Right now, the City of Austin is in the middle of one of the most important projects our industry will see in our lifetime – the revision of the Land Development Code (LDC), known as CodeNEXT. As the City and consultants will be doing the bulk of their work this year, it’s crucial that you get educated, informed and engaged on this process now.

We’ve long known two things about land use regulations. One is that elements of them—in the form of large lot requirements and other aspects of "exclusionary zoning"—have led to the racial and economic segregation. The other is that restrictive land use and building codes in cities limit housing construction (and therefore housing supply), leading to increased costs, worse affordability problems, and deepened inequality in urban centers.

Where will the great opportunities to invest be in 2016? Will it be lodging? Distressed retail?

With the Fed raising the interest rate by 25 basis points, there is some concern that it could have a negative impact on commercial real estate as capitalization rates sometimes correlate to interest rates.

Spencer Levy, CBRE's head of research for the Americas, sees it very differently, however.

A new year is upon us, and many Americans have tailored their resolutions towards the professional. With that in mind, personal finance site WalletHub took a look at the cities where work abounds in 2016–as well as the places to which those on the hunt won’t want to consider a move.

Construction activity around the former Highland Mall property will be ramping up in 2016.

In his remarks about future transportation goals, Adler noted a number of efforts to improve traffic "choke points" in individual neighborhoods and "refinements" to the most dangerous intersections in the city. But the majority of his speech focused on the necessity for I-35 managed toll lanes, which use variable toll rates to try to limit traffic congestion.

Austin’s commercial real estate environment in 2015 was fueled by incredibly low unemployment and lots of development.

Arthur Coulombe, who heads San Antonio's Air Service Development Task Force, believes the city’s next aviation director must focus on innovative changes that transform the airport into a destination, with more amenities and a better use of available space. Austin is known for having one of the best airports in the country, largely because so many local businesses have made it their second home.

In a mission statement, David Monnich says adequate housing is needed in the Lone Star State's smaller towns, and building apartments out of shipping containers could be a system used across South Texas.

A big question as of late has been whether or not the multifamily market will digest the new multifamily pipeline. Well, the market’s future depends in large measure on supply and demand maintaining a healthy balance—and if the respondents to Capital One’s RealShare Apartments survey are any indication, the outlook for the multifamily market looks good for the next few years.

2015 was a big year for Commercial Drones. Drones were used in so many innovative ways!

Analysts predict 2016 will be a strong year for the industry, as Dodge Data & Analytics' 2016 Construction Outlook report predicted 6% growth, with the value of construction starts reaching an estimated $712 billion.

Jason Barr is an economist who studies skyscrapers. Or, as he jokes, skynomics: how construction costs and condo prices shape the skyline, how building booms chase business cycles, why new record-breaking towers reach the heights they do.

Thursday, February 4, 2016
6:30 pm - 11:30 pm

JW Marriott
110 E. Second Street

RECA’s signature event, the shindig to end all shindigs, the one that started it all...KNOCKOUT NIGHT! This black-tie, fundraising gala is complete with a cocktail reception and dinner, casino gaming, entertainment and more! Sponsoring this event is a wonderful outreach opportunity to position you and your company to existing and potential customers and contacts. Proceeds from this event fund RECA's continued operations as the leading voice for commercial real estate.