As one of America’s original 13 colonies, New Jersey has a rich and historic past. This includes former industrial properties or commerce centers in urban areas, more recently developed office parks in the suburbs and older office buildings — many of which largely stand empty — in central business districts. These vacant relics — together and individually — can be transformed into new, vibrant centers for live, work and play.
Decarbonization, electrification journey driving investment and business decisions
As we celebrate Earth Day, it’s impressive to see how many more investment, siting, purchase and business decisions are being driven by growing public demand to reduce our carbon footprint. Government agencies, investors, consumers and businesses are quickly becoming aware of the need and benefits of embracing this paradigm shift. Owners and developers of commercial and industrial real estate property are increasingly accommodating their tenants’ demands for charging stations, solar panels and other brokered services. The popularity of electric vehicles (EV) continues to gain momentum across the globe as green investing is influencing automakers’ plans and the economics of owning an EV are becoming more favorable. Sustainability has become mainstream as society realizes its benefits, including lower costs, cleaner air, less traffic congestion, higher rate of return on investments, less dependence on foreign oil, better quality of life and less extreme weather.
Labor force challenges: An intense and growing concern
Fortunately for New Jersey, international migration of the foreign-born is countering the outflow of our domestic population. This trend, however, should not be taken for granted, as immigrants are now heading to other gateways. It is crucial for our economic competitiveness that New Jersey maintain its historic attractiveness for these international arrivals.