Real Estate Development and Urban Planning Issues Are the Focus of a New Series of Executive Education Programs from Harvard University Graduate Schoo

Cambridge, MA (PRWEB) May 30, 2008 -- This summer, the economics of real estate markets, investing in China real estate, due diligence for commercial real estate acquisitions, and master planning are just a few of the topics covered in a new series of executive education programs from Harvard University Graduate School of Design.

Designed specifically for real estate developers, urban planners, architects, and building industry professionals, these programs will enable participants to gain new skills while exploring timely issues and trends affecting their industries.

The programs offered include:

- Comprehensive Due Diligence for Today's Commercial Real Estate Acquisitions, July 8-9, Instructor: Kurt R. Padavano, Advance Realty Group, Bedminster, NJ

- The Financial and Economic Markets of Real Estate, July 10-11, Instructor: Raymond G. Torto, CBRE/Torto Wheaton Research, Boston, MA

- Master Planning: Creating Communities, July 21-22, Instructors: David Hirzel, Frederick Merrill, and Dennis Pieprz, Sasaki Associates Inc., Watertown, MA

- How to Invest in China Real Estate, July 21-23, Instructor: Malcolm Riddell, RiddellTseng, Beijing, China

- New Communities: Concepts of Master Planning, July 24-25, Instructors: Dwight DeMay and A. James Tinson, Hart Howerton, Boston and New York

- New Urban and Smart Growth Retail Planning and Design Principles, July 28-30, Instructor: Robert Gibbs, Gibbs Planning Group, Inc., Birmingham, MI

Comprehensive Due Diligence for Today's Commercial Real Estate Acquisitions

A thorough due diligence process is vital to any commercial real estate transaction, as it allows for confirmation of an asset's value and ensures that both sellers' and buyers' goals can be met within the terms of the constructed agreement. This two-day program will outline typical timeframes for due diligence, both within the purchase cycle and within the life cycle of the asset, and will discuss strategies for building a due diligence team to assure thorough and timely investigation of the asset. Financial, physical, and development due diligence issues and strategies will also be covered enabling participants to gain a comprehensive understanding of the key elements of the process.

The Financial and Economic Markets of Real Estate

Real estate professionals, whether in design, public policy, or management, need a clear understanding of the driving forces, the useful signals, and the expected functioning of the real estate markets for space and for capital. This program introduces a framework for understanding these markets and how they affect the building professionals and the fields of expertise in which they work. One part of the program will focus on the economics of residential and commercial markets and the long-term structural trends of today. It will analyze why real estate has historically been a boom-or-bust industry and why this will not be as true in the future. The financial part of the program will cover the basic financial concepts and tools used to evaluate real estate as an investment within the public and private debt and equity real estate markets.

Master Planning: Creating Communities

This team-taught program focuses on the general principles of master planning with a particular emphasis on the revitalization of urban areas and the development of new communities. Discussions emphasize the factors that influence planning solutions, including market and socioeconomic factors, regulatory and zoning processes, and political realities, as well as the personal goals and aspirations of key participants in the development process.

How to Invest in China Real Estate

The Chinese real estate market is booming. Opportunities in China for investors are great but so are the challenges. Successful investing requires an understanding of the China real estate market, knowing where to find opportunities, comprehending the legal and regulatory environment, and conducting careful due diligence. This three-day intensive program will give real estate and investment professionals new to the China real estate market a foundation for planning and executing investments, while experienced China investors will gain new skills and insights for making better investments.

New Communities: Concepts for Master Planning

In recent years, new master planning concepts, combined with evolving real estate patterns and priorities, have resulted in compelling new communities such as The Kentlands, Palmetto Bluff, Stapleton, and Celebration. As the demand and popularity of planned communities increases, the process of planning and developing these communities has become increasingly complex. That process is the focus of this two-day program, which encourages site planners, developers, architects, and landowners to explore the fundamental elements of community and neighborhood design, proven strategies for successful "place making," regulatory and development factors that shape implementation, and the application of these wide-ranging considerations to actual site conditions.

New Urban and Smart Growth Retail Planning and Design Principles

Hundreds of new urban and lifestyle centers are being opened across all market segments. However, many of these new centers will be at risk of failing due to critical planning and programming errors. This two-day program focuses on the actual nuts and bolts of how to program, plan, and develop both urban and suburban town centers including land, parking, building, site planning, zoning national retailer demands, and developer requirements.

Complete program and registration information for all of Harvard's Real Estate Executive Education programs can be found at http://execed.gsd.harvard.edu/professional/exec_ed/real_estate.html

About the Office of Executive Education at Harvard University Graduate School of Design

The Office of Executive Education at Harvard University Graduate School of Design (GSD) is the foremost provider of Executive Education programs for architects, planners, and real estate and building industry professionals. Executive Education offers an extensive menu of programs that covers topics in design and real estate as well as customized programs that can be tailored to an organization's or firm's specific learning needs. Drawing upon the unparalleled resources of Harvard University, Executive Education programs are led by renowned faculty from the GSD, the Business School, the Law School, and the Kennedy School of Government, as well as by eminent practitioners and scholars from across the country and around the world. For more information, visit http://execed.gsd.harvard.edu

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