Barry Spizer, CCIM

Top Real Estate Influencer

SRSA Commercial Real Estate is one of the largest commercial real estate brokerage, leasing and property management companies in the Gulf South. In addition to his role as managing partner, Spizer is the managing member of a family investment group that owns and has developed most of Northpark Business Park in Covington. His main focus is on office and retail leasing, as well as investment property sales. Spizer’s most notable project this past year was his representation of the developers in leasing 350,000 square feet to Tulane University to anchor the redevelopment of the former Charity Hospital in New Orleans, which was recognized by NOMAR-CID as the “Deal of the Year” for 2021.

What are you most excited about in the coming year? I am most excited about seeing construction begin on the redevelopment of Charity Hospital. This property will be the centerpiece for Tulane’s Downtown campus and will further extend the medical district into this area. SRSA has begun our leasing efforts on the ground floor retail space, and it will be exciting to create a vibrant center for the neighborhood by activating this property with restaurants, shops and entertainment, both inside the building and in its courtyards.

I am also excited about the prospects for continued growth on the Northshore in Northpark Business Park. We have a beautiful, newly renovated Marriott Courtyard hotel in the park and a planned renovation of the Residence Inn in 2023. We also have shovel-ready sites for additional office and retail development in Northpark, which we hope to get started on in the year to come.

What is the biggest challenge facing your industry today? It is economic uncertainty. Companies are unsure how inflation, rising construction and fuel costs, and higher interest rates will affect their businesses. These concerns could delay decisions and put some projects and expansions on hold. But many companies are still operating profitably, and we continue to experience historically low interest rates. This will allow real estate developers and investors to adapt and find ways to remain successful. The economy will certainly affect some segments of the commercial real estate industry, but I believe we will see opportunities for continued growth and positive investment in real estate in the year to come.

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