WHAT: Rutgers Economic Advisory Service (R/ECON) semiannual subscriber forecast and conference will provide insight into the rapidly changing commercial real estate market – and some of the players reinventing it – and the New Jersey and national economic outlooks. R/ECON is presented by the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers.

WHO: Bloustein Dean James W. Hughes will describe the ongoing reinvention of New Jersey’s commercial real estate market by players who recognize that the changing nature of work, technology and employee demographics are powerful forces upsetting the status quo. According to Hughes, some are selling millions of square feet of office space, while others are bulldozing existing structures to the ground (rather than undertaking extensive, cost-prohibitive retrofits) as a prelude to creating mixed-use developments. Many are being planned to include high-density housing accessible to mass transit. R/ECON Director Nancy Mantell will present short- and long-term economic forecasts for New Jersey and University Professor Joseph J. Seneca, also of the Bloustein School, will address national economic trends.

WHEN: 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 11

WHERE: Bloustein School Special Events Forum, Civic Square, 33 Livingston Ave., New Brunswick


EDITOR'S NOTE: ATTENTION BUSINESS, ASSIGNMENT EDITORS, to attend the R/ECON conference and forecast or to arrange an interview with Director Nancy Mantell, call Steve Manas, Office of Media Relations, at 732-932-7084, ext. 612, or 732-991-7397. Requests for nearby media parking and wireless internet access must be made a minimum of 24 hours before the December 11 event. Contact Karyn Olsen at 848-932-2814 or karyno.olsen@rutgers.edu to make arrangements.