On Wednesday, November 19, 2025, leaders from across the built environment gathered at 30 Hudson Yards in New York City for the Second Annual Insights & Impact event, hosted by the Penn State Cocoziello Institute of Real Estate Innovation and sponsored by Cozen O’Connor.
Held within one of the most dynamic urban developments in the world, Hudson Yards, the evening brought together a curated audience of industry executives, investors, developers, legal experts, and innovators. More than a networking event, Insights & Impact served as a platform for meaningful dialogue around the future of cities, capital markets, and real estate innovation.
Importantly, the conversation extended beyond traditional real estate circles. The event reinforced a central message of the Cocoziello Institute: shaping the built environment requires collaboration across disciplines, from finance and development to law, design, policy, and technology.
The featured panel discussion, titled: “A Tale of Two Cities: From the Most Innovative Office Spaces to the Ones Nobody Wants, and Everything In Between” addressed one of the most pressing questions facing the industry today: What defines value in a post-pandemic office market?
The discussion was led by three distinguished voices shaping global urban development:
Together, the panelists explored the growing divergence within the office sector where premier, amenity-rich, design-forward environments continue to attract tenants and capital, while obsolete properties struggle with vacancy and repositioning challenges.
The conversation underscored several emerging themes:
Framed against the backdrop of Hudson Yards, itself a case study in integrated, large-scale urban development. The discussion highlighted both the risks and opportunities defining today’s market cycle.
As markets evolve, the industry faces complex questions around sustainability, adaptive reuse, capital allocation, workforce shifts, and technological disruption. Events like this provide a forum not just for analysis, but for alignment, bringing together the decision-makers actively shaping the next generation of cities.
Following the panel discussion, attendees continued the dialogue during a cocktail reception featuring passed hors d’oeuvres, reinforcing the collaborative spirit that defines the Institute’s growing network.
The Second Annual Insights & Impact event further solidified the Cocoziello Institute’s position as a bridge between academic rigor and industry practice.
By convening leaders in iconic settings such as 30 Hudson Yards, the Institute continues to elevate the conversation around innovation, resilience, and responsible development. The sponsorship by Cozen O’Connor reflects the importance of interdisciplinary engagement where legal frameworks, capital markets, and development strategy intersect.
As the built environment undergoes structural transformation, forums like Insights & Impact are critical in shaping informed, forward-looking leadership.
Advance Realty Investors is proud to support initiatives that promote thoughtful dialogue, education, and industry advancement, strengthening both communities and the broader real estate ecosystem.
