The Atlantic City skyline
If real estate is the ultimate relationship business, as we often hear, then there’s nothing like a trade show with thousands in attendance to lift your spirits after a long winter.
You’ll find exactly that at the annual Atlantic Builders Convention, the New Jersey Builders Association’s flagship event that returns to Atlantic City in late March. The energy at the conference has been especially strong in recent times, as it’s likely to be this year with a renewed sense of optimism under new Gov. Mikie Sherrill.
As you’ll read in this month’s cover story, NJBA has been heartened by the earliest days of the Sherrill administration, with its focus on making New Jersey more affordable and government more efficient. The group points to steps such as the creation of the state’s first-ever chief operating officer, along with the governor’s pledge to launch a real‑time dashboard to track permits — steps that could provide a clearer path toward an expanded housing supply and lower costs for residents. All of which comes amid growing membership for NJBA, helping it capitalize on other tailwinds and navigate the industry’s ongoing challenges.
“This is a pivotal moment,” said Jeff Kolakowski, the association’s CEO. “With a new administration and renewed focus on affordability, we have an opportunity to align policy, permitting and planning in a way that meaningfully increases housing supply across the state.”
Our March issue also features an interview with the leaders of the Jersey City Apartment Owners Association, specifically on their outreach to the city’s new mayor. That follows a contentious campaign by then-Councilman James Solomon, who railed against developers amid calls to make the city more affordable, but the JCAOA feels it’s part of the solution. It’s not only seeking common ground with Solomon — in hopes of continuing the city’s multidecade development boom — but pitching itself as a resource that can help with everything from market data to traffic studies.
You can find those stories and more in the latest edition of Real Estate NJ, including our coverage of a fireside chat with New Jersey Economic Development Authority CEO Evan Weiss. The newly installed official spoke during the recent Newark Summit for Real Estate, Economic Development & Placemaking, explaining how his time as head of the nonprofit Newark Alliance will shape his new post in state government. It’s important to Weiss to maintain his connection to those who are impacted by the authority’s high-profile tax credit programs and policy initiatives, he said, as he did during four years in a role focused on inclusive economic development in the state’s largest city.
“Easier said than done, but if I have one lesson, I want to walk around,” Weiss said. “I want to be able to see things firsthand myself, to understand how it’s getting communicated down into the community.”
As I’m sure many of you will agree, spring could not come soon enough. But it’s worth noting that we saw a steady stream of New Jersey commercial real estate news through much of the winter. Let’s hope there’s more to come with the warmer weather ahead. Until then, thanks for reading. Enjoy the issue!
Joshua Burd
Editor
