Oct 29, 2024 _ news

GBBN & Colliers Host The Evolving Downtown

We recently partnered with the Pittsburgh office of Colliers to host “The Evolving Downtown” at our Pittsburgh office. The event focused on the market trends and shifting tenant preferences that are reshaping not only downtown Pittsburgh, but urban cores across the nation.

Special guest Gary Chesson, co-founder of Trinity Partners and Trinity Capital Advisors, two Southeastern US commercial real-estate firms, shared how markets have evolved over the last 20-25 years by identifying trend cycles that have impacted development in downtowns across the country. Gary is also the author of Creating Trinity: Blueprints of a Real Estate Entrepreneur and Investor.

GBBN’s Beth Latto provided insight into workplace user trends and factors that contribute to the firm’s decision-making process regarding offices’ location, size, and amenities.

The event also featured a panel discussion with Gary, Beth, and Collier’s Patrick Sentner, and  moderated by GBBN’s Chad Burke. The panel focused on the future of downtown Pittsburgh, with all participants contributing to the conversation. Gary echoed the commonly held sentiment that the pandemic accelerated a work-from-home trend that was already taking root. However, the current hybrid workstyle continues to pose challenges for companies trying to program space that supports in-office and remote employees. This is something Beth sees frequently as she strategizes with clients around how much and what types of space will serve them best in this environment. “The pandemic has permanently changed the paradigm of the workplace,” Beth noted. “We are just not putting the genie back in the bottle.”

GBBN’s Sabreena Miller, who worked closely with Colliers to organize the event emphasized the importance of bringing different perspectives together to positively impact downtown Pittsburgh as it evolves. “We all share a belief that thriving downtowns drive positive growth and engagement in our cities,” says Miller. “Events like this allow us to envision the future of downtown and how we can work together to get there.”

– Read more about the event in the Pittsburgh Business Times.
– Read Beth’s insight, “Working Well in a Hybrid World”, here.
– See our workplace research here.
– See our workplace projects here.