From the editor
If you're with the press, you might even get copies of all the speeches beforehand. But it's difficult to predict, even with all this information, which points will be stressed - which ones the speakers will return to and which ones, when they put their notes aside to answer questions or talk off-the-cuff, they will put forward as the most pressing of the day's topics.
So it was worth noting that at the second annual Real Estate Professional to Professional conference, which took place late in November at the InterContinental Warsaw, that at times the speakers almost seemed as if they'd coordinated their talks beforehand. They hadn't, of course, but you wouldn't have known it from listening to them emphasize a few main points.
The first was that, yes, the Polish real estate market is in for some good news due to the impending European Union accession, particularly due to the relatively rapid infusion of cohesion and structural funds the country will see. Another was that much more should be done by the industry, and by government, to make sure the real estate sector capitalizes on this opportunity. Suggestions ranged from clarifying what makes an A-class office building to straightening out local bureaucrats who slow down building permit applications because they don't understand what the forms mean. No revelations here, but it shows that everyone is on the same page, and that's a solid step toward a coherent plan for the sector's future.
You'll be seeing a change in this space beginning in the January editions of Lokale. After nearly three years in Poland, I am moving back to Chicago to pursue professional opportunities there. My time at the helm of this newspaper was short, but packed with new experiences and, best of all, the opportunity to meet and get to know many of you.
For those whom I've had the pleasure of interviewing or meeting face to face, it was a joy. For the countless people to whom I was only a constant voice on the phone, asking questions about new projects or checking details for a story, thank you for your patience; I trust you'll all be just as helpful to the new editor.
Have a wonderful holiday season, and all the best for a happy, healthy and productive New Year.
So it was worth noting that at the second annual Real Estate Professional to Professional conference, which took place late in November at the InterContinental Warsaw, that at times the speakers almost seemed as if they'd coordinated their talks beforehand. They hadn't, of course, but you wouldn't have known it from listening to them emphasize a few main points.
The first was that, yes, the Polish real estate market is in for some good news due to the impending European Union accession, particularly due to the relatively rapid infusion of cohesion and structural funds the country will see. Another was that much more should be done by the industry, and by government, to make sure the real estate sector capitalizes on this opportunity. Suggestions ranged from clarifying what makes an A-class office building to straightening out local bureaucrats who slow down building permit applications because they don't understand what the forms mean. No revelations here, but it shows that everyone is on the same page, and that's a solid step toward a coherent plan for the sector's future.
You'll be seeing a change in this space beginning in the January editions of Lokale. After nearly three years in Poland, I am moving back to Chicago to pursue professional opportunities there. My time at the helm of this newspaper was short, but packed with new experiences and, best of all, the opportunity to meet and get to know many of you.
For those whom I've had the pleasure of interviewing or meeting face to face, it was a joy. For the countless people to whom I was only a constant voice on the phone, asking questions about new projects or checking details for a story, thank you for your patience; I trust you'll all be just as helpful to the new editor.
Have a wonderful holiday season, and all the best for a happy, healthy and productive New Year.
