This interview is part of the cover feature from the BizTimes Milwaukee 30th anniversary issue, published March 17, 2025. For more information and to see interviews from other southeastern Wisconsin leaders, visit biztimes.com/30-people.
Gard Pecor
Senior market analyst
CoStar Group | Milwaukee
Age: 33
In his role as senior market analyst at real estate data company CoStar Group, Gard Pecor covers commercial real estate, economic and demographic trends across Wisconsin. The University of Wisconsin alum started his career as an analyst for Cushman & Wakefield | Boerke before joining CoStar in 2020. A self-proclaimed urbanist, Pecor advocates for housing, public transportation and safe streets and is a member of Rethink 794, a volunteer group advocating for the removal of I-794 and redevelopment of the freeway corridor in downtown Milwaukee.
What would you like to see change in Milwaukee and southeastern Wisconsin over the next 30 years?
“Milwaukee is a net exporter of talent. Combined with a low natural growth rate, we consistently rank among the slowest-growing major metros in the country. One of the region's greatest challenges over the next 30 years will be whether we can attract and retain talent better than our peers.
“Young professionals and families are speaking with their feet and making generational decisions about where ‘home’ is. Many different factors are at play, but a major one is the affordability and availability of housing.
“As a region, we have historically underbuilt compared to our peers and our affordability advantage is eroding as housing costs surge. We need more housing across a spectrum of price points and typologies, and we need the tools to do it. No municipality can do this alone. We need regional cooperation here to support housing development and population growth goals.”
What do you hope to accomplish in your career over the next 30 years?
“With my background in commercial real estate, economics and urban studies, I really value the opportunity I have in my current role to combine my skills and passions and analyze Milwaukee through a critical lens.
“While it’s important to highlight our strengths, that alone won’t get us very far. What I’ve tried to do in my career is sort through the data and read the tea leaves, bringing attention to problems and opportunities that may not be apparent yet.
“Whether that’s banging the drum on our housing needs, shedding light on the future impact of declining office values on tax rolls, or calling for the demolition and redevelopment of I-794, my career has been focused on future-proofing the Milwaukee region and being a voice that’s looking generations ahead. Hopefully, in 30 years’ time, we can enjoy a coffee at the expanded public market surrounded by $3 billion in new development.”
What would be your pitch to the next generation to encourage them to make Milwaukee and southeastern Wisconsin home for the next 30 years?
“It may be hard to see if you've just entered the workforce or are still in school, but Milwaukee is a great place to plant roots and make a difference. Other cities may be hotter or flashier, but Milwaukee’s stability and size are great for carving out a niche for yourself and making an impact.
“Take Rethink 794, for example. A few years ago, this movement started as a small group of people mainly posting our concerns and ideas on Twitter. After a few years of grassroots work, this has become a major regional topic in the media and has forced the DOT to study all alternatives for the corridor.
“Email your alderman or neighborhood association. Attend committee or community meetings. Try to join a board. Milwaukee is historically slow to change, and we need new ideas and new energy to push us forward. You can do that here.”
