Retail has been declared “dead” more times than we can count, but the data (and the parking lot oil stains) tell a very different story. Manus Clancy and Dianne Crocker sit down with Gregg Katz, Director of Business Industry Solutions – Real Estate at Esri, for a wide-ranging conversation on why boots-on-the-ground insight still matters in a world overflowing with AI, dashboards, and foot-traffic metrics.

From the myth of the retail apocalypse to why visitation doesn’t always equal transactions, Gregg unpacks how generational shifts, population migration, and what he calls “enjoyment retail” are reshaping malls, grocery-anchored centers, and site selection strategy. Along the way, the team detours into nostalgic retail icons (Service Merchandise, anyone?), why Gen X’s spending power may be hiding in plain sight, and a delightfully human story about Lego’s ageless appeal. It’s a smart, human, and refreshingly real look at where retail is headed, and what the data alone can’t tell you.

01:37 Gregg Katz's Journey in Retail
03:39 The Evolution of Retail
07:43 Retail Trends and Consumer Behavior
18:28 Population Migration and Retail Impact
22:01 Generational Spending Power
26:21 Balancing Data and Human Judgment in Retail
30:40 Future of Retail and Consumer Spending
33:19 Nostalgia and Retail: The Lego Story

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While macro markets meander amid geopolitical noise, political pressure on the Fed, and mixed signals from Wall Street, commercial real estate is telling a very different story. In Episode 80 of The CRE Weekly Digest by LightBox, Manus Clancy and Dianne Crocker break down a week where CRE played the role of the calm, steady grandmother in an otherwise jittery economy.

Drawing on fresh LightBox data and the latest 2026 outlooks, the conversation explores why lender confidence remains intact, why capital is still moving in CRE, and what December’s surge in big-ticket deals says about pricing clarity and investor appetite. Highlights include the 44% jump in deals over $100M, rising buyer engagement across multifamily and office listings, and growing expectations for CMBS issuance in 2026.

The episode also hits standout stories across retail, office, and development, from necessity-based retail wins and a Miami office trade to a $326M hotel-to-resi conversion in New York City. The takeaway? It’s still a market of winners and laggards—but momentum, liquidity, and confidence are clearly building in the early days of 2026.

00:43 Macro Markets Meander, CRE Stays Steady
03:30 2026 Outlooks: Capital Is Ready and Lending Is Open
08:05 Data Dive: December Deal Volume Surges
11:35 Did You Know: Buyer Interest Is Rising
15:45 Retail Headlines: What’s Working and Why
20:45 Development Watch: Conversions and Housing Momentum
26:55 Office and Industrial Deals Making Headlines

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The first full week of 2026 delivered a rapid series of headlines, some encouraging, some concerning, and a few real head=scratchers. In this episode, Manus Clancy and Dianne Crocker break down a week of unpredictable news, from mixed macro signals and surprise policy proposals to the year’s first “didn’t-see-that-coming” geopolitical development in Venezuela.

With December behind us, LightBox’s Transaction Tracker and CRE Activity Index data is out. December’s CRE Activity Index dipped to 86.9, a typical seasonal slowdown and about half the usual year-end decline. Meanwhile, nine-figure CRE deal volume jumped 44% month over month, reflecting the lagged impact of elevated activity in September and October, when underwriting and diligence for year-end deals were getting underway. The takeaway: December saw a seasonal pause in activity, but deal momentum closed the year on a strong note.

The hosts also explore multifamily’s uneven recovery, the office value resets across major metros, early insights from LightBox’s AI benchmark study, and why office-to-resi conversions in New York and D.C. remain a clear sign of capital conviction.

The team also looks ahead with major forecasts leaning cautiously optimistic and January typically marking a rebound after a seasonally slower December, challenging the market to look past the noise and focus on what the numbers are signaling.

04:23 Single Family Rental Market Dynamics
11:29 New York City Housing Challenges
16:49 Economic Outlook for 2026
20:09 CRE Activity Index and Transaction Trends
23:02 AI in Environmental Due Diligence
27:10 Multifamily Market Insights
35:02 Office Market Challenges
38:02 Development Trends and Confidence

Have questions for the pod team? Send them to Podcast@LightBoxRE.com.

www.lightboxre.com