Of all commercial asset types, Banker & Tradesman readers say prospects are good for laboratory and multifamily apartment construction in 2013, but office tower and retail construction is unlikely to see much growth this year.

More than 42 percent of developers and commercial construction professionals responding to Banker & Tradesman’s annual reader survey, conducted in partnership with Sudbury-based market research firm Bannon & Co., said laboratory and healthcare projects will likely be built this year. More than 50 percent said they expect financing to be available at reasonable terms for multifamily apartment construction.

The same cannot be said, however, for the office market. Just 37 percent of respondents said it’s somewhat likely debt will be available for office developments. And developers are expecting the credit markets to be about as open as they were in 2012, especially for mixed-use projects. Those developments that bundle workplaces with spaces to shop or live are the ones most likely to be financed, especially in urban areas, according to industry experts.

“Urbanization is already changing the low-rise office space in the Financial District,” with new, technology-forward and creative firms occupying space in the traditionally button-down area of Boston, said Bill Barrack, director of Boston leasing for Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL). “The urbanization trend of firms moving to the downtown will continue through the year.”

But downtown Boston is just one piece of the “urban” puzzle. Another slice, and a hefty serving at that, is the Cambridge life science and office market. In one of the tightest markets in the region, developers are finding more ways to offer new space to tenants vying for an office in the East Coast life sciences destination – namely, building new buildings.

Tom Andrews, regional market director of Alexandria Real Estate Equities Greater Boston operations, said debt is “readily available at reasonable terms” for projects in core markets with credit tenants. He said that any new lab construction in 2013 will require developers to have the project substantially pre-leased or it’ll need to be a build-to-suit. Andrews had a major recent win when Ariad Pharmaceuticals agreed to lease 244,000 square feet at 75/125 Binney St. in Cambridge.

Alexandria can now start construction on that project since the firm has its anchor tenant in hand. That makes lenders confident the developer will have ample rent from the building to pay its debt obligations.

Multifamily Sales Positive

For investment sales, Frank Petz, head of JLL’s capital markets group, said he expects all asset classes to perform well in 2013, as long as Boston’s economic growth engines continue performing well, attracting companies and their employees to urban areas where they can live near where they work.

Multifamily sales will continue to do well, said Travis D’Amato, senior vice president at JLL. He expects more multifamily developments to break ground this year, even though transaction volume will be down from 2012.

While more than 57 percent of survey respondents said political gridlock in Washington, D.C. moderately effected their business, Paul Hewins, executive vice president for Skanska USA Building, said the political problems likely had much less of an impact in the commonwealth than other markets where Skanska works. Even so, the hottest areas for development are still Boston and Cambridge, he added.

“There’s a lot of work finally going and a lot more projects coming out this year,” Hewins added. “It’s a good construction market. But it’s not as good the farther west you go,” in the state.

For commercial marketing strategy, JLL is using high-tech gadgetry to customize many of its offerings to clients. Steve Steinberg, marketing director for JLL’s Boston office, said visitors to some properties receive a digital flip book, as well as an iPad application personalized with the potential tenants’ company logo to make company executives feel like their company already occupies the space.

“The iPad app will have virtual tours and customized floor plans that tenants can reconfigure with one keystroke,” Steinberg offered.

Email: jcronin@thewarrengroup.com

For the complete results of the 2012 B&T reader survey, click here.