Shift in progress

Few Gulf Coast industries have undergone as much change -- or expansion — over the past two decades as commercial real estate.

From the growth of the Interstate 4 corridor in Polk and Hillsborough counties as a major distribution hub, to a series of glistening luxury condo towers in Collier County, the region has added millions of square feet and evolved into a mature and captivating market.

New hotels, too — including the 266-room Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota and the pending Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach Resort, among others — have played and will play a major role in introducing the region to many visitors who ultimately become at least part-time residents.