“As an advocacy group, we also have to be very vigilant about seeking responses in the legislature that don't ignore other glaring problems- which include high unemployment,” he adds.

At the Tuesday evening session at the Sheraton Plaza conference center here, Verizon's New York area president Jim Gerace discussed ways to implement contingency plans for communications during disasters, and described the need for greater use of non-corrosive fiber lines and wireless.

Many companies, offices and industrial facilities suffered damage to basement technology and copper wiring after Sandy's surge waters encroached.

NAIOP finds its own “opportunity” to compile a new manual of best practices, contingency plans and recommendations on infrastructure as a result of the devastating storm, McGuinness says.

Another burgeoning issue discussed at the session is the “very complicated” issue of landlord/tenant insurance responsibilities in a post-Sandy environment. The Christie administration issued new flood area maps last week. McGuinness says that in counties hard-hit by the storm -especially Hudson, Bergen, Union, and Middlesex- a big concern has become: “What will it take to fortify buildings so that they will be eligible for insurance?”