In part 1 of this two-part blog series, I discussed how an automation-led transition awaits the automotive experience and the ways our "driver" society is going to transform into a "captain" society over the next several years. In part 2 of the series, I’ll discuss the new ways we should look at data-driven insights and how Austin can truly become a ‘Smart City.’

The Federal Reserve is again warning that commercial real estate prices may have, "run up too far too fast," reports Bloomberg. Valuations in commercial real estate, "appear increasingly vulnerable to negative shocks," Bloomberg goes on to say.

Austin ranked No. 10 on NerdWallet Inc.'s list of the most mobile-friendly U.S. cities.

The agency has escalated its oversight of commercial real estate risk from ordinary monitoring to "additional emphasis." It also flagged risks in commercial and industrial loans, and said concerns remain about indirect auto lending and leveraged lending, which are both issues the OCC has flagged in the past.

In June, the social media giant and its general contractor filed permits with the city of Austin detailing the 23,000-square-foot project named "Facebook food services." The project would be on the ninth floor of 300 W. Sixth St. and serve as a "dining area" for Facebook (Nasdaq: FB) employees working on the three floors directly above the area, according to a permit with the city’s Planning Development Review Department.

Aerial shots show the first artificial waves breaking at NLand Surf Park in Austin, TX

The city’s Office of Digital Inclusion aims to give all residents access to digital and communications technology, and make sure they understand technology and its relevancy to their daily lives.

A new report by Transwestern, a privately held real estate firm, makes a case that investing in infrastructure can also be beneficial to surrounding commercial real estate. Called "Cranes and Lanes," the report identifies major infrastructure projects in nine markets, and describes how the projects are impacting—or are likely to impact—the larger built environment.

For most of the public, landfills are simply places to toss trash and anything else they no longer want or need. However, for some developers, there's a way to transform those properties into new communities and in-demand spaces.

As more professionals opt to telecommute, co-working spaces are gaining more traction than ever before. Startups such as WeWork and LiquidSpace helped popularize the movement toward communal workplaces and have rapidly expanded their footprint in major tech and creative havens such as San Francisco, New York, and Los Angeles. Patrons praise the community spirit these spaces foster—and the increased autonomy it affords workers not too keen on following rigid standards of corporate behavior.

Portland — Oregon’s largest city, with over 600,000 residents — has been evolving with an artistic bent over the last decade. One east-side project, though, stands out as embodying Portland’s knack for keeping things weird, even as it gentrifies: the building known as Fair-Haired Dumbbell.

Date: 8/9/2016
Time: 7:30 am - 1:00 pm

JW Marriott
110 E 2nd Street

Keynote Breakfast + Breakout Sessions + Economic Forecast Lunch

RECA Exchange is our half-day event that brings together hundreds of Austin’s
commercial real estate professionals to network and learn about hot topic issues.
We have expanded programming in 2016 to include additional educational
breakout sessions with plenty of room for attendees.