Area real estate professionals will want to attend the upcoming Auburn CityBuilders guest lecturer event on August 3, 6-7:30 p.m., in Lowder Hall, Room 005. CEO Robert Simon, of Corporate Realty Associates, Birmingham, will share insights on market conditions and trends shaping the region, drawing from his 30 years of experience in brokerage and development.

The Guest Lecturer Series delivers on the mission of CityBuilders and the Auburn Master of Real Estate Development (MRED), a joint program of Auburn’s Harbert College of Business and the College of Architecture, Design and Construction, to drive thought leadership in commercial real estate development. Real estate professionals, along with students, alumni and faculty, are invited to the lecture event and subsequent networking session, which will be held in the adjacent Horton-Hardgrave Hall, located on the corner of W. Magnolia Ave. and S. Donahue Drive.

“CityBuilders is honored to have a leader of this caliber kick off our 2023 Guest Lecturer Series,” said Greg Winchester, head of Industry & Alumni Relations and adjunct professor at the Harbert College of Business. “Simon is known for his leadership and innovation in the real estate industry, especially in Birmingham, and has long recognized the potential and impact of its growth to the surrounding communities and the state of Alabama.”

Simon is best known for his leadership in developing the 19-acre green space in Birmingham known as Railroad Park, a rich venue for local recreation, family activities, concerts, and cultural events. Currently, his firm is redeveloping the former Carraway Hospital site—located adjacent to a new $40M amphitheater in Birmingham—for new multi-family units and single-family cottages, retail, office, and entertainment options. He has been named Birmingham’s “Most Influential Executives” for more than five consecutive years, Subcontractors Association of Alabama “Developer of the Year,” and is a member of The Society of International Business Fellows.

CityBuilders is an initiative of the MRED program and Auburn’s new Institute for Real Estate Development, established to drive real estate education, industry thought leadership and professional development.

About Auburn MRED

The MRED program, offered jointly through the Harbert College of Business and the College of Architecture, Design and Construction, delivers the skills and insight required for its graduates to shape communities and change the way people work, live and play within them. MRED graduates plan, finance and build economically sustainable real estate developments based on principles taught in our classrooms and experienced firsthand via field study trips to successful developments in the U.S. and abroad.

About Harbert College of Business

The Harbert College of Business is a nationally ranked hub of undergraduate, graduate, and continuing business education that is inspiring the next generation of business leaders. Our world-class faculty deliver unparalleled academic rigor in the classroom, while our research-driven scholarship advances thought leadership and best practice in emerging business disciplines. Our alumni and industry partners actively engage our faculty and students to integrate business theory with practical experience and to instill the level of proficiency and integrity demanded by employers around the globe.

About College of Architecture, Design, and Construction

More than 1,600 students from around the world are enrolled in Auburn’s CADC. Our rigorous and nationally ranked programs are firmly rooted in Auburn University’s land grant mission. Our classes are small and taught by highly engaged and innovative faculty, most with significant industry experience. We leverage our design thinking and building skills to focus our work on today’s most pressing challenges, addressing sustainable and equitable solutions in all areas of the built environment and product development.