How One Commercial Real Estate Landlord Assesses the Market

The complete upheaval of the commercial real estate market seemingly happened overnight, but the pandemic followed years of structural changes, so the recovery could take much longer.

1 minute read

April 16, 2020, 8:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Texas Commercial Real Estate

Grossinger / Shutterstock

Steve Brown interviews Herb Weitzman, founder of Dallas-based commercial real estate brokerage the Weitzman Group, for an article about the road to recovery for the brick and mortar retail market following the coronavirus pandemic.

One of the key issues as play, is how quickly the pandemic shut down businesses and completely overhauled operations. This downturn is unprecedented, says Weitzman in the article. 

The structural changes already underway, suddenly exacerbated by the pandemic, won't be easy to recover from, especially for small businesses, says Weitzman. "When we go back to work it won’t happen quickly — the pandemic won’t stop in a day," he said in the article. "People are going to be afraid and take it very very cautiously."

Weitzman also tells Brown that the Weitzman Group "is working with the more than 3,400 tenants in his company’s shopping centers to keep them in business." The big box stores and grocers that recently invested in digital ordering and store pick-up programs are seeing those investments pay off, according to Weitzman.


Wednesday, April 15, 2020 in The Dallas Morning News

Young Professional

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban and Environmental Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban and Environmental Planner

Get top-rated, practical training for planners

"Planetizen federal action tracker" logo superimposed over black and white image of US Capitol dome.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

October 28, 2026 - Zachary Whalen

A car drives through a puddle, making a large splash. Rain pours down.

California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour

If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.

October 28, 2026 - Grist

A pencil rendering of Foundry Park, which shows skyscrapers and public green spaces.

Chicago breaks ground on $3 billion megadevelopment

The new neighborhood, titled Foundry Park, will one day host 3,700 residences.

October 23, 2026 - Chicago Sun Times

A swamp in South Carolina with tall pale trees and Spanish moss in the water.

Satanic place names

From streams and lakes to valleys and canyons, I mapped more than 1,000 places named after the Devil.

October 31 - The Daily Yonder

A rendering of a high speed rain station in California, with wide platforms and a sleep train with yellow highlights.

California High-Speed Rail Authority CEO resigns after $600,000 scandal

Under Ian Choudri, the authority used taxpayer dollars to fund first class flights and trips to nightclubs.

October 30 - Cal Matters

 A bridge stretches across the Missouri River at Chamberlain, South Dakota.

Want to study the Missouri River? Soon, you may need unanimous approval from 10 states

Legislation would require 10 governors’ permission to study or build projects moving water outside the basin.

October 30 - South Dakota Searchlight