As a way to get to know the CREW Atlanta leadership better, we have been interviewing the board members on their thoughts on CREW Atlanta, the commercial real estate industry, workplace issues and life in general. This month, we caught up with CREW Atlanta Chapter Director Katie Smith. Q. How has COVID-19 impacted your business? The coronavirus pandemic, of course, has been a challenge for us. We’re a member-driven organization that absolutely thrives on in-person networking. Luckily, CREW Atlanta was up for the challenge to continue to provide programs, events and networking while making sur ..read more

Dear CREW Atlanta Members, If we have learned anything in 2020, it has been that we need to be flexible and constantly adapting to the new realities. For CREW Atlanta, it has been no different. Our board and committees quickly pivoted to create virtual programming and networking opportunities to keep our members engaged. If you have not yet had a chance to participate in one of these events, don’t wait any longer – they have been a great way to stay connected when we are all still socially distanced. Because this group of leaders was so entrenched in all of the changes, in June the board had m ..read more

PULSE CHECK! How are you REALLY feeling? We are amid a global pandemic, a presidential election and continued conversations around the need for racial equality. Before you decide that this blog post is “just another one of those conversations”, stop and read how the CREW Network DEI Taskforce is working toward the accomplishment of one of the Network’s 2020-2023 Strategic Plan goals. Goal 3: CREW Network is the global thought-leader regarding diversity, equity and inclusion in commercial real estate. Objectives: Ensure chapter leaders, committees and members embrace diversity as a core princi ..read more

As a way to get to know the CREW Atlanta leadership better, we will be interviewing the board members on their thoughts on CREW Atlanta, the commercial real estate industry, workplace issues and life in general. This month, we caught up with CREW Atlanta Delegate and Pond & Company Associate Principal and Program Manager Pamela Little. Q. What attracted you to design and engineering in commercial real estate?  I chose civil engineering as a profession because I liked the idea of building something tangible. I worked in construction for several years and then I spent time working on t ..read more

As the owner and manager of properties with retail tenants, my company has an up-close look at the economic stress caused by COVID-19. Retailers are caught in the double whammy of closing their doors for several months, and now, as they gradually reopen, they are faced with a faltering economy and spiraling unemployment that has caused many to be cautious in their spending. While no one can definitively state how long it will take to eradicate the virus and repair the economy, we see several trends developing that will help retailers recover. We are encouraging our tenants to be creative and l ..read more

As a way to get to know the CREW Atlanta membership better, we have created a Member Spotlight column in which we will be interviewing some of our members on their thoughts on CREW Atlanta, the commercial real estate industry, workplace issues and life in general. This month, we caught up with our very own CREW Atlanta member who is currently serving as CREW Network president, Caddis Healthcare Real Estate Director of Development Christine Gorham. Q. What attracted you to getting involved with CREW Network beyond your involvement with CREW Atlanta?  After serving as 2014 President of CRE ..read more

Dear CREW Atlanta Members, As 2020 rang in, CREW Atlanta was poised for a year full of opportunities for our members to further transform the commercial real estate industry by advancing women through our unique combination of signature programs, relationship-building events and leadership opportunities. Well, 2020 has certainly been eventful … but it has brought its fair share of challenges. In the commercial real estate industry, we are all having to pivot to our “new normal” quickly in order to help other industries return to business. I want to take a moment to thank the members of the CRE ..read more

In the midst of economic fallout tied to the COVID-19 crisis, the U.S. Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) to offer financial assistance to both American individuals and businesses. While most of this $2 trillion stimulus bill focuses directly on emergency Coronavirus-related relief, there is an amendment within the CARES Act that corrects a mistake from the 2017 tax law. This correction will benefit commercial property owners and some tenants, not only today but well into the future. The correction specifically expands the tax deduction for a vari ..read more

As a way to get to know the CREW Atlanta leadership better, we will be interviewing the board members on their thoughts on CREW Atlanta, the commercial real estate industry, workplace issues and life in general. This month, we caught up with CREW Atlanta Treasurer and JLL Finance Director Susan Turner. Q. What attracted you to commercial real estate? A friend was a recruiter and would call periodically asking if I knew anybody for accounting positions. He called one day with a position at a commercial real estate firm and I thought, “That sounds really interesting.” That was over 30 years ago ..read more

Despite what you may have heard, COVID-19 is not the end of the open office. Will we have to make accommodations for physical distancing as we go back to work? Absolutely, but this can be done without giving up on the social and collaborative advantages we all value in the open office, and without spending thousands of dollars to retrofit workspaces. Transformation in our behaviors and habits will be far more important than putting up new walls over the next few months. Like many of you, collaboration is at the core of my business as a workplace designer at Hendrick. My colleagues and I thrive ..read more