Office to Residential Conversions: A New Life for Distressed Office Space

What's next for the workplaces of yesterday, and tomorrow?

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  Jeffrey Breaden

  EVP, Asset Management & Capital Markets

  The Prime Group

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  Alex Panici

  Alex leads Skender’s high-rise office, residential and mixed-use market sectors, helping bring developer visions to life. He is experienced with guiding large, multi-story projects through comprehensive preconstruction planning and construction execution, ensuring the highest quality and return on ROI. He joined Skender in 2016 and has nearly 20 years of industry experience.

  Skender

  Vice President

  Alex Panici

  Vice President

  Skender

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  Sean O’Gorman

  Based in Gensler’s Chicago office, Sean is the Global Residential Practice Area Leader and Residential Leader for the firm’s North Central region. He is a licensed architect, a LEED accredited professional, and an active member of the Chicago Committee on High Rise Buildings. With more than 20 years of experience, Sean has guided the design and delivery of large scale mixed-use, multifamily, and adaptive reuse projects across the country – specializing in planning purposeful and thoughtful places for people to live. His holistic approach integrates experience-driven design with sustainability, wellness, and performance-based solutions.

  Gensler

  Global Residential Practice Area Leader

  Sean O’Gorman

  Global Residential Practice Area Leader

  Gensler

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  Jennifer Schultz

  Jennifer Schultz is a partner at the law firm Nixon Peabody, LLP, and the Leader of the Nationwide Real Estate Development Team. Jenn specializes personally on large-scale complex mixed-use development in and around the Boston area, Worcester, and Providence, RI. She and her team have successfully permitted over 10 million square feet of development over the last 6 years, including over 4 million square feet of lab/R&D space. Nixon’s national development team includes more than 26 lawyers and professional staff across seven offices.

  Nixon Peabody

  Partner

  Moderator

  Jennifer Schultz

  Partner

  Nixon Peabody

An Industry All-Hands: Assessing the Market’s Temperature

What’s Shaping the Agenda, and What’s Next on the Docket?

• 550 W. Washington and 216 W. Jackson

  Andrew Brog

  Managing Director

  Brog Properties

• 200 S. Wacker and Presidents Plaza

  Jeff Koukol

  Executive Director

  Glenstar

• 600 W. Chicago

  Jordan Mellovitz

  Head of Real Estate Investment

  3Edgewood

• Aon Campus Acquisition

  Michael Roy

  President, Asset Management

  Woodcrest Capital

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  Steve Chrastka

  Steve is an Executive Vice President and Partner at NAI Hiffman. He has over 20 years of experience representing private companies, individual owners and investors, and institutional lenders/owners in the leasing, repositioning, acquisition and disposition of office and office/flex properties throughout the Chicagoland. Steve’s passion and experience is working directly with assets that are going through a transition or are in need of a new message and direction.

  NAI Hiffman

  Executive Vice President and Partner

  Steve Chrastka

  Executive Vice President and Partner

  NAI Hiffman

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  Molly Phelan

  Molly is a partner in the Chicago Office of Siegel Jennings, a national property tax law firm. As a litigator and trusted advisor, she collaborates with Owners, Asset Managers, Acquisition teams and Tax Departments to identify, create and execute property tax reduction strategies. She becomes a member of her clients’ management team. Her goal is to maximize and protect the full potential of real estate assets, minimize related tax liabilities, and resolve disputes with tax authorities and government entities. Molly’s client experience ranges from family owned 1031 portfolios to national commercial investment funds, including special use properties such as hospital campuses to multi-million-dollar manufacturing facilities. Her comprehensive understanding of the commercial real estate market was developed in part through her time as a real estate broker in the Chicago area prior to starting her legal career. Molly regularly represents clients in hearings before review boards, local assessors’ offices, the Illinois Property Tax Appeal Board, and the circuit courts.

  Siegel Jennings

  Partner

  Molly Phelan

  Partner

  Siegel Jennings

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  Karoline Eigel

  Karoline Eigel is a commercial real estate broker with 20+ years of experience in commercial leasing for both landlord and tenant rep clients. Currently expanding the Healthcare Advisory team at Cushman & Wakefield, Karoline is utilizing her expertise to grow the burgeoning footprint in the Chicagoland market, leveraging her successful experience in healthcare advisory and portfolio management. Ms. Eigel is currently working with physician practice groups, hospital systems and investors in healthcare real estate across the country, providing strategic advisory and brokerage services, with a focus on the patient experience, service line growth projections, payer mix analysis, clinical space utilization and regulatory compliance. The Healthcare Advisory team represents Mag Mile Medical Pavilion, a newly developed MOB within a building located in the iconic 875 N Michigan Ave. Prior to joining C&W, Ms. Eigel lead the leasing for Harrison Square Chicago, a 13-acre life science and medical office innovation hub located within the Illinois Medical District. The first phase of the $1 billion redevelopment project included the Old Cook County Hospital building. The new iteration of the historic landmark includes a dual-branded 210-room hotel, 70K RSF for Cook County Health medical offices, a childcare center, and a food hall. As a commercial real estate consultant, she developed and managed leasing programs and marketing initiatives for national and international institutional investors and developers, working with landlord leasing teams to develop and implement leasing/marketing strategies. Notable clients include Advanced Dermatology, Accent Care, MedStar Health, Remedy, United Urology, Rethink Healthcare Real Estate and Hearn. Ms. Eigel is on the Board of Directors and is a mentor for the HEAR Foundation (HEARFoundation.org), which provides $20,000 college scholarships and four years of mentoring to excelling Chicagoland high school seniors who are outstanding citizens in financial need.

  Cushman & Wakefield

  Executive Director

  Moderator

  Karoline Eigel

  Executive Director

  Cushman & Wakefield

Workforce Retention: Tenant Improvement, Leasing Strategy, and the Evolving RTO Paradigm

Best Practices for Success in a Changing Market

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  Jillian Pytel

  SVP

  Newmark

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  Jitender Makkar

  The visionary mind behind lndusPAD Group of Companies, OHomez, XOLogistic, and HuddleUp is a seasoned serial entrepreneur with over 27 years of experience in real estate investment, redevelopment, and community development. With a keen eye for identifying value-add opportunities, he brings a unique perspective to transforming real estate projects. His expertise lies in dissecting the multifaceted challenges inherent in real estate ventures, including location dynamics, cultural nuances, economic landscapes, financial limitations, market fluctuations, architectural constraints, community dynamics, leadership demands, and policy frameworks. Through meticulous analysis and strategic foresight, he surgically enhances the agility and adaptability of assets, ensuring their seamless alignment with the ever-evolving market dynamics. Mr. Makkar's journey reflects a relentless pursuit of excellence and innovation in the realm of real estate. Beyond his academic accolades, he has amassed invaluable hands-on experience in both traditional and avant-garde approaches to urban development. His passion for revitalizing communities and reimagining urban spaces has propelled him to the forefront of the industry. Throughout his career, Mr. Makkar has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to sustainability and social responsibility. His projects not only generate economic value but also prioritize environmental stewardship and community engagement. By seamlessly integrating cutting-edge design principles with practical solutions, he has earned a reputation for delivering projects that transcend mere aesthetics, leaving a lasting positive impact on the surrounding environment and its inhabitants. Furthermore, Mr. Makkar's entrepreneurial spirit extends beyond his professional endeavors. He actively seeks out opportunities to mentor and empower the next generation of innovators and change-makers in the field of real estate and urban development. Through workshops, lectures, and strategic partnerships, he fosters a culture of collaboration and knowledge-sharing, ensuring a legacy of sustainable growth and progress. As a forward-thinking leader in the industry, Mr. Makkar remains dedicated to pushing the boundaries of what is possible in real estate development. With a keen eye for emerging trends and a relentless pursuit of excellence, he continues to shape the future of urban living, one transformative project at a time. Now, as the company has expanded its footprint to encompass 8 different states and a diverse portfolio of ventures, Mr. Makkar has charted a new course for IndusPAD. Recognizing the potential of the Midwest region, he has relocated the company's headquarters to the vibrant Chicagoland area. This strategic move signifies his commitment to embracing new challenges and opportunities, as he sets his sights on shaping, molding, and leaving an everlasting positive impact in the region.

  IndusPad

  CEO

  Jitender Makkar

  CEO

  IndusPad

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  Austin Lusson

  Austin oversees day-to-day leasing efforts for several of the firm’s Chicago office assets. Since joining Sterling Bay in 2014, Austin has closed over 750,000 square feet of marquee transactions, securing major tenants like West Monroe Partners’ global headquarters at 311 W Monroe. Austin holds a bachelor’s degree in Business and Communications from Augustana College and is a licensed Illinois real estate broker. He is an active member of COLBA (Chicago Office Leasing Brokers Association) and City of Hope’s ‘Building Hope’ Board.

  Sterling Bay

  Director

  Austin Lusson

  Director

  Sterling Bay

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  Alex Greenberg

  Alex Greenberg is a dynamic and results-driven sales representative with over 25 years of experience in the corporate fitness and wellness industry. Known for his consultative skillset and strong client relationships that drive growth, Alex has consistently exceeded targets and delivered outstanding customer satisfaction. Alex regularly shares insights on the latest trends in corporate fitness through speaking engagements and webinars. His thoughtful approach and passion for the industry has earned him recognition as a trusted advisor to wellness leaders across many organizations. With a commitment to operational excellence and a vision for healthy behavior change, Alex continues to inspire clients in corporate fitness and wellness.

  Optum

  Vice President of Business Development

  Alex Greenberg

  Vice President of Business Development

  Optum

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  Bobby Fortier

  Bobby Fortier has spent his entire career in the construction industry. After earning a degree in Construction Management from Illinois State University, Bobby worked for a general contractor as an assistant project manager, where he helped execute various tenant improvement projects across Chicago. As he navigated the complexities of the tenant improvement market, Bobby quickly realized he had found his passion. Bobby joined Clune as a Project Manager in 2019, and was promoted to Senior Project Manager in 2024. Throughout his tenure at Clune, Bobby has been recognized for his transparency and open communication with clients – qualities he believes are essential to building strong, last client relationships. He has worked with notable clients such as Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg LLP and Pinterest, fostering meaningful connections and ensuring all needs were met. For Bobby, the most rewarding part of his work is delivering a project and witnessing the excitement from everyone involved, from stakeholders to his own team. Outside of Clune, Bobby is involved in the ACE Mentorship program and supporting non-profit projects for City Year schools.

  Clune Construction

  Senior Project Manager

  Bobby Fortier

  Senior Project Manager

  Clune Construction

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  Marc Besteman

  Senior Manager, Great Lakes

  Industrious

• Moderator

  Nick Cohen

  Director, Wireless Solutions

  Boldyn Networks

Remarks From The Podium

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  Kezia Lynch

  Kezia Lynch is a seasoned leader in customer success, marketing, and operations, currently serving as the Vice President of Strategy & Operations for the USA at Parkable. Having led Parkable's growth into the UK and Ireland, she is now based in Denver, Colorado. As a swiss army knife, Kezia plays a pivotal role in expanding Parkable's presence and impact in the U.S. market.

  Parkable

  Vice President of Strategy & Operations

  Kezia Lynch

  Vice President of Strategy & Operations

  Parkable