DePaul University’s Real Estate Center and Chaddick Institute for Metropolitan Development will present a half-day conference Jan. 15 to explore market forecasts and success drivers that will affect the metropolitan Chicago mixed-use real estate market in 2008-2009.

The event, “The Changing Rules of Mixed Development,” will be held from 1 to 5:15 p.m., with a reception to follow, at the Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St. Featuring experts on mixed-use market trends, the program includes:

• Glen Marker, national director of research, Grubb & Ellis, will forecast the market for mixed-use housing, retail and office development during a 1 p.m. to1:30 p.m. address.

• Brian Ratner, executive vice president of East Coast development for Forest City Enterprises Inc., and Tom D’Alesandro IV, senior vice president of development, General Growth Properties, will discuss financial, structural, community and social conditions that are driving success in the mixed-use market. The panel discussion will be moderated by Carol Gies, president of 4Insights Inc., from 1:35 to 2:25 p.m.

• Joe Schwieterman, director of DePaul’s Chaddick Institute, will engage developers, community leaders and industry representatives in a discussion about what, from experience, they would do differently in developing mixed-use projects. The session from 2:45 to 3:40 p.m. will feature panelists Terry McEwen, principal of Poag & McEwen; Tim Angell, deputy director of Community & Economic Development for the City of Des Plaines; and Joe Antunovich, owner and president, Antunovich Associates architecture firm.

• Susanne E. Cannon, the Douglas & Cynthia Crocker Endowed Director of DePaul’s Real Estate Center, will lead members of the previous panels in a discussion of risk factors facing the mixed-use development industry from 3:45 to 4:50 p.m.

“Mixed-use development in Chicago is a turbulent market that is heading for change,” said Cannon, who is co-hosting the conference with Schwieterman. “City and suburban real-estate developers are stepping up investments in mixed-use projects, such as lifestyle centers, revitalized downtowns and ambitious planned communities. Some projects are enjoying brisk retail leasing and residential sales, while others are struggling to fulfill expectations. Adding to the uncertainty is a precarious housing market and increased financing costs. We’ll explore these trends and how the market will transform itself in the coming year.”

The conference fee for “The Changing Rules of Mixed Development” is $125. For more information and registration, go to the Web site: http://realestate.depaul.edu, or call The Real Estate Center at DePaul at 312/362-5906.

Editors’ Note: Journalists interested in covering the conference should notify Robin Florzak, DePaul Media Relations, at 312/362-8592 or rflorzak@depaul.edu