Brendan Gill, The MacKenzie Companies and President, NAIOP Maryland; Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh; Vince Bagli, Jr., Merritt Properties and NAIOP Maryland President-Elect.

Speaking before nearly fifty commercial real estate professionals at the NAIOP Maryland Developers Council dinner at Aldo’s Ristorante Italiano, Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh covered a range of business and real estate-related topics. “Our goal is always to perform better than the last administration and, to accomplish that, we need to be more business-friendly,” Pugh stated. “Among the first things we implemented is a permitting system that is available on-line. This should expedite the process.

“I think about all the great development that is occurring in the City, such as Canton and Federal Hill. But, there are also wonderful opportunities in other sections of the City that the public should also be paying attention to.

“Someone asked if I was attending the annual retail real estate conference in Las Vegas this year,” Pugh continued. “The answer is yes, because I have an agenda. We need more supermarkets in the City. And more theatres. Mondawmin Mall wants a sit-down restaurant. We are making great strides but there is also much more work to accomplish.

“If we can build two tremendous sports stadiums downtown, then we can find a way to improve Pimlico Race Course and keep the Preakness Stakes in Baltimore,” she continued.

Connie Rhodes, Rhodes Development; Taylor Fields, Knott Realty Group; Baltimore City Mayor Catherine Pugh and Danielle Beyrodt, Hill Management Services

Jim Lighthizer, Chesapeake Real Estate Group; Baltimore City Mayor Catherine Pugh; Jamie Campbell, Merritt Properties; Matthew Wilson, First Potomac Realty Trust; Richard Williamson, St. John Properties.