Long-Term Infrastructure Planning Key to Real Estate Success, Says Industry Expert

Written by:

Rudi Davis

Date:

09 Oct 2025

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Real estate developers and property owners need to dramatically extend their infrastructure planning horizons, according to one industry expert who argues that today’s technology decisions will impact property competitiveness for decades to come.

Glenn Meyer, President of Pavlov Media, says the traditional approach to property technology infrastructure needs a complete rethink. “Really thinking about what kind of backbone infrastructure do you want on your property for the next 20 years, that’s clearly fiber. I mean, it has to be, because it’s upgradable to theoretically unlimited capacity,” he argues.

The Planning Challenge

Meyer warns that property owners need to factor in significantly longer lead times for infrastructure projects than they might expect. “If you’ve got a new property, or you’re doing a value add, you need to work with whomever your provider is if you’re going to be putting in new infrastructure to provide a lot of time to do that,” he explains.

The reason? “The provisioning timelines for both materials and just getting connectivity are still long. It’s just the nature of the beast,” Meyer notes.

Beyond Basic Infrastructure

Meyer suggests that property owners need to think beyond basic connectivity to consider how their infrastructure choices will support future technologies and services. His company has already seen this play out in the evolution of property amenities.

“We also build managed wireless networks on the property,” Meyer explains, describing how this eliminates the need for individual unit routers and creates a seamless connectivity experience throughout the property.

The AI Factor

According to Meyer, emerging technologies like artificial intelligence will place new demands on property infrastructure. “AI is going to change how business is done,” he says, suggesting that properties will need robust infrastructure to support these evolving technologies.

“There are efficiency tools that are allowed that AI, or we’re using it right now in areas, and then I think also, ultimately, what AI will be able to do is look for what I’ll call pattern computing, or pattern data that maybe you weren’t able to see before,” Meyer explains.

The Solution Approach

Pavlov Media’s approach to this long-term infrastructure challenge involves building what Meyer describes as “a large national, private backbone” where “about 80% of our internet traffic never goes to the public Internet.”

This type of infrastructure investment, Meyer suggests, provides the foundation for future technological evolution while maintaining security and efficiency. “It’s a very efficient and secure way to run,” he notes.

Looking Forward

Meyer sees the housing shortage as an opportunity for property owners to get infrastructure right from the start. “I’ve seen a lot of industry data that suggests that there’s going to be a lot of building going on, that there’s still a shortage of housing in this country,” he says, arguing that this creates an opening for developers to implement forward-thinking infrastructure strategies.