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COSTA MESA, CA—From infill redevelopment to dealing with brownfields, Orange County developers are finding ways to get projects done in a regulation-hampered market where land is scarce, said panelists at RealShare Orange County Thursday. During the panel session “Orange County Development: Getting Ahead by Building an Active Pipeline,” key players in the development field discussed the state of the market, what can be expected in the future and how they deliver despite the challenges.

Looking for sites that are not being used, where mixed-use projects and housing would thrive, is part of Trumark Homes' strategy, said Eric Nelson, VP of community development. “Land owners are selling to guys like us because they can extract the value in that land.”

Kurt Strasmann, senior managing director of CBRE, said it's so hard to find land, so developers must redevelop—particularly with a 1.6% vacancy in industrial space in Orange County. “That's 0% availability. Orange County is one of the most sought-after markets in the country.” Another hindrance to industrial development in this market, he added, is the fact that office rental growth is escalating, and that serves as incentive for developers to build office over industrial.