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600 5th Street NW

600 5th Street NW

Positioned in the heart of Washington, D.C.’s vibrant Penn Quarter and Judiciary Square, 600 5th St NW transformed the former WMATA headquarters into a modern, trophy-class office destination. Developed by Rockefeller Group and Stonebridge with design by Pickard Chilton, the reimagined building delivers over 400,000 square feet of top-tier workspace across 11 stories upon its anticipated opening in 2026.

Presented By

Speakers and Panels

Shaping the Future of the District

9:00 - 9:30am: A Fireside Chat on the Policies, Rebranding, Public-Private Partnerships, and Development Strategies Determining Future Growth, Investment, and Economic Resilience of Washington, D.C.

Nina Albert
Keynote

Nina Albert

Deputy Mayor, Planning and Economic Development

The District of Columbia

Paul Dougherty
Keynote

Paul Dougherty

President & Founder

PRP

Michael Harlow
Moderator

Michael Harlow

Partner

CohnReznick

Paul Dougherty

President & Founder

PRP

Paul is the President of PRP, the private real estate alternative investment firm he founded in 2005. As such, he is responsible for the general oversight of the firm as well as for PRP’s commingled funds and separate accounts. In his role as President, Paul leads the company’s strategic growth, managing its daily business operations, setting corporate strategy and maintaining and building relationships with the firm’s stakeholders: lenders, investors and advisors.

PRP has acquired or built over 17 million square feet of office, medical office, industrial, retail and data centers and approximately 4,000 units of multifamily and condominium properties in 60 investments nationwide. Total aggregate size is $6B+. PRP has made investments through four discretionary commingled funds, SMAs and individual joint ventures across 23 U.S. markets.

Prior to forming PRP, Paul was Managing Director of the Eastern Region of CBRE Capital Markets. While at CBRE, Paul founded CBRE Realty Finance (NYSE: CBF), a commercial real estate mortgage REIT. Before that, he was the founder and National Director of the Finance & Capital Markets Group for Insignia/ESG, Inc., where he led a national team of real estate investment bankers involved in the project financing, bond financing, joint venture equity structuring and project development financing of investment-grade office, retail, industrial, lodging and multi-family projects. CBRE acquired Insignia/ESG in 2001. Paul started his career in 1987 at Barnes, Morris & Pardoe in Washington, DC, a company that was acquired by Insignia/ESG in 1997.

Paul was a founding director and formerly served as a member of the Director’s Loan Committee for the Bank of Georgetown. Additionally, he formerly served as a Board member of the Children’s National Hospital, the Board and the Executive Committee of the Children’s National Hospital Foundation, the Board of the Starlight-Starbright Children’s Foundation Mid-Atlantic, and a founder and former Board member of the First Tee of Washington, DC. Paul is an active member of the Economic Club of Washington, the Federal City Council, and multiple real estate trade organizations.

Paul is an alumnus of the University of Southern California and American University and holds a certificate in Real Estate Management; Finance, Design and Leadership from the Harvard University Graduate School of Design.

Michael Harlow

Moderator

CohnReznick

Michael is a Certified Public Accountant and Managing Partner of CohnReznick’s DC Metro Practice. He has more than

24 years of experience in public accounting serving clients in attestation, accounting, and tax advisory roles across

multiple industries.

Michael is a nationally recognized and sought-after cannabis and tax thought leader who frequently speaks on

webinars and at industry and public policy conferences for organizations such as the Congressional Black Caucus

Conference, AICPA, and Cannabis World Congress & Business Exposition. He has been quoted in national publications

including Forbes, CPA Trendlines, and numerous cannabis industry publications, and has served as a guest lecturer on

accounting and tax issues within the cannabis industry for the accounting programs at the University of Maryland and

Howard University.

Harnessing Arenas and Offices

10:30 - 11:00am: A Fireside Chat on the Challenges of Building Entertainment Districts and Office Buildings and their Importance for the Future Economic Prospects of the District

Ted Leonsis
Keynote

Ted Leonsis

Chairman & CEO

Monumental Sports & Entertainment

Doug Firstenberg
Keynote

Doug Firstenberg

Founding Principal

Stonebridge

Ted Leonsis

Chairman & CEO

Monumental Sports & Entertainment

As the founder, chairman, managing partner, and CEO of Monumental Sports &

Entertainment (MSE), Ted Leonsis leads one of the most prominent global sports and

entertainment brands. Under his leadership, MSE owns championship-winning teams

across multiple leagues including the NHL’s Washington Capitals, the NBA’s

Washington Wizards, the WNBA’s Washington Mystics, and the NBA G League’s

Capital City Go-Go.

In addition to the teams, Mr. Leonsis operates five premier venues in the region,

including Capital One Arena – the 20,000-seat sports and entertainment venue located

in the heart of downtown Washington, D.C. The building hosts over 220 live events

annually and has welcomed in over 50 million fans since its opening in 1997. As the

leading visionary on the arena’s multi-year, transformative renovation project, Mr.

Leonsis is building a world-renowned entertainment district that will serve millions of

annual visitors for the next 25 years and set a new standard for technological innovation

and the fan, athlete and employee experience. This vision includes expansion into

Gallery Place, encompassing over 200,000 square feet of space, further enhancing the

scale and impact of the entertainment district.

A prominent thought leader in the media industry, Mr. Leonsis owns Monumental Sports

Network, a regional media platform distributed on linear television, digital, mobile, and

over-the-top (OTT) platforms. Monumental Sports Network is the exclusive local

broadcast and streaming network for the Washington Capitals, Wizards and Mystics;

and operates the state-of-the-art Monumental Sports Network studios located within the

Capital One Arena entertainment complex.

Leonsis is co-owner and co-chairman of aXiomatic Gaming, an entrepreneurial brain

trust of sports, technology, entertainment and investment industry titans with a

controlling interest in global esports franchise, Team Liquid, one of the most successful

global franchises in competitive gaming.

Mr. Leonsis serves on the Board of Governors for the NBA, NHL, and WNBA. In this

capacity he serves on the leadership committee at the NBA and NHL as well as serving

as Chairman of the NBA Media Committee and Chairman of the NHL Media and

Content Committee.

A longtime venture capitalist, Mr. Leonsis is cofounder and partner at Revolution

Growth, a $1 billion set of investment funds, where he and his partners make a select

group of speed-up capital investments in businesses each year, typically investing $25-

50 million per deal and becoming true, hands-on partners to entrepreneurs as they

navigate policies and regulations.

Mr. Leonsis leads with a double bottom line philosophy, deeply committed to

philanthropy and community engagement. In 2025, Monumental was named a Top

Corporate Philanthropist by Washington Business Journal, with over $4.5 million

donated to local nonprofits through the impactful work of MSE, the MSE Foundation,

and the Leonsis Family.

As a steadfast champion for increasing access to education for all, he serves as the

Chairman of the District of Columbia College Access Program (DC-CAP), a nonprofit

scholarship provider for D.C. students to pursue post-secondary opportunities. The

Leonsis Family also supports young student entrepreneurs at Georgetown University’s

McDonough School of Business through their annual “Bark Tank” pitch competition,

Leonsis Venture Lab and support for the Georgetown Entrepreneurship program.

He also serves on the boards of several public companies, including American Express,

Tempus AI and Groupon; and is the former vice chairman and president of AOL.

Mr. Leonsis is a lifelong supporter of the arts, recognized as an accomplished author

and award-winning filmmaker who has won Peabody and Emmy awards. In fall of 2024,

Leonsis opened “Harry Benson: Washington DC,” a free, landmark photo exhibit located

next door to Capital One Arena that showcased over 150 photographs by legendary

photojournalist Harry Benson.

Doug Firstenberg

Founding Principal

Stonebridge

A founding principal of Stonebridge, Douglas Firstenberg directs firmwide strategic planning, oversees landmark development projects, and plays a key role in major transaction negotiations. Under his leadership, Stonebridge has developed several of the region’s most innovative and successful urban mixed-use properties, including breakthrough transit-oriented developments and public/private initiatives.

Mr. Firstenberg has more than thirty-five years of real estate industry experience, leading complex development projects totaling more than 10 million square feet and $4 billion in value. Mr. Firstenberg started his career with K.S. Sweet Associates, a Philadelphia-based real estate and investment firm where he was named partner. In 1993, he co-founded Stonebridge Associates in Washington, D.C., and led the transformation of the firm into an urban infill mixed-use developer. Mr. Firstenberg graduated from Duke University with a Bachelor of Arts and currently serves in leadership roles of several industry and charitable organizations.

The Downtown D.C. Renaissance

9:30 - 10:15am: How to Bring Life and Commerce Back to the Heart of the City through Mixed-use Developments, Office Revitalizations, and Public-Private Partnerships

Toby Millman

Toby Millman

Regional Partner

Transwestern Development Company

Dan Dooley

Dan Dooley

Managing Director

Tishman Speyer

Francis Lynch

Francis Lynch

EVP & Chief Investment Officer

Carr Properties

Aileen Fuchs

Aileen Fuchs

President & Executive Director

National Building Museum

Mark Simpson

Mark Simpson

Director of Planning & Economic Development

DowntownDC BID

Zachary Williams
Moderator

Zachary Williams

Partner

Venable LLP

Toby Millman

Regional Partner

Transwestern Development Company

Toby Millman is the Regional Partner for Transwestern Development Company in the Mid-Atlantic, where he is responsible for overseeing and directing the company’s development pipeline in the region. Over his nearly 30-year career, Toby has been involved with the development of over 15 million square feet of residential, office, and retail space. Prior to joining Transwestern, Toby was Senior Vice President for Brookfield Properties where he oversaw the development pipeline in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast regions. Prior to Brookfield, he was Senior Vice President at Vornado Realty Trust, creating and leading the multifamily development group for Vornado’s Washington division. Earlier in his career, Toby also owned and operated Agora Development, a development and homebuilding company and worked for Washington-area developers EYA and Abdo Development. Toby earned an undergraduate degree from Cornell University and a master’s degree in city and regional planning from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

Mr. Millman holds an undergraduate degree from Cornell University and a Master’s Degree in City Planning from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Dan Dooley

Managing Director

Tishman Speyer

Mr. Dooley originally joined Tishman Speyer in 2001 to lead its regional leasing

efforts in the DC Metro area. Since rejoining in 2019, he has been responsible for

leading leasing and asset strategy for our DC Metro portfolio and our expansion

markets in the Southeast: Atlanta, Charlotte, Raleigh-Durham and Nashville.

Prior to rejoining Tishman Speyer, Mr. Dooley was the Chief Operating Officer

with Carr Properties where he ran their Leasing, Marketing, Property

Management, Asset Management and Construction Management groups. With

over 35 years of experience in real estate, Mr. Dooley has also held roles with

Trammell Crow, JMB Realty Corporation, LaSalle Partners/JLL and Savills.  Mr.

Dooley currently serves on the board of CREBA, the regional association for

commercial real estate brokers.  He is also active on the programs committee with

CoreNet. Previously, he served on the board of Jubilee Support Alliance, an

affordable housing non-profit located in the Adams Morgan neighborhood of

Washington, DC.  He also serves as a mentor for the Rubenstein Scholars Program,

an affiliate of the Economic Club of Washington, DC and CREBA.  He graduated

from Southern Methodist University with a BBA in Finance.  He holds broker’s

licenses in DC, MD and VA.

Francis Lynch

EVP & Chief Investment Officer

Carr Properties

Francis Lynch serves as Carr Properties’ Executive Vice President and Chief Investment Officer. Additionally, Francis is on the Investment committee for the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in America. At Carr, Francis is responsible for sourcing and executing acquisitions, managing dispositions, negotiating joint ventures. and helping form Carr Properties’ investment strategy. Prior to joining Carr Properties, Francis was Director of Investments at Sunwater Capital Management and Clark Enterprises. Before those positions, he was in the Real Estate Investment Banking group at BMO Capital Markets. During his career, Francis has been responsible for over $4.5 billion in property-level transactions and over $18 billion in corporate capital markets and advisory transactions. Francis received his Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics and Economics at Sewanee: The University of the South. He also holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.

Aileen Fuchs

President & Executive Director

National Building Museum

Aileen Fuchs is the President & Executive Director of the National Building Museum,

where she started her role in May 2021. For fifteen years, Aileen has been working at

the intersection of site-specific historic interpretation, adaptive-reuse activations, and

cultural destination-making. A former life-long New Yorker, Aileen served as President

and CEO of Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden from 2017-2021. She

oversaw the property management and cultural programming of the historic 83-acre

site. Before that, she served as Executive Director of Exhibits & Programs for the

Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation. Her work—through public art initiatives,

immersive industry tours, education programs, and exhibitions—was transformational in

building the brand of the Brooklyn Navy Yard as a national model for urban industrial

manufacturing. Prior to these endeavors, she worked in exhibition development with the

American History Workshop, developing content for museums and projects in NY,

Philadelphia, Boston and DC. Aileen holds an M.A. and Advanced Certificate in Public

History from New York University. She currently serves on the Boards of the

Washington DC Economic Partnership and the Downtown DC BID, is a member of

Federal City Council and serves on the Consultative Council of the National Institute of

Building Sciences.

Mark Simpson

Director of Planning & Economic Development

DowntownDC BID

Mark Simpson is the Director of Planning & Economic Development for the DowntownDC BID. He joined the BID in September 2024 and have been thrilled to touch so many aspects of Downtown’s reimagination in the post-pandemic era as a mixed-use, vibrant neighborhood that serves the District, the region and beyond. His favorite highlight so far was the State of Downtown Forum and Report. It was his first major project with the BID and he was really proud of the research the team put together. Presenting key data points to that audience was an incredible honor and one of the peaks of his professional career. He is a lifelong Caps fan and loves attending games at CapOne arena; his favorite spot in Downtown is the 12th row above center ice.

Zachary Williams

Moderator

Venable LLP

Zachary Williams is a land use and zoning Partner at Venable LLP. Zach represents developers, property owners, and national commercial and retail tenants with land use and zoning entitlements in the District of Columbia and Northern Virginia. Zach’s work includes urban redevelopment, transit-oriented, and infill projects, as well as revitalization of commercial corridors in the DC metropolitan area.

Zach works on all types of development projects including multifamily and mixed-use development projects, affordable housing projects, residential condominium projects, university campus uses, office-to-residential conversions and adaptive reuse projects, assisted living and other medical care facilities, industrial projects, child-care facilities and schools, and fast casual and other retail projects requiring zoning relief.

In addition to zoning and entitlement work, Zach also works closely with planning staff and local stakeholders as part of major Comprehensive Plan, Small Area Plan, and other Master Plan studies and initiatives in D.C. and Northern Virginia.

D.C. State of Play

11:30 - 12:15pm: Navigating the Development, Investment, and Construction Challenges to Pencilling and Delivering Projects in 2026

Campbell Smith

Campbell Smith

Managing Director

Trammell Crow Company

Vicki Davis

Vicki Davis

President

Urban Atlantic

Matt Robinson

Matt Robinson

Principal

MRP Realty

Lee Delong

Lee Delong

CEO, Capital Group

Clark Construction

Terence Callahan

Terence Callahan

President, DC Market

United Bank

Jamie Bobotek
Moderator

Jamie Bobotek

Partner

Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman

Campbell Smith

Managing Director

Trammell Crow Company

Mr. Smith serves as a Managing Director and COO for Trammell Crow Company’s MidAtlantic

Business Unit and is responsible for setting the strategic direction of the business and overseeing

the fi nancial, risk management, and human resource functions. He is also responsible for

sourcing new development deals and managing projects through the entire development process,

including initial concept planning, design, fi nancing, construction, leasing, and disposition.

Before moving to the Washington, DC market in early 2005, Mr. Smith worked for the Company’s

Chief Investment Offi cer, where he focused on corporate fi nance and M&A activity for the

Company, including the eventual merger between Trammell Crow Company and CBRE.

Mr. Smith has experience across a range of product types including offi ce, multi- family and

retail. Mr. Smith’s strong background in fi nance and acquisitions, combined with his attention to

detail and disciplined approach to project management, helps ensure that the client’s interests

are protected throughout the development process. Mr. Smith currently manages development

projects totaling over 4 million SF, including: The Dalton, a 270-unit luxury apartment project in

Alexandria, VA; Century, a 2.4 million SF mixed-use project in Germantown, MD; and Armature

Works, a 2.5-acre development in Northeast Washington, DC.

Vicki Davis

President

Urban Atlantic

Vicki Davis is responsible for managing the acquisition, planning, design, and

implementation of all Urban Atlantic projects, and asset management of properties that

the company owns and its Mid-City Community CDE investment portfolio. With over 28

years of experience in real estate development, she formerly served as Deputy Director

of the Maryland Housing Fund and Maryland DHCD -Division of Credit Assurance. Her

experience also includes portfolio management for MNC Financial-South Charles Realty

and multifamily development for Trammell Crow Residential.

As President of Urban Atlantic Development, Ms. Davis has managed development of

over $2 billion in real estate projects and asset managed over $4 billion in real estate

investments. She has developed over 6,000 multifamily residential units and 600,000

commercial square feet for Urban Atlantic, including eight HOPE VI mixed-finance public

housing redevelopment projects, as well as transit-oriented mixed-use projects.

Ms. Davis holds a MBA in Finance from American University, an MS in Engineering &

Construction Management from University of Texas, and a BS in Civil Engineering from

the University of Maryland. She taught for 12 years in the Johns Hopkins Real Estate

MBA program and is a LEED AP.

Matt Robinson

Principal

MRP Realty

Matt Robinson has 17 years of experience in the real estate industry and pursues multi-family residential, mixed-use acquisition and development opportunities for MRP Realty. Since joining the firm in 2007, Matt has overseen the entitlement, development, and repositioning of over 3.2 million square feet including over 1,100 units. In his seven years at TCC prior to joining MRP, Matt developed a total of 1.5 million square feet comprising 924 residential units and 542,000 square feet of retail and commercial space totaling over $654 million. Before joining TCC, he was an architect with Dimella Shaffer Associates in Boston, Massachusetts focused primarily on age-restricted residential and hotel projects. Matt graduated with a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Cornell University and received his MSRED from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Lee Delong

CEO, Capital Group

Clark Construction

Lee DeLong serves as a Group CEO at Clark, responsible for development and delivery of work in the greater DC marketplace as well as leading Clark’s sports practice. His experience includes Capital One Arena Transformation in DC, Metropolitan Park (Amazon’s HQ2) in Arlington, Wilson and Elm in Bethesda, and The Boro in Tysons. A United States Army veteran with more than 25 years of industry experience, Lee holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Virginia and is a member of the DC Economic Club, and board member of the Northern Virginia Chamber and the University of Virginia Engineering Foundation.

Terence Callahan

President, DC Market

United Bank

Terence Callahan is President of United’s DC Market, where he leads the team serving the Bank’s largest territory

and supports many of its most significant commercial customers throughout the nation’s capital. He joined United in

2013 and has held key positions across the Bank, including Portfolio Manager, Commercial Banking Officer and VP,

Commercial Banking.

Throughout his career, Terence has executed several major deals at United and been recognized as a top

performer. He was notably one of 30 employees selected for United’s coveted Leadership Development Program,

an in-depth career development program designed for high-performing employees across United Bank's footprint.

Terence currently serves as a Director of Poor Roberts Mission; Member of the Catholic Charities Development and

Communication Committee and Catholic Charities Corporate Advisory Council; and Career Leadership Council

Member at the Catholic University of America’s Busch School of Business. He earned

Jamie Bobotek

Moderator

Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman

Pillsbury partner James Bobotek concentrates his practice on a variety of construction and

insurance matters.

Jamie guides clients through all phases of development and construction of commercial properties,

including preparation, review and negotiation of development, design, construction, design-build, and

related agreements. Jamie also counsels clients in analyzing insurance coverage claims, formulating risk

management strategies, and developing contractual insurance requirements. Jamie has secured many

favorable outcomes for commercial policyholders on CGL, builder's risk, commercial property, business

interruption, E&O, cyber, professional liability, D&O, pollution, fidelity and other claims.

Representative Experience

Drafted and negotiated construction, design, and development contracts for projects totaling billions of

dollars.

Represented public-private partnerships with respect to construction, design, and ancillary agreements

relating to United States military housing privatizations across the country, including projects in California,

Arizona, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Nevada, Georgia and Missouri.

Drafted form construction and design contract packages for owners, developers and contractors for use

throughout the United States.

Achieved partial summary judgment against AIG entity in connection with property insurance coverage

dispute for multinational university arising from the 2010 earthquakes in Chile.

Obtained a summary judgment ruling in a Student Financial Corp. bankruptcy legacy case for an

additional insured/policyholder under a fidelity bond (financial institution bond) in connection with alleged

Ponzi-scheme losses.

Obtained a dismissal of first-filed insurance carrier declaratory judgment action, allowing an iconic brand

company's $18 million flood loss claim to proceed against carrier in carrier's home forum of Tennessee.

Deployed novel theory to defeat insurance carrier effort to align parties to create federal court jurisdiction,

creating favorable new law in removal disputes with insurance carriers.

Represented a telecommunications provider in successful prosecution of its claims against its E&O

insurer confirming coverage for class action claims alleging cyber-related activities.

Obtained significant recovery under a builders risk policy on behalf of a contractor for a delay claim

arising out of a subcontractor's provision of defective materials.

Procured multi-million dollar defense and indemnity recovery under "personal injury" CGL coverage

relating to a discrimination suit brought by the U.S. Department of Justice on behalf of multiple claimants.

Obtained recovery under an event cancellation policy for two class action suits brought as a result of

logistical difficulties in connection with a client's presidential inauguration-related experiential student

conference.

Obtained full property loss and business interruption coverage, as well as defense and indemnity

coverage for third-party suits, arising out of a catastrophic fire at a defense contractor's warehouse

facility.

Attained defense and indemnity coverage for an international construction company arising out of

concrete plant emissions.

Obtained defense and indemnity coverage under a professional liability policy for an engineering

company faced with excess exposure.

Recovered full pre-suit indemnity for a government contractor in a construction claim related to faulty

subcontractor work.

Protected a commercial developer's interests under a builders risk policy in connection with a faulty

workmanship claim.

Represented clients in various industries in structuring and negotiating the terms of their cyber insurance

programs.

Professional Highlights

Member of the Insurance Recovery & Advisory practice, named by Law360 as a Practice Group of the

Year in 2015 and 2016.

Member of the ABA's Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee, co-chair of its Construction

Subcommittee and appointed vice-chair of the Committee's 2017 Annual CLE Seminar and Meeting.

Authored "Builders Risk Insurance," New Appleman on Insurance Law Library Edition, Chapter 50

(updated 2016) and "Understanding Product Liability Insurance," New Appleman Insurance Law Practice

Guide, Chapter 30B (2013).

Presented "Mind the Gaps: Potential Gaps Between Cyber and Other Commercial Policies," at the ABA

Insurance Coverage Litigation CLE Seminar, March 2016.

The Future of D.C. Commercial Real Estate Policy

11:00 - 11:30am: A Councilmember Roundtable Discussion on Encouraging Investment and Growth While Balancing Community Priorities and Sustainable Urban Planning.

Brooke Pinto

Brooke Pinto

Councilmember, Ward 2

Council of the District of Columbia

Zachary Parker

Zachary Parker

Councilmember, Ward 5

Council of the District of Columbia

Charles Allen

Charles Allen

Councilmember, Ward 6

Council of the District of Columbia

Wendell Felder

Wendell Felder

Councilmember, Ward 7

District of Columbia

Kyrus Lamont Freeman
Moderator

Kyrus Lamont Freeman

Partner

Holland & Knight

Brooke Pinto

Councilmember, Ward 2

Council of the District of Columbia

Councilmember Brooke Pinto serves as the Ward 2 Councilmember and Chairwoman of the Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety. Councilmember Pinto was elected to serve a second term in November 2024 to serve as the Ward 2 Councilmember and was first sworn in on June 27, 2020, becoming the youngest member in the history of the Council of the District of Columbia, and the first woman to represent Ward 2.

While in office, Councilmember Pinto has been committed to improving public safety, supporting small businesses and promoting Downtown revitalization, advancing housing and homelessness solutions, protecting the environment, and providing accessible transportation. Her legislative accomplishments include passing and funding her Secure DC omnibus with over 100 safety interventions to prevent crime, hold perpetrators of crime accountable, and improve government coordination; the key pillars of the RECOVERY Act and the BEST Act focused on revitalizing our business corridors, streamlining and cutting business licensing costs, and the repurposing underutilized vacant buildings; and the introduction of her Prosper DC plan, which includes 23 new bills to generate economic opportunities for DC residents and businesses.

Zachary Parker

Councilmember, Ward 5

Council of the District of Columbia

Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker is an educator and a public servant. Zachary grew up on the South Side of Chicago and received his Bachelor of Science in Communication Science and Disorders from Northwestern University and a Master of Arts in Policy and Leadership from Columbia University. He began his career as a 7th grade math teacher in New Orleans post-Katrina with Teach for America and spent nearly a decade supporting DC school leaders to improve student learning.

In 2018, Zachary was elected by Ward 5 neighbors to serve as their representative on the DC State Board of Education. He was unanimously selected by his colleagues to serve as the President of the State Board in 2021. In 2022, Zachary won the election to represent Ward 5 on the Council of the District of Columbia, earning him the distinction as the first Black openly gay councilmember to serve.

Since taking office in January of 2023, Zachary has delivered for Ward 5 residents through responsive constituent services and significant budget wins. He has introduced dozens of transformative pieces of legislation, including bills to establish the District’s State Superintendent of Education’s School Support Office to improve low-performing schools, and the District Child Tax Credit which provides low-income and middle-class families fully refundable tax credits for children 17 years of age and younger.

Charles Allen

Councilmember, Ward 6

Council of the District of Columbia

In his first three terms on the DC Council, Ward 6 Councilmember Charles Allen has successfully championed bold legislative efforts around education, the environment, safer streets, strengthening Metro, public safety and criminal justice, campaign finance and elections reform, LGBTQ rights, and women’s health. His first piece of legislation, “Books from Birth”, has delivered more than 3 million books to the homes of DC families with a child under the age of five, at no cost to the families, with targeted enrollment of children in communities with lower literacy rates. It remains one of the most popular government-run programs in the District.

As Ward 6 Councilmember, he has focused on ensuring every student has a great neighborhood school, improving public safety, supporting small businesses, and creating more affordable housing – and in recent years, Ward 6 has created more new affordable housing than any other Ward, with many more homes in the pipeline. He has brought community members together to lead transformations of beloved public spaces, including Eastern Market Metro Park, the Southwest Library, the Southeast Library, and Swampoodle Park and Terrace, as well as nearly all of Ward 6’s public schools and play spaces. His “Vision Zero” and “STEER Act” legislation have pushed the District to move quickly to create safer streets for all.

As Chair of the Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety for three Council Periods, Councilmember Allen led the Council in passing comprehensive policing reform and crime victims’ rights legislation, overhauling the city’s crime lab, banning ghost guns, creating the District’s “red flag” gun safety law, passing landmark second chances sentencing and workforce development laws, and expanding access to justice in the courts. Through the budget process, he created the District’s first-ever Gun Violence Prevention Director and exponentially increased funding each year for critical violence prevention and reduction programs and crime victims’ and reentry grants. Also passionate about elections and campaign finance reform, Councilmember Allen has passed legislation to make vote-by-mail permanent, create the District’s automatic voter registration system and “Fair Elections” public financing program, expand voting rights, and ban so-called government “pay-to-play” contracting.

In Council Period 26, he serves as the Chair of the Council’s Committee on Transportation and the Environment and sits on the Committees on Business and Economic Development, Health, and Judiciary and Public Safety. Having served as the Chair of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments last year, he is now the Vice Chair. In Council Period 24, Councilmember Allen also served as co-chair of the Council’s Special Committee on COVID-19 Pandemic Recovery, tasked with producing recommendations to equitably shape the District’s recovery.

Wendell Felder

Councilmember, Ward 7

District of Columbia

Wendell Felder is a proud fourth-generation Washingtonian and dedicated community

leader in Ward 7. He was born, and raised in Southeast Washington, D.C., and is a

graduate of DCPS. Mr. Felder has devoted his entire professional career to improving

the quality of life for D.C. residents through his work as a public servant.

As the Ward 7 Councilmember, Mr. Felder is dedicated to building safer neighborhoods,

creating economic opportunities, and ensuring every voice in Ward 7 is heard. On the

Council, he is the Chair of the Sub-Committee on Local Business Development and is

also a member of the Committee on Health, Committee on Human Services, Committee

on the Judiciary and Public Safety, and Committee on Public Works and Operations.

Mr. Felder has served in several roles across local government including the Mayor’s

Office of Community Relations and Services (MOCRS), the Office of the City

Administrator, and the Deputy Mayor’s Office for Planning and Economic Development.

After leaving district government, Mr. Felder served as the Director of Community Affairs

at Sibley Memorial Hospital and Johns Hopkins Medicine, where he evaluated high-

impact community engagement solutions designed to support community needs and

address healthcare inequities throughout the District of Columbia. Recently, Mr. Felder

worked in higher education at Howard University.

Mr. Felder also served as a four-term Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner (ANC) in

Ward 7 and previously served as the Chair of the Ward 7 Democrats Organization. He is

a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. and served on the Board of Directors of the

District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority. Mr. Felder earned his B.S. from Bowie

State in Political Science. Mr. Felder also is a graduate of Georgetown University, where

he obtained his Master’s Degree in Urban and Regional Planning. When Mr. Felder is

not working or volunteering his time, he enjoys spending quality time with his family. He

currently lives in the Parkside neighborhood in Ward 7.

Kyrus Lamont Freeman

Moderator

Holland & Knight

Kyrus Lamont Freeman is a land use attorney in Holland & Knight’s Washington, D.C., office and a LEED Accredited Professional certified by the U.S. Green Building Council. His practice focuses on land use, zoning, and municipal law, advising property owners and developers on complex entitlement and regulatory approval processes for residential, commercial, hotel, and mixed‑use projects.

Mr. Freeman regularly represents clients before the D.C. Zoning Commission, Board of Zoning Adjustment, and D.C. Council, and has extensive experience with affordable housing programs in the District. He is a frequent speaker on land use and sustainable development issues and has served as an adjunct professor at The Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law.

Why You Can't Miss This Year's D.C. State of the Market

What You’ll Learn:

  • About current trends in D.C. multifamily development and leasing

  • Which local markets are hot and where are the most exciting development opportunities in the city

  • About the importance and success of mixed-use development in the district

  • About the current state of D.C.’s office inventory and how absorption, rent, and quality is trending

  • How federal disposition and leasing of office in D.C. could affect the office market and what new opportunities for development it may bring

  • What future elections and a new administration could mean for CRE in D.C.

  • What policies could help reinvigorate development in district 

Why This Matters:

  • While D.C.’s office market continues to navigate its way through underutilized, outdated inventory, and federal government policies, emerging trends in residential, mixed-use and sports-driven developments are creating new growth opportunities for the city. This year’s D.C. State of the Market event will explore how industry leaders across sectors are overcoming the challenges of development and reimagining what it means to live, work, and play in the district. From federal property transformations to new development hotspots in areas like RFK Stadium, join us as we discuss how the D.C. market is evolving and the role local policies play in incentivizing and embracing a new phase of growth.

DC in the News:

DON'T MISS OUR PREMIER NATIONAL DATA CENTER INVESTMENT CONFERENCE AND EXPO IN MAY

Join us for our annual National Data Center Investment Conference And Expo (DICE)  May 12 -  May 14 in Rockville, Maryland! Learn more about our largest data center event of the year by clicking here.

Venue

600 5th Street NW
600 5th Street NW
Washington, DC 20001

Floor: 5th Floor


Parking address has the same address as the building, but is accessed from the north side of the building/G Street

Get Directions

Agenda

Time Activity
12:00 PM
1:00 PM
Registration, Breakfast, and Networking
1:00 PM
1:30 PM
Shaping the Future of the District: A Fireside Chat with Nina Albert and Paul Dougherty

A discussion on the policies, rebranding, public-private partnerships, and development strategies shaping the future growth, investment, and economic resilience of Washington, D.C.

1:30 PM
2:15 PM
The Downtown D.C. Renaissance: How to Bring Life and Commerce Back to the Heart of the City.

Explore the strategies, challenges, and opportunities driving downtown D.C.’s transformation, including mixed-use developments, office revitalizations, and public-private partnerships that are attracting businesses, residents, and cultural activity, bringing renewed energy, commerce, and community to the urban core of the city.

2:15 PM
2:30 PM
Networking Break
2:30 PM
3:00 PM
Harnessing Arenas and Offices: A Fireside Chat with Ted Leonsis and Doug Firstenberg

A discussion on the challenges of building entertainment districts and office buildings and their importance for the future economic prospects of the District.

3:00 PM
3:30 PM
Future of D.C. Commercial Real Estate Policy: A Councilmember Roundtable Discussion

Hear from and connect with D.C. Council members on current and upcoming legislation, zoning updates, incentives, and regulatory changes that could impact development and redevelopment across the district. Gain insights into how the Council plans to encourage investment and growth while balancing community priorities and sustainable urban planning.

3:30 PM
4:15 PM
D.C. State of Play: Navigating the Development, Investment, and Construction Challenges to Pencilling and Delivering Projects in 2026

Explore how key D.C. players in commercial real estate are navigating capital markets, rising project costs, construction challenges, and the realities of what it takes to pencil deals and deliver projects while responding to shifting demand and shaping the future of commercial real estate across Washington, D.C.

4:15 PM
5:00 PM
Closing Networking

Gold Sponsors

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