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76ers Fieldhouse

76ers Fieldhouse

The 76ers Fieldhouse is a 2,500-seat multi-purpose arena and sports complex in Wilmington, Delaware, United States. The arena, home to the Philadelphia 76ers NBA G League team the Delaware Blue Coats, hosted its first game on January 23, 2019. Construction on the remainder of the complex was completed in April 2019

Speakers and Panels

State Of The Economy And CRE In N. Delaware

Major Developments and Trends Impacting the Market

Robert Buccini

Robert Buccini

Co-Founder & Principal

The Buccini/Pollin Group

Hughlett Kirby

Hughlett Kirby

Vice President

Cinnaire Corporation

Tripp Way

Tripp Way

Managing Partner

DSMRE

Jamie Vari

Jamie Vari

Managing Director

JLL

Benjamin Berger
Moderator

Benjamin Berger

Partner

Berger Harris

Robert Buccini

Co-Founder & Principal

The Buccini/Pollin Group

Mr. Robert E. Buccini is a Co-founder and Principal of The Buccini/Pollin Group, Inc. and serves as its Co-President. He serves as Executive Director of Mid Atlantic Hotel Portfolio Investors LLC. Mr. Buccini leads The Buccini/Pollin Group general non-hotel real estate development activity. Prior to co-founding BPG, Mr. Buccini was an Assistant Vice President for real estate development at the New York City Economic Development Corporation (EDC). While at the EDC, his projects included the Times Square-Disney redevelopment project, Brooklyn’s Metro Tech, the city’s first information technology building, and the New York City Discovery Fund (a $50 million venture fund investing in New York City based technology companies). Prior to that engagement, Mr. Buccini was a Broker and Senior Analyst for Kenneth D. Laub & Company, a commercial real estate brokerage firm based in New York City. Mr. Buccini is Chairman of the Wilmington Housing Partnership, Director of The Rodel Foundation of Delaware, Treasurer of Opera Delaware and Chairman of Delaware State University’s Annual Campaign. Mr. Buccini received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Cornell University.

Hughlett Kirby

Vice President

Cinnaire Corporation

A. Hughlett Kirby joined Cinnaire Corporation as the Vice President for Development in 2015.

Cinnaire is a not-for- profit Community Development Finance Institution, which has been

fostering economic development and helping to create safe and affordable housing for over 20

years. The name Cinnaire was new in 2015, a result of the 2013 merger between the Delaware

Community Investment Corporation (DCIC) and Great Lakes Capital (GLCF).

To fulfill its mission, Cinnaire raises equity and debt funds for its bank investors and participants

to fund limited partnership investments in and permanent mortgages for low-income housing tax

credit-financed multi-family projects. Working from Cinnaire’s Wilmington, DE offices,

Hughlett’s responsibilities include raising capital and originating equity and debt opportunities in

Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania and New Jersey, helping to expand DCIC’s legacy Delaware

footprint to the Mid-Atlantic region.

A resident of Chadds Ford, PA, Hughlett brings 24 years of commercial banking experience with

M&T Bank, where she served as a Relationship Manager and senior commercial real estate

lender. She holds a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Maryland and a Master in

Business Administration degree from Boston University. Always active in her community,

Hughlett is a member of the Wilmington Rotary Club, the Committee of 100, the Commercial

and Industrial Realtors Council, serves on the Advisory Committee for the Fort DuPont

Redevelopment Authority, and is a member of the Wilmington Housing Partnership Board of

Directors.

In her leisure time, Hughlett loves to travel (most recently to yoga camp in Isla Mujeras,

Mexico), is an avid reader, and enjoys kayaking on the Delaware Bay near Bethany Beach, DE

with family and friends.

Tripp Way

Managing Partner

DSMRE

After graduating from the University of Delaware with a degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance, Tripp entered into commercial real estate, beginning his career as a commercial real estate appraiser. Tripp handled the appraisal of long-term care facilities, hospitals, medical office buildings and various other properties. After moving on to become a commercial real estate broker, his responsibilities included tenant and landlord representation and investment property analysis and sales. Prior to starting DSM Commercial, he served as Senior Consultant to the Herman/Turner Group, as a consultant with Capital Valuation Group and was a partner at Emory Hill Real Estate Services.

Jamie Vari

Managing Director

JLL

Jamie Vari is a Managing Director at JLL's Wilmington, Delaware office, where he specializes in landlord and tenant representation services for clients throughout Delaware and the greater Philadelphia region. He plans and implements complex acquisitions, consolidations, dispositions, alternative use and development strategies for corporate and institutional clients, playing a key role in some of the most significant leases and transactions across the Wilmington and greater Philadelphia markets. Beyond his professional work at JLL, Jamie is deeply involved in the community. Jamie is Chair of the 2026 Heart Ball event for the American Heart Association, and also actively participates in both the Commercial Industrial Realty Council (CIRC) and the Urban Land Institute (ULI).

Benjamin Berger

Moderator

Berger Harris

Benjamin J. “Buddy” Berger is a co-founder of Berger Harris LLP. Buddy represents real estate

developers, builders, investors, family owned businesses, non-profit corporations and closely held business

entities in a variety of complex real estate and other transactional matters, including acquisitions, financings,

sales, leases and debt restructuring matters. Buddy also has extensive experience in the title insurance industry

serving as a title agent for several national title insurance companies.

Buddy has experience regarding mixed use projects, including

student housing projects, and in handling securitized and mezzanine

financing transactions on behalf of borrowers.

In addition, Buddy acts as Outside “In-House” Counsel to

Delaware-based businesses on matters involving Formation,

Governance and Business Litigation, Commercial Contracts and

Transactions.

Buddy has been recognized for being Best Lawyers, Real

Estate Law, Greater Philadelphia and Best Lawyers in America, Real

Estate law.

Buddy is also active in the community, and currently serves as

a board member of the Commercial & Industrial Realty Council.

Keynote With Mayor Purzycki

Michael Purzycki
Keynote

Michael Purzycki

Mayor

City of Wilmington

Pamela Scott
Moderator

Pamela Scott

Partner

Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr

Michael Purzycki

Mayor

City of Wilmington

Michael S. Purzycki, Wilmington’s 57th Mayor, is currently serving his second, four-year term as the City’s

Chief Executive. The Mayor was initially elected to office in November of 2016. He was re-elected in

November of 2020 to a second term. His time as Mayor is driven by his desire to see the City run at a high

level of efficiency, to increase the level of shared prosperity among its citizens, and to confront the

problems too many cities experience throughout the country.

Mike Purzycki was born in Newark, New Jersey in 1945. He graduated Seton Hall Prep in 1963 and

earned a football scholarship to the University of Delaware, where he played for four years and set every

Blue Hen receiving record. After graduating with a degree in history, he signed a contract with the NewYork

Giants football team for the 1967-1968 season when an injury sidelined his professional football career.

The mayor worked with IBM in Data Processing sales, as a stockbroker, and then in real estate sales and

development while attending Delaware Law School at night. He was admitted to the Delaware bar and

served as attorney for the Delaware State Senate and then practiced law for over a decade. He first ran for

public office in 1982 and was elected to New Castle County Council where he served for nine years as

Chairman of the County’s Council’s Finance Committee and wrote the legislation that created the state’s

first ethics law.

In 1996, Mike Purzycki was tapped to head the Riverfront Development Corporation, and was tasked with

the challenging job of resurrecting the blighted, industrial wasteland along the Christina River. He and his

team did what many said would be impossible—they reinvented and reinvigorated the former World War ll

shipyard into an economic, cultural, and social hub of the City which included over one billion dollars of

public and private investment, including the Chase Center, The Peterson Wildlife Refuge, two miles of

Riverwalk, hundreds of apartments, restaurants, hotels, and other amenities.

Mike also served for ten years as Chairman of the Wilmington Hope Commission during which he oversaw

the 2014 opening of the Achievement Center, a ten thousand-square-foot building housing a

groundbreaking program that helps formerly incarcerated men successfully transition from prison back into

the community.

During his tenure as Mayor, the City has seen almost $1 billion of private investment injected into the local

economy. Thousands of apartments, hotels, and new nightlife and dining destinations have breathed new

life into the downtown and riverfront. Wilmington has invested $14 million in its neighborhood parks and

public spaces. Twenty-six miles of City streets have been paved and repaired. There has been no tax

increase for four years while the City’s cash position has been improved. During this same period, Moody’s

removed a negative outlook from the City’s previous bond rating to improve the City’s borrowing power.

Mike married the former Bette Richitelli in 1984. They live in the Highlands with their teenage son, Gage.

Their adult children—Adriane, her husband Andrew and granddaughter Pascal live in Hockessin, while

Mick, his wife Ally, and granddaughter Yoyo live in Maryland.

Pamela Scott

Moderator

Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr

Pam Scott's more than 30 years of work as an attorney is complemented by a mix of roles relevant to utility companies, real estate developers, large and small businesses, healthcare facilities and institutional uses who need advice on how complex regulatory environments apply to their projects and deals. Primarily, Pam helps utility companies seek approvals from the Delaware Public Service Commission and commercial and institutional clients navigate land use and zoning issues for real estate projects involving the intersection of administrative law and government relations. Pam's experience includes work as assistant general counsel for the multi-state utility company Pepco Holdings, LLC; a lawyer in private practice representing clients in matters involving commercial real estate transactions, government relations and complex land use projects; a legal advisor to the City of Wilmington and New Castle County; and policy director for the Delaware Department of Transportation, the largest agency in state government. Together, this background gives Pam a holistic understanding of the challenges businesses face when they must interact with regulators, politicians and community interests to move their projects forward.

Summary

  1. With Bank of America moving out of Bracebridge I & III, office vacancy rates have gone from 16.1% to 23%. What tenants would be able to take such a large amount of office space?

  2. Hundreds of affordable and market-rate housing units, a food hall and a new hotel have hit downtown Wilmington. Will this economic boom bring a younger demographic to the city?

  3. Similarly to Philadelphia, Wilmington has a wage tax, as well as a headcount tax. With affordability being a big selling point for Wilmington, should the city look to re-do their tax code to help attractbusiness?

  4. Newark has heated up in recent months with five properties being sold for over $100 million. What has caused outside money to be so bullish on Newark?

  5. Class-A office space is on average $6 cheaper per SF in Wilmington than Philadelphia. What is helping to draw companies to Wilmington besides price?

Venue

76ers Fieldhouse
401 Garasches Ln
Wilmington, DE 19801


Agenda

Time Activity
12:30 PM
1:30 PM
Coffee, Breakfast, & Networking!
1:30 PM
1:50 PM
Keynote With Mayor Purzycki
1:50 PM
2:50 PM
State Of The Economy And CRE In N. Delaware

Major Developments and Trends Impacting the Market

2:50 PM
3:30 PM
More Networking!