Power players line up to thrash out key issues.

The Urban Land Institute (ULI) is bringing together the best and brightest in the real estate community to discuss critical issues ranging from affordable housing and transportation to the effect of development on the environment.

The New York, Northern New Jersey and Westchester/Fairfield District Councils of ULI are co-sponsoring a Regional Trends Conference in Manhattan on Thursday, Sept. 15.

The conference will be held from 8 am to 6 pm at Manhattan Center Studios Grand Ballroom, 311 West 34th Street (between 8th and 9th Aves).

The ULI is a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit research and education organization that focuses on development and land use issues.

Experts from business and government will participate in a series of six panel discussions highlighting a wide range of concerns affecting the region's residential and commercial real estate markets.

The objective is to increase awareness of ways to accommodate growth while preserving the environment and adding value to the region's communities. Susan Hudson-Wilson, founder of Property & Portfolio Research, LLC, a leading independent provider of real estate research, portfolio strategy and risk management advisory services, will kick off the conference with an overview of current and emerging trends.

Dr. James Hughes, dean of the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University, will add insight about economic, demographic and property market issues.

Amanda M. Burden, chair of the New York City Planning Commission, will highlight the initiatives New York City has taken to accommodate explosive business and population growth.

Stephen Siegel, global chairman of CB Richard Ellis, will moderate the industry leaders panel, which will consist of representatives of the region's major employers.

Panelists will share their accumulated wisdom and discuss the relevance of the trends and issues discussed throughout the day.

Michael D. Fascitelli, president of Vornado Realty Trust, will moderate a panel on the New York Metro area's capital markets, focusing on the issues and economics that affect real estate property and investment on national and regional scales.

The panel will include Terrance Ahern, a principal and founder of The Townsend Group; Jeffrey R. Dunne, vice chair and leader of the New York tri-state investment team at CB Richard Ellis; Robert Verrone, managing director at Wachovia Securities; and Russell Appel, president of the Praedium Group LLC.

Anthony Coscia, of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, will address the complexities and interdependencies of the region's transportation infrastructure and its effect on real estate.

Clayton H. Fowler, a founding partner of The Spinnaker Companies, will lead the discussion on current projects transportation projects for the City of New York and the region.

The panelists will include Susan Deutsch of the Greater Jamaica Development Corp.; Robet Yaro, President of the Reginal Plan Association; and Robert Lurie of the Port Authority of NY & NJ.

Mayor Christian Bollwage of Elizabeth, New Jersey and co-chair of the U. S. Conference of Mayor's Brownfields Taskforce, will highlight the trends and issues confronting the development of brownfields properties.

A panel discussion on the balance between development and the environment will include Philip Amicone, Mayor of Yonkers, New York; Larry D'Andrea, U.S. EPA Region 2; Anselm Fusco, Senior Vice President of Development for Cherokee Northeast, LLC; and Lynne Ward, Executive Director of National RE/Sources.

Rosemary Scanlon, Associate Professor of Economics, New York University Real Estate Institute, will moderate a panel on the issues and opportunities created by the sports and the arts, and discuss their impact on the real estate market and local economies.

Panelists include Harvey Lichenstein, President and Executive Producer of the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM); Glenn Lowry, director of the Museum of Modern Art; and George R. Zoffinger, President and CEO of the NJ Sports & Exposition Authority.

Jonathan F. P. Rose, president of Jonathan Rose Companies, LLP, will moderate a discussion on market rate offerings, affordable housing development and the challenges and economics that impact how and where we live in the region. Panelists include Shaun Donovan, Commissioner of NYC's Department of Housing Preservation and Development; Frederick S. Harris, Senior Vice President of AvalonBay Communities; and Dr. Pearl Kamer, chief economist of the Long Island Association.

For more information or registration, call 1-800-321-5011 or register online at http://www.uli.org/ register/index.cfm?id=979.