In February, I shared the news about our first planning session for the Bronx Residential and Commercial Investment Forum. Four months and several planning sessions later, we are ready to launch our first event in cooperation with the Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation (BOEDC) and the Bronx Chamber of Commerce. This two day event will take place on Friday, June 15th between 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and Saturday June 16th between 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Hutch Metro Center, Conference Center, located at 1200 Waters Place, Bronx. The theme of this first event is "Why the Bronx and Why Now?" The Bronx has been undergoing a transformation that began in the early 1980s. With tens of thousands of new units of housing, an excellent highway and rail network, a vast waterfront, more parkland than any other borough, excellent universities, some of the nation's best medical facilities, and the New York Yankees, The Bronx is rapidly becoming the choice for businesses looking to expand in the New York Metro Region. The first day, Friday, will be devoted to Commercial Investment. The Bronx Borough president, Ruben Diaz, Jr. will be introducing our panel of executives who will share their experiences and reasons for choosing The Bronx. These companies are generating thousands of jobs and helping grow the Bronx economy. With new jobs comes the demand for housing. On Saturday, the public is invited to learn about homeownership in the Bronx. Our Realtor members will be speaking on topics of interest to first time home buyers and long-time residents alike such as the state of the Bronx market, co-op and single family home ownership, qualifying for a mortgage, refinancing, short sales, and how our borough stacks up against other areas. Both days will provide for Q & A sessions, networking, and have media participation. The event is free of charge to all attendees. There will be exhibit space available outside the auditorium for Realtor members who would like to market their services to the participants. Exhibit space is limited and will be available on a first come first served basis for a nominal fee. If you would like to participate in our panel, please contact Janine Schall at (718) 892-3000. It is a great time to be in the Bronx, as Halstead Property's Anthony DeVivio recently suggested in a Daily News article. Speaking about the Lower Grand Concourse, DeVivio said, "There is an absolute renaissance. It is becoming a very hip area of the Bronx." We look forward to seeing you in June! Matthew Schmelzer is the 2012 BMAR president, Great Neck, N.Y.