The construction calendar is predictable: Rain or snow delays in the winter. Heat concerns in the summer. We’re building a job outside Dallas right now that has dealt with both. We had what seemed like monsoons for weeks and have finally gotten 2-3 weeks of good (but hot) weather. When the temperature of fresh-mixed concrete …
Next month, we will be starting another conversion, this time transforming a vintage Greyhound bus station into cool office space, maintaining classic bus station features. Our customer is having fun with the project and has purchased two vintage buses to park outside, as if ready to load passengers. They might be used as conference rooms …
Today marked the conclusion of the 24th World Scout Jamboree, where 45,000 Scouts from 167 countries came together at the Summit Bechtel Reserve. For 2 weeks, the Scouts participated in skill challenges, learning a bit more about each other’s countries, enjoying diverse food and more importantly, learning to respect each other’s differences in religion and …
This morning, I was in a meeting with a customer where we discussed the adaptive reuse of a 100-year-old machine shop into 40,000 sf of Class-A offices. It’s in the right place and now is the right time. Our architect friend asked about historic tax credits, and my customer quickly said, “No way.” He was responding …
It seems like the word “team,” as in, “our team,” or any other way it might be used can be the corporate soup du jour. Sometime ago, I took a group of Scouts on a 2-week hiking trek to the Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico. My tent partner and I would set up our …
Maybe one of the secrets to being a successful company isn’t all about what you do. Maybe it’s more in how you think. For us, it’s been important to focus on creating and connecting value. Make no doubt about it, cost will always be a component of value. Here’s what I think: Some firms will …
We are nearing the homestretch on one of our more unique projects. The Sidewalk Film Center and Cinema is taking shape in a space that was once the basement of a department store in our CBD. The initial challenge was to build the cinemas below the first floor food hall with an additional six stories of apartments …
Like many organizations, we meet once a week to get a status report on our current projects, discuss any management changes needed and, most importantly, find out how we might help one another. No silos. As we have grown, I felt a need for another type of meeting, involving more people in the company, to …
I was on a flight recently with the owner of a relatively young California software company. He shared that in the beginning, he pursued every prospect that walked in the door. As his company matured, it became a balancing act between the value and the cost of production. His company, like all successful businesses, learned …
Recently, I was with the CEO of one of our longtime customer relationships, talking over lunch. As I was listening to him, I was reminded how success taints our vision at times. When we fail, our vision is crystal clear. This company was particularly successful for several decades. They could do no wrong, make no …
I recently heard a Mark Twain quote that resonated with me: “The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug.” Many things are advancing in our modern world, but language doesn’t seem to be one of them. If you’re talking to a coworker or …
I was in Las Vegas this week for the International Council of Shopping Center’s RECon event, what some may say is “The Super Bowl of Retail.” While the attendance was down this year, I see every May as a chance to learn a few more tricks and trends, and more importantly, to visit with people …