In a conversation that spanned technology, economics, and governance, Romney’s message was consistent: the challenges ahead are real – but so is the capacity to meet them, if leadership rises to the moment.
The industrial market is rarely reshaped by a single law, but occasionally, policy shifts redirect capital for years. Panelists at NAIOP’s I.CON West conference in Los Angeles agreed that the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), signed into law by President Donald Trump in July 2025, may be one of those moments.
The next 730 days will likely feel volatile, said I.CON West keynote Leonard Brody, an award-winning techno-economist, entrepreneur and venture capitalist. This moment fits within a 300-year historical pattern of supercycles - long arcs of disruption.
Tucked inside a former furniture store in Los Angeles sits one of the most sophisticated food production facilities you’ve likely never heard of. Owned by City Storage Systems and operated by ProFoods, this 30,000-square-foot “cloud kitchen” is a case study in how real estate, engineering and food technology converge to power the modern delivery economy.
During a recent economic and real estate outlook call hosted by Marcus & Millichap, leading economists and industry experts unpacked what lies ahead for growth, jobs and the major commercial real estate sectors.
Steve Weikal, industry chair, real estate transformation lab, MIT Center for Real Estate, and managing partner, MET Fund II, led I.CON Central attendees through an AI-driven world of robotics, automation and advanced technologies. Weikel is co-author of the recently published NAIOP Research Foundation report “From Static to Strategic: AI’s Role in Next-Generation Industrial Real Estate.”
At I.CON Central this week in Columbus, Ohio, a panel of local leaders emphasized that the phrase is more than a slogan – it’s a practice. “It’s a phrase attributed to the practice of community stewardship carried through by leadership across sectors in the Columbus region,” said panel moderator Irene Alvarez, chief marketing and communications officer, Columbus Partnership.
At I.CON Central this week in Columbus, Ohio, Global Client Strategist and Senior Economic Advisor for CBRE Spencer Levy framed his keynote with a theme few would expect in a discussion about commercial real estate: the Beatles. Levy opened by telling the audience that much like the iconic band, CRE thrives on emotional resonance, innovation and the ability to adapt to changing landscapes.
NAIOP and commercial real estate leaders are closely watching a landscape shaped by tax policy, energy debates, tariffs and political dynamics. NAIOP’s priority issues have been front and center this year, offering both victories and challenges for the industry.
Challenges abound when converting dry warehouses into cold storage facilities, but a panel of experts at NAIOP’s I.CON Cold Storage shared their experiences and recommendations for making it a reality.
