite of the pandemic.
Thinking positively
Last month I alluded to how quickly things can change during a situation such as a pandemic, especially one that has so dramatically impacted our economy. That is certainly still the case in New Jersey, but the good news is that (as of now), things may be changing for the better.
Moving forward in a time of uncertainty
Our world here in New Jersey has changed over the past two weeks and, for many of us, most dramatically over the past few days alone. We’re only just beginning to learn what it will be like to do our jobs and conduct business in the era of social distancing, and what this all means for the state’s commercial real estate sector will start to become clearer in the months ahead.





