I’ve written a couple of times about changing parking needs. I read this most interesting article recently on the different ways cities are rethinking the means and methods of parking, and the why behind the movement. Did you know that in U.S. cities, parking occupies approximately a third of land area? It’s estimated that nationwide, …
While the CPI has risen about 5% over the last 12 months–the highest increase in decades–the 30-year T bills are hovering just north of 2%. One has to wonder why folks outside the construction industry are not more concerned. Someone explained it to me like this: Have you ever been to a football game and …
The pandemic didn’t necessarily lay the groundwork for changes in retail, but it was a disrupter for sure. In-store, there are more cashless transactions and curbside pickup. For the short term, success will require adapting. Within our retail division, we recently completed a Best Buy store that flips the traditional concept. This hybrid model drastically …
We recently completed an adaptive reuse office project in an area that is both urban and residential. The owner wanted to ensure that site lighting was functional, attractive and minimally intrusive. We ended up going with the Limelight outdoor lighting control system by Lutron using LED fixtures by Cree. Limelight is a wireless lighting system …
We are in the preconstruction phase for a new adaptive reuse project which involves converting an existing steel fabrication operation, about 80 years old, into a mixed-use facility with office, restaurant and entertainment. This week, our customer and I were talking about several current initiatives that I was not familiar with at the time. I …
We’ve talked before about pervious concrete and how it can be a solid option in regards to storm water management. There are also times when, even thought it’s more expensive, pervious paving can be the more practical option. We recently finished a project on the coast. Upon completion, our customer quickly realized that more parking was …
As the wild ride of 2020 comes to a close, I’m hearing a lot of talk about what the economy might look like next year. I don’t have a crystal ball, but the Fed appears willing to keep the rates down in the less-than-1-percent range and let inflation run wild for a bit north of …
One of our project managers is also an excellent drone pilot and recently used our place to test drive new software. We ended up with some cool images. This one caught my eye, because you can really see the “figure eight” of our entry. It was designed this way for some specific reasons. For starters, …
For us, getting involved in an FMI peer review group has been one of the smartest ways to grow our business. We meet periodically with other construction companies in non-competing markets to discuss best practices. I kept hearing others talk about using employee selection assessments in the hiring process, and we made the call to …
Because of the construction industry’s independent nature, technology typically lags. This means that roll out of new products, even some that really work, can be slow. One of the new systems we have discovered with our multifamily projects is ZIP System. Sheathing installation followed by a “housewrap” vapor barrier had been the industry standard for years. …
When I was a child growing up in Atlanta, the Lenox Square Shopping Center opened. At the time, it was one of the most remarkable retail centers in the southeast. There were two department stores–Rich’s, which was still owned by Mr. and Mrs. Rich, and Davidson’s, which is now Bloomingdale’s and Macy’s. There was also …
When we made the decision to trade our offices in a corporate environment for a 16-acre campus, a garden was part of our plan. We saw a garden as part and parcel to the building, a place of beauty where we would all learn to eat a bit better. Beyond the fruits and vegetables that …