GardenStar Hosted 2024 Annual Investor Conference at The Harvard Club

GardenStar hosted 2024 Annual Investor Conference at The Harvard Club

Hosts: Eden Cai (CEO) and Eugene Xu (CIO)

New York, NY, December 6, 2024 – On December 6, 2024, GardenStar Group hosted its annual investor conference at Harvard Club in New York City. Led by Eden Cai, CEO and Co-Founder, and Eugene Xu, CIO and Co-Founder, the event brought together forward-thinking leaders in real estate and finance to explore key trends and strategies shaping the U.S. real estate market in 2025.

Keynote Speech: The Southern Surge

Kris Miller, President, Ackerman & Co                                                                                              

Kris Miller presented a comprehensive analysis of the factors driving commercial real estate growth in the Southeast, the fastest-growing market in the United States. Miller examined key demographic trends, economic forces, and emerging opportunities in markets such as Georgia and Texas, where population and GDP growth have more than doubled the national average over the past 60 years. He attributed this growth to a combination of factors, including a lower cost of living, substantial job creation, favorable climate, and significant investments in education.

Miller also highlighted the Southeast’s business-friendly environment, characterized by competitive corporate tax rates, generous tax credits, and a favorable regulatory framework. He pointed out the region’s low union presence and “Right to Work” policies, which have contributed to reduced labor costs and production expenses, making it particularly attractive for businesses seeking to expand. Additionally, the Southeast benefits from a talented pipeline of young STEM employees, with institutions like Georgia Tech producing more engineers annually than MIT, Stanford, and Caltech combined, alongside other top schools such as Duke, Vanderbilt, Emory, and Texas A&M. He further noted the region’s strong transportation infrastructure, with less congestion across airports, interstates, ports, and railroads, ensuring smoother supply chain operations. These advantages solidify the Southeast’s position as a hub for business expansion and economic opportunity.

Miller concluded his keynote by addressing the fiscal implications of the 2024 election and outlining what investors can expect under the next administration. Attendees gained valuable insights into how to strategically navigate the Southern market, leveraging its unique competitive advantages.

Fireside Chat: The National Housing Shortage and Opportunities in Real Estate

Host: Eddie Zhao, Associate Professor of Finance, University of Massachusetts

Speaker: Jed Howbert, Partner at Rumsey Partners

Jed Howbert delivered an in-depth analysis of New York City’s housing shortage, discussing zoning regulations and development standards that have constrained productivity and delayed progress in construction. Howbert also provided insight on the recently passed City of Yes initiative, which aims to liberalize zoning in the outer boroughs and enable the development of mid-rise housing units. Projected to yield 200,000 units over the next decade, this initiative has the potential to address 20% of the city’s housing supply challenges, provided key policy reforms are implemented to streamline approvals and improve productivity in the construction sector. Howbert acknowledged similar programs which have delivered progress in regions such as Charlotte, North Carolina.

Panel Discussion: Resort Development and Management

Moderator: Anla Cheng, Founder and CEO, The Serica Initiative

Speakers:

• • Phillip Rapoport, Owner of Wildflower Farms, Auberge Resorts

• • Stephen Paczkowski, Director of Global Design, Marriott International

• • Mike Woodward, EVP & Chief Growth Officer, HVMG Group

In an insightful discussion moderated by Anla Cheng, executives from America’s most prominent franchises outlined the industry’s major trends, growth drivers, and challenges. The panel noted luxury experiences as the center of the global hospitality scene while recognizing shifts in consumer preferences. The current luxury landscape has seen a transition towards personalization as well as rising popularity in rustic experiences that reconnect travelers with nature, powering destinations like Wildflower Farms. HVMG Chief Growth Officer Mike Woodward underscored regulations and permitting as the most significant challenge for developers, stating the importance of finding the right real estate. Regulations and permitting, combined with high interest rates and construction costs, as well as insurance hurdles in states such as Florida are making it difficult for developing new hotels in the United States. Accordingly, hotels have seen hikes in room rates amidst brands exploring options abroad.

Conclusion by CIO Eugene Xu

Eugene Xu concluded the conference with insights and updates on GardenStar’s project pipeline, reinforcing the firm’s ironclad commitment to the high growth sunbelt region. GardenStar’s Annual Investor Conference 2024 offered valuable insights for investors seeking to maximize returns in one of the nation’s most dynamic real estate markets.