Overheard at Safta on the evening of the Real Estate & Construction Network (RECN) event on January 12:

“I would give you my card, but I ran out about 20 minutes ago.”

That sums up the kind of networking night had by all at the very successful “New Year, New Perspectives: An Evening of Ideation and Collaboration.” Nearly 200 members of Colorado’s real estate and construction industry packed the trendy restaurant Safta which had closed its doors to the public to host this special event.

Was it the menu (delicious and Kosher) or the venue (gracious and inviting) that made this evening so successful? Was it an appearance by Governor Jared Polis, the chance to shake his hand and hear his thoughts about Colorado economic issues in 2023? Was it the opportunity to join roundtable discussions on hot industry topics led by subject matter experts? Was it the time spent initiating new deals or closing them with a handshake? Was it the joy of seeing old friends and making new ones?

The answer? It was all of the above that kept business cards flying and energy high long after the event had officially ended. It’s hard to believe that JEWISHcolorado launched RECN less than six months ago. Already, the organization is making a name for itself as a forward-looking influencer in the Colorado real estate landscape. Just ask the governor.

“I was really excited to see that there is a JEWISHcolorado Real Estate and Construction Network,” Polis told the crowd. “And the really remarkable thing is that it’s not just five people around the table. This is a real group here.”

The Governor looks into the future

In addressing the crowd, Gov. Polis focused his remarks on several Colorado economic factors including the availability of housing and cost of living in the state.

“We are really trying to lean into removing some of the barriers to home construction, reducing red tape, allowing houses of all types to be built for people of all income levels,” he said. “One of the biggest crises we face is a workforce crisis. For every unemployed person, we have two job openings. The biggest thing we hear from people is that they can’t afford to live near work. How can we ensure that people can afford to live near jobs, giving Colorado a strong workforce, powering the state in the 21^st century?”

The governor also addressed an issue on many minds this year—property tax relief.

“Colorado is a great place to live—that’s the good news,” he said. “Bad news is the secret is out so home prices went up quite a bit for this assessment period. We need to bring down the commercial assessment rates and also provide some relief for homeowners.”

Finally, Polis asked the group to have the vision to create a new model for sustainable housing and living in Colorado.

“How do we make housing around transit-oriented communities and walkable commercial areas?” he asked. “We all care about reducing traffic because less traffic means cleaner air and less time that our residents are stuck in cars and away from wonderful networking events like this. With your help, we will work on all of these things to make sure Colorado is well prepared for future success.”

In his introduction of the governor, JEWISHcolorado Board Chairman Rob Kaufmann thanked him for supporting and signing legislation in May 2022 creating the Colorado Nonprofit Security Grant Program which enhances the physical security of Colorado’s faith-based and charitable organizations.

Mark Sidell, Chair of RECN, set the scene for the conversations that would take place after the governor departed.

“Our network brings together professionals from all aspects of real estate and construction,” he said. “We are building valuable relationships, learning together, and sharing ideas and opportunities, all while supporting the programs of JEWISHcolorado.”

Expert debate of timely topics

Six subject matter experts had volunteered their time to lead optional 20-minute roundtable discussions on timely topics including:

• Tax Assessments and Valuations – Kendra Goldstein, Sterling Property Tax Specialists;
• Affordable Housing – David Nisivoccia, CEO of Denver Housing Authority;
• Rooftop/Urban Farming – Mike Sutherland, Council Member – District III, City of Centennial;
• Construction Defect Issues – Jason Pomerantz, IMA Financial Group;
• ESG – Phoenix Dugger, Ardent Mills;
• Post-Covid Office Market – Dorit Fischer, Shames Makovsky.

The tables filled quickly and every time the bell rang, individuals moved to another table to hear about different issues. (Think speed dating where you are meeting your peers in the real estate and construction industry.)

At the Tax Assessments and Valuations table, Kendra Goldstein responded to the question “Are assessments going to be high?” by explaining what the historic growth in property values in some parts of the state may mean for assessments this year.

At another table, a large group of participants discussed the challenges of returning to the office (or not) after COVID. “Wednesday is now the day with the highest occupancy in downtown Denver,” Dorit Fischer said. “The office environment has changed so much. We have to ask how we are changing the space to accommodate this fluctuation.”

At the Tax Assessments and Valuations table, Kendra Goldstein responded to the question “Are assessments going to be high?” by explaining what the historic growth in property values in some parts of the state may mean for assessments this year.

At another table, a large group of participants discussed the challenges of returning to the office (or not) after COVID. “Wednesday is now the day with the highest occupancy in downtown Denver,” Dorit Fischer said. “The office environment has changed so much. We have to ask how we are changing the space to accommodate this fluctuation.”

Phoenix Dugger led a discussion of different ways that developers, architects, and construction companies can work together to have a positive social impact. David Nisivoccia fielded this question: “What do we need to do to incentivize county commissioners to opt into affordable housing?” Jason Pomerantz was ready with a list when a question about construction defects and litigation came up. “Most common construction defects that lead to litigation?” he said. “Exterior cladding, roofing, improper joints in plumbing, flatwork.” 

Finally, Mike Sutherland, Centennial Council Member, shared a story about how Centennial had just changed its zoning code to allow a 1.5-acre hydroponic lettuce farm to be developed on the roof of a parking garage.  “We thought it was an innovative idea and we are a forward-looking city,” Sutherland said. “The lettuce that will be grown there will be available for restaurants and support the farm to table movement.”

By dropping in to each table, attendees gained new insights and answers to their questions. When the evening ended, the conversation continued even as Safta staff cleared the tables. Without a doubt, many RECN members went home with a note to self: “Bring more business cards to the next JEWISHcolorado RECN event.”

For more information about RECN, contact RealEstate@jewishcolorado.org.