Philadelphia Education Real Estate Conference

Why You Should Attend the Philadelphia Education Real Estate Conference

Why This Matters

Education is one of the region’s greatest economic engines, yet the real estate it depends on is aging fast. Childcare shortages are keeping parents out of the workforce. Public school buildings average more than 70 years old and need billions in repairs. Universities are expanding, consolidating, or reinventing campus footprints based on shifting enrollment and student housing needs. Every move has ripple effects on neighborhoods, employers, and the broader real estate market. Understanding how education facilities are planned, funded, and delivered is becoming central to Philadelphia’s future competitiveness. Join developers, education leaders, financiers, and policymakers to examine how the region can modernize learning space, unlock capital for new projects, and create environments that attract families, students, employers, and investment. Education real estate is no longer a niche category. It is workforce strategy, community development, and placemaking rolled into one.

What You Will Learn

• Childcare Costs and Real Estate Challenges: Building out a daycare center is expensive, roughly $5 million per new site when factoring construction and land. We’ll delve into the financial hurdles (and potential solutions) for developing early childhood facilities, including rising construction costs, site selection in urban vs. suburban areas, and navigating zoning or code requirements for child safety.
• Massive Infrastructure Needs: Philadelphia’s K-12 infrastructure requires urgent attention. The average school building is 73 years old, and some date to the 1800s. Hear the scope of needed improvements, including estimates of $5–$10 billion in deferred maintenance and upgrades. The conversation will underscore how aging facilities (leaky roofs, outdated heating, poor ventilation, environmental hazards) directly affect student outcomes and staff retention.
• Campus Expansion & Community Development: Universities here wield big influence as landowners and developers. The panel will highlight marquee projects transforming parking lots into a mixed-use innovation hub. Such projects blur the line between campus and city, incorporating office/lab space, retail, parks, and housing. Similarly, other institutions are expanding research and healthcare facilities that double as economic development engines. We’ll discuss best practices for “eds and meds” expansion, ensuring benefits (like jobs, improved public space) accrue to the community, and mitigating negatives such as gentrification or displacement around campuses.
• Workforce & Economic Impact: Why is childcare increasingly seen as critical infrastructure? Adequate childcare space enables parents (especially mothers) to participate in the workforce, which in turn helps employers fill jobs, a dynamic recognized by business and civic leaders. Hear and understand the economic ripple effects of childcare accessibility and how real estate stakeholders can play a role in supporting Philadelphia’s broader talent retention and economic growth.
• Designing Schools for the Future: Modernizing infrastructure isn’t just about bricks and mortar. It’s a chance to reimagine the learning environment. Panelists will discuss 21st-century school design features being implemented or planned: from upgraded ventilation and climate control, to collaborative learning commons, makerspaces, and green schoolyards. The goal is to ensure Philly’s next generation of schools are healthy, safe, and inspiring places that match the aspirations we have for our students.
• Housing Partnerships & P3 Financing: Learn about innovative financing models in the higher ed real estate toolkit. Philadelphia has a history of university partnerships with private firms. More recently, some universities nationwide have turned to public-private partnerships to build dorms, allowing an outside developer to finance construction in exchange for long-term revenue. The panel will evaluate how such models could help schools like Temple or Penn State branch campuses build much-needed dormitories or updates without overburdening their balance sheets. We’ll also touch on investment trends. Large institutional investors see student housing as a stable asset class, which is driving capital into University City and beyond.

Articles You Should Read

Bill Advances To Restrict University Land Sales To Developers In West Philadelphia

St. Joseph’s University Puts West Philadelphia Campus Up For Sale

Troubles At 2 Philly-Area Academic Institutions Could Spur Redevelopment Rush Or More Blight

'Shocking': College Towns Feel The Pain Of Fewer International Students

Student Housing Sector Gets Fresh Investment

Record High To Record Low: Student Housing Fundamentals 'Rubber Band' In 2024

Primed With Private Equity, Early Education Poised For Expansion Further Into Retail

'Nobody's Looking Into It': Why Fortec Is Going All-In On Early Childhood Education Real Estate

Primrose Schools Brings Long-Term Success To CRE Through Early Education And Childcare

For questions regarding content and speaking, please email our Director, Event Production, Virginia Baker, at Virginia.Baker@bisnow.com. Want to get involved? Contact Dane.Sinks@bisnow.com or Max.Kleinberg@bisnow.com  to get information on sponsorship, pricing and availability at this event. To request disability-related accommodations, please contact mackenzie.kunkle@bisnow.com no later than seven business days prior to the event.

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