Construction Trends
An Engineer’s DNA
Yesterday, one of our customers stopped by to talk about a new mixed use development that we will start end of the 1st quarter–retail, apartments and condominiums. “You may have…
Customer Relationships
The Art of Listening (Or Paying Attention)
One of our senior managers recently told me about walking a project with our civil site superintendent and a customer. As they toured the job site, the customer asked several questions and shared other thoughts while they walked. Without…
Read MoreTips from the Field
Adaptive Reuse–Always Interesting
“Be Prepared.” The 100-year motto of the Boy Scouts could also be well-suited for the Adaptive Reuse or Historic Restoration arena, along with having “the vision.” Here you see a…
Management
From the Rear View Mirror
This time of year, there are always resolutions about this and that floating around for the new year, the things we say we are going to do better. It’s just…
Management
Lose the Alarm Clock
Sleep and I have a precarious relationship. On the one hand, it’s a necessity. But the downtime can feel wasted, like I could have been getting more accomplished. I’ve heard…
Customer Relationships
Skill vs. Judgment
In the last few days, I was talking with our CFO about what distinguishes between a good hire and an average one. He said something like this: By watching how…
Construction Trends
Retail Transforms; Stores Remain
A portion of the ULI 2018 Look Ahead keyed in on retail. Their commentary may best be summarized, “Retail isn’t dead, it’s just changing. Give it some time to adjust.”…
Construction Trends
Navigating at Altitude
This week I attended our annual ULI Chapter meeting here, where Anita Kramer of ULI’s Washington headquarters presented ULI’s “Emerging Trends in Real estate 2018,” a real estate lookahead produced jointly…
Management
When to Sleep On It.
When I am faced with a problem to solve and there is not a clear path at the time, it has been my experience that consciously filing it in my…
Tips from the Field
Winter Grading
A couple of weeks ago, I was on one of our projects in Tennessee which, fortunately for us, is a rock job. As luck would have it for us as…