It's certainly no surprise that, in the depths of the downturn, with increasing vacancy rates, declining rents, the high costs of doing business and mounting competition from surrounding states, New Jersey was burdened with its share of economic woes. Given the employment crisis, the credit crunch and the fight to salvage profitability, high-concept initiatives like sustainability and reducing one's carbon footprint often fell by the wayside.

NEW YORK CITY—With development parcels becoming scarce along the East River waterfront in Northwestern Queens, Astoria—the area known for Greek culture, ethnic cuisine and family-owned low-rises and rowhouses— may be going vertical, and soon. Given a steady uptick in renters as well as buyers in the neighborhood, investor and developer appetite is increasing steadily toward the area's eastern end near the Triboro Bridge.

BAYONNE, NJ—The battle of America's two coasts is beginning to make some serious waves. For the first time since World War II, the East Coast surpassed the West in container traffic growth, according to a new report, "North American Port Analysis: Preparing for the First Post-Panamax Decade" from Colliers International.

After the housing bubble burst in 2008, foreclosed homes, shuttered windows and overleveraged for-sale properties became familiar scenery across the country. Despite its generally robust constitution, even New York City's multifamily market—one of the city's biggest sectors—suffered a blow just like suburbia.

Policies supporting the construction of high-speed rail are getting back on track and gaining speed on the federal level. On July 9, Amtrak released a plan for the Northeast Corridor outlining its long-term vision to accommodate more trains operating at faster speeds, with significantly reduced trip times and improved service reliability. It also called for the development of the next generation of high-speed rail, reaching speeds of 220 mph among four major hubs: Boston, New York City, Philadelphia and Washington, DC.

Commercial real estate has long been considered one of the last industries where the glass ceiling hasn't been breached. But if the women on the next several pages are any indication, the "Old Boys' Club" may no longer be an apt description for the business. Women entered the sector in droves over the past few decades, and many have risen to the C-suite and are among the top decision-makers at their firms. As such, the editors of REAL ESTATE FORUM had a tough time selecting this year's Women of Influence. We weeded through some 200 worthy nominations to come up with 45 exectives whose accomplishments were particularly impressive. With an increasing number of women currently paying their dues and rising to management-level positions—not to mention mentoring a younger generation of female professionals—it seems like we'll have our work cut out for us in the years to come.

NEW YORK CITY—After the Barclays Capital scandal shed light on interest rate manipulation by global financial institutions, the impact on commercial real estate has yet to be seen. But given that many construction, short-term and bridge loans are priced over Libor, sources tell Real Estate Forum that it has the potential to add costs to borrowers across the spectrum.

NEW YORK CITY—As hungry office developers move to the Far West Side and Downtown, they may soon come back to build in Manhattan's core business district: the Grand Central submarket. The New York City Department of Planning has unveiled plans to rezone parts of Madison and Lexington avenues to allow taller skyscrapers in Midtown East near Grand Central Terminal. Although questions remain about whether the city's aging infrastructure and transportation network can support it, experts tell Real Estate Forum the rezoning is necessary.