Introduction: Mid-Atlantic Muscle

In a shaky marketplace, stability stands out. When

An analysis by Sperry Van Ness earlier this year reported that the “brightest retail markets are metro areas located in the mid-Atlantic and southwest parts of the nation.” It credited the mid-Atlantic’s retail resiliency to support from population and migration patterns demonstrating that “Northeasterners who flocked to Florida in recent years have since relocated or bought an additional home further back up the East Coast.”

While the developers we interviewed for this supplement are quick to say that a tough economy has had its effects, they concur that the mid-Atlantic states have fared far better than other regions of the country—and they emphasize that if a project is relevant, and the location is right, the mid-Atlantic is proof that growth can still happen.