You can tack on a big question mark afteryou write the year 2012. Given the many and often-interrelatedissues the industry—and on a macro-level, the country—faces, no onecan say for sure where the year will end. The consensus seems toindicate progress over 2011 . . . if the jobs continue to mount, ifthe global debt crisis doesn't further complicate the statesidelending picture and DC politicos finally do something for theAmerican people.

New York City certainly isn't immune to such threats, but it iscertainly best prepared on a national comparison to sustainanypunches these various threats could deliver. And given the hope ofthe improving economy, CBRE's New York Tri-State Region is poisedto reap the most from the upturn.

In Manhattan alone, the firm totaled 870 employees, including205 salespeople, at the end of 2011, when it handled 27.9 millionsquare feet of office leases. For the tri-state area, that figureballoons to 41.1 million feet. Real Estate Forum caught up withsome of CBRE's regional brain trust to gain some insight on how thefirm stays ahead of the curve, and what they see coming next.