Presented by Tucker Ellis LLP September 30, 2015, Music Box Supper Club With 170 registrants and 14 civic and developer exhibitors, the NAIOP Developers’ Showcase was an outstanding event that highlighted Northeast Ohio’s development strengths and weaknesses as critiqued by national site selectors. Following an update by Greater Cleveland Partnership President and CEO Joe Roman about the upcoming Republican National Convention (RNC), moderator Will Friedman of the Port of Cleveland questioned panelists about business priorities in expansion projects, and what Northeast Ohio can do to position itself to maximize development. Panelists remarked that Northeast Ohio has done a good job of focusing on its strengths in sectors such as manufacturing and biomedical activity and their related skilled workforces, rather than diluting its effort trying to be a jack of all trades across all business sectors. While the tarnish of the rust belt image is still on the minds of some selection professionals, the panelists agreed that recent development successes and the attention that the RNC will bring are helping to improve our region’s image, and will keep Cleveland and Northeast Ohio on the minds of expanding companies. Lack of large development sites are a difficulty for us, while infrastructure capacity, a positive legacy of our industrial past, was cited as a solid strength. After the panelists’ remarks, the event hosted an unveiling of a new joint initiative by the Industrial Asset Management Council (IAMC) and the Society of Industrial and Office Realtors (SIOR). Through flexible design, DesignFlex 2030 aims to facilitate continuous adaptability, improve operating efficiencies, increase technological capacity and decrease down time of new industrial facilities. Beyond the first focus of food manufacturing operations, the joint effort will continue to roll out updates on other industrial building types, including warehouse/distribution and biomedical/pharmaceutical operations. GCP has long been supportive of NAIOP, the trade group for commercial real estate development professionals. This event improved area development and real estate officials’ understanding of how to maximize our business development and attraction opportunities. For more information, please contact Vince Adamus at 216-592-2258 or vadamus@gcpartnership.com.
