Insights from Connect Midwest 2026: Market Strengths and Industry Trends (VIDEO)

“I’d like to see developers and architects thinking less product-focused and less supplier-focused, and more solutions-focused,” said Danny Dulkin, President of Consulting & Development at LIVunLtd.

At the recent Connect CRE Midwest 2026, Dulkin answered questions about development trends he is seeing across the industry. Speaking to the focus on amenities, he added, “We spend a ton of time looking at data and looking at our existing operations to figure out exactly what tenants want to use, how they use them, and providing as much value in the spaces as possible.”

We also asked multifamily leaders about the area’s growth and their expectations for the sector across Chicago and the surrounding regions. “I think that Chicago and Midwest markets, in general, continue to be an area of great growth and consistent opportunity for developers, investors, and operators,” said Igor Zhizhin, Director at Lument. “The Midwest continues to be very steady and very consistent, with our vacancy leading the country, typically 2% to 3% below the national average.”

The event also covered rent growth in the Midwest with Stratos Athanassiades, Regional Manager Midwest at Red Oak Capital Holdings, noting, “Market rent growth in the Midwest has been pretty robust over the last few years, and I think certainly the C and B properties in the secondary and tertiary markets are poised to see that rent growth continue.”