Flavio Amboss, Preconstruction Manager PREMIER Design + Build Group was proud to sponsor the SIOR Great Lakes Conference, which brought commercial real estate professionals together for three days of industry insight, meaningful conversations, and valuable connections. We spoke with Flavio Amboss, Preconstruction Manager at PREMIER, about his experience and the trends shaping commercial real estate across the Great Lakes Region. What was your biggest takeaway from the SIOR Great Lakes Conference? Overall, it was a fantastic experience. The conference brought together many influential leaders in commercial real estate, creating an incredible opportunity to hear directly from experts across the industry. I especially appreciated learning about the projects, challenges, and opportunities they are seeing throughout the Great Lakes Region. Which industry topic stood out the most? The discussion surrounding adaptive reuse and property renovations was particularly interesting. One panelist emphasized the importance of evaluating a property’s location and determining whether an investment in distinctive architectural elements can create the “wow factor” needed to reposition the asset successfully. The conversations about real estate taxes were also extremely valuable. One of the key takeaways was the importance of developing a tax strategy before acquiring a property. Once the land is purchased, an owner may lose some leverage when working with local taxing authorities, making early planning essential for protecting the project’s long-term financial performance. Together, these conversations offered thoughtful perspectives on reducing risk, identifying opportunities and positioning properties for long-term success in today’s evolving commercial real estate environment. What opportunities do you see emerging across the Great Lakes market? Columbus, Ohio, stands out as one of the region’s most promising markets, driven by population growth, expanding educational opportunities, an improving quality of life and strong long-term development potential. Chicago also remains a major logistics hub, benefiting from its central location, robust transportation infrastructure and world-class educational institutions that support a highly qualified workforce. Northern Indiana is another market to watch as demand continues to grow for both build-to-suit facilities and speculative industrial developments. With firsthand experience in each of these markets, our team understands the unique opportunities and challenges they offer. It was great to hear industry leaders echo the potential we see in Columbus, Chicago, and Northern Indiana, and I look forward to helping our clients navigate changing conditions and pursue new opportunities across the region.