Association adopts a new name that more clearly represents its members, their work, and its role as the leading voice for commercial real estate development

Advocacy in Action

with Carter Nelson, Director of Government Affairs

NAIOPWA Board Member Carl Shorett Appointed to Governor’s Housing Task Force

We’re excited to share that Carl Shorett, Senior Director of Development at AvalonBay Communities and a member of the NAIOPWA Board of Directors, has been appointed to the Washington State Task Force on the Establishment of a Department of Housing.This is a meaningful opportunity for our organization and our industry. NAIOPWA has been deeply engaged in statewide housing conversations, and Carl’s appointment ensures that the development community’s practical, on‑the‑ground expertise is represented in one of the most consequential housing policy efforts underway in Washington.

NAIOPWA Legislative Session Report - Week 12

Krystelle Purkey and Ehren Flygare, State Lobbyists

As the iconic campus cherry blossoms bloom and the deadline for bills to be voted out of fiscal committees approaches on Tuesday, April 8, the Washington State Legislature is entering the final stretch of the 2025 regular session. This marks a crucial phase in the legislative process, where lawmakers race against time to advance their proposals before critical cutoff dates.

Following the April 8 deadline, legislators will shift their focus to intense floor debates and caucus discussions, working long hours to negotiate and pass bills before the opposite house floor cutoff on Wednesday, April 16. As the session winds down, the stakes are high, with advocates, stakeholders, and policymakers pulling out the stops and closely watching the fate of key measures that may either advance or pause until the next session.

Washington State Legislature 2022 End of Session Summary/Update for NAIOPWA Members

The Washington State Legislature is expected to adjourn sine die on Thu, Mar 10. Friday night was the deadline for non-budget bills to pass; now we look at the concurrence process in which differences between House and Senate versions of bills passed are ironed out and the budget is confirmed.

Click here for this week's update (members-only content; login required) on key CRE issues including SEPA reform, GMA vesting, and building codes. 

The Washington State Legislature is down to the last two weeks in the 2022 legislative session, and several bills of interest for CRE continue to be amended and are moving forward, including SEPA reform, GMA vesting, and building codes.

Click here for this week's update (members-only content; login required) on key issues for NAIOPWA members this session. 

With just 17 days left in the session, the legislature faces another deadline: Thursday, Feb. 24, is the deadline for bills to be advanced out of opposite-house policy committees. We expect to see supplemental budgets announced this week as well.

Click here for this week's update (members-only content; login required) including information on bills related to CRE with updates on key issues for NAIOPWA members this session. 

It's an all-hands-on-deck race to the deadline in this short session! Legislators (and NAIOPWA's Government Affairs team) are working around the clock, every day of the week, to make amendments, address suggested amendments, and pass the bills! NAIOPWA's team focuses on bills and issues that will support a positive business environment for commercial real estate in Washington state. 

Click here for this week's update (members-only content; login required) including information on bills related to CRE with updates on key issues for NAIOPWA members this session. 

2021 NAIOPWA Night of the Stars Winners Announced
Winners highlight creative approaches to land use, community support and more

SEATTLE – Presented on Friday night at the NAIOPWA 2021 Night of the Stars Gala, the awards honored an impressive slate of commercial real estate projects that serve the community with innovations in retail, office, industrial and multi-family development.

2021 NAIOPWA Night of the Stars Finalists & First Winners Announced
Annual People’s Choice Award with Daily Voting Runs Sep. 22 – Oct. 6

SEATTLE – Announced at NAIOP Washington State’s September Breakfast, the slate of competitors for the association’s annual Night of the Stars Awards once again showcases the best commercial real estate development projects across the state completed in the past year.

This year, the CRE industry faced continuing pandemic-related disruptions—from construction challenges including labor shortages, rising costs and global supply chain delays, to lower occupancy in office, multi-family and retail. Yet the developments honored for 2021 as finalists and winners continue to not only reshape the built environment in the Puget Sound region—but also to lead innovation across the nation.

Alongside our efforts at the state level to ensure the continuity of MFTE, the NAIOPWA government affairs/advocacy team continues to work in Seattle and on the Eastside on MFTE program implementation. Over the past year, our East Side Task Force in particular has worked with Bellevue city staff and council members on program amendments that would ensure the program operates more successfully going forward.

Based on feedback from many of our members, our primary areas of focus were:

NAIOPWA has been involved with the state legislative process for more than four decades. It’s with this depth of experience that we report both that the 2021 session was one of the more challenging for our industry in recent years, and how we managed to come out with three significant wins this year.

During the session, dozens of bills were introduced that, if passed, would have had a devastating impact on the commercial real estate development community. While in the end, some of these were favorably amended and several others failed, many of the same issues are expected to return in 2022.

The state legislative session heads into the home stretch this week, with just 33 days left in session, a Friday deadline for bill reporting and a draft budget expected from the senate this week. Click here to continue reading this post (login required).

NAIOPWA's state lobbyist, Greg Hanon, sends weekly reports for NAIOPWA members during the legislative session. These include a brief overview of session activity and highlights of the most pertinent issues for our industry. Additionally, Greg includes a complete list of bills and hearings that inform how we do business in Washington State. You'll see a link to download that list at the end of each short weekly update. Member login is required to view the full update. 

On Saturday, March 6, the state Senate passed a bill that would create a new capital gains tax in Washington State affecting any assets sold in excess of $250,000. Although the bill excludes real estate, as written, it would still have significant impact on the CRE industry. 

Click here to read more about the Senate bill and how it defines real estate, and how you can take action today. (Login required; member-only content.)

NAIOPWA Member McKenzie Darr of The Wolff Company has compiled a concise update of our chapter advocacy updates, including news and bills we're keeping our eye on. For more information about getting involved with NAIOPWA's government affairs efforts, click here.

State

The 2021 legislative session is underway. NAIOPWA is publishing exclusive weekly legislative updates online for chapter members. Select key pieces of legislation proposed this session are outlined below. 

NAIOPWA's state lobbyist, Greg Hanon, sends weekly reports for NAIOPWA members during the legislative session. These include a brief overview of session activity and highlights of the most pertinent issues for our industry. Additionally, Greg includes a complete list of bills and hearings that inform how we do business in Washington State. You'll see a link to download that list at the end of each short weekly update.

The Washington State Legislature has completed its second week. Each chamber is drafting preliminary 2021-23 budgets, which are likely to be released shortly after the March revenue forecast.

NAIOPWA's state lobbyist, Greg Hanon, brings years of experience to his role supporting commercial real estate and the business environment in our region. While his work goes well beyond legislative session coverage and seasonal advocacy efforts, January through March (and sometimes longer) is a fast-moving period where experience and energy make a big impact. Each week, Greg sends reports for NAIOPWA members through our Government Affairs committee, which are posted in our app and online in this members-only blog space. The reports include a brief overview of session activity and highlights of the most pertinent issues for our industry. Additionally, Greg includes a complete list of bills and hearings that inform how we do business in Washington State. You'll see a link to download that list at the end of each short weekly update.

Click here to continue reading this post (login required).

What's ahead for commercial real estate in 2021? Seattle will have another wide-open mayoral election, Olympia will battle huge shifts in revenues related to COVID-19, NAIOPWA's seeing movement on initiatives on the Eastside, and much more is on the table. Click here to continue reading this post (login required). 

2020 NAIOPWA Night of the Stars Finalists & First Winners Announced

Fourth Annual People’s Choice Award with Daily Voting 9/16 – 10/6

SEATTLE – Announced today, category finalists for NAIOP Washington State’s 2020 Night of the Stars Awards showcase the best commercial real estate development projects in Washington State completed between July 1, 2019, and August 1, 2020—a period in which we have faced a global pandemic, as well as the effects of new legislation and rapidly evolving municipal planning in our region. The 2020 finalists on the whole reflect major shifts in our region toward affordable, mixed-use housing developments that embody and honor community heritage, as well as the rapid increase in industrial real estate supporting last-mile delivery. 

As always, Night of the Stars finalists and winners show how a world-class commercial real estate industry supports the evolution of our region’s businesses, homes and organizations. The first two winners for 2020 are Kirkland Urban, Mixed-Use Development of the Year, and NEXUS, High-Rise Residential Development of the Year. While these two winners stand alone in their respective categories, we again saw a significant number of multi-family nominees, meriting separate categories based on size. 

Notable 2020 finalists include, among dozens more: 

• The Starlite Distribution Center, entirely conceived and developed on a former drive-in movie theater site in the midst of quarantine;
• Seattle Children's Research Institute: Building Cure, the first high-rise building to provide office space, lab space and outreach facilities for patients in a single location;
• and Solis, a first for NAIOPWA's Night of the Stars: a passive house multi-family project that achieves significant environmental gains without a big price tag.

Winners will be announced on Friday, November 6, at our first-ever virtual Night of the Stars. Thanks to new online event software, pre-registered guests will enjoy conversation and camaraderie at their virtual tables online before winners are announced. Learn more about Night of the Stars 2020 online. 

The 2020 finalists' gallery is now live in the NAIOPWA app where the commercial real estate community may cast their first votes for this year's People's Choice honor; voting will continue in the app and online through October 7. NAIOPWA supporters, project team members, and the industry community can vote for one project per day that they feel represents best-in-class in CRE for our region. Visit NAIOPWA.org/app for download links and information on setting up an account or resetting passwords. 

Night of the Stars 2020 Winners & Finalists
WINNER: High-Rise Residential Development of the Year: NEXUS
WINNER: Mixed-Use Development of the Year: Kirkland Urban

Affordable Housing Development of the Year
An Lạc 
Mercy Magnuson Place

Community Impact Development of the Year
Seattle Children's Research Institute: Building Cure
Gardner House and Allen Family Center

Developer of the Year
Panattoni Development Company
Vulcan Real Estate 

Hospitality Development of the Year
7 Cedars Hotel
citizenM South Lake Union hotel
Hotel Indigo Everett Waterfront
Capitol Hill Food Hall

Industrial Build-to-Suit Development of the Year 
Ballinger Heated Storage
Best Buy Fulfillment Center
UNFI Pacific Northwest Distribution Center

Industrial Speculative Development of the Year
Frederickson ONE
Glacier Peak at Riverside Business Park
Starlite Distribution Center
Sumner Ridge

Multi-Family Residential Development of the Year: Fewer than 100 Units
Flyway
Robin’s Nest
Solis
The Village at Westgate

Multi-Family Residential Suburban Development of the Year: More than 100 Units
Bell Marymoor Park Apartments
The Main Apartments + Lofts
Modera Redmond
The Pop

Multi-Family Residential Urban Development of the Year: More than 100 Units
Jackson Apartments
Koz at the Dome 

Office Development of the Year
2+U
333 Dexter
Cedar Speedster

Office Interior of the Year
F5 Headquarters
Digital Streaming Firm
EY Seattle
Highspot Seattle Headquarters
Hudson Pacific Regional Corporate Office

Redevelopment/Renovation of the Year
BMW of Bellevue
Columbia Center Sky Lobby
DeLille Cellars Wine Production Facility & Corporate Headquarters
Lam's Seafood Asian Market - Tukwila
Pacific Place Repositioning
T-Mobile Headquarters - Building 2

Retail Development of the Year
Pioneer Crossing
Wilburton Village

Sustainable Development of the Year
Inspire at the Russell W. Young Building 
Watershed

NAIOP Washington State thanks its 2020 Night of the Stars Judges:
Jessica Clawson, Partner, McCullough Hill Leary, PS
Mark Dibble, Partner, DSC Capital
Travis Hale, Partner, Panattoni Development Company
Cleita Harvey, Managing Director, JLL
Kristin Jensen, Managing Director, Gensler
Warren Johnson, Director of Business Development, The Walsh Group 
Chris Rossman, Senior VP, Development Sourcing, The Wolff Company
John Savo, Partner, NBBJ
Derek Speck, Economic Development Director, City of Tukwila

Night of the Stars 2020 is sponsored by O’Keefe Development (Platinum Sponsor) and Puget Sound Business Journal (Media Sponsor). For a complete list of sponsors, visit our website.

About NAIOPWA Night of the Stars
NAIOPWA's Night of the Stars identifies outstanding real estate developments and activities in a variety of market types and the individuals who made the projects happen. The awards aim to honor the teams who build our landscape in this annual celebration of the industry. Each finalist project was evaluated for impact on the community, market adaptability, ingenuity and local contributions.

In support of our 1,000+ association members, the commercial real estate business industry and the community at large, NAIOP Washington State has submitted an official request to Governor Jay Inslee and to the State Building Code Council requesting a 6-month delay in implementation of new building codes, to January 1, 2021.