February 1, 2017 at 12:00 am · tkcDev · Comments Off on Real estate luminaries honored with 2017 awards

Real estate luminaries honored with 2017 awards

Portland, MAINE – At its annual conference, the Maine Real Estate & Development Association (MEREDA) presented its 2017 awards to five luminaries from Maine’s real estate and development industry.

The Robert B. Patterson, Jr. Founders’ Award was presented to Lawrence Wold, of Freeport, president in Maine for TD Bank, for his significant contributions to the real estate industry over many years. A longtime member of MEREDA’s board and leadership team, Wold spearheaded a new member recruitment initiative for MEREDA. Fourteen years later, the TD Bank Membership Recruitment Matching Funds Program continues to help introduce new members to the organization and has made a lasting difference in the organization’s growth and success. A very active member of the southern Maine community, Wold has 30 years of commercial lending experience in Maine.

The President’s Award was presented to Michael O’Reilly, of Scarborough, senior vice president and southern Maine commercial team lead for Bangor Savings Bank, in recognition of his over-the-top contributions to the MEREDA organization. O’Reilly is an inspiration for fellow board members and for MEREDA’s strategic goals, having conceived of at least two of MEREDA’s current initiatives: the cultivation of young, up and coming members as part of the DevelopME framework, and the identification of workforce development as a crucial component for the continued success and health of Maine’s commercial real estate sector.

The Volunteer of the Year Award was presented to two individuals: Theresa Hodge, of Topsham, senior vice president and senior commercial lender at Bath Savings Institution, and Josh Fifield, of Portland, account executive in the business insurance department at Clark Insurance. Hodge is active in MEREDA’s board of directors and also participates on the subcommittee for the annual Strikes for Scholars" bowl-a-thon fundraiser, which in 2016, raised more than $18,000 for scholarships for Maine students. Fifield serves on MEREDA’s membership and marketing committee, attracting new members, creating original content for the Mainebiz Real Estate Insider and promoting MEREDA’s mission and benefits throughout the state.

The Public Policy Award was presented to Rick Licht, of Gray, founder and president of Licht Environmental Design, for his significant impact to benefit responsible real estate development in Maine. Licht travels to Augusta to testify at public hearings to help legislators understand the real-life impacts of legislation before they vote, rallying faithfully to deliver email and telephone messages to key legislators when we have put out a legislative “call to action,” adding a critical and informed dimension to MEREDA’s work.

For more information or to see the video presentation of the awards, click here.

January 24, 2017 at 12:00 am · tkcDev · Comments Off on Shelly Clark honored for 20 years at MEREDA

Shelly Clark honored for 20 years at MEREDA

Portland, Maine – At its annual conference earlier this month, Shelly Clark was honored for two decades of service to the Maine Real Estate & Development Association (MEREDA), the trade association that advocates for responsible development and ownership of real estate throughout the state. Clark, who serves as the organization’s vice president of operations, was invited on stage for the presentation, where she was surprised by approximately two dozen of MEREDA’s board presidents from through the ages, while the more than 700 in the audience offered a standing ovation.

“If there were ever a ‘who’s who’ of Maine real estate, all these people on stage with us would be on it. Yourself included,” said Paul Peck, current board president with MEREDA.

“In 20 years, you have made a big impact on all of us, stewarding the organization from a small interest group into a real force with which to be reckoned, selling out conferences and making headlines as we influence the economics and policy priorities of this great state,” continued Peck. “[Y]ou have cultivated amazing personal relationships, and time and again, have gone out of your way, and in some cases stretched out of your comfort zone, to keep us on stable financial footing and to maintain the infrastructure upon which we all rely.”

Clark was initially hired for an executive assistant position at MEREDA and has been tapped for progressively responsible roles over the years. She now serves as the most senior member of MEREDA’s staff, overseeing the statewide organization with more than 300 member companies.

Clark, a native of Houlton and resident of Portland, is a graduate of Thomas College with a bachelor’s of science degree in business management.

January 12, 2017 at 12:00 am · tkcDev · Comments Off on Morning Menu Breakfast Event: “Darkness into Light: Cannabis and its impact on Commercial Real Estate in the Post-Prohibition Era.”

Morning Menu Breakfast Event: “Darkness into Light: Cannabis and its impact on Commercial Real Estate in the Post-Prohibition Era.”

Industry experts suggest that no new-to-market use has had as large an impact on Maine’s commercial real estate landscape in recent years as has cannabis cultivation.  Starting as a niche industry five years ago, the marijuana growth business has morphed into a well regulated and complex professional system in some respects and an unregulated and "wild west" environment in others.  Rapid growth has put a significant strain on Maine’s existing industrial inventory and regulatory systems (both state and municipal).  And with the 2016 election legalizing adult use recreational cannabis, further stressors are anticipated.  Beyond adjusting to industrial impacts, Maine’s retail corridors need to prepare for inevitable retail store and further cultivation facility demand.  Importantly, efforts to implement the recreational cannabis program will provide Maine with an opportunity to "get it right" and enact a safe, robust, and fair regulatory system giving Maine the opportunity to establish a unique and successful economic sector in which many professionals will be comfortable operating. 

Join MEREDA for breakfast on February 16 from 7:30 AM – 9:00 AM at the Holiday Inn By the Bay for a panel discussion and presentation on how this industry has evolved, where things stand today and what the future may hold. The panel will be moderated by Justin Lamontagne, a Partner at NAI The Dunham Group specializing in commercial industrial brokerage. It will feature presentations by Dan Walker of Preti Flaherty and Gretchen Jones of Eaton Peabody, two legal experts with extensive experience in representation of both cannabis landlords and end-users. 

Discussion points will include a legislative update on current laws, an overview of financial and insurance hurdles, and pros and cons for property owner Landlords to consider. We will also have perspective from cannabis industry experts with Jacques Santucci from Opus Consulting Group and Brett Messer General Manager, Caregiver at Brigid Farm completing the panel.

About the Event:

February 16, 2017 – 7:30AM to 9:00AM

Holiday Inn by the Bay
88 Spring Street
Portland, ME

Buffet Breakfast: 7:30-8:00 am
Program: 8:00-9:00 am

Registering for this Event:

Member: $45 pp | Non-Member: $55 pp 
Prices increase by $10 after February 9

Your RSVP is requested by February 9. Payment is expected at the time of registration. No refunds will be granted to anyone who registers, but fails to attend or who cancels after February 9. 

This MEREDA "Morning Menu" Breakfast Event is Sponsored by Norway Savings Bank and Preti Flaherty.

Click here for more information and to register.

January 12, 2017 at 12:00 am · tkcDev · Comments Off on Morning Menu Breakfast Event: Maine Legislative Update: MEREDA’s Top Policy Initiatives and How You Can Help

Morning Menu Breakfast Event: Maine Legislative Update: MEREDA’s Top Policy Initiatives and How You Can Help

Every year, the Maine Legislature and Governor consider over a thousand bills, and chances are high that some of them threaten to impact your business.  Savvy business leaders today stay informed of the current issues, and know how to engage individually and through MEREDA to influence the outcome of issues that could impact their business.  Additionally, MEREDA continues to propose policy changes to improve the real estate development environment in Maine in big and small ways, helping to pave the way to your business success. Come to this session to learn more about how to be informed about the issues that matter, and how to engage effectively individually and through MEREDA to influence the outcome of those issues of import.  

MEREDA is well-known and well-respected in Augusta for representing commercial real estate interests. Our Legislative Committee and Public Policy Counsel work together closely during Legislative sessions to protect your real estate business interests, and to advance them.  

MEREDA will be assembling a panel of members and legislators to take part in this forum that will be moderated by MEREDA’s Public Policy Counsel, Andrea Cianchette Maker, Partner and Government Relations Practice Group Leader at Pierce Atwood, LLP.  Additional details will be posted to our website as they become available.   In the meantime, make plans to join us for breakfast on February 7, 2017 from 7:30 – 9:00 AM at the Hollywood Casino Bangor to hear more about how we do it, as well as how you can easily remain abreast of policy developments and become more involved.

About the Event:

February 7, 2017 – 7:30AM to 9:00AM

Hollywood Casino Bangor
500 Main Street
Bangor, ME

Buffet Breakfast: 7:30-8:00 am
Program: 8:00-9:00 am

Registering for this Event:

Member: $25 pp | Non-Member: $35 pp 
Prices increase by $10 after January 31

Your RSVP is requested by January 31. Payment is expected at the time of registration. No refunds will be granted to anyone who registers, but fails to attend or who cancels after January 31. 

This MEREDA "Morning Menu" Breakfast Event is Sponsored by Bangor Savings Bank, Bowman Constructors, City of Bangor, Epstein Commercial Real Estate and Pierce Atwood.

Click here for more information and to register.

January 10, 2017 at 12:00 am · tkcDev · Comments Off on Surprises expected in reveal of Maine’s real estate performance on Jan. 19

Surprises expected in reveal of Maine’s real estate performance on Jan. 19

The economic indicator that measures the health of Maine’s real estate sector will be revealed on Thurs., Jan. 19 at a day-long conference of the Maine Real Estate & Development Association (MEREDA), expected to draw more than 700 from the industry. “We expect this edition of The MEREDA Index to reveal changing market conditions and emerging trends for the first time in a while,” said Paul Peck, president of the board of MEREDA and an attorney at Drummond & Drummond.

The MEREDA Index is compiled biannually and is widely regarded as the primary tool for insiders to track changes in the market. “Maine’s economy is very dependent upon the health of the tourism sector and small businesses, both of which rely heavily on a real estate infrastructure, so this update will have reverberations for the entire state,” explained Peck.

The conference will also feature more than half a dozen forecasts of future market activity by property type and geography. Presentations are expected from top experts in the following categories: Maine’s vacation and hospitality industry; southern Maine industrial, office, retail and residential; plus specific forecasts for the midcoast, Bangor area and central Maine markets respectively.

Additionally, MEREDA’s popular member showcase will offer an excellent opportunity for marketing of commercial real estate-related products and services.

The annual conference brings together the largest gathering of commercial real estate professionals in Maine, and is well-known as a “must attend” for anyone involved in, or touched by, the real estate industry.

Registration is now open for the 2017 MEREDA Forecast Conference, set for 9:00 am on Thurs., Jan. 19 at the Holiday Inn by the Bay in Portland. The event has been approved for 4.0 hours of real estate broker, legal, architect and appraiser continuing education credits. For more information and to register, click here.

November 14, 2016 at 12:00 am · tkcDev · Comments Off on Maine Real Estate & Development Association Elects Michael Lane to its Board of Directors

Maine Real Estate & Development Association Elects Michael Lane to its Board of Directors

PORTLAND, Maine – Michael Lane of Richmond, partner at Preti Flaherty, has been elected to the board of directors of the Maine Real Estate & Development Association (MEREDA), a statewide organization of commercial real estate owners, developers and related service providers.

Mike practices with Preti Flaherty’s Real Estate Group. He has represented clients in all aspects of real estate and land use law, including acquisitions, dispositions, obtaining federal, state and local regulatory approvals; commercial and public financing; title and conveyancing matters. Mike has built a strong timberlands practice representing mills, land management companies and industrial land owners in complex timberlands transactions, including acquisitions, sales, operating agreements, wood supply agreements, underwriting timberland titles, Land Use Planning Commission (LUPC) development compliance and permitting. He routinely appears before municipal planning boards, LUPC and the Department of Environmental Protection to permit residential, commercial and industrial projects.

Mike also serves as Vice President and General Counsel to Charter Title Company, LLC, Preti Flaherty’s wholly-owned subsidiary, a respected agent for a number of nationally recognized title insurance companies. He has substantial experience in underwriting and negotiating title insurance coverages involving multisite, multimillion dollar commercial transactions, particularly energy, industrial and timberland properties, covering Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

MEREDA’s Vice President of Operations, Shelly R. Clark says, “We’re anxious to begin working with Mike at the board level.  He brings with him great expertise and a wealth of industry knowledge.”

For further information, please contact MEREDA’s Vice President of Operations, Shelly R. Clark at 207-874-0801 or visit www.mereda.org.

October 25, 2016 at 12:00 am · tkcDev · Comments Off on MEREDA’s Morning Menu: Sustainable Stormwater Infrastructure = Sustainable Growth Perspectives on Stormwater Service Fee Programs and Credits

MEREDA’s Morning Menu: Sustainable Stormwater Infrastructure = Sustainable Growth Perspectives on Stormwater Service Fee Programs and Credits

Join MEREDA for breakfast on November 10th at the DoubleTree Hotel in South Portland for a panel discussion that will focus on the City of Portland Stormwater Service Charge – why it is needed by the City and what measures property owners can take to qualify for credits. Participants will also learn what fees/credits other municipalities in Maine such as Bangor and Lewiston, and in other areas of the United States have implemented and/or are planning, and hear first-hand how property owners have successfully improved the quality of their stormwater runoff while reducing their stormwater service bills.

Stormwater utilities or service fees are often based on a property’s impervious area and can become substantial for property owners with large building footprints and parking lots. But many municipalities offer credit programs that can reduce the amount a property owner has to pay, providing they implement and maintain stormwater management and pollution prevention systems that reduce the community’s overall cost of meeting its Clean Water Act obligations.

Join MEREDA for breakfast on November 10th at the DoubleTree Hotel in South Portland for a panel discussion that will focus on the City of Portland Stormwater Service Charge – why it is needed by the City and what measures property owners can take to qualify for credits. Participants will also learn what fees/credits other municipalities in Maine such as Bangor and Lewiston, and in other areas of the United States have implemented and/or are planning, and hear first-hand how property owners have successfully improved the quality of their stormwater runoff while reducing their stormwater service bills.

Registering for this Event:

Member: $45 pp | Non-Member: $55 pp 
Prices increase by $10 after November 3

Your RSVP is requested by November 3. Payment is expected at the time of registration. No refunds will be granted to anyone who registers, but fails to attend or who cancels after November 3. 

This MEREDA "Morning Menu" Breakfast Event is Sponsored by Norway Savings Bank and St. Germain Collins. 

For more information and to register, click here.

October 6, 2016 at 12:00 am · tkcDev · Comments Off on Aging, Housing and Construction Sector Leaders Press Release List of More Than 160 State Legislative Candidates Supporting Pledge to Press Release Senior Affordable Housing Bond

Aging, Housing and Construction Sector Leaders Press Release List of More Than 160 State Legislative Candidates Supporting Pledge to Press Release Senior Affordable Housing Bond

PORTLAND – More than 160 candidates for the 128th Maine Legislature – Democrats, Republicans and Independents alike – have signed a pledge to support legislation which would Press Release the proceeds of the voter-approved Senior Affordable Housing Bond, if Governor LePage fails to do so by the time the next legislative session begins.

The Senior Affordable Housing Bond, earmarked for the development of new units of safe, affordable senior housing and home repair services, was passed by a bipartisan super-majority of state legislators in 2015. The bond was then approved by nearly 70% of Maine voters last November. Despite this overwhelming support, Governor LePage still refuses to Press Release the bond funds. At a town hall forum this past spring, the Governor proclaimed that he would never Press Release the bond proceeds as long as he is Governor.

The bond was proposed in response to a growing unmet need for senior housing statewide. A 2015 study by a national research firm found that Maine already has a shortage of nearly 9,000 units of affordable housing available to low income older people. This shortage is projected to grow to more than 15,000 units by 2022 barring any change to the state’s housing stock.

A survey Press Released by the Maine Real Estate Managers Association this week found that the aggregate number of senior households on its members’ waiting lists has risen to nearly 10,000 statewide. The wait times for affordable housing can be long and have significant impact on the lives of older Mainers.

However, due to inadequate resources, only 39 new affordable senior apartments have been added to Maine’s stock so far this year. Community and municipal leaders all over Maine are eager for the development of these projects because they want to be able to help local residents remain in their own communities.

The bond has the strong support of AARP Maine, the Maine Council on Aging and more than 150 other businesses and organizations, including the Associated General Contractors of Maine, Associated Builders & Contractors of Maine, Maine Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, American Council of Engineering Companies of Maine, Maine Affordable Housing Coalition, Maine Real Estate & Development Association, Maine Real Estate Managers Association and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland.

The $15 million bond would be used in combination with more than $22 million in leveraged resources to build highly energy-efficient homes for Maine seniors. The bond would also pay for needed repairs and weatherization of more than 100 existing homes, further supporting seniors who wish to remain safely in their own homes and communities. The bond legislation ensures that rural and urban areas alike would benefit from this initiative.

“Without the Press Release of these bond funds, the supply of affordable homes for Maine’s seniors will continue to fall further behind the need,” said Greg Payne, Director of the Maine Affordable Housing Coalition. “Employing Maine workers to build the affordable homes that Maine seniors need is a smart and effective use of our state’s bond capacity. We urge the Governor to Press Release the Senior Affordable Housing Bond as soon as possible, and are encouraged by the strong bipartisan response from legislative candidates seeking to ensure that the will of Maine voters is respected.”

The full list of the 168 candidates for state legislative office signing the senior housing bond pledge may be found here.

September 27, 2016 at 12:00 am · tkcDev · Comments Off on MEREDA’s Morning Menu: The High Cost of Construction: Avoiding Surprises

MEREDA’s Morning Menu: The High Cost of Construction: Avoiding Surprises

Building new or renovating an existing facility is an expensive endeavor. Whether it is speculative office space, an industrial facility or a mixed use property, construction costs can spiral upward very easily.  The potential surprises and unexpected occurrences during the process are enough to keep some out of the market.

Join MEREDA on October 26th for breakfast as Greg Patterson of PATCO Construction and Paul Lewandowski of Lavallee Brensinger Architects discuss how to better understand and manage the construction costs for commercial projects.  Discussion topics will include right-sizing the building, the escalating cost of labor and materials and sharing insider knowledge and success stories.

This MEREDA "Morning Menu" Breakfast Event is Sponsored by Norway Savings Bank, CES, Inc and Pepperell Mill Campus.

For more information and to register, click here.

September 6, 2016 at 12:00 am · tkcDev · Comments Off on MEREDA’s Morning Menu Visits Bangor: Complete Streets: Can We Drive, Walk, and Bike in Harmony?

MEREDA’s Morning Menu Visits Bangor: Complete Streets: Can We Drive, Walk, and Bike in Harmony?

Narrowed vehicle lanes, "Share the Road" signage, multi-use paths, traffic calming, flashing pedestrian crossings – have you heard these terms and wonder what it means here in Maine and the Bangor region?

Join the Maine Real Estate & Development Association (MEREDA) for breakfast on October 4, 2016 from 7:30 – 9:00 AM at the Hollywood Casino Bangor to hear from experts on how the "Complete Streets" doctrine is being implemented statewide and in the Bangor Region to balance transportation needs of our community.
  
This MEREDA "Morning Menu" Breakfast Event is Sponsored by Bangor Savings Bank, Eaton Peabody and Webber Group.

For more information and to register, click here.