Industrial real estate market leaders from across the country gathered for NAIOP's   industrial event, I.CON East, in Jersey City, New Jersey, across the Hudson River from downtown Manhattan.

Traditionally, a lot of industrial real estate activity is focused on the East and West Coasts. However, one of the main takeaways from this year's conference is that industrial real estate activity concentrated in the Midwest, estimated to be roughly $27 billion since the COVID-19 pandemic began, is changing the game. One panelist dubbed it the "Silicon heartland." NAIOP announced that it will host a new I.CON next year in the central part of the country to focus on industrial activity in cities such as Columbus, Ohio; Chicago, Kansas City and Indianapolis.

At a panel discussion on the subject, a group of experts included moderator Scott J. Ziance, Esq., partner, Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP, along with Michael Brazeal, development transaction manager, CenterPoint; Michael Copella, senior managing director, CBRE; Grant Goldman, executive vice president of development, Ambrose Property Group; and Phil Rasey, vice president of development, VanTrust Real Estate.