It is difficult to deny that in the past decade, changes in technology have drastically altered the way we live, work, and play. We sometimes fail to remember, however, that real estate has been shaping our lives just as dramatically for thousands of years. It is fascinating, therefore, to consider how these two powerful forces will come together to change our built environment. To that end, the last two panels of the 34th Annual Cornell Real Estate Conference will examine the intersection of technology and real estate head on.
Immediately following Friday’s lunch, a panel discussion entitled “The Intersection of Change and the Design/Built Environment” will explore the new ways technology is being incorporated into nearly every real estate asset class, and the impact this shift is having on the real estate industry. The panel will be moderated by Bruce Batkin (AAP ’76), President and CEO of Terra Capital Partners. With a focus on gap financing, Batkin has broad exposure to a wide array of deals and property types that will enable him to facilitate a lively conversation with the diverse panel of speakers. The panel consists of Chris Buccini, Co-President of The Buccini/Pollin Group; Woody Heller, Executive Managing Director of Savills Studley; Doug Hocking (AAP ’90), Principal at Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates; and Alison Novak, Principal at The Hudson Companies. This talented line-up promises to provide a wide range of insights given their various backgrounds in leasing, sales, architecture, and development.
The final panel discussion of the conference is entitled “Think Big/Think Bold: Disruptive Design in the Innovation Economy”. This panel will take an even closer look at design changes within commercial real estate, but will focus particularly on the office spaces of innovative, forward-thinking companies. The discussion will be moderated by Tom Vecchione, Design Director and Principal in Gensler’s New York office. Vecchione’s background designing spaces for world-class companies all across the globe puts him in a unique position to lead this discussion. The panel will include Peter Cavanaugh (Eng ’86), the Ecosystem Transformation Leader for GE. In this role, Cavanaugh has led a cross-functional team in designing GE’s transformational new Boston headquarters. Also on the panel will be John Vazquez, Senior VP of Global Real Estate for Verizon. Vazquez is responsible for the over 100 million square feet of real estate in Verizon’s massive portfolio. This impressive lineup of speakers promises an incredible glance into the revolutionary future of the American workplace.
