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How to Prepare For a Commercial Business Relocation

Posted on June 25, 2018 by Mike Kushner in Blog, Commercial Real Estate No Comments

For any business who has navigated the challenges of moving into new office, retail or industrial space, you likely learned some valuable lessons along the way of things you would choose to do differently if you had to do it again. A commercial business relocation has a major impact on company culture, customer service and your bottom line. For this reason, it’s critical to be strategic about how you approach your move to set yourself up for a smooth and seamless transition.

To provide valuable insight on the topic of commercial business relocation, Omni Realty interviewed Dick Michaelian. Dick is a principal of Relocation Consulting & Management, Inc (RC&M) located in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. Having been in the moving and storage business for over 36 years, with 26 of those with RC&M, Dick has helped local, state and federal governments, schools, colleges, healthcare, courthouses, museums and corporate businesses successful relocate to new facilities.

We asked Dick to answer five important questions regarding commercial business relocation covering everything from the biggest challenges to planning for a successful move. Take a look at Dick’s insight and advice that can be applied to any business or organization considering a relocation.

Omni: What are the biggest factors that cause businesses to relocate?

Dick Michaelian: The number one factor is change. While that sounds quite simple, it can be very difficult for an organization to change. Growing, shrinking, change of ownership or leadership are all examples of change. Other factors include the expiration of a lease or sale of a building as well as a desire to change a location because of customers or taxing entities.

Omni: For businesses considering a relocation, what are the most important details they should think through?

Dick Michaelian: A business should begin with the end in mind. How do you want everything to look and operate when the move is completed? From there, you should work back to where you are now and then determine how much time, money and effort will be required to get to where you want to be. Businesses often under estimate the amount of resources required for a good, effective relocation.

Another consideration is how to maintain your level of productivity during the transition. The last thing that should ever happen during a move is for a customer to be told “we can’t be of service to you because of our move.” The entire relocation should be virtually invisible to customers!

Finally, a business should strongly consider what and how it wants to change as a result of the relocation. Change will happen whether it is desired and planned or spontaneous and intrusive.

Omni: How early should businesses begin to plan for their relocation?

Dick Michaelian: The planning should begin as soon as the decision is made that the business is going to move. I’m working with a client now whose move is planned for late 2020 and they want to get a clear picture of what is required for their budget. Planning can never begin too early. The actual implementation of the plan usually begins about four to six months prior to the relocation.

Omni: Describe your recommended planning process for corporate relocation.

Dick Michaelian: The planning process begins with leadership setting the path and goal. From there, it’s getting everyone to work together using the same data. Effective communication is critical. A ‘team’ approach works best, utilizing resources from different facets that will be playing a part in the move – large or small: IT, procurement, facilities, operations, administration and leadership. It’s essential to have a “big picture” perspective of the project while assigning expectations and due-dates to the players.

Once the plan is agreed upon and set, any changes should be well considered. You never want to change a plan in the middle of the move. That rarely proves successful in the end, as often the goal changes as well.

Omni: In your experience, what factors most commonly impact the success of a business’s relocation?

Dick Michaelian: The single most important factor are people moving. The reliability of the planning team members and their dedication to the success of the project is critical. No one person can be responsible for a fantastic move – it’s a team effort. However, one person can really make it hard for everybody else if they don’t want to move or change. Management has to set the tone. Getting the different elements to buy into the change that needs to occur is difficult; but, with the right vision and passion, good leaders will help their organizations through the necessary transition. I always enjoy observing this process with successful businesses.

Moving can be very difficult. Good leaders who recognize that they are in the “people business” have the most impact on the success of a relocation.

Another factor is timing. You never want to move until the new space is ready. And yet, most relocations occur without a new, completed space. Construction delays, last minute changes and contractors not performing are the major causes of this situation.

You can create a great new working environment for your business; but, if the move goes poorly, that’s what everyone will remember. Don’t underestimate the vital importance of a well-planned, smoothly executed relocation from beginning to end!

Is your business considering a relocation to new retail, office or industrial space? What piece of advice did you find most helpful? Join in the conversation, or ask a question by leaving a comment below!

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How to Identify the Best Commercial Tenant Agent (Guest Post by William Gary)

Posted on June 18, 2018 by Mike Kushner in Blog, Commercial Real Estate, Guest Blogger, Tenant Representative/Buyer Agent No Comments

Note: This article was originally published by William Gary, MBA, MIM on MacLaurin Williams, LLC. Permission to republish has been granted. Click here to read the original version.

How to Identify the Best Commercial Tenant Agent

Commercial Tenants and Buyers often complain that “their” supposed Real Estate Broker seems more interested in depositing a commission check than in helping them to find the right workspace at the best price. Sadly, they are quite correct. Far worse, do Occupiers understand what’s wrong when Brokers try to “double-end” their deals and pocket commission checks on both sides of the table? In commercial real estate parlance, this is aptly known as “double-dipping” and it’s not good for Tenants and Owner-Occupants.

Even Landlords and Sellers may feel pressured by their Listing Brokers, Landlords’ Agents or Sellers’ Agents to make price reductions or to accept offers that are less than what they wanted. On the other side of the table, Tenants and Buyers can feel their arms painfully twisted by “their” Brokers to pay more than they had budgeted to lease space or purchase a building.

So whose Broker is whose and what’s really going on? And why does it matter so much?

DIRTY SECRET NO ONE WANTS TO TALK ABOUT

Shockingly, in many transactions in the US, Commercial Real Estate Brokers have no (zero) legal obligation to look out for the best interests of the Tenants or Buyers they work with. However, many Tenants and Buyers are woefully unaware of this troubling fact.

Laws in at least 25 US states now allow a Commercial Broker to work with a Tenant or Buyer as a Transaction Broker, Facilitator, Intermediary, Dual Agent or Subagent. All but the last of these are pure middlemen. None of them have any legal fiduciary duties of loyalty or obedience to the Tenant or Buyer they work with.

In some states, Texas as one example, the “Client” legally is not even a Client of an Intermediary, Transaction Broker or Facilitator; he or she is merely a “Customer.”

Such Brokers might work “with” you as their Customer, but certainly not “for” you as your advocate. That’s a critical distinction. They’re definitely not your Tenant Representative, 100% Tenant Rep, Tenant’s Agent or Buyer’s Agent.

All fifty (50) states provide avenues for Commercial Brokers to double-end deals, i.e. work with both the Landlord and Tenant or both the Buyer and Seller in the very same transaction and, thereby, avoid any obligation to split or share commissions with an outside “Cooperating Broker“. A Broker (or his or her Brokerage House/Company) is legally allowed to keep the commissions on both sides of a transaction; hence the term “double-dipping“.

In such instances, detractors, including Consumer Advocates, maintain that neither a Tenant nor an Owner-Occupant is actually represented. That’s accurate because neither has an advocate nor champion truly sitting on his or her side of the table.

A Consumer, in this case a Tenant or Owner-Occupant, should not assume that his or her Broker is obligated to represent his or her best interests, and his or her best interests alone, until one has first seen a formal, written disclosure describing the agency relationship under which real estate services are being provided. Tenants and Owner-Occupants should see this disclosure upfront, too, not at the closing table as some Tenants report Big Brokerage Houses are doing. By then, it’s usually way too late to hire a 100% Tenant Rep as an advocate and start over.

Even Landlords and Sellers looking to negotiate the best commission rates, to obtain the highest levels of service and to protect their legal rights in the event of a dispute, should start the process by making certain that they fully understand the form of representation that a Broker is offering to provide them.

Is it a “Single Agency” relationship, which is the optimum and best relationship for the Consumer? That is The Gold Standard of Representation, especially for Tenants and Owner-Occupants.

Or is it a legal relationship that leaves the door open for a Broker or his or her company to double-end the deal and double-dip on commissions?

TYPES OF AGENCY RELATIONSHIPS

Agency relationships are created when one person or party agrees to act on another’s behalf, or to represent them in dealings with a third party.

Once an agency relationship is established, Brokers (as Agents) owe their Clients “fiduciary duties of loyalty and obedience.” In a Single Agency relationship, Agents are typically required to place their Clients’ interests above and ahead of their own. They do so by providing advocacy services with honesty and good faith, while carefully avoiding conflicts of interest or “self-dealing.”

There is confusion, though, because rules governing agency relationships between Consumers and Real Estate Brokers vary from state to state, and all have been rewritten in the last 25 years. Depending on the laws of the state in which they are licensed, Brokers provide services through one of six (6) relationships:

#1) Single Agency: A Broker represents only the interests of the Landlord or the Tenant (or the Seller or Buyer) in a transaction, either as the “Listing Agent” for the property or as a “Tenant’s Agent” or a “Buyer’s Agent” for the Occupier. Consumer Advocates maintain that Single Agency is the optimum form of representation. This is The Gold Standard of Representation, especially for Tenants and Owner-Occupants.

#2) Designated Agency: This occurs when a conflict of interest arises within a Brokerage Company and one Broker is in a position to represent both parties on opposite sides of a transaction; for example, the Landlord and the Tenant on lease. To seemingly remove the conflict of interest, the Employing, Sponsoring or Managing Broker of the Brokerage Company separately designates two (2) of his In-house Brokers, one to represent the Landlord and the other to represent the Tenant.

When states require that Employing, Sponsoring or Managing Brokers implement safeguards to protect a Client’s confidential information, academics and Consumer Advocates say that Designated Agency is the next best alternative to Single Agency. But we maintain that there’s a giant drop off between #1 Single Agency Representation versus #2 Designated Agency. That is particularly true for the Tenant, which only needs one lease at a time as compared to a Landlord that requires assistance from its Listing Broker or Landlord’s Agent with multiple leases in a single building or maybe even in multiple buildings in a portfolio.

Colorado offers Designated Agency. In reality, it was creative wiggling by the Big Brokerage Houses and traditional Commercial Brokers to get the Colorado Legislature to exempt them with a pen from having hundreds of troubling, very inconvenient conflicts of interest. You see, when the Big Brokerage Houses and traditional Brokers were previously seeking to represent Tenants, every single one of their property listings was an actual or potential conflict of interest. So the Colorado Legislature gave them just the legal loophole they wanted. In my opinion, you can expect to see this occur in many other states, too.’

#3) Disclosed Dual Agency: This is when a single Broker or two (2) Brokers working for the same Company provide services simultaneously to both the Landlord and Tenant (or the Seller and Buyer) in a limited, reduced agency relationship, which they must disclose to the to Principal Parties to the transaction. However, part of the disclosure is that neither Broker is legally allowed or obligated to represent the best interests of either the Landlord or the Tenant (or the Seller or Buyer).

In states with no provisions for Designated Agency, the single broker or two (2) Brokers affiliated with the same Company may be considered Dual Agent(s). It’s rather like “double agents” in the world of espionage and it’s not a good situation for Landlords and Tenants or Sellers and Buyers because Dual Agents are required to be impartial and cannot act as an advocate for either side of the transaction.

Although controversial even among Real Estate Brokers and Agents, Disclosed Dual Agency does present an opportunity for experienced Landlords and Sellers to negotiate discounted or “variable rate” commissions in advance, primarily because the Landlord or Seller would have to settle for a lesser standard of representation than in a Single Agency relationship.

But for Tenants and Buyers in the US, who don’t pay the commission to their Brokers or Agents, since it’s paid by Landlords or Sellers, what Tenants and Buyers unfortunately receive in Dual Agency situations are lower standards of representation, including zero advocacy.

#4) Transaction Brokers, Facilitators & Intermediaries: Transaction Brokerage occurs when one (1) Broker or two (2) Brokers at the same Brokerage House/Company work with a Landlord or Tenant or a Seller or Buyer in a non-agency, non-advocacy relationship. It may or may not be declared in writing but a Transaction Broker owes no fiduciary duties of loyalty and obedience to a Landlord, Tenant, Seller or Buyer.

A Broker that performs Transaction Brokerage is called, as one might expect, a “Transaction Broker” in some states but a “Facilitator” or “Intermediary” in other states. In Colorado, it’s called a Transaction Broker and in Texas it’s called an Intermediary.

Transaction Brokers, Facilitators and Intermediaries share the same disadvantages as Dual Agents because neither the Landlord nor Tenant (nor the Seller or Buyer) can expect a Broker to represent its best interests during any negotiations. As a result, a Tenant or Buyer working with a Transaction Broker, Facilitator or Intermediary has little latitude to file a claim for professional negligence or ommission by any such Broker.

Another little dirty secret is that some Brokers intentionally dodge having the higher standards and duties owed to a Tenant or Owner-Occupant under a Single Agency relationship and prefer to work as Transaction Brokers, Facilitators or Intermediaries. Why? Because it affords them much more “wiggle room” and greater margin for error, plus it leaves the door wide open for a potential double-dipping down the road.

#5) Providing Ministerial Services to Unrepresented “Customers”: In real estate law, the unrepresented Tenant or Buyer is often called a “Customer.” A Listing Broker for a property may avoid splitting a commission with an outside Cooperating Broker by providing limited administrative services to an unrepresented Tenant or Buyer, i.e. to a Customer. Why? Again, it’s so the Broker can bank a commission on both sides of a transaction.

#6) Subagency: It’s pretty clear that the Listing Broker for a property represents the Landlord or Seller in a declared, usually written agency relationship, called a Listing Agreement.

But in some states, like Texas, without a written or declared agreement, all Brokers and Salespeople who work with Tenants or Buyers are actually legally “Subagents” of the Landlord or Seller’s Listing Broker/Agent for the property.

That’s right.

It means that all of the Brokers involved in a Subagency state like Texas legally owe 100% of their allegiance, loyalty and expertise to the Landlord or Seller. The Tenant or Buyer has no legal representation whatsoever.

In effect, in a Subagency state all of the Brokers can legally gang up against a Tenant or Buyer, if the Tenant or Buyer does not elect to sign up a Tenant or Buyer’s Agent to act as its advocate and to protect and advance its best interests.

Although Subagency was previously a national real estate industry practice in the US until the 1990s, this form of representation has largely fallen out of favor due to lack of protection for The Public/Consumers and the legal liability risks for Brokers, Landlords and Sellers. Nevertheless, Subagency remains the default or beginning legal relationship in a few states where nothing is in writing between a Tenant or Buyer and a Commercial Broker.

Colorado does not allow Subagency but in Texas it’s the default relationship. Unfortunately, Subagency can turn into a bad dream for unrepresented Tenants, Buyers and Owner-Occupants. To be frank, I can’t even believe that Texas and a few other states still allow Subagents.

CONCLUSIONS

Every state in the US provides avenues for Commercial Brokers to double-end deals and double-dip on fees, which is usually the worst-case scenario for Tenants, Buyers and Owner-Occupants.

Of the eight (8) states that ban Dual Agency altogether, four (4) states still allow Designated Agency (Alaska, Colorado, Maryland and Texas); five (5) states allow Transaction Brokerage, Facilitators or Intermediaries (Florida, Colorado, Texas, Kansas and Oklahoma); and three (3) states allow both Transaction Brokerage and Designated Agency (Alaska, Colorado and Texas).

Designated Agents, Subagents, Transaction Brokers, Facilitators and Intermediaries, effectively, are all just Dual Agents and double-dipping under different legal names. Certain states’ outlawing of Dual Agency is pretty much an illusion and window dressing to assuage the legitimate concerns of Consumers/The Public.

Designated Agency, in particular, is artful window dressing that quite pleases Big Brokerage Houses and traditional Commercial Brokers, all of which seek to obfuscate and camouflage their numerous Conflicts of Interest. It still allows them to legally double-end deals as an excuse to double-dip on commissions. Dual Agents, Subagents, Designated Agents, Transaction Brokers, Facilitators and Intermediaries do little good for Tenants, Buyers and Owner-Occupants, since none of them are true advocates.

To argue otherwise is disingenuous but traditional, regular Commercial Brokers go out there and do it every day.

This troubling issue for Tenants and Owner-Occupants is critical enough for the Office of General Counsel in the New York Department of State to post a notice to The Public. The warning is titled “Be Wary of Dual Agency” and you can read it for yourself at this link.

Honestly, the more I think about it, it’s obvious that Big Brokerage Houses and traditional Commercial Real Estate Brokers believe that Tenants and Owner-Occupants are naive. And that Occupiers still won’t recognize Conflicts of Interest or do anything about them. At best, the whole thing is confusing, even to licensed Brokers.

Some traditional Brokers still argue adamantly, as long as they disclose double-ending and double-dipping to the Landlord and Tenant or to the Seller and Buyer, then it’s perfectly OK based on the “Everyone Knows About It Theory.”

Here’s a link to a stunning article titled Major US Tenant Files Suit Alleging Multi-state Real Estate Fraud & Bribery Scheme. It’s about what goes wrong when a major Tenant doesn’t take Conflicts of Interest seriously enough and engages a Big Brokerage House accustomed to serving two masters in the same transaction. Letting the fox count the chickens doesn’t usually end well and this story doesn’t.

For Tenants, Buyers and Owner-Occupants, what is the point of working with a Broker, even a friend or acquaintance, if they are not a true advocate sitting on your side of the table? It costs more or less the same to have your own advocate as it does to have a Broker whose loyalty is either totally to the other side or whose hands are severely limited and tied halfway behind his or her back.

This is why true Tenant/Buyer Representatives (“Tenant Reps”), Tenant Brokers, Tenant Rep Brokers, Tenant’s Agents and Buyer’s Agents, like MacLaurin Williams and our colleagues at MacLaurin Williams Worldwide, practice only Single Agency Representation. That is The Gold Standard of Representation. We never consider representing two (2) masters in the same transaction. Just because the law allows (less principled) Commercial Brokers to double-end deals and double-dip on commissions, we strongly believe that it’s highly unethical and we won’t do it.

But, for most Commercial Brokers in the US, double-ending and double-dipping are business as usual.

Author of this article, William Gary, MBA, MIM works at MacLaurin Williams Worldwide and can be reached by +1 303-901-1108 or at wgary@MacLW.com.

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Does Your Commercial Real Estate Property Qualify for Section 110 Construction Allowances?

Posted on June 11, 2018 by Mike Kushner in Blog, Commercial Real Estate No Comments

Section 110 of the current Internal Revenue Code (IRC) provides an interesting opportunity for commercial tenants and landlords alike. Essentially Section 110, in certain instances, allows commercial tenants to make improvements to their leased workspace with the benefit of not having to recognize income for any cash payments or rent reductions that are expressly identified in the lease as qualified Section 110 allowances. Additionally, under a qualified Section 110 provision, the landlord will be treated as the owner of the constructed improvements and entitled to depreciation deductions as nonresidential real estate.

The purpose of this tax provision is to provide a set of rules for certain construction allowances, in which the tax reporting and treatment will be consistent between the lessor and lessee. It’s important to understand the nuances of Section 110 that determine whether such improvements qualify. Qualified property is nonresidential real estate which is part of, or present at, “retail space,” which property reverts to the lessor at the termination of the lease. The term of the lease must be 15 years or less, applying certain rules.

For most commercial landlords and their tenants, it can be overwhelming to understand how and when it’s appropriate to take advantage of Section 110. If you find that you’re uncertain as to whether your situation qualifies, don’t let this be the reason you forfeit this potential tax break altogether. When used properly, Section 110 can offer a huge benefit to both parties, allowing tenants to enjoy an upgraded, functional workspace, and allowing landlords the ability to improve their commercial property.

Take a moment to answer these questions to determine if your property might qualify under Section 110. To help us answer, we’ve enlisted the expertise of Jim Holland, Certified Public Accountant (CPA) to offer insight into qualifying for this tax deduction. *It’s important to keep in mind that these are simplified questions and answers. More details may be necessary to fully assess your situation.

Is my space considered “retail?”

If you leased, occupied or use space in your trade of selling tangible personal property (i.e. products or goods) or services to the general public, this is considered retail space. You qualify!

Am I in a short-term lease?

If your lease, with extensions, is not greater than 15 years in length this is considered a short-term lease. You qualify!

Am I constructing qualified long-term real property for use in my trade or business?

If you construct nonresidential improvements (sec 1250 property vs. sec 1245 property) which revert to the lessor (i.e. landlord or person leasing you the space) at termination of the lease, the answer to this question is yes. You qualify! A note of caution: if the lessor chooses to use a cost-segregation study to reallocate the costs, a different language must be used in the lease agreement.

Who will ultimately own the improvements to the property?

To adhere to the requirements under Section 110, your lease must specifically indicate that the lessor retains ownership of all improvements to the property. In this case…you qualify!

Do I have an official agreement between the tenant and landlord?

If you have obtained a signed agreement, before payment or before the reduction in rent begins, from the lessor to lessee…you qualify!

Will the allowance be expended in the tax year it is received?

If the full amount of your construction allowance is expended within 8 and 1/2 months after the close of the tax year…you qualify!

Will both the landlord and the tenant disclose this information with their tax returns?

In order to fulfill this requirement, you must disclose both the landlord and tenants names, addresses, employer IDs, location, and amount reported on both lessee and lessor tax returns. In doing so…you qualify!

Does the Safe-Harbor Exclusion apply?

If you have met all of the above requirements, the safe-harbor exclusion applies to your situation. You qualify!

As you can see, Section 110 provides a valuable opportunity for commercial tenants and landlords to improve their spaces while each receiving a benefit for doing so. If you meet the requirements, and it makes sense for your situation, taking advantage of the Section 110 tax breaks could open up new possibilities to create the commercial space you’ve dream about having! The most important thing to keep in mind is that you must be aware of the requirements to qualify under Section 110 in order to receive the maximum benefit. Speak to a professional advisor before entering any contract or commitment.

*General Disclaimer: These are simplified answers and your situation may be more complicated. This document is for general information purposes only, and should not be used as a substitute for consultation with professional advisors.

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How Omni Realty Uses Research, Skill and Experience to Benefit Our Commercial Real Estate Clients

Posted on June 4, 2018 by Mike Kushner in About Us, Blog, CCIM No Comments

When in search of a service or product, you’re likely to start with a Google search. These results will lead you to visiting some potential businesses’ websites and possibly their social media pages. You may feel like you’ve gathered enough information based on the quality of their online presence, reviews and word of mouth recommendations to choose the right business to fit your needs.

But how often do you consider a business’s mission statement in this decision making process? If you don’t, you should!

A business’s mission statement (or lack thereof) will tell you a lot about their focus, approach and how they treat their customers. A nice website, active social media and high ranking reviews only paint part of the picture of the quality of the company – and what they stand for.

For the benefit of our clients, whether they be past, present or future, we hope to give you deeper insight into our own mission so you can understand what we value and our commitment to serving you!

At Omni Realty, our mission is to secure the most effective space at the most favorable terms for our clients. We use research, skill and experience to offer unmatched, highly personalized service while carefully determining our clients’ needs and analyzing all possible solutions.

But our mission statement is more than just words on paper. The values it represents are closely woven into our daily client interactions as well as our long-term visioning. Here is how Omni Realty strives to live out our mission with everything we do.

Current and Consistent Research

We are strategic about maintaining access to the industry’s most comprehensive database of commercial real estate through our partnership with CoStar. Even though we specifically serve the Central Pennsylvania market, we have access to a combination of reliable tools, resources, and expert analysis on over 5 million commercial real estate properties in today’s market. This allows us to pull and compare market reports, keep a pulse on emerging trends and give our clients valuable advice even if it’s outside of our market.

Additionally, we have access to the most technologically advanced industry tools including:

Esri ArcGIS and Business Analyst – demographics and mapping
DataVu – business list data
Riskmeter Flood Maps – assess flood hazards and generate reports
RealNex MarketEdge – financial analysis

High-Level Skill

Mike Kushner is a graduate of University of Pennsylvania (Penn) with his degree in economics. This education is combined with Mike’s CCIM Designation, making him a uniquely qualified commercial real estate broker, developer and investor. CCIM stands for Certified Commercial Investment Member and requires advanced coursework in financial and market analysis. The CCIM designation demonstrates extensive experience in the commercial real estate industry. Furthermore, CCIM designees are recognized as leading experts in commercial investment real estate.

As part of Omni Realty’s mission, developing this high-level of skill is essential to offering our clients unmatched expertise backed by confidence. Just a few of our uncommon, but highly valuable skill areas include:

Property Management
Raw Land Development
Historic Rehab Property Development
Chairman of Local Zoning Hearing Board
Expert Witness Testimony

Diverse Experience

Skill can only be grown when it is applied. Over the last 25 years of being a licensed real estate broker, Omni Realty has grown a diverse portfolio of experience. We have served over 500 clients, brokered 1,250 commercial real estate deals and have helped businesses of all sizes and industries find the most effective space at the most favorable terms. Our diverse experience also includes extensive property management, both residential and commercial.

We love sharing our experience and applying it toward delivering favorable outcomes for our clients. Experience gives us negotiation power on behalf of our clients, a leg-up on emerging market trends and a vast network of contacts that we call upon to help our clients overcome any number of challenges, both inside and outside the scope of commercial real estate.

Unique Value Proposition

We understand that other businesses may tout that they are “different” and it can be confusing to cut through the clutter and determine which commercial real estate business truly offers a unique model. First, when we say we work with businesses of all sizes, we truly mean it. From a one-person startup looking for co-working space, to a Fortune 1,000 organization looking to develop a growing campus, we are excited to work at both ends of the spectrum because we are excited to see our locally-based businesses thrive.

Second, our skill and expertise comes at no cost to our clients. As an exclusive tenant representative/buyers agent, Omni Realty is compensated by the landlord or seller, not by our client. This also means we come to the table to represent only you and your interests. There is no conflict of interest like there might be if a single agent represented both the tenant and landlord in a commercial real estate transaction. Finally, our service is highly personalized and highly hands-on. You work with only the principals in our firm; and we are responsive and proactive in our communications.

With a better understanding of our mission, and the various pieces involved in bringing our mission to life, we hope you can see why Omni Realty is in a unique position to serve our commercial real estate tenants and buyers. And remember, a business’s mission should not be taken lightly. When looking to work with a commercial real estate broker in Central Pennsylvania, be sure to assess their mission and compare it to your own. The most successful partnerships come from businesses and clients who work together over a shared mission!

Have a comment or question? Join in the conversation by leaving a comment below.

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Major Trends Impacting Central PA’s Retail Real Estate Market in 2018

Posted on May 24, 2018 by Mike Kushner in Blog, Local Market, Trends No Comments

For Central Pennsylvania’s retail real estate market, things are off to a, well, interesting start. The market has seen its fair share of ups and downs in recent quarters, and 2018 is no exception. On one hand, major retailers continue to shutter brick and mortar locations across the Susquehanna Valley. At the same time, other retailers are making the move into new locations. It can be hard to grasp what’s really going on in the market. Does the good outweigh the bad? What will the next quarter bring? The next year? For the answers, we turn to an expert.

Senior Market Analyst with CoStar Group, Chris LeBarton covers commercial real estate data in markets stretching from Western Maryland, including the Baltimore metro area, up through Central Pennsylvania for CoStar’s Market Analytics platform. His insight and expertise are helpful for understanding not only where the market currently stands, but how it’s likely to move in the future.

Chris joins Mike Kushner of Omni Realty Group for a Q&A series where we specifically look at the current state of Central Pennsylvania’s retail real estate market – as well as trends and challenges that stand to reshape things in 2018 and beyond. Here’s how Chris answers our most pressing questions.

Omni: With a net absorption of almost 95,000 SF, the Harrisburg East Retail submarket had a great bounce back quarter in Q1 2018 after four consecutive featuring net move outs. Can you elaborate on the various factors contributing to this?

Chris LeBarton: Retail leasing on the east side of Harrisburg has been fairly whippy this cycle, and certainly since 2015. So, putting too much stock into it is unwise. Minus Hobby Lobby’s move into almost 70,000 SF at Colonial Commons, this looks like less of a win. With that said, there are some strong pockets of buying power (median household income x households) in this submarket, including parts surrounding Colonial Park. In fact, Dauphin County has been one of the faster-growing counties in Pennsylvania since 2010.

Omni: What were the largest lease deals that took place in Central PA’s (Harrisburg East and Harrisburg West) retail real estate market in Q1 2018?

Chris LeBarton: Hobby Lobby’s move-in was the standout for sure, but there were a couple other sizable deals in the region. There was 15,000 SF leased in Carlisle on Newville Road and Ideal Auto Body absorbed 11,000 SF in Hanover. Also, Generations of Furniture signed a three-year deal on roughly 8,100 SF in Lancaster.

Omni: Amidst recent, massive retail closings, how would you say Central PA has responded/rebounded? What factors contribute to your assessment?

Chris LeBarton: Few areas are immune to the wave of big-box retail closings; stores like Kmart, Sears, Boscov’s, Macy’s and Toys R Us were once ubiquitous across the country. But a review of the biggest names shows fairly limited exposure in Central PA. Simply based on population density, natural tourism corridors, and buying power, this region isn’t swimming in malls and power centers. A review of a dozen or so metro areas inside Central Pennsylvania shows that, overall, vacancies are largely where they were coming out of the crash and in some cases improved.

In addition, several retailers that did not have a presence in Central Pennsylvania have absorbed space vacated by some of the big box closings. Stein Mart, Home Goods, and Hobby Lobby moved into the former Kmart on the Carlisle Pike. In Lower Paxton Township, Hobby Lobby opened in the former Giant Foods location and Giant moved across the road to the space vacated by Gander Mountain. At the Capital City Mall, Field and Stream moved into the former Toys R Us location. Overall, Central PA should feel encouraged that the region was no by means hit the hardest, compared to others. In fact, some significant regrowth has occurred as a result of many of these retail closings.

Omni: In your opinion, what are some of the future trends you expect to see in the Central PA retail real estate market?

Chris LeBarton: Mixed-use projects offering at least live-play (work there, or nearby, is an added bonus) with smart ground floor retail are all the rage. If areas outside of the major urban centers want to grow their population, they need to think about approving these types of projects. Naturally occurring affordable housing is becoming a big draw for those who want a nice place to live, but don’t want the high price tag. Developers who are trying to overcome the challenges of rising land and labor costs are looking more and more at secondary and tertiary markets, and there’s no reason Harrisburg can’t accommodate small-to-midsized projects with local/authentic retailers.

Another trend on the rise is related to the last piece of the “last mile” industrial craze and e-commerce. Central Pennsylvania is booming with warehouse and distribution construction; as a result, the biggest population centers in the region may see retailers testing new concepts here. Amazon Key, a home delivery service, opened in close to 40 cities last fall, and Walmart is doing all it can to keep up with the biggest player in the space. It would be reasonable to think that such trends could make their way to the Central PA retail real estate market as well.

While technology and the shift in the way consumers prefer to shop and purchase goods has had a significant impact retail real estate, we can expect the market to react and adapt – just like any industry must to stay afloat. The key to survival is for retailers to stay in front of emerging trends, keep an eye on competitors, and be willing to evolve.

How do you feel Central PA is responding to the changes and challenges taking place in the local retail real estate market? Are you more hopeful or more concerned? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment below!

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How Commercial Real Estate Owners and Investors Can Capitalize on the Co-Working Movement

Posted on May 9, 2018 by Mike Kushner in Blog, Local Market, Office Leasing, Trends No Comments

To younger generations who are making up more and more of our work force every day, work is no longer a physical space, but rather an activity that, for better or worse, can be taken nearly everywhere we go. For this reason, the movement toward co-working spaces has emerged in virtually every city that has a business industry. Co-working is present here in Central Pennsylvania with spaces like the Park and St@rtUp in Harrisburg, the Candy Factory in Lancaster and the Techcelerator in Carlisle, to name just a few.

Even though co-working spaces are present in Central Pennsylvania, the majority of our workplaces are still modeled after the “old” economy assembly line, where workflow was linear and corporate structures were hierarchical. For commercial real estate owners and investors who want to capitalize on the growing demand for co-working spaces, here’s what you need to know.

Understand how the modern day “office” has changed

Foremost, we must take a step back to understand how the modern day “office” has vastly changed from what was desired decades ago. Simply put, stop thinking like a baby boomer! Nearly 10,000 baby boomers retire every year. It’s estimated that millennials will comprise the largest segment of our work force (75 percent to be precise) within the next decade.

If you’re a commercial real estate landlord or investor, you know the importance of understanding your clients’ wants and needs. So let’s examine what millennials want out of an office. First, the word “office” isn’t really appropriate anymore. What’s desired is a workspace that in one instance can provide quiet and solitude for “head-down” work, and the very next moment, provide an energizing and collaborative group work environment. Should it come as a surprise that millennials want it all without having to commit to one style of space? This brings us to the next important point, which is design.

Design spaces that quickly adapt to changing needs

Co-working spaces are high on function and that means being able to quickly adapt to a variety of work situations. In a single day, a business and its employees may need quiet, private work stations where people can work independently; open, collaborative space where people can work in groups; and traditional meeting space where people can meet with clients. Over time, growing businesses also desire the ability to easily accommodate more employees without having to uproot and find a bigger office every few months.

With traditional office space, businesses usually have to settle for dysfunctional work spaces that don’t quite fit the number of employees or their work styles. As a result, employees are less efficient, communication is disjointed and company culture suffers. For those who own or invest in commercial real estate, the focus needs to be on redesigning traditional office space to function more like a co-working space. This means large, open work areas where employees can interact and collaborate. Also, look for furniture that can be easily reconfigured as often as needed to provide more work spaces and private offices for independent work and meetings. These features will be huge selling points for businesses who want an office that will meet their immediate needs as well as grow with them.

Offer shared amenities to attract and retain tenants

The good news about co-working spaces is that people get used to sharing amenities. Multiple businesses working in the same building could all benefit from a shared conference room, snack bar, lounge or gym. While this would be far too much for any one of these businesses to individually afford in their own office, a building that provides all tenants with access to such amenities has quite a leg up over the competition.

Look at how Google and Apple have designed “campuses” for their employees. You can create the same effect out of your office building. Give businesses a place to interact with other businesses. Now you not only offer work space, you offer networking and business development opportunities for all!

Deliver a seamless experience – even if it comes at a premium

By adding luxury amenities to your office building, like mentioned above, you give businesses a seamless experience. Their employees will have incentive to do more at the office, even if that is relaxing, eating or exercising. Best of all, this higher level of employee engagement comes at a premium. Businesses will pay more for office spaces that keep employees happy, healthy and invested in their jobs. When you invest in adding luxury amenities to you work spaces, you will stand out among the competition and be able to charge more for your space.

Focus on building your own brand!

If you want to engage the growing millennial workforce, you need to pay attention to your brand. This demographic is used to polished and prominent branding. If you want to attract them to your office space, you need to present them with a brand worth buying into. Many co-working spaces brand themselves with a trendy name and logo. They have professional websites and a strong social media presence. How does your “brand” compare? Any effort put into properly branding your properties will bring exponential benefits as time goes on.

Which of these tips do you believe is most valuable to commercial real estate owners and investors capitalizing on the growing trend of co-working spaces?

Join in the conversation by leaving a comment below!

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10 Facts Any Commercial Real Estate Investor Should Know about Central PA’s Industrial Market

Posted on April 30, 2018 by Mike Kushner in Blog, Commercial Real Estate, Industrial, Local Market No Comments

10 Facts Any Commercial Real Estate Investor Should Know about Central PA’s Industrial Market

Central PA’s industrial real estate market is unique for a variety of different reasons. Taking into consideration its geographic, demographic and economic factors, we’ve compiled a list of what we feel are the most important facts worth knowing about our local industrial market.

If you are a commercial real estate investor, or simply someone who wants to know more about Central Pennsylvania’s commercial real estate market, you are sure to find this list of top 10 facts both valuable and interesting. Let’s take a look!

Harrisburg-York-Lebanon CSA is 3rd most populous in PA and 43rd most populous in U.S.

The Harrisburg-York-Lebanon Combined Statistical Area (CSA) is made up of six counties and includes four metropolitan areas in Central Pennsylvania. In 2010, the CSA’s population was 1,233,708 people, making it the 3^rd most populous CSA in PA and the 43rd most populous CSA in the U.S. The Harrisburg-York-Lebanon CSA includes the following Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs): Harrisburg-Carlisle, Lebanon, Gettysburg and York-Hanover.

Harrisburg area puts up strong competition against Lehigh Valley.

Though Lehigh Valley is commonly recognized as Pennsylvania’s leader in warehousing and distribution, Harrisburg delivered only 600,000 SF less than Allentown in 2017, while also generating roughly the same rent growth. Additionally, companies such as Whirlpool, Amazon, Ace Hardware, FedEx, Kohler, and Lindt Chocolates have set up large-scale warehouse and distribution centers in Harrisburg – and those tenants account for just a portion of more than 16 million SF of net absorption.

Harrisburg-Carlisle and Lancaster Ranked Among Leaders in National Job Growth

Of the 25 metro areas with the fastest job growth, as of August 2017, both Harrisburg-Carlisle and Lancaster placed on this competitive list. Lancaster ranked number 24 for its steady growth as it diversifies its economy and renovates its downtown and industrial areas. In six months Lancaster added 3,100 new jobs, bringing its total employment to 252,400 and 2017 growth rate to 1.23%. Harrisburg-Carlisle ranked number 8 on the list with 6,200 new jobs added in the first two quarters of 2017, bringing total employment to 346,100 and 2017 growth rate to 1.82%. Noted was the area’s diverse group of healthcare, technology and biotechnology businesses.

Prime location for warehousing and distribution.

Central Pennsylvania is a premiere market for industrial space for several compelling reasons. For businesses who need easy and affordability storing and shipping of products, the areas offers a great roadway system, an abundant work force, relatively inexpensive and available raw land, and the ability to reach 70 to 80 percent of the U.S. population in 24 hours. Additionally, our government regulations on warehousing and distribution are comparatively easy and straightforward compared to other nearby states or regions.

Four of the 10 Select Top Industrial Leases in Q4 2017 took place in the Harrisburg market.

According to CoStar’s Q4 report for 2017, Harrisburg east and west markets represented the majority of top industrial leases signed that year. Prologis Carlisle (1,029,600 SF), Goodman Logistics Center Carlisle (1,007,868 SF), Prologis Harrisburg (623,143 SF) and Carlisle Distribution Center (575,000 SF) were all leased to different businesses who were looking to grow their industrial real estate space in Central Pennsylvania. This activity indicates economic growth and interest in Central PA’s industrial real estate market, both from businesses and real estate investors.

Lancaster market has the highest quoted rental rate for industrial space in Central PA at $4.69 per SF.

Even though Lancaster’s quoted rental rate for industrial space decreased by $0.45 per SF than where it was at the end of Q4 2016, it still comes in higher than Central PA’s other surrounding submarkets. At $4.69 per SF, Lancaster is $1.41 per SF higher than Lebanon, $0.03 per SF higher than Harrisburg/Carlisle, $0.08 per SF higher than Gettysburg and $0.67 per SF higher than York/Hanover based on Q4 2017.

Lancaster also has the lowest vacancy rate for industrial space in Central PA at just 2.0%.

Lancaster ended Q4 2017 with the lowest vacancy rate of all surrounding submarkets. Compared to Lancaster’s vacancy rate of 2.0%, Lebanon came in at 15.8%, Harrisburg/Carlisle at 6.8% and York/Hanover at 4.9% based on Q4 2017. Though Gettysburg did end 2017 with a vacancy rate of 0.4%, it’s important to note this submarket has just 78 buildings with a combined 4,372,179 SF of existing inventory which places it at a much different level than the other submarkets, comparatively.

Within the MSA, Harrisburg/Carlisle has the largest SF of industrial space under construction at 1,813,468 SF.

Two significantly large industrial projects will soon result in the addition of 1,813,468 SF to the Harrisburg/Carlisle submarket. Comparatively, Lebanon has three buildings under construction with a combined 1,310,195 SF of space, Lancaster has two buildings under construction with a combined 76,486 SF of space, York/Hanover has two buildings under construction with a combined 895,000 SF of space and Gettysburg has no new industrial space under construction. For Central PA as a whole, that equals 4,095,149 SF of new industrial space that will soon be delivered to the market.

Harrisburg/Carlisle’s ended 2017 with a positive net absorption of 2,700,108 SF.

According to CoStar’s Q4 2017 industrial market report, Harrisburg/Carlisle ended the year with the highest, positive net absorption we’ve seen since prior to 2014. At 2,700,180 SF, this is significantly higher than any other quarter that year, especially Q2 where the net absorption dropped to negative 499,576 SF. Additionally is Q4 2017, one new building was delivered to the market, adding 1,100,000 SF of space. Even with this influx of inventory, the net absorption rose by 2,083,756 SF. The new building that was delivered is Whirlpool’s new distribution facility located at 100 Fry Drive, Mechanicsburg.

Influx of State and Federal dollars will continue to improve transportation in and around Central PA.

The Trump administration has recently been touting a $1.5 trillion, 10-year public-private plan to improve roads, bridges, ports and other infrastructures across the nation. Central Pennsylvania has plans to utilize some of this federal funding to bolster its priority projects which include fixing structurally deficient bridges and widening interstates. Improvement to our roadways and infrastructure will improve public safety, create construction jobs and make Central PA an even more attractive location for warehousing and distribution.

After reading through these top 10 facts any commercial real estate investor should know about Central PA’s industrial market, you are likely to have some comments or questions of your own.

Start a discussion by leaving a comment below!

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Search Available Commercial Real Estate in Central Pennsylvania

Posted on April 5, 2018 by Mike Kushner in Blog, Commercial Real Estate No Comments

The American culture is heavily reliant upon the internet to provide us with information. If we have a question, we are quick to turn to our cell phones or computers to deliver the answer.

The search for real estate is no exception. According to a report by the National Association of Realtors, as many as 51% of buyers found the home they ultimately purchased through an internet search. This statistic demonstrates the power of having an online presence when marketing your real estate properties.

Looking specifically at commercial real estate, tenants or buyers wanting to rent or buy retail, office or industrial space often take to the internet to begin their search. And why not? You can do this from the comfort of your home or office and view details of hundreds, if not thousands of different properties with the click of a button.

We recognized this very real need for people to quickly and easily search Central Pennsylvania for commercial real estate. As a result, we are excited to announce the launch of Omni Realty Group’s property search feature. While there are many available websites and platforms that allow for commercial property search, we’d like to explain a little more about what makes ours unique and advantageous to you, the tenant or buyer.

How Do I Search for Commercial Real Estate in Central Pennsylvania?

This is a question we hear often. “How do I search for commercial real estate in Central Pennsylvania?” Many businesses looking for commercial office, retail or industrial space will begin with a Google search. While this will yield many results, it can be difficult to sort the results by your property “wish list.” The top search results have the strongest SEO, but may not have the features you desire.

When using the Omni Realty Group commercial property search to look for commercial real estate, you are able to use a variety of filters to fully customize your search results to yield properties that most closely match what you’re looking for. Filters such as: Lease or Purchase; Use (e.g. Retail, Office, Industrial) and Size (SF) will help you save time scrolling through results that aren’t relevant to what you need. In addition, the “draw” feature allows you to create geographical boundaries so that search results are located only within the areas you wish to consider.

Most importantly, the Omni Search feature allows you to view all the properties that are available in the market not just those your agent wants you to see. Omni is committed to securing the most effective space at the most favorable terms for our clients.

Benefits of Omni Realty Group’s Commercial Property Search

Benefit of Saving Time: You can save an immense amount of time by not actually visiting the place and instead going online. You clearly deduct the time of travelling and you don’t need to deal with the traffic and weather problems. You can do it anytime you want to regardless of other factors.

Benefit of Comparison: When you check online you can compare prices of different landlords or sellers for the same area. All these gives you clear idea of pricing and gives you the power of bargain as an online platform is more competitive as well as transparent. In addition, you can get multiple properties at different locations in the same screen. You can see the actual difference between two sites and have data which is better and why.

Benefit of Convenience: There are many mediums when it comes to the actual ground visit of a property. When you search online you are master of your own will. You can do the initial research at your convenience. You can use your leisure time while commuting or even late night.

Benefit of Representation: Once you find properties you wish to tour, you have the dedicated and exclusive representation of Omni Realty Group to guide and advise you through every step of the process. Literally any property you find on our search, we can show you and represent you as your tenant representative or buyer’s agent. It’s easy to fall victim to a dual agency saying only they can show you a property, but that’s simply not true. When you begin your search with Omni Realty Group, you eliminate the chance that you will be without proper representation to negotiate favorable terms and pricing in your lease agreement.

How a Tenant Rep/Buyer Agent Adds Value

As an exclusive tenant representative and buyer agent, Omni Realty Group adds value and peace of mind to your commercial real estate property search. First, this means you receive exclusive representation without conflict of interest between the two parties. Second, you have an experienced commercial real estate professional on your side to advise you of current market pricing and negotiate on your behalf for fair and reasonable terms.

What most people don’t know about working with a tenant rep or buyer’s agent is that it almost never comes as a direct cost to you. Our fee is commonly paid for by the landlord or seller. At Omni Realty Group, we pride ourselves on building strong working relationships with other real estate businesses in the area. The result is a mutual respect that allows us to work effectively on behalf of our clients to expedite the leasing process and get them into their new space on the best possible terms!

Now that you have a better understanding of how the Omni Realty Group commercial property search feature works, you have all the tools you need to find your new office, retail or industrial space to take your business to the next level. Check it out now to see how fast and easy it is to find the best available commercial properties in Central Pennsylvania!

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How Central PA Health Systems are Rethinking Real Estate

Posted on March 21, 2018 by Mike Kushner in Blog, Guest Blogger, Healthcare, Local Market, Trends No Comments

Major changes are taking place in America’s health systems and we are starting to see the impact of some of these changes right here in Central Pennsylvania. Hospitals are no longer the desired “hub” for healthcare, rather free-standing emergency rooms, 24-hour emergency care centers and walk-in clinics are helping to keep people out of the hospital, while expediting their care.

Additionally, telemedicine is reshaping the need for brick and mortar facilities, placing a new emphasis on health systems acquiring “virtual” real estate. These emerging trends are intended to increase access to quality healthcare while allowing health systems to reduce overhead.

To help us answer some of the most important questions surrounding the changes taking place in Central PA’s health systems, we interviewed two guests who are highly knowledgeable on this very topic.

Christian Caicedo MD, MBA, CPE, FACHE is the System Senior Vice President and President of the Cumberland Division at UPMC Pinnacle. Paul Toburen, also with UPMC Pinnacle, is the Senior Vice President of Facilities and Support Services.

With a combined, vast experience in health systems operations, Dr. Caicedo and Mr. Toburen collaborate to lend their insights into how Central Pennsylvania’s health systems are rethinking the way they use commercial real estate.

Omni: Looking at how Central PA’s health systems currently function, what are some of the biggest challenges?

Christian/Paul: One of the most critical challenges we face in Central PA is access to care – not just any access, but the right kind of access. It’s a moving target we are trying to hit. Patients want access to fairly and competitively priced healthcare, in the right setting, with quality resources and skilled staff.

The challenge stems from the fact that we are all trying to live in two worlds: the fee for service world and the value based world. We can’t have it both ways and also provide access to quality healthcare to everyone in Central PA. There has to be a compromise somewhere.

Omni: As Central PA’s health systems see more and more value in serving the outpatient market, what strategies must be implemented to make this shift?

Christian/Paul: The key to shifting our focus to better serve the outpatient market is to make simple and immediate access to healthcare available to patients right where they are. Rather than asking patients to come to us in traditional office and hospital environments, we need to have access points in the work place, malls, retail spaces, home, etc. Health systems are now trying to acquire more virtual real estate than they are brick and mortar locations. This is evident by the more than 120 rural hospitals who have shut their doors since 2005!

Omni: With the use of telemedicine becoming more prevalent in our health systems, what are the pros and cons of diagnosing patients in their home?

Christian/Paul: The pros, as we touched upon above, will be the ease of access and convenience to the patient. It will allow physicians to see more patients in a day, reducing patient wait time and reducing patients exposure to germs and infections. Additionally, telemedicine is a great option for Medicaid recipients.

The cons, well that will evolve as the technology changes. Currently there are limitations as to the level of evaluation one can conduct via the virtual encounter. As technology evolves, (i.e. Haptic pressure feedback) we will have greater ability to perform better virtual exams and arrive at an accurate diagnosis through telemedicine.

Omni: Specifically, how will telemedicine impact brick and mortar healthcare facilities?

Christian/Paul: Simply put, the growing use of telemedicine will diminish the need for brick and mortar facilities and drive the demand for virtual real estate. If done thoughtfully and strategically, this should be a win for both patients and health systems. Speaking from the health systems standpoint, we can save a lot of overhead while providing patients with faster, more convenient care. Hospitals will stay play an important role in the overall health system, it’s just going to look a little different in the future.

Omni: What Central PA health systems do you feel are leading the way in rethinking how they use real estate?

Christian/Paul: We believe all Central PA health systems are rethinking the way we use real estate. The cost of construction continues to escalate. We are now looking at lease agreements versus building-to-own along with repurposing existing buildings to accommodate our current needs, but having flexibility for future needs as well. Speed to the market is critical in today’s healthcare industry, as we must accommodate the patients’ needs.

Given the transformation taking place in Central Pennsylvania’s health systems, and health systems worldwide, how do you feel about the changes taking place and where they will lead us in the future?

Join in the conversation by sharing your thoughts or questions!

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More about Christian Caicedo: Christian Caicedo MD, MBA, CPE, FACHE is the System Senior Vice President and President of the Cumberland Division, UPMC Pinnacle. He is the former Vice President of Operations and Medical Director for West Shore Hospital, and Interim Chief Medical Officer, Pinnacle Health System. He has served as Executive Director of Emergency Services and served as Clinical Director for Community Campus Emergency Department, Pinnacle Health System. Dr. Caicedo also served as medical director for Swatara Emergency Medical Services, and was a member of the Swatara EMS board of directors. Currently, he serves as Medical Director for Susquehanna EMS.

More about Paul Toburen: Paul Toburen is currently serving as Senior Vice President for Facilities and Support Services for the UPMC Pinnacle Health System. Paul oversees fourteen departments with a primary focus on Construction Management and Real Estate. Paul has obtained his MBA and MS and is a member of the ACHE, ASHE, COAA, IFMA among other organizations.

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Top Commercial Real Estate Projects to Impact Central PA

Posted on February 26, 2018 by Mike Kushner in Blog, Commercial Real Estate, Construction, Local Market No Comments

There is a lot of different commercial construction activity taking place in Central Pennsylvania. Looking at the top commercial real estate projects to be delivered in 2018, there are two retail projects and 4 Class A industrial projects that will enter the market, bringing with them new businesses, jobs and consumers. Let’s take a closer look at these top projects to better understand the likely impact they will have on Central Pennsylvania’s economy both now and into the future.

RETAIL

Lancaster County has two retail real estate projects under construction that are projected to have a significant impact on jobs and the economy. The anchor stores for each of the two projects are supermarket brands we have come to know and love – and ones that will surely attract consumers far and wide.

The smaller of the two projects is the Crossings at Conestoga Creek, located on U.S. Route 30 in Lancaster. The 90,000 square feet of retail space being developed will be anchored by Wegmans which will become the county’s second largest supermarket, trailing only Shady Maple Farm Market in East Earl, which is 150,000 square feet. With annual sales of $7.4 billion, Wegmans is the nation’s 32nd largest supermarket chain.

The Crossings, which sits on a 90-acre site between Toys R Us and the Lancaster Post Office, is being developed by High Real Estate Group. This new retail space will create a substantial number of jobs and attract shoppers from surrounding counties. The Wegmans store anticipates the creation of 500 to 550 new jobs, and they have already begun hiring for their grand opening in 2018.

Project at 206 Rohrerstown Road.

Lancaster’s Manheim Township has exciting news of its own as it prepares to welcome the grand opening of a Whole Foods market in 2018. The proposed $130 million Belmont housing and retail project includes the market, other retail stores and homes on farmland just south of Route 30.

Rendering of Belmont retail and housing project.

Anchoring the retail portion of the 110,508 square-foot project will be the 40,000-square-foot Whole Foods market. Additional tenants will be Two Farms, Inc. Panera Bread, Metro Diner, Fuddruckers, Citadel Federal Credit Union and Mod Pizza. The retail portion of Belmont will create nearly 1,000 jobs, while Belmont overall will generate millions of dollars in tax revenue for Lancaster.

INDUSTRIAL

Four new industrial real estate projects are also under construction in Central Pennsylvania. Though much larger in size, these spaces will have a slightly different impact on our local jobs and economy than Lancaster’s retails spaces.

The largest is the Class A industrial space located at 100 Goodman Drive in Carlisle. This is part of the Goodman Logistics Center Building 1. It was announced in August 2017 that the tenant for this 1,007,868 square-foot space will be syncreon, a global third-party logistics company headquartered in Michigan. From this prime industrial location, syncreon will have access to more than 40 percent of the population of the United States.

Project at 100 Goodman Drive.

Another Carlisle Class A industrial space soon to enter the market is the warehouse at 100 Carolina Way. This 805,600 square-foot space, currently not pre-leased, is located next to Keen Transport, U-Pack and ABF Freight. The third industrial construction project is the 738,720 square-foot space located at 112 Bordnersville Road in Jonestown (First Logistics Center – Building A). Situated in the heart of the I-78 and I-81 industrial distribution corridor, the industrial park is designed to accommodate two Class A distribution centers. The second space will be delivered in Q3 2018.

Project at 100 Carolina Way.

Project at 112 Bordnersville Road.

The final Class A industrial space which is under construction in Central PA is the Ace Hardware expansion located at 139 Fredericksburg Road, Fredericksburg. With 225,875 square-feet of space, this expansion will turn the building’s existing space into a combined 1.1 million square-feet of distribution space located at Lebanon Valley Distribution Center.

Rendering of the ACE Hardware expansion.

As Central Pennsylvania’s warehousing and distribution industry grows through the delivery of these new buildings, to what extent do you feel this will impact our local jobs and economy?

Also, which of Lancaster’s two new retail spaces do you feel will gain more traffic – short term but also long term?

Join in the conversation by leaving a comment below!

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