On this episode of The Take on Commercial Real Estate, we’re talking about a project that’s redefining what redevelopment can mean for a community. The Kenosha Innovation Neighborhood is more than just new buildings—it’s about rebuilding trust, creating opportunity, and shaping spaces that tell a new story for an entire city.

Our guest, Kelly Armstrong, President of the Kenosha Innovation Neighborhood, shares how this bold vision came to life, the lessons learned along the way, and why “innovation” isn’t just a buzzword—it’s the foundation for lasting change.

We’ll dig into what it takes to bring stakeholders together, keep momentum through long timelines, and challenge the typical redevelopment playbook. Whether you’re in commercial real estate, community development, or just curious about how places transform, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.

Live from the Wisconsin Retail Conference

Episode Title: Is Retail Real Estate Just About Retail: Keynote with Garrick Brown

Guest Speaker: Garrick Brown, Vice President of Real Estate Intelligence & Business Development, Gallelli Real Estate

Episode Overview:
In this special edition of the CARW Podcast, we bring you the full keynote presentation from the 2025 Wisconsin Retail Conference in Milwaukee. Our featured speaker is Garrick Brown, one of the nation’s leading voices in retail real estate, with more than 25 years of experience analyzing market trends and consumer behavior.

Key Topics Covered:

• Economic headwinds and retail resilience
• Growing and shrinking retail sectors
• Bankruptcy trends and what’s on the horizon
• The evolving definition of "retail real estate"
• Why restaurants, healthcare, and services are redefining the space
• The American consumer’s continued impact on retail

Quote to Remember:
"Never underestimate the American consumer." — Garrick Brown

About the Speaker:
Garrick Brown is Vice President of Real Estate Intelligence & Business Development at Gallelli Real Estate. His insights have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, CNBC, NPR, and other major media outlets.

Downtown Milwaukee has experienced significant growth in recent years, with Business Improvement District (BID) 21 playing a pivotal role in its development. As of 2024, the district is home to approximately 42,000 residents, reflecting a 26.5% increase since 2010, according the City of Milwaukee website.. The area also accommodates over 90,700 workers and attracts more than six million annual visitors, underscoring its status as a vibrant urban center. ​city.milwaukee.gov

In this episode, we sit down with Matt Dorner, who has been with BID 21 since 2014 and is slated to become the organization's CEO in June 2025. With a background in urban planning and economic development, including previous work with the Village of Menomonee Falls, Matt has been instrumental in driving initiatives that enhance Milwaukee's downtown district.​

Join us as Matt discusses the purpose of a BID, how BID 21 is unique to others across the country, and how BID 21 leverages public-private partnerships to foster economic growth, enhance public spaces, and solidify downtown Milwaukee's status as a premier destination for business, culture, and community life as well as a resource that benefits the entire State of Wisconsin. 

In this episode, we speak with Andy Hunt, Director of the Vieth Institute for Real Estate Leadership at Marquette University. He shares many insights including his perspective on the following:

• How the ACRE Program is driving meaningful commercial real estate development in Wisconsin;
• What’s motivating today’s students and how education is evolving to meet market demands;
• Best practices from real estate programs across the country—and how they’re being implemented in Wisconsin;
• The power of collaboration and partnership in shaping the industry’s future.

Whether you're a seasoned professional or just beginning your journey in commercial real estate, this conversation is packed with valuable insights on talent, trends, and the future of the industry—plus ways you can be part of its continued success.

KC Conway is the Founder and Principal Owner for KCNomics.  He is a nationally recognized economist and appraiser with a nearly 40-year career including positions in commercial banks, government service, and academia. Among his more notable career achievements are (i) his role as the commercial real estate subject matter expert providing counsel to the Federal Reserve during the Great Recession of 2007-2010; (ii) serving as the Chief Economist for the CCIM Institute from 2017-2023; and (iii) acting as an instructor for real estate trends at the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council continuously from 2006. In addition, he presently serves as a director of a publicly traded REIT and testifies as an expert witness on valuation and tax appeals in various state and U.S. courts.  KC spoke to the members of the Commercial Association of REALTORS Wisconsin on January 30th at the Trade Hotel in Milwaukee. He covered everything from tariffs to taxes; retail to multi-family; demographics, ports, Buck-ees and so much more.  Join us for this fast-moving overview on what's in store for 2025 for Wisconsin and US Commercial Real Estate Markets.

Get to know Jenna Maguire, Chair of CARW for 2024/25. A seasoned leader in commercial real estate since 2008, Jenna has navigated the evolving office market, leasing some of Milwaukee’s most notable projects like Schlitz Park and The Avenue. She is a Senior Vice President with Colliers International in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Recognized as a CoStar Power Broker and a Milwaukee Business Journal Forty Under 40 honoree, Jenna brings unmatched expertise and dedication. In this episode, we discuss the state of the industry, CARW’s role as a resource, leadership, and the next generation of talent. 

In this episode we share the full program from the Commercial Association of REALTORS September 17, 2024, membership meeting at the historic Wisconsin Club in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This event was a deep dive into one of today’s hottest topics: adaptive reuse and the conversion of office spaces into multifamily and mixed-use developments.

The keynote presenter, Steven Paynter of Gensler, brought insights into the challenges and opportunities surrounding these transformations. Steven, a leader in architectural design and urban planning, shared key trends, success stories, and strategies for adapting office spaces to meet changing market demands. He has led the development of a tool for rapid assessment of existing office building stock for ESG performance.  Steven was recognized by Business Insider as one of the Top 100 People Transforming Business in 2022, and his work and leadership have been featured in PBS, BBC News, CNBC, Daily Mail UK, Canadian Press, The Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, RTE, and Architectural Record.

Following Steven’s keynote, CARW hosted a powerhouse panel featuring some of the most respected names in the industry:

• S.R. Mills, CEO of Bear Development, known for leading impactful and transformative projects.
• Johnny Vassallo, founder of Mo's, who brings a unique perspective as an innovator and investor.
• Rob Oldenburg of Irgens, whose expertise in commercial development is unmatched.
• John Searlas from WHEDA, offering valuable insights into the financing and policy frameworks critical to these projects.

Together, they tackled pressing questions about housing shortages, suburban redevelopment, feasibility factors, and best practices drawn from cities across the country.

Whether you're a developer, investor, or simply curious about the future of our built environment, this episode is packed with actionable insights and inspiration. So, sit back, tune in, and join us for this engaging conversation on adaptive reuse and the next evolution of commercial real estate.

2024 was quite a year for Wisconsin commercial real estate markets.  Join speakers Adam Connor, Colliers Wisconsin; Katie Brueske, Cushman & Wakefield Boerke; Patrick Hanrahan, NEWMARK; and Sarah Eldred, Mid-America Real Estate, as they discuss the investment, office, industrial and retail markets and what's in store for 2025. 

On Tuesday, January 31, CARW and REDIComps welcomed Moody’s economist Thomas P LaSalvia, Ph.D. to speak at the annual Economic and Commercial Real Estate Outlook.  He focused on macroeconomic issues driving the economy and their impact on various sectors of commercial real estate both nationally and in Wisconsin. A few key takeaways involved labor and demographic shifts as well as changing consumer behavior and space utilization. His insights were surprisingly optimistic compared to other economists. Moody’s looks at a number of standard and unique indicators that reveal the market’s resilience and the long-term stability commercial real estate continues to provide for investors. Thomas’ research within commercial real estate broadly includes space and capital market performance across multiple sectors, but Thomas’s keen interest and expertise lies within the subdiscipline of optimal location theory.  In addition to presenting his findings to a variety of clients and organizations, his insights are frequently published in leading industry and wider-audience periodicals including the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Newsweek, Scotsman Guide, and Commercial Observer.  Prior to joining Moody's Analytics, Dr. LaSalvia was an industry consultant while also serving as a Lecturer of Economics at The College of William & Mary. 

Jeff Hoffman, SIOR, CCIM | Cushman & Wakefield | The Boerke Co.

On this episode of The Take, host Tracy Johnson talks with Jeff Hoffman, Partner with Cushman & Wakefield | The Boerke Co. about his book, Industrial Is What we Do: Building Wisconsin’s Future on a Foundation of Industry. The book explores Wisconsin’s opportunity for success in manufacturing over the next decade as businesses face pressures around housing, automation, education, workforce, and infrastructure.  Jeff explains the inspiration for writing the book based on his career as an industrial real estate broker and an active board member with several organizations (including CARW) focused on policy matters. His comments underscore the importance of understanding broad issues facing Industry as Wisconsin leaders look to the future. Jeff speaks with CEOs and policy experts to share insights and draw conclusions about the path forward. He also discusses the intrigue of commercial real estate as a career choice. Proceeds from the book support the Waukesha County Technical College 2030 Scholarship Fund.

More information can be found here: https://buff.ly/3Cz3NxY