The Maine Real Estate & Development Association’s annual L/A Fall Social is all about networking. There are no scheduled speakers and no rigid program to follow.

Held at Baxter Brewing, the yearly event attracts key players in Maine’s real estate industry, who mingle over food and local beer.

It’s about making connections, discussing trends, analyzing the real estate forecast.

In the midst of this action Thursday night, we asked some of those real estate movers and shakers a couple of questions about the state of things in the Twin Cities.

What is Lewiston-Auburn doing right these days? And what could they be doing better?

John Holden, Lewiston-Auburn Economic Growth Council

What we’re doing right: “The business community is engaged and helping us grow existing business and to attract new business.”

What we could do better: “Focused, sustained marketing for the purpose of attracting and growing business. Sustained is the key word there.”

Bill York, Thayer Corp.

What we’re doing right: “The corporate culture here is changing dramatically. The businesses here are becoming more professional, for lack of a better word. When I first started coming to Lewiston, it was kind of a second-class city. They’ve really been making great strides.”

What we could do better: “Where we could do better is public transportation. I think that is significantly lacking.”

Donald Hinkley, Norway Savings Bank

What we’re doing right: “I just love the revitalization downtown, particularly on Lisbon Street. I remember ’08 and ’09 when you had a crap Lisbon Street and Center Street was just a lot of vacant buildings. Now you’ve got mom and pop stores, box stores, entertainment, theater… We have eateries that aren’t chain restaurants.

What we could do better: “I’d like to see how Bates Mill #5 ends up. Obviously there is a lot or great potential there.”

Hinkley added that in Auburn, off the turnpike on Washington Street, “you’ve got a five-mile stretch of nothing.”

Ian Pullen, Norway Savings Bank

What we’re doing right: “You can see the investment that’s happening here. The revitalization is amazing, really. We’ve made so much progress in the past few years.”

Lewiston in particular, Pullen said, has done a tremendous job in tearing down decrepit buildings or otherwise beautifying the downtown and “lifting the image of the city.”

Pullen pointed out that after graduating St. Dom’s, he went away to college but decided to return to the Twin Cities after getting married and having children. “I think that speaks to how well the community is doing here. It’s a great place to raise a family.”

What we could do better: For those unfamiliar with Auburn, getting to a destination can be difficult for people driving into the city on Court Street, before the Longley Bridge. If one misses Mechanics Row to the right, or Spring Street to the left, there is no safe way to get reoriented. “You’ve got to know where to turn,” Pullen said, “and a lot of people don’t. I don’t know how we solve that.”

Misty Parker, City of Lewiston

What we’re doing right: “Investments downtown, especially in the Riverfront Island area and on Lisbon Street. They’re really laying the groundwork for more opportunity.”

What we could do better: “I want to pass on this question. I think they’re working very strategically and very hard on what needs to get done. There’s a lot of activity right now. I think the city is doing their part.”