CPE Podcasts

Welcome back to Sustainability Street, our podcast on the intersection of commercial real estate and the world we live in.

For this episode, I had the privilege of interviewing Juliette Apicella, director of sustainability at Gables Residential, a privately held owner and manager of multifamily and mixed-use properties.

I don't cover many multifamily topics on the podcast, but when I heard that Gables was awarded Best ESG Program by our sister publication Multi-Housing News in their Excellence Awards competition, I had to learn more.

Apicella is steeped in everything Gable is doing with sustainability—and that's a lot. I think you'll enjoy hearing about the company's solar initiatives, its net zero commitment, efforts to engage residents and more.

“Gable's mission is taking care of the way you live," Apicella said. "That means taking care of people and, for the company, that extends to being a good steward to the environment in which we live." 

Here are some of the topics Apicella and I discussed:

• The making of a sustainability director (2:39)
• Future-proofing properties (5:36)
• Gables' goals (8:19)
• Resilience on a number of levels (17:30)
• Enter transition risk (19:42)
• Split incentive residential-style (26:50)
• Enlisting tenants in sustainability (29:04)

Almost three quarters of fully remote or hybrid U.S. workers would seek alternative employment if required to return to office full time at their current pay, the latest survey from FTI Consulting found. At the same time, the majority of employees are excited or OK to be back in the office for some portion of the week. A large part of the workforce understands the benefits of being together in person, particularly those working in architecture, engineering, arts and culture, retail and banking.

Ingrid Rivera Noone, senior managing director & co-leader of the Real Estate Solutions practice at FTI Consulting and Josh Herrenkhol, senior managing director in the same department, talk to CPE Senior Editor Laura Calugar in this quarter’s episode of FTI Experts’ Hub.

Once considered one of the most stable markets due to its reliance on government agencies, Washington, D.C.'s office market is now facing a period of volatility, with rising vacancy rates and a low development pipeline. As investors wait on the sidelines or turn to more flexible solutions, the overall sentiment is to “wait and see,” as the market is navigating this period of redefining itself.

Although JLL’s latest report showed some signs of improvement in terms of absorption and trophy assets asking rent, it might be too early to anticipate recovery, believes the company’s Vice Chairman Bobby Blair.

Blair joins me as we delve into the market’s performance in the past year, what needs to change in the leasing scene and what comes next in a new political climate. Is there space for the private sector and flexible solutions in DC? As the market undergoes challenges due to volatility and tries to recalibrate, the question remains the same: what is takes for it to get back on track?

Here’s what they discussed about:

• Government downsizing and market volatility pose challenges (01:50)
• DC's historic stability vs. current uncertainty (02:50)
• The unique architectural constraints of DC  (06:20)
• What’s up with trophy assets? (08:10)
• What can the private sector bring to DC? (10:50)
• Leasing trends: expansion, downsizing and stagnation (18:35)
• The rise and role of flexibility (23:58)
• Is there an opportunity for conversions? (27:50)
• “ We're trying to figure out what happens next week here.” (30:15)

Back in 2007, Peter Ciganik joined GTIS Partners, which was then a two-year-old real estate investment management firm. Fast forward to 2025. GTIS is marking its 20th anniversary, it now manages $4.7 billion in assets and Ciganik himself is the company’s head of capital markets, handling a wide range of responsibilities.

In this episode, you’ll get an insider’s view of the factors shaping the real estate capital markets in these highly fluid conditions.

Offering insights into the industrial sector, Ciganik comments on the shifting supply-demand dynamic, the types of properties GTIS finds especially attractive and a region that offers standout potential.

He discusses why build-to-rent residential figures prominently in the company's investment strategy. And on a personal note, you’ll hear about a favorite pastime that keeps this executive on the go.

In college, Peter pursued his lifelong enthusiasm for architecture and art history. Maybe those topics seem a little removed from his executive duties today, but they still contribute to his perspective.

As he puts it: We spend a lot of time thinking about the right designs, the right location and the right product. Take a listen.

Episode highlights:

• Capital markets indicators to watch in ’25, plus a trend that bucks the norm (1:35)
• Will industrial continue to be a strong performer? (5:37)
• Where to find the most attractive industrial markets now (8:17)
• Finding financing: a big improvement and the biggest challenge (12:13)
• How BTR fits into GTIS’s strategy (13:38)
• "Something is not quite right with the for-sale market" (17:19)
• Origin story of a CRE investment and finance career (23:27)
• How design informs his perspective on investment (25:24)
• Executive off the clock: Discovering destinations around the globe (26:59)

Welcome back to Sustainability Street, our podcast on the intersection of commercial real estate and the world we live in.

Last month, I chatted with Elizabeth Beardsley, senior policy counsel for the U.S. Green Building Council, about the state of climate action in the U.S. and globally. Despite concerns that our new president would be less eco-friendly than President Biden, Beardsley said there was optimism that sustainable progress in the U.S. and abroad would continue.

Three weeks into Trump administration, that optimism has been rattled. On his day in office, President Trump rescinded Biden-era executive orders that sought to put climate action and environmental justice front and center, he shifted the country away from renewable energy and he froze Congressionally-approved funds from the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Act. He has also taken aim at environmental regulation.

For this episode, I discuss the effects of the president's early actions with Ben Evans, Federal legislative director for the U.S. Green Building Council—what they mean for commercial real estate, the nation and the world.

*"Shock and awe" comes to sustainability (1:22)

*An international retreat (3:59)

*The funding freeze and the Inflation Reduction Act (6:47)

*Unplugging the electrification push (10:40)

*The loss of GSA leadership (12:12)

*The shift back to fossil fuels (13:50)

*Deregulation concerns (15:40)

*The road ahead (19:50)

Sometimes the most accomplished investors and developers thrive while keeping a relatively low public profile.

Hello and welcome back to Investment

In this conversation, you’ll also hear about the pivotal experience Mike gained from working in another industry, the new markets that he views as promising, and the company initiative that opens doors for young people to real estate careers. Take a listen.

Episode highlights:

Origin story of a Boston landmark (2:56)

The life science lease that became a turning point (7:20)

Boosting resilience with a U.S. first (10:45)

Where The Fallon Co. sees the next big opportunities (15:39)

Growing a footprint in the South (20:54)

Early influences: getting the flavor of the business (24:49)

Takeaways from construction industry experience (28:38)

Tips for aspiring professionals (31:22)

An innovative, “wildly impactful” program for young people (34:29)

How to revitalize U.S. downtowns (39:41)

Mike Fallon off the clock (44:53)

Globally, sentiment toward real estate in 2024 was a bit of a mixed bag. The first three quarters saw steady improvement, but then sentiment softened in the last three months of the year, mainly due to the rise in bond yields.  

“But even so, it is worth noting that investor inquiries did rise slightly in several markets, which could be taken as a more positive sign,” said Senior Economist Tarrant Parsons of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors in the latest RICS Monitor podcast episode hosted by Commercial Property Exeuctive Senior Editor Laura Calugar.

Welcome back to Sustainability Street, our podcast on the intersection of commercial real estate and the world we live in. Happy New Year!

On the verge of a new year and a new Federal administration, I interviewed Elizabeth Beardsley, senior policy counsel, for the U.S. Green Building Council, about the state of climate action in the United States and globally. Beardsley had just returned from COP 29, the annual United Nations climate conference, and she generously shared what she heard and saw at the event, where more than 200 countries were represented.

The COP is a pretty important meeting. It was at COP 15 in 2016 that the Paris Agreement was formed, and each year the "Conference of the Parties" meets to track progress on limiting global warming and to establish new agreements and targets.

According to Beardsley, "the U.S. was there with the message that we've gone way beyond the commitments and promises phase. We're doing this and there's a lot of momentum. So, the intent from all parties is really to keep that momentum up."

Here are some of the topics Beardsley and I covered:

Over the past couple of years, landlords and companies have been reevaluating their office space needs. Many have resized their portfolios and adapted to the need for more flexibility in office settings. Although return-to-office strategies are widely reinforced, there’s still a gap between actual attendance and these policies.

While some regions and industries register higher office return rates, CBRE’s Head of Occupier Research Julie Whelan noted a 25 percent decrease in average lease sizes and a 9 percent reduction in space per worker across the country. Despite these changes, leasing activity and space utilization have plateaued, leading to a higher possibility of market stabilization in 2025.

In this episode of CPE’s Step Into My Office podcast series, Whelan joins Associate Editor Olivia Bunescu to discuss the future of the office market and the factors that will influence hit performance in the upcoming year. She also highlights the importance of adopting flexibility across your portfolio and some barriers and trends shaping the future of work and the traditional office as we know it today.

Here are the main topics they discussed:

The Super Bowl of Tax or Taxmageddon—just a couple of the labels that experts have put on 2025 when referring to imminent tax policy changes. With a new administration in the White House, commercial real estate owners, developers and asset managers need to be ready for what’s next.

Leland Collins, senior director in FTI Consulting’s Real Estate Tax Advisory Group, and Asha Shettigar, managing director in the same department, talk to Commercial Property Executive Senior Editor Laura Calugar about upcoming changes in the tax regime.