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Located at the intersection of Maiden Choice Lane and Westland Boulevard, the Arbutus Shopping Center was a solid but not extraordinary retail property. The 40-year-old, nearly 88,000-square-foot center is anchored by a Weis Markets grocery store with co-tenants such as Walgreens, Dollar Tree, Advance Auto Parts, Truist Bank and several…

After years of consultations between state officials and a stakeholder group, a new stormwater management regulatory structure for Maryland appears to be taking shape. The initiative began with the passage of SB 227 in 2021. Drafted in response to severe flooding events in Ellicott City, Rockville and elsewhere, the legislation…

It has the potential to automate time-consuming administrative tasks, analyze vast amounts of data, forecast risks and opportunities, and enable workers in every facet of the commercial real estate industry to channel their time into thoughtful, impactful activities. But harnessing the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) requires a prolonged, disciplined…

Following historic low investment sales activity in 2023 across all real estate asset classes, the pace increased this year and some are expressing guarded optimism that momentum will accelerate in 2025. Experts who participated in a recent NAIOP-MD roundtable agree that lower interest rates have helped spur activity, encouraged new…

Two recent U.S. Supreme Court rulings could have broad and as-yet untold ramifications for the commercial real estate industry. The Sheetz decision creates new opportunities for Americans to challenge and change impact fees imposed on developments by legislative actions. The Loper decision sets the groundwork for court challenges to a…

Could a cluster of real estate investment and redevelopment initiatives fuel an economic turnaround in a long-struggling stretch of Baltimore County? Faced with abundant under-performing properties in Woodlawn and Randallstown, shortages of retail offerings and community amenities, and a long history of under-investment in the region, Baltimore County created three…

The value of a mentor-mentee relationship cannot be overstated. The connection should always be viewed as a two-way street and it’s critical to understand the boundaries and ground rules of any affiliation. That is the takeaway from a recent discussion with Eric Balderson, Assistant Vice President, First…

Amid a tough office market, CRE professionals are finding some opportunities. Demand remains strong for small offices with big amenities, such as Redwood Exchange. Photo courtesy of Byrnes and Associates. A quick scan of headlines presents a bleak outlook. Lenders and owners have initiated distress sales or auctions…

Ranked as the highest performing asset class in commercial real estate for years, today’s industrial market in Maryland is anything but a simple path to robust profits, rapid deals or shovel-ready development opportunities. The state’s industrial sector is experiencing high occupancy levels, healthy rent increases, space requirements from a diverse…

The debate over decarbonizing Maryland buildings is about to enter a new round and that could present opportunities to commercial real estate owners. Shortly before the 2024 General Assembly session ended, legislators amended the state budget to prevent the Department of the Environment (MDE) from spending any funds on “adopting,…