What We're Reading: Week of January 17, 2022

Here's what we're reading this week about the projects, people and policies driving local development:

The Observer takes a wide start-of-year look at financial and commercial real estate trends going into 2022

by Andrew Coen, January 3, 2022

Filterbuy conducted extensive research on the increased cost of living over the past decade in small, medium and large metros across the country. The Philadelphia region had a lower than average increase in cost of living, at #52 among 55 large metro areas, although housing costs were a little higher than average housing costs among large metros

by David Heacock, January 2022

The Business Journals report that 2021 was a profitable year for REITs nationwide across all sectors, and especially for storage and industrial sectors

by Ashley Fahey, January 12, 2022

Pew’s Philadelphia Research and Policy Initiative updated its business tracker dashboard, which provides detailed tracking of business metrics through the pandemic, by industry and business size

by Philadelphia Research & Policy Initiative, Updated January 7, 2022

Penn Institute for Urban Research co-sponsored a forum on how covid-19 is impacting state and local governmental finances and priorities

by Penn Institute for Urban Research, January 20, 2022

The Business Journal notes the sale of 45 story residential tower 1500 Locust Street for $230 million as one of the largest multi-family sales in Philadelphia

by Natalie Kostelni, Updated January 10, 2022

The Business Journal looks at the wave of residential development and growth of a notable restaurant district in the Fishtown area, with boutique hotels next on the horizon

by Laura Smythe and Natalie Kostelni, January 20, 2022

Halfway through Mayor Kenney’s final term, The Philadelphia Citizen takes a deep dive into how Council President Clarke has been able to move the center of power from the Mayor’s office to City Council

by Larry Platt, January 7, 2022

The Business Journal describes the rise and growth of a Philadelphia based modular design and construction firm, that now has partnerships in California and Poland

by Natalie Kostelni, January 12, 2022

A study from the University of Oklahoma examines the benefits and challenges of using panelized construction in homebuilding

by Somik Ghosh, Ben F. Bigelow, and Vivek S. Patel

The Philadelphia Citizen’s “Ideas We Should Steal” forum included a candid discussion with former Philadelphia and Atlanta Mayors Nutter and Reed; watch the video here

January 20, 2022