Portland, ME On May 15th, the Maine Real Estate & Development Association (MEREDA) will host a conference that delves into upcoming changes that will impact every developer in Maine. With presentations and discussions, MEREDA’s spring conference brings together national, regional, and local speakers and panelists to discuss how development projects can be feasible and contribute positively to evolving societal needs.
“Maine’s development landscape is changing,” said MEREDA president Craig Young. “We desperately need development projects that will provide solutions to the affordable housing crisis and climate change. It can be very challenging for developers to make the numbers work when penciling out those projects, but it is possible. Our spring conference brings together industry experts for a discussion on how to navigate the challenges of aligning development goals with projects that will create a brighter future for Maine. It will be a great opportunity to learn from people who are making responsible development happen in innovative and exciting ways.”
Kicking off the conference, MEREDA will host Jonathan Tate, an award-winning architect from New Orleans, who brings an international perspective on housing development and urban planning. The conference will also include an economic presentation from Kenneth Entenmann of NBT Bank. Rounding out the conference will be two engaging panel discussions on topics ranging from Historic Tax Credits to Portland’s ReCode. Panelists include Kevin Kraft and Nell Donaldson from the city of Portland; Nate Marcet, a CPA from Albin, Randall & Bennett; Jonathan Culley, principal at RedFern Properties; Tyler Norod, development director at Westbrook Development Corp.; John Egan, senior program officer for strategic initiatives at the Genesis Fund; and Jason Howe, partner at Preti Flaherty.
MEREDA will also recognize its 2023 Notable Project recipients at the Spring Conference. According to MEREDA’s executive director, Shelly Clark, the conference will be held at The Holiday Inn By the Bay from 1pm to 5pm May 15. An application has been submitted for Continuing Education Credits. This event is sponsored by NBT Bank; Preti Flaherty; Mainebiz; Evernorth; Daigle Commercial Group; Sebago Technics; Albin, Randall & Bennett; Criterium Engineers; Efficiency Maine; and Pierce Atwood.